Life has never been easy. Why would one think that being in a different city would change that? Hey. I’m Gus Marcus-Peterson Taylor-Kinney. Okay so technically not the Taylor-Kinney just Kinney, but I don’t think that anyone should be left out. 

Some of my first memories would be the crap I used to get at school. The hell I went through cause I had two moms and two dads. The other kids used to say I was a freak, abnormal… whatthefuckever. It didn’t help either that I was smart. I mean really smart. I graduated High School at the age of 16, the University at the age of 19. I tried to prove myself as someone who was NOT strange and abnormal, but nothing stopped the teasing, pushing, and so on. Granted if it wasn’t for my dads, I might have ended up a weak little ‘faggot’, so to speak. It was my dads that had gotten me into the martial arts, and boxing. 

All of my folks cared for me a great deal; they just all had their own way of handling me. Mom Mel … she was a hard ass. If I came home with a C on one of my papers, you would think that the world was coming to an end. And let’s not forget her telling me to kick everyone SOB’s ass who had a problem with them. Mommy was the softy. I could get anything past her, could do no wrong in her eyes. She was the one who would kiss my skinned knees and give me ice cream.

Now my dads, while my Moms were cool, in their own way… my dads were the best, maybe cause I didn’t spend most of my time with them growing up. I don’t know. But Dad would always encourage me to be the best I could be. He would tell me not to let some ‘straight tight ass loser’ bring me down. I was who I was, and if others didn’t like it then they could just get lost. What can I say… that’s my dad. Now Dad Justin would encourage me in other ways. He was the only one who would ASK me what I wanted. He would ask me and we would talk about things. Yeah, I talked to the others, but not like Justin and I would talk. We talked like friends, and he understood things that none of the others could.

Anyway, I went to the University out in California. When I had told my Dad that I was going into the Ad field like him, I actually think I saw a tear in his eye. All the times he would sit down at his computer with me in his lap had paid off. I was so enthralled in what he did. The artist and creative thing he did on a daily basis. I could have a part of Mommy and Dad in this field. 

I quickly rose at work, when one day the chance to move to New York came -- the chance to run a small but successful ad agency. It wasn’t Kinnetic but it was my dream, what I had always wanted. The added plus… it’s where my dad’s lived. Dad is retired of course, and Dad Justin is somewhat retired, just living the high life in New York for years now. 

I remember when they had moved there. I had hated both of them for leaving me, for deserting me. Of course it didn’t take long before I spent every weekend I could in New York, every break from school over there. Going to Dad Justin’s shows, going to Dad’s work. Yeah… I loved living with my dads. So going back to New York was a huge blessing for me. I would be able to see them again, and get their advise on things anytime I wanted… and in person. I’m almost positive that Dad would roll his eyes most of the time when we had talked on the phone, so now I had the chance to see his reaction for real. 

Things were going great for a while too. It was everything that I had ever wanted. Here I was 24 almost 25, my own business in New York. I was on top of the world, only problem was it didn’t last. Soon the problems started. I wanted this agency to be the best, but somehow it’s turning into the worst, and I don’t know why. It started off with little things, misplaced files, and misplaced boards… that type of thing. Then the big shit started happening. Money started to disappear, end up in the wrong place or just plain missing. Client started to pull out. We were losing money and business fast. I didn’t know what to do, what was going on.

So I did the only thing I could. I asked my Dads for help. But before I did that, I did a lot of soul searching. I knew that I had stepped on more toes than I wanted to remember climbing up this fast in such a cut throat business. For years when I was in school, I always had been able to keep my dad from finding out some of my escapades. I don’t know for sure why I did some of the things I did. At first I think I did things for the attention I’d get from my mothers. Of course it took some of the heat off of my younger brother who was a raging queen from the moment he popped out of my mom’s belly. 

I always thought it was rather fitting. Mom Mel, super dyke have a nelly queen for a son. She of course was sure that it was all Uncle Mikey’s fault and maybe it was. I mean who really knows about genetics and what makes a person gay or straight. I know there are lots of theories, but shit if anyone should be gay it should be me and I’m as straight as they come.

Dad said it was a phase I was going through. That I was straight because I wanted to spite him like all teenagers. I hope he was joking. Justin actually was the one I turned to when I needed support. He must have spent thousands of hours listening to me rail on whether I was sober or drunk, Justin listened to me without judging. He knows all my secrets. And now that scares me to death. Because I think one of my secrets might be out to hurt me or worse yet hurt Dad or Justin. 

I think it might be Sara Goldstein’s brother. I’m not sure, but when she died he swore that he’d get even with me. I only met the man once. But once was one times too many. It was at Sara’s funeral. I had nothing to do with her death. It really wasn’t my fault. She kept hanging around Tommy and I and the next thing I know Tommy’s fucking her. How were we to know that she was sick? She never said anything. It was her heart and when she died, for some reason her brother focused on me. I know now that it was because Tommy used my phone all the time to call her. But at the time I just thought old man Goldstein was a nut case. I mean a grown man who insisted on playing the fucking violin instead of getting a real job had to have a screw or two loose. I mean who listens to violin music?

When I hired Kip Gold, I almost didn’t because his name was Gold. It was a little too close to Goldstein. I asked him if he liked violin music and he said he couldn’t stand it. Well that was enough for me. With the rest of his resume and the fact he hated violin music he was in. He’s been one of the better hires too. A real go getter even if he is kind of old and moldy looking.

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Justin lay with his head in Brian’s lap. They were in their living room of their house on the coast. It was a favorite spot for both of them. Justin enjoyed the feeling of Brian’s fingers combing through his hair and the strength of the well muscled thigh beneath his head. When they were at their home on the ocean Brian ran the coastline beach every day. Justin always started out with him but inevitably an odd shaped rock, or a piece of driftwood would catch his attention and before he knew it Brian would be too far down the beach to catch up. So instead he would wander the beach looking for anything interesting.

After their early morning run they would shower together and then, depending on their mood they would cook breakfast or go into the small village near their home and eat at the local diner. It was an idyllic life but they had both worked hard and enjoyed every minute of their retirement. 

Brian was fully retired. He would spend hours writing a book that he wouldn’t let Justin read. Justin suspected it had to do with his reputation as the stud of Liberty Avenue, but Brian wasn’t saying. Justin on the other hand was only semi retired. He occasionally lent a hand to Gus with his advertising business and did some free lance work for other agencies. He didn’t have to work but it kept him active in the market he’d grown to love having worked so many years with Brian.

Now, with Brian content to sit and stare at the ocean while Justin used him as a pillow, the two men waited. Gus had called earlier he had something to discuss with them both. The fact that Gus was willing to give up a Saturday and Sunday to drive to their isolated home, told Brian and Justin that the matter was serious.

Gus liked to tease his fathers that they had moved so far away because they wanted to avoid visitors. Brian and Justin of course denied this but there was a bit of truth in what Gus said. 

They still had their home in Pittsburgh and a loft in New York. But it was to the peace of the ocean where they usually gravitated. “Do you have any idea what Gus wants?” Brian finally asked. He knew his son talked to Justin about his problems more than he did to Brian.

“I’m not sure. He has been having a few work related misadventures. But I don’t understand how we could help him with that. Once he gets his office staff organized it should sort itself out.”

“Do you think he’s found someone to partner up with?” Brian looked down at Justin, “because he’s kind of young to settle down.”

“I was seventeen when I met you if you’ll recall.”

“But we didn’t settle down for three years after that.”

“Not because I didn’t want to. But because you were a bugger to catch.” Justin teased. “And I was only twenty one when you finally admitted defeat.”

“I’d admitted defeat long before that. I just didn’t tell you.”

“Asshole” the word bore no malice. The two of them had developed an easy way with each other. They were both confident in the others feelings and knew they were loved unconditionally.

The sound of a car driving on their crushed shell driveway told them that Gus had arrived. Neither man moved, they were content to sit and wait for their son to walk in the door. More than five minutes passed and Gus didn’t appear. Finally Justin sat up. “I wonder why he isn’t coming in.” he stood and headed to the door pulling it open just in time to have Gus, bloodied and bruised fall into his arms.

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I almost didn’t go to my Dads’ place on the coast. First of all it was embarrassing to be caught like I was and beaten up like some kind of school boy. I thought I was being mugged, but it didn’t take long to figure out that wasn’t it. 

Could it have been the fact that standing just inside the shadows of a doorway not too far away someone was watching and obviously getting off on my beating? I don’t know, just the thought creeped me the fuck out. 

When they finally left me with a kick and I made it to my car, I thought I’d just drive. Or go find Molly, she’s always been good to me, maybe too good. We had a fling a while back. I never said anything to Justin but I think he knew. We went out for a year. I never said anything at the family dinners and neither did she.

Our ages kind of kept us quiet. I don’t think it’s a cool for a guy to be eight years younger than his girlfriend as it was for Dad and Justin to be twelve years apart. Anyway, I couldn’t go to Molly because she told me to stay the fuck away from her the last time I dropped in. Apparently she didn’t mind the age difference. I’m too young to be tied down to one girl. I tried to tell her that, but she was screaming and crying too much to make any sense. I do miss her though. She was a lot of fun.

Uncle Mikey lives too far away and Auntie Emmett would only run and tell the dads anyway. I figured I might as well get it over with. Maybe now the dads would take me seriously. I know Justin thought I was being over dramatic when I first told him about the problem. Of course he doesn’t know everything. A guy has to keep some secrets.

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Justin moved through the house getting together some cloths, water, and bandages. Seeing Gus stumble through the door sent a chill through him that he had never experienced before. Although Gus was not his biological son, he was the closest thing that Justin had, and seeing him hurt almost destroyed him. Brian was trying to be calm, as was Justin, but how they were doing it was beyond him. 

Justin had heard that parents had a tendency to go on adrenaline and do what needs to be done, and yes he had experienced it before with Gus, but never to this extent. Never before had he felt this sudden anger and fear all at once. With supplies in hand, Justin walked back into the living room. He felt a huge wave of relief flow through him as he spotted Gus sitting up on the couch with Brian next to him. “I don’t know, Dad. All I know is that I was on my over here to get your opinion on something… next thing I know I’m on the ground getting the shit kicked out of me.”

“Did you see who attacked you?” Brian asked calmly. How he could remain calm as he looked at his son’s bloody face was beyond him. 

“It was dark, Dad, and they had these masks on. Plus I was a little more worried about getting my ass kicked.” Gus stood from the couch, and immediately felt the room start to spin out of control for him.

Justin pushed Gus gently down on the couch once again, and stood before the young man with his hand on his hip. “Sit your ass down, and shut up. You don’t give your father any fucking attitude young man. We’re only trying to help. Do you understand?”

Gus looked at his other father and lowered his eyes. “I understand.”

“Good, now what do you think is going on, and don’t leave anything out.”


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Things were pretty bad, but I never thought they would resort to violence, whoever it was that was behind this mess. I know I’ve lived a rough life. A lot rougher than Dad is aware. I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, but it’s over now, that was kids stuff. I’ve grown up and moved on.

I can’t help but wonder if my previous life is coming back to haunt me. At first, when my tire went flat on the expressway, I put it down to bad luck, once my heart was able to beat again and I could release my hands from the steering wheel.

The second time something happened, I was waiting to cross the corner. I’d just picked up a tall Americano coffee from Starbucks and the evening paper before heading back to the office. If I hadn’t bent down to give that homeless guy some change, I’d have had a bullet in my skull. I sure as fuck can’t tell either of the dad’s that, geeze they’d have me chained in the basement.

And now this. I’m sure there isn’t a square inch of my body that isn’t bruised. Or at least it feels that way. It’s almost like it’s two different guys who are doing things. One who wants to hurt me, either financially or with a fucking baseball bat and one who wants to see me dead. I wonder which one will win this race?

Dad and Justin came up with this idea that they would go undercover and suss out the bad guys. Talk about a bad ‘made for TV’ movie – they haven’t a clue. But it’s the only plan any of us could come up with so we’re going with it.

Justin looks pretty hot once you get used to his short dark hair. He’s been blond all my life though I suspect he helps it along with a bottle now that he’s older. Dad just looks fucking weird. I mean give me a break; he shaved his head and took the grey out of his beard. And now tanning bed sessions. I think he looks definitely weird, though apparently Justin has other ideas because it’s hard to keep them out of each other’s pants. You’d think they had a free prescription of Viagra or something and wanted to use it all up immediately. It’s gawd damn embarrassing. They’re old men for cripes sake. I digress.

When dad showed up at the firm I had to do some fast talking to convince everyone that I hadn’t lost my mind in hiring a new face when it was obvious the company couldn’t afford anyone else.

Dad has been at the firm for a week now. He is really good. He sure hasn’t lost his edge and I’m learning tons from him. Way more than I did at University. He should teach he’s so good. Already I’ve got four new accounts and one of the ones who left is considering returning.

Justin starts today in the art department. I’m not so sure he can keep his identity hidden. He’s still active in advertising though not in the lowly circles of my company, but still, I think he’s recognizable. He seems to think he’s disguised. Well, we’ll see.
Yesterday a bouquet of dead roses was delivered to my loft. I haven’t told either dad or Justin about it. I’m glad I don’t have a cat or I’d probably find it dead too. This is beginning to sound like a B movie.

I called Molly today. I wanted to feel her out and see if she knew about Dad and Justin. It took seven tries before she stopped hanging up on me. Christ who knew Justin’s sister could carry a grudge this long. I really miss talking to her and actually I kind of miss sleeping with her. But I don’t miss the temper tantrums and the never ending tears when I won’t hang around.

Of course when I told her what was up all I got was a lot of grief from her. You’d think I’d told I had taken a stake to Justin’s heart or something. So if my life wasn’t shit before, now I have Molly after my ass and not in a good way. She’s threatened to get Abe here to keep an eye on me. Like I want that nelly queen getting in my way, fuck he’s worse than Auntie Em and believe me that’s pretty bad.

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Justin stood in front of the mirror, trying to get used to the new look. Gone were his long, blond locks. Now he was looking at himself with dark, short hair. When he had told Maurice that he needed to look completely different, he hadn’t imagined such a drastic change. Shaking his head, Justin went to his closet and began to pull out his old outfits, trying not to look like he has a lot of money is going to be difficult. Brian had spent years trying to get him out of his baggy pants and sweaters. Justin placed his shopping bags down beside the closet and began to hang his ‘new wardrobe’. “Brian’s going to throw a fit.” He stated turning to Gus who was sitting on the bed. “It’s like going back in time… all these years he had tried to get me out of these type of clothes…”

“Just look at it this way, Dad. You’re reliving your youth.” Gus laughed from the bed. When he had brought the subject up with his dads, they had been all for the idea of helping him. Justin had said that he could act like a kid fresh out of college once again. Gus smiled as he remembered the look on his dad’s face. Brian didn’t seem to think that it was such a great idea, but he reluctantly agreed. Gus knew his father however, was enjoying this. He knew that his dad would be thrilled with seeing his partner as a ‘kid’ again. With as hard as his dads had worked to stay looking young, Gus knew that they would enjoy this undercover assignment.

“Your dad is the one who doesn’t want to grow up, Gus. I’m perfectly happy being … what I am. Well maybe we can take a couple of years off.” Justin laughed as he began to change his expensive suits with baggy pants and shirts. “I think I’ll wear my glasses too. Normally I wear contacts, but I think it adds to the mystery, what do you think?”

“I don’t know, Jus.” Gus stated shaking his head. “You know how dad gets when he sees you with your glasses.”

Justin turned back to Gus and smiled. “And the problem with that is?

“You are trying to investigate what’s going on with my business… not fuck like bunnies in the closet.”

“Gus, neither your father nor I have been in the closet in years. I don’t think we have plans to go back.” Justin stated with a raised eye-brow. “Besides… Too many people have seen my picture in the paper or have seen me around the office already, so I think that it will be better for everyone if I don’t look my normal self. Somehow I don’t think being ME will work.”

Gus shook his head, not believing what he was getting into. “Dad’s going to kill us for the hair color, you know that right?”

Justin shrugged and hung up more of his clothes. “Don’t worry about your father. I’ll handle him.”

“Handle me how, Sunshine?” Came the voice from the door. “And what the fuck did you do to your hair?”

Justin turned to face his lover and froze. His mouth hung open, and his voice refused to work. Standing before him was a completely bald Brian Kinney. “What… I… I thought you were going to dye it.”

Brian shrugged as he came into the room and threw down a couple of clothing bags. “Yeah well… the damn dye turned my hair to straw – there was no way I was going to let anyone see me with hair that looked like some bimbo who lived in a trailer. I have Maurice shave it off. He ran is hand over his smooth head. It’s actually kind of sexy. Of course I’ll need some time in the tanning bed to match the rest of me.” He grinned at Justin and Gus. “I’ve been hit on all afternoon since I shaved it. It kind of reminds me of when we first met. You couldn’t keep your hands off of me.” He leaned down and kissed Justin’s lips. Justin reached up and touched Brian’s scalp. It did feel kind of sexy and it smelled like his fancy skin cream. 

Brian looked into the bedroom mirror. “You know, I’ve always wanted a decent sized tattoo. Maybe I should get on my head. When I get sick of it, I can grow back my hair.”

“You look like one of those old time wrestlers or movie guys with the shaved head and the beard.” Justin laughed as he took in his lover. They had talked about the changes they would have to make, but this… this was almost too much for Justin. There his lover was… 50 plus years-old and looking like he was 30-something. “This will definitely take some getting used to.” He laughed and looked at him again. “What kind of a tattoo?” he asked suddenly interested.

“I’m not sure. I’m sure you could come up with something that I might like.”

“Uncle Mikey would shit a brick.” Gus said with a snicker.

Brian reached up and ran his hand over Justin’s short hair he was standing behind him – both of them looking into the mirror. Justin’s hair reminded him of a time he’d really rather forget and he wasn’t too happy to have the blond disappear either. “It is going to take getting used to in more ways than one. But it’s for a good cause, right Sonnyboy?”

“Leave me out of this. I never once said that you had to shave your head.” Gus sat there holding his hands up in front of him. “All I said was that you might want to change your appearance a little bit. I was thinking like maybe dressing differently or shaving off your beard or something. I don’t think shaving your head even entered the equation.”

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After dealing with Dad and his shaved head and Justin with his dark short hair and trying to talk to the two of them when they were both all but panting wanting to have sex, I finally left. I actually wrote a paper in University about the fact that gay men are more about sex then heterosexual men. Of course that’s probably because they both are horny and most women can take it or leave it depending on whether sex is going to interfere in whatever they had planned for the day.

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Justin lay on the couch with his head in Brian’s lap. After the initial shock at his lover’s new look, Justin decided that he could deal with it. . Yeah it was sexy, but it just didn’t seem like Brian to him… it was like some stranger was sitting there with him. But once they found out who had hurt Gus, Justin was going to force Brian to grow it all back. “Gus said he thinks that it was someone at work who had beat the shit out of him.” Brian stated as he ran his fingers through Justin’s hair. 

“I’m just trying to figure out why? Money, the losing the accounts I can understand, but why beat the shit out of him?” 

Justin shook his head and tried to get his mind to work, come up with something. “Whoever it was had to be pretty damn good, or they took him by surprise. I don’t like either idea. Gus is young and headstrong. I don’t want him thinking that he can beat this guy physically. Guys who use violence are generally unstable in more ways than one.”

Brian closed his eyes, resting his head against the back of the couch. He couldn’t get the image of a bruised and bloody Gus falling into his arms. When he got his hands on the asshole that had dared to touch his son, there was going to be hell to pay. “We’ll figure it out,” was the only thing that Brian could say. He didn’t dare tell Justin his plans for revenge. 

“I have been thinking though… why Gus? If they wanted to do something like this, they had plenty of opportunities to do it when the place was getting ready to sell. They could have bought the place out. Why wait until Gus took charge?” Justin thought out loud. It had been something that had been bothering him since Gus had first brought up the fact that they were having problems at work. It didn’t make any sense to Justin why everything would go to shit now that they had a change of command. 

Brian opened his eyes to look down at his lover. “What, you think that someone is after Gus? That they are doing this as some way to get back at him? For what? He’s just a fucking kid.” Brian asked shaking his head. He couldn’t even imagine who could think about doing something like this to his son. Gus had always been way more open and kind, always having tons of friends around him. As far as Brian was aware, his son didn’t have one enemy hidden away in his closet. “I don’t buy it.”

“Then why? Why now, and why Gus? Think about it.” Justin sat up and turned to face Brian. He knew that he would have to go easy on Brian, and say what he had to carefully. Brian would never think the worst of his son; never believe that Gus could be anything like him. But Justin knew better. He knew how manipulative and conniving Gus could be. He knew that Gus had made enemies over the years. “Brian, I know you want to believe that Gus is still the young, innocent boy, but he’s not. He has made some enemies… I don’t know if any of them would do something like this… but he’s not as innocent as you like to believe.”

Brian stood from the couch and grabbed a glass, filling it with liquor. With glass in hand, Brian leaned against the wall and looked at Justin. “I know he’s not innocent. I’m not that stupid. But he’s still a kid. I mean how many enemies did you have at his age?”

Justin brought his lower lip into his mouth, and looked away from Brian. “More than even you are aware of, Brian. I had a hell of a lot of enemies… enemies who WOULD do something like this. Hell, I’m amazed I only got my brains smashed in once.” Seeing his lover’s face pale, Justin leaned back against the couch and ran his hand through his hair. “I’m just saying that you don’t know everything, despite the fact that you like to think you do. Gus isn’t perfect; he has made a lot of mistakes, mistakes that can come back to haunt him.”

Brian shook his head, not wanting to believe a word that Justin was telling him. Turning away from his lover, Brian walked out of the house, trying to decide how much he had heard that was true. He remembered some of the escapades that Gus had gotten into over the years. He vaguely remembered Gus being suspended from school for fighting with another boy. But that was just some school yard scrap. Every kid did things like that. Surely someone would have told him if Gus was misbehaving on a regular basis. Brian thought about it as he walked down to the beach and he realized that maybe just maybe Justin had tried to talk to him about Gus over the years, but that he’d refused to listen. Now it appears he was going to pay. Both of them were going to pay because Gus was as much Justin’s child as he was Brian’s, maybe even more so because it was Justin that Gus always came to first.


The day Justin was due to arrive at the firm; dad had been antsy all morning. I actually had to take him into my office for ‘the talk’ which by the way he didn’t take well. But Geeze Louise I couldn’t have one of my employees walking around like a bear with a sore ass making all the girls cry not to mention the new guy in accounting.

And if that wasn’t bad enough I had Molly phoning me all morning on one stupid pretext after another. Like who gives a shit what color she paints her bathroom? And I should care why? Though I hoped she’d go with the blue she showed me last week. It matches her eyes and would look great when she’s in that gigantic tub full of bubbles and me.

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Justin stepped out of the car early Monday morning with his briefcase in hand. They had agreed that there would be at least a week in between their arrivals, and Justin hoped that no one would be the wiser. He wondered briefly if they could actually pull this off, if they could even find anything out that could help Gus. When they had started planned Justin had been all for it, but now that he had time to think about it, he was unsure whether or not some new guys would be able to get ‘in on the action’. 

Justin of course never once mentioned his fears to Brian. His long-time lover was determined to find out what the hell was going on, and no one was going to stand in his way. Justin had tried to explain all of his fears in regard to this to Brian before, but the other man had just walked out of the room. Much like he did when Justin had mentioned that yes… Gus had enemies. With Brian… Gus could do no wrong, and Justin knew that the older man wished that Gus would confide in him like he did Justin. It was something that Justin could not help. 

Shaking his head, Justin made his way into the art department and smiled at the head of the department. Today would be his first day in the office, and Justin wondered again how they were going to do this. Yes, they had a plan, but if it actually worked was beyond him. Brian had been there a week already, and so far they had nothing. No leads at all. 

As Justin set his stuff down on a small desk in the corner of the room, he looked up and saw Brian standing there talking to one of the other artists. Instantly his heart began to beat strongly in his chest, and he had to tear his eyes away from his lover. Just seeing Brian, caused an instant reaction to his body. Added to the fact that yes… he had finally come to terms with Brian’s new look, and realized that it didn’t matter one bit… his lover was HOT!

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I think dad and Justin were both surprised when I went into Kinney business mode and scheduled a meeting with the art department and the developing teams. I wanted the dads to meet everyone at once. My office is rather busy, despite the setbacks and not everyone is around all at the same time. Today was different. Today everyone would be under one roof. 

The meeting was going pretty good, or at least I thought so when all of a sudden Justin looked sick. I thought he was having a heart attack or something. I was going to say something when everything went back to normal. Or as normal as my fucked up life and family ever is.

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A meeting with the art department and the developing teams was scheduled for Justin’s first day. Two of the sales team that had been away on business had returned and Gus thought it would be a good time for Justin and Brian to see everyone at one time. Though of course that’s not why he had called the meeting as far as anyone else was concerned.

Justin knew immediately when he walked into the boardroom who the problem staff member was. He was sitting at the far side of the large the table. Fat and balding, but still unmistakable to Justin, sat Kip Thomas. The other man didn’t even flinch when Justin was introduced. He didn’t recognize him at all and surprisingly enough he didn’t recognize Brian either. Though wearing an off the rack suit, bald and with a full beard, Brian was hard to recognize, but still hot.

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I went to Justin’s sublet after work. He’d left early and on his first day. His color never did come back and I was worried about him for two reasons. The first one being that dad would kill me if this little scheme killed Justin and the second one being that Molly would finish me if dad didn’t.

Justin looked like shit when I got there. He refused to talk about it and I ended up going to Molly’s to find out if she knew anything. Molly made me beg outside her door for almost twenty minutes before she let me in. And then just because I made a comment that she looked like she was putting on weight, she locked herself in the bedroom, turned up some music and refused to talk to me. How fucking juvenile can you get. How was I to know she was sensitive about her weight. It looks good on her. She kind of glows and is all sort of rounded out. I like that in a woman. Not that I will ever get a chance to tell Molly that. Damn what a bunch of drama queens the Taylors are.

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Justin collapsed down on the couch in his temporary home and leaned his head back against the cushion. He hated the fact that they had decided to ‘pretend’ to not live together but at the moment he was grateful for the slight reprieve.

Seeing Kip again after so many years had surfaced something inside him that he had long ago forgotten. After all of these years Brian had yet to know about that incident, and Justin wasn’t sure what his lover would do if and when he found out. It had been a fear of his years ago, one that he had all but forgotten about. Well, not really forgotten but had buried deep inside of him. Now he felt like that young, naïve 17-year-old kid again. 

What would Brian do when he found out?

Cause Justin knew he would have to tell Brian. Justin had to fill Brian in on his thoughts as to Kip’s involvement or at least of the potential problem. And since Justin wasn’t even supposed to know the other man he would have to tell Brian. Not something that Justin was looking forward to. 

Deciding that they would all have to sit down and go over the new information, Justin picked up the phone and called Brian and Gus. After setting up a meeting place and time, Justin picked up his keys and left his apartment.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
After my reception at his sublet I was surprised when Justin called for a meeting. That had nothing on the surprise that Dad had when Justin ‘revealed all’. I was actually kind of proud of Justin. I mean here he was seventeen at the time and willing to put his life on the line to save my dad’s ass. If that isn’t love, what is?

Apparently dad had other ideas. I thought he was going to explode. He got that deadly look in his eyes and spoke so quietly Justin and I had to strain to hear him. Not that we wanted to. We both knew that the shit was in the fan just by ‘THE LOOK’ believe me we’ve both been on the receiving end of that one before.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As he walked in he immediately spotted Gus sitting in a dark corner of the crowded bar. “Where’s your dad?” he asked as he sat down and ordered a beer.

“He’s running a little late. He should be here soon.” Gus stated as he took a sip of his water. The young man craved a beer but knew with the medication he was on, he would have to wait. “You said it was important.”

Justin thanked the waiter and let out a sigh. “I need you to first off… keep in eye on your dad. Tonight and tomorrow.”

“What’s wrong?” Gus asked suddenly nervous and leaning forward. If something happened to his dad while trying to help him out, Gus would never forgive himself.

“I doubt he even remembers him, but … I don’t know. He changed his name, definitely doesn’t look like he did back then. Keith Gold….” Justin thought out-loud. Shaking his head he turned his attention back to Gus. “Tell me about Mr. Gold.”

“He’s an okay employee. Works hard. He had helped with some pretty big accounts, but he mainly keeps to himself. Why?”

Brian walked up and pushed Justin over so he could sit beside his lover with his arm draped across his shoulders. Reaching over he took Justin’s beer and let the dark liquid flow down his thoat. “What’s going on?”

Gus shrugged and looked from Justin to Brian. “I think Da has something.”

Brian looked over at his lover, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders and the worried look in his lover’s eyes. Raising an eyebrow in question, he turned his full attention on Justin. “Well?”

Justin closed his eyes, stealing himself for the onslaught. “Do you remember Kip Thomas?”

Brian stiffened and removed his arm from around Justin. “How could I forget? Question is… what does he have to do with this?”

“I saw him today. He’s working for Gus. He’s going by Keith Gold now… but it’s him.” Justin began praying that Brian wouldn’t ask anything else. All hope died when Brian asked the question that Justin had been dreading for the past twenty plus years.

“And just how do you know? You never met Kip. Is there something that you aren’t telling me, Sunshine?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Of course after dad threw a hissy and stormed out of the bar I had to stay with Justin. Molly would have had my balls if I’d left him there. He looked like he was about to cry. I am sooooo not good with crying men, or women for that matter.

Justin ended up drinking about five disgusting looking pink things with umbrellas and I poured him into a cab and made sure he got back to his sublet. I could only hope that he’d still be alive tomorrow. We have a meeting scheduled with one of my larger clients. The last one I have left.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Justin could only lie on his bed as he looked up at the ceiling, wondering when things had turned so wrong. He knew that Brian would be upset about the revelation about Kip, but he hadn’t expected such anger coming from his lover. He had thought that the past couple of years together would have erased any anger Brian might have felt. 

Should he have told Brian? Yes. Should he have tried to tell Brian the moment he saw Kip there at the agency… yes. But what was done was done. He couldn’t change the past, no mater how often he would like to. He could only go on. Try and work his way past the hurt and betrayal he had seen in Brian’s eyes, and help Gus.

If he and Brian survived this, helped Gus, than he could only hope that they could come out of this still as lovers. They had survived and overcome too much for this to destroy them. He wouldn’t let Kip Thomas, or Gold… whatever name he was using now destroy what he had spent years trying to build.

With new resolve, Justin closed his eyes and began to plan his revenge on one Kip Thomas.

~*~*~*~
“Ethan, I’m not sure of this.” Kip ran his hand down the side of his husband’s neck in a soft caress. “We could get into a lot of trouble if we’re caught. I think we’ve done enough damage to Gus’ business.”

“Why quit now, we have Kinney’s devil spawn worried. He’s lost a lot of business and you know as well as I do that the rumor mill can make or break an advertising firm. If I learned one thing about my ex and his long time jerk of a boyfriend, it’s that he can be hurt the worst through someone he cares for.”

“They’re married you know.” Kip said.

“What?”

“Kinney and Taylor, they were married a few years ago.”

“So were we. It’s no big deal.” Ethan turned away. It really wasn’t a big deal to him. He’d only given in to Kip’s pleas to get married because it meant that he would be part of Kip’s insurance package at the job he had at the time. He didn’t see the look of hurt cross his husband’s face when he heard the words.

“I think it’s a big deal to them though.” Kip walked away from Ethan. Sometime the man just drove him wild. “If we go through with the next step of the plan there’s no turning back. You know that don’t you?”

“I know that.” Ethan said. “I’ve been waiting years for the chance to get back at Justin. He threw me away like yesterday’s newspaper as soon as Kinney crooked his little finger at him. Ethan’s memory was one of convenience. Because of him I lost the competition that would have put my career ahead on the fast track to success. Instead all I’m doing is playing second violin in the Pittsburgh Orchestra.” Ethan had never told Kip about Sara, how his little girl had died because of Gus Kinney and his whoring ways. That was a secret he’d keep to himself. Sara was his secret, she’d always been his secret, his darling little sister who he loved more than life itself.

“But you do it very well and don’t forget about that CD you made. It was amazing and sold a lot of copies.”

“How often do you hear a violin concerto being played in the top ten on the radio stations? I’ll tell you how often, fucking never. I could have gotten in with the concert circuit and been racking in the dollars if it wasn’t for Justin and that damn Kinney.” He leaned over and picked up his precious violin, tucking it under his chin and began to play.

Kip watched him for a few moments. He knew that once Ethan got into one of these moods he’d play for hours and god help anyone if he was interrupted. Kip rubbed his jaw. His husband’s right hook was a killer.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Of course I had to call Molly and tell her what happened. I knew that she would be able to talk to dad and make him understand that Justin only did it because he loved the man. I contemplated calling Justin’s friend Daphne, but figured I leave her till the last. If she came after dad, he would be really pissed ‘cause he’d know it was me who sic’d her on him. She was the pit bull of fag hags.

Molly actually let me come over and talk about it. Probably because I played the Justin card. I’m not stupid, I’m a Kinney, I know how to get back into my lover’s bed.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Justin carefully walked into Brian’s small office, in hopes of trying to figure out what, if anything he could salvage of their marriage. He wondered if Brian was really angry at him, or just upset that he hadn’t realized it sooner. “Only one way to find out,” Justin quietly stated to himself. Knocking on the door, he heard the soft reply from his husband. “Can I come in, or are you still pissed off at me?” Justin asked.

Brian only looked at Justin with the same look he had on the night before. Justin shook his head, knowing that enough time hadn’t passed, so he closed the door and left his husband to sulk. He wasn’t going to beg for Brian’s forgiveness. Not now, not when the whole mess happened years ago. Hell it happened long before Brian even acknowledged that there was something between them. Justin wasn’t going to say he was sorry when he knew that at the time, Brian had needed him. 

Walking back to his desk, he peeked into Kip’s office and slowly let out a deep breath. Knocking on the edge of the doorframe, he gave Kip a small smile. “Are you okay?” he asked spotting the bruise that had formed on the other man’s cheek. He had a brief thought that maybe Kip wasn’t doing anything, or else he was being forced to do something against Gus… that was of course if Kip was involved at all. Justin knew he had to find out one way or another. 

“I’m fine, thank-you. Did you need anything?” He asked not give anything away. The last thing he needed was some young little shit trying to play the hero. 

Justin tried not to roll his eyes, as he shrugged. “I was just wondering if we could talk about the FlyRight account later today. I had some ideas I thought I would run past you.”

Kip looked at Justin, as if trying to picture where he knew him from. It was a feeling that he had since the man walked into the conference room the day before. “I’ll let you know if and when I’m available.”

Justin nodded and left the other man’s office. Now he knew in his heart that Kip was involved somehow. Seeing the bruise on the man’s face, and hearing the words about IF he was available set something off in Justin’s mind. One would think that if they were working on an important account, especially with the way the business was going lately, they would jump at the chance to work on it. Justin knew that Kip wasn’t working on anything at the moment, since the other man didn’t have anything else on his desk. So why would Kip not want to work on the account?

That left only one explanation in Justin’s mind… Keith Thomas Gold was definitely involved. Now all Justin had to figure out was why. 

Of course it would be a lot easier if his husband would talk to him again. The one thing that Justin knew for certain… he couldn’t do this alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Justin sat at his computer late that night, searching for anything he could find on Keith Thomas Gold. He knew that the man had to have married at some point, given the last name change, but to whom was the question. Justin had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach, thinking he might have an idea, but it didn’t seem right. Glancing over at Gus who was on the phone to various people on the west coast, Justin let his mind drift to wondering where his lover was. Shaking his head, he tried to bring himself back to the matter at hand. He couldn’t control Brian, couldn’t control what Brian felt. “Did you find anything?” He asked his ‘son’. 

“Not much really. I did find something that might be something, but I’m not sure.” Gus stated as he pulled out his pad of paper and looked over his notes.

“Have you ever heard of a Goldstein?” Brian asked as he entered the room. Neither Justine nor Gus heard the other man come in, and Justin tried to hide his excitement at seeing his husband in his place once again.

Justin shook any thoughts that Brian was there to try and work on their relationship aside as he pondered the question. “I never heard of him. Why?”

“I think I found a link between him and Kip.” Brian stated turning his attention over to his son. “Does the name ring a bell at all Sonnyboy?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Justin looked down, he had to tell Brian and Gus what he thought but he was nervous. Having Brian pissed with him was upsetting at the best of times. But now he needed his husband more than he ever had.

“I think I have some idea who Goldstein is.” Justin said quietly. Gus continued to talk until he noticed that his father was staring hard at Justin. Justin looked at Brian, his eyes pleading with him. Brian couldn’t stand it any longer. He looked at Justin and nodded and held out his arms. In seconds Justin was on Brian’s lap.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

So dad comes in all macho and asks if I’ve heard of a Goldstein. At first I was thinking no, and then it came to me. Sara, it was probably her fucking brother who had it in for me. I was explaining it to Dad when Justin kind of got this look on his face and said he thought he knew who Goldstein was. Well I was already explaining that, but it seems there was more to the story than I realized.

Goldstein, Sara’s saintly brother, had a fling with Justin a zillion years ago. Nobody had ever told me about that. Even Molly who loved to dish about her brother never said a word. Now dad was being all macho protective husband mode and ready to tear this Ethan Gold as he was known, to little bits. He kept calling him a fucking banjo player which was pretty funny if you knew the guy. It was then that the light bulb went off over all of our heads and we all came to the conclusion at the same time that Keith and Ethan were a couple. Go figure, the mind definitely boggles. At the same time Molly comes rushing in all teary eyes and starts screaming at me that she’s having fucking twins and its all my fault and she’s not doing it by herself and I’d better deal with it now.

Talk about dropping a brick. All three of us were staring at Molly as if she’d grown two heads. Our eyes went from her wailing mouth to her belly at the same time. Everyone’s reactions were pretty predictable. Dad starts queening out worse than I’ve ever seen him because he was going to be a grandfather and twins to boot. Justin kept grinning saying he was going to be not only an uncle but a grandfather and how cool was that. I pretty much was in shock visions of case lots of Huggies began dancing before my eyes but I did manage to grab onto the jumping up and down Molly and pull her onto my knee. Which by the way wasn’t easy because she was definitely expanding in the lower half of her. I mention this and she hit me. These Taylors have no sense of humor at all. 

Justin got dad down from the ceiling, I was afraid he was going to have a stroke between Kip Thomas and Justin’s heroics and Ethan Gold and Justin’s past indiscretion, and now me knocking up Molly, Justin’s sister. I was afraid the landlord was going to send the cops to quiet everything down. Justin dragged dad off to his bedroom. Justin’s no dummy, he knows how to shut dad up, stick his dick in his mouth.

I convinced Molly that the two of us having two kids and an instant family was what I’d been planning all along – I never said I didn’t inherit the old Irish blarney from dad and I do love the girl even if she is a bit high strung. I took her back to my place. Somehow fucking her in the room next to the dads who were noisily going at it, was more than a cock softner.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


“Soooo… Gus knocked up my sister.” Justin began with his head on his husband’s chest. For the first time in days he felt complete, felt like they could get through this whole mess in one piece. “I never would have thought.”

“What is it with you Taylors and us Kinney Men?” Brian asked as he ran his fingers over Justin’s head, resting at the back of his lover’s neck. 

Justin shrugged, wrapping his arms tighter around Brian’s body. “I don’t know what to do, Bri?... about this whole mess with Kip and Ethan. I mean… are they really after Gus, or are they after us? What are they planning, and why? Why beat up Gus? IF they wanted us… I don’t know.”

Brian laid his head on top of Justin’s, holding his husband closer to him. “We’ll figure it all out. We’re good at that sort of shit. We just have to play it cool, let them play their hand, see what they are up to.”

Justin lifted his head up to look into Brian’s eyes. “So you forgive me?”

“How can I not? I’m not happy, but what the hell am I supposed to do about it now?” Brian lightly placed a kiss on Justin’s forehead. “What we need to do now is concentrate on bringing these assholes down, and teach them once and for all not to mess with the Taylor-Kinney family.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Six Months Later

Justin stood outside the nursery, staring inside the small room to the ‘Kinney’ boy. The past six months had been hectic for the Kinney-Taylor family, on all fronts. Jennifer had not been entirely pleased with the idea of both of her children being with the Kinney men, but she slowly came around, fighting tooth and nail the entire way. She was pleased to be a grand-mother, it was just everything else that she wasn’t sure of.

Brian and Justin had finally been able to confront Kip, getting all the idiotic details as to why he was so determined to destroy Gus. Although, Kip had his own reasons for getting to Gus, he also wanted to get even with Brian and Justin as well. Finding Ethan had been ‘god-sent’ to Kip. Justin could not believe that Ethan had it in him to try and destroy those closest to him. If he had only known what Ethan was capable of…

Justin couldn’t even finish that thought. On one hand being with Ethan had helped him understand his relationship with Brian more, and had helped bring them to where they were now. But on the other hand, he couldn’t even imagine the man he had loved at one point trying to hurt Gus – both in business and physically. 

Gus’ business was just beginning to get back on its feet once again. It had taken a lot for the three of them to convince people that the ‘problem’ had been fixed, and now with Brian and Justin helping out on occasion, it was getting some of the old prestige back. 

Gus and Molly had moved in together, and Justin had heard from BOTH sides their problems. He had worked hard to stay neutral, but it was difficult at times. He would call them both on their shit if he knew that they were wrong, but it didn’t help that Molly’s emotions were way out of control due to the pregnancy. 

He had worked hard with Brian, however, in repairing their relationship. It wasn’t easy, and Brian often reminded him of the whole Kip affair, and the Ethan thing from time to time. When Brian would start on one of his rants, Justin would move to his studio, lock the door, and completely ignore the other man. Not that it was easy with Brian banging down the door, and yelling. But Justin and Brian were still as strong as ever. Granted Brian wanted to know EVERYTHING that Justin had done. ‘So he would know the next time someone was out to get them,’ he would say.

Of course, Justin would turn around and want to know the same of Brian. And he didn’t hesitate to remind the other man that both Ethan and Kip were also out to get him, and hated him. 

“So that’s the runt,” Brian stated as he stepped up behind Justin to wrap his arms around his husband. “I always wondered what a kid of our genes would look like.”

“Not really OUR genes.” Justin reminded him. “So how’s it feel to be a grandpa?” He asked. 

Brian pinched Justin’s side hard, causing the blond to cry out. “How’s it feel to be one?”

Justin looked through the glass, and froze. He hadn’t really thought about it. Well he had, but he thought he had been fine with it. “This is just entirely too scary. I mean, what the hell am I?” he asked as his voice lowered to a soft hush.

Brian placed his chin on Justin’s shoulder to glance at his lover. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m both an uncle AND a grandfather… what will he call me?”

Brian wrapped his arms tighter around Justin and tried not to laugh. “Now you have a nervous break-down? For months all I heard was how great this was, now I shouldn’t queen out. Now you decide that it’s a good time? A little too late now, isn’t it Sunshine?”

Justin leaned his head back on Brian’s shoulder, and let out a deep breath. “Better late than never. And Bri… this is real! Really, fucking real. I mean, look!”

Brian turned Justin around in order to look into his lover’s eyes, and shook his head. Leaning his forehead against Justin’s, Brian lightly placed a kiss on the pouty ones beneath him. “I see a young kid there that needs both his … well us, in whatever capacity that that will be. Who the fuck cares about labels? We never did before.”

“Well unless it pertains to clothes.” Justin said with a small smile. “Okay. Once again, you’re right. I guess we’ll just deal with it.”

Brian looked over the top of Justin’s head, and laughed out loud. “Honestly, I think its Gus we need to worry about. Now he has three Taylors to deal with.”

Justin slapped Brian on the arm, as he tried to stop his own laugh from coming out. “I guess we better make sure that the spare room is ready?”

“Hell, he can have the couch.” Brian added. “Come on, Gramps. Let’s go home. Leave the twerp to his parents.”

With that the two men walked out of the hospital to wait for the first time their son came knocking on their door.

~*~*~*~*~
The End. 

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