A Child's Needs

Part 1

Lindsay Peterson sat sideways in the passenger seat watching her wife Mel as she drove them home. She had a wonderful time at the party, but all she wanted now was to head home and crawl into bed with Mel. Their son was staying the night at his fathers. That in itself was a miracle to get the ‘Stud of Liberty Avenue’ Brian Kinney to stay home on a Friday night.

Lindsay reached out and placed a hand on Mel’s thigh as she drove. Mel turned and flashed Lindsay a loving smile as she whispered the words “I love you” over the soft music that was playing on the radio.

Mel’s eyes left the road for less than a second; neither one noticed the blue Vipor of the drunk driver that cross the double line and was speeding towards them.

The paramedics arrived quickly. Mel and Lindsay were pronounced dead at the scene.

3 months later

Brian sat in his office going over the upcoming campaign for the Italian restaurant chain Romano’s. They were expanding across Pennsylvania and wanted a more upscale campaign so they came to Kinnetik. Brian’s reputation as the best had gotten around quickly. He reviewed the copy and the mark ups. He already noticed a few things he wanted to change. He glanced up at the clock; he wanted to get the changes to the art department before five.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the picture sitting on his desk. It was a picture of Lindsay holding Gus. He had to be about 2 in the picture. Lindsay had dropped it off one day when she made one of her surprised visits to get Brian into having lunch with them.

Brian held the picture in his hand and looked at it with sadness. He still couldn’t believe that she was gone and he was now a fulltime dad. The accident was over 3 months ago and the transition for Gus had been rough. He was still struggling with the fact that his mommies were gone, but he was finally starting to heal. Brian tried to make it as easy for him as he could. He moved into Mel and Lindsay’s home for starters. Brian still owned his loft on Tremont Street, but he only used it whenever he needed alone time.

Lindsay parents wanted to take Gus to their WASP home outside of Pittsburgh and far away from Liberty Avenue, but Brian would not let that happened. He had been prepared to fight to keep his son with him and not be raised by narrow minded people such as the Peterson’s.

A week after Mel and Lindsay were buried Brian went to their lawyers office for the reading of the will. The Peterson’s had been staying in Mel and Lindsay’s house with Gus trying to pack up some of their daughter’s belongings. They were preparing to move Gus into their home after the reading of the will.

Brian was working with his lawyer to get a temporary order that would prevent the Peterson’s from uprooting Gus and blocking his visitations until a hearing was set. Luckily Brian did not have to use it. He thought back to the day that changed his life.

*****

Brian had walked into the waiting area of the law offices of Schuster, Dearborn and Marcus. The Peterson’s were already in the waiting room with Gus. When Gus saw his father walk in, he jump off his chair and ran towards him.

“Daddy, take me home with you. Why can’t I be with you?”

Brian was shocked that they would bring him there. “Hey sonny boy, Daddy’s working on it,” he said as he scooped Gus up in his arms.

He walked him to the Petersons and sat him back in the chair. “Sit here for a moment Gus. I want to speak with your Grandparents.” He turned toward the Peterson “A word, over there.”

Brian turned and walked to the far corner of the waiting area not bothering to glance back to see if the Petersons followed. When he turned around they were right behind him. “Why the hell would you bring him here?” Brian demanded in a hushed whisper

“Do not speak to me in such a manner,” Mrs. Peterson said. “I was instructed by my daughter’s lawyer to bring him here with us. It works out for the best because we have a car waiting and we’ll be returning to our home to settle Gus in after the reading.”

“You’re not moving my son into your home. You can’t do that; you cannot just take my son without telling me.”

“He is not your son Mr. Kinney. Have you forgotten you gave up all legal rights to him? He is still legally our grandson, so we are considered his next of kin, not you.”

“Don’t be so smug there Nancy. No matter what that piece of paper says Gus is my son and I will be damned if I allow him to be raised by you and your spineless husband.”

Brian turned and walked away from Ron and Nancy Peterson. He was pulling his cell phone out to call his lawyer when Paul Schuster, Mel’s partner and personal lawyer step out of his office.

“Mr. Kinney, Mr. & Mrs. Peterson, again I want to offer my condolences. The service was beautiful. As you may know I wasn’t only Mel’s partner, but she and Lindsay were good friends of my family. Gus and my daughter are playmates. I can’t imagine how hard this is for all of you, but we have to continue on. Mel and Lindsay left specific instructions with me that the only people they wanted present for the reading of the will is you Mr. Kinney and the Peterson’s. They also instructed that they wanted me sit with you individually starting with Mr. Kinney.”  Paul turned his attention to Brian. “So if you’ll follow me.”

“So we just sit here and wait?” Nancy Peterson said shocked that Brian was allowed in before her.

“Yes Mrs. Peterson. I will be out to get you once we are done.”

Brian followed Paul into the office. He took a seat across from his desk.

“Mr. Kinney, make yourself comfortable.”

“It’s Brian.”

“Brian, can I get you anything before we start?”

“No, I’m fine. I just want get this over with.”

“Very well. First Lindsay wrote you a letter. She wanted you to read it before I read your portion of the will.” Paul handed Brian the letter.

He opened it with shaky fingers and read it to himself.

Dear Brian,

This is a difficult letter for me to write. The thought of leaving you is hard for me to bear.  This would be my one and only chance to tell you how I feel or have felt about you. You are my best friend Brian. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without you. If it wasn’t for you, I would probably be a bored house wife living a lie. You allowed me to be myself. You encouraged me to be an artist and follow my passion. And most importantly you gave me Gus, our beautiful son. Look after him Brian. Talk to him about me, tell him stories that Mel wouldn’t know about, (nothing x-rated, mind you). And if by some twisted stroke of fate Mel and I are both gone please be the loving father to our son that I know you can be.

I love you, Brian. Always have and always will.

Lindsay

Brian looked up at Paul his eyes glistened suspiciously. He cleared his throat before he spoke. “She wants me to take care of Gus. How am I supposed to do that when that old bitch out there is trying to take him away from me?”

“Well Brian that brings us the second part of the will. This part I will read to you. It was signed of by both Mel and Lindsay. I Melanie Marcus and I Lindsay Peterson being of sound mind and body declare in our final will in testament Brian Kinney as the sole guardian of Gus Marcus-Peterson. Documents to this affect have been signed and will be filed by our lawyer upon our death. All parental rights will be reinstated to Brian Kinney as Gus Marcus-Petersons biological parent.”

It took a moment for what Paul said to register. “Are you saying Gus is mine? I can take home.”

“That’s what I’m saying. You can take your son home today.”

Brian was so excited all decorum flew out the window. He thanked Paul profusely. He was about to head to the waiting room to collect his son when Paul stopped him.

“Brian, there’s more”

“More, what more could there be? My son is enough.”

“Please sit down and let me explain.”

Brian took a seat. He was anxious to tell Gus the good news and he could not imagine what more there could be.

“Lindsay and Mel left Gus the house and they also both had insurance policies on there life. It was a million dollars each and they named Gus as their beneficiary. He is not to obtain ownership of the money or house until he reaches 18. Mel and Lindsay named you as the executor of his estate. You are to take care of Gus and use the money accordingly. They also wish for Gus to be raised in his childhood home for as long as you reside in Pittsburgh.

Brian was subdued as he took this all in. “So Gus is rich”

“Yes he is.”

“Good, he can be his own man and not have to depend on anyone to help him make it in life. For once Mel and Lindsay were thinking clearly.” Brian stood up and shook Paul’s hand again. “I’m going to go collect my son, I’ll come in next week to sign whatever papers I need to sign.”

“Very well, good luck Brian.  And please bring Gus anytime to see Sarah.”

Brian nodded his head in response as he threw open the door to the waiting room. “Gus you’re coming home with Daddy”

Brian remembered the look of pure joy on Gus’ face as he jumped into his fathers arms. He also recalls the look of utter outrage on the faces of the Petersons.

Brian was brought back to the present when Cynthia knocked on the office door.

“Hey boss you better get a move on it. You wanted to drop those changes off at the art depart before five and you have to pick up Gus’ before 6 today.”

“Thank you Cynthia.”

*****

Across town Justin Taylor was sitting in his small dank office going over some files. His case load was getting bigger and bigger, but he didn’t mind. These children needed his help and he was more than willing to give it to them. That’s why he had become a social worker. Justin never complained about the long hours or the hard work.

His boss walked into his office that Friday evening. It was after 5:30 and everyone was practically gone for the weekend. Matt knew Justin would still be here. Sometimes he wondered if Justin ever went home.

“Hey Taylor, don’t you think you should call it quits for the day?” He asked as he stood in the doorway holding a new case file.

“I will. Is that a new case file in your hands?”

“Yeah, I was going to give it to Dolores, but she’s gone for the day. I can give it to her Monday.”

“I’ll take it. What’s the history?”

“Justin, you’re working on enough already. I don’t want you to burn out.”

“Matt all of my cases are under control. I can take on one more, now give me the history.”

“Fine,” Matt relented as he walked further into the small office and handed Justin the file. “The Peterson’s are worried about their grandson who is being raised by a single father. Their daughter and her partner died 3 or 4 months ago. According to the grandparents, the father had no legal rights to the kid while the daughter was alive. He only became interested when the kid inherited large sums of money from the insurance. They feel the child is being neglected and abused, and the father is wasting his inheritance.”

“What an asshole.” Justin flipped open the file. “The kid is only 4 years old. I’ll get right on this.” Justin wrote down the grandparents name address and phone number. “Thanks Matt, I am going to call them right now.”

Matt took that as his queue to leave. He headed out the door. “Justin, don’t work too late,” he said as he closed the door behind him.

Justin dialed the Peterson’s number.

“Hello?”

“Yes, hello, may I speak with Mr. or Mrs. Peterson?”

“This is Mrs. Peterson.”

“Hello Mrs. Peterson, this is Justin Taylor of the Children Welfare office. I received your case tonight about your grandson Gus. I wanted to make an appointment to speak with you to get more information.”

“Mr. Taylor, we filed that complaint months ago. Why did it take so long to get a response?”

“I apologize for the delay, but I have it now and it will receive my utmost attention. I would like to speak with you and your husband as soon as possible.”

“Mr. Peterson and I are free tonight if you would like to come by.”

“Perfect I have your address and should be there in half an hour.”

Justin left his office and was at the Peterson’s front door in under 30 minutes. They lived in a lavish neighborhood; it was quite obvious they come from money. They told Justin about their daughter and how accepting they were if her lifestyle. Justin was touched by how they spoke of their daughter with love and compassion. The Peterson’s led Justin to believe that Gus’s father was a low life who only wanted his son because he now had money and that he manipulated Lindsay into restoring his legal rights to his son should something happen to them. When Justin finally left the Petersons, Brian Kinney was an ogre on society, who was using his child’s inheritance for his own personal use. He was an unfit person as well as an unfit parent. And the Peterson’s were fine upstanding citizens who only wanted the best for their grandchild and are mourning the loss of not one, but two daughters since Lindsay and Mel pass away.

As Justin drove away from the house his emotions were on end. He admired the way the Peterson’s stood by their daughter and accepted her for who she was, unlike his own parents.  Justin took out his cell phone and dialed the number that the Peterson’s gave him to reach Brian Kinney. He received the answering machine.

“Good evening Mr. Kinney, this is Justin Taylor with the Child Welfare office. I need to speak with you regarding Gus Marcus-Peterson. I will be visiting your home tomorrow morning to discuss the welfare of this child. Good bye”

Justin hung up the phone, and as he drove back to the city his mind wandered back to his parents. His father was abusive and his mother did the best she could, but it was never good enough. She could have left Craig Taylor, but she never did. Justin would never be able to forgive his mother as she stood by and watched Craig beat him within an inch of his life. That was the night his father found out he was gay. That was the night Justin left and never looked back; his parents were dead to him.

As Justin drove back into the city and passed by Liberty Avenue, he decided to stop in for awhile. He didn’t normally frequent this area. For one, he was usually working late and never had the time. And two he wasn’t usually into one night stands unless he really needed to feel someone else’s body next to his. And this happened to be one of the nights.

*****

Brian reached Magic Moments Daycare Center at quarter to six. As soon as he opened the door he could hear the shrieks of laughter coming from the other room. Smiling to himself he made his way inside and approached Gus’s favorite caretaker.

“Hello Daphne,” he greeted her.

“Hey Mr. Kinney. Is it that time already? The kids are just finishing up with their latest project. Would you mind waiting for a few minutes or would you like me to get Gus now?” Daphne asked.

“No, let him finish, otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it,” Brian laughed as he watched his son interacting with the other children. “How’s he been doing?”

“Much better. I was really worried about him for awhile there. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him to lose both his mothers at the same time. You’re doing a wonderful job with him, though. He’s definitely coming out of his shell again,” Daphne praised the older man.

She had been a little skeptical when she heard about what had happened to Lindsay and her partner. Gus had always been a special little boy and Daphne had always favored him over the other children; not that she would ever let on to anyone. She loved all children equally, but for some reason Gus always held a special place in her heart. After endless talks with Lindsay, she knew that his father didn’t play a real active role in his life, but he was always there for the little boy if he were needed. Now Brian Kinney was all Gus had and she wasn’t sure if that was going to be enough. Luckily, Brian had proven her wrong and had become exactly what the little boy had needed; she could see the love between the two of them grow stronger each day.

“It’s been hard for him, but I think he’s finally accepted that his mothers aren’t coming home again. I doubt if I’ll ever come close to being as good a parent as Lindsay was, but I’m doing my best,” Brian replied honestly.

“That’s all you can do, but I think you’re underestimating your parenting abilities. Gus loves being with his daddy and he seems to have healed rather quickly. Just keep doing whatever it is you’re doing for him and you both will be just fine,” Daphne assured him softly.

“Thanks Daphne.”

Before either one of them could say anything else, Gus spotted Brian and raced over to them, jumping into his father’s arms.

“Daddy, Daddy! Guess what? I drawled a piture of Mommy and Momma and Miss Daphne says that it’s the best one in the whole class! I missed you Daddy! Are we goin now? What are we eaten for dinner? Can we have hot dogs Daddy?”

Brian and Daphne laughed at the boy’s excitement.

“Why don’t you go help the other kids clean up and then we can go home. As for hot dogs, we’ll discuss it on the way home, okay?” Brian replied as he put Gus down.

“Okay Daddy,” Gus yelled as he raced back to the others.

“Boy, I wish I could have a third of his energy,” Daphne said as she watched Gus run back to his friends.

“Tell me about it. There are some days when I don’t know how I keep up with him,” Brian admitted. He stood there watching his son clean up and knew that even though he missed his old life, he wouldn’t regret keeping Gus and raising him the way Lindsay and Melanie wanted him to.

Daphne went over to supervise the clean up, but she couldn’t help the glances that she kept throwing Brian’s way. He was a beautiful man and seeing the love he had for his son clearly written on his face just made him that much more beautiful. Well, it just was another example of how true the statement ‘All the best ones are either married or gay’ really was.

Gus chatted non stop all the way home, telling Brian all that had happened at the center that day. By the time they pulled into the driveway, Brian was beginning to feel a headache coming on. It had been a for shit day and all he wanted to do was relax and unwind a bit.

“Hey Gus, why don’t you go upstairs and play for awhile and then we’ll decide what to do about dinner.”

“But Daddy, I want a hot dog,” Gus whined dramatically.

“Gus, hot dogs aren’t dinner food. I’ll tell you what, if you be a good boy and give me a little time to relax, I promise to take you out for a hot dog tomorrow for lunch, okay?”

Gus took a moment to think about what his father had offered. “Okay, I’ll go play with my trucks, but don’t relax too long. I’m starving!”

With that Gus raced upstairs and Brian went to the kitchen and swallowed a few Motrin before sinking down on the sofa and willing his head to stop hurting, ignoring the blinking light on the answering machine. A few minutes later a knock at the door caused Brian to groan out loud. He slowly got up and answered the door, surprised to find Debbie on the other side carrying a tray of what he could only imagine to be her famous lasagna.

“Hey there, Sweetie. I made you and Gus some dinner,” she said as she pushed past him and entered the living room.

“Deb, I told you, you don’t have to cook for us. I can manage to feed my own kid,” Brian said sternly.

“I know you can, Honey. I want to do it for you. How is my little man?”

”A great big ball of energy, as always,” Brian chuckled before calling to his son. “Gus, come down and say hello to Grandma Debbie.”

“I remember when Michael was his age. I was more tired on my days off with him than I was on the days I worked waiting tables,” she laughed at the memory. “Brian, you look a little tired. Is everything alright? Michael said he hasn’t seen you around in awhile.”

“Yeah, everything’s fine, Deb. I’ve just been busy lately. It’s not as easy to get out to the clubs with a four year old in your care,” Brian admitted sadly. As much as he loved Gus, he did miss the days of hanging out with the gang at Woody’s and Babylon.

“Grandma!” Gus exclaimed as he raced down the stairs and hugged Debbie tight. “Guess what? Daddy says if I let him relax he’ll take me out for a hot dog tomorrow! He says hot dogs aren’t dinner food.”

“Well, I think I’ll have to agree with him on that one, which is why I brought lasagna,” Debbie replied happily.

“Yay!”

Brian watched the interaction between Debbie and Gus and smiled. He knew that they loved each other like Grandmother and Grandson despite the lacking blood relation.

“Brian, why don’t you go out with Michael and the guys tonight? I’ll stay here and watch Gus while you’re gone,” Debbie offered.

“Yeah Daddy! Go out with Uncle Mikey! Grandma Debbie will stay here wif me!” Gus cheered.

Brian was about to turn down the offer, but could see the excitement in Gus’s face. Maybe he needed to spend a little time with Debbie getting some of that motherly attention.

“Are you sure, Deb?”

“Of course I’m sure. I’ll go heat up the lasagna and we’ll all have dinner. Then you can shower and make it to Woody’s in enough time to relax before hitting Babylon. It’ll be good for you to get away for awhile and Gus and I will have fun here without you. Isn’t that right, Gus?”

“That’s right, Grandma” Gus agreed eagerly.

“Alright, if you insist,” Brian relented, secretly looking forward to a night out.

“Okay, that’s settled then. Come on, Gus. Let’s go heat up dinner.” And with that they walked hand in hand into the kitchen, leaving Brian to once again try to relax on the sofa.

*****

Justin sat in Woody’s nursing his third beer and trying to forget the memories that kept washing over him. Memories that were always stirred up when he took on a new case. His mind replayed all the years that his own father used to abuse him, both mentally, by telling him he was worthless and would never amount to anything, and physically by slapping him around whenever he felt the urge. At first Justin would look towards his mother for help but after awhile he realized that he was wasting his time. Jennifer Taylor was just as afraid of her husband as his kids were and would never stand up to him no matter what she felt. As the years went by things gradually became worse until the day Craig found out that his only son was gay. If it hadn’t been for Daphne taking him in he would have ended up on the streets. He’d made a decision that night to spend his life helping children whose parents hurt them the way the Taylor’s had hurt him. So far, he hadn’t let anyone down and he had no intentions of starting now.

If the Peterson’s turned out to be as sincere as they seemed, Gus Kinney needed to be removed from his father’s care as soon as possible. He would make sure to pay Mr. Kinney a visit first thing in the morning and see for himself exactly what kind of father he was. Downing the rest of his drink, Justin tossed a few bills on the bar for a tip and headed out, deciding that some dancing at Babylon might be just what he needed to help his current mood.

As soon as Justin entered the club he couldn’t help but smile. The thump, thump of the music always helped to ease his mind. He approached the bar and was about to order a drink when he noticed a tall, auburn haired man watching him. Even though he never spent a lot of time in places like Babylon, he knew what those stares meant and his cock twitched at the thought of anonymous sex with the sexy stranger. He quickly ordered a shot and downed it before making his way over to the stunning man.

“Hey, my name’s…”

“It doesn’t matter,” the stranger replied, taking him by the arm.

Justin allowed himself to be led through the crowd to the dance floor where he and the taller man began to bump and grind to the music, causing everyone to step back and watch the two beautiful men in awe. At first Justin felt self conscious being the center of attention, but once he felt the other man’s hardness against his thigh, lust took over and all he could think about was the heat between them and the tightness in his jeans.

After a couple of songs, the taller man leaned in and nibbled on Justin’s neck before whispering “backroom” into his ear.

Justin didn’t have to be told twice. He followed his dance partner into the back room and gasped as he was suddenly forced up against the wall. He only had a split second to look into the most intense eyes he’d ever seen before his lips were covered by a strong, warm mouth. Without conscious thought, Justin parted his lips and allowed the other man entry.

At that moment, Justin needed release more than he needed his next breath was only too happy to oblige when the man spun him around to face the wall. Everything happened so fast and in a matter of minutes, Justin’s pants were down around his ankles and he could feel well lubed fingers enter him swiftly. It had been awhile since Justin’s last sexual encounter and he grunted at the intrusion, but the other man must have noticed because he slowed his ministrations, allowing him time to adjust to the intrusion.

Once Justin was sufficiently prepared, he felt those magic fingers withdrawal, only to be replaced but a hard cock tapping at his entrance.

“Take a deep breath and get ready for the ride of your life,” was all Justin heard before he felt the man enter him.

The feeling of fullness was overwhelming and Justin was completely lost in a passion that he never experienced before. As the man continued driving into him, Justin could feel himself moving closer and closer to the edge, finally giving into his release with a low moan. As he rode out his orgasm, he heard the other man groan as he shot his load into the condom.

They stayed where they were for a few minutes until their breathing returned to normal and Justin felt the emptiness as the man pulled out. He shrugged off the frustration of that loss.

“That was hot. Thanks,” Justin heard before his mind could register that the other man was walking away.

“Well, a trick’s a trick,” he mumbled to himself as he straightened his clothes and walked back out to the bar, unconsciously looking for the trick in question.

Disappointment washed over him when he realized that the man had disappeared, but he quickly chastised himself for those thoughts. He headed towards the door, declining the many advances he received on the way. Somehow he knew that nothing would compare to the passion he’d just experienced. If nothing else, his trip to Babylon helped him to forget his horrible childhood memories. Now all he needed to do was find a way to forget the auburn haired man that gave him the ride of his life.

*****

Brian walked in the door after Babylon to find Debbie and Gus sound asleep in front of the TV. He watched them a moment with a smile, wondering what he had done right to have them in his life then gently shook Debbie awake, trying not to wake Gus.

“Brian, what time is it?”

“It’s after midnight. Are you okay to go home or do you want to stay in the guest room?”

“No, I’m alright. We were watching TV and I guess we fell asleep. Did you have a good time?”

“The usual,” Brian replied casually.

“Was he any good?” Debbie teased as she stood up and stretched.

“Fabulous,” Brian smiled, his cock twitching at the mere thought of how good the trick was.

“Stupid question, I know. You take care, Kiddo, and don’t be a stranger. Come by for dinner now and then,” Debbie chastised as Brian walked her to the door.

“Yes Mom,” Brian chuckled, kissing her cheek and watching her walk to the car.

Once she was gone from sight, Brian locked the door and turned back, watching his son sleeping peacefully. He turned off all the lights before picking up Gus and heading upstairs. He laid his son on his bed and covered him up before placing a soft kiss on his fore head and walking to his own room. Stripping off his clothes, he jumped into the shower, all the while his mind replaying the scene of the blond pressed up against the wall waiting for him. He promised the trick the ride of his life and that was what he gave him, but in all honesty, it had been just as good for him. Maybe it was due to the perfect ass the man had or the fact that his tricking days had been drastically cut back due to his new role as a single parent, but for some reason Brian didn’t think that was it. There was something about the blond that made Brian seek him out the moment he spotted him walking through the door. Well, whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Brian had never seen him before and chances were he’d never see him again. He obviously wasn’t a regular at Babylon and since Brian himself hardly ever made it to the club, the chances of seeing the blond were slim at best.

He finished up his shower and crawled into bed, knowing that his little ball of energy would be waking him up way too early. It didn’t take long for sleep to come to him, his mind on the blond as he drifted off.

“Daddy! Daddy! It’s time to wake up!” Gus called enthusiastically.

Brian tried to bury his head under his pillow, but Gus would have no part of that.

“Daddy! Come on! I want pancakes!”

“Gus,” Brian whispered quietly, noticing that it was just before seven. “I will give you a thousand dollars if you go back to bed for a couple of hours.”

“Daddy,” Gus whined. “You have to get up and make me breakfast.”

Brian sighed, praying for the day when his son could be bought. “Alright, alright, go downstairs and turn on the TV. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“Kay, Daddy.” Gus jumped up from the bed and raced downstairs.

Brian lay in bed for a few moments, trying to get his bearings before dragging himself out of bed and downstairs. He saw his son sitting on the sofa engrossed in his favorite cartoon and said a silent thank you to the creators of Sponge Bob.

“Alright Sonny Boy, you know the drill. I’ll go make my famous pancakes, while you stay here and watch TV. You’re still too young to know my secret recipe,” Brian reminded him.

“I know, Daddy. When I get older you’re going to teach me how to make them, right?”

“That’s right,” Brian replied with a smile as he ruffled Gus’s hair.

He made his way into the kitchen and pulled a box of frozen pancakes out of the freezer. He wasn’t sure what had started the idea of his ‘secret recipe’ but he continued to play along. What a four year old didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and it always gave Brian a few moments of quiet while he drank his first cup of coffee. His thoughts kept trying to stray back to the trick from the night before, but Brian kept pushing those thoughts away. He didn’t have time to dwell on a piece of blond boy ass. It was a nice day out and he planned on spending it with his son.

After breakfast was finished and all the dishes were put away, Brian took a moment to listen to his messages and felt a mixture of anger and fear overcome him. Who the fuck was this Justin Taylor and what did he mean about having to speak to him about Gus? He glanced at the clock and saw that it was already after nine. This Taylor could show up at any moment and he needed to be ready for him.

“Hey Gus, you need to go get dressed and I need to jump in the shower. Come on.”

Gus followed Brian upstairs without comment, noticing the change in his father’s mood. After Brian laid out Gus’s clothes he took a shower and dressed casually, mentally trying to prepare himself for the upcoming meeting. Gus’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Daddy, is it okay if I play with my trucks?”

“Sure Gus, just try not to make a mess, okay?”

“Kay.”

Brian headed back downstairs and began pacing the floor in anger. He had no doubt that the Peterson’s were behind whatever it was that Justin Taylor wanted to discuss. He knew that they had given up too easy and now he knew why. They were just biding their time until Child Services could step in. Well, he wasn’t going to let anyone take his son away from him.

Just then the doorbell rang and Brian took a deep breath before answering it, stunned by who was standing on the doorstep. It was none other than the blond from the night before.

“Mr. Taylor, I presume,” Brian drawled.

Justin looked into the face of the man who had been invading his thoughts since the previous evening and stood there stunned by the cruel twist of fate.

“Brian Kinney?”

“That would be me,” Brian replied dryly, stepping back to allow the other man to enter.

Justin walked into the house and looked around, noticing how neat and tidy everything was. He couldn’t believe Brian Kinney was the trick from the night before, but he pushed aside his thoughts so he could get down to business. He’d never let his personal life interfere in his work before and he wasn’t going to let it happen now. Trying to hide his discomfort, he turned around and confronted Brian immediately.

“As I stated in my message to you, I’m from the Child Welfare Office. We’ve gotten a complaint regarding the manner in which you have been caring for your son, Gus Marcus-Peterson. I’m here to investigate the allegations and decide what’s best for the child,” Justin explained, thankful that his voice didn’t betray his nervousness.

“Let me guess. By any chance was that complaint filed by Gus’s grandparents?”

“I’m not at liberty to say, Mr. Kinney. All records are confidential. I’m here to form my own opinion of the child’s safety and well being then make the decision as to whether or not you’re capable of raising him.”

“And if you don’t think I’m ‘capable’? Then what?” Brian asked, trying to keep his anger in check.

“Then he will be removed from your care and placed in a foster home until a more suitable and permanent arrangement can be made.” Justin answered without emotion.

Brian lost the little bit of control he was hanging on to. “What right do you have to come into my home and even suggest taking my son away from me?”

“Mr. Kinney, I only want what’s best for the child. My only concern is Gus,” Justin tried to explain, startled by the man’s anger.

“Were you thinking about Gus last night while my dick was in your ass?” Brian yelled.

Justin blanched at Brian’s attack, but refused to let the man get to him. “Mr. Kinney, what I do in my private life is none of your business. Last night was obviously a mistake which never should have happened, but I won’t let that interfere with my job.”

“Listen, you little shit…”

“Daddy, why are you yellin?” Gus whined from the top of the stairs.

Brian grimaced at the fear in his son’s voice. He’d never let Gus see him angry in the past. “It’s okay, Sonny Boy. Go back and play with your trucks and I’ll be up in a minute, okay?”

”Kay, Daddy,” Gus replied meekly. He didn’t like the way his father was yelling, but he didn’t want to upset him even more.

Once Gus was out of sight, Brian turned back to the blond with fury in his eyes. “Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Taylor, while I go check on my son, but I’m warning you right now. If you think I’m going to sit back and let you take my son away from me, you’ve got another thing coming. I will do whatever it takes to keep him with me and away from those homophobic assholes who claim to love their grandson!”

With that, Brian headed upstairs, leaving a stunned blond in his wake.

Justin couldn’t believe the anger he saw in Brian’s eyes. It was apparent that the man was going to be difficult to crack. He looked around the room again, trying to find something that would suggest there was some kind of neglect taking place, but he saw nothing to support that theory. There was an entire wall filled with nothing but what was obviously drawing that the boy had done. Pictures of who he guessed were Gus’s mothers were scattered through out the room, apparently left out so the boy would always remember them. Justin sat down and made some notes in the Kinney file and waited until the other man returned. When he hadn’t appeared fifteen minutes later, Justin put down the file and slowly headed upstairs. He came upon what he figured was Gus’s room and guiltily listened to father and son as they spoke quietly.

“But Daddy, you were yellin at that man. I never heard you yellin like that,” Gus whined, seeking comfort in his father’s arms.

“I know Sonny Boy and I’m sorry you had to hear that. I was angry, but I shouldn’t have yelled like that. I’ll try not to let it happen again,” Brian soothed his son, cursing the Peterson’s and the blond downstairs for causing him to upset Gus.

“Do you promise?”

“Gus, what do I always say about promises?”

“Never make them unless you’re going to keep them,” Gus sighed.

“That’s right. And as much as I would like to promise you that I won’t ever yell like that again, I can’t promise you that. I do promise to try not to do it again. Is that enough?”

“That’s enough, Daddy. I know you’ll do your bestest,” Gus replied softly.

“It’s best, Gus, not bestest. Now why don’t you clean up your trucks while I go speak with Mr. Taylor? When I’m done, we’ll go to the park for awhile and then I believe we have a date with a hot dog, right?” Brian asked with a smile.

“Daddy, you can’t have a date with a hot dog, silly,” Gus giggled at his father’s teasing.

“Oh, my mistake,” Brian laughed, kissing his son tenderly. He’d be damned if he was going to let anyone take Gus away from him.

“Daddy? Who is the man you were yellin at?”

“His name is Mr. Taylor. I believe he is a friend of your grandparents,” Brian explained as casually as he could.

“Is he going to come with us today?”

“No he’s not, Gus. He just stopped by to see how you were. He wants to make sure you’re happy living here with me,” Brian replied, his pain evident in his voice. Luckily Gus never noticed.

“Well, I do miss Mommy and Momma, but I love living here with you. You make the best pancakes in the whole world and you always tell me funny stories. You can tell him that I’m happy. Okay Daddy?”

“I’ll tell him Sonny Boy. Now you finish up in here and I’ll go say good bye to Mr. Taylor, okay?”

“Kay, Daddy,” Gus replied, climbing off his father’s lap. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you to, Sonny Boy. Always have, always will,” Brian replied softly. He took one last look at his son before heading out the door.

Justin heard the exchange between father and son and couldn’t help the lump that formed in his throat. He quickly headed back downstairs so he wasn’t caught eavesdropping and thought about the love he heard in Brian’s voice. The man upstairs with his son was not the same man from the back room the night before, nor the man who was ready to tear him apart only minutes earlier. He realized that this wasn’t going to be as cut and dry as he originally thought. It was obvious that Brian Kinney loved his son. Now all Justin needed to do was make sure he was providing the proper care for him. He would have to contact some of his friends and family and see what they thought of his parenting abilities. His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed Brian making his way down the stairs.

“Mr. Kinney, I’m sorry I upset you earlier, but you have to understand that I’m just doing my job. I have to make sure the complaint that was filed has no validity and that Gus is receiving the best possible care,” Justin assured him calmly.

“Sorry’s bullshit,” Brian replied angrily.

Justin had to hold back a smile chuckle. Hadn’t he just heard the man upstairs apologizing to his son? It was obvious that the asshole Brian was back, but that’s okay. As long as Gus never saw that side of him, Justin would be satisfied.

“Look, I’ll go for now while I do some investigating on my own, but don’t worry. I’ll be back,” Justin said as he headed towards the door.

“Can’t wait,” Brian replied sarcastically. He let the blond out the door and closed it behind him, leaning against it for a little support. Even though he’d never admit it, knowing he was being investigated in connection to Gus was rocking his already unstable world. He questioned his parenting abilities all the time, but to know that Child Welfare was asking the same questions worried him. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost Gus now. He may not have wanted to be a father in the beginning, but now it was a part of who he was. He refused to let anyone take that away from him, including the beautiful blond that occupied way too many of his thoughts.

End of part 1

5/22/04

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