"THAT'S why you and Katie have been up here all this time?" Kaylee shrieked, her father nodding as he revealed her plans to her a few minutes later, and she finally had her first chance to see the artwork Katie and her father had been working on together. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them to make sure they weren't playing some sort of sick joke on her as she squealed, "Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" She turned unexpectedly then to smack her sister soundly on the upper arm as Justin's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey! What was THAT for?" Katie growled in disbelief, rubbing her skin where her sister's palm has made contact with it.

"That's for keeping this a secret from me. You KNEW I would want to know that Daddy...and Dad..." Her eyes widened as her father's words really began to sink in; she whirled around to face him, her face glowing with incredulity and her eyes round as large pearls. "Do you really mean it, Daddy? THIS is why you and Katie have been painting up here? For that?"

Justin smiled at her warmly. "Yes, Sweetheart, it's true." His smile diminished a little as he told her softly, "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. It's just that we couldn't take a chance that your father would find out beforehand."

"But I could have kept it a secret," Kaylee maintained, her lower lip jutting out a little defensively. "Look how Katie and I were able to keep our identities from you and Dad."

Justin had to admit, she had a point. "Yeah, you were," he conceded after a brief pause. "But this is going to be the biggest secret of all. One, last, very important secret. So I really need you to help us keep this quiet, okay?"

She nodded solemnly, her heart pounding at the thought of it actually succeeding. No, it HAD to succeed. "What about Gus?" she asked as she looked over at the beginning portrait of him portrayed on the canvas. "Does he know what's going on?"

Her father shook his head. "No yet," he told her. "I'm not even sure he'll be here for your birthday, but your father is going to find out. I think when he finds out the reason why, though, he'll definitely want to stay, don't you?"

Kaylee nodded, grinning like a fool. She couldn't help it. "Oh, Daddy," she whispered as tears sprung to her eyes. This time, though, they were happy tears. "We've waited so long...So long...

Justin's own eyes filled with tears - tears of regret as well as love for these two, very special little girls. He walked over and stooped down in front of both daughters to sweep them tightly into his arms. "I know, Sweetheart," he whispered, overcome with emotion as he hugged them. "I know..." The three of them stayed that way for a long time, until they were startled by the door at the bottom of the steps opening.

"Hey, where IS everybody?" Gus groused. "Is anyone up there?"

The three of them broke apart to stare at each other, the three of them silently conducting a conversation between themselves, until Justin made a decision. "We're all up here, Gus," he called down. "Come on up...We have something to tell you." The two girls beamed over at him as he nodded. It was time this family was made whole again.

Gus walked upstairs and poked his head above the steps, rubbing his eyes sleepily, even though it was nearly noon now. He frowned at the teary-eyed look on all three of their faces. "What's going on? Did you ruin a painting or something?" he asked.

Justin looked at him for a couple of seconds before all three burst out laughing at his confused expression.

"What's so funny?" he groused as he walked up the rest of the way and stood near them, the painting facing away from him.

Justin grinned at the two girls. "Not quite. Come and see what Katie and I are working on, then YOU tell US."

Clad in a pair of well-loved jeans, holes in the knees, and a short-sleeved, white t-shirt, a barefoot Gus scratched the back of his head as he plodded over to stand in front of the painting as three pairs of eyes stared over at him. He frowned again as he recognized the subject of Justin's and his sister's latest artwork. "That looks like me..."

Justin grinned at the two girls. "Well, I'm glad I haven't lost my touch yet. Actually, Katie is the one who's painted most of it; I just helped her a little with the outline."

Gus wondered if he was quite awake yet as he asked, "But why are you painting me? And why am I so small?"

The two girls giggled as Justin explained with a smile, "That's because you're going to be part of a large collage," he explained. "We needed room for the others."

"Others?"

Justin walked over and placed his hand on Gus's shoulder. "Yeah. You, me, the girls...and your father. The whole family." He bit his lower lip then tentatively, suddenly unsure of how Gus would react to that idea. He relaxed a little, however, as Gus nodded, appearing pleased with the notion.

As if reading his mind, Gus replied, "Good idea. We need an updated portrait."

Justin smiled. "I'm glad you think so," he told him softly. "In fact...I have a favor to ask of you. Well, two favors, actually."

Gus turned slightly to peer over at him. "What?"

"Well, your father was going to ask you tonight, probably, but since you're here right now...The girls' 12th birthday is coming up in three weeks, and I'd like to plan a special celebration for it. Just you, me, your sisters, your father, and Daphne, up on the mountain at the cabin. Will you still be here then?"

To Justin's relief, Gus nodded. "Sure...I mean, I was planning on going back a little early. But I forgot about your birthdays," he told his sisters. "So I'll be glad to stick around."

Justin's face broke out into a pleased smile. "That's great!" he told him with relief. "I'm so glad to hear that." That was one more piece of the puzzle falling into place...

Gus nodded in acknowledgment, suddenly recalling what Justin had said earlier. "You said you had two favors to ask me. What's the other one?" He peered over at the partially-composed portrait and scrunched up his nose. "That doesn't look much like my chin," he decided. "Need to build it up some," he suggested. "Are you wanting me to pose for you, is that it?"

Justin laughed. Oh, my God. If Gus only knew what sort of memories THAT statement brought back! "No," he assured him. "That's not the favor. I'm not done with your chin yet, so I think you're safe," he told him as Gus shrugged.

"Then what?"

Justin looked over at his little girls and took a deep breath. "It's about the celebration. You might say I have a job for you; a very important job."

Gus shook his head slightly in annoyance. "Justin...Just tell me. I'll do whatever you need me to do - it's for my sisters," he added as the two girls beamed over at him in reaction.

"Not quite."

"Shit, Justin!" Gus growled then, tired of playing games. "Just spit it out, okay? You're starting to make me nervous for some reason."

"You think YOU'RE nervous," Justin muttered. If he only knew...The event was three weeks away, and he was already sweating merely at the thought. "Okay. I need to ask you something."

A minute later, Gus stared at him agape. "For real? No shit?"

Justin smirked over his reaction. "No shit. Of course, it's up to Brian, too. So what do you say? Will you help us?" He held his breath. It was one thing to ask Gus to stick around and attend his sisters' joint birthday celebration; this was on a whole, different level, and he still wasn't 100% sure how Gus felt about him and Brian reuniting again permanently.

He didn't have to worry for long, however, as Gus abruptly reached over and clapped him roundly on the back. "Hell, yeah, I'll do it!" he declared, his lips curled under like his father.

Justin grinned as he let out the breath he had been holding. "I'm glad, Gus," he told him softly. "Thank you."

"No, Justin," was the soft reply. "Thank you. I haven't seen my Dad this happy in a long time. And it's all because of you."

Justin's eyes watered as he told him, "Not just me." He glanced around at all of them, standing there united, as he told them, "It's because of all of us. Including your father."

All the children nodded as Justin swallowed the lump in his throat. He took a deep breath. "Well, I'd say we all have a lot of work to do, then," he told them. "Katie, you and I will keep working on this," he told her as she nodded. "Gus, I won't need your help until closer to the event," he told the boy as Gus nodded. Turning to eye his other daughter, a thought occurred to him. "But I do have an idea how YOU can help us, Sweetheart," he told Kaylee.

Her eyes lit up at the thought of helping carry out their plan. "How?"

"Well, you probably don't know this, but your father is a really good amateur photographer, and I know you love to take nature pictures." Kaylee nodded with a smile. "I just bet if you ask him when he gets home, your father will be more than happy to give you some pointers. And in the meantime, you can go around and practice your skills by taking several candid shots of everyone that will be in our collage. Could you do that for me?" he asked her. "Then I would have some examples to use." Truth be told, by now Justin knew each of their faces by heart, so he could paint them by memory without any problem. But he wanted his little girl to not only bond more with Brian, but also feel like she was contributing toward their goal.

The radiant smile that broke out on Kaylee's face then was proof that he had done the right then as she nodded. "I'd love that!" she exclaimed. "I'll ask him as soon as he gets home!"

Justin grinned. "That's great, Honey. We'll print them out with my printer up here."

Kaylee nodded with excitement. It was all almost too much to comprehend. It was like some dream that was finally coming true. In reality, though, it was. It had been her and her sister's dream for a long time. All of sudden, the waterworks threatened to fall anew as she realized it was really going to happen. "Daddy..." she managed to croak out.

Justin's eyes widened in concern. "What, Honey?" he asked softly.

She shook her head and smiled before she flung herself against him and sniffled. "I love you so much," she told him against his waist.

Justin's eyes glistened as he smiled. "I love you, too, Kaylee," he told her as he, too, sniffled now. He glanced over at Katie and Gus as he added, "All of you."

Watching Gus heading back downstairs to forage for leftovers from last night, Justin turned to his daughters at the bottom of the steps heading from his attic studio. He had made sure to lock the door, knowing that Brian respected his privacy and would not venture up there unless he asked first. That was one more thing that Justin loved about him; just one in a million things.

"Okay, Katie," he said as he turned to look at his daughter. "Show me where you saw it." His heart was hammering in his chest; was it actually possible she was right?

She nodded with a smile as she, Kaylee and Justin all walked down the hallway toward the end where the master bedroom was located.

Biting her lower lip in anxiety - fervently hoping that it was still there - Katie walked over and stooped down in front of the mahogany night table on the left side of the bed - Brian's side - and pulled out the bottom drawer. Numerous pairs of socks were folded up inside, Justin noted, as he and Kaylee waited by the foot of the bed, but from his vantage point he couldn't see anything else.

"Katie?" he finally called over to her softly as she continued to sweep her arm around the interior in search of the object.

"I can't feel it yet," she told him. "But there's so many socks in here..."

Justin was about to sigh in disappointment and tell her to forget it when all of a sudden he heard her gasp in delight, "Here it is!" She pulled her arm out and stood up, turning around to display the small, burgundy-colored, leather box in her hand. Beaming in triumph, she walked over and placed it in her father's open palm.

Justin stood there as time seemed to stand still, memories of a long ago flashing through his mind and filling him with all sorts of bittersweet emotions - joy, pain, sorrow, fear, love...regret. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them back up; taking a breath of resolve, he slowly pried open the top with his other, trembling hand. A sharp intake of breath followed as he stared at the familiar contents inside. "Oh, my God," he whispered. They were even more elegant and beautiful in their simplicity than he had remembered. They had never actually gone through with a formal ceremony - neither man feeling like it was necessary at the time - but they had, instead, elected to hold their own, private commitment ceremony one night amidst a glow of candlelight in this very bedroom, just before the girls had been born. They had stood over at the fireplace, both men's faces awash in hues of oranges and browns against the flickering flames, as they stared into each other's eyes and clasped hands, vowing to love each other as they proclaimed their eternal devotion in each man's unique way - Brian's more sarcastic and cryptic, Justin's overtly romantic and traditional. It hadn't been stilted or rehearsed; there had been no minister or stodgy justice of the peace to preside over it and make it 'official.' But it hadn't mattered. When each of them had slid a ring on the other's finger, it had felt more real than any legal ceremony could ever be.

When Justin had left that day with Kaylee, however, he couldn't bear to look at the symbol of their love. It had only reminded him of what could have been, and what would never be. So in a moment of perhaps hasty decision, he had slid the gleaming band from his finger and placed it on the bedroom dresser before he left Britin with his daughter in search of a new life in Chicago. Now, however, just like the symbolism of the ring, life had come full circle, and he had another chance to make things right again.

"They're beautiful, Daddy," Kaylee murmured as she and Katie stole a peek at the two rings nestled inside the box. "The smaller one must be yours."

Justin's eyes glistened as he nodded. "Yes," he told her with a wistful smile.

"Try it on," Katie suggested as Kaylee nodded in agreement.

Justin shook his head. "I don't know...That's probably bad luck, and that's the last thing we need right now."

"How can it be bad luck?" Katie insisted. "Those show how much you and Dad love each other. How can that be bad?"

Justin knew she was making it sound far too simplistic, but she had a point. The rings had never been a symbol of sorrow, only happiness. Besides, he was itching to make sure his still fit - and to see it back on his finger, if only for a brief second. So he finally nodded as he reached in with his thumb and forefinger to gingerly pull the shiny band from its nesting place. His hand shaking - and not due to his previous injury - he stared at it for a few seconds before sliding it slowly down over his left ring finger, the coldness of the metal making him shiver a little as it came to rest near the web of his hand.

Kaylee and Katie both sighed dreamily in unison as Justin couldn't help smiling. Was this really going to happen for real this time?

He was relieved to find that the ring still fit him perfectly. He spread his fingers apart to better admire the platinum band that still looked brand new. "How does it look?" he asked his daughters as he stretched his hand out to admire it.

Both girls turned to look at each other with a smile. "It looks great, Daddy," Kaylee assured him. "It's so pretty in the light." The sun streaming in through the large windows was casting a prism of rainbow colors on the metal band as Justin nodded in agreement.

Sighing in reluctance, he finally pulled the ring off his finger to place it back into its spot in the box before snapping it closed. Clutching the box in his hand, he took a deep breath as he turned to Katie. "Your father never mentioned that he had these before?"

Katie shook her head. "Are you kidding? It was hard enough just to get him to say anything about you. Although he used to moon over you all the time."

Justin grinned in amusement. "Moon, huh?" She nodded. He liked the sound of that. "How do you even know what that word means, Katie?" he asked.

Katie shrugged. "Not sure," she answered honestly. "Must have been one of Dad's old movies where I heard it. That's all he ever watches, do you know that?" she replied with a roll of her eyes. "Does he even know that movies come in color now?"

Justin chuckled. "Yeah, he's had that habit for a long time now. Except when you were little, he sometimes got snookered into watching Cinderella or Snow White in a weak moment. But he always drew the line when one of you wanted to watch Winnie the Pooh. For some reason, he hated that cartoon!"

Both girls giggled as Justin thought of another idea for their celebration. "I wonder if he would notice if these were gone?" he mused out loud to no one in particular.

"Why, Daddy?" Kaylee asked him curiously. "Are you going to get new ones?"

Justin thought about that. In a way, that would make sense. If all went as planned, they would be starting a new life together. A new symbol, then, of their future together might be appropriate. But they weren't really starting a new life together, he thought, not really; not when they still had Katie, Kaylee, and Gus. They had always been a part of their lives, and always would be. So perhaps there was a way to meld both ideas into one. He shook his head finally. "No...But I will need these for your birthday party. I'm hoping your father won't notice that they're gone, because I'm going to have some changes made." How often had he wondered what had happened to them! It made him happy to know that Brian had kept them all these years, though. He looked at that as a hopeful sign.

He smiled at them then, knowing they must have a lot of questions on their minds. There was so much to do in the next three weeks! But getting the portrait collage finished, however, was the priority.

"By the way, Daddy..."

"Yes?" Justin asked as he turned to look at Katie, noticing both of his girls whispering together.

Kaylee nodded then as Katie replied, "Kaylee and I know our birthday is just a way to get Daddy up on the mountain. So we're okay with it just being a fake birthday."

Justin frowned. Hadn't he been clear about that? "What do you mean, a 'fake birthday,' Sweetheart?"

Katie shuffled her feet slightly as she explained, "Well, we know you only said that so you could get Daddy up there. We know that's not what it's really for. But that's okay," she was quick to add before Justin could respond. She smiled over at her sister as she impulsively took her hand. "Just having our two fathers back together is the best birthday present we could ever have."

Kaylee nodded in agreement as Justin shook his head in amazement. "You two..." he murmured. "No," he told them as they frowned. "You are still going to get your birthday party, don't worry. I can't think of a better day to celebrate than the day the two of you were born." He smiled at them as he told them, "That was one of the happiest days of my life - and your Dad's. And this will be the first time in a long time that we can celebrate it with both of you together. I wouldn't miss that for the world."

Both girls were teary-eyed now as Justin grinned. "Now what kind of cake do you want for it?"

"Chocolate marble!" both girls answered together as Justin laughed, totally unsurprised. He already knew that was Kaylee's favorite cake - vanilla and chocolate swirled together. Why was he not shocked that it was Katie's as well? "Well, then, chocolate marble it will be," he told them as he placed the ring box in his jeans pocket and walked over to place a hand around either girl's shoulder. "Now, Katherine Elizabeth - artist in residence," he said as she giggled over the new title. "I think it's time you and I go back up and do some more preliminary work on our painting, don't you?" Katie nodded as he looked down at Kaylee with a smile. "And you are welcome to watch us. I know how exciting you think that is, and how much you love the aroma of fresh acrylics."

She wrinkled her nose up, just like Justin knew she would. "No, thanks," she muttered as Justin laughed. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, though, as she said, "But I can get my digital camera ready for when Dad comes home and take some pictures of you and Katie painting, though!"

Justin grinned. "Honey, I think I know what I look like. But that's not a bad idea, though. In fact, I'll tell you where your Dad used to keep his old SLR camera. I bet it's still up there." Brian was a creature of habit for the most part when it came to storing his things, whether it was clothes, books, papers...or unused electronics. Something told him he knew exactly where it would be.

"That would be great, Daddy!" Kaylee squealed, excited at the prospect of getting started and having her father's camera ready when he got home. "You don't think he'll mind?"

Justin shook his head. "No, of course not," he reassured her. "After all, it was his suggestion that you do something together, and I think he had a great idea. You can even blame it on me," he teased her. "I think he'll be thrilled, though. Come on, let's go see if we can find it together," he decided. "Katie, can you go upstairs and get the paint ready? I'll be right there."

His other daughter nodded eagerly. "Sure, Daddy," she told him as he nodded.

"Okay, let's go find it," he told Kaylee. Keeping his hand around her shoulder, they headed toward Brian's study downstairs.

In no time, Justin had located it right where he thought it would be: in the safe situated behind one of his old paintings. Brian had never taken it down - and he had never even changed the combination to the safe. Was it possible that somehow Brian knew that this day would come? He couldn't have known, Justin knew, but the romantic in him like to think so nonetheless."Here you go," he told her, handing her a somewhat threadbare, dark-brown leather camera case, cracked with age. "Now you'll be all set for your photo shoots when your Dad gets home."

Kaylee nodded, eager to get started on her mission. "You think I could try it out now?" she asked.

"I think I'd wait until your father gets home," Justin told her gently. "It's kind of a complicated camera, and your father is very fond of it. He's had it for a long time. Why don't we leave it on his desk, and in the meantime you can practice with your own camera?"

Kaylee nodded as she walked over and carefully placed it down on top of the desk. "Maybe Dad will let me use this on our birthday to take pictures of the two of you," she said hopefully.

Justin smiled. "Maybe." He wouldn't be surprised. If anyone could talk him into it, it would be one of his beloved daughters. The only variable would be if she would have a need to use it. He refused, though, to go down that road. Everything HAD to turn out right. After all this time, they deserved it; all of them.

Kaylee nodded again as she walked back over to her father. "He will," she said with conviction as Justin grinned. "And I'll be a pro by then."

Justin laughed. "Well, as long as you don't charge too much for your services, I would be honored for you to be the photographer."

"For you and Dad, I won't charge a thing," Kaylee told him with a professional-sounding voice.

Justin leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "That's very generous of you, birthday girl. Now I have to get back upstairs to help Katie, okay? Why don't you go see if Gus needs any help rooting out leftovers; you always seem good at finding them at the back of the fridge."

"Ew, Daddy, no, he'll get food poisoning!" she declared. "Everything in the back is moldy. I'd better go help him out. We don't want him getting sick before our birthday."

"No, we don't," Justin agreed with a smile. "See you later." He cupped his daughter's cheek briefly before she headed out of the study and toward the kitchen. Standing in the hallway, he studied his daughter's retreating form silently before turning to head back upstairs to his studio.

Two Days before Katie and Kaylee's Birthday - Mountain Cabin

The serenity of the mountaintop vista was unexpectedly broken by the roar of two ATVs approaching; two deer turned their heads, startled, and dashed off into the woods as the vehicles approached, carrying a total of four occupants: a teenage boy, two very excited, blond-haired girls, and a young woman.

They pulled up together near the front of the cabin and came to a stop, silencing the intrusive motors and bathing the area in peacefulness once more. Daphne was the first one to emerge from the driver's side of the first ATV, once more marveling at the magnificent scenery that being virtually on top of the world provided. Alighting from the other side of the ATV was Kaylee, leaning into the vehicle to start pulling out some of the items they would need from the backseat.

Gus pulled his long, lanky body out from under the driver's side of the other vehicle as Katie emerged the passenger side. The four of them all took a moment to peer around, imagining what it would look like in a few days, each one anticipating it with great eagerness.

Daphne smiled at the thought. Shit, she had always hoped for the best when it came to her best friend and Brian - and of course, her daughters and Gus - but she had always thought for some reason when the time came that Brian would take the lead. Not that he was the overly sentimental, romantic, traditional type - far from it - but he had changed over the years through Katie's influence. And there was no doubt how he felt about Justin. In fact, from what she could tell, his love for her best friend ran even deeper than before.

But when Justin had called her about a month ago to ask her if she could come to a pseudo-birthday party for the girls, naturally the first thing she had asked was, what the hell is a pseudo-birthday party? Then, once he explained what it was REALLY for, she couldn't help letting out a gasp of surprise. But once she thought about it, it did make sense. It felt right for Justin to ask him.

The only question remaining, however, was - what would Brian's reaction and his answer be? She knew he loved Justin with all his heart, and wanted him in his life completely. But was he ready to go that extra step, or would he somehow think it might jinx their happiness? Would he be afraid to change something that 'wasn't broken?'

She wasn't about to express any of her doubts to the girls, however; they were far too excited over the prospect of their fathers getting married finally.

"Aunt Daphne?"

She blinked as she realized Kaylee was standing on the other side of the ATV, holding a box with several supplies in it for the cabin. She smiled at her reassuringly. "Yes, Honey?"

"Can you get that other box over on your side?"

She nodded. "Sure." She looked over at Brian's son to catch his eye. "Gus, can you come over here and get the painting for us? I imagine it's really heavy. I can't wait to see it!" By the time Daphne had gotten to Britin earlier today, Justin already had it all wrapped up securely with brown wrapping paper, so she hadn't had a chance to see it yet. She was dying to take a peek at it.

Gus nodded as he and Katie walked over to join them. He grinned knowingly. "Trust me, it was. I've got the sore back to prove it. Katie, can you take that box from your mom?" he asked his sister, who was a few feet away. "I'm going to need her help with this. It took both me and Justin's strength to get it out his trunk the other day and haul it down to the stables to put it in there. That frame he picked out must weigh a ton!"

Justin had taken great pains to find just the right frame to complement the family collage once it was finished, making sure the material, width and color were perfect for the display spot he had in mind. He and Katie - the home's 'other resident artist' - had driven into town last week when Brian was at work, Kaylee tagging along, too, since the frame shop was at the mall - so he could find just the right frame for it. It had taken close to an hour until Justin finally found the sample that was perfect in his and Katie's eyes, and three days later the frame shop had finally called to tell him it was ready, just in time for the celebration. Once he knew that vital errand was accomplished, that only left a few other tasks to complete, including the one that Daphne and the children were undertaking presently. Except that Justin had no idea about everything they were doing, only the painting part. Their Dad wasn't the only one who was going to be surprised...

"I'm glad that Daddy had some business in town today, and that you talked him into going to see his mother," Kaylee told her mother with a grin.

Daphne smiled. "Hey, where do you think you got your scheming talents from? I can be as devious as you can be - when the need arises." The others grinned back at her. "So let's get busy!" she declared with a twinkle in her eye.

Gus nodded as the two girls hefted their boxes toward the cabin's door, setting them down on the front porch's wooden bench. A few minutes later - after some grunts and groans from both Gus and Daphne - the two adults managed to carry Justin and Katie's painting over to the door. Setting it down with great relief, Daphne dug into her jeans pocket for the key Justin had given her. Holding it up, she grinned over at her co-conspirators. "Okay," she said, breathless from her exertion. "Let's get this show started."

Pompilio's Café - Same Time

Jennifer silently peered over at her son in concern as she took a sip of her iced tea, noticing his food was basically untouched. She watched as he gazed out onto the street from their window table, his mind seemingly a thousand miles away. He still had his hand wrapped around his fork, but her son was apparently not interested in food at the moment. Hence, her worry; from the moment her son could grasp a utensil, he had always had a hearty appetite.

Ever since she had collaborated with her granddaughters in their schemes to reunite their two fathers, and Justin had found out about her complicity regarding it, she had tried hard not to interfere anymore. She knew whatever happened between the two of them was strictly up to them now. The fact that her son and Brian were throwing a private birthday celebration with only Gus and Daphne as additional guests didn't really bother her; on the contrary, she was pleased that the small family unit seemed to be functioning well. So why did her son appear to be so caught up in his thoughts? And why did he seem so serious?

Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer. After all, he had asked HER out to lunch; somehow, though, she suspected it wasn't just to catch up. "Justin?" she called out softly. He didn't seem to hear her, not until she reached over and gently clasped his wrist to get his attention.

Then her son turned his head and blinked as he peered over at her, seeming to refocus on his surroundings. He bestowed a half-smile on her as he asked, "You said something, Mom?"

Jennifer sighed. "Justin, you've been staring out into space for the last few minutes, and you haven't hardly eaten any of your linguini with clam sauce, and it's always been your favorite here. Honey, what's going on?" She didn't come out and say, "What's wrong?" She was trying hard not to jump to any conclusions - yet.

"Nothing," he told her softly. "Really," he added as she raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

She furrowed her brow. "Then what? Obviously, you're preoccupied about something. I've never had a meal with you where you would need a doggie bag." She peered over at him until finally her son reacted with a snort. "So, come on, Justin. Spill!" she urged him, leaving no doubt she was prepared to wait a long time until she received a straight answer.

Justin took a deep breath; he was already feeling jittery about what he was about to do. Perhaps his mother could help calm his nerves. "I did come into town to see you," he began. "But I also had an errand to run. I had to pick up something from the jewelers." He paused as she waited for him to continue. "I had to pick up these."

He reached inside his jacket pocket to produce the leather ring box and place it on top of the table.

Jennifer's eyes grew wide and her mouth formed into an 'O' shape. "Justin...That looks like..."

Justin bobbed his head once. "Open it," he told her quietly.

Reaching over, Jennifer grasped the box in her hand as she pried the lid open. She gasped as her suspicions were verified. "Oh, my God," she whispered as she looked over at her son, who was peering back at her uncertainly. Justin bit his lower lip as she slid one finger over the smooth, gleaming finish of the smaller band. She lifted her gaze, her mouth hung open. "Justin...You bought these?"

Her son shook his head. "No...Those are the same ones that Brian and I used to wear after our private commitment ceremony. Katie discovered them one day in Brian's nightstand when she was searching for her Christmas presents, and told me about them. I took them into the jeweler's to have an inscription added to them," he explained.

"But why?" she asked, holding her breath. Could it be...?

Justin smiled nervously. "You know the girls' birthday party in two days? Up on the mountain?"

Jennifer nodded.

"Well...it's not just going to be a birthday party. I mean, we WILL celebrate it...but..."

Jennifer gasped as she looked down at the rings. "You're going to ask Brian to marry you?"

Justin nodded, his smile diminishing a little as he started to explain, "Mom, I know we were apart for a long time. But I never stopped loving him. I'm ready now; and I think he's ready. I trust him - and I know he's committed to only me now, just like I am to him. He's proven he loves me over and over again. And the girls - Mom, he loves them and Gus so much. He's such a wonderful father. And I know..."

Jennifer placed her hand over his and squeezed it to interrupt him. "Justin, you don't have to justify it with me. I think it's wonderful, Sweetheart!" she cried out, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm so happy for you!"

"You are?" He asked, a little surprised. His mother nodded with a warm smile as he breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you feel that way," he told her.

She smiled back at him radiantly, proving where he had inherited his own smile. "Do the girls know?" she inquired. "Oh, Justin, they must be ecstatic!"

He grinned. "Yes, they, Gus, and Daphne know so far - and you. And yes, they can't hardly stand to wait until day after tomorrow - and not because of the girls' birthday. Do you know they told me they didn't care if they even had a birthday? Well, they did - that's how much they want this, Mom. And I want it, too." He appeared a little uncomfortable as he realized something.

"What?" she asked softly.

"Mom, I hope you know I'm not trying to slight you - or Deb - or any of friends by not including you. It's just that it...it felt right to do it this way, with just the girls, Gus, and Daphne. And I figured we could all have another celebration with everyone afterward. You do understand, don't you?" He peered over at her anxiously; the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his mother. She and his sister meant the world to him.

To his relief, she shook her head and smiled. "Of course I understand, Honey!" Her eyes glistened as she told him, "I'm so happy for you." Her smile lessened a little, however, as she noticed a troubled look on her son's face. "Justin, you should be excited and happy about getting married. So why that look on your face?" Her mouth hung open in realization as she asked, "Surely you don't think that Brian is going to turn you down?"

"I...I don't know," he answered her honestly. "Maybe he won't want that sort of formal commitment."

Jennifer's eyes flashed. "Justin Taylor, that man loves you - deeply, unequivocally, and with every fiber of his being. I have no doubt in my mind. And he loves his children and would fight to the death to protect them. You can't tell me he wouldn't want to proclaim that to the world! There is no way that man is going to say no to you!"

For the first time that afternoon, Justin actually laughed then. "Mom, you're so melodramatic!" He teased her.

"Well, it's the truth!" she insisted.

He grinned before telling her softly, "Yeah, I think maybe you're right." He took a deep breath and let it out as a large weight seemed to roll off his shoulders. "So...Do you think they could warm this up for me? Suddenly, I'm feeling really hungry."

She grinned back at him and nodded as she raised her hand to get the waiter's attention. "So are you going to tell me what you had inscribed on the rings?"

Justin blushed. "No," he told her a little regretfully. "I want that to stay just between Brian and me - okay?"

She nodded. "I understand." As the waiter returned and retrieved Justin's plate to go warm it up for him, Jennifer told her son, "Well, I expect lots of pictures at the ceremony, and a video. Or I will crash your party!"

"Mom!" Justin scolded her with another laugh as he held up his hands. "Okay, you have a deal. I think Kaylee has become quite the budding photographer, so I have a feeling she'll be more than glad to oblige you." Now his smile became a full-blown one as he confided, "And don't worry; I want plenty of photos and videos of this, too. I don't plan on going through with this ever again." His eyes welled up with the prickling of happy tears as he felt the emotion rising up in his throat. "I plan on this lasting forever."

Two Days Later - Kaylee and Katie's Birthday

Brian's eyes slowly fluttered open as he felt the sun shining through the master bedroom; he instinctively reached his hand over to Justin's side of the bed, only to come up empty handed. He lifted his head, noticing Justin sitting over in the window seat, looking out pensively onto the backyard.

Sliding from the bed, he winced slightly as his feet hit the cold, hardwood floor. A few moments later, he leaned down to slide his arms over Justin's shoulders to settle on his chest. "Hey," he whispered as he kissed Justin's cheek.

Justin reached up to place his hands on top of Brian's as he turned his head and smiled at him. "Hey yourself," he greeted him softly.

"What are you doing out of bed so early?"

Justin turned around on the window seat to face his partner as Brian took a seat beside him. "Just thinking," he told him with a soft smile. "Got a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Care to share?" Brian asked. "Most people say I only have half a brain at times, so I've got lots of room up here." He curled his lips under playfully as he pointed a finger at his temple.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Oh, I seriously doubt that," he told him with a smile of his own. He stared silently over at Brian then, almost as if he were memorizing every angle. "You're the most amazing man I've ever known," he told him softly. "And one of the most intelligent."

"Well, I'll make room for you, then," he teased him as he cocked his head. He didn't receive the smile he expected to garner, however, as he frowned slightly. "Everything okay, Sunshine? I'm sure the girls' party will go off without a hitch. You don't have anything to worry about."

Don't I? He couldn't help thinking. "Everything's fine," he told his partner. He paused for a moment before he asked, "Brian, you are happy...right?"

Brian's mouth hung open. Where had THAT come from? He huffed in disbelief. "What the fuck, Justin? How could you even ask that?" He reached over to cup his hand under his partner's jaw and force the mesmerizing, blue eyes that he knew so well to look at him. He slowly stroked the slightly stubbled skin under his touch as he reminded him, "Justin...You know me better than anyone, just like I know you. So how you could even question that..." He scooted over closer until their upper legs were touching. "You...You, Gus, and the girls...you complete me. You all give me a reason to get up in the morning, and a reason to come home at night. As much as I have always loved having Katie here with me, I don't think I really understood how empty I felt inside until you and Kaylee came back into my life. It...It was like a big piece had been missing." He dropped his hand down to grasp Justin's in his. "Justin...Shit...I don't know what else to say, except that I love you. I never stopped loving you. And now I can't imagine any other kind of life. I wouldn't want any other kind of life." He slowly rubbed his thumb over Justin's hand before he whispered, "Does that adequately answer your question, Sunshine?"

Justin's eyes watered. Yes, he thought it did. Now, there was only one other question he had to ask. And as much as he was dying to ask it right now, he couldn't. It would have to wait until later. He nodded then. "Yes," he managed to croak out, his voice breaking just a bit. "Just...feeling a bit nostalgic today, I guess."

Brian stilled his hand to reply, "Well, past memories are nice to have. But I think it's time we start making new memories now, don't you?"

Justin nodded with a smile. "Yeah, me, too." He told him. "Definitely."

Brian nodded in relief. He exhaled a deep breath. "You know, Kaylee has a real eye for photography," he told him. "She might just make a hell of a photographer one day." He and Kaylee had printed out several of the photos Kaylee had taken outdoors on photo paper, and Brian had framed several of them to display in various locations throughout the house, just like the proud father that he was. "I think her keen, artistic sense of style came from you, Sunshine."

Justin smiled. "I'm not sure if you realize just how much she has enjoyed spending all that one-on-one time with you. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy, Brian. You're spoiling her."

"Looks who's talking!" Brian remarked with a laugh. "Katie now thinks she's the next, best thing to Georgia O'Keefe." His voice softened as he added, "Kaylee's not the only one who's had the time of her life these past few weeks. She loves painting with you, Justin." He rolled his lips under. "Please tell me, though, that you're finally done. When you don't show up on time for dinner, I know it's really serious. And Kaylee's getting tired of THIS father attempting to cook."

Justin burst out laughing. "You? I figured you were ordering a deivery of some kind on the days when Katie and I worked through dinner. Now that I know you're subjecting our daughter to possible food poisoning, though, I'll make sure to fix dinner myself from now on." He smiled at Brian's look of indignation. "Well, don't worry, Dad. Now that we're done, you won't be placed in that awkward position again - and our daughter will be safe from jeopardy."

"I am more than happy to relinquish that duty over to you, Sunshine," Brian told him. He smiled. "Katie really seemed pleased with the painting the two of you did. I'm just a little surprised it took this long to finish, though."

Justin averted his eyes then, hoping Brian didn't see the look of guilt there. But it was for a good cause, wasn't it? He glanced back at him as he explained, "Well, she wanted to make sure it was perfect, so we spent more time than normal on it. I'm glad you liked it."

"I would have loved anything she helped you paint, you know that," Brian murmured. "I'll make sure your painting of Britin has a place of honor at Kinnetik in my office." He paused. "I loved it, but I'm a little surprised you didn't make it a little more personal."

Justin sputtered, "Personal?"

Brian nodded. "Yeah. You know - personal. Like maybe Gus, or their grandmothers. Or maybe you and me, since I know the girls are so thrilled to have us back together."

Justin squeezed Brian's hand. "They're not the only ones," he whispered softly, effectively steering the subject away from his and Katie's painting. He didn't want Brian to suspect that the painting he and Katie had done of the front grounds of Britin had merely been an elaborate ruse, and that, in actuality, there were two paintings.

Brian smiled as he reached over to grasp Justin by the scruff of the neck to pull him in for a kiss. As they broke apart, he whispered in his ear, "Well, now that you have me up, I could use a shower. Care to join me?"

As always, Justin's pulse raced at the sultry look on Brian's face, and the seductive tone of his voice. He nodded as Brian nuzzled his neck for a few moments for good measure before he rose from the window seat, pulling Justin up with him. "Come on, Sunshine - time's a wasting. You have a birthday party to organize."

"I do?" he replied with a quirk of his mouth. "And what is your job going to be today while I'm hard at work?"

"Mine's going to be to stay out of the way," Brian quipped as he smacked Justin on his butt. "Now come on - my cock has a date with your ass this morning."

"How romantic," Justin replied, rolling his eyes as Brian thrust his tongue into his cheek impertinently. Justin laughed at his antics, despite his stomach churning. He didn't know why he was so nervous about what he was planning to do later. Why did he think he had anything to worry about, especially when Brian was gazing over at him with love shining so clearly in his eyes? Still, until he heard that one word he was yearning to hear - and until he could slip that ring onto his finger again - he would still have that one, slender tendril of doubt. The afternoon couldn't come soon enough for him. Either way, he had to know.

"Justin? Coming?"

He turned to peer over at his partner. For once, there was no hint of flippancy in his voice, only a genuine question, and almost a hint of vulnerability in the hazel eyes.

Justin smiled. "I'm definitely planning on it," he finally told him as Brian grinned.

Holding out his hand to him, Justin placed his hand in his as they walked toward the master bathroom.