"This is where you're going to live Nick," Brian said as he escorted him into his house, holding his hand. He couldn't help but smile at the look of awe on Nick's face, how wide and blue his eyes were. Brian sighed.

"Big Ouse," Nick said as he looked around the whole main floor. This house was so much bigger then the house he lived in with his mommy and daddy.

"Yes Nick, this is a big house. It's where you and I are going to live in from now on. Do you want to go see your room?" Brian asked, still holding on to Nick's hand.

Nick nodded his head like crazy. He wondered if his new room was going to be cooler then his other room. It still hadn't totally occurred to him that he didn't have any of his old stuff anymore.

Brian nodded his head. "I really hope you like your room. I had it done last minute." Brian escorted them up the stairs and down the hall. Opening the door, he let Nick walk in before him. He was really nervous.

Nick walked into the room and his eyes got so wide that they almost popped out of his head. "Ohhh!" He giggled as he ran to the bed and automatically started jumping on it.

Brian laughed at the way Nick had reacted. Walking over to the boat shaped bed Brian warned, "Now, Nick, you don't want to go breaking that bed, do you?"

What Brian said made Nick stop right away. He loved his new boat bed he didn't want to break it. "No break," He said before walking over to a shelf that had toys on it. It was amazing how fast Brian had gotten everything put together.

"Good. Do you like your room, Nick?" Brian asked as he walked up behind Nick who was now looking through all the toys he had ordered.

Nick nodded his head as he pulled out a set of big legos and automatically started to play with them. "Pay with me?" he asked, looking at Brian with his big blue eyes.

Brian took a deep breath before he sat down Indian style in front of Nick. "Okay. What do you wanna build there?" He asked as he pulled out some more legos from the box and placed it between himself and Nick.

Nick got a thoughtful look on his face, really wanting to think of the most perfect thing to build. "A castle…a BIG castle."

"Ohh, who you wanna build the BIG castle for, hmmm?" Brian asked as he began to help Nick make the foundation for the castle.

"Me," Nick giggled as he started to place Lego’s on top of what Brian was putting down. "Big Castle for Nicky."

"I think I need to order more Lego’s," Brian said. "We're gonna need a LOT more Lego’s, don't you think so?" He looked at Nick big physique and then at the little amount of legos they had, "A LOT more."

Nick laughed a little shaking his head. "Me no fit in legos...but Castle made for me."

"Oh, you just wanna make a big castle but not for you to live in," Brian chuckled. "What was I thinking?"

"Me no know." Nick giggled as he continued to build for another five minutes before he was obviously getting bored with it by the way he was always looking around and shifting around.

"Is there something else you want to play with? Is there anything else I can get for you... do for you?" Brian asked as he noticed Nick's attention begin to wander around the room. "Do you want to, maybe, get changed, and get into your PJ's?"

Brian looked at the time and noticed that the time was two o'clock in the morning. Surely, Nick had to be exhausted and tired.

As if on cue Nick rubbed his eyes, but shook his head. "No bed...no jammies."

"But you don't want to stay in those yucky clothes, do you?" Brian asked as he gently pulled on Nick's shirt so that Nick could look down at it.

Nick looked down at his t-shirt and basketball shorts. It was the same thing he had been wearing and sweating in before it all happened. He then put the shirt to his face and made a face. "Eww...tinky shirt."

"Yah, tinky shirt," Brian said as he nodded his head and wrinkled his nose. "You gonna go and take a shower so that we don't smell like that anymore, okay?" Brian said as he stood up and held his hands out for Nick to take.

"Okay," Nick said as he walked with Brian into the bathroom. He had always liked showers, even though they had scared him a little bit at first.

Now what? Brian thought to himself as he walked in to the bathroom with Nick. Did Nick know how to shower when he was two? Do two years old know how to shower? "Nick, do you take showers, uh...baths by yourself?"

Nick shook his head, looking over at the shower. "Daddy take shower with me...so I no get ampoo in my eyes."

"Your daddy takes showers WITH you?" Brain asked. He shook his head as he tried to clear the thoughts that suddenly bombarded his mind.

"Uh huh," Nick said, but then thought of something else. "Mommy make me take bath...she just help me." He said meaning that she just sat on the outside of the tub and helped.

Brian let out a relieved sigh. "Okay," he nodded. "I'll be right back. Don't do anything until I get back." With that Brian quickly walked back into the bedroom and opened up Nick's dresser. Taking out a pair of boxers, a PJ top and bottom, he walked back into the bathroom.

Nick took a seat on the closed toilet lid as Brian walked out of the room. He then sat and started to mess with the toilet paper.

When Brian walked into the bathroom he found Nick wrapping himself with the toilet paper. Amused, he asked, "You wanna be a mummy, eh?" He walked over to the sink and placed the clothes on the counter. Bending over the tub he turned the shower head on, checking to make sure the water temperature was lukewarm.

Taking it upon himself, Nick got himself all out of the toilet paper and started to take his clothes off. He would have succeeded if the pesky shirt wouldn't have gotten stuck on his head. "Umm...help," came his muffled voice.

Brian turned out when he heard Nick call for help. "Oh Nick," Brian chuckled as he walked over to where Nick was struggling with the shirt. "Hold still a minute," Brian said softly as he helped Nick out of the shirt. The second Nick's shirt came off Brian froze. Memories of when he had done the same thing just a few days ago flooded his mind. The only difference was that back then it was sexual. Taking a deep breath Brian quickly looked away from the deep blue eyes and cleared his throat. "There," Brian said before he dropped the shirt on the toilet lid.

"Tank you," Nick said politely before he stripped his shorts off and sat down on the toilet to take off his socks. He left his diaper on though knowing he wasn't supposed to take that off by himself. He had gotten yelled at by doing that every once and a while, especially if it was wet like it was.

Brian frowned. Was HE supposed to take the diaper off? "Why don't you take off the diaper too, Nick, and then get under the water, okay?"

Nick looked at Brian totally confused, he knew he wasn't supposed to do that. "No, no do it by myself."

"Oh," Brian said. Sighing, he said, "Okay. Stand up and I'll take it off for you." When Nick did just that Brian gulped, he then quickly removed the stickers from the side of the diaper. Closing his eyes, he removed the diaper, and turned the other way. He then folded the diaper and threw it in the garbage. "Get into he shower Nick," Brian said softly.

"Okay," Nick whispered as he climbed into the shower, not looking at Brian. He knew the older man was mad at him for something, but he had no idea what he had done. Then again he was pretty used to that, normally when he was in trouble he had never done anything wrong.

Brian then walked over to the shower and noticed that Nick had taken a seat on the floor of the tub. His eyes were closed and his head titled up, letting the water fall on his face. "Nick, don't swallow or drink the water, okay?" Brian then reached out for the soap and took a seat at the edge of the tub.

"Okay, me wont." Nick said as Brian started to wash him. After a minute he looked at the older man. "You sad, Brian?"

Brian had been lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts of how Nick was just yesterday... thoughts of how they were together. Nick's voice brought him out of his daze. "A little bit," Brian said. Then he replaced the soap and took the shampoo, squeezing some on his palm before replacing that too.

"I sowwy you sad," Nick whispered looking at Brian with sad eyes of his own. "I sowwy I bad," he said still thinking that Brian was mad at him.

Brian wrinkled his forehead. "I'm not mad at you Nick. I could never be mad at you," he said as he forced a smile on his face. He removed one of his hands that were lathering Nick's hair and brought it to Nick's face. Gently he held the younger man's chin in his hand. "Ever."

Nick smiled big, happy to hear that cuz he liked the idea of somebody never being mad at him. He then closed his eyes tightly so Brian couldn't get shampoo in his eyes.

Brian then quickly finished washing Nick's hair when he felt as though Nick was as clean as he could get Brian asked Nick to stand up. When Nick did just that he turned the shower off. Reaching behind him he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around Nick's lower body before helping him out of the tub.

"Nicky all clean now," Nick said as he spun around and started to do a little dance in just his towel.

Brian laughed. "Niiiiick," he whined playfully trying to dry Nick's hair with another towel. "I can't get you dry if you keep wiggling around like that."

"Me dancing," Nick explained like Brian didn't know what he was doing.

Brian stopped trying to dry Nick's hair. Raising an eyebrow he asked, "That's dancing?" An amused smirk was gracing his face. "Because let me tell you, from what it looks like... THIS," Brian said as he wiggled his butt and turned around in a full circle before finally looking back at Nick, "is wiggling your butt."

Nick busted up laughing as he did the wiggly butt dance some more, this time his towel falling off so he was dancing around naked.

Brian gasped when Nick's towel fell. Immediately he bent down and picked it up. He wrapped the towel back around Nick and said, "Hmmm, that's enough of that now. It's time you get into your jammies... before you get a cold."

"Otay," Nick agreed as he looked at the clothes that Brian brought into the room. "Those mine?"

"Uh huh," Brian nodded as he handed Nick the boxers, but paused before Nick could take it. "Uh, I should go and get you a diaper first.... that would be a smart thing to do," Brian said as he chuckled. "Be right back." Brian rushed out of the bathroom, again, and looked through the duffle bag he'd brought home from the hospital. Finding what he was looking for he headed back into the bathroom.

Nick had his shirt on already, this time having better luck getting it on. "Me big boy." He said sounding very proud of himself for getting his shirt on, even though it was on inside out and backwards.

Brian laughed as he entered the bathroom. "Uh huh," he said and then pouted. "But I missed it. Take it off again and let me watch you put it back on."

"Otay," Nick said as he took the shirt back off and then the way it came off it was the right way and this time he got it on the right way. "See...big boy."

Brian smiled. Nick was just so adorable. "Yay," he said excitedly. He then walked closer and started putting the diaper on Nick.

Nick sighed as Brian put the diaper back on him, looking all around the room, actually looking like a toddler that was being changed. He was being really calm about it though which was not normal for him, but Brian didn't know that yet.

"Okay. Hmm," Brian said as he straightened up and looked at the boxers on the counter. He then took the PJ bottoms and squatted down in front of Nick, deciding that Nick really didn't need to wear boxers seeing that he's got on a diaper. "Put your left leg in this hole," Brian said as he held the pants out for Nick to step into.

Nick did as Brian said and put his leg in the whole, holding onto Brian's shoulders to stay upright.

When Nick got his other leg through Brian slowly stood up, pulling the pants up as he went. Sighing, he said, "Well, you're all dressed for bed. What you say we go and get some sleep?" Brian smiled.

"Otay," Nick said as he walked out of the room and climbed into his new boat bed. "Nicky's bed," he whispered almost to himself.

Brian heard Nick's whisper. "Yup, Nicky's bed. All Nicky's," He said as he sat down at the edge of the bed beside Nick.

Nick was lying in his bed for a few minutes before his lower lip started to tremble and his eyes got all watery.

Brian's smile turned into a frown as he noticed Nick's lips trembling and his eyes watering. "Nick, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"I want my mommy," Nick whispered, not knowing she had knowingly given him up. He loved his mommy.

Brian felt like there was an invisible hand squeezing his heart. Trying to keep himself under control. How the heck am I supposed to answer that? What I am supposed to say? Brian thought. "Mommy isn't here right now, Nick. Don't you like me?"

Nick nodded his head as he sniffled, he really DID like Brian. "Y...yeah me wike you lots." He then looked around the bed again, sort of forgetting about mommy. "Where my Winky?" he asked looking under the covers.

"Uhhh," Brian said. "Winky?" He scratched his head. Nick named his thing 'winky'?

"Yeah...Winky," Nick said as he continued to look under the covers, he just happened to hold himself a little as he said this because he had to go potty, not because he was talking about his 'thing' he was really looking for his favorite stuffed bear in the whole wide world.

"Um, Nick..." Brian started to say but he trailed off not really knowing just how to answer that.

Nick looked around the room a minute and then spotted a bear sitting on the toy shelf across the room. Getting out of bed he walked over to the shelf, getting the bear. "No Winky...but otay," he whispered still sounding sad.

Brian watched curiously as Nick got out of bed and picked up a teddy bear. That's when it dawned on him. Blushing brightly he said, "Oh! You had a teddy bear named Winky!" Brian said as he held open the sheets for Nick to get back in before he started to tuck him in.

Nick nodded his head as he snuggled into bed that was when he thought of something. "Me tursty."

It took a few moments for Brian to realize what Nick had said. Quickly nodding he said, "Be right back." He walked out of the room and down to the hall to his room. Walking over to the small refrigerator he opened it and took out a small bottle of milk. By the time he walked back into Nick's room, Nick was sitting in an upright position and watching the doorway.

Nick smiled at Brian as he walked into the room with the milk. He reached his hands out for it, having been really thirsty. Sure, he had just had a medium sized drink at McDonalds before they got home but he was thirsty again.

Brian watched as Nick quickly and eagerly drank the milk. "Slow down there, Nick. You don't want to start choking from drinking to fast," Brian said as he reached for the now half full bottle and gently lowered it.

Nick let out a big sigh as he took a breath from having drunk so much he was out of breath. "Otay," he said now feeling nice and refreshed even though he felt very full of liquids.

Judging by the way Nick kept wiggling around in bed Brian figured he must have to go to the bathroom. "You need to go to use the bathroom, Nick?" Brian asked as he capped the bottle and placed it on the table beside the bed.

Nick shook his head and bit his lower lip which even for adult Nick meant he wasn't telling the whole truth, or even lying.

"Oh okay," Brian said. He looked at Nick for a few moments not believing a word Nick just said. "Well, if you do have to go to the bathroom... you know where it is."

Nick looked across the room, nodding his head. Sure, he knew where it was, but that didn't mean he understood why Brian was saying that. His parents never had the time to even try to potty train him so he didn't even really understand. He let out a yawn and snuggled down in his covers some more. "Me ever see daddy and mommy again?" he asked softly.

Brian was tucking Nick in bed when he was asked that. Standing up straight he ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know Nick," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed softly. "I think they might have gone on a really long vacation."

Nick thought about this for a second before nodding his head. "Otay, but me stay wit you...all time wite?"

"Of course Nicky, at all time," Brian said. He reached his hand out and gently moved the strands of hair from Nick's forehead. "I'm always here for you!"

Nick reached his hands up and hugged Brian tightly. "Me wuve you Brian."

Brian hugged Nick back tightly. "I love you, too, Nick." He pulled back from Nick with a sigh. "I think you should definitely go to sleep now." With that Brian tucked Nick in one more time.

"Otay," Nick whispered as he closed his eyes, trying to get himself to go to sleep. He was tired, which was a lot for a little kid to admit. "Night, night."

"Good night, Nick." Brian reached his hand out to turn the lamp off but froze. He knew how much Nick didn't like the dark so he decided to leave it on. Walking quietly over to the door he turned back to give Nick one last look before walking out of the door... leaving it a bit opened.

<><><><><>

It was a few hours later, probably close to five AM when Nick sat up in bed and just started crying. He had, had a bad dream and now he didn't know where he was and was scared to death.

As soon as Brian left Nick's room he walked into his own. He was too tired and exhausted. It had been the longest most trying day of his life. He removed his clothes and got into his PJ's since he was too tired to go and take a shower. He didn't know what to do and he knew he should call Justin and update him with everything. Picking up his cell phone he dialed Justin's number and waited. The voice mail immediately came on and Brian left a brief summary of all the events that had happened that day. After he was done he let his head hit the pillow with a heavy sigh. But what felt like a few minutes was only two hours later that he shot out of bed when he heard a scream and someone crying. Immediately he ran out the door and into Nick's room. "Nick? Oh my god Nick, what's wrong?" Brian asked.

Nick relaxed a little when he saw Brian but he was still so worked up he couldn't get himself to stop. He held his arms out to Brian wanting to be held and comforted from the nightmare.

Brian ran over to Nick's bed and held Nick in his arms. Gently, he rocked them back and forth. "Shh, Nick. Shh. It was probably just a nightmare. I'm here. Everything's okay, now."

It took a good ten minutes before Nick finally stopped crying and was just left with the little hiccups that followed. "Bad...bunny..." He whispered, meaning there was a bad bunny in his dream.

"Bad bunny? What did the bunny do?" Brian asked as he lifted Nick's tear stained face so that they were making eye contact.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "Me no know...he just bad."

Brian nodded his head. "Okay, Nick. Are you going to be alright? Do you want me to stay or something?" He asked not really sure what do to but also because he didn't like seeing Nick like this.

"Pweeze," Nick whispered, wanting Brian to sleep with him because he didn't think he could go to sleep by himself right now. He then got out of Brian's arms and snuggled down in his bed making room for Brian. It was a double sized bed so there was room for two people.

"Okay," Brian said as he got up and crawled under the sheets with Nick. Taking a deep breath he got comfortable on his back. "I'm here now so try and get my some sleep, alright?" Brian said sleepily.

Nick moved so he was spooned up against Brian's body, his head resting on his chest. "Night, night," he whispered.

Brian brought his right hand around and rested it on Nick's head, gently running his hands through it. Within minutes, they were both asleep.