Brian awoke the following morning with Gus jumping on the end of the bed. He turned to his lover who had pulled the covers up over his head trying desperately to ignore the small bundle of energy. “Dada, Dada!” Gus shouted. “Up! Up!” Brian looked up at his son and couldn’t help but smile. Gus was still in pajamas holding his SpongeBob Squarepants by the leg. “Sonny-boy.” Brian said with a sudden realization. “How’d you get out of your travel crib?” “I got him out.” John said from the door. “We were watching cartoons and I must have dozed off. Sorry.” “What time is it?” “Ten fifteen.” John said. “We should already have been up anyway.” Brian said. “Right Sonny-boy?” “Up, Daddy.” Gus said nodding his head enthusiastically. “Wake up, Sunshine.” Brian said swatting the younger man on his ass. “Hey.” Justin protested throwing the covers aside. “Come on.” Brian said. “The children need to be fed if we’re going to get to storage and the new house today.” “Oh, we already ate.” John said. “Fwoot Woops.” Gus smiled. “Good Daddy.” “Well, we need a shower.” Brian said yawning. “Come on, Gus, let’s go watch SpongeBob and let the ‘rents get it together.” John said picking Gus up off the bed. “Shower?” Brian asked. Justin nodded. Brian pulled the younger blond toward the bathroom a sinister smile spreading across his face. Justin just shook his head and allowed himself to be tugged along. -- Twenty minutes later, Brian and Justin emerged from the bedroom freshly showered and dressed. John looked up from where he and Gus were sitting in front of the TV once again. Gus jumped up when he saw Brian and hurried across the room to him. “Go bye bye now, Daddy?” Gus asked as Brian picked him up. “Shortly.” Brian said. “I need coffee and I think Justin needs breakfast.” Justin nodded and headed toward the fridge. “Uncle Bri?” John asked moving in to sit at the counter. “When you sold our house and Gran’s house, did you sell the furniture, too?” “Most of it, yeah.” Brian said. “There were a few things that I thought you might want to keep and things that I knew Mom wanted your mom to have should anything happen to her.” “How’d you know what was what?” John asked. “You hardly had anything to do with Mom and Gran.” “True.” Brian acquiesced. “But, your grandmother left a will. And, while your Mother didn’t have a will, I found a letter addressed to me in her papers.” Brian paused. “It explained my guardianship of you and what she wanted done with her things when she died.” John studied his Uncle’s face. “The money from the sale of the house was put into a trust and you’ll get it for college.” He continued. “I added the money from the sale of Mom’s house, too. So, you’ll have quite the nice little nest egg when you’re ready for college.” “What about taking care of me and the doctor bills and the new house and food and stuff?” John asked. “Don’t you need help with that stuff, too?” “I do very well at what I do, John.” Brian countered. “The money from your Mom’s house and from your Gran’s house is yours. I don’t need it to help me with taking care of you.” John still looked dubious. “And your medical bills were covered by what was left over from your Mother’s life insurance.” He paused. “Thank God she thought ahead. She had more than ample coverage to take care of everything and then some.” “I never knew.” John said then added, “What about if something happens to you? God forbid and all.” “Justin and I took care of that right after he moved back in.” Justin nodded. “If, God forbid, something happens to me, Justin will become your legal guardian. All my assets will be transferred to Justin and he’ll take care of you.” John looked at Justin. “You’d really do that? Take care of me, I mean.” “Of course.” Justin said matter of factly. “We’re family, right?” John brightened. “Yeah. Guess we are.” -- After chasing Gus around the new house and yard for about 45 minutes, the foursome headed to the diner for lunch. Gus loved the diner especially since he got to sit in a booster seat and feed himself. “So what’s this diner like?” John asked. “I forgot. You haven’t been there, yet have you?” Brian asked. John nodded. “Well, its got great food.” “Way better than all those fast food chains.” Justin piped in. “Cool.” “Wanna burger, Daddy.” Gus added from his car seat. “And fries?” Brian asked. “Uh-huh.” Gus nodded. When they entered the diner, they got several incredulous stares from the other patrons, but Brian and Justin ignored it. They took a booth across from the cash register and all sat down. Gus could barely be seen above the table. “Daddy?” He called patting Brian on the arm. “Just a sec, Sonny-boy.” Brian said. “I’ll get you a booster seat.” “Ho-ly shit!” Brian turned to see Debbie standing at the end of the counter. “Deebee.” Gus yelled and tried to climb down out of the booth. Debbie got to him and lifted him into her arms. “Hey, gorgeous Gus.” Debbie said planting a kiss on his forehead leaving a lipstick smear behind that she quickly wiped off with a napkin. “So, finally decided to come and see us, your majesty.” Brian rolled his eyes. “Deb.” Brian said as she set Gus back down. “This is John. My nephew.” “Well, hello.” Deb said with a big smile. Overwhelmed, John looked from Brian to Deb and back then said, “Is she a drag queen?” out of the corner of his mouth. Brian rolled his eyes, but Deb just laughed. “Nope.” Debbie said. “This is the real deal. Well, mostly real anyway.” And laughed again. “What can I get you?” “Burger.” Gus called. He was now sitting in a booster seat so he could see everyone and they could see him. “You want some fries with that, Sweetie Pie?” Debbie asked and Gus nodded vigorously. “All righty. John?” “Uh -.” John managed. “He’ll have a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a coke.” Brian helped. “I’ll have the usual with non-sweetened iced tea.” He then looked at Justin. “I’ll have the bacon cheeseburger with fries and drink, too.” Justin said. “Coming right up.” Debbie said and moved away to put the order in at the window. Emmett and Michael came in just then and Emmett sauntered right over to their table. “Well, if it isn’t the King of Liberty Avenue.” Emmett said sweetly as he and Michael took the booth behind them. “Always the Queen I see.” Brian quipped. “Well, in this common world we could all use some royalty now and then.” Emmett quipped right back. “Hey, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.” Michael said. “Is it true you’re buying a house?” “A house?” Emmett said surprised. “Yeah, in fact, we stopped by there on the way here.” Brian confirmed. “So when are you moving?” Emmett said. “Next weekend.” Brian said. “And, yes, you can come watch all the hunky guys move us.” “Yay.” Emmett said clapping his hands. “What about the loft?” Michael asked. “Don’t need it anymore.” Brian explained. “I listed it with Jennifer. And, she’s probably there right now showing to some potential buyers.” “When were you going to tell us?” Michael asked and Brian could hear the ‘I’m-going-to-start-a-fight’ tone in Michael’s voice. “I’m telling you now.” Brian returned. “And, of course you’re all invited for a house warming party as soon as we get settled.” Justin interjected. “Right, Brian.” Brian shrugged. “Need any help planning it?” Emmett said smiling. “No way, you’re going to be my guest, Em, not my party planner.” Justin said. “I’m sure I can handle it, but if I get in a jam, you’ll be the first one I call.” Emmett smiled and kissed Justin on the cheek. “Yeah, the new place is huge, too.” John added excitedly. “I have my own room and there’s a pool in the back yard and everything.” Brian smiled at his nephew’s enthusiasm. “Uncle Bri is going to have an enclosure put up around the pool so Gus can’t get into it alone. And I get to have my mom’s bed room set for my room and I can put up posters and all my stuff just like my old house.” “How many rooms does it have?” Emmett asked. “Nine.” Brian said nonchalantly. “Four upstairs and five down. It’s very nice. Jennifer called it a colonial, but it reminds me of on old brownstone only with a porch.” “And you should see the sunroom.” Justin gushed. “Also known as Justin’s new studio.” Brian added. Justin smiled his mega watt smile and Brian smiled back. “Wow. Brian Kinney home owner.” Emmett said tongue in cheek. “Who would’ve thought?” “Who’s a homeowner?” Ted said as he walked up to the table and sat down next to Emmett who pointed toward Brian. “No way.” Emmett nodded, as did Justin. “Who are you and what have you done with the real Brian Kinney?” Ted said unknowingly parroting Lindsay’s words. “What is so fucking unbelievable about this?” Brian asked irritated. “It’s kinda like your parents having sex.” Emmett said as everybody turned to stare at him. “You know they do it, but you still can’t picture it.” Brian rolled his eyes as everyone else started to laugh breaking the tension that was building. -- Later that evening, after eating way too much popcorn and watching ‘Finding Nemo’ for the 11th time, Gus passed out on the couch his head on Justin’s lap SpongeBob SquarePants clutched in one hand while the thumb of his other hung precariously from his mouth. John lay on the floor in front of the television watching the newest ‘Lord Of The Rings’ epic ‘The Two Towers’, the special edition extended version. Justin sat against Brian’s chest on the couch his eyes drooping slightly. Brian looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly eleven. He smiled to himself. Not too long ago, he would have just now been getting to ‘Babylon’. He would have spent the next several hours in pursuit of the trick or tricks du jour and would have gone to sleep alone and unfulfilled. But, not now. Thanks in part to the beautiful blond lying half asleep against his chest and to the boy on the floor who had lost everything in one felled swoop. But, that was only part of the reason he sat in his soon-to-be ex home watching a long-assed movie he didn’t really care about, although Legolas and Aragon weren’t all that bad to look at. The biggest reason he was here instead of there was how he felt. Brian wasn’t one for sentiment, but when he was here with Justin and John and Gus, he felt content. No small feat since contentment had always seemed to elude Brian no matter how hard he tried to achieve it. His little family made him feel like he was finally home. And that home was wherever they happened to be. Deciding that he was being far more lesbionic than he wanted to, Brian nudged Justin who turned to face him with a sleepy smile. “Bed time.” Brian whispered nodding at Gus. Justin nodded. “For all of us.” John looked as if he’d protest, but Brian held up his hand. “We own the movie, John. You can finish watching it tomorrow.” John acquiesced stopping the DVD player and turning off the TV before standing up. “Don’t forget to brush your teeth.” Brian called as John headed to his bed. He nodded then headed toward the bathroom instead. Brian slid out from behind Justin and lifted Gus into his arms. Gus barely moved but his hand did fall to his side dislodging the thumb from his mouth. Brian laid the toddler down into his travel crib making sure to put SpongeBob next to him then covered Gus with his well-loved blanket. He stood up and stared at his son for a moment or two then looked back where his lover was putting the empty popcorn bowl and their soda glasses into the dishwasher. He rubbed his eyes then walked back toward the kitchen to help. He passed John who said, good night around a huge yawn on his way to bed. Justin was finished with the kitchen clean up when Brian got there, so he just stood at the end of the bar and watched Justin as he had just been watching Gus. Justin turned reddening when he realized that Brian was watching. “What?” Justin asked softly. “You.” Brian said. “All of you.” Justin smiled and moved into Brian’s arms. “I love you, Brian.” Brian didn’t say it back, but Justin could read it all over the older man’s face. “Bed time.” Brian said in a low husky voice that sent a shiver down Justin’s body. He all but ran into the bedroom as Brian followed him chuckling. End Chapter 5.