CHAPTER 8

Brian was sitting in his office, relaxing and waiting for Justin to finish up so they could go home when his cell rang. Looking at the display, he saw that it was Lindsay. "Hello, Lindsay. And just how are the pregnant munchers today?"

"Actually Brian, that's why I'm calling. Mel and I had the babies this morning. I was wondering if you could come to the hospital. I'd like to talk to you. You can even bring Justin, if you want," Lindsay smiled, thinking to herself, Well if this doesn't split them up, I don't know what will. It's time that Brian forgets that disgusting little hustler anyway. He's a father of two now, so he'll have very little time for playing with the ‘other kid' in his life.

"Why do you need to talk to me?" Brian questioned.

"It's not that I need to per se. But I would like to show you the babies,"

"Let me check with Justin. I don't know if he has plans. I'll call you back,"

Heading into Justin's office, Brian watches him cleaning up his workspace as he usually does before leaving. Walking over to the blond, Brian wraps his arms around the smaller frame from behind and kisses his neck. Justin reaches up and caresses Brian's cheek, and turns to the taller man for a kiss. Kissing the blond almost makes him forget why he came into his office. Once they break apart, Brian remembers exactly what he came in for.

"Hey, Lindsay just called. Apparently, both munchers have let out the prisoners. She asked us to come to the hospital. Actually she asked me, and said I could bring you if I want to. She wants to talk to me," Brian frowned in confusion about what Lindsay actually wanted with him.

"How about I drop you off at the hospital, and then I can go home and start dinner? I'll come pick you up before I put the steaks on,"

"That works. I know you still aren't thrilled to be around them any more than necessary. I wouldn't go either, but I'm wondering what the hell she wants to talk to me about,"

"I know!" Justin holds up his finger, as if having the most marvelous idea. "She wants you to marry both of them, and then you can all be one big happy family,"

"You come up with some of the most crazy ideas in that gorgeous blond head of yours," Brian laughed, and kissed his blond lover again briefly. "But that would not be happening in this, or any other lifetime. I already have the person I want in my life,"

Dropping Brian at the hospital, Justin tells him, "I'll get everything together for dinner and marinate the steaks. Just call me when you want me to come get you,"

Brian walked into the hospital, and asked for directions to the Maternity floor. Heading to the elevators, he is still confused about why Lindsay wants to talk to him. His and Lindsay's friendship is not nearly the same as it was before everything blew up... back when Justin came into his life and stayed. Well, he figured he'd find out soon enough why she wanted to speak to him.

Stopping at the nurses station, Brian checked the room number and headed to the room the girls were sharing. Knocking on the door, he heard Lindsay tell him to come in. Walking over he gave her a side hug, even though she tried to pull him in for more. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she suggested that they go for a walk.

"Come on, Brian. Walk with me, and I'll show you to the nursery so you can see the babies,"

Shrugging, Brian followed her out of the room. "Babies? Oh, that's right. You and Smelly Melly both had kids, and on the same day too,"

"Brian, before we get to the nursery, I have something I should tell you. Please don't get mad that I didn't tell you about this before, but I wasn't sure how you would take it," Lindsay announced.

Not liking the way Lindsay was sounding, Brian hit record on his phone before he asked, "What the fuck are you talking about, Lindsay? You didn't know how I would take what, and why would I be mad?"

"Well, before I tell you, please remember that we are in public and what we really mean to each other,"

"Lindsay, I'm not liking where this conversation is going, so you better spit it out right now,"

"Well Brian, remember when I asked you to be the father of our children, and you refused?"

"Yes, I remember. It would be hard to forget, considering how many times you asked, or rather badgered me, and the results were still the same. So what about it?" By this time they were at the nursery, and the girls' babies were right in front. Brian looked into the bassinets and saw two blond, blue eyed babies.

"Well, I snuck into your loft and stole a couple of condoms, then used them to get Mel and I pregnant," Lindsay shifted from foot-to-foot nervously as she finished her statement.

"YOU WHAT?!"

"Brian, please keep your voice down," Lindsay said, looking around to see if anyone was watching them.

"Let's go back to your room, Lindsay. We'll definitely talk there," Turning, Brian heads for the girls' room as he sends a text to Justin.

Get your ass to the hospital, Room 465. NOW!

Back at the loft, the steaks are marinating in the fridge, and Justin is cutting up the vegetables for the salad, when he gets Brian's text. From the tone of the text, Justin knows something is going on, and it's certainly nothing good. So he sticks everything he is working on in the fridge, and heads to the hospital. Parking in the lot, he heads up to the room, where Brian is waiting. Walking into the room, he sees a very pissed-off Mel bitching at a furious Brian.

"You know damned well they're yours, and we expect you to support them!"

"I need a minute to absorb all of this. I'm going to take Justin to see the babies. We'll be back,"

Taking Justin's hand, Brian leads him down to the nursery as he explains what Lindsay told him when she took him to see the babies, and what Mel had been saying when he walked in. Once they are standing in front of the nursery, Brian points out the two babies, both of whom are lying there with their eyes wide open staring in the direction of the window. Looking at each other, Brian and Justin start laughing hysterically.

"Brian, instead of telling them, you should just demand a paternity test. I'll go to the lab and have them run one on me, too. We just won't tell the girls that part yet,"

Brian leaned forward and kissed his little genius. "Perfect plan, Azure,"

Walking back into the girls' room, Brian smiles before he starts talking. "I want a paternity test. I don't think they look like me,"

"Asshole! You know they're yours! Did HE put you up to this?!" Lindsay asked, pointing at Justin.

"You want me to pay, prove they're mine. No proof. No money. Your choice," Brian told them with a shrug and a smirk.

"Fine! We'll get the test done right now," Lindsay said, pushing the button for the nurse.

Once Lindsay explained what they needed, the nurse went to get the DNA kits. The kits were now kept on the floor as it had become easy to do it there. After the nurse took the sample from Brian, he and Justin left the girls room and went to the nurses station. Brian asked that Justin be checked too, and requested that the girls not be told about it, until the results were in. Then they asked to be called, so they could be present when the results were given to the girls.

The nurse advised them that since they were the potential fathers, they would need to be present when the results were read. They were told the results would be ready the next morning. Telling Lindsay and Mel they would see them in the morning for the results, Brian and Justin left. Once they were in the jeep, Brian turned to Justin. "Azure, what do you think will happen when they find out?"

"I don't know, Irish. I think it will depend on why they wanted you to be the father, in the first place," Justin told Brian as he laced their fingers together.

Meanwhile, back in the girl's hospital room:

Melanie had the most puzzled look on her face, before addressing her partner. "Lindsay, why the hell did he insist on a paternity test?"

"I don't know, Mel. Oh my God! You don't think maybe he was having an orgy, do you? What are we going to do? If he's not the father, he won't pay support!"

"This may sound harsh, Lindsay. But if he's not the father, I suggest we give them up for adoption. The reason we had them was so that we could get Brian to support them, and in turn, us. If that's not going to happen, then they would just be an added and unnecessary expense, stretching our already overextended finances. This is the business side of having kids people rarely think of. Yeah, they need to go up for adoption if that irresponsible shit is not the father."

Lindsay was shocked by what Mel said, and just sat there thinking for several minutes. She realized that she wanted Brian's baby, just as much as she wanted his money. It was something that would tie him to her permanently. If her child was not his, she lost on both fronts. But she couldn't voice that to Melanie. They already had enough problems between them as it was. Having the kids was supposed to give them everything they had schemed for: an automatic way into Brian's coffers, stability, an easier life, and most of all -in her mind, at least- a way to keep Brian tied her, no matter what happened between him and that blond pain in the ass slut. With the current mess with Michael, having Brian's child would guarantee that Brian would never ditch her in favor of Justin... the way he had done with his other ‘best friend.'

"I agree, Mel. If they are not Brian's, we'll give them up for adoption," Lindsay said, resigned.

"But if they are, Lindsay, he's going to pay through the nose for putting us through this anguish. I swear if it wasn't for the fact that one child support check from him could wipe out most of our joint debt, I would have told you to go to hell when you suggested him fathering our kids. The idea of some stranger's sperm, wriggling around inside my body for nine fucking months..."

"I know, Mel, I know," Lindsay said through clinched teeth. The last thing she needed to hear was a whole fucking litany from Melanie about Brian's hedonistic lifestyle. "Well, regardless of anything, this should teach him a lesson about letting strange men into his loft,"

Melanie frowned at her. "Moreover, it should teach you to not go sneaking into Brian's loft in the first place,"

"Oh, so now this is all my fault?"

"I'm not saying that it is all your fault, Lindsay. But you should have expected that there was a possibility that the sperm wasn't his in the first place,"

"Well how was I to know that he would turn the loft into the backroom of Babylon?"

"You always claim to be such an expert on all things Brian Kinney, and you've been watching the loft for months. Surely in all your surveillance, you would have known that there were some nefarious activities going on. No one goes over to Brian's just to watch a fucking movie,"

"No. No, I never saw anyone else there except... Oh my God!"

"What? What is it?"

Lindsay shook her head, trying to dispel the other possibility from her mind. "Nevermind. I know that the sperm samples were Brian's,"

"Oh? How do you know?"

"Because Brian is the ultimate top. He would never let that little ingrate that lives there, fuck him,"

Melanie smiled in agreement with Lindsay, but she suddenly had her doubts. She had seen Brian and Justin out together on more than one occasion. And while Brian may have been wary of other people, he was always so relaxed and free around Justin. One would only have to look at the two men together, to know that their dynamic was not the norm for Brian Kinney. They were always kind toward and respectful of, each other; the trust between them was implicit, indicating that there was more to that short-lived relationship than the one she had developed over the years with Lindsay.

If anyone was going to top Brian Kinney, it would be Justin Taylor.

Melanie began to pray that, for once, her sudden suspicion was incorrect, and that the babies really were Brian's. From all she'd seen firsthand, and heard about Justin, he was the one blond whose bad side she didn't want to be on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian and Justin were relaxing on the sofa after getting home and having their dinner that evening, when someone started leaning on Justin's doorbell.

"Who the hell? I thought that shit was behind us," Justin said, getting up to answer the bell.

"Yes?"

"Mr Taylor, it's Jessica. Jessica Moretti. I'm not sure you remember me, but I really need to find Mr Kinney. I... I have to tell him something; it's really important! Please, do you know where he is? I've been all over town trying to find him!"

Neither man had seen the former intern in almost a year. Due to her involvement spreading the rumors about Justin, she had not been hired at Kinnetik once her internship was finished. Hitting the buzzer for the front door, Justin looked at Brian, confused. Brian shook his head and opened the door. She came into the room, looking around as if someone was after her.

"What is it, Jessica?" Brian asked, curious as to why she would be looking for him. He hadn't been happy that he couldn't keep her after the internship. She was a very good artist and well liked, but because of her part in unwittingly aiding the bitch, Laura, he felt he had to let her go.

"Mr Kinney, I'm sorry to bother you, Sir. But I'm so glad I found you. I was visiting a friend who just had a baby earlier today and well... you remember the blonde woman, your friend, who used to come by the office?" At Brian's nod she continued, "Well, she and another woman just had babies, too. They were talking about you and I'm not sure why they were saying this, but they said if the babies aren't yours, they are putting them up for adoption, because if you won't support them, they don't want them because that's the reason they had them. I know it's not my business, but I still feel really bad about what happened at Kinnetik, and I wanted you to know about this. I thought it might be important to you," She finished in a rush, relieved that she had found him.

"Did they say anything else?" Brian asked, furious, but very curious about this latest revelation.

"Just that if they are yours, they would make sure you paid enough child support to wipe out their debt. Then they started arguing about how the blonde woman was supposed to be the Brian Kinney expert, and that's when I left and came to find you." Turning to Justin, she said, "And Mr Taylor, while I'm here, I just want to say again how sorry I am for my involvement in the rumors about you while I was interning at Kinnetik."

Justin walked over, and put his arms around Brian. Looking at each other, they spoke with their eyes. Nodding at each other, Justin turned in Brian's arms and leaned against the taller man as Brian spoke.

"Thank you for finding me, Jessica. I'm not going to get into why, but I am glad I know about this now. Are you working?" Brian said to the nervous girl.

"I'm working at a grocery store. I had been working at another advertising agency, but it was so different than Kinnetik. It seemed like everyone was just out to get each other. Everyone was so spiteful and it was much too stressful; I just couldn't work like that. I went home and cried every night. I quit after two weeks,"

"Well, if you want a better job, I could use you in the Art Department," Justin told her.

"Really? You would hire me, after what I did?" At Justin's nod, she continued, "Thank you! That would be just wonderful, Mr. Taylor, and I promise, you won't have any trouble from me. I would really like to give two weeks notice at my job, though. Would that be alright?"

"That will be fine, Jessica, and call me Justin,"

"Thank you so much... Justin. Well, I'll see you in two weeks," Jessica said, smiling as she left Justin's apartment. Once Jessica had left, Justin sat down on the sofa and put his head in his hands, trying to hold back his tears.

"What the fuck, Brian? They just did this for money?! And now they are just going to throw them away?!"

Brian couldn't stand the devastated look on his lover's face, knowing that the babies' mothers were doing the same thing to them that had been done to Justin by Craig. "I'm calling my lawyer. Don't worry, we'll take care of this. And don't forget, I recorded the conversation where Lindsay told me how they conceived the babies," Brian told the younger man.

Brian called his attorney, and explained what he knew about the babies, including telling him about the recording, and what Jessica had told him. He wanted papers drawn up so that Justin could get the babies, without a problem. The lawyer explained to Brian that if it was proven that Justin was the father, he would have to sign the termination of rights papers too in order for the children to be put up for adoption. If Lindsay and Melanie had already signed their rights away, and especially in light of how the children came to be, Justin would be able to legally take the babies as soon as they could leave the hospital. Brian was also told that Justin was under no obligation to tell the girls about the possibility of him being the father before they signed the papers.

The following morning, Brian and Justin headed to the hospital after calling Cynthia and telling her that they would probably be in later. Walking into the hospital room hand in hand, Brian and Justin just looked at the two women.

"Brian, this has nothing to do with Justin, so why did you bring him with you?" Lindsay asked snippily, glaring at Justin all the while.

"He's here because I want him here," Brian answered, giving nothing away as he laced his fingers with Justin's.

The doctor came into the room carrying the results of Brian's paternity tests, followed by the nurse, who had a clipboard with her. Brian had already asked the doctor to only bring the results of his test in, for now.

"So, I have the results of Mr Kinney's paternity test,"

"Well, tell us already," demanded Melanie.

"It appears that Mr Kinney is not the father of either of the babies," announced the doctor.

"You son of a bitch!" Melanie yelled, looking right at Brian, like this was all his fault. "Nurse, give us the papers,"

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" The nurse asked as she handed Melanie the clipboard.

"Yes, we're sure," Melanie answered as she and Lindsay signed the papers, giving both babies up for adoption. Handing the papers back to the nurse so she could witness and notarize the papers, Melanie turned to Brian, furious, as she sneered, "All that time wasted. I hope you're satisfied! This is all your fault!"

Going out to the nurses station, Justin asked for his papers. The doctor looked at the papers and handed them to Justin, "Congratulations?" the doctor said to the blond.

"What the HELL?! Brian..." Lindsay said plaintively, having followed both of the men out of the room. She was utterly shocked by what she was witnessing. Why had Justin asked the doctor for papers? And why was the doctor congratulating him? What papers was he talking about? Surely not...

Brian had noticed the play of questions and emotions flit across his former friend's face. It served Lindsay's ass right that all her plans were backfiring right before her eyes, and she had just signed over any power she may have had to stop it. "Yes, Lindsay. Justin is the father. Looks like you don't know me as well as you think you do. I would wish you and Melanie both well, but well... now I really don't give a shit what happens to the two of you. Sure hope you both like that cold, hard and lumpy bed you've made for yourselves." Then, turning his back as if the two women sharing the hospital room no longer existed, Brian asked, "So Doc, when will OUR babies be able to leave the hospital?"

"In three more days,"

"Can we hold them now?" Justin asked the doctor.

"Of course. Come with me, and I'll take you to the nursery now. They will need to put bands on the two of you, so you can be let into the nursery whenever you come,"

"Can we make sure that Lindsay and Melanie can't come and try to take them?" Brian asked.

"The papers they signed, giving them up, means they no longer have any rights to them," The doctor answered. "Because of the unusual circumstances, your lawyer called me this morning, Mr Kinney, just to be sure. Normally there is a waiting period, but in light of what you were told about the reason they wanted these children, and how the pregnancies happened, your lawyer has already filed papers with the court to permanently terminate Melanie Marcus' and Lindsay Peterson's parental rights immediately,"

Brian and Justin went into the nursery, and after washing their hands, walked over to the isolettes. Justin put each of his hands into the isolettes, touching the cheeks of his children.

"Don't worry, you two. I'm your Daddy and I'll always take care of you,"

Brian put his hands near each of the babies, and they each grabbed onto a finger. Smiling, he blinked back tears, already starting to fall in love with Justin's children.

"It's almost time for them to be fed, so you can do it if you would like," The nurse told the two men with a smile. Looking at each other, each of them picked up one of the babies and sat in the rocking chairs to feed them. Both men smiled as they looked down at Justin's children, each vowing to themselves that they would make sure these babies knew nothing but love. Brian didn't care that genetically they were not his; they belonged to the man he loved, and he wanted to be their father too.

Lindsay walked back into the hospital room she was sharing with her wife, shaking her head. Seeing the look on Lindsay's face, Melanie got concerned. "What is it, Linz? You look like someone just killed your puppy,"

"It's... it's... I don't fucking believe it. It can't be true!"

"Linz, you're scaring me. What the hell are you talking about?"

"That fucking blond piece of shit hustler! He's the father!"

"WHAT? Justin is the father?"

"That's what I just said. They just went down into the nursery to see the babies,"

"That motherfucking son-of-a-bitch! He is going to be so fucking sorry," Melanie yelled as she grabbed her robe, and put it on before leaving the the room and heading for the nursery to confront Brian and Justin.

The nurse at the desk had overheard the conversation and called ahead to the nursery. When Melanie arrived, she was met at the door by security and told that she was not allowed into the nursery and would be brought up on charges if she didn't return to her room immediately. Knowing that she had no choice, she left the area, vowing to herself that this was not over and she would find a way to make Brian Kinney pay for this!

Back in the room, she told Lindsay to get dressed. They were signing themselves out immediately. Furious and still in a state of shock, Lindsay obeyed Melanie, without question. Not only had she lost her child to that fucking blond, but she just lost her best friend, too. Somehow she knew in that moment, she had become her worst nightmare. She had just become as expendable as Michael had become to Brian. Well, unlike him, she wouldn't just roll over and take Brian's rejection up the ass! No, she would find her way back to him. If only she could find a way through that one fucking roadblock called Justin Taylor, she knew she could make Brian take her back.

"You ready, Linz?"

Outwardly calm, but panicked and still simmering on the inside, Lindsay nodded her head in the affirmative, a plan already forming in her mind. Yes, Brian would take her back, and no boy ass whore would stand in her way!