The day that everyone has been waiting for finally arrives. Meanwhile, Tony frets about what might change if Fin is successful in his gubernatorial bid, and a surprise lifts Brian's spirits.

Fin's Headquarters - 5:00 p.m.

Justin glanced up from his place on the couch and quietly rose to walk over to his husband. Brian was sitting alone behind Fin's desk; his chair turned away from him, he approached from behind and placed his hands on Brian's shoulders to silently begin kneading the hard, tense knots. He heard a soft sigh of appreciation as he leaned down to rub his cheek against his lover's skin, continuing his ministrations as he sought out the unrelenting muscles and tried to relieve some of the stress.

For the first time today, they were actually alone. The crowd in the other room had died down to a trickle since Fin and Tony had left a few minutes ago to drive over to the convention center about five miles away where the official election party would soon be underway. Fin had rented a suite in the adjoining hotel where they could stay for a couple of nights to give them some much-needed privacy, but still allow him to be accessible on a moment's notice, both to his staff and to the press for interviews. As with tradition, he was planning on making an appearance down in the banquet center later once the results had been announced. With the media still predicting a dead heat, however, it was anyone's guess as to when the winner's projection would actually come. It was promising to be a rather long, arduous night.

"You are so tight," Justin told his husband as he whispered in his ear. "And not in a good way."

Brian groaned. "Fuck, that feels fantastic, though," he murmured as he closed his eyes and relished in Justin's almost miraculous touch. "You always did have magical hands, and not just for painting."

Justin kissed him on the cheek and smiled, ending his massage to slide his arms down Brian's chest. He sighed. "You work way too hard. I'm glad it's almost over. You've got to be totally exhausted; not to mention I'd like to have my husband back." Brian leaned back against Justin's chest as he placed his hands over his and let out a deep breath.

Turning around in his chair, he pulled Justin into his lap as he placed his hands around his waist. "I want mine back, too, Sunshine," he confessed to him softly with a tender smile. He had missed all those times when he would come home regularly at a fairly decent hour to find Justin waiting there for him with dinner being prepared and a drink in his hand as they both unwound and told each other about their day.

"I miss spending time with Gus, too. He was just getting better acquainted with Fin and then both of us got so caught up in this damn election that I feel like I've been neglecting him. I really want him and Fin to become closer after all this is over."

Justin reached up to tuck an errant lock of hair behind Brian's ear. "Well, Sean and Kathy have been wonderful to him. He's been over to their house several times now. And I have a suspicion they're spoiling him rotten."

Brian snorted. "Suspicion nothing. From what I understand from Lindsay, he's got a virtual toy store in their spare bedroom. They even bought him a race car bed to sleep in, and Sean has taken him to see a couple of Steelers games, in between taking him out on the boat to fish. I think he's been fishing so much by now that the next time I see him he'll be sporting gills."

Justin laughed. "Well, I'm glad they're getting along so well. Sean and Kathy adore him, and I think he feels the same way."

Brian nodded. "Yeah, I think so, too. And I'm glad about that." He paused for a moment.

"What?" Justin pressed.

"I just wonder how Fin's election might change things, that's all. Once he's Governor, will he be too busy to even worry about getting to know Gus? I mean, I really think he wants to, but realistically speaking will it even be possible?"

Justin gazed into Brian's eyes. "Funny. That's kind of the same concern that Tony has."

Brian frowned. "About Gus?"

Justin shook his head. "No. He's worried that his relationship with Fin will change - and not for the better - if Fin's elected."

"How so?"

"He thinks that everyone will be intruding upon their privacy, and he's worried about having to move into the Governor's mansion with Fin and giving up their life as they know it now."

"What...Not enough room?" Brian teased.

Justin rolled his eyes as Brian grinned back at him. "You know what I mean! He doesn't want to give up their home - and the privacy they've enjoyed. I'm sure you can understand that. That would be like us having helicopters flying overhead or reporters camping out in trees at Britin, just so they could peek into our daily lives and sell photos to one of the tabloids. It's bad enough that Fin would be governor; add to that the fact that he would be the first openly gay governor and it will probably be even worse."

"Well, if they spied on us that would certainly curtail our romps in the hay, Sunshine; literally. I'm not sure the general public could handle our hot, little escapades anyway."

"Brian, be serious!" Justin chided him "They're no different than us. All Tony wants is to be able to live with the man he loves in peace. He's afraid if Fin does win that everything they've built up in their lives will be severely affected - at least for the next four years anyway."

"It could be eight; you're allowed one reelection term," Brian pointed out.

Justin grimaced. "I wonder if Tony knows that. I don't think I'll point that out to him."

Brian's arms tightened around the slender body as he replied softly, "Justin, you can't fight Tony's battles for him. You can be his friend. But when it comes to his and Fin's relationship, they will have to work things out on their own." He gazed tenderly into his husband's eyes. "I know you want to help him, Sunshine. But this is their problem to resolve, not ours."

"I know," Justin whispered back. "But I hope it works out for them. They belong together. Just like you and me."

Brian slid one hand up to Justin's neck to pull him down for a deep, emotionally-charged kiss, silently confirming what Justin had just said. He had gotten a lot better over the years in verbally expressing himself to his soulmate, but still found it was easier to demonstrate how strongly he felt instead.

As they breathlessly pulled back several seconds later, Brian took a few moments to nuzzle Justin's cheek, hearing a soft sigh of pleasure escape the thoroughly ravaged lips as he told him, "We'd better get going. Tony and Fin have invited us to join them in their suite first. I'm sure at some point, though, the press will be looking for either me or Fin to speak to them while we're waiting for the results."

Justin pulled back to nod. "You think it will be late before we know who's won?"

Brian nodded back at him. "Yeah. Everything Fin and I have seen indicates the vote will be extremely close. Something tells me there won't be any projections coming for quite a while after the polls close at eight."

He reluctantly released Justin and allowed him to rise before he joined him. Placing his laptop into his leather case, he reached for Justin's hand. "Come on, Sunshine; let's go whip some Republican ass."

Pittsburgh - Babylon - Same Time

Alex stared open-mouthed at the club's interior. Debbie had been right; it was certainly NOT the type of 'church' she was used to. "This isn't a church at all," she voiced aloud as Debbie laughed. A couple of men standing nearby guffawed at her as she glared back at them.

"Sure it is," one of them said next to her. "If you're here to worship cock." The two men fist-bumped each other and laughed at their joke before walking away toward the bar to pick up a free drink being provided by the house tonight.

"This is Brian's dance club that he owns," Debbie explained to her as she lightly grasped her by the shoulder and steered her over toward an outrageously large buffet spread out on four, rectangular tables. Vinyl banners being used in place of tablecloths touting Fin's "Ignite the Change" motto were draped over the tables and "Fin for Governor" signs were strewn everywhere, along with red, white, and blue helium balloons tied at the corners and bunched together along the walls. Several flat-screen televisions, each depicting a different national news network, were temporarily displayed on the walls, broadcasting the latest election results, even though it was way too early to really have any actual figures yet. The television anchors were merely spouting off their own theories as to who was in the lead, but it was all pure conjecture at this point.

Jennifer smiled at her friend as Debbie walked up with Alex. "Hi, Debbie!" she greeted her loudly, having to speak up over the din in the room. Between the mob of people congregated in every available nook and cranny and the televisions blaring, it was hard to hear. Jennifer could only imagine how raucous it would get later when the live band currently setting up in a far corner started playing after the results came in. Hopefully by then they would be playing victory songs and not ones of disappointment.

The buzz in the room was definitely a positively-charged one, however, as groups stood milling around small, white-table clothed tables, animatedly discussing how historically significant it would be to finally have an openly-gay Governor leading their state. Matchbooks with the "Ignite the Change" campaign logo and small American flags held in bud vases decorated each table.

"Hey, Jennifer!" Debbie called over to her. "Quite a crowd, huh?" Debbie was wearing a white plastic campaign hat with "Fin's a Winner" emblazoned in red, white, and blue on the band. It complimented her navy blue pants, white shirt, and red vest perfectly, which had a button attached over the right breast that said "Marriage is so Gay."

She smiled. "Yes, it is! Must be at least five hundred people in here tonight! Is Carl coming?"

Debbie nodded. "Yeah, he's going to be a little late. His shift isn't over for another hour, but he'll be here." Debbie had been trying hard to convince Carl to retire, but he still held down a part-time shift at the precinct.

Jennifer nodded as she peered over curiously at the young girl standing next to her friend with a cynical sort of look on her face, wearing a mint-colored, long-sleeve tee shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. Her dark-blond hair was cut into a straight and simple short style, almost making her appear to be a boy. Only the small, gold-colored studs in her ears revealed her true sex, plus the lace trim around the rounded collar of the otherwise unadorned shirt. "Who's this?" she inquired.

Debbie replied, "This is Alex. She's...Staying with me for a while." She wasn't quite sure how to introduce her, but she realized that Jennifer knew her well enough to know that it wasn't unusual for her to take in wayward, lost souls when they needed a temporary refuge.

Sure enough, Jennifer nodded back with a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Alex," she politely responded.

"This is Justin's mother," Debbie told the young girl. Jennifer thought she noticed a small change in her expression as the girl looked her over intently.

"You know my son?" she asked Alex.

"I wouldn't go that far," Alex quipped. "I've had the displeasure, though."

Jennifer glanced up at Debbie curiously over the odd remark as she gave her a silent shake of her head as if to say she would explain later. "Oh. Well...I'm glad you could join us tonight. It's going to be a very momentous evening, I think."

"You BET it will be!" Debbie told her vigorously. "We're going to show all those homophobes that they can't stop this train from leaving the station!"

Jennifer laughed. "That's one way to put it."

"Alex, want to go check out the buffet?" Debbie asked as the girl thought for a moment before nodding.

"Why not? Need to do something instead of just standing around here."

Jennifer's eyes widened slightly at the girl's surly attitude; she wondered how Debbie had wound up with this one. She would have to ask Justin what he knew about this girl at the first opportunity. Clearly at the very least she needed a lesson on manners. She watched as Debbie steered the girl toward the food and drinks set up along the back wall before she turned around to greet Emmett, Ted, Michael, and Ben, who had just arrived.

"Hey!" Emmett called over to Jennifer as he walked up to place a kiss on her cheek. "Very exciting tonight, isn't it?"

Jennifer smiled at the familiar group. "Hi, guys! Yeah, there's definitely a lot of energy here tonight; everyone's rooting for Fin to win."

"Well, I've done my part," Emmett announced proudly as he glanced down at Jennifer's plate, noticing the only thing remaining on it was a small smear of cocktail sauce. "I see you liked the lobster roll."

Jennifer smiled warmly. "It was great! You made them?"

Emmett nodded, pleased. "Brian hired me to cater the whole shebang."

Ted clamped a hand over Emmett's shoulder. "Not that he would ever tell you that, of course; he's too modest." Em flashed him a mock glare of insult as Ted chuckled. "I think I'm going to go check out your culinary skills myself," he announced as he turned to Michael and Ben. "Care to join me?"

"Anything vegetarian over there, Em?" Ben shouted over at him.

"Uh...salad," Em supplied. "And homemade buttermilk rolls courtesy of my Aunt Lula's recipe."

Ben nodded with a smile. "Good enough," he declared as he looked over at Michael. "Want me to bring you something?"

Michael smiled. "Thanks - make sure I can identify it first, though," he teased as Ben nodded before threading his way over to the dinner buffet.

"How have you been, Michael?" Jennifer asked him as they found themselves alone for a moment.

"Fine," he told her. "The second shop's going very well out at the mall." His comic-book business several years ago had expanded to a more full-product line of super hero and science fiction memorabilia, and he had been doing so well that approximately a month ago he had opened up a second shop near the Big Q where he used to work, right across from a new mall that had recently been erected.

"That's great!" she complimented him as he smiled. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," he told her over the din.

Jennifer took a sip of her wine as she peered over at Debbie and the young girl she had been introduced to. "By the way, are you familiar with Alex over there?" She nodded her head toward the young girl standing next to Debbie, juggling a plate of food in one hand and a soft drink in the other. "Debbie told me she's staying with her for a while and that she knows Justin somehow."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Don't even get me started!" he grumbled. "She's an ungrateful little shit. Brian found her hanging around his father's campaign headquarters in Harrisburg and actually felt sorry enough for her to put her up in a hotel room for a few days. She repaid him by charging new clothes on his credit card and trashing the room before running off. Brian managed to track her down and 'persuade' her to come work with Ma in the diner to help pay off the damage charges to the hotel. It was either that or he was going to turn her into the cops, so she decided on the lesser of two evils. Now she's living with my mom. I don't trust her! I hope she knows what she's doing with that kid."

"But how does she know Justin, then?" Jen called over to him.

"Ma told me that he and Brian dropped her off to work with her at the diner, the same time they asked if the brat could stay with her until they can figure out what to do with her. I think that was a little bit of an imposition - they knew Ma wouldn't tell them no - but I imagine that's how she knows Justin."

Jennifer nodded as she watched Debbie and Alex head back toward their table. "Well, she doesn't seem to have a problem speaking up," she observed dryly.

Michael snorted. "No, I don't think that's a shortcoming. Anyone who could accept someone's generosity and then turn around and thank them by destroying a hotel room is not on the bashful side."

"I'm surprised Brian would do that," Jennifer spoke up loudly as she watched Debbie and the girl heading back toward them. "He didn't even know her?"

Michael shook his head. "No. I don't understand it, either. You'd have to ask him or Justin what possessed him to do it."

She nodded as the two of them fell quiet when the rest of the group returned, silently making a note to ask her son about this peculiar slip of a girl at her earliest opportunity.

She winced as Debbie picked up a noise maker and blew it out as it made a trumpeting noise. "We're going to win this thing!" she shouted out, her eyes lit up at the prospect. "This is going to be the best thing that happened since that asshole Stockwell was beaten by Dinkins!"

Alex picked up a shrimp and swirled it around in her cocktail sauce before biting into it, all the lights, sound, and deafening noise just a bit intimidating. After living on the streets and scrounging day-to-day for her next meal and determining where to grab a few moments of sleep, being able to pig out on all kinds of food and drink - and know that a bed was waiting for her back at Debbie's house - was almost overwhelming. She listened quietly to all that was being said, soaking it up like a sponge that had been deprived of water for far too long. The man who was the caterer was definitely an over-the-top sort, wearing tight, dark-blue, spandex pants with a matching, glittery, sky-blue colored top that said "I'm doing my part for America by only sleeping with registered voters who practice safe sex."

The dark-haired man next to him was holding his hand over his glass, trying to avoid having any of the sequins from his companion's shirt drop into his drink, and the other, boyish-looking, dark-haired man had his hand on the beefy-looking man's arm as he took a drink from a curlicue-shaped straw. The blonde-haired woman who said she was Justin's mother was the only 'normal' acting one in the bunch; well, except for perhaps the muscled-looking vegetarian. She could see a resemblance between the woman and her son - both with blond hair and blue eyes and slender in build. Not for the first time, she wondered just what she had gotten herself into.

"How long do you think before the projections come in?" Ted asked no one in particular.

"I talked to Justin earlier today," Jen informed the group. "And he said Brian told him they were looking at a long night because the race was considered pretty much a dead heat."

"I hope you all voted!" Debbie warned everyone as she eyed them studiously. All of them nodded solemnly except for her son, who averted his eyes when Debbie looked at him. "Michael!" she shrieked. "You haven't voted?"

"I was over at the satellite store and didn't close it up until about an hour ago," he explained. "I had to pick up Ben at Carnegie Melon, so I had no time to do it. It's just one vote," he insisted.

Debbie's eyes blazed. "Michael Steven Novotny, the polls do not close until 8 p.m.! Now get over there right this minute and vote!"

"Ma, do you know how crowded it's got to be over there since everyone's out of work now...?"

Debbie put her hands on her hips like a drill sergeant. "You have more than enough time, so don't make excuses. What would you tell Brian if his father wound up losing by one vote? YOUR vote? Now GO!"

Everyone tittered around him, including Alex, as Michael's face turned red. "Okay, okay," he grumbled as he picked up his car keys lying on the table and turned to weave his way toward the door. "Sheesh!" It took several minutes before he could get to the exit, but finally he managed to reach the door and headed outside to perform his civic duty.

"I taught him better than that," Debbie growled. "If Brian's father lost by a close margin, I would have kicked his ass." She brightened, however, as she proclaimed, "But that's not going to happen. I don't care HOW close the race is. That man is going to win, I can feel it!"

Jennifer smiled. "I hope you're right, Deb," she called over to her as she leaned in closer to be understood. She thought about her son, remembering his conversation with her earlier in the year about his desire to have a child to raise. He had informed her that Brian hadn't said no immediately when the subject had been broached, but wanted to hold off until after the election was over to discuss it. She imagined Justin wouldn't want to wait too long, however; she could see the longing in his face that day at Britin, and knew it was one of his most fervent dreams. She just wasn't sure if Brian would go along with it. She knew how deeply he loved her son. But did he love him enough to allow a child in their home? Was he ready - and willing- to go through that again? After all, he was an excellent father to his own son, but he hadn't taken a very active role in his child's life until later on. This would involve a total, life-long investment from Day One. Did he love Justin enough to agree to drastically change their lives for the next 18 years? And even then, a child wasn't something you could just ignore and discard once they reached adulthood. It was an all-encompassing commitment to nurture, protect, and love them for the rest of their life. Would Brian agree to do that?

"Jen?"

She blinked as she realized Debbie was calling her. "What did you say, Debbie? I'm sorry."

"You okay, Honey?"

Jennifer smiled. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking about how Brian and Justin could use some much-needed down time once the election is over. I've barely even seen Brian, and not much of Justin, either, over the past several months."

Debbie nods. "I know. Let's hope everyone's hard work pays off tonight." She frowned as she looked around the burgeoning crowd. "I just realized something..."

"What, Deb?" Ted asks from his spot nearby.

"Brian's grandparents aren't here. Where are Sean and Kathy? Surely he invited them."

Jennifer smiled. "He did. But they're planning a surprise for him; they flew out to Harrisburg a little while ago. They want to be there at the banquet hall when Fin gives his victory speech."

"That's wonderful!" Debbie gushed. "Brian and his father will be so pleased by that! I think it's great that Brian finally has a family that supports him; besides you and Sunshine, I mean."

"And you," Jennifer reminds her as Debbie blushes. "I can't wait to see him up on that platform giving his acceptance speech!"

Debbie glances down at her watch, turning it so she can make out the time under the gleam of one of the spotlights. "About two and a half more hours," she announced. "Not too long now until the polls close - and our very own Senator Fintan O'Connor is elected Governor!" Lifting her glass, she clinks it against the adults' beverages as they all exclaim, "Here's to Fin!"

6:00 p.m. - Fin and Tony's Suite - Harrisburg Convention Center

Fin slid his arms around his partner from behind as he studied the two of them in the bedroom mirror. "You look beautiful," he whispered to Tony as the younger man beamed. "Good enough to eat," he added for good measure as his teeth scraped across his partner's lower earlobe. He was presently wearing one of the luxurious, white terry cloth bathrobes the hotel provided for their more exclusive guests, and it did nothing to hide his desire for his younger lover who had so far managed to pull on a pair of briefs and his sweater after their shower.

Tony groaned softly. "Fin, stop that, you know that makes me crazy! And we don't have time to indulge in that right now. Besides, it wouldn't look too wise for the next governor of the state to be sporting a big boner when he gives his acceptance speech downstairs."

Fin rubbed his cheek against Tony's as he wrapped his arms tighter around his lover and pulled him back against his hard-on. "Too late for that, Counselor," he replied huskily. "The damage's already been done. You'll just have to do something about it now. It's your fault, you know," he told him. "If you didn't look so damn hot in that blue cashmere sweater I wouldn't be thinking all these lascivious thoughts right now."

Tony laughed. "Make up your mind, Senator! I don't wear any clothes you get horny. I put clothes ON, you get horny." Tony smiled as Fin's hands began to rub against the softness of the sweater, coming to rest against his nipples which were clearly defined through the expensive fabric. "Fin..." he gasped as the other man flicked the nipples with his thumbs. After all this time, his lover knew how sensitive he was there, and he felt like he was on fire. "Fin...God, you're making me so hard right now..."

"Tony, how about we celebrate my victory early?"

"But...But what if someone needs you? One of your staff? The...the press?"

"Then they'll have to get in line," Fin told him gruffly as he reached down to tug at the hem of Tony's shirt. "You're first; you'll always be first," he assured him. His partner held his arms up to facilitate removal of the garment as Fin dropped it onto the ground and began to attack his collarbone with his lips and teeth. "You always taste and smell so fucking good," Fin murmured as Tony melted in his arms, tilting his neck to the side so his lover could get better access.

"Bed," Tony managed to whisper hoarsely as Fin's hands lowered to his briefs to snake inside, before his partner turned him around to push him toward the bedroom.

Forty-Five Minutes Later...

"Why do I feel a sense of déjà vu here?" Fin quipped as he straightened up his tie while Tony retrieved his sweater from the floor. "You really should take better care of that sweater, Cassinelli."

Tony rolled his eyes as Fin grinned back at him. "I seem to recall you throwing it down on the floor earlier if I'm not mistaken, just before you gave me that 'come-hither' look and fucked the daylights out of me."

Fin's eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? Do you have any evidence of that particular incident, Counselor?"

"Would a sore ass be enough evidence for you?" Tony pulled the sweater down over his head and shrugged his arms into it. "Or how about this hickey you saw fit to endow me with? Good thing I'll be wearing something to cover it up."

"Why do you think I bought it for you last Christmas?" Fin responded with a smile as he walked over to brush back a lock of blond hair from his partner's eyes. "You look so sexy in that color, by the way. I can't wait to show you off next to me on that stage down there during my victory speech."

"Fin...I swear! Are you trying to kill me here?" Fin rolled his lips under playfully. "You are the only man who gets horny thinking about politics!"

"Not politics," he was instantly corrected. "You."

Tony blushed; he figured as long as he lived, his partner would make him do that. "Well, your inspiration will be making national headlines if you don't let him finish getting dressed." A knock on the door sounded as Tony told him, "Go see who it is and let me get my pants on, will you?"

"Such a waste of a perfectly fine ass," Fin clucked. Smacking Tony on his underwear-clad butt, he turned and shuffled barefoot down the small hallway to the entrance as his partner let out a sigh of relief. He pulled out a pair of midnight-blue linen pants just as he heard Fin unlocking the door and letting their guests enter. He listened for a moment until he recognized Brian and Justin's voices before slipping on his pants and dress socks and padding back out toward the spacious living room area of the suite.

"Hey!" he called out to Justin, who smiled over at him. "Any news yet?"

Brian shook his head as he and Justin sat down next to each other on the couch. "No, pretty much the same thing as before; too close to call. They won't put up any projections anyway until the polls close in about an hour."

Fin nodded. "That's my thought as well. I think it will be some time before they issue any projections on the gubernatorial race. I think they'll stick to the local results and the state referendums that they are more certain about."

"Well, there's always Parcheesi," Tony commented solemnly. Everyone looked over at him as if he had grown another head before he burst out laughing. "Jeez, I was kidding! I don't even know how to play that game!"

Fin rolled his eyes as he picked up the remote and turned on the large, flat screen television in their room. He surfed through the channels until he came to Harrisburg's most popular station, hitting it just as his opponent, Dean Whittle, was appearing on the screen, being interviewed by one of the well-known anchors, Dorian Kidwell.

"The polls show you and your opponent, Senator O'Connor, are neck-and-neck in this race. That seems to indicate a rather wide chasm among the voters. Do you feel that will become an issue for whoever is victorious tonight when it comes time to getting things done afterward?"

"I don't think so," Whittle commented. "I like to think that it's a case of two worthy and extremely qualified candidates vying for the same job; to me, that explains why the race is so close. The Senator and I have worked together in the past, and while we may have philosophical differences as to how to achieve our goals, I have a lot of respect for him, and I think I'm safe in saying that he feels the same way about me. I suspect that no matter which one of us wins, the other will be seeking out the other's advice going forward. I know that's what I expect to do if I'm victorious. Senator O'Connor has far too much experience for me not to take advantage of his knowledge and wisdom. No matter who wins, both parties will have to work together, and I'm confident that the Senator would agree with me on that."

Kidwell nodded, her perfectly-coiffed chignon bobbing slightly up and down. "Do you feel the prior controversy with Turner and the men who tried to bribe him will have an effect on the campaign tonight?"

Whittle shook his head. "Not at all. If anything, my joining the campaign after Turner withdrew has turned it around, rather than alienating more voters. My higher ranking in the polls is testimony to that."

"What about the senator's stand on homosexuality? Do you think that hurt his campaign?"

"His stand on homosexuality?" Whittle replied curtly. "It's not a stand; it's the way he happens to live and who he loves. And while I feel that marriage should be between a man and a woman, he has taken a stand against bigotry and discrimination; two viewpoints that I happen to support. To me, this campaign has never been about the Senator being gay; he has a right to love whoever he chooses. I have tried to emphasize, instead, our differences in how we might effect change for the state. In that regard, we differ rather markedly. But I have - and always will have - the utmost respect for my former colleague, no matter what happens tonight. And I applaud him for his candor and openness during this campaign. If we had less secrecy in government, perhaps both parties could work together and we could actually accomplish something, rather than dealing with all this bickering and acrimony."

"You know," Fin murmured as the anchorwoman thanked Whittle for appearing with her on screen, "If he wasn't such a staunch Republican, I could grow to actually like that guy." He smiled. "They would find a candidate that I have a hard time detesting. Dean sure is a far cry from Turner and his cronies."

From his place next to Fin on the rolled-up arm of the overstuffed, leather chair, Tony squeezed his shoulder. "Well, you're the best-looking one." Fin obligingly turned his head enough to bestow a quick kiss on his partner's lips as a knock sounded on the door. "More of your adoring public, no doubt," Tony teased him as Fin groaned slightly at the intrusion.

"Get the door, will you, Cher?"

Tony smacked him on the arm as the others chuckled, rising from his perch to head over to the door. Don Meyer, Fin's head of security, had stationed a beefy-looking guard at the door earlier in the day, so they knew if someone was knocking the person was already cleared by him.

Tony walked up to the door and peeped through the hole as his face broke out into a wide smile of recognition. Sliding back the security chain, he pushed down on the handle to admit their visitors, barely getting the door open before a small dervish rushed into the room, straight toward his target.

"Daddy!" shrieked Gus. Brian barely had enough time to open his arms before his son ran headstrong into his arms; if he hadn't been sitting on the couch, he would have been knocked over by the force.

"Sonny Boy!" Brian's face lit up with pleasure as his son wrapped his arms around his neck and he tightly hugged him back. "How did you get here?"

"Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Sean," he answered, his voice muffled against his father's chest before he raised his head to peer into his father's eyes, his face mirroring the same sort of pleasure his father felt. "They brought me."

Brian looked over to the door to see his grandparents standing there, and he choked up over their generosity and thoughtfulness. It was as if they inherently knew what he needed tonight; who he needed tonight in addition to Justin. He bestowed a kiss on his son's cheek before he pulled back with a smile to whisper, "I'm so glad you're here, Buddy!"

Gus beamed at him before he glanced over at Justin, who grinned back at him. "Hi, Justin! I get to stay up late!" he cried out in pleasure.

Justin laughed. "Yeah, I guess you do," he told him as he reached over to affectionately ruffle his hair. He looked over at Sean and Kathy. "This is a very nice surprise." His heart warmed over their thoughtful gesture. Somehow they must have known how much this would mean to Brian to have his son here tonight. Just seeing him, Fin, and Brian's grandparents all in the same room together, supporting him, meant more than anything else and made him realize he had done the right thing months ago when he had first sought them out.

Kathy was wearing a smart-looking, navy-blue pantsuit with a red-white-and-blue scarf around her neck and matching earrings, along with a small 'Ignite the Change with Fin' button on her left lapel. Sean was wearing a more casual but flattering ensemble of navy-blue slacks and a slate-gray polo shirt with the same pin on his collar.

"Well, we wouldn't have missed this for the world," Kathy told him with a smile as they walked into the room to stand near the others. "This is so exciting! We weren't sure that his moms would let him come with us and miss school, but they figured it would be a good educational opportunity for him to observe the voting process in action, plus spend some time with a certain father that he talks about nonstop, so they finally agreed to do it." She reached down to place her hand on top of Gus's head briefly to affectionately ruffle it as she told Brian, "He's really been missing you lately, you know. We all have."

Brian was unaccustomed to the lump that formed in his throat as he softly told them, "I've missed Gus - and both of you - too." He cleared his throat. "Would you both like to have a seat? I can get you something to drink from the bar or order room service if you haven't had dinner yet."

"We've already eaten, but thanks, Brian," Sean told him. "Some bottled water might be nice, though."

Brian nodded as he rose with his son still in his arms. Sliding him down gently onto the ground, he took his son's hand as they walked into the kitchen area to the full-size refrigerator to retrieve a couple bottles of water.

Justin grinned as he observed father and son with their heads stuck in the refrigerator as Gus asked Brian what 'room service' is. When he discovered it involved someone bringing food to the door, he immediately asked his father if he could order a 'nana split.' Justin remembered Lindsay telling him a few weeks ago that that had become one of Gus's favorite desserts lately.

Brian closed the door and groaned in resignation, knowing there was no way he could ever turn his son down. "Are you sure you can eat it, Sonny Boy? Your Grandpa and Grandma just said that you've already eaten," he pointed out.

"But that was normal food!" Gus replied as Brian walked over to the bar and, after placing some ice in a couple of tumblers, poured some water for Sean and Kathy before walking over to hand them each a glass. Justin had insisted on surrendering his place on the couch so the older couple could take his and Brian's spots as he walked over to stand next to his husband. Gus immediately plopped down on the carpet nearby after discovering Justin's sketchpad and graphite pencils; locating a blank page, he began to draw a 'masterpiece.' "You can help me eat it, Daddy."

"Huh?"

"My 'nana split!"

Justin grinned as Brian nodded solemnly. "Ohhhh. Well, your Daddy isn't very hungry, but I have a feeling that Justin might be willing to help you eat it if you need him to. Right, Justin?"

Justin grinned. "It'll be a chore, but for Gus I would do it."

Brian rolled his eyes as Gus beamed.

"Okay, I know when I'm beaten. One banana split coming up."

"Yay!" His son cheered. "And tell them lots of whipped cream and cherries!" he requested.

"You and Justin are just alike," he muttered as Justin grinned over at him impishly. Picking up the room's hotel phone, he quickly placed his son's order with the additional requirements.

1 A.M. - Tony and Fin's Hotel Suite

The murmuring sound of someone talking on a phone roused Tony from his light sleep in his and Fin's bed. He flopped onto his back to notice his lover sitting in the desk chair, speaking softly to someone on his cellphone. Fin was doing his best to whisper, but in the closed-off space it was nearly impossible not to be overheard.

"Thank you, Dean. That means a lot." Fin nodded. "You, too. I'll be in touch."

Fin quietly flipped his phone shut, letting the information sink in. It had been a long struggle this past year.

"Fin?" Tony yawned as he sat up in his bed. "Was that Whittle on the phone? What time is it?"

Fin stood up from the chair and smiled tenderly over at his soulmate as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Tony's clothes were mussed up from lying on top of the mattress and his hair was a mess, but he was an adorable, sexy mess. "Yeah, that was Dean calling me about the election."

Tony glanced over at the small clock/radio to note it was 1 a.m. "Shit, why did you let me sleep so long, Fin? I told you I wanted to be awake when you..."

Fin reached over to place his fingers over Tony's lips to silence him. "I know what you told me, Baby. But there was no point in all of us losing sleep until the results came in. I couldn't talk Brian into it, though - he's out in the living room watching the coverage with Justin - but Sean, Kathy, and Gus are sleeping in the other bedroom."

Tony simmered with barely-restrained impatience. "Well? What happened? Was he calling to concede or to gloat?"

"Well, even if he was calling to say 'better luck next time,' he wouldn't be gloating. He's not like that."

Tony shook his head in irritation. "Fin!"

Fin grinned as if he were actually enjoying his partner's reaction before he finally nodded. "Yes, he was calling about the results." The smile on his face disappeared as he solemnly told Tony, "It was extremely close, Tony. Within five percentage points, but far enough apart that there won't need to be a recount."

Tony reached over to grip Fin's face none-too-gently by the chin as he demanded, "Fin, I swear! If you don't tell me right now, I am going to..."

"So bossy!" Fin chided him with a grin. His face transformed into something tenderer as he finally held up his hands in surrender as he told his partner, "Okay, okay. He was calling me to...Concede and offer his congratulations."

It took Tony a few moments for Fin's words to sink in before he flashed a beaming smile back at him. "He was? So that means...? Is it official?"

"Well, it'd better be," Fin told him with a grin. "Because all the networks are officially projecting me now as the winner. And I'd hate to let that wonderful victory speech that Kirk wrote go to waste after all this time."

Tony's mouth hung open as his heart swelled with pride. "Oh, my God, Fin! I knew it! I knew you would win! Shit! You did it!" He pulled Fin's face to his for a deep kiss as they moved closer to embrace each other, their arms wrapped tightly around each other's backs as they sat cross-legged on the bed.

When they finally pulled apart, each one was sporting a goofy-looking grin of jubilation on their face. "I'm so fucking proud of you!" Tony exclaimed, his eyes misty. "I knew you could do it, Fin. I knew it," he replied softly.

"I see you heard the news," Justin replied then from the doorway as the two men turned to observe him and Brian standing side-by-side, both sporting smiles of their own. "Congratulations, Governor-Elect," Justin added. "I'm so glad you won, Fin." After everything that had occurred with Turner, Stockwell, Telson, Kip, and Adam Stewart - and most of all, his father - this was like a breath of fresh air.

"Thanks, Justin," Fin responded as he rose from the bed to walk over to them. "But I owe a lot of my success to my son here." He reached over to squeeze Brian's shoulder as they locked eyes on each other for several seconds. "I couldn't have done this without you, Brian. Thank you for everything you've sacrificed for me these last several months. I couldn't have imagined having anyone else but you as my campaign manager."

"It was you, Fin," Brian assured him. "You were the captain steering the ship; I was just helping to guide it in the right direction from time to time."

Fin shook his head. "No...It was your advertising expertise that helped turn the tide. It was a close race filled with so many ups and downs it made my head spin at times. Without your marketing savvy, I may have very well been going back to the Senate tomorrow..."

"You're being too modest," Brian murmured almost in embarrassment. "It was your experience and qualifications that made the difference."

Fin opened his mouth to respond, only to stop as he and Brian heard Tony clear his throat.

"Uh, I hate to break up this mutual admiration society, but isn't it about time for the governor-elect to make his victory speech downstairs before all of his supporters fall asleep in their martinis?"

Justin giggled as the two blonds grinned at each other, both men inordinately pleased by how Fin and Brian were complimenting each other.

"Oh, yeah," Fin replied sheepishly. "I guess that would be wise, wouldn't it?" He grinned. "Well, let's get this party started, then!" He looked over at his rather disheveled partner. "You might want to change into something a little less crumpled, though, Counselor. After all, I have an image to project here."

Tony snorted as he promptly smacked him on the arm as Fin laughed. "Fashion queen," he muttered. "The power's already going to your head."

Fin leaned is to whisper, "Well, something's going to my head, but it's going to have to wait for now."

Tony's face turned red as Brian and Justin snickered. They didn't even have to hear what Fin said; it was written all over Tony's face. "Shit, Fin, you did it again!" he muttered as Fin laughed over his discomfiture. He shook his head in embarrassment. "Do I have ten minutes to take a quick shower?"

Fin smiled. "Make it fifteen; suddenly I'm feeling very generous. Oh, and I promise to stay right here while you take it." Tony rolled his eyes before he turned to head into the shower but then stopped. He frowned. "What does it matter what I wear anyway? I'm not going to be up there giving a speech - YOU are."

"True," Fin agreed. "But you're still going to be up there - right beside me." He glanced over at Brian. "Along with my son and his husband...If that's what they both want." The two of them thought for a moment and then nodded as Fin nodded back at them.

Turning to look at Tony, he noticed the prickling of tears in his partner's eyes.

"Fin..."

Fin smiled tenderly. Sentimental man. "Go take your shower, Mr. Cassinelli. We've got a celebration to attend." Tony took a moment to return and wordlessly kiss Fin briefly on the lips before he turned and headed toward the master bathroom to get ready.

Brian slid his arm around Justin's waist to pull him closer. "Are you sure you want to be up there on stage?" he whispered softly against his face as his lips brushed against Justin's skin. "You're really going to be in the spotlight up there along with Fin and the rest of us." He recalled all too well how much glaring attention his husband had received before, and he wanted to spare him any more problems.

Justin reached up to brush the back of his hand against Brian's face. He loved him for worrying about him. And he had to admit; it did make him a bit disconcerted thinking about being thrust into the limelight again up on that stage. But he also knew that he had nothing to hide or be ashamed of, and he was proud of his father-in-law. This would be a defining moment in their lives, and he wanted to show his support for him. "Yes," he replied at last firmly. "I want to be up there with all of you."

Fin nodded, pleased, as he looked over at Brian; a silent message passing between them. "Good. You think I should wake up Sean and Kathy? And what about Gus?"

"Well, Sean and Kathy came here expressly to support you," Brian told him, "so I suspect you would never hear the end of it if you let them sleep through your victory speech. And as for Gus, you know he'll be raring to go as soon as they get up. He'll probably conk out again at some point down there, but I think he should be there to see his grandfather in action."

Fin nodded in agreement. "I'm sure Kathy and Sean can keep an eye on Gus from the sidelines; I don't think he should be up on that stage unless you want him to be."

Brian shook his head. "No, he's just a little boy. And while I know everyone will be supportive of you down there, I don't want him being subjected to what all of us have had to face these past several months."

Fin smiled before nodding. He took a deep breath, the reality of just being elected the next governor of the state just now starting to sink in. This was what he had longed to do for so long; now that it was imminent, he was almost overwhelmed by it. Would he be able to handle it?

"Fin?"

He turned to see his concerned son staring at him as he smiled back at him in reassurance. "I'm okay," he told him and Justin. "I...I guess it's just now sinking in."

Brian turned one side of his mouth upward as he told him, "Fine time to figure that out now...Governor."

"Governor-elect; give me time to adjust first."

Brian grinned as he spontaneously reached out to briefly squeeze his father's arm. "You have nothing to worry about; you're going to be a kick-ass governor, Fin," he told him firmly.

Fin felt a lump in his throat; that confidence in his abilities - spoken aloud so fervently by his son - probably meant more to him than anything. He swallowed before managing to say simply, "Thanks."

Just then they heard a noise nearby as Sean opened up the guest bedroom door and came shuffling out into the hallway, covering his mouth as he yawned and blinking under the garish lights. "Have they projected a winner finally?" he asked, surmising that something must have happened. He had heard murmuring just outside his and Kathy's bedroom and had left the other two sleepers to go do some investigating. He couldn't tell by their expressions, though, whether it was good news or bad news. "Well? Don't leave me hanging here!"

Justin grinned, somehow feeling it was appropriate that he do the honor since he had been the first one to meet them. "Sean, I'd like to introduce you to the next Governor of the State of Pennsylvania."

Sean's face lit up with elation as he reached over and clapped Fin on the back a couple of times. "I knew you could do it, Fin!" he praised the younger man. "Congratulations!"

Fin smiled, grateful that Lydia's parents were so supportive of him, despite what had happened so many years before. "Thank you, Sean," he replied sincerely. "I'm glad you're here tonight. I'm hoping you and Kathy will join us downstairs."

"Are you kidding?" Sean retorted as if insulted. "We wouldn't miss it! Kathy!" he called out loudly, not caring now WHO he woke up. "We've got a party to go to, girl! Shake a leg!"

The others laughed as Sean turned and headed back over to the bedroom door to fling it open none too softly. They could hear him telling Kathy that Fin had won before she let out a whoop of joy, echoing Sean's excitement. It wasn't long before a tousled-headed little boy came running out, dressed in Batman pajamas as he rushed up to his father. "Did we win, Daddy?" he asked as he peered up at Brian, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

Brian smiled at him affectionately as he reached down to sweep his son up into his arms. "We sure did, Sonny Boy!" he told him. "So you want to go to a party with us to celebrate?"

Gus nodded excitedly. "Yay! Will there be cake and ice cream?"

Brian laughed. "Well, I'm not sure about that. But I DO know that there will be music, confetti and lots and lots of balloons, so I wouldn't be a bit surprised." Truthfully, he had no idea; he had left all that up to some of Fin's inner circle to arrange with the hotel catering staff. "We need to hurry and get you dressed, though, so we can get going, okay?"

Gus nodded before he frowned, lost in thought. "Daddy, what's kung-fetti?"

Brian smiled as he looked over at Justin, remembering how many times the two of them had danced under a shower of it at Babylon. It brought back a lot of happy memories of the two of them together. "Well, let's just say it's little pieces of paper falling down on top of you instead of raindrops." His eyes locked on his husband's as he added, "And it tends to make people want to get up and dance."

Gus nodded, seemingly satisfied with that response. "Good! I like to dance!" he told his father.

Brian smiled as he looked at Justin. "So does Justin. Now let's go get you dressed for the party, okay?" Gus nodded again as Brian turned to head down toward the guest bedroom.

Fin and Justin found themselves momentarily alone as they smiled at each other. "Let's sit down for just a second, okay?" Fin urged. "Somehow I think this might be the last bit of peace and quiet I'm going to have for some time to come."

Justin nodded as he followed Fin back into the living room to take a seat next to his father-in-law.

"I'm very happy for you, Fin," he told him. "You're going to be such a great Governor. You will win over whatever naysayers are out there in no time."

"Thanks, Justin," Fin murmured before he added, "I really have to thank you the most of all, though."

Justin frowned. "For what?"

"Being elected Governor and being given the opportunity to lead this state is a great honor and has always been one of my greatest dreams," he told him. "But the most meaningful gift I have ever received was being able to meet and get to know my son. I...I have really grown to respect, admire...and love Brian. And for that I have you to thank. If you hadn't decided to find me - and hadn't encouraged me to meet him, as well as push Brian to do the same - I would have missed out on one of the greatest experiences I have ever had." He grimaced. "I have to admit that being old enough to be a grandfather is kind of a bruise to my ego," he told Justin, who grinned. "But Gus is such a terrific kid! I definitely want to get to know him better." He paused for a moment as he told Justin, "So for all of those reasons, I want to thank you. You are really quite a man - and Brian is one lucky son of a bitch to have you as his husband."

Justin flushed profusely over the heartfelt words. "I feel like I'm the lucky one," he told him softly. "Brian...Brian has done so much for me over the years. And I love him more than I can say, as well as Gus. I feel like Gus is my son, too." He didn't tell Fin that while he loved Gus deeply, he still also yearned for a little one of his own to hold in his arms and rock to sleep at night. Brian had mentioned he would be willing to discuss that once the election was over. Would he still feel that way now, though? He would have to wait a day or so before even broaching the subject; right now it was Fin's turn to shine. He smiled. "Are you ready for all this?"

Fin grinned. "The truth? I'm fucking scared to death right now! But I'm very excited, too. I can't wait to start working toward making good on all my campaign promises. I know it won't be easy with a divided congress - God knows how hard THAT can be! - but I can't wait to dig in and try! I think Dean will be a big help to me; he's promised to work with me and despite some of our philosophical differences, he and I aren't all that different. I know there will be some compromises involved along the way; that's part of the game. But I'm confident I can make a real change here."

Justin nodded. "I'm sure you will." He bit his lip before diving into something he wasn't sure he should bring up, but he felt it was now or never; he knew that Fin would be swamped for attention over the next few days. "Fin...?"

The other man arched a brow in question. "Yeah, Justin?"

"About Tony..."

Fin frowned a little in concern. "What about him?"

"I...I know this is really none of my business, but..."

"Justin," Fin responded gently. "You're family. What is it?"

Justin's face warmed. "Well, I, uh...Tony would probably kill me if he knew I was talking to you about this, but..."

"Justin..." The voice was soft but firm.

Justin took a deep breath. "Well, when we were together earlier..." He paused for just a second before he plunged ahead. "Fin, he's worried that things will change between you now."

Fin's mouth gaped open. "Why? Why would he think that? If anything I think we have an even better relationship now. I don't understand."

Justin glanced down the hallway to make sure neither Tony nor Brian were coming back out yet before he divulged, "Tony feels that once you become governor - and you move into the governor's mansion - that your privacy will be severely compromised. He's...worried that your relationship will change."

Fin bristled. "I would never let that happen, Justin! I love that man with all my heart! I...I can't imagine my life without him. You saw what happened when he threatened to leave before. It tore me up inside! How could he even think that? I'm going to straighten that out with him right now..."

Justin reached out to quickly grasp Fin's shirt sleeve in a slight panic. "No, Fin, please! I told you! Tony can't know that you heard this from me. I'm just telling you because I think you need to talk to him and reassure him that you won't let that happen. He loves you just as much as you love him. I just think he needs to know that he will continue to be a priority in your life, especially now."

"Justin, that will never change, no matter where I go or what I do," Fin assured him firmly. "I would give it all up in an instant if it meant that I could lose him. He's the most important thing in my life. Surely he knows that!"

Justin nodded. "I'm sure he does. But he's human, just like the rest of us. He still needs that reassurance from you. Let's face it, Fin; no matter how much the two of you love each other, there are going to be some big changes coming up now. You're going to be pulled in so many different directions, while Tony is thrown into the spotlight along with you. I don't see how that can be avoided now. You know how much attention the First Lady is given when someone's elected President? Everything from her hairstyle to where she travels to how much of the taxpayers' money she's using is continually publicized and analyzed. It might not be the same level of scrutiny that Tony will get, but if he's living with you openly as the first, gay partner of a U.S. governor, in a way he's going to be placed even more under a microscope than the President's wife would be. Plus, he has his own full-time job as an attorney to consider. So he's bound to be under a great deal of stress coming up. I care about Tony as a friend; I think he's a great guy. I just want you to be aware of what he must be feeling right now, that's all."

Fin pondered that for a moment; he knew Justin was right. He silently scolded himself for not thinking about that already, but with everything else going on it had slipped underneath his radar. He vowed that he would make a point of expressing to Tony - in words as well as actions - just how much he treasured him. He smiled. "Thanks, Justin. And don't worry; I will make sure he knows exactly how much he means to me."

Justin smiled back at him before he, too, nodded. They finished their conversation just in time, also, because no sooner had Fin spoken than his partner walked out, his hair still slightly damp from his shower but now dressed immaculately in a casual but well-made, light-brown suit jacket, a dark brown pair of pants, and a beige-colored shirt with the top two buttons undone. His dark brown, leather shoes gleamed under the light as he walked up and smiled at his partner.

"I'm ready," he announced before he grimaced. "Well, as ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Do I look 'politically correct' enough for your victory speech, Mr. Governor?"

Fin peered briefly over at Justin before standing up to walk over to his partner. His eyes were watering inexplicably as Tony frowned back at him. "Fin? I can change if you don't think..."

Fin reached over to place the fingers of his right hand against Tony's lips as he shook his head. "No, Tony," he whispered, his voice suddenly choked up with emotion. "You're perfect," he assured him. "You're absolutely perfect."

Tony sensed his partner wasn't just referring to his clothes style just before Fin swept him into his arms for a tight embrace. After a brief hesitation, he wrapped his arms around his partner and just stood there, taking comfort in the warmth of Fin's body against his. He wondered in the future if they could be this open with each other, but for now he vowed not to think about that. They would simply have to take each day as they come. He did know one thing, though; actually two: he would never be ashamed of who he was, and no matter what happened, he would never stop loving this man.

As they broke apart, the rest of their entourage walked up to them, all eager to proceed downstairs to hear the Governor-Elect's acceptance speech.

Fin took just a moment to peck Tony on the lips before he smiled at the group assembled together. "I'm ready now."

As always, thank you to my beta, boriqua522.;)