Brian's POV

Justin and I walk into the kitchen to find Ted, Blake, Emmett and Ben standing around the center island talking and drinking wine. If I didn't know better I would think that this was the way it was supposed to be; everyone joking and relaxed. But there is still this heavy undertone beneath the faux joviality. It's even more evident when Deb arrives, already counting heads and noticing almost immediately which one is missing.

Everyone sits down at the table cautiously, looking at each other and noticing the tension level slowly rising. Debbie is the first to speak, "So, what's the reason for the dinner, and why is the only person not here Michael?" She questions solely looking only at me.

The collective sigh from everyone wasn't as quiet as I think they'd like. I straighten up and respond. ""Ma, I hate to say it, but Michael is the reason we are all here and he isn't. He wasn't invited and please hear me out before you yell at me. Something happened last night and we don't really know how to handle it, but we wanted to make you aware." I pause as I'm still unsure how to tell her all of this.

Before I can continue, she starts to panic. "What happened? Is my baby okay? Why aren't you helping him?"

Carl is looking at all of us and he seems to realize that Debbie is jumping the gun... again. "Honey, you said you saw Michael at the diner this morning, right?" She nods and he continues, "So, he isn't hurt. Why don't we let them tell us what happened before you jump to conclusions. Remember what we've talked about?" Carl looks lovingly at his wife, imploring her with his expression.

She looks around again, and calms herself. Her gaze crosses all of us, but once it lands on me, it stops there waiting. "I know you noticed the tension when he came into the diner this morning. Well, he may be trying to forget what he did, but none of us can, and we shouldn't!" Her face gets a bit red, and she stands up so I rush ahead. "Before you go and defend poor little Mikey, wouldn't you even like to know what he did this time? I... we know your first instinct is to protect him, but if you hear what's happened, you might find that isn't the right response."

I leave it there for now while she thinks about it. She, yet again, scans the room and sees everyone nodding their agreement. She sits down, "Fine, but I don't like that you are all ganging up on him." She says defiantly. Her eye flash wide open and she stands up and points her finger at me. "What the hell did you do this time, Brian?"

It's Ted who speaks up to her, which I have to admit surprised me. "Debbie, Brian asked you to listen first... and I personally find it insulting that your knee jerk reaction is to blame Brian, when I think even you know already this isn't his fault."

"Well, it seems that your baby has decided that Brian is the one he is meant to be with, and to hell with considering anyone else. He has declared it's time, so it needs to happen right now!" Emmett blurts out. I can't agree with his annoyed tone, but I'm grateful that someone else started off the discussion.

As Debbie sits back down, looking at the floor for a moment before looking back up, she tells them, "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Michael is with Ben. He must have been joking and you all just took it the wrong way." Debbie explains to justify Michael's actions.

I start my recap before she can start her tirade about how wrong we all are again in defense of Michael. I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes knowing that no matter what, she needs to know what the real deal is. "Michael invited to me to Woody's last night, but nobody else was available so it ended up just the two of us." I let that sink in for a moment before continuing."All of a sudden, Michael informed me it was time for us to be together. I didn't understand what he meant at first, then when I realized, I immediately said no." I take a deep, shuddering breath just before the words seem to tumble out of their own volition. "Then he said that I should at least give him one night as more than friends to give him the lasting memory."

Debbie first reaction was doubt and denial. She was shaking her head no and saying Brian must have misunderstood her son. Emmett tells her they had all walked in unnoticed and witnessed the entire thing. Debbie is dumbfounded. Carl has his arm around her shoulders trying to let her know he is here for her. She looks up at Ben with tears in her eyes.

Ben regards her just as steadily as the rest of the group. ""Debbie, I wish it was a joke or a misunderstanding. He did this when he thought he was alone with Brian. He hadn't realized that anyone else was there. We saw and heard what he said. Nobody else saw me there. I heard what he said. For Brian's part, he was appalled and even tried to remind him of me and Justin being part of the picture. I have to admit that having to have my husband be reminded I exist is painful. Michael's reply to that was that it was only a matter of time for them to be together, so now was the right time. After hearing that I left before anyone noticed me. I went home and waited for him. After a time,he came home and acted as if nothing happened. I asked him how his night was and he answered saying that it was just like any other night. When I asked him about what I heard, he explained that Brian was his forever and I was just his right now." Ben's voice trailed off. He couldn't speak anymore; the pain was still too new. He just lowered his head and shed silent tears. Emmett held Ben's hand.

Debbie sees how hurt Ben is feeling. "I... I just don't believe it. Why? Why now? Why again?" She is verbalizing her thoughts as she continues to stare at Ben. She finally gets up and engulfs Ben in a less than Debbie strength, soothing embrace.

Debbie's POV

I'm so conflicted. On the one hand, Michael is my baby. I go into Mama Protector mode when he is concerned. And no, I don't think that's wrong! On the other hand, I can't ignore how much destruction he can cause. Realistically, I know that I usually find a way to make Michael's wrong doings Brian's fault, but Brian has never stopped me from doing it. He protects Michael as much as I do. Right now, I feel bad for Michael since it seems like the family is ganging up on him, but I can also see how devastated Ben is - also how hurt Brian is, how angry Justin is, and how confused the rest of the family are.

"I don't understand. We all know that Michael had the crush on Brian since they were teenagers but he has Ben now. Why would this come back up now, and all of a sudden?" I ask to nobody in particular.

Everyone is quietly thinking when Teddy, of all people, is the one who starts to answer, "Deb, I don't think any of us know what brought this on, and yes it was out of the blue. He's made it very uncomfortable since he won't even acknowledge how strange this is. He seems to think that because he declared it, that makes it so. When he saw us there, he didn't act embarrassed or apologetic at all. He said we all knew it was inevitable."

Emmett is next to answer me, "Debbie, first of all, we are concerned about Michael. He seems to be having some kind of delusion right now. He just doesn't seem to accept the reality surrounding him. He is back in his fantasy world where Brian loves him... always has, always will. Second, being in this alternate reality, he is being intentionally ignorant of anyone else's feelings. Mostly Ben, whom he was extremely hurtful towards, and Justin, who I'm impressed hasn't hit Michael yet." he says with a quick giggle and a bashful look toward Justin and Brian.

I try to absorb what they are saying. It just doesn't seem real. "What do you want me to do?" I ask. Maybe they have a plan, even if I can't see what it could be.

"We honestly don't know what to do. We were hoping to talk it out and try to figure something out tonight. We want to help him, but need to be careful too. I'm not sure we can go back to normal after this." Brian solemnly says. "Carl, we kind of hoped you might have some ideas we haven't thought of. My only idea was to see if Dr. Alex could help." What the hell is it with him and that fucking phone? I keep seeing him fiddling with it, as are the rest of them but...

"Wait! What? You're just going to pawn him off on some...some shrink? I thought you were his best friend," I say to him. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that Brian has good intentions but Michael won't see it that way.

Brian rolls his eyes at me before declaring, "Sorry Deb, but I just can't be around Michael right now. I don't trust him at this point. Also, I don't trust that Justin won't kill him after the way Michael spoke to and about him last night." Brian looks at Justin and gives him his tongue in cheek smirk.

Everyone tries thinking about what to do. They inform me that Ben is staying with Emmett for a while. While trying to come up with some sort of plan of action, now mine and Carl's cell phones have joined the ranks of fucking vibrations and musical rings. We all know who it is and they are urging me not to answer, even though they know it's hard for me not to. I want to make sure he's alright but with all of this going on, I know the first thing he will ask is ‘Where's Brian?' and he'll go through the list of them until he can finally pinpoint just where Brian is. So I silently agree through action, not to be distracted by Michael's need for their attention just then. This was a delicate situation for all of us and we each realize that they could not face Michael without some sort of strategy. Looks like Brian, may have the best idea yet about Dr. Wilder. I'm not happy about it... and Michael won't be either.

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