Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Another chapter helped out by the hard work of Lois and Eka. Brian’s POV I walk into the diner and see Justin in an argument with Deb and all I want to do is go over there and pull him into my arms and tell Deb to fuck off because I can see just how much Justin wants to escape. I want to pull him into my arms and hold him there until the rest of the world disappears. But I know I can’t, I can’t hold him. I can’t touch him, hell I can’t even talk to him until I have this shit with Lindsay cleared up but I will. I will get this cleared up and I will hold him and help him through his terrible time in his life. But for now I stay right here with my heart trying to rip its way out of my chest to be with him and wait for Lindsay to arrive. When Lindsay arrives she immediately sees Justin and shoots me a look but I just shrug letting her know that I had no idea that he was going to be here. We walk by Justin to get to our table and I have to fight with myself so I don’t pull him into my arms, but I do it as another piece of my heart is ripped out but I know that it won’t be for long. As soon as we sit down and Deb has taken our orders, Lindsay starts in on me just like I knew she would. “What the hell do you think you are doing, Brian?” “Well, I’m going to eat as soon as my food gets here.” I snark even though I know exactly what she is talking about. “Don’t be a smartass. I got papers in the mail saying you are petitioning for custody. What the hell are you thinking Brian, they won’t give someone like you custody of a child.” I am playing with Gus as she berates me and I try my best to let everything she says just roll off my back, but every word she says is making me angrier and more defensive. “Someone like me?” I growl and she should know by the tone of my voice that she has stepped over the line but she just keeps going. “You know what I mean, Brian. And we will prove that you don’t deserve to have Gus and I think after this little stunt, you won’t even be seeing him at all.” She yells so everyone in the diner can hear her and before I can say anything at all, she has ripped the car seat from in front of me where I had placed it so I could play with Gus and she storms out of the diner, deaf to my pleas for her to stop. I feel like falling apart and I know the entire diner is watching me, but I can’t help it and suddenly I feel a hand on my back and I know without looking that it’s Justin. I immediately turn around and collapse in his arms and he holds me, comforting me as only he can do. It takes several minutes before I am calm enough for him to move me back into the booth but he just holds me until he can. When he finally gets me into the booth, I start apologizing profusely. “I am so so sorry that I messed things up. Please, I just wanted to be with you and have our baby and Gus too. And I‘m so sorry I let her make it so I wasn‘t there when you needed me. I miss Jamie so much and I wasn‘t even there for you. You must hate me now.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I feel Justin lifting my face towards his. When I looked into his face I saw deep sadness that I knew came from everything that has been happening, but I also saw love. It was a deep abiding love, for me. “Brian, I don’t hate you. Hell, I’m not even mad you. I know you would have been there if you could. I could feel it and it helped a lot.” We sit down and talk about Jamie for a while. Deb bringing us over food and drinks but not really saying anything, which surprises the hell out of both of us. Because after both Lindsay’s and my outbursts, Deb has to be chomping at the bit to find out what is going on, not to mention all the queers who had heard it but for once, seem to be minding their own business. Finally there is a lull in the conversation about Jamie and Justin starts to look deep in my eyes and I know he is about to ask about what happened with Lindsay, and even though I know it’s coming(,) I’m not sure what to tell him. There is no more reason to stay away from him if she isn’t going to let me see Gus anyway, and I guess I should have expected her reaction but I didn’t and it hurts. “So what was that all about with Lindsay?” “I…” “The truth, Brian. I think we owe each other that, don’t you?” “Yeah. Ok, I decided that I wasn’t going to let Lindsay split us up and so I went to a lawyer about it.” I look at his face wondering if I’ll see surprise, anger, or what, but all I see is gentle acceptance. “And?” “Well I guess Lindsay got her papers because she said I can’t see him anymore because I’m doing this.” “Shit, well what did the lawyer say?” I pause again because I’m not sure I want to tell him about what I was told about his ex because I don’t want him to feel bad or be reminded about Jamie, but once again Justin reads me. “Just tell me, I can handle whatever it is.” “Well, he said that the one bad thing about it is your ex’s actions but that because they are taking my money and stuff, that I have a case.” “God Brian, I’m sorry about Shane.” Justin says, looking like someone kicked his puppy. “Justin, it’s not your fault that he’s fucking nuts. Plus, I’m working on dealing with that asshole as well. The main thing is, the lawyer says I have a good case.” “Good, what can I do to help?” “You?” “Yeah me, I’m the baby’s other father and I would be Gus’ other father too. That is, if you still want me to?” Justin finishes in a small voice. “I want nothing more.” I declare strongly. “Ok, great,” Justin says with a huge smile. “So how do we nail those bitches?”