“Where the hell are they?” Justin asked.

“Relax,” Brian told him.  “They knew we were coming today.”

Justin sighed and leaned on his toes a few times as he waited.  Brian was reading a magazine and grinning every time he saw one of his ads.  He was so happy that his agency had flourished.

“That’s your phone,” Justin said.

Brian reached for it absently and answered.  “Okay,” he answered to the other person on the line.  He closed the phone and grabbed his carry on.  “They are outside.”

“Good,” Justin said and walked with Brian to the entrance.

“Hey,” Chris called out for Brian and Justin when he saw them.  “We are here. Justin!”

Justin looked at his friend and smiled.  He stopped Brian and then pointed at Chris and Michael.

“Were the hell where you two?” Brian asked.

“Vicky didn’t want to let us go,” Chris told him.  “The kids are anxiously waiting for you guys.”

Justin smiled widely as they walked to the car.  He had talked to them before they had gotten on the plane. 

“Did they behave?” Brian asked as they put the things in the trunk of the car.

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” Michael asked.  “You know they didn’t.”

Brian and Justin laughed.  They kissed each other and got in the backseat.  Everyone put on their seatbelts and headed to Debbie’s house where the kids were.

“Who is with Deb?” Justin asked.

“Emmett and Lindsay,” Michael said.  “We are having a little dinner party back at the house to celebrate your return.  Mel is going to get out of work early and so is Ted.”

“Nice,” Justin told him.  “I could eat, I’m starving.”

“Are you pregnant yet?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know,” Justin said.  “But we are going to keep trying.”

“I bet Brian doesn’t mind,” Michael said.

“No, I don’t,” Brian told them and they all laughed.

“You have to tell me everything,” Chris said smiling.

“Not everything,” Justin said as he rested his head against Brian’s shoulder.

“Go ahead,” Brian said.  “They might learn from us.”

“Like we need it,” Michael said and grabbed Chris’s thigh.

“Mike,” Chris said in a sexy way.  “Stop it.”

Brian opened his mouth to say something but never got the chance.  As if in slow motion he saw the truck that hit them.  But he couldn’t utter a single cry or scream.  Then as if in a hazy dream he felt himself ascend out of his body and the car.  In some weird twilight zone Brian knew he was standing on the road watching the accident.  He didn’t feel anything as the car slid off the road or when it started to flip over.  

When it all stopped Brian felt himself descending into his body in a searing jolt of pain.  He blinked a couple of times and then it all went black.  When he opened his eyes again and saw two men trying to get Chris out of the car.  He could hear the blond screaming for Michael and yelling that he wasn’t going to leave without him.  When he looked at his best friend his eyes widened. 

Michael’s head was resting against the wheel.  His whole body was covered in blood and he didn’t look like he was breathing. The truth was that he wasn’t.

“Mikey,” Brian gasped out.  His hand had already been reaching for Justin but there was nothing there.  “Justin,” he gasped out and finally looked away from Michael’s bloody body to look for Justin. 

Someone opened the door to Brian’s side and squatted in front of him.  “Are you okay?”

“My husband!” Brian shouted.  “Where is he?”

“Brian!” Chris yelled.  “Get Michael out of there.”

“My name is Jason and I work with the fire department,” the guy said as he touched Brian’s neck and examined the brunet for injuries.  He tried taking Brian’s seatbelt off but couldn’t so he cut it off.  “Can you walk?”

“My friend,” Brian said.

Jason looked at Michael and then back at Brian.  “We are coming for him,” he assured him but the priority at the moment was Brian.  The fireman had checked all of the victims but the driver hadn’t made it.  He didn’t want to send Brian into a panic attack or worse, into shock.  He needed Brian’s cooperation if he was going to get him to safety.

Brian got up with Jason’s help.  His body was aching but he needed to find Justin.  “Where is my husband?”

“The blond that was next to you?” Jason asked.

Brian nodded as he limped to where Chris was sitting in the back of the ambulance.  

“He’s on his way to the hospital,” Jason said.

Brian sat down.  “When can I see him?”

“We are taking you guys to the hospital as well,” Jason said. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Chris asked.  “Michael, you have to go get Michael.”

Brian looked back at the car and saw a truck with some damage to it on the middle of the road.  He saw that two other cars were part of the accident.  Glancing briefly at the vehicle he had ridden he noticed that Michael and Justin’s side had been the site of impact.

“I have to see Justin now,” Brian begged, forcing down his nausea and fear.

“Sir, we are trying to do our best here,” Jason told them.  “We had to take him right away.  He hit his head and sustained serious damage.  He lost a lot of blood.”

Brian didn’t want to believe what he was hearing.

“What about Michael?” Chris asked as he looked at the men getting Michael out of the car.

Jason looked at the car and then back at Chris.  “I’m sorry, he didn’t make it.”

“No!”  Chris yelled and tried to get up.  In a screaming rage he took several steps and suddenly fell down due to his injury at the hip.

Brian and Jason helped him up.  Chris was crying and pushing them, alternately cursing and pleading with them.  He was screaming almost incoherently in a voice that tore through Brian’s heart.  Brian held him tight until the blond held him back and cried.  Brian didn’t say anything to the blond. He had no words of solace.  Brian best friend, his Mikey, was dead and to add to that he didn’t have any idea of Justin’s condition.  He closed his eyes and let the tears fall.  Holding Chris tightly Brian prayed silently; begging and pleading to save the life of his husband.  His life would have little meaning if he lost his Sunshine.

***

Emmett got up and walked to Debbie.  “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see how Justin was doing,” Debbie told him.  “I haven’t been able to see him.”

Emmett hugged her.  “How is Chris?”

“He finally fell asleep,” Debbie told him.  “Denise, Jen and Jack offered to stay.  Craig brought me.  He is outside parking the car. Martha is at the house too and Chris’ father came with us.  He is with Craig,” she informed him.

Emmett took her hand.  “I’ll take you to him.”

Lindsay who had been sitting next to Emmett watched them go.  Then she turned towards Brian who sat next to her like a total zombie.  His eyes were bloodshot red and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking.  She had been at Deb’s house joking around with Emmett when they received the call.  Now at the hospital it felt like they had been sitting there for days.  

“Brian,” Lindsay muttered.  “Do you want to go home?”

Brian didn’t answer.  Lindsay put an arm around his shoulders.  “You should take a warm bath and change clothes.  The doctor said you should be in bed.  Maybe you could get a few hours of sleep.  You should also see the kids.  They don’t know what’s going on and they need their daddy.  They keep asking for you.  I’ll call you if anything happens and you can hurry back.  Please, Brian, there are people that still need you.”

“He needs me,” Brian hissed.

Lindsay’s eyes watered and her voice broke.  “Brian, I’m sorry.”

Brian looked at her and leaned forward a bit.  Lindsay wrapped her arms around him and felt him trembling all over like a leaf being threatened by the wind.  

“Guys,” Craig said walking towards them.

Christian, Chris’ father was there too.  He couldn’t believe what had happened.  Michael was like a son to him and he didn’t want to believe that he was truly gone.  He sat down next to Lindsay and didn’t say anything at all.

Brian got up quickly and started walking away. 

“Brian,” Lindsay said.  “Where are you going?” she was going to go after him but Craig stopped her.

“I’ll go,” Craig said.

Lindsay nodded and sat back down.  She looked at Christopher who put an arm around her shoulders and she started crying.

Craig quickly went after the brunet.  He grabbed Brian and turned him around.  “Hold on there.”

“Let me go,” Brian hissed.

“Don’t,” Craig said letting go of Brian.  “I need you to keep calm.”

“Fuck you,” Brian said dryly as he glared at Craig.  “My husband might die and you want me to keep calm?”

Craig sighed and rubbed his face.  He didn’t needed to be reminded that he could lose his son.

“I don’t need to hear this shit,” Brian told him.

“You have to be strong, Brian,” Craig told him.  “And I know that’s fucked up that I ask you this but you have to think of your kids.  They are wondering where their daddies are because they were told that today they were going to see them.”

Brian started crying silently.

“That’s why I need you to stay focused.  And you need to take it easy and have faith that Justin is going to be okay,” Craig sniffed.  “I think you should come back with me.  Seeing them is going to do you good, Brian.”

Brian shook his head.  “I can’t leave Justin.”

Craig took a deep breath as his heart just broke.  He didn’t know what else he could do.

“He’s in a coma,” Brian told him.  “And he needs me.”

Craig nodded as tears just escaped making silent tracks down his face.  “We are going to get through this.  Jen and I are going to be there for you, your father and his wife and the rest of the family.”

Brian’s face twisted in pain and he wanted to yell or hit Craig.  Brian wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all.  Michael was dead and Justin’s life was uncertain.  Craig pulled the brunet into a hug.  He didn’t know what he was going to do if Justin didn’t make it.  His son had to be okay.  He decided to think of something else like being a rock for the brunet that was falling to pieces at the moment.  Craig silently vowed to his son that he would take care of his family until he was able to.

***

“How is he doing?” Melanie asked as she looked at Vicky and Abe running around in circles in the living room.

“Not so good,” Debbie told her.  

“Who is taking care of everything?” Melanie asked.

“Christopher and Martha are,” Debbie said.  “They are so good.  They came to see me and we all cried together.  They were really hurt.  They already loved Michael like a son.”

“How are you doing?” Melanie asked.

Debbie let out a few tears. “I’m going to be okay.  I know my son is in heaven.  And I have to be strong for Chris.”

Melanie hugged her.  “I’ll take care of the kids.”

Debbie nodded and went to Chris’ room.  She knocked once and then went inside.  She watched Chris just staring at Andrew who had fallen asleep next to his father.

“He’s getting so big,” Debbie said to Chris.

Chris looked up at her and nodded.  “He looks like Michael.”

“Yeah,” Debbie whispered as she closed the door.  She had always thought the boy looked more like Chris but didn’t say a thing.  She walked closer to the bed and sat down.

“Where is Vicky?” Chris asked.

“She’s with Mel,” Debbie told him.

Chris took a deep breath.  “I don’t know how to tell her.”

Debbie sighed.  “She’s going to ask for him.”

“I know,” Chris let out a single tear.  “God, this can’t be happening to us.”

Debbie put her hand on his back. “I know honey.  It’s feels fucking awful.”

“I love him so much, Deb,” Chris told her.  “And I want to be with him.”

“Don’t say that,” Debbie said.  “Your kids need you.”

Chris nodded.  “I know.”

“I’m going to make you something to eat,” Debbie told him.

“I’m not hungry,” Chris told her.

“Please,” Debbie whispered.  “I’ll make your favorite soup.”

“I’m not sick Deb,” Chris pointed out.

“It will make you feel better,” Debbie said getting up.  “Plus you need to take your pain killers and you won’t do that on an empty stomach.”

Chris stayed quiet too emotionally drained to argue.  “Debbie.”

Debbie looked back.  

“Thanks,” Chris told her.

Debbie nodded and quickly left before she fell apart in front of him.  She closed the door behind her and the tears started to fall.  She missed her boy with all her heart.  She went to the bathroom to clean her face.  When she was done she took a deep breath and went to prepare some food for the blond.  She needed to take care of her family.

***

Brian reached the hospital after ten like he did every morning for the past week.  When he entered Justin’s room Jennifer and Craig were there.

“Morning, Brian,” Jennifer told him.

Brian kissed her on the cheek.  He smiled briefly at Craig.

“What are you doing here?” Jennifer asked.  “Don’t you have to be at work?”

“I was there earlier,” Brian told her.  “I made sure they were doing what they were supposed to be doing and left.”

Jennifer gave Brian a small squeeze in the arm.  “You are a good man.”

Brian put his hand over hers.  “You are a good mother.”

Jennifer nodded and quickly glanced away.  She was about to break down and cry.  She had been at Justin’s bedside praying for his life and her emotions were raw.

“You are all here,” the doctor said when he came in.  

“What’s wrong?” Jennifer asked.

“Nothing at all,” the doctor said looking at the chart.  “He is doing better.  His body is slowly healing.  We are all very sure that once that is done he is just gong to wake up.”

“How fucking sure are you?” Brian asked.

“Brian,” Craig said sternly.

“Mr. Kinney,” Doctor Raymond said, “your husband is fighting for his life.  After the accident he had and the way he was hurt we are all amazed that he made it.”

Brian sighed and sat down.  He closed his eyes and exhaled.  He knew that Michael hadn’t made it.  He had died instantly but Justin had survived the initial trauma, for that he was grateful.  Brian was happy that Justin didn’t give up, that for whatever the reason Justin kept fighting.

“There is something I should say,” the doctor told them looking at Justin’s chart and then briefly at the blond.

“What’s going on?” Jennifer asked.

Craig put his arm around his wife.

“Was he pregnant?” Raymond asked looking at Brian.

Brian opened his eyes in shock.  “We were trying to have a baby.”

“Well,” the doctor said.  “The fetus wasn’t damaged.  Everything looks fine.”

Jennifer started crying and turned to her husband’s comfort.

Brian got up quickly and walked over to Justin.  He caressed the blond’s face and bent down to kiss him on the forehead.  “Baby,” he whispered as joyful tears filled his eyes.  “You have to wake up.  I can’t do this alone,” he took the blond’s hand and did what he had been doing for the past week; he waited, he prayed and he hoped.