Am still riding high off happiness due to Stendan reunion week, so I was inspired to start a new fic. Its obviously AU and new territory for me, I placed Stendan in a world were Brendan's father and very few people have a problem with ahhhh!" Gay People!" thought it would be interesting to explore angst in their relationship without sexuality complications. So I hope you enjoy and please constructively comment. I do appreciate it.

FREE

Aaah! Nothing like the smell of freedom after an 8 year stint in Mountjoy, Brendan thought to himself as he walked through the minimum security gates of Dublin's toughest prison. He never thought that this day would come or that he'd even live to see it. It was an even bigger relief to the Irishman than he thought it would be the realization that after 8 of the longest years of his life that he was finally free! But his joy was short lived because for the first time in all of his 30years of life he didn't know what to do next. Eight years ago he was living the high life; he made his own decision, set his own rules and worked for himself, well technically if you call co-operating his father's business, one of the largest and most infamous crime organizations in Dublin history an entrepreneurial pursuit. For a long time Brendan was his own boss, rough, arrogant and merciless but eight years in a cage does remarkable things to a man you either decide to stay the same person you where when you began this journey of complete hopelessness and isolation or you to take a different road and reevaluate who you are now and the person you'd ultimately like to become. A few years back the answer to those questions would be obvious but right now Brendan had no idea. At that moment the question of what to do next was answered for him, as he reached the front of the institution he was greeted by a short man dressed in all black with a chauffeur's hat placed neatly upon his head. The man opened the door of a black stretch limousine and with a smile plastered straight across his face said, "Good Day Mr. Brady! Your father sent for you am Patrick but you can call me Paddy" seeing that Brendan was no stranger to these types of accommodations he unquestionable stepped into the vehicle and was driven away.

Brendan stepped out side of the limousine when it stopped in front of a familiar house; well house was a modest name for the building that stood before him. With 3 stories planted on 0.6 acres of land outbuildings laid out in a courtyard style stable block and huge archways, house wasn't a fitting description. Still, this was what Brendan had known all of his life as home and with a woman running up to him with the biggest smile ever on her face it really felt like home.

"Brendan!" Cheryl screamed as she ran towards him with the speed of a driven bull.

"I can't believe that your out, my God this has to be a dream my big bro breathing fresh air right before me. I thought that this day might never come."

Brendan was beyond excited to see his baby sister after all of these years, the one person that understood him entirely, the only member of his family aside from ma that he could stand to be in the same room for more than two seconds.

"Geez Chez, I just got out of prison now you want to strangle me to death!" Brendan said while untangling himself from the choke hold that Cheryl had around his neck.

"It's just that I missed you more than you could ever know" the look that Brendan gave her showed that he knew exactly what she was talking about because he had felt the same way.

"So how have things been around here while I was tucked away?" Brendan asked in an attempt to divert Cheryl's attention from sting of tears that played around his eyes.

"I mean what's new how's life been treating you from what I can tell not bad you still look like the same 18 year old that I left years ago"

"Well you know Bren nothing new with me am still the supporting character in everybody else's storyline" she joked

'What about dad is he stills the same big bad boss man that he's always been?" "No Bren dad's really softened a lot since he retired from the business he's not the same person that you left when you went in" Cheryl said with hesitance not wanting to dredge up unpleasant past memories.

"So the old man's finally decided to step down from the thrown aye?" "Didn't think I'd ever see that day."

"So who's chief now?" Cheryl dropped her head from Brendan's gaze and began to mumble something under her breath

"Umm well Bren this is a family business and you know that dad wouldn't ever leave me in charge what with me being "just a woman" Cheryl said humorlessly. "So that only leaves one other sibling, Walker!"

Although Brendan was a little shocked he obviously saw that coming, his younger brother Walker had always wanted that position and was enraged by the fact that he thought Brendan only got the position because he was the oldest. So it came to no surprise that his little brother had finally made his lifelong dream come true of being head of the family business and making their father proud. He never quite understood why Walker thought of him as such an opponent because at the end of the day it meant nothing to Brendan he was his own man and wanted different things, ultimately he only accepted the position based on family duty.

"Well Chez dreams do come true hey" he said with a cheeky grin "Come on time to see what I've been summoned for"

As Brendan walked into his child hood home he was immediately met by his father the regal old man burst into a fit of laughter upon setting eyes on his son, over joyed was not the right words to describe the man's state as he wrapped both arms tightly around his newly released son.

"Hey son, it's been a long time… too long!" the elder Brady said with a sincerity that Brendan before now had never seen.

"Nice to know that you guys missed me, who knew that it would take eight years behind bars to feel appreciated," He said not wanting to linger in the soapiness of this reunion.

"Ha ah! I see that time hasn't affected that sense of humor of yours, but not even you could ruin this moment for me, after all of these years my son is finally home!

"Well, well, well, I see the prodigal son has finally returned, but I guess that's the wrong reference because in that story he willingly left his father, while you were charted off in chains. Brendan turned around to follow the voice that sarcastically spoke to him. He should have known that it was his sweet little brother Walker. Almost a decade later and his brother still spoke to him with a tone of distain mixed with civil courtesy, a combination usually left for rivals on opposing Rigby teams. "Well little brother I can see that you didn't miss me after all these years" Brendan said with a half-smile

"You haven't been gone that long, maybe you should go for another eight and let's see if there's any change" Walker said while mimicking the same smile.

"I see that you're still the same tongue and cheek lad that you always were, straight to the point I've always liked that about you."

Yes Walker was still every bit the little boy that Brendan had remembered but something was different. Standing beside Walker was a young boy, and as his eyes wandered away from his brothers he met with another pair of eyes. These eyes where unlike any that the Irishman had seen before, they were light blue with the most amazing flutters of eyelashes shadowing them. As he continued to search the boy before him he then noticed a refined noise and plump lips that all rested perfectly on a chiseled face. Now Brendan had never been impressed with a pretty face before but something about this boy was different.

"UHh umm!" sounded Walker in an attempt to reclaim his brother's attention. And it worked because Brendan then realized that he was staring at the lad in unflattering way.

"I guess it's the polite thing for me to do so... Ste this is my older brother Brendan and Brendan this is Ste" "His boyfriend" their dad said still standing at Brendan's left.

" His what !" 'Well things certainly have changed around here haven't they" Brendan said in an exasperated tone "And dad you're okay with all of this?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" asked Walker.

"Um um! Of course I am fine with your brother's friend as long as he's happy" the elder Brady spoke trying to defuse the tension.

"Don't get me wrong little brother but the dad that I knew never really approved of this sort of… Thing!" Brendan said while continuing eying Ste from head to toe. He obviously didn't mind because he responded with a slight smile that lit up his face.

"Brendan times change and we must change to if we wanna keep up and besides that Ste's special" responded Mr. Brady with an almost reverence.

" Nice to meet you Ste… Steven, you must be pretty remarkable if you've managed to chisel at the old man's ancient way of thinking."

Ste didn't respond, like Brendan's earlier state the lad was in a trance of his very own, there was an awkward moment before he responded with a "I guess am alright!" followed by a full on smile that Brendan duplicated.

They continued to stare at each other from the mild distance that separated entire Brady clan had all joined together in the families lush living room, Brendan was on the sofa catching up with Cheryl and dad, while Ste and Walker managed a quite conversation a few tables away. Between mindless conversations they shared looks Brendan looked at Ste with fierceness and fascination, while Ste stared in revolt. That put Brendan off because it was a complete contrast to his present feeling, he needed to get to the bottom of this he had to know what the boy was thinking.