Author's Note: I know I have no business starting another fic when I have so many I need to update, but this is something I've been wanting so much to write. I hope you enjoy it.

Three days.

It had taken three days of Connor being gone for Jude to crack. He had been telling himself that moving to L.A. was best for Connor and he needed to not be selfish, but that was much easier said than done. He hadn't even realized just how much Connor had become a part of his everyday life until he was gone.

They had been texting constantly, and talked on the phone when they could, but it just wasn't the same. Jude missed the physical contact. He needed it.

His moms had been watching him these past three days, looks of sympathy and worry on their faces as they watched their son slowly slipping.

The third day, Jude finally let the tears fall. He was alone in his room when the first slowly slipped down his cheek. That one tear was like the first crack in a dam as before long, tears were gushing down his face as pained sobs wracked his body.

He didn't know how long he had been curled up in his bed, crying his eyes out, when he felt a hand on his shoulder and his bed dip down.

He looked up to see Jesus looking at him with a sad, sympathetic smile. Without a word, Jesus climbed onto the bed and pulled his little brother into his arms.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's going to be okay."

Jude tried his best to get ahold of himself. "It hurts, Jesus. I miss him so much…it hurts."

The older boy nodded, stroking the younger's hair soothingly. He knew how strongly his brother cared for Connor. In fact, he knew before Jude did, due to their late night talks. And when everything went down with that Daria girl…from Connor dating her to him ultimately getting shot, he had been the one to listen to his brother vent his anguish and confusion. Now that they were finally together at long last, he knew this separation had to be killing Jude.

"I'm sure he's hurting too. Have you talked to him about this?"

Jude simply shook his head. "No, I can't. If I tell him how hard this is, I know he'll come back and he needs to be with his mom right now. That's the best place for him."

Jesus quickly cut in. "How do you know that?"

"Well…Connor doesn't think his dad is okay with us being together, so he figured living with his mom would be better."

"How is his mom with your relationship?" Jesus asked.

"I don't know exactly. He never really talks about it."

The older boy nodded. "And how has Connor been getting along with his mom?"

Jude simply shrugged. "He says she works a lot, so he doesn't see her much."

After a minute of thought, Jesus spoke again. "Jude, I know I've been away, but from what you and everyone else would tell me over the phone, it seems like Connor's dad has been trying. He never expected to have a gay son, so he's probably just still getting used to it. One thing you can say about his dad, though, was that even though he was always in you guys' business, at least he was there to be in your business. If you ask me, that's better than someone who works so much they're never there at all."

Jude let his brother's words sink in, thinking back to his past interactions with Adam Stevens.

"Yeah," he finally relented. "He had gotten better recently. And when I asked him why he was sending Connor away, he looked genuinely surprised and…I think he looked hurt. He probably didn't want Connor to go almost as much as I didn't."

Jesus nodded. "So what are you going to do?"

Jude let out a defeated sigh. "I don't know. I mean…I can't exactly make Connor come back, especially if he still thinks he's better off with his mom, whether I agree or not."

Jesus remained silent, a plan beginning to form in his head.

TBC

Author's Note: Connor will show up in the next chapter, I promise!

From other fics I've read and comments I've seen online, it seems that so many people are picturing Connor's mom as this perfect loving mother (and most seeing Adam as an asshole). That just doesn't sit right with me...especially since Connor's mom had only been mentioned once in the series and it was that kids "gave her migraines"...