He could feel Justin breathing on him, the man needed to brush his teeth. Suddenly, Justin licked his face, that was very…odd. Opening his eyes, he nearly jumped when he spotted the behemoth in front of him. Harley. He had forgotten he had stayed at the loft the night before.

Loud banging on the loft door made him jerk up. The dog crawled under the covers, which wasn’t easy with his size. Really, how could this dog be a protector? He was scared of his own shadow. Then Brian thought of the day before, Harley had saved Avery. While he hadn’t seen it, it had happened. So, he guessed as long as intruders weren’t involved the dog was very courageous.

The bed wasn’t his old bed. Justin had gotten Reece a new bed and mattress. He didn’t want his son to sleep in a bed they used as a fuck pad when they got away from kids. Which at the time, Brian didn’t care but he could see Justin’s point now.

Last night, after Justin’s confession Brian couldn’t even be in the room with him. Not because Justin had Hobbes killed. No. It was because he hadn’t told him before the shit hit the fan or when he was planning it. The thought of killing Hobbs had crossed his own mind a time or twenty. But bringing Cody Bell back into their lives; the man had been a nutjob twenty years ago. He didn’t think he got any saner.

Brian hadn’t gotten to meet the little freak himself but Daphne had told him a lot of what Justin wouldn’t. The kid was a psychopath, and at the time dragging Justin down the rabbit hole with him. How did he even get involved with Cody again? Had he sought him out when looking for someone to kill Hobbs?

The pounding on the door started again. It didn’t sound like Matt’s annoying code he always knocked on doors with. That meant it had to be someone else with the key to the building.

Before he could get out of bed he heard Reece cursing as he walked to the door. Reece had let him have the bed last night, even changed the sheets for him. Brian was too tall to be sleeping on that hobbit seat Reece called a couch. Reece and Matt had exchanged couches. So, the one he spent weeks choosing and having custom made for the loft was now in Matt’s bachelor pad. At least with Reece he knew food wouldn’t be spilled on it, Reece wasn’t a slob, like Justin, unfortunately Matt was.

Brian heard the door slide open and the low rumble of voices. One much deeper than his son’s, it raised a little. Deciding to see who the hell it was, he got up slipping his jeans and shirt back on. He stepped down out of the bedroom and looked to the door. His years on earth he had thought he was un-shockable, but he was wrong. With the door still wide open, he saw his son pushed up against the inner wall, he had his legs around a certain police lieutenant, a police lieutenant old enough to be his father…if he had him when he was sixteen.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he yelled.

The man holding his son up against the wall almost dropped him. He was lucky he didn’t. He then lowered Reece to the floor, whose face was beet red.

“Mr. Kinney,” the man said looking a little pale.

“Taylor-Kinney,” he corrected. His name was legally Taylor-Kinney but everyone at Kinnetik calls him Kinney. It was just for paperwork and when the family was goofing off. All the kids went by Taylor-Kinney as did Justin. But he wasn’t going to let this man forget he was Reece’s father.

“Pop, I-I thought you were still sleeping,” Reece said.

“When did this start?” he demanded, gesturing between the two.

“Umm…last night,” Reece said, his face still red.

“Last night? Like as in after he came to our house?”

“Yes, after I got home last night I took Harley for his last walk of the night. Julian was walking his dog Cammie, we started talking; one thing led to another. You really don’t want a play by play, do you?”

“Of course not,” Brian said, glaring at the man who was still holding his son’s hand. “I need to get to work.”

He turned and walked to the bathroom. Once he came out, the cop was gone. Good.

“You didn’t have to be so rude to him,” Reece said as he picked out clothes to wear.

“Yes I did. He’s using his authority to make you need him.”

“No, he’s not. He’s been very sweet. But he can also be annoyingly cocky, egotistical, loud, bit mean and cold sometimes. But there is something about him, I fought it when he first started coming around in the hospital. But he really likes me, and he isn’t pushing me for anything…unlike Ethan. He’s fine with going slow.”

“You’re an adult,” was all he said.

Reece smiled wanly. “Thanks Pop. Now, are you going to go make up with Dad?”

“I’m going to work.”

“It’s Sunday,” Reece said, looking exasperated.

“I’m the boss, I don’t have weekends off.”

He also had spare clothes in his office. Right now, he just didn’t know what to say to Justin, that meant he didn’t want to see him.

“Dad,” a small voice said, breaking through Justin’s sleep.

Opening his eyes, he saw Avery standing at the side of his bed. He wasn’t in his night clothes from the night before. Now he was wearing the robe that Justin’s mother had gotten him the Christmas before. Justin could see he only had underwear on under it. It could only mean one thing.

“Why don’t you sleep a little longer in here while I make breakfast?”

Avery didn’t say anything, just crawled up on the bed and laid down. Justin smoothed the boy’s hair down until he drifted to sleep. Once Avery was asleep he headed to the boy’s room. He stripped the wet sheets.

When Avery came to them he would wet the bed nightly. They got him a special mattress and sheets. It had been months since he had an accident. But with yesterdays near drowning it wasn’t surprising. He might even have to make an appointment with Dr. Chaplin, the child psychiatrist that Avery saw for his adjustment into their family.

Once he cleaned the bed and put new sheets on he headed down stairs. None of his kids were earlier risers, so he had time. Usually, he didn’t make breakfast for the adult children. It wasn’t because he thought they could make their own, even thought they could. It was because they each wanted something different, he wasn’t a damn restaurant. This time they would eat want he made or not. He really wasn’t in the mood to argue. He had too much to think about. After he fed everyone he had an old friend to find. He needed to talk to Cody and soon.

The first downstairs was Sean.

“Hey Dad,” Sean said, a big yawn following it.

“Morning. I’m making French toast for breakfast.”

“Eww.”

“Don’t like it, there’s cereal in the cupboard.”

Sean walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a sugar-filled cereal. “Where’s Pop? He’s usually up before everyone else.”

“He had to go to work early,” Justin lied.

“When is he coming home? He promised to take me to look at the new game system at Game-On.”

“It’s cheaper if you get it online,” Justin said, making fresh orange juice.

“But you don’t get one on one service that way. Anyway, Pop gets a discount since Game-On is a client of his.”

“You don’t need every game system the minute it comes out.” Sean had a job working at Michael’s comic book shop every Saturday for a few hours. He saved his money to get games, systems or really anything. He didn’t make that much but was great at buying things and selling them for more. A little entrepreneur.

Sean looked at him like he had just grown another head. Sean was also his little gamer. He could beat anyone at any game, not just video games. Board games. Card games. He was a wiz at them.

“Let me call your pop, I’ll see what’s going on.”

Brian didn’t answer his phone, finally Anna and Saayed decided to take Caleb and Sean to the game store. Justin had his own business to attend to, like find Cody Bell.

Justin walked into the rundown bar, hoping to find Cody. He was disappointed. The bartender working, Trevor, told him that he was on vacation for a week. Justin didn’t have an address and Cody wasn’t answering his phone.

As he walked out of the bar he bumped into someone.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said without looking up.

“It’s alright,” a rough voice said.

Looking up he saw the cop from the grocery store. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, just tight jeans and a white t-shirt.

“Oh, hi.”

“Hello, Justin.”

Justin thought back to his interaction with the man, he didn’t remember giving him his name. Suddenly, Justin was very aware that they were alone in an alley he was cutting through.

“Hi, sorry, I’ve got to be going.”

“Are you sure? I thought we could talk about Mr. Bell.”

Justin froze in place. This was happening. The cops knew he told Cody to kill Hobbs. He was going to be arrested, thrown in jail for life. His children. What would they think?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied.

“Oh, I think you do. We can talk about it down at the station…if you would prefer. Or we can go get a cup of coffee and discuss a few things.”

What the hell?

Justin just stared at the man for a long moment, before finally giving in. “Liberty Diner?” He would feel safer on his on turf.

“No, Pal’s.”

Pal’s was a well-known cop diner. Whatever he wanted to say, he wanted his back watched while doing it.

He followed the cop at a distance, not wanting to be near him. To think he had been flattered when the guy copped a feel. It had been a while, everyone in his running circle knew he was with Brian. That meant they didn’t hit on him, Brian had major bouts of jealousy after they were married and when they got back together after their almost divorce. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of Brian Kinney.

Once inside they took a seat over in the corner, out of the way of everyone else. It had a lot of privacy though, that had to be a plus. A little blonde waitress took their order, Justin didn’t miss how two cops having lunch in a window seat watched her ass.

“Alright, so do you want to tell me how you know Cody Bell?” the cop asked.

“Am I under arrest?”

“Is there a reason for you to be under arrest?” the cop asked.

“I asked you first.”

“Just answer my first question.”

“I met Cody went I was twenty, I was going through a tough time. He seemed to be the answer.”

“Was he?”

“Obviously not,” he said dryly.

The waitress brought their drinks and took their lunch order before walking away.

“Is your husband involved with this?”

“What is this? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He had listened to Hunter bitch enough, he knew not to volunteer anything.

“Let’s cut the shit. You went to the bar Bell bartends at, you drink. One thing leads to another and you ask him to take care of the man that has caused you and your family so much pain.”

“That seems like a fantastic story, may I use it in my comic book?” He hoped he didn’t look as scared as he felt.

“This stays between us. Cody Bell is our number one suspect in the murder of six men that have had run-ins with gay men, who at one time gone to Hangers.”

Hangers is the bar that Cody bartended at. “Cody isn’t some kind of serial killer.” Even as he said the words, he didn’t believe them. Cody was always a loose cannon. When they were younger, sometimes Justin was scared how far Cody would go for his cause.

“I’ve done a lot of research on you. The first time I saw you, I knew that you would be the key.”

“Key? What key? What a minute, you mean at the grocery store you knew who I was?”

The man’s face showed a tinge of guilt. “I was watching you when the woman found me. I wasn’t planning on meeting you so soon but she was persistent.”

“Why?”

“Cody Bell is a dangerous man. We’ve been watching him for a while. We have information from many sources that he drugs men, gets them mad about some straight person that’s done them wrong. He records them asking him to kill said person. I’m just taking a stab in the dark that he did the same to you.”

Justin couldn’t breathe. He was going to be arrested. His family would be visiting him in a prison for the foreseeable future. There was no way he would allow that. That meant he wouldn’t be seeing his kids until he got out of jail, if ever. Maybe he would be in prison until he was old and gray…and dead.

“Calm down, I can see everything you are thinking on your face. Listen, I was just trying to scare you to get you to cooperate. I’ve been given the go ahead to offer you immunity because you weren’t of sound mind or body, and you were up against someone who had this scheme for a long time. It was perfected, that’s why we need you. He’s too good. We know it’s him but we just can’t pin him.”

“But I had him kill Hobbs,” Justin blurted out.

His eyes widened as his slammed his hand over his mouth. He just confessed to having Hobbs killed.

“No, you were drugged and tricked into asking the favor he wanted. He wants to kill but he doesn’t want the guilt, less guilt if someone asks you to do it. At least in his mind. Anyway, all this is really not what we’re after.”

“What are you talking about? I’m a murderer, that’s what cops want to stop.”

“No, you aren’t. You’re not even an accomplice to murder.”

“What?”

“Cody Bell has been in county jail for three days, no way he could have killed Hobbs. Anyway, we have our guy, he confessed this morning.”

Brian. It had to be Brian. He was trying to protect him.

“No, Cody must have hired someone else to do it. You can’t let an innocent person go to prison for this. I did this.”

“No, I’m sorry, but I’m not wrong. We have a full confession, murder weapon, DNA evidence. We’ve got him dead to rights, he’s not even looking for a plea deal. All he said was it was something he should have done a long time ago.”

Brian? Brian killed Hobbs. No, he couldn’t, he said so himself. He was shocked about Justin talking to Cody about killing him. Brian wouldn’t. Brian couldn’t.

“I really am sorry. Vigilante justice isn’t the way to go, but he seems to not care. It looks like you already know who it was.”

“I have an idea.”

“If it helps any, I don’t think they’ll seek the maximum. With his health and his diminished mental compacity.”

“Wait! What? Diminished mental compacity?”

“Yes, the Alzheimer’s.”

Brian didn’t have Alzheimer’s, Justin would be the first to see the signs.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Your father, Craig Taylor.”

Justin sat there stunned for a moment. “My father?”

The man nodded, looking a little solemnly. Justin decided to put that information away for the moment. Something else was on his mind, he couldn’t deal with his father’s late-in-life new turn.

“Okay, let me get this straight. When you came onto me in the grocery store, that was all to get closer to me. For whatever you want me to help with Cody. Right?”

“Sorry, yeah.”

That was a hit to his ego. “I think I liked it better when I was a murderer,” he muttered. “Alright, what do you want me to do?” Cody needed to be off the streets for good.

“Wear a wire, get him to confess.”

“Sounds simple.” Brian was not going to like this.

Michael had closed his shop early and gone home. Justin was supposed to come over and work on the new issue of RAGE but family duties called or some shit like that. Michael was really starting to get tired of Justin not putting his all into the comic book they created.

Pouring himself his third drink stiff drink, he knew in a while he wouldn’t be feeling any pain. It had been a little over five years since Ben died and it still felt like yesterday. He still felt the pang in his chest the idiots at grief counseling said would hurt less as time went by. The only thing that helped was a drink.

It felt like he was alone in life now. Brian was the father of ten and didn’t have time for him. Justin was father of the same ten which meant he couldn’t work on the any of their series without a month’s notice, even then he would be called twenty times. Emmett was too busy with his new show, which he wouldn’t have if he wasn’t married to a retired NFL player. Even Ted was too busy for him, Blake and he were working hard on being the very best, productive recovering addicts. They were always doing something for people that needed help, it was sickening to watch. Mostly because they both, along with everyone else, thought he had a drinking problem. The only problem was that he had to wait to get home to drink. Sometimes. Today he might have had a drink or two before leaving work but it was Sunday, not a weekday.

Just as he poured his next drink someone started knocking on his door. Grumbling to himself he stood and walked to the door.

“Hi Dad,” Jenny greeted him with a small smile.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing here? I would have made your favorite if I knew you were coming.” When had she gotten into town?

“Sorry I arrived Friday night, we can only stay a week.”

“We? Please tell me Rodger isn’t here,” he said looking behind her. He hoped the man wasn’t there, he couldn’t stand him.

“Well, we were out eating dinner because I asked him to take me out. He got mad and left me at the restaurant. I was hoping you would take me back to Hunter’s.”

“You’re staying at Hunter’s? Why not here?”

“I just wanted to spend some time with him and the kids. Also, he lives closer to Uncle Brian’s. Anna is home for a little while.”

“I’ll take you,” he said bitterly.

“Have you been drinking? I can take a cab if you give me the money.”

“I said I’ll drive you.”

“How about I drive?” she asked, her voice rising.

“No, let me get my keys.”

“It’s okay, if I can use your phone I’ll call Mom.”

“I see, you don’t love me or trust me anymore. Fine, do what you want.”

“No, please Dad, you can take me. I’m just being unreasonable. Rodger says I’m a pain.”

“Let’s go,” he barked.

Hunter was starting to get worried, they were supposed to be back ages ago. He had even called Anna to see if Jenny went over there. She hadn’t. Jenny was a grown woman but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Just after midnight his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello,” he said, he hadn’t been asleep.

“Hunter Novotny-Brutner?” a cool voice said.

“Yes.”

“You are the emergency contact for Michael Novotny-Brutner?”

“Yes, he’s my dad. What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

“You need to come to the hospital.”

“Alleghany General?”

“No, VanNeer Medical. It’s right outside of Wellsburg.”

“West Virginia?”

“Yes sir. I would recommend that you hurry.”

It wasn’t hard to understand the hidden meaning there. His father was dying. What was he doing in West Virginia?”

Brian woke up to his phone ringing, he grabbed blindly for it. He had just gotten home, thankfully Justin and the kids were already asleep. He fell asleep next to Justin as soon as he laid down. “This better be good.”

“Brian, you need to get to VanNeer Medical, now,” Hunter said, sounding hysterical.

He sat up, jarring Justin some. “What are you talking about?”

“Someone from the hospital called, he told me that I better get to the hospital fast, I can only think that means the worst.”

“Michael?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you call Debbie?”

“No, I didn’t want her to have another heart attack.”

“Call her, if it is what you think, she’ll want to say goodbye.” God, Brian hoped it wasn’t, he hoped Hunter was wrong. “I’m leaving now.”

Jenny laid in the bed staring blankly at the curtains. Everything had happened so fast. After they got out of the city, her dad’s driving got worse. She begged him to let her drive. Finally, he agreed. He pulled over to the side of the road and they changed seats and they were off.

She had laughed when he started singing badly to the radio. For a little while it was like her father was back. Her father before her other father died. Before he drank his breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yeah, he was drunk now but not mean. He had gotten so mean in the years since Daddy B died.

“I’m sorry,” her dad said suddenly.

“Why?”

“I know I’m not the father you deserve. I’m too judgmental. It was never about you, it was all about me.”

This was the first time he had ever said anything about the way he treated her. She thought he just never saw that his little barbs hurt so much.

“It’s alright, Dad.”

“No, it’s not. I love you the way you are. I should never have said those things.”

“I have news, I’m pregnant.”

He sputtered a little. “Is this what you want?” he asked, slurring some.

“Very much so.”

“Then congraduations. I can’t believe it, I’m going to be a grandpa.” She laughed as he giggled loudly.

A little down the road she was watching to road but listening to him. She had noticed the headlights in her rearview mirror get closer and closer. Hoping they would just go around.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing her annoyance.

“This car behind me. They have their high beams on while on my ass.”

“Next road the right take it, they’ll go past and we can turn around.”

“Yeah, this guy’s a tool.”

It happened so quickly. The car behind them hit their bumper. She was going speed limit but even at that speed she lost control. Her car spun before they went into the ditch, flipping over before landing right side up again. Everything had been so quiet after that.

“Shit! Oh God, I’m so fucking sorry!” a booming voice said from somewhere outside her open window. The airbag had hit her so hard, it had knocked the breath out of her.

“M-My dad,” she said hoarsely.

She couldn’t turn her head but knew something was wrong with him, he wasn’t making any noise. None.

“I’ve called 911, just breathe,” the man said.

“Please, is my dad okay?”

The man looked past her but his face was like stone, showing no emotion. That couldn’t be good.

“Please,” she said. She tried to turn her head to see her father.

“Don’t look.”

It must have been too much for her body because the next thing she remembered was waking up in the emergency room. There were noises from all around her but all she saw was a curtain around her bed. So now she sat staring blankly closed curtain, waiting for them to tell her that her father was dead and it was all her fault.