Unexpected Problems
7:00AM came far too early for Justin Taylor. Daea was up and crying, yet again. Brian gave him a light shove with his foot, indicating to Justin that he was suppose to get out of bed and tend to his child. Slapping Brian's bare ass, Justin got up, pulled on his boxers, and walked down the steps to the crib that was just outside the bedroom, picking up his daughter, gently.
First, he checked to see if she was wet. Nope, the diaper was dry as a bone. Sighing from both irritation and from sleep deprivation, Justin walked to the kitchen and took out the tipsy-cup filled with milk for Daea. Helping her sip from the cup, he waited until she pushed it away, her way of telling him she was done, then put the cup in the sink to be washed later.
He walked back to the crib and put a cloth over his shoulder, before rubbing her back, trying to get her back to sleep. He had classes at 10:00 AM so there was absolutely no point of going back to bed now. He might as well just finish his homework and get ready. Unfortunately, Daea was wide-awake and wanted to play. With a whine, Justin sat on the couch and started his homework, holding onto Daea with one hand as he bounced his daughter on his knee.
*******************
When Brian woke up at 8:00AM, he found Justin asleep on the couch with the ten-month-old girl on his chest, watching her daddy sleep. Her wispy black curls were so much like Daphne's, but it was her baby blue eyes that gave Justin away as her father. Only Justin had eyes that blue, and now his daughter had them. Carefully picking her up, Brian took Daea to the kitchen with him.
"Shhh, Button." He whispered to the baby. "Let daddy sleep. He's gotta get up soon for school. And that means you get to see all your little annoying friends." He said sweetly, getting a giggle from the baby.
Balancing the baby in one arm, he set about fixing Justin something for breakfast, giving Daea her bottle as he did so.
*******************
While the pancakes cooled, Brian walked over to the couch and knelt with Daea in his arms. With a grin, Brian reached over and tickled the bottom of Justin's left foot, earning himself a kick to the hand. He chuckled as Justin rolled onto his stomach, burying his face against the leather couch pillows.
"C'mon, Justin. Get up. You got school in an hour." Brian whispered softly in Justin's ear.
Justin just mumbled something that sounded like 'go to hell' before settling back down to sleep. Unable to resist the sweet temptation before him, Brian gave Justin's bubble butt a sound smack that echoed in the loft.
"Up and Adam, Boy Wonder. Go take a shower and get ready for school." Brian said, heading back to the kitchen with the happy little girl.
*******************
Justin jerked at the smack to his ass, his head lifting as he blinked sleepily. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He stood and walked to the kitchen and over to Brian, giving him a kiss on the cheek, then giving Daea one as well.
"Hey, Button. Are you giving Brian a hard time?" Justin cooed to his bubbly daughter.
"Nope, she's been a good little girl for me while you slept." Brian said, kissing the top of Justin's head. "Sleep well?"
"Yeah, for once." Justin said. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower."
"Don't take too long. You got school soon." Brian warned him.
"Yes, Mother." Justin shot back with a grin, hurrying before Brian decided to get even for that comment.
*******************
While Brian got ready for work, he watched Justin and Daea. It reminded him of himself and Gus. Brian just shrugged off the memory and walked over to Justin, taking Daea for him so he could finish dressing.
Dropping Justin and Daea off at the college, Brian gave them both a kiss goodbye, and headed off for another glorious day at work.
*******************
The client, Scott Lloyd, sat across from Brian at his desk, watching the Ad Executive read over what Scott wanted done. It was an ad for a new clinic to help the parents, friends, and families of Gay and Lesbian teens with HIV and AIDS. Ryder, Brian's boss, had that Scott ask Brian to look it over, since Brian himself was gay and lived in the gay community. Scott glanced at the photo on Brian's desk.
The photo was of Brian, Justin and Melanie, standing behind Jennifer, who had Daea on her lap, and sitting beside Jennifer was Lindsay, with Gus on her own lap.
"Your wife?" Scott asked Brian.
"None of your business." Brian shot back, annoyed with this guy prying into his private life.
"Just making conversation." Scott answered back, smiling to Brian.
"If you must know, the blonde beside me is my lover, the woman with the little girl is his mother, the little girl is his daughter. The dark haired woman is Melanie, the blonde woman is her lover, and the little boy is my son. Happy? Can I get back to work?" Brian damn near growled out.
"Calm down. I was just wondering in hopes that you were single." Scott purred.
"Sorry, I promised him I'd try to be faithful." Brian said. He was back in business mode. "Look, I'll take this home with me and look it over more carefully before trying out some ideas. If you'll excuse me, I have to go pick up my lover and his child from college. If you talk to Cynthia, she can set up an appointment for us to meet again. I have your cell number if I need to reach you." He spoke as he rose, putting the papers in his briefcase.
The two shook hands and left the office. Brian headed down to his jeep, pulled out of the building parking lot, and headed for the college. Brian could NOT believe he just passed up the chance to fuck a stud like Scott Lloyd. He had merely promised Justin that he'd TRY to be faithful. He growled slightly in annoyance. Now he remembered why he hated relationships. They fucked up your life style.
Before Daea had come into their lives, he and Justin fucked as often as possible. Now, having Daea, and with Justin now in college, it very rarely happened. The most activity they engaged in now was heavy petting, and even with that Justin always pulled away, saying he was tired and needed to sleep before Daea woke up. By the time Brian pulled up to the college, he had made up his mind to go to Babylon and find someone to fuck.
*******************
Brian waited as Justin got Daea into her car seat in the back of the jeep, and then cracked the engine. The ride home was done in silence, save for Daea's babbling. Justin was busy reading over his homework assignment.
Brian was honestly impressed with Justin. He was ahead of the others in all his classes by at least three assignments; all the while working nights at Liberty Diner still, and caring for Daea. Brian always knew Justin was a talented artist.
With such a workload on Justin's shoulders, their sex life had dwindled to damn near non-existence. If Justin wasn't doing homework, he was tending to Daea or working. Brian was starting to regret letting that bitch Daphne's child into their life. Maybe Daphne's parents were right. Maybe the child should go to a 'normal' family.
At the loft, Brian called Scott, while Justin took a shower, telling him to meet him outside Babylon. During the call, he kept glancing at a photo on his computer desk, a copy of the one he had at work. Reaching over, Brian set the photo face down on the desk. After hanging up with Scott, Brian went to his room, got dressed, and headed out to Babylon, not bothering to right the photo.
*******************
Justin stared at the loft door after Brian had left. Justin had a gut feeling Brian wasn't going to Babylon JUST to dance. He couldn't figure out how and where he'd gone wrong with Brian. He thought they were doing well. Justin put Daea to bed and went to the bedroom to do this homework. When he was done, he read until he fell asleep. When the alarm went off at 8:00AM, Justin looked to Brian's side of the bed.
Brian hadn't come home.
*******************
Michael felt bad for Justin. The kid was going to college, working what hours he could at the diner, and raising a baby. Now Brian was pulling this shit after they'd been doing so well. He wasn't surprised when David offered to take in Justin and Daea. Michael, of course, had protested the idea, but in the end he agreed that if push came to shove, Justin and his child could move in with them. BUT, Justin would have to care for Daea himself with little or no help from him or David.
Michael had dropped Justin off at the college, and as he was heading home, he was surprised to received a call from Brian on his cell phone.
"Hey, Brian. What's up?"
"Pick Justin up after school. I'm at work and can't do it." Brian said in his old 'I don't give a fuck' tone.
"Brian, what's going on? What did you do to Justin this time?" Michael asked, a bit miffed with his friend.
"None of your business, Mikey. Just do it." Brian responded, hanging up on Michael.
Michael narrowed his eyes. His mind was made up. Justin and Daea were moving in with him and David.
*******************
When Brian got home, he headed straight to the answering machine and hit play. David's voice filled the quiet loft.
"Brian, it's David." He did not sound happy. "Justin came over to see Michael this morning in a state of distress. He said you went out to Babylon last night and never came home. Michael told me what you said to him on the phone. After doing so well you had to go and fuck up, didn't you? Justin and Daea have been moved in with us until you and Justin work things out. You are not welcomed over. You can call, but you may NOT come into OUR home WITHOUT the permission of Michael or myself, and then only if Justin wants to see you."
The message ended with a beep. Brian just stared at the machine before hurrying to the bedroom. He pulled open the first drawer he gave to Justin.
Empty.
Then he opened the second one.
Empty.
And finally he opened the third one.
Empty.
David was right.
Justin and Daea were gone.
*******************
Michael woke to the sound of crying. He groaned and looked over his shoulder and found David sleeping soundly. It figured, he was a father after all. He was used to this happening in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, Michael wasn't.
Getting up and pulling his robe on, Michael followed the sound to the living room and found Justin pacing back and forth in his sweat pants and a t-shirt, Daea wailing loudly in his arms. Michael remembered David saying that this would happen for the first few days and nights. Daea was in a strange house with two strange, new faces around her. David told Michael to expect the baby to be scared and confused.
"Need any help, Justin?" Michael asked hesitantly.
He was starting to get use to Justin being around all the time now. He was even starting to like the kid. The two shared an interest in comics. They had a slight bond, and were unknowingly, getting closer to a friendship.
"Yeah, I could use some. She doesn't seem to want to calm down." Justin sighed. "She misses Brian." He whispered.
"Yeah, I could hear." Michael joked, bringing a slight smile to Justin's face. "Here," he said, reaching for Daea. "Let me give it a try."
Justin handed the fussing baby to Michael. Michael could see the exhaustion in Justin's eyes.
"Go get some sleep, Justin. If I need help, I can wake up David." He reassured the teen.
Justin nodded and kissed his daughter on the cheek, heading to bed. Michael watched him go, then sat on the couch and placed the baby gently against his chest. He rubbed her back and started telling her a story about Captain Astro.
Justin woke up two hours later, slightly out of habit for checking on Daea, and headed to the living room to do so. It was there, on the couch, that Justin found Michael asleep with little Daea curled up on his chest, one of Michael's arms on her back to keep her in place. Smiling softly, Justin walked over and carefully picked up Daea to keep her from waking. The movement woke Michael, who blinked sleepily up at Justin.
"Why don't you go back to bed, Michael." He whispered.
Michael nodded and rose, heading back to bed.
"Michael?" Justin called to him.
"Yeah?" He turned to Justin.
"Thanks." Justin smiled.
"Anytime, Justin." He smiled back to Justin.
*******************
Of all the places to run into him, Justin never expected to run into Brian at the zoo. He had gone there with a buddy from his art class, Shawn, to have fun with Daea. They had chose to go to the petting zoo first, and were in the middle of helping Daea pet a calf, when Justin felt his presence, and turned to see Brian Kinney watching them.
When Brian saw Justin and Daea in the petting zoo, he instantly felt that twinge of guilt again that he'd been feeling for the last week, since Justin's been gone. He had practically threatened to burn down Michael's Captain Astro Standee if he didn't tell him where Justin had gone. Watching little Daea giggle in delight as Justin helped her pet the calf, made him think of Gus. His hopes of winning Justin back fell when he saw Shawn walk over with more animal feed.
Shawn was tall and lanky, with bright red hair and stunning emerald green eyes. Brian could see why Justin was with him. Had Justin moved on already? Was this beautiful teen his replacement? He stood there and silently watched as Justin handed Daea to Shawn and walked over to where Brian stood.
"What are you doing here, Brian?" Justin asked calmly.
"I miss you and Daea, Justin. Come home." Brian wished the words didn't sound like a command as he spoke them.
"Why?" he asked, anger evident in Justin's voice. "So you can have a live-in whore again?"
Brian almost winced at those words. Almost.
"Moved on already, huh?" Brian asked, looking over at Shawn.
"No," Justin said softly. "He's here as a friend." He looked Brian in the eyes. "Shawn's straight."
Brian looked into his eyes. "I fucked up, Justin." He whispered.
"Say it, Brian." Justin demanded.
Brian sighed. This was for his family. His lover. "I'm sorry." He said loud enough for only Justin to hear.
"It's a start." Justin said with a grin. "This is how it's going to be. I will come over with Daea to visit tonight. I will let Michael and David know. I have school in the morning so I will have to be back by midnight. David or Michael will drop me off and pick me up. Okay?"
Brian only nodded. He understood that he and Justin still needed some more time apart still. He leaned over the fence and kissed Justin's forehead. With that said and done, Brian turned and headed out to go home.
*******************
David pulled up in front of Brian's building and watched as Justin collected Daea and her things.
"I'll be back here at midnight. Wait for me inside. I'll buzz the loft when I get here." David told Justin.
"Thanks, David." Justin smiled.
David nodded and waited until Justin and Daea were inside before heading back home.
*******************
Brian opened the loft door for Justin, taking the baby bag as he slid the door closed. He set it on the floor by the kitchen and followed Justin to the sitting room.
"Dinner's almost ready." Brian said before kissing Daea on the cheek.
"Why did you do it, Brian?" Justin asked, sitting on the leather couch. He sat Daea down beside him to nap, rubbing her back in soothing circles.
"I don't know." Was Brian's reply.
"That's bullshit and you fucking know it, Brian. Why did you do it?" Justin demanded of him.
Brian sighed.
"Because I felt we were drifting apart. We hardly ever had time just to ourselves." Brian said softly.
Justin laughed a bit. "God, Brian. If that's what it was, why didn't you just say anything to me? That's our problem. You don't talk to me."
"You know I have a hard time expressing my feelings, Justin." Brian grumbled. He rose and walked into the kitchen to ready their plates.
*******************
They ate dinner in silence, looking to each other now and then. After dinner, they sat on the couch sipping wine. Brian sat his glass down and turned to Justin, taking his and setting it down as well. It was now or never.
"I need you to listen to me and don't say anything, not one word, until I'm done. Alright?" He asked.
Justin nodded, watching Brian take a calming breath before starting.
"I love you, Justin." He looked into those baby blue eyes.
"At first, I dismissed it as lust for you. But the more time we spent together, the more I started to realize what it was. I was falling in love all over again. When I came to your prom, it was because I had to let you know somehow I cared for you more than you knew. I just couldn't deny it anymore. I loved you and I wanted you to have the best fucking night of your life.
He took Justin's face in his hands, gazing deeply into his eyes.
"I WANT to give you the commitment you want, Justin. No more tricking and no more drugs. I'll even go into rehab if I have to. I'll even TRY to be more open with you, too. If I can't say what I'm feeling, then I'll just e-mail you." Brian grinned and kissed the tip of Justin's nose. "And YOU need to stop being such a drama queen. That's Emmett's job."
Justin smiled. "Do you really mean it?"
"Have I ever said anything I didn't mean?" Brian smirked.
Justin arched a brow at Brian.
"Yeah, I do. I mean every word of it, Justin."
Brian laughed as he got an armful of blonde teenager and fell back into the couch; grateful Daea was put in her crib. He lifted his head to see Justin crying.
"Shh, Baby." Brian cooed to Justin. "Don't cry."
Brian lay there holding Justin, kissing away his tears and murmuring soft endearments to his lover. They were a family once again.