Everyone was already there when Brian and Justin arrived at Debbie’s.

“Dada!” Gus yelled, running to his father.

“Hey Sonnyboy,” said Brian, as he lifted his son into his arms.

“Jusin,” squealed Gus.

Justin flinched, but took Gus from Brian and gave him a hug.

“Justin,” Molly taunted.

“Hey, Mollusk. I didn’t know you and Mom were here,” Justin smiled and reached to tease his little sister.

“Justin, STOP!” she shrieked.

Justin closed his eyes and stepped back.

“I’m sorry, Justin. I forgot,” Molly whispered, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“It’s okay. He’s all right. Let’s just try not to yell, okay?” Brian assured Molly.

“Okay,” she answered, her voice cracked as more tears escaped.

“You know Mol, I sometimes yell when I shouldn’t too,” offered Brian.

The group laughed.

Justin was very aware that everyone was watching him. He took a deep breath entering the living room. “Hey”

“I’ve missed you, Baby,” Emmett said, wrapping his arms around Justin.

“I’ve missed all of you, too!”

Justin moved to where Molly had slumped down on the couch. Justin grinning, plopped down by her almost sitting on her. She looked up at him, he gave her a big smile. Smiling back, she gave him a hug.

“Can I play with Gus?” She asked softly.

“Sure, but only if I can play too; otherwise I’ll have to hang with the old people.”

Everyone groaned or laughed in response.

The doorbell rang. Justin flinched again, but covered quickly hoping no one noticed. No one said anything, but they all noticed.

“I’ll get it!” said Michael.

“Hi, Daphne, come on in.”

After greetings were exchanged, she walked over to Justin, giving him a hug, and then sat with him, Molly, and Gus on the floor.

Brian joined the ladies in the kitchen and picked at the food they were preparing. Michael, Ben, Emmett, and Ted were arranging the tables and chairs. As they moved the high chair, Brian asked that it be put as far from Justin as possible. Ben nodded his understanding.

“Is he all right?” Ted asked, glancing at Justin.

“He hasn’t had a good day. I really had to pressure him to come. So I don’t know how long he’ll stay,” Brian replied.

“What happened?” Jennifer asked worriedly.

“We had a really nice evening last night. We went out for dinner and then to a movie and he really seemed to enjoy it. Then we went home and…” Brian stopped, looked at Jenn and smiled self-consciously.

“Okay, I get it, but skip the details,” she laughed.

Brian laughed and continued, “about an hour after he fell asleep he woke up screaming from a nightmare.”

“Poor Sunshine!” Deb said, softly.

“So we talked and stuff for awhile.”

Ted and Emmett smiled at each other when Brian said, “stuff.”

“Then he had one of those really bad headaches.”

“How bad are they?” Michael asked.

“At least he was already in bed so he didn’t fall. They come on so suddenly it’s scary.” He paused, “That’s not really true, he can feel them beforehand, but he can’t tell if it will just be the constant throb or turn into a massive migraine. Last night he told me he started feeling it at dinner but he didn’t say anything. Eventually, he fell asleep, but I could tell he was still in pain.”

“Was it gone this morning? It looks like he still has one.” Wondered Vic.

“He was still asleep when I left for work. Thankfully, my meeting was moved up and sorter than expected. When I got home, he was in the shower. I waited because he didn’t know I was home, after awhile, I went in to check on him. He was sitting on the floor of the shower crying. The hot water had run out. I got him out and dried him off. He was shivering. It’s like he couldn’t feel how cold he was. When I wrapped him in a blanket, he asked me why I was doing that,” Brian said, looking away quickly, a tear forming in his eye threatened to fall.

“then we went to rehab. I made him eat a muffin in the jeep, but he threw most of it out. Rehab was awful. His arm is getting weaker and less coordinated by the day, and the pain is much worse. It’s hard to watch. Even Miguel thinks he’s pushing to hard.”

“He looked really tired when you came in for lunch,” added Deb.

“He was, and again he really didn’t eat anything,” Brian said. “I never thought I’d see the day where I eat more than he does,” Brian chuckled to himself.

“How was the meeting with Dr. Lewis? Is he encouraged by the new procedure?” Jennifer asked hopefully.

“He was at first, and then he said it probably wouldn’t help. He’s convinced he’ll never get better. He thinks it might stop further deterioration so he agreed to send the files to Dr. Tomkins.”

In the living room, Molly got her backpack and brought her crayons and paper to the coffee table. She handed Gus a piece of paper and a crayon that had already been broken. She got an unbroken one for herself and started to draw. She looked at Daphne and handing her a piece of paper, placed the crayons between them.

Justin was watching Gus, scared that he would try to eat the crayon, but Gus was happily making large swirls on his paper.

Brian held his breath when Molly, after a long pause, and obviously a lot of thought, handed Justin a piece of paper. Justin smiled at his sister, took another look at Gus, and decided on a crayon. Daphne’s eyes looked to the kitchen and saw everyone watching.

Justin started slowly, but soon he was confidently drawing a simple landscape. He continued to watch Gus, but was lost in his work.

After a few minutes, everyone went back to what they were doing, everyone that is, but Brian, who watched Justin very carefully. He couldn’t help but smile as Justin concentrated on his artistic expression.

Ted and Emmett watched Brian studying Justin and smiled to each other. Then they noticed a frown replacing Brian’s smile and looking over to Justin, noticed his right hand shaking and it obviously pained him. Justin stretched the muscles in his hand and squeezed his shoulder. Then tried to continue drawing. Daphne watched as she drew.

“Fuck!” snapped Justin slamming the crayon on the table, then stalking off, slamming the back door behind him.

Brian put his bottle of water down and started for the door.

“Let me try,” Daphne said as she went to the door.  

Daphne watched as Justin paced the yard. When he got to Gus’ soccer ball, he kicked it hard in frustration, sending it sailing over the fence.

“If you think I’m going to go get that, you’re crazy.”

“Fuck Off!” Justin turned and yelled.

“Oh, that’s original!” Daphne replied calmly.

“What?” Justin could feel her watching him.

The windows were open and everyone inside the house was listening to the two best friends argue.

“Justin, you almost have everything you wanted. You can’t give up now,” Daphne said.

“You think this is how I wanted things?” Justin hollered, holding up his hand that was twitching painfully.

Daphne calmly walked over taking the hand between both of hers, and guided him over to the picnic table to sit.

“Justin, I know this is hard for you but you have to start looking at the good things. You used to be the most positive person on the planet. It was pretty annoying, really. Who would’ve thought that I would miss it?” Daphne explained.

Brian smiled, agreeing with Daphne.

“I know, but I can’t see it anymore. I don’t know why. I try. I really do. Last night was perfect, but then I ended up feeling awful. It’s like every time I make an effort to move forward or deal with it, I slide back even further. Like today, at the doctor’s office, I know Dr. Lewis and Brian are encouraged by this new procedure but I just don’t believe it.”

“What new procedure?” Daphne asked.

“It’s a new kind of laser thing, but I get the feeling there’s something they aren’t telling me.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. I trust Brian more than anyone. He is always honest with me, even when it hurts.”

“And it often does,” added Daphne.

“Yeah, but he’s been acting weird today. Maybe I’ve finally driven him crazy.”

“That’s not a long drive,” snickered Ted from inside.

“No, Justin he’s just worried. We all are,” said Daphne.

“That’s the hardest part. Sometimes I wish I never woke up,” Justin confessed sadly.

“I know, but that would have been selfish,” Daphne said putting her arm around him.

“How?” Justin asked. “Everybody’s life would be so much easier.”

“We’d be sitting around the hospital everyday and Brian would be there every night, just like before,” she explained.

“Okay, maybe Brian should have let Chris finish me off then.”

“FUCK YOU!” Daphne yelled, standing to face him. “It’s a miracle you’re sitting here. For two weeks, I prayed you would wake up and be okay. We all did. Do you know what would have happened to us if you hadn’t gotten better? I know you don’t blame anyone but Hobbs. A lot of us do blame ourselves though. Your mother and Deb because they talked you into going to the prom, I felt awful because more than anyone I knew how bad things were at school. I know you didn’t tell your Mom, Deb, or even Brian how bad they were every single day, but I knew, Justin. Even though, you tried to hide it from me too. I knew,” explained Daphne, tears forming in her eyes.

“Then there was that whole weirdness thing. What if you had died before we settled all of that?”

“We did that day at school, remember. When we decided to go to prom together?” offered Justin.

Daphne smiled, “you really are the best friend. I asked you to do something that I had no right to, you reluctantly agreed with the understanding that it would not change anything. Then I completely flip out on you and all but ignore you for weeks, at school where you didn’t have anyone else.” She started to cry but continued. “And after all that a simple little sorry,” she stopped.

“Hell, I never really apologized. Justin, I’m so sorry, and you forgave me just like that.”  

“What did she ask him to do?” Jennifer asked the others. “I didn’t know things were strained between them.”

“She asked him to be her first,” Emmett answered.

“What?” Jennifer exclaimed. “He was?”

“Yeah, she wanted it to be with someone she trusts. It’s really kind of sweet,” Emmett said with a smile.

“Emmett, you couldn’t keep a secret if someone was threatening your wardrobe,” snapped Brian.

“No one said it was a secret,” Emmett defended himself.

“Well, if she didn’t know, maybe he didn’t want her to. Some things are private,” stated Brian.

“Now can we all shut up, I am trying to eavesdrop here,” Brian smirked at the irony.  

“Daph, I didn’t particularly enjoy this conversation the first time. I really don’t want to repeat it. It’s over.” Justin said calmly, then turned to her and they said, “and it’s NEVER going to happen again,” together. Then laughed.

“You are right. I don’t blame anyone and I wish everyone would stop blaming themselves,” sighed Justin.

“It’s only because we love you. I should have done something. I saw Chris leave right after you and Brian. It was the other door and he was going in the other direction. I thought he was going for more booze,” Daphne says, her voice cracking. “I didn’t think he was going after you, but I should have known.”

“How could you have known? Can you honestly tell me you thought he would do this? I mean he was always a jerk, but I never would have guessed he’d go from shoving me into lockers and down stairs or punching me a couple of times a week to trying to kill me with a baseball bat.”

“Yeah, I guess, but I always thought he was more of a psycho than you did,” said Daphne.

“And you told me to watch my back,” offered Justin.

“Blaming ourselves or anybody else isn’t going to help anything,”

“Neither is giving up,” Daphne said, pulling Justin into a hug.  

Everyone sat down to eat, Brian and Justin at one end of the table with Daphne next to Brian and Emmett on the other side of Justin. Lindsay and Gus were at the other end.

Brian sat down and immediately cut all of his food into bite-sized pieces. Justin struggled with his utensils trying very hard not to get frustrated. When Brian finished cutting, he leaned over and whispered something to Daphne. She nodded. After a minute, Brian gave Justin a passionate kiss. At the same time, he picked up Justin’s plate. Daphne took it from him, putting Brian’s plate into his hands, he set it in front of Justin. The group smiled, realizing what he did and why. When they pulled away from the kiss, Justin looked down, seeing that everything was ready to eat, he smiled and looked at Brian, who ignored him.

What a wonderfully considerate thing to do, thought Jen. I probably would have cut it up for him embarrassing him.

Brian was very uncomfortable. He was fidgeting and just couldn’t eat a bite. He moved the food around on his plate. After ten minutes, Justin couldn’t stand it anymore, “what’s wrong?” He asked quietly.

“Huh?”

“You’ve been acting strange all day,” Justin said a little louder. His head was really starting to hurt. He rubbed his temple a bit.

Brian just stared at him.

“What?”

Brian opened his mouth but the words wouldn’t come out. He took a deep breath, and turned to Justin, “will you marry me?”

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