"Daddy are we going to the park now?"

Brian smiled down at his son as the five year old walked along side the stroller currently pushing his two year old sister. Gus' hand held firmly to the stroller as to not wander away.

"Yes Gus, that is where we are heading now." Brian replied as they headed down the street.

"Yay yay yay!" Gus hopped along as they turned into a nice sized children's park only a block from the house they were currently renting for the summer while they stayed in New York. Gus let go of the stroller and began running for the playground when Brian yelled after him.

"Gus Peterson Kinney!"

The six year old froze and turned back to his father with wide eyes and a guilty frown.

"You known better then to run off like that."

"Sorry Daddy." Gus ran back to Brian and the stroller, firmly taking his place back at the side of the stroller.

Brian headed for an open bench to sit down. Jenny was sound asleep in her stroller, sucking on her thumb, head tilted to the side as her body slouched in the seat. Brian turned the stroller towards him so he could keep an eye on his daughter at the same time as watching his son play. Gus was vibrating with excitement as he looked all around. There were many kids with their parents running around. Other parents sat at benches around the playground as their children played and Gus couldn't wait to go.

"You know the rules?"

Gus turned back to his father and nodded enthusiastically. "Stay where you can see me and shouting distance and don't talk to strangers!"

Brian nodded. "Go play."

Gus was gone like a rocket, his first stop the monkey bars. Brian followed with his eyes to make sure Gus listened, watching as his son scrambled up the bars as fast as his little legs would allow. There were two other children already sitting up top screaming some nonsense. Brian turned his attention to checking once again on little Jenny before settling himself into the bench, using his foot to push the stroller in a slight rocking motion, hoping to keep the little girl asleep for a little longer. She had missed her mid-morning nap and had been crabby all through lunch, having finally crashed while Brian had been cleaning up the kitchen and Gus had asked to go to the park. Brian figured allowing his son an hour or so to run off a little energy wasn't a bad idea while Jenny finally took her nap.

He still could not believe how he had come to this being his life. Six years ago he was the Stud of Liberty Avenue. For the most part he still pretty much was - only now he was also a single father of two. The night Gus had been born had changed everything for him. He had met the two most important people in his life - his son, and the man that would get under the wire and into his heart in just a day - Justin Taylor.

Brian hadn't really thought about Justin in years. Okay, that was a lie. He thought about the stupid twink that turned his life upside down in the matter of six months, only to be killed by a homophobic classmate at his senior prom. Brian still remembered that night in vivid detail, still had nightmares about watching the bat swinging at the blond's head, about Justin's still form lying on the cold concrete bleeding out, about the devastating news just days later that the blond hadn't survived.

Justin had turned his life upside down even after his death and caused Brian to finally grow the fuck up. He threw himself into his work and spending more time with his son. He became partner at Ryder by the following year, bought the loft below his own and converted it into a duplex so he had an actual bedroom for Gus, stopped going to Woody's and Babylon, and the Baths on a nightly basis, and had a second child with the mothers of his son. When Lindsay and Mel had first approached him the second time about fathering another child for them - this time with Mel as the mother - Brian had been a little more hesitant. He and Mel still didn't really get along, but knowing this is what they wanted, Brian agreed.

Nine months later Jennifer Rebecca Marcus (now Kinney) had been born. Everything seemed to be going good for Brian's makeshift family after Jenny had been born - until six months later. Lindsay and Melanie had been in a car accident and neither had survived. It was a huge loss to the whole family and Brian didn't know how to cope. Especially when their will stated as the father, they wanted Brian to take the children. Brian really didn't know what he was doing suddenly a full-time father, but with the help of his family over the last year and a half things seemed to settled down again. Brian was now thinking about starting his own ad agency after hearing that Ryder wanted to sell. Though Brian was partner, Ryder still owned most of the company. Not needing to worry about money, Brian had decided to take the two months of summer before Gus started the first grade to live it up in New York with his kids - decide if he was going to start his agency back in Pittsburgh, or permanently move to New York like he always wanted.

"Daddy!"

Brian blinked and looked down at his son. Gus was patting him on the knee with one hand, his other holding the hand of a little blonde hair, hazel eyed girl. The girl was sniffling and large tears ran down her face.

"Gus, what's wrong?"

Gus looked at the girl and smiled. "This is Lily. She gotted lost from her daddy!"

Brian turned to the girl. "Is that true?"

The girl nodded as more tears ran down her face.

"Do you know you daddy's number?" Gus asked. "My daddy could call him!"

The girl shook her head. "I don't 'member it."

"Where did you last see your daddy?" Brian asked as he looked around, hoping to maybe see one of the parents frantically looking around for their child. There was no such luck so he turned his attention back to the girl.

She looked so familiar, like someone he knew.

"By duh slide." Lily whispered, pointing to where the 'big kid' slides were next to the baby swings. "He was pushin' Chloe in duh swing."

"Okay, so let's head that way and see if we can't find him." Brian stood and took hold of the stroller. Gus kept his hand firmly in the little girls as they walked just ahead of the stroller down the path that would take them around to the slides and swings. Just as they were rounding a slight bend Brian heard a voice he never thought he would hear again and froze.

"Lily!"

"Daddy!" The little girl pulled her hand from Gus' grip and took off towards the blond man that held a baby in his arms. The baby was probably no older then four or five months.

Brian's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened as he watched father and daughter hug. Something was said between them and the blond man looked up at them before standing, taking his daughter's hand, and headed straight for them. Brian didn't say a word as he just stared. The man stopped just in front of Gus.

"Thank you for helping my daughter." the man smiled at Brian, holding out his hand to shake. "I'm Justin Taylor."

Brian looked at his hand before mentally shaking himself and shaking the man's hand. "Brian Kinney."

The man, Justin, nodded, his smile never faltering as he released Brian's hand and placed it on top of his daughter's head. "Lily likes to wander. I haven't quite got her to learn it's not a good idea. I was trying to get Chloe out of the swing and next thing I knew Lily was gone."

"I founded her and took her to my daddy for help!" Gus beamed up at the blond.

Justin looked down at the kid. "Well thank you young man, I am really glad that you did."

Gus stuck his hand out. "I'm Gus!"

Justin took the kids hand and shook it with a chuckle. "It is nice to meet you Gus. That is an awesome name!"

"My daddy says his boyfriend named me the night I was born!" Gus smiled and then giggled. "Hey you have the same name as him!"

"Gus!" Brian looked down at his son. He couldn't believe this. Standing in front of him was Justin. His Justin. His Justin who apparently didn't recognize him, didn't know him. Brian didn't know how to respond to that. Obviously the attack at his prom had cause memory loss - but how much, Brian didn't know.

Gus leaned closer to Justin, which caused the blond to carefully lean down, keeping hold of the baby in his arms.

"Daddy doesn't like to talk about him cause, cause he died when I was a baby. Just like my mommy and momma." Gus whispered sadly before standing up straight and pointing towards the stroller. "And that's my sister Jenny."

"Okay Gus, I think it's time we got home." Brian finally spoke up. He was trying very hard not to look at the man in front of him, still unable to comprehend that he was alive. Justin was alive and standing in front of him. Alive and with kids! Brian's eyes wandered to Justin's left hand and he inwardly sighed in relief to see no ring, and no tan line from a ring.

"But Daddy I wanna play with Lily some more!" Gus whined and Brian cringed, really wishing his son hadn't picked up that horrible habit from his Uncle Mikey.

"Maybe some other time?" Justin asked, looking at Brian. "I'm sure Lily would love to have a play date. She doesn't interact with many other kids, I'm surprised she had even allowed Gus to hold her hand."

Brian nodded, realizing he could get the blond's number. He could and would see the blond again. He pulled out his phone and handed it over. "Give me your number and we can set up a day."

Justin smiled his sunshine smile that Brain missed so much, taking the phone and quickly programming his number before handing it back.

"I'm sure she can't wait." Justin was still smiling. "We'll see you around then."

Brian gave a smirk. "That you will."

"Later."

"Later."

Justin and Lily waved goodbye before turning and heading down the pathway. Brian watched them go before Gus started tugging on his jeans. Brian sighed and finally tore his eyes away from the blond walking away from him and looked back down at his son.

"Yes, Gus?"

"Can we get ice cream?"

Brian laughed and ruffled his son's hair. "Sure. Let's go. It's time Jenny woke from her nap anyway."

Brian turned the stroller around, Gus grabbed hold of it like he always did, and they left the park. It wasn't long before they found themselves in a little ice cream parlor. Gus had gotten a chocolate sundae while a now fully awake Jenny had plain vanilla with chocolate syrup - most of which was on her hands and face. Brian cringed as he sat back in his seat and watched his kids enjoy their treat. His mind was still reeling from the encounter at the park with the one man that had changed everything for him and then died. Or so they had all thought.

Brian sat up straight with eyes wide as he pulled out his phone and quickly pulled up a text.

You up for dinner?

It wasn't long before his phone dinged with a reply.

Sure. Yours, mine, or restaurant?

Mine.

See you at 7.

Brian nodded, satisfied, as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He let Gus and Jenny finish their treats before getting them and the table cleaned up. He got them back to the house and settled in the living room with a movie while he prepared for their guest to arrive for dinner in a few hours.