[Michael hangs out with the Hot Cops, and starts a rebound fling.]

When Michael called the Hot Cops, they were pleased to hear from him, and they asked about Barry Zuckerkorn spanking him.

"Yeah, he's my parents' lawyer, and he's always been creepy like that. If you don't mind, I don't want to go back to his club. I don't want to see him or talk to my parents either. I quit the family three years ago."

"Oh yeah," Bix said. "Gob might have mentioned that, when we tried to talk him out of testifying for his mother against us."

"I thought you didn't see him after the Queen Mary?"

"No, but we called him on the phone, in like 2007, when we found out that he was on the witness list. He said that he needed to testify so he would get the money for his wedding illusion. We were annoyed that he was selling us out, but he said that the jury wouldn't believe his mom's dumb alibi anyway, 'cause all the fake testimony was laughable."

Michael had only heard Buster's recital of his testimony at the family meeting in 2006, and that had indeed sounded silly.

Bix continued, "We asked about his wedding, and he said it would revive his magic career. But why does he have to be a Christian magician? It's so sad that he was in the closet and hanging out with all those crazy evangelicals."

"Yeah," Michael agreed. "I wish that he never dated her."

"So did you want to get together somewhere else, then?"

Michael invited them to his house, and they agreed to come later that afternoon, so he gave them directions to Sudden Valley.

When the Hot Cops arrived, they greeted him in a friendly manner, and Chet asked if Michael could give them Gob's current number. "We miss him."

Michael had to suppress his jealousy, for he suspected that Bix would try to visit and kiss Gob again if he wasn't in denial anymore. But Gob needed friends, and he shouldn't be selfish. Besides, he could let them tell Gob about him dating again, and hopefully it would make Gob jealous.

So Michael gave them Gob's phone number in Malibu, and warned them that Gob usually slept until noon, and was busy at night. Then he asked curiously, "Hey, did you guys ever visit him in the hospital after the storage unit?" It was possible, after all, that Gob had been sedated when they came, and it would make Gob happy to know that he hadn't been alone for a week.

Curtis said, "We tried to visit, but the hospital officials wouldn't let us in because we weren't Gob's family." He scoffed, "Like his family ever did anything good for him."

Michael felt guilty. "I tried. I just-"

Bix quickly patted his shoulder and reassured him. "No, no. We know you were there for him, Michael. We could tell that he always liked you, even if you fought a lot."

Mike (the Hot Cop) said, "I tried to pretend to be you so that the hospital people would let us visit Gob, but then they asked for ID." He even tried to dress up like Michael, based on the wardrobe he wore when they occasionally saw Michael, like for the pot lesson and Gob's bachelor party.

Michael looked at the Hot Cop and wondered if it was a coincidence that Mike had the same name as him, or if Gob had joined the gay strippers on purpose because one of them was named Mike.

Kenny complained, "Those mean hospital people! I guess we must have missed you, Michael, when you came to see him. You would have let us sneak in with you, wouldn't you?"

Michael felt guilty again for not showing up at the hospital. He nodded, then quickly deflected by reminding them to help him with dating.

"Sure!"

"This is going to be fun!"

"Our own My Fair Lady to make-over!"

Because of Mike having the same name, Curtis wanted to avoid confusion and he suggested calling Michael by his initial. "You'll be Michael B, and-"

Michael interrupted, "No, I-I don't like that." It reminded him of being with Gob in Malibu and that was private. He wondered if Gob would ever confess the truth to the Hot Cops, and he became nervous that they would take Gob's side about the breakup. They were normal people after all, and Michael was only their acquaintance, not their friend.

Chet asked, "Why not?"

Michael didn't explain. "You could call me Michael 2, if you want, and he can be Michael 1."

They were a little confused about why he didn't like using his initial. After all, many signs in the neighborhood said "Michael B. Company."

Gator said, "No, he can be Hot Mike, and you can be Eliza." As in Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady.

Kenny said, "I think he's hot too," and gave Michael a flirtatious wink.

Mike (the Hot Cop) said, "Why can't I just be Mike and he can be Michael?"

They shrugged and went along.

So they gave Michael a makeover in clothes and hair, then offered him tips on how to behave and dance. They let him practice flirting with each of them, in different scenarios.

Bix asked, "Have you ever kissed a man before? Do you want to practice?"

Michael didn't want to confess that he'd only kissed Gob before, nor did he want to practice with Bix, if he had tried to kiss Gob once. "Can I practice with Kenny instead?"

Kenny came forward eagerly.

So they practiced kissing, and Michael was nervous at first to kiss a man who wasn't Gob, but after a while, he relaxed. Kenny was a good kisser, and he complimented Michael on being good, as if he had experience.

Curtis said disapprovingly, "Stop making out with him! He's Gob's brother." He considered that off limits. "We should at least tell Gob, before we do stuff with his family."

Michael turned and said to the group, "Yeah, can you tell Gob? I'm kind of fighting with him now, and it would be better if you guys told him."

"You mean, tell him that you're bisexual?" Gator asked with concern. It seemed like a big favor to ask of them.

Michael explained, "No, he knows that I'm bisexual already, but I've never been with another guy before." Another guy besides Gob. "Tell me how he reacts."

Bix considered it and said, "Hmm, maybe if he knows that you're out dating, it will show him that it's okay to be who you are. It could help him not be in denial."

"Yeah that sounds good," Curtis said.

The others agreed, and Michael didn't tell them that he was actually being selfish and trying to make Gob jealous. But if it had the side effect of helping Gob come out of the closet, that would be good too.

So they finished making him over and took him out to a bar. They helped him mingle, but were very concerned and protective of him as Gob's brother. Kenny also got a bit jealous, when Michael danced with one guy.

In the end, Kenny drank enough to be bold and not listen to Curtis's warnings to control himself. He ended up making out with Michael and groping him in the bathroom, before the other Hot Cops caught them.

Michael told them that he didn't mind, and he kind of liked Kenny. "You want to come home with me tonight?"

Everyone but Kenny discouraged Michael from rushing into what they thought was Michael's first time having sex with a man.

Michael reluctantly agreed to wait and have a proper date with Kenny some other night.

The next day, the Hot Cops felt guilty and called Gob. He was surprised to hear from them, and he disliked their questions about him going to therapy. He lied that he was seeing a therapist still, and he said that it was only for his trauma in the storage unit, not for anything else.

They told him about trying to visit him in the hospital, and he thanked them, but frowned a little because they somehow had the impression that Michael came to visit him. That was a lie that Michael had let stand. But Michael was a Bluth and a liar after all, just like Gob.

Gob just said, "I'm glad you're helping out Michael. He needs it."

Finally, Bix forced Kenny to confess that he had made out with Gob's brother Michael, and had plans for a date soon.

Gob felt rather relieved and thought that Michael was moving on. "That's great. You take care of him, Kenny. Be good and don't cheat on him. He doesn't like that."

Kenny was very pleased, "Sure, Gob," and he told Curtis off for lecturing him so much.

Bix got back on the phone and asked about Gob's life in the entourage. They chatted for a while, then said goodbye.

Kenny then called Michael to tell him that Gob had given his blessing.

Michael was surprised and disappointed. "Really?"

"Yeah. He's probably getting better now."

"Well, that's good."

"So we still on for our date?"

Michael shrugged and said okay; maybe Gob wouldn't get really jealous until they had sex. It could also be that Gob had been lying to Kenny and the others, so that they wouldn't suspect about the incest.

So they had the date in Sudden Valley. Michael made a romantic dinner for them, and then they made out on the couch.

Kenny wanted to go slow since he thought Michael was a virgin, but Michael insisted that he wasn't nervous. He said that he'd actually experimented with another guy before.

"You mean like in college?"

Michael nodded.

Kenny asked what he did. "Like blowjobs and stuff?"

"We did everything. Come on, I bought condoms and lube for tonight." He revealed that he'd stashed the things in the living room.

Kenny was pleased, so they had sex more than once that night. Michael enjoyed himself and thought it was nice that he got to be on top for once, unlike with Gob. But he didn't invite Kenny upstairs to the bedroom. That was still special to him.

But they kissed goodnight and made another date.

The next day Michael emailed Gob himself. It was the first time in a few months, and he tried to pick a time that Gob had often responded to him before, so that he might get a live answer. He sent a simple message, "Gob, I slept with him last night."

Gob's response was, "Can I call you for a minute?" He wanted to be able to hear the truth in Michael's voice.

Michael also wanted to hear Gob's genuine reaction, but he was in the internet cafe. "In a minute."

He closed the laptop and paid his bill. Then he went out to the car where he would have privacy, and he called Gob on the cellphone. "Gob?"

"Michael." It was so strange to hear his voice again after so long. Gob asked, "Did you really like having sex with Kenny?"

Michael said, "Yeah, it was good. I told you I'm bisexual."

Gob said, "That's good. Then you can be happy."

Michael frowned. "But aren't you jealous?"

Gob asked suspiciously, "Michael, are you using him?"

"No, I-I mean..."

Gob interrupted, "Did you really like the sex or not?"

"Yes, I did." Michael got a little upset. "But that's just sex. It's not love. I love you."

"No, Michael. It's wrong."

"Gob-"

"Don't use Kenny like that."

"I'm not!"

"I want you to be happy, Michael. Really happy. Not fake happy."

Michael asked, "What about you, Gob? Are you getting better? Are you dating a guy?" Was that why he didn't want him anymore?

Gob sighed and said wearily, "I'm not gay."

"What?" Michael was stunned. "You should fire your therapist." They must be incompetent.

Gob said truthfully, "I did. I stopped seeing her."

"Good. Get a new one."

Gob said, "Fine" but didn't intend to get a new one at all. He just said, "Don't use Kenny. Bye."

Michael sighed and cried a little. He called Pete, who also told him that he shouldn't use Kenny like that. "Do you hate me?" He was worried that Pete wouldn't be his friend now.

Pete said no, that friends could have arguments and not hate each other. He was just disappointed in Michael.

They met for dinner that night, and Pete comforted Michael, but said he should make things up to Kenny. "I mean, you can't tell him about Gob. That would be too much, I think. But since you told him about this other guy you were with, then you can tell Kenny that you're not over your ex. Say that you were trying to make him jealous, and then apologize."

"Okay."

So Michael met with Kenny to tell him this cover story.

Kenny only asked, "You're not getting back together with him, are you?"

Michael shook his head sadly. "No, it didn't work. He doesn't want me back."

"He's an idiot," Kenny said, then caressed his face. "So can we still have sex?"

Michael was surprised and confused.

Kenny said, "I still think you're hot, Michael. And besides, if we have sex and you get over your ex, then that's good too. You can find somebody else to get serious with later, but we can have fun for right now."

Michael thought about it, and Kenny came closer to kiss him. "Come on, you like this, don't you?"

Michael nodded and kissed him back. "Okay."

So they had sex again and continued to hookup occasionally. It made Michael feel less lonely, and it was like having revenge sex.

Pete shrugged when Michael explained how Kenny had responded. "Wow. I guess I was wrong, but it was good that you were honest. I hope he does help you get over Gob."

Meanwhile, Kenny told the other Hot Cops about Michael having an ex, and lots of previous experience, so that Curtis wouldn't lecture him about rushing a virgin into sex. "He's not a virgin! He experimented in college, and he was trying to make his ex jealous."

"What?"

"Then why did he lie to us?"

Kenny wasn't sure. "Well, he said the guy was a secret lover he had, that his family wouldn't approve of. Couldn't come out of the closet for him."

"Oh, that's sad."

"What a fucked up family."

"But how come he didn't know how to flirt and dance?"

Kenny shrugged. "He said they didn't get to date in public much. But they got back together for a little while, after he quit the family. Then suddenly the guy didn't want him anymore and broke up with him."

Michael looked so brokenhearted sometimes, whenever he told Kenny about his ex. When pressed for a name, he said the guy's name was George.

"Did Gob know about this guy?" Bix wondered. "He knew Michael was bisexual already."

Kenny shrugged, and called Gob to ask him. "Hey do you know about Michael's ex-boyfriend?"

"What?" Gob was a little confused.

"Oh, so he didn't tell you either. He told me about this secret lover he had, who dumped him. His name was George."

Gob realized that Michael had tried to tell Kenny the truth, and he felt relieved. Gob had felt guilty and thought about calling Kenny to warn him that Michael was using him.

"What else did he tell you?"

Kenny said, "Well, he's not over his ex yet. Said he was still in love and tried to make him jealous by sleeping with me. But I didn't mind. I'm okay with just having a lot of hot sex. Maybe I can get him over this George guy. Michael's too hot to be alone."

Gob said, "All right, Kenny. Yeah, try to make him feel better. Thanks." Gob hung up and wondered if he should consider the Hot Cops his friends. Then maybe he could open up to them and talk to them about stuff that he couldn't tell Mark Cherry or JBJ.

But no, that might make things awkward for Michael, so Gob didn't try to be friends with the Hot Cops. After all, they obviously still thought he was gay, and Gob didn't want to keep trying to convince them that he was straight. He rebuffed their attempts to get closer to him or to inquire about his nonexistent therapy sessions.