BRIAN

I pulled into the driveway, not happy to see Deb standing there. What more was there to say? I got out and walked right by her to get to the front door.

“You know, Michael was excited that you were returning, why did you have to ruin it for him?” She asks me.

“It’s time for Michael to find a life of his own. I need to find out if my life is behind that door. Go let Michael cry on your shoulder, because nothing you say is going to have me dancing to your tune. I’m not sure if I can forgive you for what you did to Justin.” I tell her, without stopping to even look at her.

“What about Justin defending Emmett when he hurt Michael?” She asks. “I guess it’s okay as long as you say so.” She tells me.

“I thought he got off rather easily, for calling my son a whore, in front of his child.” Jen tells her, standing by the now open door. “Brian, I don’t think she’s willing to wait any longer.” She tells me.

“Brian what if Lindsay’s telling the truth? At least make him prove it, before you meet her.” Deb tells me.

“Nana, is he here yet?” Hannah squeezes out the door.

“Yes, Sweetheart, why not wait inside. Your father needs to talk to someone.” Jen tells her, smiling.

“But he’s right there.” Hannah whispers pointing at me.

Hannah turned to look directly at me. When I stood there staring at her, she raised an eyebrow and ran to me, jumping into my arms when she got close enough. I held her, seeing my eyes stare back at me. She had ringlets that were a mixture of red, gold and brown. I saw Justin gave her his smile, which she showed before burying her nose in my coat.

“My Dad always told me you smelled good, he was right.” She tells me.

“I’m glad you like it.” I tell her.

“Brian why not bring her in, I made lunch for all of you.” Jen tells me.

“Aren’t you going to introduce her to me?” Deb asks, trying to see more of Hannah.

I carried Hannah in the house without answering Deb. Jen stayed outside while I let Hannah down to lead me to the kitchen. I walked in to see Justin standing by the counter. When Hannah ran in he smiled at her, the way I remembered him once smiling at everything. He didn’t look at me but keep all his attention on her.

“He’s here.” She tells Justin.

“Do you need me to stay?” Justin asks her.

“Don’t you want to talk to him too?” She asks.

“Baby, this is for you. I know Brian already.” Justin tells me looking at me.

“I’d like a chance for you and Hannah to give me a chance to reintroduce myself.” I tell him.

“Hannah is the only reason I’m here. The rest is a past that I’ve finally made peace with.” Justin tells me.

“I think it’s time to see what the future holds.” I tell him, wishing he was still the innocent kid I left behind.

“That’s up to Hannah. So get to know her.” He tells me, walking by.

JEN

Deb will never understand that forcing everyone to deal with her, does nothing but make it worse.

“Deb, for once think about someone else’s feelings. Give Brian a chance to know his daughter without the family thinking it’s about them.” I tell her.

“We would have welcomed her if Justin hadn’t hidden her as if he wasn’t sure who was the father.” She tells me.

“The only way you would have welcomed her was if I proved to all of you she was Brian’s. That’s really what you're saying. Which means I was welcome as long as I kept Brian around Michael, everything you did for me makes so much sense now.” Justin tells her, going to his car and leaving.

“He can’t believe that?” Deb tells me.

“It’s not to far from the truth, he was welcome in the family when Brian was there. Brian left, and all of you left Justin the way he did.” I tell her. “Deb, you told him he wasn’t welcome, so he’s just doing what you asked, why does it matter now? It can’t be that Justin’s right could it? That with Brian returning, you and Michael need Justin as a reason for Brian to keep you around.” I tell her, leaving her outside.

“I don’t like bread.” Hannah tells Brian.

“No one should.” Brian tells her, smiling.

I left them alone so Brian could have all the time he needed to get to know Hannah.

BRIAN

“Did you find what you were looking for where you went?” Hannah asks me.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Aunty Em said the reason he stayed with my Dad was that he was trying to find what he was looking for. Was that why you left?” She asks me.

“I found out that the only thing that changed was the place I lived.” I tell her.

“Did you miss living here, is that why you are moving back here? My dad said that there were too many reason he didn’t want to be here.” She tells me.

“I was moving back to be closer to your brother.” I tell her.

“Is he happy to see you?” She asks.

“I haven’t seen him yet. When I found out you were here, I came to see you first.” I tell her.

“You wanted to see me?” She asks excited.

“I couldn’t wait to see a miracle.” I tell her.

“So Dad was wrong that you might not want to see me?” She asks, frowning.

“He was basing his decision on how I was with Gus when he knew me. I never really thought I wanted to be a father.” I tell her.

“What changed your mind?” She asks.

“Gus did, the minute I held him. And you did, the minute I knew your Dad and I created you.” I tell her.

“Maybe you could love me like my Dad does?” She asks.

“I loved you the minute I knew who you were.” I tell her.

When it was time for Hannah to go to bed, I laid down with her and watched her fight sleep. When she closed her eyes, I stayed so I could just be near her longer. Justin came in and straightened the sheets and kissed her head. I watched him, seeing how much he loved our daughter. I got up and followed him out of the room. I wanted to know where he went all day. He walked into the kitchen and got a drink then sat down.

“Did everything go okay for her?” He asks me.

“I think she knows that I want her in my life.” I tell him.

“If that’s what you both want then we figure out how to make it work. I can bring her here to see you or we can agree to how you get her. You just have to agree that she isn’t around anyone that would upset her.” Justin tells me.

“Justin, I need to know what happened when I left. It doesn’t make sense that Lindsay went from saying you were a reason for me to stay, to what seems like she hates you.” I tell him.

“Only she could answer that for you. It was like I didn’t do what she thought I could and decided that I was not longer needed.” He tells me.

“Did Mel know what she did?” I ask him.

“Mel wasn’t standing there with us. When I showed up Lindsay came outside and we talked. So I have no idea what Mel knows, she never contacted me so I just assumed that she agreed with Lindsay.” He tells me.

“Where were you tonight?” I ask.

“I went to see Emmett and Charles at their hotel. I wanted to give you a time without feeling like you were being watched.” He tells me.

“Emmett came with you?” I ask him.

“I think he wanted to be there if Hannah or I needed him. When I told him we were coming he decided to be here if we ran into problems like that last time.” He tells me.

“Justin if there are problems, I’ll handle them. I need my daughter and you to know that I won’t let you be targets for Michael and Lindsay. It’s not how I thought your life would be when I left.” I tell him.

“My life turned out great, it just didn’t include the people you call friends.” He tells me.

“I need to see Gus and I would like Hannah to meet him.” I tell him.

“Only if you don’t let Gus’s mother near Hannah. If that happens than I won’t allow you to see Hannah.” He tells me.

“What about you, are you planning to avoid me too?” I ask him.

“I’m not important, whatever I was to you, doesn’t matter anymore.” He tells me.

“A lot of things made me leave, you weren’t a reason I wanted to leave but a reason I wanted to stay. I couldn’t change the things about you that I loved by staying.” I tell him.

“You know, I don’t think you ever really bothered to know me. I never did something because you wanted me too, but so I could experience everything. You could have never changed something about me unless I wanted it.” He tells me.

“Justin, I wasn’t ready for what you wanted, or to be what you wanted.” I tell him.

“Why are we even doing this, it’s over. Talking about it won’t change anything. I’m staying for a week with Hannah, which should be long enough to work out how we are going to share our daughter.” He tells me.

“I want to see her more than weekends and holidays.” I tell him.

“We don’t live here and won’t again, so for now it’s the only way you will see her. I need to get some sleep, so call tomorrow when you want to see Hannah.” Justin tells me.

“Was it that hard to stay here?” I ask him.

“I don’t know Brian, was it?” He asks, opening the front door for me to leave.

EMMETT

“Hello Brian.” I tell him, opening the door. “I'm surprised to see you.”

“Before I ask you anything, I need to thank you for taking care of them.” Brian tells me.

“I didn’t do it for you, but because Justin didn’t need to do it alone. I did it it because he needed a friend, when our friends seemed to forget him.” I tell him.

“What happened after I left?” I ask.

“Nothing at first, or at least it didn’t seem like anything happened. I just remember one day Ted and I had brunch at the girls’ house, I asked if they'd seen Justin. Lindsay made it sound like Justin stop calling them, so I went to find out what was going on.” I tell him.

“What did you find?” He asks.

“I found out that Lindsay was a bitch.” I tell him.

“Emmett, I need to know why he can’t even say her name anymore.” I tell him.

“Because she wanted him to get rid of Hannah. Brian, it was like Justin having a baby was forbidden.” I tell him.

“Why didn't he tell anyone?” He asks.

“Who would he tell, Deb, who kept asking when he was leaving? There wasn't anybody left to tell, I only found out because he wanted someone to be happy about it.” I tell him.

“What was it like for him?” He asks.

“It wasn’t easy, he was sick most of the time. The doctor and I couldn't get him to take anything for his allergies because there was no way to convince him it wouldn’t hurt Hannah. He had her a month early, which was when I had to call Jen. They weren't sure Hannah was going to make it. I couldn't get Justin to go to sleep, because he thought if he wasn't there to watch her something would happen. Jen ended up having to sit with him promising to stay awake, if he slept. I never realized how much faith Justin had in Jen.” I tell him.

“You should have called me.” He tells me.

“How? You didn't really leave me a way to do that. I understand wanting to get away from here, but you cut everyone but Lindsay and Michael out.” I tell him.

“I knew he'd never have a chance to find what he deserved if I kept in contact.” He tells me.

“Why was that something only you could decide? Justin wasn’t Michael, who couldn’t tie his shoe unless you did it for him. Was it that, that Justin could take care of himself? Did it scare you that Justin might one day no longer see you as a God, but a man? Help me understand how Michael and Lindsay rated higher than Justin in your eyes.” I tell him.

“I didn’t love them the way I fucking loved him. They couldn't hurt hurt me the way Justin could. Is that what you want from me? That he meant more than anyone, and I would have hurt him for being that important when I didn’t want it.” He tells me.

“Do you want it now? Because it's going to require those walls you place around you to disappear. He won't play the game anymore.” I tell him.

“Then tell me where I have to be to win my family.” He tells me.

“Chicago. And don’t make me regret telling you.” I tell him.