Justin was at school putting his things in his backpack, preparing for his other classes when he looked up and realized Brian was standing in front of him. He presumed the worst by the look on Brian’s face and his heart started to speed up. “Jus,” Brian whispered. “Brian, what’s going on?” Justin asked. “We have to go to the hospital,” Brian told him. “It’s not the kids, not your parents or anyone from the gang.” Justin frowned not sure what was going on. “I dropped off our kids, they’re with your mother,” Brian informed him. “Ethan has been admitted to the hospital. They called the house asking for you. Your name and number are in his wallet, you’re listed as his emergency contact. The social worker wanted to know if we’re willing to take the children or else they will be remanded to foster care. Ethan’s kids are at the hospital with no one to attend to them.” “Fuck,” Justin said. “Okay, let’s go.” “Aren’t you going to excuse yourself?” Brian asked as they walked out of the classroom. “I can do that later,” Justin assured the brunet. “What happened?” “They wouldn’t tell me,” Brian replied. The drive to the hospital was made in silence. Justin didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He was being held responsible for two kids that he barely knew. He sighed and hoped that everything went well it wasn’t like he didn’t take care of his own kids, but Brian was always there to help out. This was completely different, he didn’t ask for this. Brian certainly never asked for this. He didn’t know Ethan. Hell he didn’t even know his own children. “I’m here,” Brian told him grabbing Justin’s hand and halting any further thoughts. Brian knew from the blond’s expression that Justin was about to bolt. Justin sighed, trying to quench the panic building inside of him. “This is crazy.” “I know,” Brian answered. They parked and walked inside the hospital. Simultaneously they both briefly remembered the last time they were at the hospital, when Brian’s father died. Neither one of them knew what they were walking towards as they approached the nurses station. They asked to see Ethan and a doctor went out to speak with them. Since they weren’t family the only thing the man said was that Ethan had to stay for a few days. Then a nurse approached them with the two boys at her side, both boys looked confused and shaken. “Hey,” Justin said squatting in front of them. “Are you two okay?” Evan nodded and looked at the nurse. “I want to see my other father.” The nurse frowned. “They can’t. Children are not allowed on the unit.” “I understand,” Justin said getting up. “Could I see him? We have to talk about the kids.” The doctor agreed but suggested that the visit be brief so as not to upset the patient. Brian offered to stay outside with the kids. Justin said he would be in just for a couple of seconds. “Jus,” Ethan whispered when the blond came into his room. “I thought it would be the doctor.” “Just me,” Justin replied. Ethan nodded and stared at the blond. “So, Brian and I are taking the kids out to eat,” Justin informed him. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” Ethan smiled, remembering a time when he and Justin had been close. “Thanks. That’s thoughtful” “So, can I ask what’s wrong?” Justin asked. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” Ethan assured him. Justin frowned but left it there afraid to push Ethan and place his health in further jeopardy by getting him stressed out. “Brian and I are taking the boys home until you get out of here.” Ethan sighed and looked away. He didn’t want his kids to be taken away from him but he knew there wasn’t another option. “Okay,” he replied. “I...I have...” “Ethan,” Justin said and licked his lips. “What’s wrong?” Ethan closed his eyes and tried not to fall apart as he whispered, “I...I have cancer.” Justin swallowed hard. “Well, the doctors can do something, right? I mean you’re young and healthy.” “No,” Ethan said almost harshly. “They detected it too late.” Ethan sighed but continued talking in a softer tone, “I’m sorry Jus this isn’t your fault. It’s no ones fault. I guess I’ll never be the master violinist of Europe. I guess there are a lot of things I’ll never do.” Justin opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly. There was nothing he could say to Ethan in response; nothing that could help or ease his pain. He felt a sense of remorse at hearing the news of his illness but Ethan was a complete stranger. An unknown stranger who suddenly appeared in his life and who would be leaving soon. Justin knew he wouldn’t even have enough time to get to know Ethan. He supposed with enough time they might have been friends but time was the one luxury Ethan didn’t have. There was a knock on the door and Brian entered the small hospital room. “We have to go and rescue your mom before the kids take over. I’ll wait for you outside.” Justin nodded and turned to face Ethan again. “Take care of our children, please,” Ethan said with a desperate plea. “You’re the only person they have left in this world after I’m gone. Please don’t abandon them the way you did me. They’re a part of you just like they’re a part of me. Jus, even if you don’t remember there was a time when you once liked me. I knew I never had your love but I had your children and for a long time that was enough. I’m sorry I never told you about them. There are a lot of things I regret but having our children was something I’ll never regret. Having them was almost like having a part of you with me. Please love them like I did. Be the father I wanted to be.” Justin looked at the man wishing he could remember their time together. “I will,” he assured the sick man and then walked away to find Brian. Now he knew why Ethan had come back to the Pitts. The man was dying and the twins needed to be with someone who was going to take care of them and love them. Who better than their father, were Justin’s thoughts as he left the hospital with Brian by his side. *** When Brian and Justin arrived home they gathered all the kids. Evan and Jacob stayed together off to one side while the quads went on as if nothing new had happened. Liam on the other hand was staring at them while the other pair of twins was sleeping peacefully. “Liam,” Justin said. “This is Evan and Jacob. These are your...little brothers.” Brian swallowed hard and tried not to think of anything much less feel anything. He didn’t know if he was mad or still in shock from learning about Justin’s offspring with Ethan. Brian was finally happy and Justin had finally adapted to a family he didn’t remember. Now it was Brian who wanted to forget about the worst time in his life. But unfortunately now he had two constant reminders of a time he would rather forget. Liam arched a brow. “Really?” “Yeah,” Brian said as he licked his lips. “Where were they?” Liam asked. Justin and Brian looked at each other, unprepared to explain what they couldn’t even explain to themselves. “They were with someone really special. And now they’re with us,” Justin replied. Liam walked over to the boys. “Do you want to play with me?” Evan looked up at Brian and Justin and then shook his head. “I don’t want to.” Justin sighed. “It’s okay honey.” “I’ll play with you,” Jacob told him. “Do you have cars?” “I have a bunch of them!” Liam told him eagerly. Evan turned to Justin and then looked down at the floor. “What do you want me to do?” Justin didn’t know how to answer. He wasn’t even sure what the boy was asking. Justin hadn’t felt this frustrated since waking up from coma with amnesia. He felt that it was life’s ironic joke on him; to again be faced with children you don’t even know. Realizing that the children were the innocent victims he stilled his own turmoil and calmly said, “You can play with your brothers. Or you can go play with the quads.” Evan looked at the children and moved slowly to them. “I need a drink,” Brian said as he turned around without even looking back. Justin sighed and let the brunet go. He knew that Brian was probably going crazy and was surprised at how long he had held it together. The blond called his mother to talk to her for a while. Then he talked with Chris while at the same time he managed to maintain some kind of order in his house. Brian was helping him out but the two of them weren’t talking and it was driving Justin crazy. He wanted to know what the man was thinking. At that point even shouting was preferable to all the polite silence that they had or so Justin believed. “Jus,” Brian called when he had Illona in his arms. “Can you take Sinead with you?” Justin was just putting Tiernan down. He walked over to the man and picked her up. Brian was trying to read to Illona and Sinead wasn’t letting him. “Where are Keefe and Sheridan?” Justin asked. “They’re with Liam and your kids,” Brian told him. Justin opened his mouth with all intentions of sending Brian to hell but stopped himself. He turned around shaking his head and on his way to the bedroom he picked Tiernan as well. He knew that Fiona was in her room sleeping already; his little angel. The blond bathed the twins in his bathroom and then dried them up. His bathroom was now stocked with several bath toys for them. When they were ready he took them to their room. He stayed with them until they fell asleep and then went to put everyone else to bed. He kept himself busy trying not to think of what Brian had said and the tone he had used. He knew Brian was punishing him for their current situation. But Justin didn’t even remember why they were in this situation in the first place. Something must have leaded him to have an affair with Ethan he surmised. After all, Brian wasn’t all picnics and flowers on his best day. It couldn’t have been my entire fault Justin thought. Brian must share some of the responsibility to what happened in their relationship. When finally everyone was settled Brian and Justin went to bed. They were finally alone without any interruptions and Justin decided now was the time to hash out all the problems that they were afraid to face. Otherwise they would never get things settled, especially with all the children who now demanded so much of their time and energy. “Fuck,” Brian said. “I know I shouldn’t have said that.” Justin sighed and sat up slowly in the bed. “I know you’re mad at me.” “I’m not mad at you,” Brian said quickly. “I’m mad at the situation. I wasn’t expecting it.” “Me neither,” Justin announced. “I’m sorry,” Brian said as he moved to Justin’s side. Justin nodded to let the man know he accepted the apology. They wrapped their arms around each other. “So what’s going to happen now?” Brian asked. Justin shrugged. “They’ll get used to us, I guess. We know how to be parents already.” Brian frowned, he hated situations he had little control over and this particular situation he had no control over. “I don’t know if they’re going to call us dad, though,” Justin said. “I mean they’re about to be eight and Ethan is the only father they ever knew.” “I’m not their father, Jus,” Brian said and continued to frown. “I mean...fuck, I don’t know what I mean. I’m just going to stay quiet.” Justin bit his lower lip. “I don’t want to tell them that you’re not their father,” Justin said with tears in his eyes. “I mean, you’re my husband and you kind of are their other dad. You will be the second person they look up to.” “They still have Ethan and that bastard hates me,” Brian pointed out. Justin frowned. “Ethan’s dying, Brian.” “What?” Brian asked taken aback. “What?” “He has cancer,” Justin informed him. “That’s why he’s here. That’s why he was looking for me.” Brian rubbed his face. “Jesus Christ,” Brian said as he took a deep breath. “I never thought this would happen,” Justin said. Brian didn’t know what to think anymore. Many times he had wished the violinist a violent death but he never thought his words or his own thoughts would come back to haunt him. “It will be okay soon,” Justin told him. “I mean. I guess it will be. I hope it will be. It has to be Brian. It has to be okay.” Brian hugged the blond and nodded. They had to find a way for things to function normally once again. He knew at that moment he was never letting go of the blond no matter what. *** A week had passed since Jacob and Evan had been staying with Brian and Justin. The blond had made arrangements to take the twins to the same school that Liam was going but for now they had stayed home. Soon the time came to pick up Ethan who was being discharged from the hospital taking with them the twins, Liam and the younger set of twins as well. Everybody else was left with Jill at the house. “You didn’t have to bother,” Ethan said as they walked out. “I would have been fine.” “Dad, are you going to be okay now?” Evan asked. “Sure kid,” Ethan said. “I’m staying at a hotel.” “We’ll take you,” Brian said opening the minivan. “Things change, huh?” Ethan said smirking as he looked at the car Brian drove. “Priorities change,” Brian answered trying to maintain his patience around Ethan. Justin got the all the kids in the car and made sure they were all buckled up. The ride to the hotel would have been in silence if it had not been for the kids’ constant yelling, questions, laughter, etc. When they arrived they accompanied Ethan to his suite. Justin and Ethan had a few things to talk about. Brian was there for moral support and to help with the kids. “Are we staying with you again?” Jacob asked shyly. “No,” Ethan said quickly. Brian looked at Justin with a questioning face. The blond just shrugged. “Ethan,” Justin started. “I’m leaving,” Ethan replied. “I have to.” “You’re leaving?” Justin asked. “Where are you going to go? How are you going to get your medications or the medical treatments you need?” “I don’t know,” Ethan replied. “But I don’t want them to see me this way. Do you think this is easy for me, Justin? This is literally killing me. But I would rather walk away now than have them see me die a little each day. I don’t want their last memories of their father to be a hallow shadow of what I used to be. I won’t do that to them.” Then under his breath Ethan uttered, “I won’t do that to you Justin.” Brian looked at Ethan and part of him understood. There was a time that he would have even done the same thing, gone out with a bang, forever young. But now Brian realized he was no longer that man, Justin and the kids changed that a long time ago. No, if it was him he would want to spend the last days of his life with his kids and Justin. “Where are you going?” Evan asked a bit worried. “Are we going to stay here?” “You have your father,” Ethan said as he pointed at Justin. “He’ll be there for you.” Jacob frowned and grabbed Liam’s hand. Silence reigned in the room. “Well,” Brian said. “Now that you’re here settled in we’re going to go. We have half of the soccer team back at home.” “You guys fuck like bunnies,” Ethan pointed out. “Don’t talk like that in front of the kids,” Justin told him. “Take them to the car,” Brian said to Justin in a voice that left little room for argument. Justin looked at Brian and swiftly determined that he wouldn’t do anything to Ethan. The man was in no state to receive a beating and he wouldn’t survive a verbal assault by Brian. He hoped that Brian would behave or at least have some pity on Ethan. With one final look at Brian, Justin left with the kids in tow. “So?” Ethan asked when they were left alone. “I know you’re pissed at life because of what’s happening to you,” Brian said. “But you don’t have to take it out on us or them. You didn’t call them or even hug them while they were here.” Ethan rolled his eyes. “Is that all?” “Jesus,” Brian said. “I’m leaving.” “I have something to say too,” Ethan informed him. Brian waited afraid of the further damage Ethan could cause his family. Brian’s only thought was to protect his family at all cost, even if it meant hurting Ethan. “I want them to have the same treatment,” Ethan told him. “I don’t want you holding back your affection or saying anything to them because they’re not your kids. They have to eat right and you have to spend money on them as if they were yours.” “Look,” Brian said interrupting him. “I haven’t finished,” Ethan declared with surprising strength in his voice. Brian took a step toward the man but didn’t let Ethan finish. “I know that you’re dying and you want what is best for your kids,” Brian said. “But you don’t have to order me around. I know how to take care of my kids.” “Oh, they’re already yours?” Ethan asked angry. Brian tried to keep calm. Ethan grinned. “Poor bastard.” “Excuse me?” Brian asked. “You don’t know what happened, do you?” Ethan asked. Brian arched one brow and somehow he knew he should have left with Justin when he had the chance. “He said he loved me,” Ethan hissed in anger. “We fucked raw and that’s why I got pregnant. He only stayed with you because he was having Liam and he thought it was the right thing to do. You know how noble and self-sacrificing he can be.” Brian rolled his eyes and turned around preparing to leave. “Don’t want to hear it?” Ethan asked almost taunting Brian. “I thought you were big on the truth Mr. Kinney. Well I guess some truths do hurt.” “Fuck you,” Brian said facing Ethan again in a deadly stare. “I know it isn’t true.” Ethan shook his head but continued with his venomous tirade. “He said he regretted the fact that he got pregnant so early. But you had money and he would be taken care of so he left me and went to you. Well you got your blond boy ass, are you happy?” Brian walked closer to the bed in a predatory stance. “You don’t know him at all. So, don’t pretend that you ever did. You don’t know what Justin and I went through and what we have shared all these years. In the beginning Justin tried to move away so I wouldn’t know he was pregnant. You’re right; he was being noble and self-sacrificing. He didn’t want to cramp my lifestyle. He wasn’t going to force fatherhood on me when I wasn’t ready to grow up or stop fucking everything that moved. He was willing to give me everything I thought I wanted without asking for anything in return. That’s called love in my book. He’s always been watching out for me, he said he was on to me from the beginning. And Justin knows that I would never abandon my kids even if we were no longer together. He would have everything he needs either way. So yes Ethan, I got my blond boy ass. I got all of him; all of his love, his passion while you’re left alone again. How does the truth feel?” Ethan was fuming. “Get the fuck out.” “Gladly, I’m tired of hearing this bullshit,” Brian told him. He walked out of the place never looking back. “What’s wrong?” Justin asked when Brian got to the car. Brian shook his head. “Nothing at all, let’s go home.” Justin knew something was wrong but felt it was best not to push Brian further. Justin noticed how tightly Brian held the steering wheel. He knew that Brian was reaching his breaking point and was willing to give him his space. “Okay,” he answered and hoped Brian would tell him later. *** “Wow,” Chris said as Brian finished filling him in on everything that was going on. “I’m amazed! Your life has more drama than my soap opera gay as blazes.” “Yeah,” Brian sighed as he stood in the kitchen with Chris. “Dad,” Liam said entering the kitchen with the twins. “We’re hungry.” Chris laughed a bit. “You’re always hungry.” “Hey,” Liam said happily. “These are my two brothers. This is Evan and this is Jacob. But I’m still the oldest.” Chris smiled. “That’s great.” “What do you want to eat?” Brian asked. “We want to eat hotdogs,” Liam announced. “You’re the spokesman for your trio?” Brian asked amused as he started getting things ready. “Do you want some juice?” “Yeah,” Liam said. “I’ll help you,” Chris told him. “So, what’s going to happen now?” he asked as he served the juices. “I have no clue,” Brian told him. “I guess we’ll have to talk to Melanie.” Chris nodded and gave one plastic cup to Jacob and one to Liam. Then he started serving Evan’s. Jacob started drinking from it and suddenly the cup slipped from his hands. He gasped and looked up at Brian with scared eyes. Brian took a step forward to help him and the kid started crying desperately. “I’m sorry,” Jacob told him. “I didn’t mean it.” Liam frowned. Chris also frowned when he saw the boy’s behavior. Evan quickly stood in front of his brother. “He’s sorry. He didn’t mean it.” Brian moved closer and the twins closed their eyes and recoiled. “That fucking bastard,” Chris hissed. Brian had reached the same conclusion as well. Ethan hit the twins on a consistent basis. More than likely he was physically and verbally abusing them. Hell Brian thought, I witnessed his manipulative tactics myself. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place for Brian. He now understood the kids’ strange behavior now. Now he could see why the boys always did what they were told and never misbehaved in any way. “Fucker,” Brian said under his breath. Evan opened his eyes when nothing happened. “Well,” Brian said. “If we spill something we have to clean it,” he said but his heart was going a mile per minute. He was crumbling to pieces fast; he knew the last insight in the children’s behavior would devastate Justin. He moved to get some napkins quickly without frightening the kids further. “We’ll have it clean in no time,” Chris was saying slowly. He also didn’t want to scare the kids. Liam was watching the whole thing not sure of what was going on. “Here we go,” Brian said extending his arm to the boy with the napkin in hand. Jacob was still crying a bit when he took it and looked at Brian. The boy was too scared to move. Brian got down on one knee and started cleaning. “We can help each other out,” Brian said hoping the kid would move again. Jacob slowly got on his knees and started cleaning with Brian. He looked up at Brian and smiled widely. His angelic face was a bit puffy from the crying. That’s pretty much when Brian lost it. He got up with tears in his eyes. How could anyone hurt defenseless kids? They look so much like Justin Brian thought, vulnerable and scared. The last thought tore at Brian’s soul. He put some of the napkins in Chris’ hands and moved away quickly. Chris got down on the floor with the boy. “We all help each other here, okay?” Jacob nodded slowly. Evan stayed close not leaving his brother’s side. “There,” Chris said getting up. “Now we get the mop and clean it some more and that’s all. It was an accident, right?” Jacob nodded slowly. Liam walked away then and found his dad sitting on the sofa crying. He walked quickly to him and pulled his father’s hand away from his face. “Dad I love you,” Liam assured him. “You don’t have to cry.” Brian grabbed his kid and picked him up. He hugged him and tried to control himself. He only wanted to go see Ethan and beat the crap out of him. The incident with the kids had triggered too many old memories from when his stepfather beat him up. He pulled back and smiled at Liam. “I love you too.” “What’s wrong?” Liam asked worried. He didn’t like it when his dad was sad. “Just old memories,” Brian assured him as he let go of Liam. He stood up and took a deep breath. He had looked at Jacob’s tear stricken face and he had immediately wanted to protect the boy. He could see Justin’s reflection clearly etched on their faces and he hated the fact that Ethan had abused them. “Hey,” Justin said with a sleepy Fiona in his arms. “What’s going on?” “We have to talk,” Brian informed him. “We clean it up,” Jacob said as he ran towards Brian. He bit his lower and sighed still terrify of what could happen to him. Brian looked at Jacob once again and he swore he would kill anyone that hurt any of his kids and that included Evan and Jacob. At that point they weren’t Justin’s kids only, no, they were kids too and he loved each one of them, no apologies, no regrets. He was Brian Kinney in full Irish wrath and he vowed to protect those he loved.