NB - if you read the chapter yesterday before the correction Scott should have been Ryan.

...

Bianca was waiting in her wheelchair in the Entrance Hall. She'd refused to go back to bed after breakfast. She wanted to give a quick good morning hug to her kids before they were whisked off to school again. Maggie hadn't argued about it. Reese had ducked out of the house fairly early that morning and Maggie was currently in the shower. There as clearly something going on between her two exes but Bianca didn't want to pry… it felt too weird.

The door opened and AJ tore past. Head down, hugging his stomach, he raced up the stairs.

Everyone else followed more sedately.

"What happened?" Bianca asked her eyes following the little boy until he disappeared from sight.

"Spike loves him." said Gabby a confused expression on her face.

"What?"

Marissa was already jogging up the stairs, going after her son.

"I'll go talk to him." she said, wearing a worried expression on her face.

Bianca watched her with concern and then turned to Miranda to try and get the full story.

…

Marissa found AJ curled up on his bed. She took a seat beside him and rubbed his back.

"Hey buddy." she said softly, "Why don't we talk about it?"

AJ's answer was muffled by the pillows he had buried his head in.

"You're going to have to sit up to talk to me." she said.

AJ slowly sat up, wiping his eyes. He looked heartbroken.

"I don't want a boyfriend." he said quietly.

"Is that what upset you?" Marissa asked. She had to suppress a laugh of relief; that was not the response she'd expected.

AJ nodded.

"Oh baby," she exclaimed pulling her son into her arms. "The great thing about the world we live in today we can love whoever we want to. If you don't want to have a boyfriend there is nothing wrong with that. You love who you want to love."

"But Spike..?" AJ began.

"When he's older he can love who he loves. But right now you tell him that you want to be friends I'm sure he'll be fine with that."

AJ nodded; his head on his mom's chest.

"I do still want to be his friend…" he said quietly.

"There you go…"

"…Just so long as he doesn't kiss me again."

…

Ryan was watching the kids in the back seat as he drove Emma and Spike to school.

Spike was singing to himself a song about the sea and smiling.

After seeing his son kiss another boy, Ryan had a million questions running through his head.

Ryan had always thought he'd be a cool dad and take his son's choices in his stride but this was something he'd never considered. A part of him couldn't help but ask was it his fault? Maybe he should have been around more to be a role model… Maybe he should have tried to steer Spike away from his dancing and show tunes and got him involved in Karate or baseball… something more… more… manly…

"Dad!" Spike suddenly called out, making Ryan start from his thoughts.

"Yeah son?"

"Dad, are you picking me up from ballet class tonight?"

"No… no. Your mom is picking you up tonight."

Ryan sighed, 'Ballet now, alongside his jazz and tap dancing…'

"Okay." said Spike quietly, then he gave his dad a grin. "But you are taking me to the ice hockey on Saturday!?"

"Yes I am." said Ryan. At least that was a manly interest. "I'm picking you up at ten."

"Can I ask AJ if he wants to come too..?" Spike added.

Ryan blinked.

"I don't think we'll get tickets at such short notice." he said.

Spike nodded.

"Maybe next time, if he's free." added Ryan, hating to see the disappointment on his son's face.

Looking at Spike's smile brighten again at the hope of spending time with his friend Ryan had a new thought. This was the 21st century after all. Why should it matter who Spike loved just so long as he was happy… right?

All his son could ever be was himself… there was no point in trying to force him to be someone else.

…