That was the question, wasn’t it? Why couldn’t Brian ever get a break? Deb asked the question and so did Justin to himself. It could be his child conjoined. He felt the pain too. They really felt as one sometimes. Brian’s life had always had one thing after another. So had Justin’s been after he was outed. Brian barely made it out alive from the Kinney household and then he had to deal with rape, and suicide attempts that are now coming to light since the accident to everyone and Michael’s jealousy, Justin’s bashing, and so much more. Justin had been there for a lot of it in ways the rest of the old gang never was. Justin had kept a lot of it quiet. They didn’t need to know. Their private turmoil had been for them to share alone. Now that he and Brian have some happiness and love, more tragedy is heading their way. Justin just couldn’t see how either of them had the strength to keep fighting and going on and yet he knew why, the alternative was far worse and both just couldn’t hurt the other in that way leaving one behind. Justin had had his moments, times when he had struggled holding onto some small hope so that he could go forward. Brian had always said that he was the strongest person he ever knew. Justin thought it was just the opposite. Brian was the stronger of the two of them. Maybe it was tied. That was up in the air. At least, they had found each other that day so long ago under a street lamp.

Justin kept holding Brian as they sobbed together in the van as Emmett took them home. Emmett had quietly sat in the driver’s seat and started to drive. This was their moment. They needed no intrusions. Each was comforting the other in the only way they could. This crisis could not be avoided. No one was at fault. Yet both felt guilt even though each knew it was illogical. Emmett was driving when he heard murmurings. He tried not to listen but knew he was curious.

“Brian, we will deal with it when we have to. Brian, enjoy the pregnancy and don’t dwell on the possibilities. It is already decided. We can’t do anything to change it. Brian, hear me. I can’t promise everything will be alright, but I can promise together we can get through this. We are strong together.” Brian’s sobs had stopped and he just kept looking into Justin’s eyes as Justin gave him strength through touch and words. Brian started hiccupping. Justin laughed and punched Brian in the arm lovingly. “Stop that! That is an order.” They both laughed, though Brian hiccupped through the laughter.

How did Justin always make him laugh even when he was drowning in such sadness? Brian questioned in his mind.

By the time they arrived at El Nido De Amor, Justin had achieved his goal. Brian was ready to face everyone and talk about what was going to possibly be in their future. He was still hurting but now he was ready to take it on, whatever it entailed. A quick meltdown always helped Brian to tackle whatever after. It was his new way of coping. He allowed himself to feel and then he was all business. It worked for him and sometimes for Justin. Justin had his art as his outlet and Brian knew that even after they had cried Justin would need time in the studio to cope with everything. It was his way. Sometimes Justin needed him to be there unspeaking just so he wasn’t alone as he started to paint. Once he was in the zone Brian if need be would leave him alone, but often as not he stayed and watched Justin attack the canvas. The calm blond would literally get his anger out on the canvas. It was amazing to see and it mesmerized Brian. After a while, Brian would pick up a brush and paint too. Some of Brian’s best work was done at these times, but it would be Justin that would make him realize that he needed to create and make something beautiful out of such distress. It always worked better than the drugs, drinking, and anonymous sex ever did. He was grateful that Justin had taken the time to show him that he had other talents besides thrusting, rimming, and sucking. To Brian, it seemed like such a long time ago or that it was another person. He had changed so much and that old life held nothing for him now. It was what he called now ‘his lost years’ and it was Justin that had found him and helped him become happier and more alive realizing life was for living. How Justin always hung in there when he was struggling he will never understand but what they have now was so worth it.

As if on cue, Justin spoke. “Brian, I will need you with me later. Will that be alright? I know you are beat.”

“Funny, I was just thinking about that. Maybe I will paint too. This is so scary. Justin, you saved my life when you walked into it that day. How you have stood by me all this time and never really wavered in your love for me still seems so surreal. Thank you.” Brian said it simply but it went throughout Justin. His heart and soul was touched because it was said with such love and meaning backing it. “Without you Justin, I would have long since died as I had planned so long ago always young and beautiful and perfect. But I wasn’t perfect. Not really. Now in the condition that I am in, I think I am finally on the road to perfection because it isn’t about vanity anymore. Again, thank you.” Justin got totally red. He leaned down and pressed his perfect puckered lips against Brian’s and kissed a tender yet wonderful kiss. Justin whispered, “Thank you!” It always felt good to know you are appreciated.

“I hate to change the subject right now but shouldn’t we get the conference with everyone over. Then we can be alone. Sorry. You don’t know how sorry I am.”

Brian smiled. “Yes, I do. Don’t worry. We will keep this feeling.” The two were off to the dining room to tell everyone what was happening. Cynthia was already there with Deb, Daphne, Emmett, Marie, and the others. They were the last. Everyone had coffee or something else to drink as they slipped into their spaces. Cynthia sat to the left of Brian and Justin to the right. Marie set a coffee by Brian and a coke by Justin.

Brian took a sip and then started to talk. We got some news that doesn’t bode well. Cynthia is carrying triplets but two are conjoined twins. We don’t as yet know how they are conjoined. At first, at Daphne’s office, we saw only twins but one seemed to be having an echo of a heartbeat. We thought the one has a cardiac problem but now we know that their hearts seem to be fine. We were hearing two heartbeats. Actually three but it seemed like two. They had been perfectly aligned and we didn’t realize that a baby was hidden. We went to a specialist and doing a second ultrasound we noticed four legs. We will just have to wait it out and see how badly they are attached. As of now, Cynthia will have to have a c-section. There is no way that she will be able to push out two babies at once.”

The few other facts they had at the moment they shared. The atmosphere had turned solemn. The silence was deafening. Deb, of course, was the first to speak. “We will be here for you through this. I will be here every step of the way. Keep your chin up. We need to make a contingency plan for every possibility. We need to accept what is to come.” She looked straight at Brian. “You are not alone. You have Justin and us.” As an afterthought realizing she was ignoring Cynthia, a person who had been with Brian for a long time now was also in this together. “Cynthia, we all will be here for you especially Brian and Justin.”

“I know.” She stated.

Deb then turned to Brian and Justin again. “So now with this added crisis, have you changed your minds about waiting for the birth to find out who was the father?”

This doesn’t change anything. We will both feel it whether it was mine or Justin’s. We are the parents Deb and it doesn’t matter whose sperm it is. We will only have the DNA done in case of future medical problems. This way, each child truly knows whose history he needs to remember. That is the only reason we need to know. So drop it!” Brian glared at Deb. He knew how her mind works. He was going there.

They continued to discuss the situation until Brian feigned fatigue so that they could be alone. Brian needed the touch of his lover and so did Justin. Instead of their room, they went to the studio and it was there that they stripped and made love on the floor. Brian needed to feel Justin inside him. How he loved it when Justin made love to him. The Great Top was now a happy nelly bottom but he was working on it still. In his mind he was just versatile and right now he was reversing his earlier role out of necessity but soon he hoped it would be truly equal for them. He knew that Justin missed it and he still couldn’t top often enough for his liking. Justin used him hard and fast. Both needed the furious speed and the hard impact relieving some of the tension they were still holding in.

Brian fell asleep where he lay, dreaming the encounter over again. It had been a ramming, slapping speed that they had both needed. He slept contentedly. Justin dozed for a few minutes but he needed to paint and left Brian to pick the media he wanted to use. He wanted to slap the paint on. He needed to do an abstract. Abstracts always allowed him to throw his emotions out there texturing it in layers of pain or whatever emotion that was driving him. The fact that Brian was near him helped and he smiled as he looked at Brian again. How could he look so peaceful with all this happening? He started with a dark maroon color as the background and then went from there. He was using oils. Oils gave him great possibilities in texture. The zone took over and soon he forgot that Brian was in the same room because he was the creator and the creation or at least an extension of the creation.

Hours passed, Justin had skipped dinner not realizing the time. Brian was still sleeping. Marie had come in with some finger foods when she had seen that the two had been occupied—one sleeping and the other working furiously. She knew better than to interrupt when either of them were in the zone. She had originally come to tell them dinner was ready but when neither responded to her presence, she had gone back to the kitchen and made up some easy food that wouldn’t go bad and brought it into the room. She left it where she always did. When Justin needed food he would see it. She fed the others and then retired with her husband for the night. She knew that Justin needed to get this latest pain out.

Three more hours passed when Justin’s stomach growled to the point he couldn’t ignore it. He looked up at the clock that was near his easel. He couldn’t believe it was already midnight. He stepped back to see what he had created. It was perfect. It spoke volumes of what he was feeling today. He looked toward the place Marie would always place something to eat when he didn’t come to the family meal. It was there and then he realized that Brian was still sleeping on the floor. He had forgotten he was there. He hoped that the hard floor wouldn’t make him ache too much. He was about to wake Brian so they could go to their room when he realized Brian wasn’t lying the same way he was earlier. True, he could move himself but this was different. He looked again and realized with a start what was startling him. Brian’s other leg was no longer straight down, it had bent and the foot was actually touching the knee of the other leg. It had never happened before. The dead leg had moved.

Justin wanted to shout for joy. Instead he bent down and kissed Brian awake and then told him not to move.

“Why did you wake me?” Brian asked groggily. “And why don’t you want me to move?”

“Because Brian, you moved in your sleep. I need to get the camera. He always had a camera in the studio. It made for catching a fleeting moment. “Keep your eyes closed.” Justin immediately took the picture and then before showing it to Brian, he asked, “Brian, do you feel something differently. I am not talking about your hands.” Brian kept his eyes closed as he ran through his body and suddenly, he pulled himself up and turned his head to Justin.

“Justin, am I imagining it? Has my leg really moved?” After all this time, Brian had accepted that maybe his other leg would never be cooperative and he had accepted it.

“Brian, try to move it away from your knee.” Brian tried with all his concentration but nothing happened. “Okay. Brian, don’t give up. Try again. I know you are tired but you did it while you were relaxed. You can do it now.” The encouragement was just what Brian needed to hear. He tried again and the foot moved away from the knee.

“You did it Brian. You moved!” Justin was crying now as he wrapped his arms around Brian. “After all this time baby, I almost can’t believe it. That is why I had to take the picture. He took another with the new movement. “Proof is always good. Now how are we going to get you into the chair? I am too excited and too tired to lift you from this position.”

“We can always sleep here till morning.”

“True, but I don’t want you to be aching any more than necessary in the morning. Brian, can you turn over onto your back. You look so appetizing this way but I can’t leave you this way.”

“Oh, pooh! What fun are you? Don’t you want to celebrate?”

“Oh, we will celebrate. I promise.” Justin said as his stomach growled noisily as if on cue.

“So that’s why?” Brian teased. You are just too hungry for other things to take care of me.” He feigned annoyance and Justin just laughed as he brought the tray over. Justin plopped down on the floor next to Brian.

“Seriously, Brian, do you have the strength to turn over so I can feed you?” Brian smiled as he pushed himself over feeling the sweet accomplishment that it was but not as sweet as knowing that he will soon have the use of both legs. Brian’s face was beaming with pride but also flushed from the effort. Seeing that told Justin his assumption was true. The emotional day was starting to take a toll. A thought hit him.

“Brian, do you realize this time is the first time improvement happened without you being totally in bed for days. You were sleeping for quite a number of hours though. Maybe, that is all you will need this time.” Justin’s smile radiated giving Brian such sweet warmth as he dipped some fruit into a fruit yogurt dip and with fingers served his lover.

Brian smiled mischievously as he clamped upon the fingers, his tongue taking the sweet berry and then licking Justin’s fingers not allowing them exit. His movements were so sensuous that Justin moaned, his cock immediately growing. Luckily, he was already naked. Justin responded by using his other hand to get a berry for himself and as he dipped the strawberry he wet his lips. Their dance continued. Brian sucked on his fingers as if he was sucking his cock and each lick and squeeze on his two fingers sent sensations straight to Justin’s cock. Justin couldn’t help himself. Even though he was sitting cross legged he found himself rocking or more precisely thrusting toward Brian with each tug upward on his fingers. Food was soon forgotten and Justin pushed another finger into Brian’s mouth. He started to touch himself. He was leaking already and Brian nodded slightly telling him he was not to touch himself. Justin groaned. He couldn’t move into another position and he knew Brian was turning on the heat even more with his tongue manipulations. It was so hot and he couldn’t believe how much he wanted to get off. His leaking throbbing cock swelled and became redder as he realized how intense this was. He had never come off like this but somehow he realized it could happen. No! Scratch that. It will happen. God, he needed to get off. He can’t believe how intense he was feeling without anyone touching him in all the normal erotic places. How does Brian come up with these unique ways? Brian was a true master even with his limitations.

Justin started to pant as his mind took him someplace else. He closed his eyes and envisioned Brian making love to him completely like he used to and the thought was all it took as he arched forward spraying his cum all over Brian. Brian licked the fingers a few more times and then let them slip out of his mouth.

“Yum.”

“Yeah, but you missed the best of it. Shall I feed it to you?” Justin said breathless. After catching his breath, Justin picked up some more berries in his hand and took one at a time and dipped it in the cum that was dripping off Brian’s chest and stomach.

“You’re right. It is even better than the other dip. More please.”

“Justin smiled and fed his lover strawberries in cum sauce. After five or six, Justin took one and took the last of the cum with it and teased Brian not giving it to him and instead ate it himself. Brian laughed heartily. His highly engorged erection was throbbing with need. Brian wanted so much to touch Justin but his hands were keeping him up. He knew if he let go of his hands that were supporting him he would fall over. As if sensing Brian’s need Justin came closer and pushed Brian back onto the floor. Their bodies touched skin against skin and Brian moaned. He needed the contact so much. His cock was creaming precum.

Kissing Brian passionately, Justin slowly moved down his body till he was right there at the jewels. His hand touched the inside of Brian’s thigh and Brian arched. Justin gently said no. He started to nibble and stroke the upper legs by the groin without touching the throbbing member. He then appreciatively wrapped his lovers balls within his mouth as he licked, squeezed, and fondled the balls with his tongue. Brian was moaning continuously now, his head going from side to side. Brian wished he could grip onto the floor. “Justin, please he begged.” Justin smiled as he nipped at the sac. Brian begged again. This time, he knew he would give him what he had needed. He bent over the cock and took it fully in his mouth with his lips touching the bush and end of the shaft. Suddenly, Justin gripped the bottom of the shaft tightly and with a scream Brian came in his mouth. Justin delighted in the taste and had moved further away towards the tip so that he could hold some of it in his mouth for Brian.

When Brian was finished, Justin moved up and kissed Brian swapping the sweet cum and Brian moaned again. They cuddled into each other and soon both were asleep. They would awaken the next morning with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and Marie staring down at them.

“Strange place to sleep all night. Couldn’t you at least cover yourselves with a throw for warmth? Weren’t you cold?”

The two laughed. “We were extremely hot Marie, extremely hot.” Brian quipped.

“Besides, I was too tired to get him into his chair last night and didn’t want to wake anyone up when I finally finished the picture.”

“I am sure the picture isn’t all that was finished.” She laughed.

“Marie, we were celebrating.” Marie cocked her head confused.

“Celebrating what? Conjoined twins!”

“Oh, no. We were commiserating on that earlier but when I finished the picture around midnight I looked at Brian and…”

“Don’t keep me in suspense.”

Brian closed his eyes and relaxed as he moved his leg an inch. Watching Brian, she screamed. “You can move it! Finally, you can move it! Brian this is monumental. Do you know what this means?”

Brian grinned. “Yes, I do. It will take a lot of work but Marie, there will be a time when I will be able to stand on my own. I am sure of it.”

“And then you can become the top again. I miss it.” For the first real time he had voiced it out loud with the longing in his tone.

“I know baby, I know.” Brian looked wistful.

“Brian, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

“You aren’t. I have always known you missed it. I have hope for that again. Maybe in time, but Justin, right now it is a long way off. Remember, it took me two months working at it constantly to top you that first time since the accident. It still takes so much out of me.”

“I know Brian. I know.” Justin said grabbing his hand and caressing it. Marie smiled.

“Well, here is some coffee. I will go get your robes and have Sam help you get back in the chair. That low might be too much for Justin alone.

“Thanks Marie.”

“Celebrating isn’t over Brian. This is huge.” Marie said as she hurriedly left the room to herald the news.