Friends and Fathers

The following day saw them all trying to return to the normal tenor of their lives. Sebastian woke up that morning feeling refreshed after his first good night's rest in a very long time. He lay for a moment in the spare bed in Julian's house, thinking about the snap decision he had made the previous day. He had never imagined that he would willingly choose to move to suburbia in his early twenties; he had always dreamt of living life at the heart of the city, spending his days enjoying the bustle of urban life. Now all that he wanted was to be close to the people that mattered the most; his family. It was ironic that just a few years ago he had seen that as a dirty word, something that was to be reviled, but now he knew why Trent and Jeff had always smiled back at Dalton when they talked about theirs.

However, he also knew that if he was to achieve his dream of a life close to his family, he would have to head back to his day job. He had been off stage for several days, and he needed to head back before his understudy got too comfortable in his part. He knew that he had to head home in any case, because Julian's house was busting at the seams, and he had a place of his own not far away. He got up, taking care not to wake a still sleeping Dave, and made a call to the theatre. It was still early, but he was quickly put through to the director, and he told them everything that had happened; then he took a breath, and announced he would be back for that evening's show. They were pleased that his nephew was alright, and his friends, but they insisted that he only come back if he felt up to it, and would be okay. That was one thing that Sebastian was certain of; a return to the role of Elder Price would actually help him deal with the situation. It would be a welcome distraction from his worries about the mental health of his nephew.

In the West Village, David had woken up twice during the night when his dreams had become all too vivid. The first time he had then started at the fact that he was not alone in the bed, until he realised who it had to be, and that made him smile; it was calming to know that his best friend was lying there at his side, one arm thrown protectively across him. He was anxious not to wake Thad up, and so he lay perfectly still until exhaustion took his back into the world of dark dreams. Now as the morning light began to creep through the curtains he woke for a third time to find that Thad was whimpering in his sleep; moments later the Head Warbler awoke with a jolt. On seeing David's eyes looking at him, he instantly said, "Oh gosh! I hope I didn't wake you! I was dreaming…"

"It's okay, Thaddie, I was awake anyway. I have been having nightmares of my own, and I kept imagining what would have happened if Wes hadn't warned me…"

"I kept seeing you dead; lying their lifeless on a pile of rubble, and then I started wondering how I would ever have recovered from losing my two best friends… We need to stick together, you and me. I know that you will be heading off to another job soon enough, and I will be back at Dalton, but I really need you to go somewhere safer and closer."

"We both need that I think; maybe not forever, but at least until the two of us are over the worst of the stress of the last few days…."

"I would agree with that… So, shall we get up, before half of Niff walk in and jump to the conclusion that Thavid is happening? You know how these kind of rumours start…"

"Oh I know. People that say that girls are gossips, but they have obviously never been associated with a group of boys in a show choir," said David seriously. With that, both of them were suddenly laughing, and with that mirth it was as if David had suddenly turned younger again, all of the worries that had been etched across his face evaporating in a second. Thad smiled, and knew that they key to helping his best friend recover was to ensure that he laughed more…

As the day wore on, it was clear that there would be big changes for both David and Mercedes. The latter had managed to obtain a smart new outfit and new shoes with some assistance from Santana, and had then taken a cab to the New York offices of her record company. She had walked in with no fuss, but had emerged an hour later into the glare of flashbulbs as the media seized on the story. Someone reasonably well known had been in L.A. during the earthquake, had been presumed dead by so many people, which was no surprise given the circumstances, but had survived to tell the tale. She made no comment though to the phalanx of waiting journalists, other than to say that things had been tough; that she had lost a lot of good people during the events, but she was not defeated. She would be back, as she owed it to their memory to carry on.

That was a statement that resonated with so many people in a world that had seem the untimely demise of so many, amongst them a large number of well known faces. Hollywood was gone, and along with it had vanished many of the stars of the screen, along with great producers and directors. There had been losses in the music industry too, although now that Mercedes had returned to the public eye, there was speculation that others might still be alive and struggling to get out. As for her tour, she had told the company what she had decided during the night; she was not cancelling it all, but would abandon the first few dates that were scheduled for East Asia. She would start instead in New Zealand and Australia. She was determined that one event would not define her future. She was a fighter, and she would carry on.

David had headed out later than Mercedes as he had less distance to go, and he had been stalled by a whole flock of Warblers that needed to see him. Trent had been the first to arrive; with the crisis over for his friends at least, he was heading back to Washington DC, where Burt would need his help as the Democrats began to round on the President and the Republican Party. Their response to the disaster had been pathetic, and the President had not been seen in public since the day after the quake itself. The rumour that was going around on the streets was that he had, in the face of the greatest disaster to hit the country in decades, headed to Mar del Largo, as he had a golfing weekend planned. Those in the know in DC widely believed that he had actually been sent there by a party that was desperate to avoid him causing yet more embarrassment to the country as he failed to cope with the worst disaster in the nation's history. Naturally, there were some that were keen to take advantage of the facts and impeach the man once and for all…

The reunion between David and Trent had been an emotional one, but it was saved from getting out of control by the fact that the door had suddenly burst open, and Colin, Edward, Seth and Skylar had virtually sprinted in, and then it was hugs all round and rejoicing for his safe return. They had all stayed for lunch, and so it was just after 1pm by the time that David was finally able to head out, dressed in a suit that Thad had purchased for him the day before, and head to Google's New York offices, glad that his staff ID card had been in his wallet. When he arrived it was to a chaotic scene in reception; what had always been an important branch office had suddenly been forced to take on the functions of a head office at a time when the firm had lost so many of its key players.

The young man on the desk had looked strained as David had strolled up. However, the moment that he uttered the words, "Hi, I'm David Thompson. I used to work in the L.A. office, but its gone. I was in the city when that happened, but now I have made it out, and well, I guess I am looking to speak to someone about what my future with the firm might be…", and showed his pass, the young man had burst into a smile. In a matter of seconds, David found himself being escorted to the office of the branch head, past offices full of people that began as he went further in to applaud him, which was a trifle disconcerting…

"Mr Thompson, it is so good to see you!" the branch head said the moment he had David sitting in front of him. "To be honest, we thought that we had lost everyone based in L.A. when the quake hit, apart from four of your co-workers that were out of town at the time that we were aware of; one at a meeting here, one in the U.K., and two that were out of state on vacation. So far, you are the only person that was in the city that had emerged. We had heard a rumour just a little while ago that your girlfriend was in the city, and that was finally confirmed as true about ten minutes ago, so we did start to hope… I want to say here and now that you still have your job. Your work was exemplary, and your online personnel files show that you had in fact been earmarked for promotion in the near future…."

He paused, allowing that to sink in with David. He was relieved to still be in a job, but shocked that promotion could be in the offing. "Obviously, I can't promote you right away, but I have been made aware of a number of vacancies within the organisation which would suit you, depending on course on where you choose to settle in the future. If that is here in New York, then I would be more than happy to welcome you on board, but we do have openings elsewhere, for example in Seattle, Chicago and Boston. It will be your choice to make, and we will not try and influence your decision in any way. In the short term, we can find you a space here to work in if you want to get back to it immediately; if you wish to take some time, then that is also okay, and you will be paid in full if you choose that option. At the moment, our main concern is your welfare."

"That is good to know," said David quietly. "I've seen things that I will never be able to unsee in the last week, and maybe my head isn't in the best of places right now. That said, I would like to get back to work; so maybe I could start back on Monday?"

"Of course, that will be no problem, but I will reiterate; if you need time, then you can take it. I am aware that Miss Jones is due to go on tour soon - I have to admit I am a big fan - and if for example you decided that you wanted to accompany her, it could easily be arranged. In the meantime, I will take you down to the section you will be working in for the next little while, and introduce you to the people that you will be working with…"

An hour later, David was heading back towards the West Village, a big smile on his face. The staff on his section in the New York office had been welcoming, and they seemed a good group on the face of it; not quite the same as the people he had worked with in L.A., but he could see himself working with them without any major problems. That was not the main reason for his smile though. He had been pondering what had been said about heading off with Mercedes on her tour. Whilst he did not contemplate joining her for the whole of it, he could still see himself joining her for the first two weeks in New Zealand and Australia, and then maybe joining her again in the UK and Ireland… Of course, she might not like the idea, so the final decision was really hers to make, but now that he thought about it, the concept was appealing…

The next surprise of the day was awaiting him when he returned to Nick and Jeff's house. He walked in to find Thad waiting for him in the kitchen with a very important woman at his side. As David melted immediately into his mother's arms, his emotions overwhelmed him, and he burst into tears, as did she. Then came an even bigger shock. He suddenly saw someone else in the room; a man he had seen only very infrequently in the last few years… His mother let him go, and he walked over to be pulled into his father's arms, as the older man cried. It had been so long since David had seen him, but now he was here, and promising that he would make amends, and no longer be such a stranger to his son. That news made David's heart light, and had Thad beaming behind him…

As the Thompson family reunited in the presence of Thad, the owners of the West Village house were in Murray Hill, having headed across town to see Sebastian. Nick had suggested it as a way to ensure that David had peace, away from all of their attention. They did not know if the man in question would be at home, but a quick call to Cooper had confirmed that all of the regular cast were due to be on stage that night at Book of Mormon, and that implied that he had to be back in the city. Nick had spent his morning working on a new recipe in the kitchen, and had brought the results with him in a tin; not even Jeff knew what he had made, nor had he been allowed to so much as sample one. Sebastian was very pleased to see his two friends, even if he did not have much time before he had to head into work, but there was time for a coffee.

As they waited on the machine to do its work, the two visitors told him what was going on across town. "His dad!" exclaimed Sebastian. "Now that is something; he never talks about him, and I used to assume that his mom was a widow, if I am entirely honest."

"Oh, we knew he existed, but not even Thad had ever met Mr Thompson before today. There is a reason behind it all apparently, and Thad does know what that is, but it isn't his story to tell," said Nick in reply. "Anyway, I did bring you a little something. I was in an experimental mood in the kitchen, and I found a recipe online. They don't look the same, but from what I recall, they do taste exactly like them…"

Sebastian looked at him curiously as he took the proffered tin and carefully opened it. His nostrils were at once assailed by a familiar smell that made his mouth water. "Custard Creams! You made me custard creams…" he said in awe. Nick took over the duty of making the coffee as Sebastian took out an almost rectangular biscuit, and bit into it. His eyes closed as he savoured the flavour that he loved so much. "They're perfect; they do taste like the real thing as well. You, Nicholas, are a genius… So if you want one Jeff, I suggest you grab one now, because you have about five seconds before I slam the tin shut."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," said Jeff with a grin as he took one, "after all, Nicky will make me some of my own…"

Sebastian struggled not to laugh as behind his blond friend, Nick mouthed the word 'Maybe' at him, and then he sighed involuntarily. He had barely had time for Niff in junior year at Dalton, but after all they had been through together, he had come to love the pair of them like brothers, and he was going to miss them so much when he moved out of the city. He knew that he really ought to speak to Cooper first, but he wasn't around, having already headed off to his show, but his sigh had made the two of them stare at him, and so he wasn't left with much option if he was to avoid twenty questions…

"This is something that I am going to miss when I move," he said as Nick handed him his coffee; he had decided that like with a band-aid, it was best just to come right out with it.

"Move?" said Jeff, a tremble in his voice. "Why are you going to move? I hope that Cooper isn't throwing you out, because we will talk to him, or you can move to the West Village if he is…"

"No, this isn't down to Cooper. It is my own decision, and I haven't even told him yet, so this has to stay between us old friends, okay. The last few days have made me realise just how important family is to me. I need to be around more to help Jules out with Peter, after everything he has been through, and that just isn't really a practical possibility when I am living in the city…"

"So you are going to move to New Jersey?" said Nick. "I guess that in the circumstances that does make a lot of sense."

Sebastian smiled at the practical Nick, trying to make it easy for him when he knew that he had to be hurting a little at the thought of him moving away. "It does, and Maplewood is a nice area - a lot of Broadway folks apparently too. The train is quick, so that is where I will be going. It will be easier for Dave too, of course, given that he plays all his matches over there. Anyway, it's not like I won't be coming to visit all the time…"

"Exactly," said Nick, his eyes focused on his sad looking husband. "You won't be a stranger, and in fact, we might even see more of you. Of course, it goes without saying that if you ever need a bed for the night, you'll be welcome."

"It won't be the same though," said Jeff with a sigh. "Plus we won't be as able to use you as a babysitter as…" His voice trailed off as he caught Nick glaring at him, as Sebastian just stared open mouthed at them both.

"So, Nick's finally knocked you up then?" Sebastian laughed after a moment. "Don't worry blondie, I won't tell anyone, even the fourth musketeer. I think that it will be the making of the two of you, by the way. Fatherhood is quite a responsibility, and it is something that I want to, given time. I used to hate kids, but then along came little Peter, and now I admit it, I want one of my own…."

Nick smiled, and placed his hand on Jeff's knowing that the secrets they had shared would go no further, not even to Dave. That was what happened when you had suffered together; you built a bond that neither time or distance could sever.

After Sebastian left for the theatre, Nick and Jeff headed for the Spotlight; a safe place they could hide out in until Thad told them it was safe to head home. As for Sebastian himself, he returned to the familiar world of greasepaint, being warmly welcomed back by the entire cast and crew. His performance was perfect, nearly up to his best, and he felt the usual thrill at the end as the audience rose to their feet and cheered him loudly. As he sat in his dressing room afterwards, wiping off the make up, he felt content; life was back on track, almost, although the route he was taking had deviated just a little now. It was then that the knock came on the door, and one of the stagehands popped their head in to tell him he had a visitor. He was kind of expecting that his mom might appear, and so he had no hesitation in asking them to show them in.

However, it wasn't Eloise; to Sebastian's great surprise, the visitor was a man; his father.

There was a moment of total silence as father and son just observed each other. Sebastian waited for his father to speak, but the after a while with nothing he sighed, and spoke himself. "Hello father. To what do I owe this dubious pleasure? I don't think that I have done anything to upset you so far this year, and as far as I am aware, you aren't getting married, ahem, again…"

"I deserve that Sebastian. I haven't exactly been the best father in the world to you or your brother…. I was in town, and I had a spare evening, and so I thought I would come and see my youngest son performing the role that earned him a Tony award. You are good; the best performer that I have ever seen in my opinion."

"I will accept that as a compliment, although I don't imagine that you have seen that many Broadways shows. I take it that you are keeping well? No fatal illnesses that I need to be aware of so that I can prepare the appropriate things to say at your funeral?"

Mr Smythe shook his head, then said, "I am well, thank you, and enjoying every moment of my retirement from public life. I still don't regret moving to the Virgin Islands, even after the storm. There is however another reason that made me come here to see you. As you grow older, you have time to think, and recognise the mistakes that you have made, which in my case are multiple. My biggest were all connected to one thing; the way that I treated my wives and my sons. You all have every reason to despise me."

"You won't get any argument from me on that one, although in retrospect, sending me to Dalton was the best thing you could have done, even if keeping my maman out of my life at the same time was a major, major blunder. Dalton was the making of me, and it has given me a network of friends that still are a major presence in my life. It also gave me the opportunity of meeting Dave."

"One of these days I would actually like to meet your husband, Sebastian. I know that it is probably too late, but he makes you happy, and in reality, that is all that we should be looking for in life. I thought that true happiness would come from money and power, but I was wrong. I treated all of you so poorly in the process of seeking those things, and I just wish I could turn back the clock. Not just with you, but Julian too. I should never have told him to get rid of his son; I was so obsessed with how it would reflect on me and my status to have a son with a child at his young age. I should not have acted like that, and I regret it, particularly when there is so much at stake right now… I know that the boy in question lives in Los Angeles; things must be so terrible for your brother right now, not knowing…"

Sebastian shook his head, now aware of why his father was really there. "I'm guessing that you thought it would be easier to come to me, largely because you knew where to find me. Okay, so this I can tell you. Peter was in L.A. when the quake came, as were four very good friends of mine. They headed out of their way and rescued him from the ruins of his home; and then they proceeded to get themselves and him out of the city. He is as safe and well as you can expect after all that, and he is with Julian and Isabelle as we speak."

"Oh, thank God! Your friends are to be thanked so much for what they did…" With that, much to Sebastian's surprise, his father began to cry. It was the first time in his life that he had ever witnessed his father shed a tear, and if he was honest, it made him feel quite uncomfortable. "It was only when I heard the news that it suddenly hit home. I had a grandson, that I had never seen because of my stupidity, and now I might never get a chance… I had been such a monster to you all, and this was my punishment for all of those wrongs. I really am so very sorry for it all…"

"I believe you," said Sebastian. "You regret what you did, and fortunately for us all, Peter did not pay the price for it, not that I actually believe that the two are connected in any way, shape or form. However, whilst he made it out, his mother and grandparents did not. Julian and I are all the blood family he has now. Having sad that, my maman is around - and so is Julian's mom…"

"I see; they were both such good women, but I was too much of an idiot to recognise that at the time. Between all of you, the little lad will not want for any love or affection."

"I wouldn't say that; he doted on his grandfather, and that is the one thing he doesn't have any more." Sebastian stopped, hardly believing he had just said that; first off, it was very cruel, and secondly, because of what he was about to say next. "How long are you in town for? I mean, if you are ready to try and make amends with me, then you should try and so the same with Julian."

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea right now. I want to, but he has so much on his plate right now, and my turning up might make it all so much harder for him."

"I think that the choice on that is actually his to make, don't you? Unless of course you really only want my forgiveness, and not that of your eldest son? The fact is that I can understand why you did what you did to me now. I was a pain back then, and I carried on being so for quite some time after my return from Paris. I am prepared to accept your apology, and try and start over; baby steps to begin with. So, if you are going to be available, what if you came for lunch at a nice restaurant I know tomorrow? Dave is off work, so you will be able to meet him. I will invite Julian to come too; I might tell him why, or I might not. What do you say? Ready to risk it to try and build bridges?"

"I say yes, Sebastian. Lunch would be good," replied his father.

A few minutes later, after his father had left, Sebastian began to wonder if he had done the right thing. With everything that was going on right now, Julian's head was all over the place, and what he was proposing would add even more pressure into the mix. He pondered on the issue as he walked home, realising as he did so that he would soon not be able to do this; instead of a leisurely stroll he would be dashing to Penn Station, like so many of his fellow Broadway workers did, to catch a train back to home in another state. Everything was happening so quickly, and it felt at times like an earthquake in his own life. He still hadn't even had a chance to tell Cooper of his decision to leave, not having had the chance to catch up with his landlord due to their busy work lives. The prospect of that was not as daunting as having to pack up his little home, and arrange the removal vans. That could not happen until they had actually found a place in Maplewood, close to Julian but not next door; somewhere not too dilapidated but with room to expand as their family grew. That latter was just as important; it might not be next week, or even next year, but he did want kids, and unlike Niff, he wanted more than one. He blamed them, along with the whole drama with Peter, for making him broody…

When he arrived home, Dave was waiting for him with a late supper prepared to satisfy his post performance hunger pangs. As he ate, he told his husband all about his visitor, and what he had promised to do the following day; then he braced himself for Dave's opinion.

"If you believe that he is sincere in what he is saying, then I think that you should go for it. He is more important to you than I think you realise or admit when all is said and done. Making peace is never easy, but doing it will iron out one of the major problems in your life, and Julian's; one less concern," said Dave after a moment. "Of course, you should really call up your brother and see if he is actually free for lunch tomorrow; he might already have plans. After all, he is no longer a part-time dad any more. He has the job full-time, on top of which, whether we like it or not, Peter will not be the same anymore either. No kid goes through the trauma that he has and emerges unscathed." Sebastian could only nod, and then make the call to his brother.

The following day saw Sebastian making his way to the restaurant that he had chosen with his husband at his side, guilt starting to eat away at him. He had decided not to tell his brother that there would be four of them for lunch and now he was wondering if he had been stupid. It had just taken so long to get Julian to even agree to come for lunch at all, even when his maman, Julian's mom and Isabelle had all been telling him that they could manage to look after Peter for a few hours. They had convinced him eventually, and had plans to take Peter our for lunch and then a shopping expedition to stock up on toys, books, bedding and new clothes.

He had arranged that Julian would arrive first, and then he would leave him with Dave for company whilst he went out to meet his father. He only told Dave this when they arrived at the restaurant, and he could see instantly from the expression on his face that he wasn't happy about being put in this position without any warning; in fact he later told Sebastian that had it not been for the fact that Julian had arrived bang on schedule, he would have turned around and left, wanting no part of the scheme. They settled at a table, and then whilst they were looking at the menu, Sebastian had made an excuse to leave for a moment and headed back out to meet his father.

As they walked back in, Julian's attention was on the menu and he saw nothing until they were right next to them. Sebastian spoke to attract his brother's attention. "Jules, please don't be mad at me…"

He stopped as his brother lifted up his head and saw who was there. He sucked in a breath, and began to shake his head. "What the heck is he doing here, Sebastian!" he hissed in a low voice, not wishing to cause a seen. The fact that Julian had not called him Bazzy was a bad sign, and Sebastian felt his blood run cold, thinking he had just driven a wedge in his relationship with his brother at the worst possible time…

"This is not his fault, Julian; he was put into this situation, under pressure, by me," Mr Smythe said. "I walked into his dressing room last night unannounced, and took full advantage of the fact that he has somehow managed not to follow in my footsteps and has become a decent young man. The last thing that I want is to cause the two of you to fall out. Julian, could you allow me to say what I need to, and then, if you wish, I will leave and not return."

"Fine. Say your piece," snapped Julian, still scowling at his little brother.

Mr Smythe then basically repeated what he had said to his younger son the night before, with a few major differences, mainly how much he now regretted telling Julian that his mother was dead. "Of all of the things that I have done over the years, that was the lowest and the worst. That statement was unforgivable and I know there is nothing that I can do or say that will make it up to you. It was wrong, just as it was wrong of me to try to make you terminate the life of your child for the sake of my reputation, and give you no option other than to leave. I hurt you in doing so, and your brother, and that is also something I do not expect to be forgiven for…"

"Yes, you're right; that is unforgivable. I have both my mother and my brother back in my life though, and I have my son. I don't actually need to have you in my life, if I am being totally honest… But, right now, my whole world is up in the air; my son's life is in tatters. Almost everything that he had ever known has been taken from him, and I know exactly how it feels to have lost your mother, thanks to your lies. At any other time, I would cause a scene, and tell you to go, but Bazzy has obviously decided that he should try and forget about it all and let you back in, and if he can do it, then maybe I should give you one final chance to be a real dad. However, I tell you this now; if you mess it up, then it is over, okay. As for Peter, I need to get him settled into his new way of life, and used to that before I suddenly introduce him to his grandfather. In a few months, maybe we can see… You are on probation with me, and as I said, one slip up, and you're gone for good."

"And those sentiments are the same for me, dad. You hurt me again, and I will cut you out forever," Sebastian echoed.

Lunch proceeded to go reasonably well, with no further outbreak of hostility from anyone at the table. Dave seemed to connect with his husband's father in a way that neither of his sons could ever have hoped for, and they both knew why; he had no reason to resent him for something that had been done by his mother, or some major slip up in their own behaviour. As such it was no surprise when he accepted Dave's invitation to come and watch him play sometime. At the end of the meal, Mr Smythe made his excuses and took his leave of his sons, shaking hands with them in the way that he always had done. He had never been the most tactile of men, and it was too late to change that aspect of his behaviour now. At the last second, Julian dug in his wallet, and pulled out a photo of Peter; he had another copy of it in his wallet anyway, and handed it to his father.

"I thought that you might like to see what your grandson looks like before you get to meet him. He is the most precious thing in my life; even more so now that I nearly lost him. If you are sincere about wanting to make amends, then we can try, but if you ever hurt Peter, or Bazzy for that matter, then I will come after you with all guns blazing - and that's a promise."

"I promise that I will do whatever it takes to regain your trust, Julian; I have wasted too much time and I don't want to lose anymore with the important people. You are my sons, and I am proud of both of you for turning into such well rounded young men. That is what happens when you don't follow your father's example. I will call both of you soon. Dave, take care of yourself, and my boy."

"I will, sir, and take care of yourself too," Dave replied as the older man left.

Once their father had left, Julian turned to Sebastian. "That wasn't very fair, Bazzy. I'm up to my eyes with everything right now, and you spring dad on me like that…"

"If I had told you that he was going to be here, you would have made up all sorts of excuses not to come. I really do think that he is keen to try and make amends for everything, and if there is one thing that we should both be aware of after the events of last week, it is that family is important. We need to give him a chance, for our sakes and for Peter. The only issue I foresee will be with our mothers; neither of them exactly see eye to eye with him."

"With good reason. You're right though; we do need to let him in again for all our sakes. Like it or not, we have his DNA in our eye and hair colour at least. Thankfully we didn't get all of his behaviours too…"

"I'm not sure if that is entirely true, Jules. I did have quite a reputation as a, to be blunt, slut until Dave tamed me - and you weren't exactly a chaste monogamous man either. Like it or not, we are our father's sons, just a lot more in control of our libido now that we have found our soulmates…"

"Okay, I'll give you that, you do have a point, but that is all behind me now. I have Isabelle, and I have a son. I don't need anything else; well, except maybe a sometimes annoying, but ultimately very talented little brother…"

"You're never getting rid of me now, Jules. A united front for Peter and for dad."

"I will drink to that," said Julian, before he pulled his brother into a hug, then breaking it to pull Dave in to it too. After all, his brother-in-law was part of his family too…