Brian finished his beer and got up. He looked at Michael and gave him a little smile. “Do you want me to drop you home?” Brian asked. “Sure.” Michael said getting up. They paid up what they owned and got out of the bar. “Do you think Carl is going to be able to do something?” Michael asked once they were on their way to his apartment. “I hope so.” Brian said. “We haven’t called Daphne.” Michael said. “I will later.” Brian told him. Michael nodded and watched Brian’s behavior. Brian looked like he was about to pounce on someone. Michael just shut up and they rode the rest of the way in silence. *** Brian got out of his jeep and walked over to Justin’s house. He took a deep breath and knocked. He looked at the woman that opened the door not even bothering to give her a smile. “It’s Justin home?” Brian asked. “Oh…uh, he’s not. Who are you?” Jennifer asked. “I’m Brian Kinney.” Brian told her dryly. “Where is Justin then?” “I don’t know.” Jennifer said looking at the man from bottom to top. “Right.” Brian said not believing a word she was saying. “You don’t know where your son is, huh?” “Jen, what’s going on?” Craig asked as he came to the door. Brian and Craig looked at each other right in the eyes. “Who are you?” Craig asked. “This is Brian, honey.” Jennifer said. Craig looked from Jennifer to Brian and glared at the man. “Get the fuck out of here. You are the pervert that hurt Justin.” Craig spat out. “I didn’t do such thing.” Brian said. “Get the fuck out. I already warned your friend.” Craig hissed. Brian swallowed and took a step back. He knew what Craig had said. He had threatened his son’s life. He was going to make the man pay for what he was doing. “You motherfucker!” Brian shouted as he grabbed Craig by the collar and pushed him back. Brian and Craig fell to the floor and Brian quickly got on his knees and punched Craig. “I’m calling the cops!” Jennifer screamed. Brian pulled away from Craig and got up. Craig spit blood and sat on the floor. “Don’t bother.” Brian told her. “I’m going to go.” “You fucker.” Craig hissed. “I’m not done with you.” Brian told Craig and then turned around and left. *** Michael was about to go to sleep when he received a call from his Uncle. Brian had left him at his apartment and he had just assumed that Brian would go to his own apartment. Michael entered his Mother’s house and found his uncle waiting for him on the couch reading something. “Uncle Vic. What’s going on?” Michael asked. “Brian is in your old room. I think he is crying.” Vic said. “I didn’t dare go in.” Michael nodded and was about to go up the stairs when Vic stopped him. “Is this about the baby?” Vic asked in a hush voice. “You know?” Michael asked. Vic nodded. “By accident.” Vic told him. “Nobody knows I know.” Michael bit his lower lip. “I won’t tell anyone.” Vic said. “I just want to know if Justin is okay. And where is he.” Vic told him. “I will tell you later, okay? I am going to go see how Brian is.” Vic smiled and nodded. He went back to sitting on the couch and reading his novel. Michael went up to his old room and walked inside. He looked at Brian that was sitting on the bed just resting his hand on the pillow. “What are you dong?” Michael asked. “I used to sneak here to see him.” Brian said. Michael licked his lips and sat down next to Brian. “He would love that.” Brian said. “I bet.” Michael said smiling as he rubbed Brian’s back. “I went to his house.” Michael opened his eyes wide. “What happen?” Michael asked. “His mom told me he wasn’t there but she was lying. His father told me to leave.” Brian said calmly. Michael was getting scared by Brian’s tone of voice. “And?” “I punched him and she threatened to call the cops so I left.” Brian told him. “God, Brain.” Michael said. “You could have gotten hurt. He is crazy. He could have shot you or stabbed you and say you forced yourself in the house or make up anything.” “I’m going to kill him if something happens to Justin. If he dare does something to my kid I will rip him to pieces.” Brian said in a low deadly voice. Michael gasped out but words didn’t come out. He knew his friend was serious and he prayed they would get Justin back pretty soon before Brian went nuts. *** “Hello?” Daphne asked. “Hi. Look it’s me, Brian Kinney.” Brian said into the phone as he looked at Michael. “Hey. Is something wrong?” Daphne asked. “No. Yes.” “Oh my god. What’s wrong?” Daphne asked. “Look, we just want to know if Justin is with you.” Brian said. “What?! No! He is not with me.” Daphne said. “What is going on?” “Justin went back to living with his parents as you know and now we can’t contact him. Daphne I’m worried. We went to his house and his father threatened my child.” Brian hissed. “Then the cops went and he kept telling them that Justin was not there and just a couple of hours ago he told them that he had run away.” “Oh my god.” Daphne said. “Do you think he would come here?” “Did he call you, Daphne?” Brian asked. “No. He didn’t.” Daphne said. “Oh god. I see what you mean. He would have.” “Fuck.” Brian whispered. “Look, just call me if you know anything about him, please.” “I will. I’m going to go there.” Daphne said. “No. I’m going to take care of it. Don’t worry. Just stay put.” Brian told her. “But…” “Daphne, please, just in case he really is heading your way.” Brian said. “Okay.” Daphne conceded. Brian thanked her and hung up. “What now?” Michael asked. “I don’t know, Mikey.” Brian said. Both friends looked at each other and they could see how scared one another were about the situation. Brian sat down on the chair and put his hands on the kitchen table at the new house. Michael and Brian had come to open the new house for the people that were bringing some of the stuff for the baby. “So what now?” Michael asked. Brian took a deep breath as they sat on the kitchen. He ran his hands over the table. “Brian.” Michael whispered. “Justin picked this table.” Brian pointed out before he started crying. Michael got up and walked over to Brian. He hugged his friend and let him cry. *** Molly knocked on her brother’s door but his father appeared out of nowhere and glared at her. “I told you not to bother him. He’s sick.” “I’m sorry.” Molly said. “I just wanted to make sure he is okay. I was bringing him something to eat.” Molly said as he showed her father the fruit she had. Craig grabbed it and smiled at her. “Why don’t’ you go to your room and I will give it to him.” Molly smiled and nodded. She went back to her room and got ready to go to bed. Only she didn’t fall asleep. She waited until everyone in her house went to sleep before she came back out. She had her pillow with her and she knocked on Justin’s room. She tried the handle but the door was locked. “Justin.” Molly whispered. “It’s me Molly.” Molly tried for a couple of minutes but when she didn’t get any reaction she just went back to her own room. Inside the room Justin was crying on the tub. He hadn’t heard his sister calling for him. *** Michael knocked on the door and waited for Brian to open. He waited but nothing happened and he didn’t have a key of the new place. He turned the handle and smiled when the door opened. He got in and closed the door as he started to call Brian. He wondered what Brian was doing in the new house. He had called his friend and Brian had told him where he was. “Brian?” Michael called from the living room. “I’m up here.” Brian called out. Michael went up the stairs and looked room by room until he found Brian. “What are you doing?” Michael asked as he found Brian rocking on a chair and holding a teddy bear in the baby’s room. “I’m thinking.” Brian said. “Okay.” Michael said. Michael waited but when Brian didn’t say anything else he just asked. “What are you thinking about?” Michael asked. “Justin and the baby and how they are going to love this place.” Brian said. Michael smiled and looked around to see how Brian had set up everything. “It’s beautiful.” Michael said. Brian nodded. “It was one of the things we decided to do first.” Brian said. “We agreed that our son would always be first from now on. I couldn’t sleep so I came here and started putting everything together.” Brian’s face scrunched up as he tried not to cry. Michael smiled sadly and walked over to his friend. “Let’s go. Carl called and we are going to go there and see what he has to tell us and we will find a way to bring Justin home. That way he can see this and now he is safe with you and how much you love him.” Brian smiled and nodded. He got up putting the little teddy bear in the rocking chair and followed Michael. *** Justin opened his eyes and looked at his father putting his breakfast on the bed. They looked at each other for a while without saying anything. Justin sat up slowly and rubbed his belly. “Dad?” “What?” Craig asked. “I want some lemon bars.” Justin said. “What the fuck is that?” Craig asked. “They sell them at Liberty Diner.” Justin said. “I’m not going to that infested place.” Craig hissed. “Why are you doing this?” Justin asked sniffing. “I’m doing this for your own good.” Craig told him as he walked to the door. “No you are not. You are doing this for you.” Justin hissed. “You only worry about what your friends are going to think if they found that your son is pregnant.” “Shut up, Justin.” Craig told him. “Wait, don’t go. I don’t like being alone.” Justin told him sniffing. “I don’t want to be locked up here.” “Suck it up, Justin.” Craig told him. “You are not a girl.” Craig told him as he left the room and closed the door. Justin heard his father locking it and he started crying. He pushed his breakfast on the floor and closed his eyes falling back on the bed. He was thinking about Brian and Michael and Emmett. How any of them would have stayed with him even if they had to be someplace else. He remembered how Debbie and Vic used to pamper him and give him all the lemon bars he asked for. He remembered Ted, Melanie and Lindsay that treated him like one of the adults and yet like a kid sometimes. He missed everyone so much. He just wanted to go home and be with Brian.