Author's Notes: I actually debated not posting further chapters as I hadn't received any reviews (and believe me, I don't want to beg for them), but since Morelen asked for an update, I decided to post, so this one is for Morelen, hope you enjoy!

Chapter Three

"Daddy, I get to see Mommy Mel and Jenny!" Gus happily gushed to his father. Brian nodded his head at his son whose hand he held while he pressed the doorbell at Mel and Linds—no, it was just Mel's now—place.

He wasn't exactly thrilled to be standing there, but Lindsay asked if he could drop off Gus for her and being the glutton that he was, he agreed. The entire ride there, Gus was eagerly chatting away about how he couldn't wait to see Mel and his sister. The little boy had missed them a lot even though Brian knew that Gus actually saw him more than it seemed but he guessed to a little kid, being separated even a few days was a big deal. He also talked about his "Unca" Mikey and did Daddy give him the drawing he made of Jenny and her bunny? Brian hadn't and he felt guilty about that. He didn't want to lie to Gus though, so he just didn't answer.

The door flew open and Brian peered at Mel who seemed a bit frazzled. "Don't you know you're not supposed to open the door to strangers?"

She gave him a glare and he looked pointedly at his son. She then pasted a smile on her face and Gus smiled back at her, yelling "Mommy Melly!" and jumped into her waiting arms.

"Hi Gus!" she said cheerily, giving him a big hug and kiss. She missed her son a lot. Even though it had been a few months, she still wasn't used to not seeing him and holding him every day as she had when he and his mother still lived with them.

A throat cleared and then she added, "Brian." He followed her into the house and set down Gus's backpack that contained the few items he might need or want for the visit (which wasn't much considering his room was still intact from when he lived there) on the floor of the living room.

"Where's Jenny?" Gus asked once he was put down by his mother.

"She's in her room, I was about to get her dressed."

"Go ahead. I'll stay down here with Sonny Boy," Brian told her generously and she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"If you're sure…"

"He wants to see her so get her."

Mel was about to go upstairs into the nursery room and put on Jenny Rebecca's sundress when the phone rang. She let it go to voicemail and then said, "Shit," when she heard her client. Then Jenny started crying and she repeated the curse.

Brian gave a laugh. It was always amusing to see Mel in a frazzled state. He didn't know why it was, but it's the little things.

Mel was about to glare at him when she thought better of it. Sighing, she turned to him and said, "She probably needs to be changed. Brian, would you mind?"

"What?" he asked, confusion evidence on his face. Since when did Melanie allow him to take care of her daughter?

Giving him a pleading look, she explained, "Look that was a very important client call that I need to return. After working on this case for years, we're finally getting the break we need to win and if we do, well, it'll be a very good thing—for the firm and for me and for the kids." She didn't need to spell it out, but obviously she'd be financially rewarded for her services.

Jenny's wails grew louder and Gus looked up at him with those big hazel eyes and Brian found himself not being able to say no, so he told her that he would pick her up and check if she needed changing and if she did, he'd do it but Mel would owe him.

"Thank you!" Melanie told him, running to pick up the phone in the other room.

"Okay, Sonny Boy, we're going to get your sister, come on," he told him, holding out his hand, which Gus readily accepted and they walked upstairs and into the nursery.

Brian hadn't been in that room since Gus moved out into a different room in preparation for the baby. Instead of the walls being painted a light green, it was painted a nice, soft pink. Too girly for Brian's tastes but perfect for a baby girl. Of course, she could surprise them and be a tomboy like her mother, unless of course she took after her Auntie Em or Lindsay or…

Brian's thoughts were interrupted by Gus tugging on his corduroys, pointing at his sister who was wriggling around in the cherry oak crib, crying her little lungs out. He quietly stepped over towards her (not knowing why he was being quiet because with that scream of hers, she was wide awake) and looked her over. Her round face was red and blotchy from crying and her eyes were saturated with tears. Those eyes, god they nearly did Brian in—they were her father's eyes, chocolate and shaped by long dark lashes.

"Jenny, Jenny Penny," Gus sang.

Jenny Penny? Must be a new nickname, Brian thought to himself. "Daddy will change you," Gus told her, looking down at her in his old crib.

Brian hoped that she was just wet because changing wet diapers was less unpleasant than the alternative. He reached a hand out and cupped her backside, feeling that it was indeed wet. "What do you know, Sonny Boy, she does need to be changed." Taking a deep breath, he reached in and gently eased Jenny Rebecca out of her crib and into his arms and walked her over to the changing table.

Once he had her on the table, he noticed that she was looking up at him with those bright, teary eyes. "You're going to kill me, kid," he whispered to her as he unbuttoned her sleeper and pulled off her wet diaper. Luckily, she didn't give him any trouble with that. Gus had a tendency to flail about when he was changed, probably because he was a boy—and Brian's son—and of course he sometimes sprayed too. Jenny Rebecca sat there, continuing to cry but softly now as she took in this relative stranger who was taking care of her.

"Sorry that I'm the wrong guy, I'm sure you want Michael—that's your father, by the way," he told her softly as he used the wipes that Gus handed him. "Thanks Sonny Boy," he told his son with a smile as a diaper was handed to him. Obviously Gus had been there for a few diaper changes.

Brian applied the baby talcum powder and then put the new diaper on and fastened it tightly before wondering what he should put her in because her sleeper was soaked. "Kiddo, I'm not sure what Smel—I mean your Mom—was going to dress you in. Wish you could give me a clue," he admitted as he wiped some tears off her cheek.

Holding her carefully in his arms, he looked in her closet which was full of little dresses, they were probably mostly from Linds and Grandma Debbie. Maybe he could find some pants and a shirt in her dresser. He looked helplessly at his son who pointed towards something that was on the other end of her dresser—a purple sundress. Hmm, maybe that's what Mel was going to dress her in. Once he determined that it was clean, he pulled it over Jenny's head and then asked his son where her shoes were kept. They were lined up in a cubby next to her dresser, so he picked out a pair, not knowing what matched. It was so much easier with Gus. Crap, he almost forgot socks. Opening the top drawer, he spotted a pair of white cotton socks and he figured they were good enough, so he put them on her and then slipped a pair of black Mary Jane's on her feet.

"There you go, you're clean and you're dressed. Not bad," Brian told her and all of a sudden she gave him a smile, her dimples widening.

"That smile, that's another thing that you have of your dad's. His smile, his eyes, his cute button nose." Although it was hard to look at her because she looked so much like Michael, he was glad that she took after him and not Mel. Funny how the best friends both had a kid who was their spitting image as Mikey often said that Gus was Brian's carbon copy.

Now what? Brian wondered and looked at his son who was looking up at him and shrugged.

"You and me both. I wonder if Mel is still on the phone. Come on, let's go down." Placing Jenny Rebecca carefully over his shoulder, he held her tightly as he followed his son down the steps. When they reached the living room, he noticed that Mel wasn't there but he heard her voice come from the other room and she was speaking legalese so obviously she was still on with her client.

"Your Pop needs to sit down, Sonny Boy. C' mere," he told his son, patting a spot next to him on the couch. The comfortable couch.

Jenny's lashes fluttered as she looked over Brian. "That's my Daddy, Jenny," Gus pointed out to her and she smiled at her brother.

"Unca Mikey is your daddy," he told her, holding her hand which she gave a little squeeze and a clap of her hands at mention of her daddy.

Holding Michael's daughter so closely brought a mixture of emotions to Brian. He hadn't spent all that much time around her. Oh sure at first Michael brought her around and he visited like the dutiful best friend he was but still, there was no significant time spent and usually someone else was there…Gus, Linds and Mel, Debbie, Benjamin, Hunter, you name it.

"Your daddy is my best friend…or at least he used to be," he confided in her ear. "I miss him. I know you miss him too. This shouldn't have happened," he told her with a sigh.

She was so soft and warm and snuggly and she smelled of good baby smells and he had an inkling of why Michael wanted to be around her so much. Michael…he wondered when either one of them would be willing to relent and get past their current, tenuous situation. He hated not having his best friend around. But neither one of them seemed capable of making the first move. Not that he blamed Mikey and the truth was, Brian should be the one to make the move, but for some reason, he hadn't.

His musings stopped when he felt chubby fingers playfully tapping his face. "Oh, you want to hit me, huh? You're lucky you're a girl and I don't hit girls. Well, I wouldn't hit a baby, period," he confessed with a grin.

"Daddy, make silly faces at her. She loves it when Unca Mikey does."

Groaning, Brian wanted to say that silly faces were much more suited to Michael than to him. Brian had never been all "coochie-coochie-coo" with babies, even Gus.

Just as he was about to make one silly face at her to appease his son, he heard the doorbell. "Whaddya know, saved by the bell!" he exclaimed, much to his son's dismay.

"Hey Mel, you expecting someone?" he called out but didn't get a response from her office. Damn, must still be on the phone about the case—what was he thinking, of course she was, otherwise he wouldn't have Jenny Rebecca in his arms right now.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he said aloud as he stood up, Jenny secure in his arms and Gus beside him.

Not recalling that he'd chastised Melanie earlier for not asking who it was, Brian opened the door and was taken aback to find Michael standing on the stoop, his hands in his pockets.

For his part, Michael couldn't believe that it was Brian who answered the door with Jenny in his arms. Obviously he hadn't been paying attention to the cars in the driveway. For what felt like a long time, he stood there tongue-tied, staring at the scene, tears welling in his eyes.

Jenny Rebecca looked content, she was smiling that gorgeous smile that lit up the world—well, at least her father's world—and she was gurgling happily.

Michael looked up at Brian who was staring nervously back at him, waiting for Michael to say something, anything. Normally Michael would be touched to see his best friend holding his child with such an ease and naturalness but right now it felt like he was being stabbed with shards of glass. Must be nice that he can hold Jenny Rebecca with no problems and no supervision. That was a luxury which Michael was no longer afforded.

His chest constricted and his throat tightened up, but he was going to say something when he heard little feet running towards him, attached to the other child who'd captured his heart who was yelling, "Unca Mikey, Unca Mikey! You're here to visit me and Jenny!"

Before he knew it, Gus had attached himself to his legs, holding tight. Bending over, Michael opened his arms and Gus promptly ran into them and squeezed him hard. Michael picked him up and held him against his chest, breathing in his scent. "Hi Gus," he said softly, his voice cracking.

"I missed you, Unca Mikey," Gus told him.

"I missed you too, buddy. More than you'll ever know," Michael told him, before nuzzling him.

Swallowing, Brian watched the "reunion" playing out. He hadn't seen Gus this happy in a while. Even the prospect of seeing Mel and Jenny today didn't make him as thrilled as he was now that his precious "Unca" Mikey was there.

"Oof, you're getting heavy kiddo. Did you swallow a dinosaur for lunch?" Gus merely giggled and he allowed his uncle to tickle him.

"Mikey," Brian began, trying to find his voice.

"Where's Mel?" Michael asked, not bothering to greet his friend.

"Mikey," Brian began again.

"I can't believe she let you…"

A pained expression revealed itself on Brian's face for the briefest of moments. "You don't want me to hold her?"

"I…" Michael hadn't meant to say that out loud. "It's just she…I…you…" Michael faltered, how was he going to explain that right now he was jealous of Brian being able to hold her so freely?

Brian glanced down at Jenny Rebecca who was looking in her father's direction and it occurred to him that the reason Michael was so upset right now was because he wanted to be the one holding her and taking care of her but there were rules for him, unlike for Brian. Fuck.

"She got a phone call from an important client. Big case that she's trying to resolve or something. Jenny Rebecca was crying and well, she asked me if I could check on her."

"Daddy changed her diaper and changed her clothes," Gus proudly shared with Michael.

"He did, did he? Well, thank you Brian."

Nodding, Brian said it was no problem. Michael still looked distressed so Brian said, "Gus, why don't you let Michael go."

At Gus's protest, Brian bent over and whispered something in his ear and then Gus jumped down and stood in-between both men. Michael gave him a questioning look but then he heard Brian's soft tone saying, "Here's Daddy, Jenny," and the next thing he knew, Brian gently transferred his daughter from his arms into Michael's. Michael gave him a grateful look before he turned his attention to his daughter.

"Hi Honey Bunny," he greeted softly, stroking her cheek and kissing her forehead.

"Daddy missed you so much," he whispered as he blanketed her with kisses over her cheeks. He cuddled her tightly to his chest and closed his eyes, savoring the moment. Because his eyes were shut, he didn't notice father and son looking at him with such intensity, glad that father and daughter were together again.

"Okay Brian, I'm done," Melanie called out as she walked back into the living room.

When she saw what was going on, she placed her hands on her hips. "Michael."

Opening his eyes, the shorter man immediately stiffened, which Brian caught. "Hello, Melanie." He held onto his daughter even tighter than he had been.

"How long have you been here?"

"Five minutes or so."

Melanie glanced at her watch. "Shit," she said, having realized how long she was on the phone.

"Brian, why didn't you tell me I had a guest?"

Brian wanted to shake her and say he's not a guest, he's Mikey, but he couldn't do that. It wouldn't help Michael's case and there were two kids in the room.

"The doorbell rang and I called out to you asking if you were expecting anyone; you didn't respond so I assumed you were still on your call and I opened the door and it was Mike—Michael.

"Oh…all right."

The tension grew thick in the room and Brian unconsciously reached for Gus's hand.

"I was on time," Michael stated.

"Yeah, I see that. Where's Mrs. Perkins?" she asked, referring to the court supervisor.

"I'm not sure," Michael told her honestly.

Narrowing her eyes, Melanie wanted to grab her daughter but knew that Brian would stop her if she tried.

"Well you can't leave until she's here," she reminded him.

He gave her a knowing look. "I realize that," he said as he supplied Jenny with kisses on her downy forehead.

Brian observed them with keen interest. He hadn't seen them together in some time and it was almost disturbing how bad things had become between them. All over the little girl who was content in her father's arms. It was sad, really. At one point, Mel and Michael were friends, Lindsay too. Enough that the girls had asked Michael to father their child. And now the three could barely be in the same room together without emotions spilling over.

"Mommy I missed you," Gus told her, drawing her attention away from her daughter and onto her son.

"I missed you too, Gus," she told him and pulled him into a hug.

Brian gave a relieved sigh, thankful for his son's smarts. He looked over at Michael who was holding onto Jenny Rebecca for dear life.

Nobody spoke for a few minutes—Michael cuddled his daughter and Mel was quietly talking to Gus while Brian was observing both.

Finally, Melanie spoke up. "Where are you taking her?" she directed towards Michael.

Michael didn't have to tell Melanie because the court supervisor would be there and he was sure she'd get an in-depth report of his whereabouts and what he did with his daughter. His time with her was rare these days and a precious commodity so a part of him didn't want to give it up yet he also didn't want to start anything, especially with the kids (and Brian) in the room.

"To the park for a while and then I'll walk her in the stroller and maybe stop by the creek to feed the ducks, she likes watching them."

"She'll need a sweater."

Michael nodded, he wasn't stupid. He had everything his daughter would need, in his car. Yes, he had finally purchased a car, shortly after Jenny Rebecca was born so he didn't have to rely on others whenever he wanted to visit her.

"Are Ben and Hunter meeting you?"

Brian watched as Michael paused, thinking of what to say. "Ben is holding a study session for his students, big exam coming up."

Melanie gave him a disbelieving look. "Some stepfather," she muttered under her breath.

"Can we not do this? Please," Michael requested.

"Hunter is going to meet us at the park once I get there and call him."

She nodded and said nothing further but looked pointedly at the clock. Minutes were ticking by and the supervisor still hadn't arrived. This was not good.

"Brian, what are you still doing here?" she suddenly asked him. He was just standing there, not contributing to anything and well, it was her time with Gus now.

"What, I can't stay here with my son for a little longer?" his question was full of double-meaning, his eyes darting back and forth between Michael and Melanie.

Melanie was about to retort when Gus spoke up, "Unca Mikey, Unca Mikey, can I go to the park with you and Jenny Penny? And 'unter?" He gave his uncle a hopeful, toothy grin.

Michael wanted to say yes but he knew that it was impossible. "Sorry kiddo, it's your time with your Mommy Mel."

Brian noticed how Gus's little face deflated. At this moment, Brian seriously hated Melanie and Lindsay and even himself.

"But I'll visit you soon," Michael covered, hoping it wouldn't be a lie.

"Okay. Oooh, where's Alex?" he asked, looking around for Jenny's favorite toy.

"He's in the car," Michael told him.

Brian couldn't help himself. "Alex, huh?" he asked Michael, raising a brow. Michael rolled his eyes at him in what one could almost interpret as a playful gesture. Brian took that moment to sit on the loveseat across from the couch.

Michael was getting more and more nervous as time wore on. This was unlike Mrs. Perkins to be late or not show up. It was seriously messing with everyone's schedule.

"Okay, this is fu—freaking ridiculous," Melanie declared once a full hour had passed.

"I don't know what happened," Michael told her truthfully. "She was supposed to be here when I got here."

Michael's cell went off and he grabbed it, hoping that it would be the supervisor telling him that she was on her way. He was going to lose more than an hour's time. And yeah, he was with her, holding her, but it wasn't the same with Mel's watchful eye. At least the court supervisor stood out of his way for the most part.

"This is Michael Novotny. Mrs. Perkins? Where are you? Wait, what happened? Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. Yes, I understand. I can? I'll try but I'm not sure. Hmm. All right. Yes of course. I hope she's all right. I will. Thank you." Melanie and Brian glanced over at each other as they heard Michael's end of the conversation.

Closing his cell with a sigh, he turned to face Melanie and explained, "That was Mrs. Perkins. Her mother's in the hospital. Took a bad fall and broke her hip. Her brother lives out-of-state so she's the only one who can be there right now and she's old and might need surgery, so…"

"So she's not coming," Melanie deduced with a frown.

"She can't help it," Michael offered in defense.

"I know that. Fuck. Now what?"

"She said that we can call and see if another supervisor can come over but they're usually pretty booked on Saturdays and one might not be available for a few hours."

"A few hours?" tsked Melanie. "By then it will be time for her to be back home."

"She did say that if you would allow me some time unsupervised, it wouldn't have to be the five hours…"

Melanie adamantly shook her head as Brian glared at her. Insufferable woman, he thought!

"Less than four hours, you mean. It's already been over an hour."

"Yeah, we were waiting for her. I'm still entitled to my five—"

"Not without supervision, you're not."

Michael implored, "Melanie, please let me have some time with her. I'll have her back on time or even earlier."

"You have to follow the rules."

"Mrs. Perkins said—"

Mel cut off his protests with a look. "She said if I allowed it. Well, I'm not. You'd better call and see if you can get another supervisor."

Brian watched as his best friend's eyes glazed over in pain, his hand trembling as he pulled out his cell phone and looked through his contacts for his lawyer. Once he reached his lawyer, he explained the situation and his lawyer said he'd get back to him when he could find a supervisor.

Time was flying by and by the time the lawyer got back with the news, Michael looked like he was about to cry. He kissed Jenny's sweet face and then said, "The supervisor can't get here for another three hours. But he can stay for five."

"That's not how it works. It's for a specific time period. You've already used up—"

"Are you kidding me?" Brian finally spoke up, not being able to stand it. "You're not seriously going to say that Michael has used up his time, sitting here."

"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong. Besides, by that time, it will be well past her bedtime. By the time he would get here, your original five hours will nearly be up."

"I'll watch them," Brian offered off-the-cuff.

Michael looked at Brian in surprise. Just what was his friend offering?

"Michael needs a 'supervisor' to watch them. I'll be it. I'll take Gus to the park and I'll watch them. Or I'll just watch them on my own. We won't be a minute late," he promised, knowing it was futile to even ask at this point but knowing he had to try.

"Brian Kinney as a supervisor?" Melanie snorted as she ruffled Gus's hair. "I don't think so. It's a court-appointed supervisor or it's nothing. I'm sorry, Michael, but you'll have to wait until the next visit."

His voice barely audible, Michael choked out, "A month."

Brian and Melanie whipped their heads around. "I won't get to see her for another month. How can you do this to me? To her?" he asked as he cupped the back of his daughter's forehead.

Halting for a moment, Melanie took a deep breath before saying, "I'm just playing by the rules of the court. Rules which would never have been in place in the first place if you hadn't pursued custody. You have to live with the consequences of your choices. Now give me my daughter."

Brian couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his friend so stricken and punched in the gut. Even Gus could sense that something was very wrong for he left Melanie's side and clung to his father who pulled him up and onto his lap.

Sadly shaking his head, Michael closed his eyes and took his own deep breath before opening them and looking into his daughter's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Honey Bunny," he whispered into her ears. "Daddy is so sorry. And he loves you so miss and will miss you so much. I wish I didn't have to…you be good for your mommy, okay? And Gus is here, he'll take good care of you."

Brian didn't know if he could stomach watching this. It was literally killing his friend, didn't the muncher realize that? He honestly hated this woman right now. And Lindsay and even himself. This shouldn't have happened.

Soaking in her scent one last time and giving her ample hugs and kisses, Michael shakily transferred Jenny Rebecca from his arms into her mother's. He couldn't look at her anymore, so he decided to make an exit but before he could, little arms wrapped themselves around his legs.

"I love you, Unca Mikey," Gus said so sweetly and sincerely.

"Oh," Michael said, his voice fractured, "I love you too, buddy." He reached down and gave Gus a big squeeze and even kissed his forehead, before walking out without a word to Melanie or Brian.

Standing up, Brian cleared his throat and told Melanie that they needed to talk. The look in his eyes was feral, so reluctantly she placed Jenny Rebecca in her bassinette and told Gus to watch his sister before following Brian into the kitchen.

"What do you want?" she hissed at him.

"You. Are. A. Miserable. Fucking. Cunt." His venomous words were slowly punctuated for effect.

"Excuse me?"

Steeling his hazel eyes at her, he repeated it. "I always knew you were a piece of work, but this? Is an all-time new low even for Melanie Marcus."

Her jaw set, she snarled, "How fucking dare you! And in my house!"

Shaking his honey-glazed locks at her, he retorted, "No, how fucking dare you. I don't give a damn whose house this is. That little girl in there—" he told her, pointing towards the living room where the kids were—"that little girl in there was supposed to spend time with her father today. Her father whom she hasn't seen in a month, I might add. But because of unbelievably bad luck and circumstance, things changed. And because you are a selfish bitch who has no kindness within her, she doesn't get to see her father for another month."

Huffing, Melanie was about to smack him across the face when she heard Gus talking to Jenny Rebecca in the other room. She couldn't hit his father with him in the same house.

"If Michael has a problem, he can take it up with the court," she finally stated. "Now get the fuck out of my house."

"Gladly." He stepped one foot into the living room but then swiveled back around to face her. "You know, I have half a mind to take Gus with me right now."

Gritting her teeth, she stared at him. "You wouldn't," she dared.

Cocking a brow, he said, "You want to try me? I would. And I could get away with it, because unlike you and Michael, Gus's custody hasn't been dealt with through the courts. Lindsay is his biological mother, I'm his biological father, and you? Well you have visitation that we're gracious enough to give."

Rolling her eyes, she reminded him that he had no right to give her anything, considering he terminated his rights. "And yet, Lindsay is the only one with physical custody of him and hey, I was just watching him so maybe I've decided that the environment I'm leaving him in, isn't healthy for him."

"Lindsay won't like this."

Shrugging, Brian said, "You never know. Just remember this the next time you try to pull your bullshit with your daughter's father. You know what? I feel sorry for Jenny Rebecca."

With a spin on his heels, Brian marched past her and into the living room where he gave Gus a hug and told him he would see him real soon and that his Uncle Michael would see him too. Brian would make sure of it. Stroking Jenny's cheek, he said good-bye to her, promising her that he'd take care of her father, and then he strolled out of the house and into the driveway, noticing Michael's car was still there.

Weaving his hands through his hair, Brian took a deep breath before approaching the car door. He knocked on it, but Michael was frozen in place, tears streaming down his face. At that moment, Brian was having a hard time not running back into that house and doing some serious damage. But he couldn't. Still, he had this…Rage…bubbling within him.

"Mikey," he called out softly, continuing to knock on the door. He looked down and realized it was unlocked, so he flung it open.

"Mikey…I'm so sorry," he began, at a loss of what to say or do.

"I don't know what I did to make her hate me that much," Michael finally whispered, minutes later.

"You didn't do a thing. She's a miserable cunt."

"I did something. She hates me, Lindsay can't stand me, my mother, my …" before saying anymore, his tear-streaked face looked up at Brian.

Not being able to stand it any longer, Brian reached out and cupped Michael's chin. "Look at me. You did nothing wrong."

Shaking his head, he said, "Yes I did. You were right. I wanted too much, I expected too much, and when my heroes let me down, my little heart got crushed. Well it's never been crushed like this."

"I was a fucking asshole," Brian admitted, stroking Michael's face with the pads of his thumbs.

Michael let out a semi-hysterical laugh. "Did you tell the professor?" wondered Brian, thinking of how wrong it was that Michael's husband wasn't there for him, to ease his pain.

Michael shook his head. "Only Hunter because he'd sent me messages while we were inside, asking what was going on. He can't believe it either and pretty much called Melanie the same thing you did."

Snorting, Brian said that Hunter was a smart kid. "Is there anything? Mikey, can I?" Brian stuttered, feeling so helpless.

"No," Michael told him, his voice bitter. "There's nothing anyone can do."

Fuck that. Drawing Michael's face towards him, Brian laid an unexpected kiss on Michael's lips which protested at first but then sank into the embrace until they were both startled by the sound of Michael's cell. Pulling apart at the same time, they didn't look at each other as he answered his phone.

"Ben?" Michael questioned, his voice sad and weary.

"You talked to Hunter? Yeah. Yeah. Can we go—what? You? Fine. Sure. Yeah, I understand. Yeah. Love you too." His voice didn't sound very convincing, whatever he was responding to. "Bye." Michael shut his phone and then turned to Brian. "I have to go."

"What did Big Ben want?"

"It's not important."

"Obviously it is. Is he going to be there when you get home? Michael?"

Michael didn't say anything, just stared out the window momentarily before straightening himself out and turning on the ignition.

"Mikey, come on, talk to me."

"There's nothing left to say, Brian. Don't you get that?"

Hazel eyes widened in fear. Michael did not mean that—did he?

"I have to go. So you need to go."

"This isn't over, Mikey," Brian told him with determination as he looked into his best friend's mesmerizing eyes.

"It never began," was Michael's quiet response before grabbing the handle and pulling the door shut.

Without a glance towards Brian who had stood off by his own car, Michael sped away, leaving a very confused Brian in his wake.

What the fuck was that about?

Brian was going to get to the bottom of it. He owed it to Michael and to Jenny Rebecca.

~&~&~&~...TBC...~&~&~&~