Michael headed into Woody's for his daily fix of booze. He'd spent most of the past two days at the Diner. His mother, if anyone could call her that, was once again off work. She was having a series of day-dates with Carl, and according to rumors, wouldn't be back at the Diner until tomorrow afternoon. Kiki refused to wait on him, so they sent a newbie who was less than hospitable with him, and even less forthcoming about where he could find Debbie.

Michael was told by the waiter that he'd already been warned about his tendency to try gleaning information that was really none of his business. He added that the self-preservation of keeping his job was more important to him, than what Michael demanded to know about his mother. It seemed that Liberty Avenue had closed ranks around Debbie and the people he used to consider his family. It was becoming more and more apparent that Michael was officially shut out.

Yesterday, Michael encountered yet another issue with his mother not being at work, where he felt she belonged. Under the watchful eyes of Kiki, Michael had to actually pay for his meals and drinks, just like everybody else. Kiki told him that the Diner was for paying customers only, not loitering; that if he wasn't going to eat or drink, he had to move along to make room for others who were. So, because Michael had nowhere to go unless it was back to his motel room, he chose to sit there, ordering every half hour so Kiki couldn't kick him out, while he waited to see if any of the others would show up. They did, after he'd been there for about three hours, but they might as well not have with the way he was being ignored.

Vic, Emmett, Ted, and Ben had come in with three newcomers. They were greeted warmly by Kiki and some of the other staff, including the new guy. Apparently, Vic and Rodney were hiring Emmett to plan their anniversary dinner. In addition to running the furniture store with Vic, Emmett and Darren had started a party planning business. It was still on a small scale, but they were hoping to grow. Ted was doing the budget for the new building, and he was now dating Blake again- another twink Michael really couldn't stand. As for Emmett, he was hugged up with some hunk, who looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't remember from where. That was until he overheard his uncle's boyfriend, ask about the man about his team.

"So any luck with you guys making it to the big show this year, Drew? Although Vic isn't into football, I'm actually looking forward to the season. Training camp starts in a week, right?"

"Yeah. It's going to be a trial and a relief, Rodney. After last season, the injured list has been cut down considerably, and now that David Cameron has moved back to Pittsburgh, that should help. He and his partner are both in sports medicine, and have been hired full-time by the team. Old Duffy retired, and suggested that the higher ups do whatever they can to secure Cameron and Estes. Whereas David is the chiropractor, Sean works with everything else. I hear they are also bringing one of their neuro friends along, too. That said, our special teams should be back in business and in great shape for the season. I don't know about the big show, but that's always the ultimate goal."

"Don't you just love it when he talks football?" Emmett gushed. "How long have David and Sean been together? I remember when Dr. Dave was dating ‘he who shall remain nameless.' My God, what a mismatch; I don't know how he did it. Hell Ben, I don't know how you did it!"

Ben smiled at Emmett, thinking of how many days he asked himself the same thing. "Alas, the question I've always asked myself is why, but the how is actually pretty easy to answer. Meditation. Lots and lots of meditation. But John and I are having a better time of it."

"Yeah, we are," the smooth tenor of John Bates spoke. He was a fellow Literature professor at the college, where Ben taught.

He and Ben had known each other for a number of years, having been roommates at Penn State. Ironically, it was John who had tried to talk Ben out of being tied permanently to Michael. Not because he wanted Ben for himself, but because he could see that Michael didn't really want Ben as he ought to. To Michael Novotny, marriage was a way to lord it over all his friends and family that he was better than them, despite the fact that all of them had been to college, had lucrative careers and were- if not happy- then at least content with their lots in life. John had no doubt that Ben was just a placeholder for the one Michael really wanted, and had warned his friend of what he was getting himself into.

John also knew Brian Kinney, and had defended the man to Ben for many years about his friendship with Michael. It was then that Ben had began to open his eyes to his ex-husband's many faults, and started to look for a way out of the mess he'd created by being willfully blind. The lawsuit from Justin Taylor was the last straw for Ben. For John's part, he couldn't have been happier that Ben was finally putting his own happiness ahead of Michael's, for a change. The two had only officially been together for three months. And although they were taking things slow, neither one was sorry that they had moved things from platonic to romantic. "Ben is a good catch and I just got lucky."

The guys all awwed as the blush creeped up Ben's cheeks. But the screech from the end of the table, disturbed the sweet peace each couple had been enjoying. "I knew it! I knew you were fucking him!" Michael screamed.

"Not until recently, I wasn't. But why should that matter? You and I certainly weren't fucking," Ben said honestly, having just noticed Michael sitting at the counter of the Diner at all.

"Because you kept on with the we're just friends bullshit! I should have known you were lying, especially about all those faculty meetings! You're as dirty a whore as..."

"Say one disparaging comment about Justin, and I swear to God I will punch you in the mouth," Emmett gritted out.

"I can't believe you are still taking that whore's side instead of min... OW!! Emmett, what the fuck?!!!"

"You were warned! You still haven't learned your lesson about running your mouth, have you Michael?" Ted yelled as he moved to stand by Emmett's side, shielding Ben from Michael's view. "It's not enough that you lost everything, but you have to take away everyone's peace of mind, too. And for the record, you reek!!"

"He should, Ted. No amount of coffee or soap could effectively cover the smell of booze, you know that. It's coming through his pores. Plus, I would bet that he's sniffing, too," Blake offered, still seated in the booth with the others. Although he had been a meth head, he had picked himself up after hitting his ‘rock bottom' and gotten clean a little over two years ago. He had recently graduated from college with a double master's in Social work and Psychology, and was currently seeking employment that would allow him to support himself. "The veins on the surface of his nose are telling the story. So what is it? Coke or Black Tar?"

"Shut the fuck up, you tweaked-out Twinkie! You don't know shit!" Michael screamed before he whined and clutched his jaw again.

"I know enough to know a substance abuser when I see one. A word of advice Michael: check into rehab before your mother sees you. You seriously need detox."

"Fuck you!" Michael spat before he looked around the table. "Fuck all of you! You're dead to me," he said, as he moved towards the door in anger and in tears.

As Ted and Em resumed their seats, Ted asked, "You think he's going to be okay?"

Blake shook his head. "Honestly, no. Michael isn't built for the addictions he's fighting. Black Tar heroin alone is hard as hell to fight. Heroin goes straight into the brain, unlike meth and coke which, even though sniffed or smoked, goes through your system before dulling your senses. All types of heroin are that way, whether sniffed or taken intravenously. Michael was coddled and has never seen the real ugly side of life. Even Brian, a functional addict- at least in some way- was better off than Michael, because he knew the score in the streets. Hell Ted, even you were better off dealing with Meth than Michael is, and you were probably the least prepared for the realities associated with getting high. But you also know that you can only offer the solution; you can't fix the problem. And Michael is his own problem."

They all sat there, each absorbed in their own thoughts as Michael looked in through the Diner window at them. He'd heard what Blake said about addiction, and him being his own problem. But what the fuck did that twink know? Michael wasn't an addict; he just needed the stress relief a good high could give him so that he could sleep again. Fucking Justin Taylor! Now HE was the fucking problem! He needed to concentrate on getting rid of that blond hustler, so that he could reclaim his life. He would find a way tomorrow, but for now he needed a drink.

Brian's former dealer had passed him just then, and Michael bought a twenty-dollar bag of the white powder he'd been missing like a long lost friend. Walking into Woody's, he headed to the bathroom and opened up the bag, then poured a little of the contents onto the back of his hand. Looking at it, he contemplated Blake's words again, noticing how the crystals called to him. Something inside of him was telling him to throw it away, but fuck it! He'd just spent twenty dollars on it and he couldn't return it.

That would be like trying to return used underwear.

Michael laughed at the imagery that thought created in his mind. So shrugging his shoulder, he decided that he might as well make good on his purchase. Putting his hand up to his nose, he snorted the powder, enjoying the lethargic feeling beginning to suffuse his body. He preferred to feel this rather than all the anger and pain he'd been carrying, and all because of the advent of a whore who'd caught the eye of the man he most loved in the world. A man who should be his, and would be; he'd make sure of that!

Going back out to the bar, Michael ordered a double Beam while scouting out the selection of men. He needed to get fucked! Getting high always increased his sex drive, and he was determined that he wouldn't spend another night like the previous one, with only his right hand for company. He smiled at the bear, looking at him from the corner, motioning for him to come and join him for a drink. He did and three hours later, Michael wasn't feeling any pain. The bear, whose name Michael didn't get, took him back to Michael's room and upon Michael's explicit, drugged-up instructions, roughly fucked him. After the fifth coupling, Michael finally passed out, never hearing the trick leave.

Waking up the next morning- or what he assumed to be the next morning- was a trial, but he had to. His body was sore as fuck, and the bed was wet. He knew instantly that he'd never made it to the bathroom during the night. And with all the liquor he'd consumed, there was only one answer for what had happened as he slept. Carefully alighting from the bed, Michael walked at a snail's pace over to the bathroom in the corner of the room.

Turning on the shower, he stepped in, wondering why the hell he felt as if he'd been hit by a thousand trucks. Soaping himself carefully, he noticed the bruises covering his torso and legs, even while the water stung his back as if he had lashes across them. Michael looked as if he'd been on a battlefield, instead of alone inside the no-tell motel room with a pissy mattress, and a battered body. Drying himself off, Michael walked to the door of the room and opened it. Looking at the ground, he was happy to see the morning paper.

He knew that he needed to find somewhere permanent to live, now that it was more than obvious he and Ben would never reconcile. Michael wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, he was happy because that meant when Brian finally dumped the twink, he could pursue his dream of being Mrs. Brian Kinney. But on the other hand, it was like a slap in the face that Ben had moved on, while he couldn't. He shook himself of that thought, and decided to get out of the room.

Michael decided to take a look at the latest edition of Pittsburgh OUT, while having his coffee at the coffee shop right next to the motel. Michael finally noticed that somewhere along the line, he had lost time. It had actually been two days since he'd last set foot out of his room, instead of the ‘yesterday' he had thought in his head. He shrugged off his mental blip, thinking that since he had pissed off just about everyone, it didn't matter. He would stop in and see his mother later, since she should be back to work.

And maybe for a change, she would finally see reason and understand that I am the wronged party.

He had started reading the paper, so that perhaps he wouldn't look so pathetic, always having to eat alone. After the confrontation at the diner yesterday, he refused to go there when he knew there was a good possibility of running into them. A cooling off period was definitely needed. Opening it up to what was essentially the town gossip page, he saw listed under the section of Birth Announcements: Justin Taylor and Brian Kinney welcome home their children, Christian Armani Taylor-Kinney and Tiffany Carolina Taylor-Kinney. Along with the announcement was a picture of Brian and Justin, each holding a baby.

Just looking at the babies, anyone could see that Justin was the father. "That fucking gold-digging hustler!" Michael yelled as he shoved away his coffee and stormed out of the place. Angrily clutching the paper in his hands, he stormed down the street towards his former store, trying to figure out what he could do to get back at that fucking hustler for this. The former Red Cape Comics was always the place where Michael's mind would clear, even back when it had belonged to Buzzy. As he got near it he saw a delivery truck from Taylor Electronics go by.

He fished his cell phone out of his pocket, dialing a number he knew he would never in a million years forget. "Kinney here... or not here, since you have to leave a message. Go to it..."

"Brian!!! Briannnnnnn, WHAT THE FUCK has that fucking twink been doing behind your back?! He's a fucking father?! Oh I KNEW he'd been playing you! But don't worry. I'll be there for you Brian. I know you're hurt by Justin's betrayal, but I'll make you feel better. Call me."

Then he called Lindsay, but received no answer. The same went for Melanie. He called Kinnetik and got hung-up on by that bitch, Cynthia, as soon as she heard his voice. He would make sure she was fired when Brian called him back! He was tired of being disrespected by Brian's staff.

And the more he thought about it, the more he knew just how he was going to get back at the most disrespectful of them all!

He thought about that truck again. Could that ‘Taylor' really be related to the twink? He remembered that Lindsay had said Justin was from the same country club set she was born into. No wonder he thought he was better than everybody! He probably even lorded it over Brian, since his best friend was considered working class poor, when they were growing up.

Sure Brian had risen above it, but as his mom taught him, one never forgets their roots. What if Justin is related to the owner of the electronics store? He remembered hearing Emmett say that the twink got kicked out because he was gay. He wondered what his father would think of being the grandfather of his gay son's bastards. Yes, that's perfect, he thought to himself as stopped inside the post office near his former store to purchase an envelope and a stamp.

Looking through his mail, Craig saw a handwritten envelope with no return address. Opening the envelope, he pulled out a newspaper article and a handwritten note. The note, written in childish scrawl, said Look at what your disgusting spawn has done now! Taking out the article, Craig felt nothing but fury looking at the picture of Justin and Brian, holding their children, right before he crumpled up the paper.

"What the fuck is this shit?!"

Catherine came running in when she heard her husband yelling. "What is it, Craig?" she asked.

In answer, he throws the crumpled up article at her. "Did you know about this?!"

"Why would I have known anything about it? And how did you get this?"

"Someone sent it to me; there was no return address. Probably the fucking faggots, trying to rub my nose in their disgusting lifestyle," he muttered before slamming his hand down on the desk. "Well they are NOT going to get away with this! I'm calling my lawyer to see what I can do about it!"

"Craig, there is nothing you can do,"

"There has to be something!" He stilled for a moment before making his big pronouncement, smiling evilly in his wife's direction. "I'll take those children away from those faithless faggots, and then we will raise them the right way,"

"We who? I am NOT going to be raising any more kids. I'm done with that bullshit!"

Catherine didn't like children at all. The only reason she had the one she did was because by the time she realized she was pregnant, it was too late to do anything about it. She certainly wasn't willing to raise someone else's kids, just because Craig  got a wild hair up his ass and wanted to take them away from his son. If he did manage to somehow get them, he would just have another bill on his hands because she would divorce his ass and demand alimony!

"So I'm supposed to leave my grandchildren- one of whom is a boy- in the hands of those deviants?!"

"Craig, you need to make up your fucking mind! First, you don't have a son named Justin Taylor, which if we're being honest here, you really don't. But now that there are children involved, you do. Unless..." She laughed bitterly with her realization. "So you are thinking solely of child support, are you? You're planning to take Justin's children away from him, but fix it so he'll still have to pay you support? On what grounds?"

"Catherine, the idea has merit. Although that is not my main goal..."

"No, your main goal is to ruin Justin's life like you are claiming he ruined yours, which he didn't! You threw him out to fend for himself because he was gay, But most of all, you tossed him to the curb because he knew you were cheating on Jennifer with me! He would have ruined your Rich Man fantasy: you know- the wife and the mistress with 2.5 kids. And I let you do that to him, because I thought you were different; thought that you really loved me.

But I'm getting a much clearer picture of you and your motives, and I have to admit that I am a poor judge of character where men like you are concerned. I can't understand how I could have married a man so fucking spiteful! If I had known that you were more avaricious than even Laura or myself, I wouldn't have chained myself to you for better or worse. I may be a whore, Craig- I'll own that- but I'm an honest one. And yes, I've used my daughter for personal gain, but she was old enough to understand the whats, whys, and wherefores.

What you are planning on doing is not only greedy and spiteful; it's downright atrocious! If it was against the law, I would suggest that you be locked under the fucking jail to keep your venom contained. You are probably the most despicable human... No, I won't insult humans that way... You are the most misguided, hateful creature to ever walk the face of the earth. I hope the God you're always using to suit your own ends forgives you, because if you're hellbent on doing this thing, I sure as fuck WON'T!!"

Craig sat there stunned by Catherine's outburst. Those were happening more and more lately, and were really unacceptable! If she wouldn't fall in line with his plans for Justin's children, then she needed to be replaced. But time was of the essence, and he needed to file the papers immediately if he was going to take custody of those children. He would have his attorney file temporary restraining orders until the court date, while also ordering Justin to support his brats.

That money would go a long way in securing Catherine's replacement. Hell, Laura might even be willing to side with him on this. He could marry her, since she wasn't a blood relation. Besides, she was better than her mother in bed; her pussy was young, fresh, and still tight, no matter how many other dicks it entertained. Yeah... he just had to stay married to the bitch, who had one foot out the door already, long enough to secure his meal tickets, and then Catherine could go fuck herself.

Craig chuckled at the thought of Catherine's shock when he took Laura for his wife, while ditching the bitch who was making his life miserable. Justice would definitely be served on all sides. But first it was time to put in a call to an old friend. "Hello. Craig Taylor for Judge Roy Russo please..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brian was in his office, waiting for Daphne and Justin to return with lunch when Cynthia buzzed him. Lindsay was there asking to see him, and saying it was very important that she speak with him immediately. Knowing this was probably nothing he wanted to hear, but nevertheless curious, Brian opened his door. Glancing back down the hall, Lindsay entered. She reached for him, but he stepped back behind his desk and stood there, waiting for her to speak.

"What is it, Lindsay? Make it quick, I'm busy,"

"Brian, please don't be like this. I... I just need to talk to you. I've been thinking. I know Mel and I signed papers giving up the babies because they aren't yours, but I've been thinking it over and I came up with a solution that would benefit both you and I,"

"Really? And that would be...?"

"Well, Mel really doesn't want her child, and well, Justin is so young, and really, his past is not what you would want for a child," Lindsay rambled, before taking a deep breath, and continuing conspiratorily. "True, he has a job, but technically you're still the one who is supporting him. But if you fire him, he'll once again be peddling his ass for a quick buck. So I was thinking, since you are listed as a parent, you could go to court and take them away from Justin, using his past as a hustler as the reason. And then you and I could raise them together," Lindsay smiled and nodded, as if she had come up with the perfect solution, and he should just bow to her wishes and agree to do what she wanted.

When Mel told her of the run-in with Brian and Justin earlier that morning, at first Lindsay was furious. How dare Brian enter into any relationship- monogamous or not- without talking it over with her first?! It was unheard of; it was unspeakable; it was downright wrong! As she listened to Melanie outline their next plan of attack on Brian and Justin's lives, Lindsay decided that it was time for her to make her own demands of Brian. She could always plead that she was forced to sign away her rights, citing emotional abuse from her overbearing partner. That would take Mel out of the equation entirely, leaving her pathway to Brian clear.

But if Brian was willing to discard Justin and take both of the kids with him, he would not only need help raising them, but he would need a mother-figure for them since he still had to work to make a decent living. Lindsay immediately discarded the notion of a nanny, since she was raised in that kind of environment. She still found it distasteful, not to mention wasteful. Their money could be spending on the better things: like a huge manor house in which to raise the children and for Brian to come home to; a fine car to drive herself and the children around in, of course they would need the latest designer wardrobe, since Brian didn't believe in buying anything but the best. She wanted that kind of life.

She was raised to live that kind of life... and no fucking blond boy ass should be the cause of her NOT getting that life!

Brian nodded, pulling his lips into his mouth. "So, let me be sure I'm getting all of this right. You think I should take the children away from Justin, their biological father, because of his past. Mel doesn't want her child anyway, so she doesn't matter. And you think you and I should raise the children together, as a couple, maybe even get married so it would look even better when we go to court. Do I have all of that right?"

"Yes, Brian, oh yes! See? I knew you would agree that the children would be so much better off with us. They could be raised in a traditional home. Plus with your career and financial stability, we- I mean they- would never want for anything. I knew you would understand," Lindsay said, standing up and walking toward Brian, arms outstretched.

Backing away, Brian yelled, "You conniving, fucking cunt! I would cut off my dick before marrying you! The person that I am madly in love with, and that I AM going to marry, is JUSTIN. Did you honestly think I would go along with what you are suggesting? Are you out of your fucking mind?! Furthermore, I wonder how your wife is going to feel about what you are suggesting,"

"She won't believe you; you have no proof! You need to seriously reconsider what I'm offering, Brian. That fucking whore is going to walk out on you, and leave you with his two bastards to raise! Then what are you going to do?!" Lindsay screamed, furious that he was refusing to even consider what she was offering.

"Get the fuck out of my office, and out of this building, and out of my life! If you ever try to come back here, I will file a restraining order. GET. OUT. NOW!" Brian bellowed.

"You'll be sorry, Brian. Mark my words, you'll be fucking sorry! I'll make it my life's mission to ruin you if you don't give me what I want! Kinnetik will be a thing of the past. I wonder if your whore will still stay with you then!" Lindsay spat as she flounced towards the door of his office. Opening the door, she saw Justin, Daphne, and Cynthia, all standing there glaring at her, before she rushed past them as if her ass was on fire.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Walking into Brian's office, Justin turned towards the two women, "Leave us alone for now," he announced, looking at the two women as he walked into Brian's office, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Brian was standing in front of his desk, just staring. Walking over to his lover, Justin took Brian's hand and led him to the sofa.

"Sit with me, Irish," Justin told the older man, wrapping his arms around him.

Brian just shook his head, incredulous of what had just happened with the woman he had considered a friend for so long. "Did you hear any of that?" he asked Justin.

"The first thing we heard was ‘she won't believe you'. What happened before that?"

Brian took out his phone, "Here. I recorded the whole thing. I had a bad feeling when she showed up seemingly out of the blue, right after you left. It was like she was waiting for an opportunity, when you wouldn't be here. So I turned the recorder on before I opened the door to let her in."

"Good thinking," Justin answered as he started the recording. Listening to everything that had been said, Justin sat there fuming, but he knew that Brian needed him to be strong. The man he loved had been betrayed again, by one of his oldest friends.

After Justin listened to the rest of the recording, he kissed Brian softly and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make a copy, and send it to Mel. I don't give a damn about the bitch, but at least I can get some satisfaction for myself, and cause some major trouble for the blond cunt,"

Make a copy for the lawyer, too. I don't want either of them to be able to get anywhere near Tiffany and Christian. In fact, I have an idea of my own," Pulling out his cell phone, Justin made a call that no one would ever expect, but was no less effective. Winking at Brian just as he ended the call, he murmured, "Sometimes, it pays to be a WASP," Then he chuckled at his still silent partner.

Kneeling between Brian's legs, Justin reached for his zipper. Brian moved his hips forward and laid his head on the back of the sofa, letting Justin's mouth soothe him as only he could. When Brian was relaxed, Justin went out and asked Cynthia if there was a reason either of them needed to stay for the rest of the day. She told them there was nothing they were needed for. Since the rest of the week was now cleared, Brian and Justin left instructions for the staff and headed home.