Brian knew it was Michael before the door even opened.

"Hey," Michael calls out, holding a bag, "I picked up some movies... I thought maybe we could watch some... if you're not too busy with work..."

Brian keeps his back to Michael, pouring himself some water, "What is it? My Best Friend has Cancer?" Turning to Michael, he knocks the DVDs on the floor.

Looking down for a moment, Michael isn't sure what to say, but knows he should say something, fast. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Brian snaps, "Maybe because I didn’t want you to know. Or maybe because it’s none of your fuckin’ business!"

Michael tries not to sound as upset as he feels, "But I'm your best friend!"

"Not anymore. I don’t want you here, now get the fuck out," Brian demands as he gestures towards the front door.

"Cut that out, Brian," Michael says, alarmed.

Brian's voice rises, "I said get the fuck out!"

Michael shakes his head, "I love you, Brian!"

"Get the fuck out!" Brian shouts, grabbing Michael by the arm and pushing him out the door.

Turning back to Brian, Michael jumps back as the door is slammed closed in front of him.

***********************************************

"Do you want to hear some music, Kai?" Justin asks as he walks over to the stereo system. He can't imagine Craig ever using it and wonders why it's even here. Someone is overcompensating.. he muses as he tries to figure out what button means what on this overpriced contraption.

Pushing a button, the radio comes on and Justin jumps back, "Shit!" as a newscaster starts to speak in a booming voice about a football game. "Sorry, Kai!" Justin calls out, turning to look at his brother to see if the noise scared him.

Kai glances up at the stereo for a brief moment before returning to the musical car that Justin and bought for him.

"Where the fuck are the CDs?" Justin asks aloud as he starts opening drawers. Sighing, he goes to his backpack and pulls out his MP3. "I'm sure I can just attach this to it." After a few minutes, Justin achieves his goal and music starts to stream out of the speakers.

Kai smiles suddenly and begins to clap his hands.

"You like it?" Justin asks, grinning. "Come on, dance with me, little brother!" Bouncing over to Kai, he claps his hands and turns his head from side to side as Kai watches him.

Laughing, Justin asks, "You think I'm crazy, huh?" Standing back, he continues to dance wildly, pretending not to notice Kai standing up and clapping his hands in the direction of the speakers.

Moving in front of the speakers, Justin starts jumping to the music.

Kai watches for several seconds before jumping two times. Justin laughs, "Jump! Jump!"

Kai runs back to his car.

Smiling, Justin is not deterred.

*************************************

Later that evening:

Brian moans as someone knocks on his door. "Fuckin' shit, can't you just let me be fuckin' miserable in peace!" He yells out to no one in particular.

Slowly sitting up, he hopes it isn't Michael.

The knocking continues at an incessent rate.

"Fuckin' shit, I'm coming," Brian mutters as he stumbles to the door and with a heave pulls it open.

"Did I wake you?" Debbie asks.

Closing his eyes, he leans his head against the doorframe, "No, your incessent knocking woke me."

Smiling, she lightly slaps his cheek and strolls inside the loft. "I brought some chicken soup."

"I don't want soup," Brian replies as he closes the door. He wonders when she'll start yelling at him for kicking Michael out earlier.

"Well you look like shit."

"Thanks, Ma."

"Is there anything I can--?" She begins.

"This is exactly why I didn’t want anyone to know," Brian begins, feeling his agitation returning by the second, "It’s why I told everyone I went to Ibiza, in the hopes that I wouldn’t be treated like an invalid or a victim or like I was gonna die." Shaking his head, he pats the front door with his palm, "Now can you please leave so I can go back to sleep?" He stalks back to the bedroom and lies down on his bed.

Debbie follows him and Brian immediately covers his head with a pillow. Snatching the pillow, Debbie asks, "You think you can kick me out of here the way you did Justin and Michael? And for what? Justin is your partner--"

"Was," Brian corrects.

"Shut the fuck up and let me finish," She snaps. "He deserves to know. He’s your lover, your partner, whether you want to admit it or not, and sick or not, that’s a fucking shitty way to treat him!"

Brian keeps his eyes closed, "It's better this way."

"For you?" Debbie asks, knowing the answer was bullshit. "And Michael? Tossing him out too? Am I next?"

"Just go home already!" Brian shouts in frustration.

*****************

"Okay, Kai," Justin announces as he sits on the floor in front of his brother, preventing him from completing the puzzle for the fifth time in a row. Justin was glad he found it still sitting in the box in Kai's closet. It was a puzzle of vehicles and Kai was mezmorized by it. "It's dinner time... do you want..." holding up a box of chicken nuggets, he asks, "Chicken nuggets, or..." putting it behind his back, he takes a can of ravioli, "or ravioli?" Seeing that he had his brother's attention, he brings back up to view and repeats, "Chicken nuggets or Ravioli?"

Kai scans both objects and then rests his eyes on the box of nuggets.

"Chicken nuggets?" Justin confirms, holding it up to his face while putting the can of ravioli behind his back.

Kai reaches for the box.

"Chicken nuggets it is!" Standing up, he hurries to the kitchen to make it while Kai follows him.

Smiling, Justin begins, "My mom used to make really good chicken nuggets when I was a kid.. the trick was using corn flakes instead of bread crumbs... or was it frosted flakes?" Shrugging, he puts the plate of nuggets in the microwave, "Anyways, maybe one day you'll meet her and she can make some for you!" He was proud of his mother. Most people would want nothing to do with a love-child that broke up their marriage... but obviously his mother got over that once she realized that Kai was a child like anyone else, and like any other child, needed some support. Justin was glad his mom was able to give him those suggestions. It made him feel less frustrated dealing with his brother. Glancing over at the two year old, he watches him attempt to climb onto his booster chair.

Justin helps him up into the chair, "Ready to eat?" he asks, signing the word "eat." He had taken the time to make copies of simple signs to use with Kai over the weekend, and had ended up taping them up around Craig's house as a way to remind him. For example, in the kitchen he had the signs "More, eat and finished," and up in Kai's room he had "Sleep, more and open." Justin hoped Craig would use the signs with Kai as well.

Taking the warm nuggets, he puts a few on a plate and gives it to Kai, "Eat," he says and signs again. Kai glances up at the lights and smiles.

************

"I thought I told you to go home?" Brian moans as he hears Debbie returning to his room.

"I don't care," Debbie retorts as she sits down on the bed, "Now sit up, shut up and eat some fuckin' chicken soup."

Resigned, Brian sits up. However deep in his mind, he wishes it was Justin here instead.