Support Proposition 14 - Keep The American Family Safe Brian looked at the flyer as he walked back to the kitchen. He read the short description of Proposition 14 and frowned. He tossed the rest of the mail onto the counter and crossed over to the table where Justin sat. "Have you seen this?" He asked handing the flyer to Justin looking up from the paper. "No, but listen to this." Justin said reading from the article in the paper he'd been reading. "Family America, a conservative citizen based action group, announced that they had collected enough signatures to have Proposition 14 placed on the ballot for the up-coming state-wide election. If passed, the controversial measure could dissolve a wide range of contracts between same sex couples." "What the fuck?" Brian asked rhetorically. "Opponents say that Proposition 14 is one of the most homophobic pieces of legislature in our country's history," Justin continued, "and would affectively negate powers of attorney, wills, leases, child custody agreements, joint bank accounts and health insurance coverage granted by companies that recognize domestic partnerships." "Fuck me." "Not in front of the children." Hunter quipped around a mouthful of pop tart. "Melanie called. There is a meeting at the GLC tomorrow night about how to counteract this shit somehow." Justin said ignoring Hunter's comment. "How do you counteract this kind of ignorance?" Brian scoffed. "Education." "Right." Brian said rolling his eyes. "Let me know how that goes." He turned to Hunter. "Speaking of education, your tutor is going to be here in 20 minutes. Go get dressed." "I thought I'd go for the lived-in look this morning." Hunter cracked. "How about you go for that dressed in 10 minutes or your toast look instead." Brian countered. "Yes, Sir." Hunter said snapping to his feet and giving Brian a half-assed salute. "If they pass that crap," John asked, "will it affect me at all. I mean me staying here?" "I don't know." Brian said. "It might not affect you or Hunter because of the fact that I'm listed as your sole guardian." Brian said but then added. "However, there are our wills, the medical power of attorney we share for Hunter's care if he can't make the decision on his own and this house is in both our names." He blew out a frustrated breath. "As I said, fuck." "Maybe you should talk to Melanie." Justin offered. "See what she thinks we should do." "I think I'll call Gabriel instead." Brian said. "Melanie's going to have her own bullshit to deal with what with the custody agreement and all. You know if Michael's read this, he's going to be queening-out as we speak." "Should we be worried?" Justin asked. "I know I am." Brian said grimly. -- "Nothing is completely iron-clad anymore, Brian." Gabriel was saying. "However, we can make a few changes in order to keep you, your partner and your family safe in case Proposition 14 passes." He gave Brian a reassuring smile. "It will require a few modifications of language here and there in your wills and POAs, but that shouldn't pose too much of a problem." He gathered the papers together that he had shattered in front of him and tucked them back into their folder. "I'll make the modifications and go over them with you and Justin before you sign the final drafts." "What about the house?" Brian asked. "A little trickier, but not impossible." Gabriel said again in a reassuring, somewhat fatherly, voice. "You will not lose your home, Brian, that I can assure you." "Thanks." Brian said letting out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "Not at all." Gabriel said standing and offering his hand to Brian. "These are proving to be difficult times for everyone but lawyers." Brian smiled at that and shook Gabriel's proffered hand. "I'll call as soon as the modifications have been made and set up a time for the three of us to sit down and discuss the changes." "Right." "Remain calm, Brian." Gabriel said the fatherly tone returning to his voice. "I couldn't possibly allow Proposition 14 to rob you of the life you have established for yourself. You are still very dear to me." Brian nodded. "And, as your Debbie is so fond of saying, what is family for." Brian smiled again and left the offices feeling much better than he had when he had arrived. He hurried to the elevator. He wanted to get the car and get home to Justin to reassure his lover as Gabriel had reassured him. -- "So?" Justin asked as soon as Brian walked in the door to the house. "Gabriel says he can make modifications to the existing documents to make them safe from Prop 14." Brian began. "He also said that the house might be a little trickier, but he assured me that we won't lose it." "Thank God." Justin said letting out a sigh of relief. "He's going to make the modifications and then sit down with us to discuss them before we sign the new papers." Brian continued. "I'm also going to tell Melanie and Lindsay to go talk to Gabriel again. As well as Mikey and Ben." "Isn't that going to get expensive?" Justin asked half teasing. "They can pay me back." Brian said smiling. "The meeting at the GLC is at eight." Justin said. "Dinner should be ready soon, but you have plenty of time to change." "Okay." Brian said shrugging out of his suit jacket as he headed for the stairs. "Hunter and John coming with us?" "Should they?" "Probably." Justin nodded. "They're in their rooms doing homework." Justin said. "Can you tell them to wash up and come down for dinner?" "What's the magic word?" Brian smirked. "Blow job." Justin chuckled. Brian laughed then headed up to change and light a fire under Hunter and John's respective asses to get them down to the dinner table. -- Brian and Justin arrived at the GLC with John and Hunter in tow. Hunter had dragged his feet getting out the door managing to make them more than fashionable late. Brian gave him the 'behave' warning look and moved toward the front where Debbie was flagging them down. "We saved you seats." Debbie said. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it." "Talk to your wannabe-grandson." Brian said thumbing at Hunter who promptly stuck his tongue out at them. "Smart ass." "Good evening." Tannis began. "And, thank you all for coming." "I guess we all know why we're here." Phillip continued. "To join the state-side effort to defeat Proposition 14." There was thunderous applause along with hoots and hollers from the crowd. "That's the spirit we're going to need in order to win." Tannis enthused. "Here to help us is one the of the organizers of 'Stop Prop 14', Congresswoman Beth Edelstein." A very professional woman in a dark blue suit stood up to address the crowd. "Thank you." Congresswoman Edelstein said nodding to the crowd then turned to the table where Phillip and Tannis sat. "Thank you Tannis, Phillip." She then turned back to the audience. "And, thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, our rights as full and equal citizens of the United States are being threatened. Not by outside forces or terrorists," Brian watched as she paused for dramatic affect and shook his head. She was good. Very charismatic. Very much like Stockwell. He pursed his lips and turned his full attention back to the congresswoman, "but by our own government. By religious leaders who, in their effort to strip us of our humanity, claim to have God on their side." Brian rolled his eyes. God, indeed. "And, by other Americans acting out of hate and ignorance." Her gaze fell on Brian then startling him. "We have got to stop them. 'Vote To Save America' - can you believe that's what they are calling themselves? - has many supporters and is well funded. That's why we are going to need the help of everyone in this room. As well as your families and friends. To donate as much time and money as you can. Volunteer to serve on various committees. Make calls; canvass neighborhoods. Sign up and fight as if your future depends on it. Because it does." Brian took the clipboard that was being passed around and stared at the list of jobs that the congresswoman had been talking about in her speech. He frowned and passed the clipboard on without signing up for anything. Justin noticed and gave him a strange look but let it pass until they were outside headed toward the SUV. "Why didn't you sign up for anything?" Justin asked as Brian unlocked the doors and John and Hunter piled into the back. "There are better ways I can spend my time." Brian said looking toward the boys in the backseat and giving Justin a look that said, 'not now'. "I signed up to work on the phones next week after my tutoring sessions. And, I'm going with Debbie and Ben when they canvass the neighborhood tomorrow." Hunter stated proudly. "I get to help, too." John said. "Debbie said that I could go with her when they canvass the neighborhood." He looked up at his Uncle. "If it's okay with you." "Fine by me." Brian said with a slight nod. "Just stay with Debbie and don't get into trouble." John nodded and smiled. "What about you, Sunshine?" "I'm working the phones next week, too." Justin said. "And helping with the canvass tomorrow. Mom's coming with me." "Good." "What about you, Uncle Bri?" John asked. "Yeah, Big Bad," Hunter interjected, "what are going to do to help the cause?" "Keep my head down." Brian smirked. The kids laughed, but Justin wasn't amused and Brian knew he'd hear about it once they got time alone. -- Later that evening as Brian and Justin were getting ready for bed, Justin decided to breach the subject of Brian's lack of involvement again. "You should sign up to help." Justin said pulling the covers down and climbing into bed. "Justin." Brian began as he too climbed into bed. "I am not going to walk door to door begging people to stop Proposition 14. I'm not going to be berated or hung up on by trying to call people in the middle of their busy lives." Justin knitted his brow. "Brian, this affects us." Justin said. "Regardless of the fact that Gabriel is making sure that we are protected, the rest of the community isn't so lucky as to have your friends or your money." Brian pressed his lips together. "I want to put a 'Stop Prop 14' sign in the yard." "Go for it." Brian said. "Just make sure to put in front of the tree where it won't destroy the lawn." "And, I want you to come with us tomorrow." "Justin." "Look, I'm going to be there and so are John and Hunter." Justin said motioning toward the door. "Just come with us." "A regular family outing, huh?" Brian teased. "Even the mother-in-law will be there." "Brian." Justin said pleadingly. "I know you aren't 'Rage', but you saved us all once. And, this time you won't be alone." Brian rolled his eyes. "Please." "I told you that isn't the magic word." Brian smirked. "Oh, yeah." Justin smiled as he disappeared under the covers knowing that the way to this man's heart had nothing to do with food. End chapter one.