It was Sunday evening. Brian and Mikey were standing on Debbie's back porch, while Justin was sitting in the kitchen chatting with Debbie as she finished dinner.

After an uncomfortable silence, at least for Mikey, he asked carefully, "Have you heard what people are saying about you?"

Brian turned to look at Mikey, but did not reply at first. He simply stared at the man for a long moment, an unreadable expression in his eyes. Then he said flatly, "You seem to know. Why not save the guessing game and just tell me?"

Mikey fidgeted. "Uh…ok. They're saying…that you're whipped. That that kid, Justin, has you wrapped around his little finger. You've become a laughingstock!" His voice had increased in volume as he continued. He was nearly shouting at the end.

Brian simply stared at Mikey coldly for several minutes, saying nothing. Mikey began fidgeting even more than before. Then Brian nodded slowly.

With no indication whatsoever in his voice what he was thinking or feeling, he replied, "I see. So I embarrass you now?"

Mikey's eyes shot open. He cried, "No! No, I didn't mean that…"

Brian interjected flatly, "…just that I'm not your hero anymore…"

Mikey didn't answer immediately, so Brian continued, "Well, that's good. I've been telling you forever that the hero worship was getting old."

Mike complained, "Brian…"

But Brian couldn't hear him. He smiled tightly and walked back into the house, leaving his best friend behind.

When Brian reached the kitchen, he saw Justin sitting at the table happily eating a huge sundae.

Brian laughed. "Deb, you're serving sundaes for dinner tonight?"

Deb patted Brian's head. "Only for Justin."

"Ah."

Justin, who had thus far been too interested in his sundae to look up, suddenly thrust a spoonful of chocolate ice cream (with caramel on top) at Brian.

He offered excitedly, "Here. Try it. It's delicious!"

Brian just stared at him in amusement.

He cajoled, "Come on…one bite won't kill you…"

Brian chuckled and opened his mouth. Justin smiled brightly, but when Brian licked the spoon, his smile disappeared, and his eyes became cloudy with desire. He unconsciously licked his lips.

Then it was Brian's turn to smile, though it was more complacent than bright.

Deb's voice rang in the air, breaking the spell. "Come on you two. Stop making bedroom eyes at each other. We're gonna eat soon!"

Justin giggled. "Bedroom eyes? What's next? Making whoopee?"

Debbie smiled but then unexpectedly smacked Justin in the head. "Don't get smart, kid."

Justin rubbed the affected area and frowned. Brian just laughed.

But the laughter died on his lips when Lindsay and Mel walked in.

Justin shot Brian an alarmed look. Brian smiled a soft smile and kissed Justin's kips gently. "It's all good, Sunshine."

Then he quickly retrieved their jackets. As he helped Justin into his, he noted, "It's a good thing you already got your sundae."

Justin couldn't help but smile. Even in uncomfortable situations like this, Brian was so thoughtful. Debbie finally noticed that something was amiss when Brian took Justin's hand and led him toward the door.

Debbie nearly shrieked, "Wait! Where are you going?"

Brian looked at the munchers coldly. "Anywhere they aren't."

Debbie's eyes widened. She was too shocked to speak.

"What did I do?" Lindsay inquired innocently.

Brian shot Lindsay an icy glare. For a moment, it looked as though he might strike her. But instead, he asked incredulously, his voice like acid, "What did you do? You have got to be fucking kidding me! First, you try to feed Justin a line of bullshit, telling him that I can't be counted on and that having the baby would ruin his chances of being an artist and going to college. All in an effort to get Justin to promise to let you and Mel adopt our child."

Debbie gasped. "Lindsay, you didn't!"

Emmett, Ted, and Vic, who had been chatting in the living room, turned toward the yelling, their eyes wide.

Lindsay just shrugged.

That caused Emmett to gasp.

Brian added, "Then you send someone to my office, hoping to convince Justin that I was cheating on him."

Lindsay's eyes widened.

"Yeah, you didn't think I knew about that, did you? But the cherry on the crappy friend sundae has to be your unethical use of Mel's status as a lawyer to learn about Justin's emancipation hearing, inform Justin's parents, bring them there, and then testify against me!"

Mel nearly snapped her neck, so quickly did she turn back to look at Lindsay. "You swore you wouldn't!"

Lindsay ignored Mel. Mel was so furious that she turned bright red and stormed out. Lindsay didn't even watch her leave.

Instead, she pleaded with Brian, "I did it for your own good and Justin's."

He hissed, "How the fuck do you figure that?"

Lindsay exclaimed, "The baby is a result of a broken condom! You two didn't even really know each other when you conceived! You have never even wanted to be anyone's boyfriend, let alone a husband and a full-time father!"

Justin flinched as though he'd been struck. Brian held Justin's hand a little tighter, but glared at Mikey, who'd followed Brian inside a few minutes after he'd left the back porch.

"How does she even know about the wedding, Mikey?"

Mikey looked away guiltily.

Lindsay brought everyone's attention back to her by stating, "You may have good genes, but you don't have it in you to be a good husband or a good dad. Why ruin your life and Justin's pretending to be something you're not? You believe in fucking, not love. (It was Brian's turn to flinch.) How many times have you said that? Why not just admit what's really going on here?"

Brian smiled, but his eyes were black with rage. He asked, apparent amusement in his voice, "And what, pray tell, is that?"

Lindsay declared, "You don't love Justin or that baby! And you don't want to be a family man. They are albatrosses around your neck, bringing you down."

Brian growled, "That's enough, Lindsay."

Debbie chastised, "Lindsay Peterson! Do you hear the crap that's coming out of your mouth?"

Lindsay yelled, "I'm only telling it like it is! They will ruin all your career plans and cramp your style, Brian! You'll be miserable, and, consequently, you'll make them miserable! Do them both a favor and let them go."

More loudly, Brian growled, "I said that's enough!"

Everyone just stared at Brian (well except Justin, who was looking despondently at the floor). For a moment, Lindsay looked scared.

In an even voice, Brian continued, "You don't know anything."

Justin raised his eyes until they met Brian's. Brian's look softened for a moment before he turned back to Lindsay and continued, an edge in his voice, "I do love Justin (Emmett gasped and placed his hands on his mouth) and our daughter, Cleo. (Emmett tilted his head and awwed; Justin was beaming and blushing.) Maybe I wouldn't have asked Justin to marry me if I hadn't knocked him up, but that doesn't mean I don't want to marry him. Even with a baby on the way, I didn't have to propose. I proposed because there is no one on this earth other than him that I want to be with."

Ted, Vic, Debbie, and Lindsay gaped at Brian, but Emmett was smiling.

"And as for Justin and Cleo ruining my life…that's bullshit. My life didn't really start until they were in it!"

Emmett, Debbie, and Justin all had glistening eyes. Lindsay glowered.

Then Brian started to lead Justin out, but Debbie stopped him, placing a hand on his chest.

"No, Brian. You and Justin stay. Lindsay, you should go."

Lindsay stammered, "But…uh….Debbie…"

Debbie boomed, "I said go! Anyone who would do the things you've done, not just to Brian, but to a young man in unfortunate circumstances and a child…(a child!) isn't welcome here."

Lindsay looked around the room. She gaped and shook her head when her glance was met with icy glares everywhere.

She exclaimed helplessly, "No one else can see how wrong this is?"

She screamed in frustration and ran out the door.

The moment the door shut, everyone crowded around Brian and Justin, asking various questions: "You're having a girl?" "How did you come up with Cleo? What a pretty name!" etc.

Brian, seeing how overwhelmed Justin was by this attention, drew him into his arms and kissed his neck.

He asked half in amusement and half in impatience, "Can we save the 20 questions for later? I have a pregnant fiancé who's probably hungry, even starving."

As he guided Justin to the table, he inquired a little more softly, "But then you always are, aren't you, Sunshine?"

Justin muttered, "Not always…just, you know, a lot…"

Everyone (except Justin) burst out laughing.