A/N: Yes, another new story. I was experimenting with character creation, using some of what I learned in my creative writing class and I came up with my OC Michael Larkin, and on the heels of that, this little baby plot bunny out of his backstory. This is going to focus on Brandon and Michael forming a relationship, but will also include the others: Stef, Lena, Callie, Jesus, Jude and Mariana to some degree as well. This takes place when Brandon is 22 years old, Callie 21, Mariana and Jesus 20 and Jude is 18 and just graduating high school.

Chapter One

Brandon's POV

It was the week before my little brother's high school graduation and I was getting ready to catch a flight home. It had been a long time since we had all been home at once. After high school, we'd all gotten caught up in our own thing. It's natural I guess. I always made a habit of calling at least once a month, and it was that habit that became a blessing in disguise that afternoon.

Just as I was packing my last suitcase, my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" I put the phone to my ear as I shrugged into my jacket.

"Is this Brandon Foster?"

I furrowed my brow. I didn't recognize the man's voice. "This is he. Can I help you?"

"Yes, this is Manhattan General Hospital. You're listed as Elaine Larkin's emergency contact. She was admitted this morning."

I almost dropped the phone. It had been five months since I had last spoken to Elaine. If the hospital was calling me, I didn't want to know what that meant. "Is she… is it bad?"

"You should come in as soon as possible."

"I'll be right there." It took all I could to get those words out, to not hang up right then as the memories came rushing back.

I'd met Elaine my first year of college at NYU. She was working at the coffee shop my roommate and I stopped in in between classes. Of course he caught me sneaking glances at her, so he snuck away when I was making revisions on my paper, and then later my cup of coffee had wound up with her number scrawled on the side of the cup. Of course I had went to the counter then trying to apologize and write it off as a misunderstanding, but she'd caught on to my nervous behavior, said she'd seen me looking at her and had decided on her own to move the process along. My roommate had nothing to do with it. He just thought he had.

After that we started dating, pretty seriously too. It was after three months she introduced me to Michael. Michael was her son. She'd had him while she was still in high school, but had refused to give him up despite her mother's wishes and her then boyfriend's lack of interest in being a father. She had gotten an apartment with her best friend, and enrolled at a local community college balancing classes, a job as a barista and raising her son. After she had gotten her degree, she moved into her own apartment with Michael and continued working at the coffee shop.

I tried to get along with Michael. He was a cool kid, but he put up a lot of resistance. I wasn't even entirely sure he would give me a chance at all, and after Elaine's diagnosis it just got worse.

"I have breast cancer."

Elaine was a fighter, but not just when it came to the cancer. She refused to let me help her. In a way, our fight reminded me of some of the "award winning fights" I'd had with my sister Callie. She had that same stubborn independence. She told me I was giving up my dreams. I had just gotten asked to intern with some of the best composers on Broadway, but I had turned it down. In a way she was right I guess, but I wanted to be there for them. I wasn't going to let her face this alone.

"I'm sorry Brandon, I can't let you see this." She broke up with me that same night.

Now, Manhattan General Hospital was calling me, because I was Elaine's emergency contact. It didn't make any sense. I called Mom in the cab. She answered on the second ring.

"Brandon, shouldn't you be on the plane?"

"I'm going to be late coming in." I couldn't keep the emotion out of my voice. "I'm on my way to the hospital. Elaine…something's wrong I can feel it."

"Oh B…" Mom sighed. She and Mama were the only ones who really knew how I felt about Elaine. Even after five months. I hadn't even told my siblings the reason for the breakup. Jesus had assumed it was because of Michael. Mariana, Jude and Callie thought it was because I was afraid I'd be too busy with the internship. So I just let them think what they would.

"I have to go. I'm pulling up. I'll call you later. Tell Jude I said sorry." I tapped the end call button as I ducked out of the cab.

"Mr. Foster?" I was met by a wiry older gentleman. "I'm Doctor Greene. Elaine and her son are waiting for you inside."

"Is she…?"

"It doesn't look good Son, I'm sorry. The most we can do is make her comfortable."

I walked into the hospital room to see Elaine laying in the hospital bed. She turned at my approach, her smile faint, but as bright as I remembered. Michael sat in a chair at her side gripping her hand as tears filled his eyes.

"Brandon, you came." She sounded surprised, but I could tell she was happy. It was all I could do not to say something snappy in front of Michael. "Good. I...I have to ask you something." She looked between Michael and I. "Both of you." She glanced over to the drawer next to her hospital bed. "Mike, there's a letter in the drawer and a plane ticket to San Diego."

"Mom…" Michael's voice was husky with unshed tears.

A plane ticket to San Diego? "Elaine?"

"Jacob told me you were going to San Diego, so I knew Michael had to come with you." Elaine sighed. "Brandon… you have to…" A fit of coughing overtook her. "Please…"

"You can't be serious!" Michael shot up out of the chair, but before Elaine or I could shout after him, he was out in the hallway.

I shook my head, my nickname for her coming out naturally. "Lane, What's this about?"

"You're the only one I can think of Brandon. My parents, they wouldn't…" Elaine shook her head. "He has no relationship with them. They're strangers. I trust you more than you know. You're the only one who didn't run when you found out about Michael."

I sighed. "He doesn't want anything to do with me… and… San Diego? I can't just take him with me."

"Why not?" She grinned, the same playful grin she wore when her number ended up on that coffee cup.

"You're bat crazy."

"You told me your moms foster." Elaine's voice was soft. "It can't be that hard for you to do it right?"

I groaned. "It takes months to get a foster license Elaine, and my moms' expires this month."

There were tears in her eyes now. "I don't want Michael to have to go with strangers. Please, I'm asking as a friend."

Damn it. How could I say no to that?

"Fine. Okay, I'll do it."

"Thank you."

Michael's POV

This was completely messed up. My mom was dying from cancer and she was asking me to leave New York and go with her ex-boyfriend to freaking San Diego. Why was she doing that?

"Michael?" Speak of the devil. I gave him a sideways glance, but kept my arms crossed, the envelope with the letter jabbing into the crook of my arm.

"Just leave me alone!" My voice came out more choked than I meant it to.

"She wants to talk to you." He looked at me.

I shook my head. "Why are you even here?"

"She called me." he replied. "I still care about you guys. I never stopped."

"Bullshit!" I snapped, shoving past him as I walked into my mom's hospital room.

A/N: Okay... so... what do you think? I'm not 100% certain where this will go just yet, but I do know that Stef and Lena will play a big role along with some appearances by other members of the Adams-Foster family. I'm thinking of letting you guys kind of direct where this goes to some extent, different situations for Brandon and Michael and/ or Stef and Lena to encounter that I can weave into the story on top of the ones I have planned. Another focus will be on Stef and Lena having to help Brandon while coming to terms with Jude growing up and getting ready to leave and how their relationship will face the challenge of an "empty nest".