Chapter 16 - The Media Circus Begins.

The next morning, while eating the big breakfast Justin had assembled of scrambled eggs and bacon with Dave's Killer Bread toasted on the side, Brian casually asked if Justin could get out of school at 1:30 that afternoon.

"Sure," Justin shrugged. "Why?"

"I've got my first doctor's appointment at 2:00. I'll pick you up at 1:30. If you want to go, that is," Brian said, trying not to let any of his anxiety about the upcoming appointment show.

"Of course I'll go with you to the doctor," Justin averred and it was settled. He was thrilled that Brian had finally asked for his help.

Justin was antsy all day. He and Daphne had their heads together whispering and giggling in almost every class and only just escaped getting detention for a rather loud peal of laughter that disrupted their history class. So, by 1:30 he was more than ready to go. He expertly faked a twisted ankle in gym class, quickly changed into street clothes while the rest of the class was still playing dodge ball, and then snuck out the back door. Brian was already waiting for Justin in his usual spot.

The Big Stud was even quieter than usual on the way to Allegheny General. Brian had told him earlier that he'd done some research and found out that the annoying OB Chief who'd seen him before really was one of the best doctors in her field. She was supposedly very knowledgeable and good with particularly difficult pregnancies, which this one might end up being, so Brian had decided to keep her as his primary doctor. That didn't mean that she didn't bug the crap out of him. But Brian Kinney wanted the best and, unfortunately, Chiefy was it.

When they arrived at the hospital it was far more crowded than they had expected. It seemed like there was a big crowd of people swarming around the main hospital doors. The main parking lot was full so they had to park at a satellite lot and take a shuttle bus to the main hospital. The shuttle bus actually stopped at a little side entrance, so the guys never did get to find out what was going on at the front with all the people milling around and blocking foot traffic. Brian and Justin made their way directly to the wing where all the doctor’s offices were located and found Chiefy’s office without any trouble. Brian checked in with the receptionist and then they waited.

Chiefy blew in about fifteen minutes late, looking a bit flustered, with her hair mussed and her face bright red as if she’d been running. She saw Brian and Justin sitting there and right away she fluffed herself up and patted at her hair, greeting the men brightly. Without any further delay, Chiefy herself showed them back to the exam rooms and directed Brian to get into the skimpy, backless patient gown. Brian’s only comment was that he would probably be more comfortable just sitting there naked rather than wearing the stupid gown. Which is why he was lying there in all his buff glory when Chiefy knocked quietly and let herself back into the tiny room. If she’d seemed flustered before, the sight of a gloriously naked Brian Kinney lounging on the exam table had her speechless and blushing and knocked for a complete loop. Justin felt a bit sorry for the poor doctor, because he was familiar with what the first sight of a naked Brian could do to a person.

Chiefy managed with a bit of effort to compose herself and she continued with the exam. This time, since they'd both already acclimated themselves to the big news and were no longer reeling from shock, Brian and Justin were able to concentrate more and even ask some pertinent questions. Chiefy had been studying up on Male Pregnancies and was ready with all the answers. In fact, there was far more information than Brian was ready for and by the end he was starting to look panicky again. Justin cut in and distracted Chiefy until Brian was back in control.

At the completion of the exam, Chiefy directed Brian to get dressed and then to join her in her office to go over one final thing. She looked a little worried as she left. Brian opined that it was probably some shit about how his insurance didn't cover male pregnancy or something similar. Justin hoped that was all it was.

Chiefy's office door was open when they got there. She offered them seats. She asked if they wanted something to drink - both men said 'no'. She shuffled around some papers on her desk nervously.  Then, Chiefy finally seemed resigned that she was gonna have to talk.

"Firstly, I'd like to offer you both, but especially you Mr. Kinney, an apology on my own behalf as well as from the whole hospital."

Brian and Justin looked at each other in confusion. "Before I accept any apology, Chiefy, I'd like to know what it is that I'm forgiving you for," Brian replied cautiously.

"I'm afraid there has been an internal security breach. The administration is already investigating but hasn't yet managed to pinpoint who it was that released the confidential information," Chiefy continued, while the boys just sat there unsure of what it all meant. "I'm afraid that word about the *ahem* nature of your condition has been leaked, Mr. Kinney."

"Fucking A!" Brian shouted, jumping to his feet in alarm.

"Please, Mr. Kinney. You shouldn't let yourself get so upset. It's not good for your blood pressure. Now, please," Chiefy said in a placating tone, "it's not quite that bad. If you'd please sit back down, we can discuss what needs to be done."

"'It's not quite that bad'," Brian said, imitating Chiefy's condescending tone. "How the fuck would you know? It's not your life. It's not your personal medical info that's . . ."

"Mr. Kinney, please let me continue," Chiefy raised her voice with authority and Brian reluctantly nodded then sat back down, still fuming though. "As I was about to say, none of your personal information has been leaked. So far as we know, the only information that is currently circulating is that a rare Male Pregnancy case has arisen here in Pittsburgh, that the patient is receiving care here at Allegheny General and that the patient in question was expected for a check up today. You probably noticed all the craziness going on downstairs in the lobby. That was where I was before I came back here for your appointment. I had security come and escort everyone out of the building and we think they've pretty much all dispersed now."

"So they don't know Brian's name or anything? Just that there's a male pregnancy?" Justin clarified.

"That's correct. And we are going to be cracking down on everyone involved with this case so that no further information is released without your direct consent," Chiefy tried to reassure the irate patient. "However, I'm afraid that, well . . . now that the cat's out of the bag, so to speak, it might prove much harder to keep information about you completely confidential. The Hospital Administration will do everything in our power to maintain your privacy, but now that the news media . . ."

"News media? Shit," Brian injected.

"Yes, I'm afraid so . . . Several reporters have already contacted my office seeking information. We, of course, haven't said anything. But, as I was saying, now that they know there's a local case, I can't see them just dropping the matter. The tabloids, especially, are ridiculously tenacious and will stoop to anything to get a story like this. My staff has always been scrupulously discreet, but then again, I don't know if they've ever been offered actual bribes before . . ."

"What can we do, Doctor," the ever-practical Justin asked. "I'm sure that Brian does NOT want any disclosure of his private life, either now or in the future. There has to be some way to control the situation."

"Well, as I said, for now I've taken care of matters. We have security in place to keep the media out of the facility and to get you out of the building today," Chiefy assured them. "However, due to the nature of your condition, it won't be possible to keep this under wraps indefinitely. Once you start to actually look pregnant, Mr. Kinney, what with modern equipment and telephoto lenses and such . . . Well, let's just say that I strongly doubt you'll be able to remain incognito forever."

"I fucking know that," Brian insisted, looking scared and hunted. "I'm just not ready to deal with this shit yet."

"I completely understand. And we WILL do our best for you. I do have perhaps one small suggestion, though," Chiefy nervously advanced her secret agenda. "When you are ready to come out, as it were, the Hospital would be happy to coordinate some type of press conference for you, and I could help take some of the pressure off you by answering any medical questions. That would also keep you in control of what information was given out and what wasn't. It's definitely preferable to waiting until everything leaks out without you having any say. Of course, it's completely up to you. It's just a suggestion." The woman looked hungry for the possibility, obviously eager for the publicity the hospital and her own career would get out of that kind of deal.

Justin took charge at this point, standing up to signal that the conversation needed to end. "Thank you, doctor. We'll consider that option." Chiefy looked pleased. "Of course, Brian will want to consult with his attorney first, both about what to do in the future as well as what recourse he might have regarding the current information leak." Chiefy looked considerably less pleased at the mention of lawyers. "Now, if you can please direct us to wherever the security is set up so we can get out of here? I think Brian's had enough for one afternoon."

The two men were immediately led out to a back service elevator, accompanied by two burly security guards and met at the back entrance by a discreet silver Lexus sedan - Chiefy's personal vehicle, it turned out. They opted to have one of the security guys drive them straight home rather than attempt to get the Jeep. Justin said he'd come back for it the next day. All either man wanted was to get away from the hospital as quickly and quietly as possible.

Just as the car was driving off, Justin glimpsed a rumpled looking, overweight man holding a large camera, trotting around the corner of the building headed for the door they'd recently come through.

'Things were going to get very messy', Justin thought.

At the loft, Justin started wandering around, quietly tidying things up, picking up clothing from the floor and various chairs, clearing away trash and putting random items in their places - Prego Brian was far less obsessive about tidiness that his former self - while the knocked up Stud paced and ranted.

"The tabloids, Justin? The fucking tabloids! I'm going to be on the front of a fucking tabloid paper, next to the goddamned Siamese twins, the overweight starlet caught in an ugly bikini and the latest diet tips! Every fucking breeder housewife in the country will be standing in line at the supermarket looking at my fat pregnant ass! What the fuck am I going to do? I can't do this, Justin. I fucking can't DO this . . ." Brian's ranting went on and on.

Justin let the man continue to blow off steam, raging away, without comment. He knew that Brian would eventually calm himself and handle everything with his usual aplomb - after he’d had a chance to vent. Justin’s only concern was that Brian didn’t do anything crazy in the meantime.

“. . . The God Damned, Fucking Tabloids!” Brian released a final disgusted shout and then collapsed into a hopeless lump on the couch.

Justin sighed with relief that the ranting was now over. He went and joined Brian on the couch, patting his thigh in silent commiseration. After another twenty minutes, when Justin determined that the silent scowling phase of Brian’s conniption fit was drawing to a close, he got up and offered his hand to help Brian stand.

“You know what? Fuck ‘em all!” Justin declared, knowing he was stealing Brian’s tagline. “We’ll worry about all this tomorrow, Brian. Tonight, let’s go to Woody’s, hang out with the guys and NOT worry about it at all. I’ll even let you buy me a soda if you’re good.”

Brian shook his head, not ready to be quite so easily appeased, but without the remaining energy to put up a fight. He let Justin pull him to his feet and lead him away to the closet. He let himself be dressed in his best ‘Reigning Stud’ black shirt and tight jeans. Then he let Justin lead him out the door and down the block to their favorite watering hole.

They walked into the bar to a warm greeting from several directions and it went a long way towards mollifying an irate Brian. Emmett and Ted were already there, of course, and the two newcomers joined their buddies in a booth. Justin waived at the closest waiter, signalled for ‘two’ without specifying the order and then winked at the man to make sure he’d gotten the message. A minute later, two non-alcoholic beers were placed on the table and Justin handed the man a twenty with another wink. Brian was amused instead of angry and just shook his head as he adroitly hid the label on his bottle with the palm of his hand.

The men chatted and joked just like usual and slowly Brian relaxed. Justin took a deep breath and started to relax himself. A few minutes later, Michael and Dr. Dave walked in and joined the group in the booth, ordering beers of their own and adding to the light, amusing banter. Everything was going so well. It was exactly what Justin was hoping for.

Until David noticed the news program showing on the television screen over the back of the bar and shouted to the bartender to turn up the volume.

“Allegheny General Hospital officials have refused to confirm the existence of the rare case of Male Pregnancy, but reliable inside sources have indicated that the man was at the hospital today and met with the Chief of Obstetrics . . ."

Dr. Dave immediately launched into conspirator mode. “My friend who works in the hospital records department told me the same thing. He said that the hospital administration has been coming down on everybody hard about leaking the news but he said he had personal knowledge that there was really a Male Pregnancy case being treated by the Chief OBGYN. He can’t tell me any more, of course, without violating about a hundred laws and internal regulations. But he did say that the guy was a local and that he’d get me more info if he could.”

The news commentator on the television had moved on to reviewing other notable cases of Male Pregnancy, complete with graphic pictures of the other poor saps who’d already gone through the mess and been made a mockery of by the news media of other countries. Justin could feel Brian vibrating with anger beside him. The Brian Volcano was set to blow, big time, and Justin only had a few seconds to calm the techtonic forces.

Unfortunately, that’s when Michael piped up. “I can’t believe any guy, in this day and age, would subject himself to that crap,” Michael inserted his uninformed opinion. “He should just get rid of the thing and move on. I can’t imagine why he’s such a glutton for punishment. What a fucking pathetic sap!”

Justin sighed and shook his head in defeat. Fucking Michael! Brian was now going to officially go completely apeshit.

“Hey! You,” Brian stood up and hollered across the length of the bar, pointing at a big beefy leather stud standing at the far end of the bar, his voice easily loud enough to be heard over the television and all the noise of the bar. “Baldy - The one with the studded leather jacket. Get your ass into the bathroom, sweet cheeks! I’m going to fuck you so hard you’re still seeing stars next week!”

The entire bar went immediately silent and the bartender even muted the television so he could hear the leather guy’s response. Michael shut up immediately, a look of adoration anointing his countenance as he looked up at his idol. The rest of the table simply sat there stunned.

“Whatever you say, Kinney,” leather guy crooned, in an unexpectedly high voice considering the man’s size.

The large, bald, leather-clad guy strutted ostentatiously towards the bathrooms and Brian shoved Justin out of the booth so he could follow.

‘Overcompensating,’ was all that came to Justin’s mind as he sat himself back down, resigned to a long, long, lonely night of Brian monitoring.

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