“Can we get the lemon bars for Daddy now?” Liam asked.

“Sure,” Justin assured him as he got Tiernan into the double stroller.  He had come to get the lemon bars but ended up talking to one of his friends at the dinner. 

Sinead was holding on to Tim one of the customers at the dinner.  The guys knew the kids because Justin took them there regularly and Tim and Justin had become friends.

“They’re getting so big, Jus,” Tim said.  

“I know,” Justin told him.  “These two, I’m positive, will be taller than me.”

Tim smirked.  “I can tell.”

“It’s time to go,” Justin told his daughter.

“No,” Sinead said as she held on to Tim.

“I think she’s flirting with you,” Justin teased.

Tim laughed as he put the girl on the stroller and kissed her on the cheek.  Sinead laughed and smiled widely at the man. 

“We’re going,” Justin announced.  “Kiki let me have some lemon bars.”

“Sure, honey,” she told him.

“Can I carry it?” Liam asked.

“Sure,” Justin told him.

When he received the bag he paid for it and Liam took it.  They were about to leave when someone bumped into Justin.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“Wow,” Ethan said.  “It’s okay, Jus.”

Justin’s smile was gone.  “Excuse me?  What did you called me?”

Ethan arched a brow.  “Are you okay, Justin?”

Justin frowned slightly not sure who the man was.  “I know you.”

“Yeah,” Ethan said.  “It’s me, Justin.”

“Well,” Justin shrugged.  “I...right.”

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked.

“Of course,” Justin whispered not sure who he was talking to.  “It’s nice to see you.”

“I know,” Ethan agreed. “It’s been so long.  Almost eight years.”

“Right,” Justin said not sure why he couldn’t say any other words.

“And this is the boy you were pregnant with?” Ethan asked looking at Liam.  “He looks just like you.”

Justin smiled and nodded.  “Yeah, he does.”

“Look, um, I’m in a bit of a hurry,” Ethan told him.  “So, I was wondering if I could leave you my phone and we could talk.”

Justin shrugged.  “That would be great.”

Ethan took out a pen and asked for some paper on the counter.  One of the waiters ripped some from their note pad.

“Thanks,” Justin grabbed the number.  He was grateful that Ethan had written his name.  “It was good seeing you, Ethan.”

“Yeah, definitely,” Ethan told him.

Justin went home with the kids.  When he got there Brian was with the quads.  

“What took you so long?” Brian asked.

“I found one of my old friends,” Justin said excitedly.  

Brian arched a brow.

“His name is Ethan,” Justin told him.  “He gave me his number so I would call him.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Brian asked.

Justin frowned at Brian’s harsh tone.  “Bri, the kids.”

“Fuck it!” Brian hissed.  “What did he want?”

Justin didn’t know what was going on or what he had done wrong.  “Liam, why don’t you go outside and play with your brothers and sisters for a little while”

“I don’t want to,” Liam protested.

“Go do something,” Justin said getting frustrated.

“I don’t want to,” Liam replied yet again.

Brian sighed as he left to grab Tiernan who started crying. 

Justin took a deep breath and let it go.  He wasn’t ready to confront Brian without a better explanation for his actions.  He was going to have a talk with the man sooner or later and right now he opted for later.  The rest of the day both men were in a mood.  The kids noticed and were somewhat on their best behavior.  They didn’t want to risk either of their fathers’ wraths.

At night when they had settled everyone into bed and were in their own room they kept silent as they got ready for bed.  Justin was itching to know what was going on with Brian.  The brunet was trying to keep his anger down, knowing that Ethan was back in town.  Brian didn’t know what Ethan wanted but it usually meant trouble between him and Justin.

“So, are we going to talk about this?” Justin asked.  

Brian looked at him and nodded.

“I don’t understand anything that is going on right now.  Why are you so mad at me?  Did I do something to upset you by talking with Ethan?” Justin asked.

“You...you and him had something,” Brian explained.

“Before you an me?” Justin asked confused.

“Not exactly,” Brian told him.

Justin sat down next to the brunet.  “What are you saying?”

Brian took a deep breath.  “When we started our relationship it was open.”

Justin didn’t like what he was hearing.

“I could fuck as many guys as I wanted and you could do the same as long as you didn’t let anyone fuck you,” Brian told him.  

Justin bit his lower lip.

“But with him it was different,” Brian whispered.  “We weren’t supposed to see anyone more than once.”

Justin felt like he had failed the brunet.  “And I did?”

“Yeah,” Brian told him.  “And it drove me crazy.”

Justin grabbed Brian’s hand.  “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be,” Brian told him quickly.  “These are things that happen when you have an open relationship.  You never know who can walk through the door.  It happened with me too.  I started seeing someone else and it was worse because we were going steady then.”

Justin arched a brow.

“A guy from work, you found us,” Brian drawled.

“And none of this broke us up?” Justin asked amazed.

Brian shook his head. “We fought, argued and told each other we didn’t want to see each other ever again.  But those were words and empty threats.  We love each other too much; I love you too much to be away from you.”

Justin wrapped his arms around the brunet.  “I love you too Brian and I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want you to see him,” Brian muttered.

“I won’t,” Justin assured him.  “I didn’t know.”

Brian caressed Justin’s face and kissed him.  He couldn’t lose the blond.  He trusted Justin but he didn’t trust Ethan one bit.  He sighed as he held on to his husband hoping things would be okay.

***

Vicky glared at Illona and pushed her back.  Liam narrowed his eyes and went to hit her.

“Hey!” Justin yelled before the boy got there.  “We do not hit girls.”

“She hit her,” Liam pointed out.

Chris arched a brow.  He had brought the kids to Justin and Brian’s house so they could all play but it looked like madness.

“Where is Keefe?” Brian asked as he looked at all the kids.  He sighed and went to search for him.

“I know but she’s wrong too,” Justin said and turned to look at Vicky.  “We do not hit each other.”

“She bad,” Vicky yelled.

Liam pouted and sat down with his sister.

“You are mean!” Illona hissed back.

Justin sighed and looked at Chris who was shaking his head.

“Here, we go,” Brian said putting Keefe on the floor with the rest of them.  “We have to contain this area.”

“He sounds like there is some kind of virus,” Chris muttered with a smirk as he looked at Justin.

“This is mine!” Illona hissed as she slapped Vicky’s hand away.

“Hey!” Brian intervened this time.  “No hitting,” he said squatting in front of the two girls and grabbing the book that both girls were fighting over.

“It’s mine, daddy,” Illona protested as she pulled the coloring book away from Brian.  At the same time Liam got up when Fiona asked him to play with her.  The girl loved to play with her new tea cups and pretend they were drinking something from it.

“I know it’s yours,” Brian told her.  “But you have to share with Vicky.”

Illona frowned.  “No!”

Vicky pouted and walked away.

Brian sighed.  “You have to share, Illona.”

Illona grabbed her coloring book and walked over with it to where Keefe was.  Then she gave the book to him and went back to where Brian was for the crayons.

“I meant sharing with Vicky,” Brian said.

“I don’t want to!” Illona hissed and ran over to where Keefe was.

“Ahh!” Fiona screamed from the living room.

Brian was up and running to where she was.  He found Fiona’s face red from anger.  “What happened?”

“She’s stupid!” Fiona said pointing at Vicky. “She was pulling my hair, daddy.”

Brian picked Vicky up.  “You like misbehaving, don’t you?”

Vicky smiled as he tickled her.  Then he walked with her back to the living room.

“What’s going on?” Chris asked as he came into view.

“This is a mad house,” Brian informed him.  “God.”

“Hey,” Chris said as he grabbed Andrew who was sticking something into his mouth.  “What the hell is this?”

“Don’t ask me,” Brian said as he saw the yellow plastic object.  He had no idea what it was or how it got there.  He put Vicky down on the floor.

“Can I go out to play?” Liam asked pulling on Brian’s sweater.

“Let go,” Brian told him.  “You’re going to ruin it.”

Liam pulled his hand away and followed Brian as the man walked away.

“Here,” Justin said giving Chris a diaper.

“What do you want me to do with this?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know maybe change your niece,” Justin told him.  “I have to go give Tiernan a bath.”

“Don’t you have a husband for this?” Chris joked as he put Andrew on the floor and grabbed Sinead who was sitting on the floor playing with Sheridan.  “I’m amazed that Sheridan is so good with the twins.  I really pictured them screaming and pulling at each others hairs.”

Justin laughed as he moved away with Tiernan.  He was about to go give his son a bath when the phone rang.  “I got it!” he yelled. He picked it up and answered. 

“Justin,” Denise said.  Her voice was husky.

Justin frowned.  “What’s wrong?”

“I...I’m at the hospital,” Denise told him.

“Oh my god,” Justin whispered and put the boy down.  He walked away so he could hear her.  “Is everything okay?”

“No,” Denise muttered as she tried not to cry.  “Can...I don’t want anyone in here.  I want to talk to Brian.”

“Denise, tell me what happened,” Justin told her as he walked over to Brian.

Brian frowned when he saw Justin’s face.  He put Illona on the floor and stood in front of Justin. 

“I...Jack had a heart attack,” Denise muttered.  “I brought him to the hospital.”

Justin sighed.  “Jesus, fuck.  How is he?”

“What’s going on?” Brian asked.  “Give me the phone,” he said and grabbed it.  He knew it had to do with his father.

Justin bit his lower lip as he saw Brian’s face.  He started rubbing Brian’s arms.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Brian told her then he hung up.  He looked at Justin and then at Chris who was staring at them.  “I have to go see her.”

“I can go with you,” Justin offered.

“No,” Brian shook his head.  “You stay with the kids,” he said as he pushed the phone into Justin.

Justin grabbed it and frowned.  

Brian kissed Justin quickly and left the house.  He couldn’t think straight as he drove to the hospital.  He didn’t know how his father was.  He had been too scared to ask.  When he arrived he parked and was running through the hospital halls in no time.  

The brunet found Denise sitting in a chair staring at the wall.  “Denise.”

“Brian,” Denise whispered as she got up and let him hug her.

“What’s going on?  What happened?” Brian asked.

Denise started crying. 

“What?” Brian asked not sure he wanted to know.

“He didn’t make it,” Denise told him.

Brian felt like he was being slapped.  He sat down slowly and closed his eyes.  He felt her arms coming around him and he hugged her back.  He couldn’t think or speak.  He held on to her because that’s all he could do at the moment.

***

“When is the funeral going to be?” Debbie asked.

“In a few days,” Justin told her.  “Wednesday.”

Debbie nodded as she helped him with the dishes.  “This is so fucking wrong.”

Justin nodded slowly. 

“Has Brian come out of his room?” Debbie asked.

Justin shook his head.  “He’s not talking or eating.  I don’t think I have seen him cry.”

Debbie stopped doing the dishes and turned to look at him.  “Honey,” she hugged him to her when Justin started crying.

“I don’t know what to do,” Justin whispered.  “I’m so scared for him.”

“It will be okay,” Debbie assured him.  “He needs some time, that’s all.”

Justin nodded and pulled back when he heard someone entering the kitchen.  When he turned around it was his mother. 

“Hey,” Jennifer put an arm around him.  

“Does Joan know?” Debbie asked suddenly.

Justin nodded.  “She was here this morning.  She and Brian were in the room talking for a while but I don’t know what about.”

Debbie wondered what son and mother had talked about.  

“Why don’t you go and try to make Brian eat something.  We’ll watch the kids,” Jennifer offered.

“Thanks,” Justin said.  He went to serve the man some food.  Then he went to find Brian.

“What is that?” Brian asked.

“Food,” Justin told him putting the plate on the night table. “I want you to eat something.”

Brian sighed.

Justin sat next to the brunet.  “Do you want to talk?”

“Not really,” Brian said.  “Come here.”

Justin crawled into Brian’s arms.  “I miss him.”

Brian nodded as he took a deep breath.  “I was talking with him just the other day,” Brian whispered.

Justin pushed the man’s hair back from his face.  He didn’t know what to say or do.  

“We were making plans to go out and take the kids to the park or something,” Brian told him.  He looked at Justin and let the tears fall.

Justin hugged him quickly. 

“God, Justin,” Brian said crying.  “He’s really gone.”

Justin sighed as his husband let it all out.  “Brian,” he whispered with sadness in his voice.

There was a knock on the door and Chris came inside.

“Chris,” Justin hissed.

“Look,” Chris said as he raised his arms. “I’m taking the boys with me, Debbie is taking the girls and your mother is taking the twins.  I think you guys need some time alone.”

“Thank you,” Brian told him.

Justin smiled at his friend before the blond left them alone.  After awhile Justin exited the room and found the house in total darkness.  He came back and told Brian that everyone was gone.

“Come here,” Brian said.

“You didn’t eat,” Justin pointed out.

“Forget that,” Brian told him as he grabbed Justin.  He pulled him onto the bed by the left wrist.  

They started kissing slowly.  Justin pushed Brian back and got on top of him.  He caressed Brian’s skin gently.  He pulled back and tenderly undressed them. 

“I need you,” Brian muttered.

Justin reached for a condom and the lube.  He was silent as he prepared his husband.  He turned him face down and started raining kisses on Brian’s back.  His hand reached for the condom and he put it on. 

“Jus,” Brian groaned when he felt the tip of Justin’s cock entering him.

Justin closed his eyes and went in slowly.  He felt Brian was ready after a few minutes.  They interlaced their hands and started moving.

“Jus,” Brian muttered.  “God,” he groaned as Justin made love to him.

“I love you,” Justin whispered.

Brian closed his eyes and let Justin show him that love.  He wanted to forget everything else for as long as he could.  The only thing that existed at that moment was the two of them and that’s all he wanted to deal with for the moment.

***

“No,” Sinead protested as she pushed Jennifer away.

“She doesn’t like getting her hair brushed,” Justin said.

Jennifer nodded and sighed.  She gave up and let her curls fall free.  “Fine, you win.”

Sinead pushed herself forward with her hands planted them on the bed.  She pushed herself up and started walking on the bed.

“Hey,” Justin said as he took a shirt out of the closet.  “You’re going to fall.”

Sinead reached the edge under Jennifer’s watchful eye.  The little girl sat down turned on her tummy and gripped the sheets.  Then she pushed herself down until she reached the floor. 

Justin was watching her with a smile.  He looked at his mother and shook his head. “What can you do?”

“My beautiful girl,” Jennifer whispered proudly.

“She’s very independent,” Justin pointed out as he changed the shirt that Tiernan had messed up.

“How are you guys coping?” Jennifer asked.

Justin shook his head.  “It’s hard.”

Jennifer nodded slowly.

“I mean, Brian is in this funk but I guess that’s understandable.  I wish I could do something more to help him,” Justin told her.

“Isn’t he due back from work already?” Jennifer asked.

“Two hours ago, mom,” Justin informed her.  “He’s throwing himself into work and so many things.  Thank god Jill is with us.  Plus everyone is helping out.”

Jennifer nodded. 

“Da,” Sinead yelled as she hit the door.

Jennifer arched a brow.  “I thought she said Daddy already.”

“She does,” Justin assured her.  “And papa too.  She’s calling for Dan.”

Jennifer smiled.  “She’s so cute.”

When Justin changed he grabbed his daughter and went out of the room with his mother.  Molly was pulling Illona away from Sheridan.

“Hey,” Justin sighed as he put Sinead down.  “I said no fighting.”

Sinead walked over to Sheridan and hugged him.  “Kay.”

The door to the house opened and Brian came in with Liam.  

“Where were you guys?” Justin asked.

“Dad took me for ice cream,” Liam informed them.  

“I want ice cream!” Keefe shouted.  

“You’re going to eat first,” Justin said.

Brian went over to Justin and kissed him.  He gave him a small smile.

“Everything okay?” Justin asked.

Brian nodded and went to change.

“I think we should go,” Jennifer said.  “Unless you need help?”

“I’m okay,” Justin assured them.  “I’m going to put the twins to bed and feed the rest of the kids.  It will be fine.”

Jennifer nodded and went to say goodbye to each of her grandsons and granddaughters.  Molly hugged Justin goodbye and screamed goodbye to everyone else.

“What’s for dinner?” Brian asked.

“Hamburgers,” Justin told him.  “I made them myself.  They’re really tasty.”

Brian nodded as he picked Tiernan who was wrapping his arms around his leg.  He kissed the boy and helped Justin get everyone settled in.  He went and put Tiernan and Sinead to sleep; Justin had told him that they had already eaten before Brian and Liam got there.

“Can we go out to the park when we’re done?” Sheridan asked.

“No,” Justin told him.  “You have school tomorrow.”

“That’s not fair,” Liam protested.  “Can we go see Debbie?”

Justin sighed.  “I don’t know.”

“Please,” Liam begged.

“We’ll think about it,” Justin assured him.  

When dinner was over Justin went and checked on the twins.  He came back to find Brian putting the dishes in the dish washer.  

“Where are the kids?” Brian asked.

Justin arched a brow.

“They kind of disappeared,” Brian told him.

Justin sighed.  

“Daddy!” Sheridan yelled as he came running.  “I want to see nana.”

Brian sighed as he grabbed the boy.  “How about we go tomorrow?”

“Now!” Sheridan hissed.

“Dan,” Justin said as he went to pick him up.

“I want to go too,” Liam told them.

“And me too,” Fiona said.

“Did you put him up to this?” Justin asked as he narrowed his eyes at Liam.  “Sheridan doesn’t like going there as much as you.”

Liam crossed his arms.  “I did not!”

Brian smirked and shook his head.  “Fine, we’ll go.”

“Are you sure?” Justin asked.

Brian nodded.  He moved closer to Justin.  “I think we should enjoy them to the max.  I want to make them happy.”

“I’m happy!” Sheridan shouted with glee and threw himself in Brian’s arms.

“Brian,” Justin drawled.

“Justin,” Brian said.  “It’s okay.  I want to go see her.”

Justin nodded.  “Only an hour,” he told him.

Brian smiled at him.  Then he kissed Sheridan and then went to help Justin get the other kids ready.  He missed his father like crazy.  He wanted to have his kids enjoy each minute with him.  He didn’t know when he was going to be missing from their lives or how long they would all be together.  Life was too fragile and precious to waste, Michael’s and Jack’s death only reaffirmed this.  He wanted them to have as many happy memories as he could give them.