Brian was just about to get up and look for Justin when he heard the quiet whispering coming through the baby monitor. Freezing in his tracks he turned around and sat back down as he turned the volume up a bit so he could hear what Justin was saying.

"Bri, you shouldn't be spying on them," Kevin said giving Brian a weird look.

Justin sat in the chair watching Nick for a few minutes as he reminisced about when he first met Nick and all the good and bad times that they've been through. He smiled softly when he remembered the goofy things he and Nick would come up with and say. Just then the secret anthem they made up when they were ten popped into his head and he started to softly sing it in a whispering tone. After he was done he sniffled. "I want you back, Nicky," he said in a near whisper. "I miss you so much. I know things aren't the same anymore but I lost you to Brian once and I never had the chance to tell you how I really felt and... I never will. So, I'm going to take this chance to tell you. I don't want to lose you again. I love you Nick. I always had and I never stopped. I'm always gonna be here for you even if it means that I'll just be there as a friend. I can't lose you again. And I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe and I won't... I promise you, I won't let anyone hurt you, ever again. I'm sorry I never realized all the pain you were going through. I'm sorry that I was such a horrible friend. I'm so sorry. They hate me and I don't know what to do. I think they will try everything in their power to keep me from you and I don't know what to do if they do that." Justin stopped whispering when all the emotions became to much for him. He pulled his knees up to his chest and started crying silently into his arms.

Brian remained silent as he listened in on what Justin was whispering. He froze at the words that Justin had said.

‘Uh oh,’ Howie thought to himself.

AJ groaned a little when he realized that maybe Brian did have a reason to be jealous, but then something else that Justin said got to his ears. "Why would he think we would want him to go away?"

"I always thought that kid looked at Nick differently than most of his other friends," Kevin said with a sigh looking over at his cousin.

Brian's mind was reeling with what Justin had revealed that he didn't hear what AJ and Kevin had said.

"Um," Howie said not really knowing what else to say... this by far had to be the most uncomfortable situation he'd ever been in. Then remembering what Justin said he quickly got up. "I'm gonna go check on Justin," Howie said as he left the living room and walked upstairs to Nick's room.

By this point Nick had woken up and was looking at Justin with curious eyes, his mouth still working the binkie.

Howie walked into the room and noticed Justin crying into his arms as they were holding his knees to his chest. He felt really bad that Justin was going through so much and no one had been paying much attention to what he must be going through. Placing his hand softly on Justin's back as to not scare the younger teen he knelt by the chair. He didn't notice Nick wake up. "Hey Justin," Howie whispered. "You alright?"

Justin quickly tried to dry his eyes before picking his head up. Looking into brown concerned eyes he said, "Yah, I'm fine. I'm just exhausted and tired." Justin lied forgetting completely about the baby monitor. "Sorry if I'm not supposed to be up here. I'll leave soon," Justin said as he untangled himself and quickly got up and left Nick's room in hurry, embarrassed.

Howie shook his head and immediately followed Justin out the door and downstairs and noticed that Justin had already left the house through the front door. Sighing, he walked back into the living room. "Justin just ran out of here."

Kevin was about to say something when Nick's cries could be heard through the room coming from the baby monitor. He had gotten scared when Howie and Justin had both ran out of his room since he had no idea what was going on.

Brian was immediately on his feet and up the stairs before anyone in the room could blink. "Hey Nick, what's the matter?" Brian questioned as he walked into the room and over to Nick's bed.

Nick was sitting up in bed, looking around so confused as he cried. "Justin and Owie go fast...scare Nicky."

"Oh you were awake huh?" Brian questioned as he sat beside Nick and held him in his arms.

"Me woke up," Nick said with a nod as he stopped crying just sniffling a little now that Brian had him safe. "Day otay?" he asked meaning Howie and Justin. "Justin cwy."

"I think so," Brian said just as Howie, Kevin, and AJ peeked their heads inside the room.

Nick smiled big when he saw Howie standing there along with everybody else. "You otay!" He exclaimed happily, pointing at Howie.

AJ laughed, looking at Howie. "I suppose he's okay his hair is a little scary but I'm not sure if there is any hope there," he teased his friend.

Brian laughed as Howie consciously padded at his head with a pout on his face. "Yes, Nick, they're okay and I'm not sure about Howie's hair either," Brian said and stuck his tongue out at Howie.

"Why's everyone picking on my hair? What did it ever do it you?" Howie questioned as he walked over and sat in the chair that Justin was had seated at earlier.

"Where da mommies?" Nick asked totally out of the blue, he was asking why there weren't any girls around, but didn't exactly ask it like that.

AJ looked at everybody in the room to see if they had any idea what Nick was talking about and when he was met with mostly confused expressions he wasn't sure what to do.

"Mommies?" Brian questioned looking down at Nick who was now resting in his head on his lap.

Nick nodded his head, "Yeah...no girls."

Kevin's eyes went wide when he realized what Nick was talking about. "He wants to know where all the girls are because only guys have been taking care of him so far."

Howie's eyes widened as he looked at Kevin. How were they going to explain what they were to Nick?

Brian looked at his cousin, then AJ, then Howie, and then at pacifier in Nick's mouth. "Uhh," Brian said not really knowing how to finish off that sentence, heck, how to even start the sentence.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "It otay me no ike girls anyways...day dumb."

AJ laughed out loud shaking his head. "Girls aren’t dumb buddy."

Just then Howie thought of something. "Guys? If we protect him and take care of him... he might end up being straight? You know since we're kinda changing the past... sort to speak."

Brian shook his head. "But he just said he doesn't like girls 'cause they're dumb!"

"Yeah and I said that up until I was ten," Kevin pointed out then thought about something. "Well I did turn out gay, but that isn't because I think girls are dumb...just not attractive."

"Barbie’s pretty," Nick said still being totally random just thinking of things now that he was wide awake.

"Okay, that could be taken as he is even looking at Barbie’s and is gay cuz he likes them...or he likes boobs," AJ said making a face at the idea.

"Well, now we finally know that Nick has always been random since birth," Howie said. It had been something that he and others would talk about when they all first met each other. They would discuss just from where Nick would come up with these random ideas and jokes and pranks or say the most irrelevant things at the most weirdest times.

Brian shrugged his shoulder. "Who knows if he'll be gay or straight and since he just mentioned Barbie. Who knows if he'll be a cross dresser or a transvestite?"

"And it really shouldn't matter," Kevin said as he put an arm around Howie's shoulders. Normally he wasn't big on showing public displays of affection even though he and Howie had been together long before Brian and Nick were...it just wasn't their thing.

Nick looked at Kevin and Howie curiously but didn't think anything of it as he climbed out of his bed and over to his train set still only clad in his t-shirt and diaper with binkie working in his mouth.

Brian watched as Nick walked over to the train set. "You wanna play with the trains? No more sleep?"

Howie turned towards Kevin and squeezed his hand. "I don't want Nick to be a cross dresser or a transvestite," Howie said wrinkling his nose. "I could live with him being straight, bi, or gay but if he were to be THAT I'd have a heart attack!"

"I think he would make a cute girl," AJ joked, sometimes it was too much fun messing with his best friend.

Kevin pulled Howie closer to his side and glared at AJ when he felt Howie shiver. "You be nice...right now I think we just have to worry about if he's going to swallow little pieces of his train set," he said looking over to see Nick nibbling on the conductor.

Brian laughed as he reached into Nick's mouth and gently tugged at the body of the conductor. He nearly cracked up when the body feel into his hands but the head still remained in Nick's mouth. "Oh god, Nick please spit that out, right now," Brian said in a panicked voice. "Whatever you do don't swallow anything. Now spit." Brian held his hand out under Nick's mouth waiting for Nick to spit the head out.

Nick spit out the head of the conductor but then picked up a tree and put that in his mouth. Glancing at Brian just right that it showed he was doing it on purpose to get a reaction knowing he was being naughty.

Howie laughed. "And he still likes to get on our nerves purposely since birth. I swear this kid is just something else."

Brian frowned and narrowed his eyes at Nick. Two people can play that game. He reached over and took one of the Lego cubes that was laying around and placed it between his lips.

Nick looked at Brian weird, adults weren't supposed to be putting things in their mouths it was naughty. He then noticed his very sad looking binkie on the floor and realized that was better in his mouth so he spit the tree out and put the binkie back in his mouth.

Kevin made a face as he watched Nick put the dirty thing in his mouth. "Okay that is just not clean," he mumbled to Howie.

AJ started busting up laughing and walked over to Brian and held his hand out to him. "Hey Brian...spit."

Brian narrowed his eyes up at AJ and purposely and literally spit the cube out into AJ's hand along with some spit. "There," Brian said as he beamed.

Howie burrowed his head in Kevin chest. "Oh lord help us," he mumbled.

"Shit Brian...that's nasty!" AJ exclaimed wiping his hand on Brian's t-shirt.

"Shit," Nick mumbled around his binkie

Brian was just about to laugh when he heard Nick say that word. "AJ, language!"

Howie removed his head from Kevin's shirt and looked in their direction when Nick said 'shit'. "Oh great, you're already teaching him to use those words? Perfect!"

"It's not my fault…he spit on me!" AJ exclaimed.

"You told him to," Kevin laughed.

"You didn't have to say THAT word... there are other more appropriate words to use, like... 'eww' or 'icky' or 'yuck'," Howie said as he counted the words off his fingers.

"Poopy," Nick said as if adding in his own word that AJ could have used.

Kevin looked in Nick's direction though with a funny look on his face. "Was that him telling us something...?"

Brian chuckled. "Nah, I don't think so. I think he's helping Howie come up with more words that AJ could have used!" Brian stated proud.

"That's a good little Nicky," Howie stated. "Hey Brian ruffle his hair for me, will ya?" Howie asked. He was too lazy and too comfy with his position right now.

"Lazy," Brian mumbled as he reached over and ruffled Nick's hair.

"Nooo!" Nick whined as he attempted to get his hair back into place a pout on his face.

Kevin laughed as he leaned over and kissed Howie's head. "You just wanted him to get mad at Brian and not you... my tricky baby."

AJ made a face but there was a smile there too. "Eww Kevin and Howie are actually being lovey dovey," he said making kissy faces. He really respected his friend’s relationship so he knew they would know he was just kidding around.

Howie snickered, that wasn't his goal but hey if that's the case then who was he to say other wise? He then stuck his tongue out at AJ with a big grin on his face.

Brian laughed at Nick. "I think you just made it messier," he said referring to Nick's hair which was now sticking up ever which way.

Nick put on the biggest pout in the whole world and glared at Brian. "It pretty...me pretty."

AJ giggled a little at that, "We know you're pretty Nicky...I don't think Brian was saying you weren't."

"You ready to go home?" Kevin asked Howie softly, noticing the way Howie was leaning into him tiredly. They hadn't slept well the night before because of being worried about what was happening the next day.

Howie thought about what Kevin had asked him for a minute. He didn't want to leave but at the same time his eyes were drooping. "I think so," he said in an almost child like voice.

"You're very pretty," Brian said to Nick as he gently pinched his cheeks. "The cutest one in the whole world. No one could resist this face." Brian cooed at Nick and made funny faces at Nick.

Nick started giggling like crazy totally soaking up the attention he wasn't used to.

"I think we're going to head out, we didn't get much sleep last night," Kevin said to the group.

"Up too late doing the nasty again?" AJ teased smirking at Kevin and Howie.

Brian rolled his eyes. "Boys, behave," he looked back at Nick. "Now I feel like I'm Howie."

Howie was too tired to say anything to Brian but had enough strength in him to stick his tongue out and give him the raspberry.

Nick decided to do exactly what Howie did but a lot more so and right in Brian's face. When he saw Brian's face get all wet he just started to giggle even more.

Kevin laughed as he turned to lead Howie out of the room. "By cous...by AJ...by Nicky!"

Brian wrinkled his nose and just sat there, blinking at Nick. This wasn't funny. "Yuck and bye you two, take care," he said as he got up and headed into Nick's bathroom to wash his face.

Howie rested his head on Kevin's shoulder as the other man escorted them out.

Still giggling like crazy, Nick crawled on the floor so he could poke his head into the bathroom. "Boo," he giggled before moving his head away so Brian couldn't see it.

Brian was in the middle of washing his face when he heard a 'boo' said somewhere to the left of him. Looking over he didn't see anything or anyone. He shrugged and went back to washing his face.

Nick moved so his face was in the doorway again and said "Boo" again.

Brian was just about to grab the towel to wipe his face on when he saw Nick in the door way, on the floor, as he said boo. "Oh it was you! And here I thought that this house was haunted." Brian shook his head as he replaced the towel and walked out of the bathroom, ruffling Nick's hair as he passed him.

"Nope just Nicky," Nick giggled and his eyes went wide as he found AJ jumping on his bed. "OHHH bad AJ!"

AJ jumped one more time and landed on his butt. "What...what did I do?"

Brian laughed. "Don't you know the story about the five little monkeys’s jumping on the bed?" He asked AJ, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be a good E.X.A.M.P.L.E. to him?" Brian said as he nodded his head over at Nick who was watching AJ.

"Hey, he knew it was bad you should be happy," AJ laughed as he got up. "I think I'm going to head out too, I need to actually go check and see how things are going at my house and feed my D.O.G.”

"Uh huh," Brian said as he nodded his head. "Thanks for everything. Could you make sure you lock the door on your way out?" Brian asked as he went to sit on Nick's bed. Then something shiny caught his attention on the single chair that was pulled up to the bed. Walking over to the chair he said, "Hold on." Picking up the small gold ring he examined it closely. 'BFF - NGC - JRT' it read. Justin must have dropped the ring while he was sitting there earlier.

"Dat pwitty," Nick said as he sat down next to Brian looking at the ring he was holding. "Me want it."

AJ turned around and looked at Brian. "Hmm?"

Brian looked at Nick. Nick already had a ring similar to this one, exactly similar to this one. He tried to think of just where Nick might have stored it that day when they went for rehearsals. Looking at AJ he said, "Um, Justin stormed out of here didn't he?"

AJ nodded his head, "Yeah, Howie tried to catch him but he couldn't, remember."

Nick was busy trying to figure out how he was going to get the ring out of Brian's hands because he wanted it. "Me want dat..."

Brian held the ring out of Nick's reach and handed it to AJ. "Give this to him. Find him and give it to him." He then looked at Nick. "I'll get you another one. One that's prettier than that one, okay?" Now all he had to do is figure just where Nick kept his jewelry.

"No I want dat!" Nick practically screamed a very angry look on his face. "Gimmie."

AJ's eyes went wide. "Sure think Bri...I'm sure he probably went home or something." With that he walked out of the room not sure if he was ready to watch Nick in a full blown temper tantrum.

"No Nick," Brian said firmly. "That's not yours. That belongs to Justin. Justin would be really sad if he doesn't have that ring." Brian tried to make Nick understand. "Do you want Justin to be sad?"

Nick shook his head but the look still stayed. "But Nicky very sad right now...Nick angry," he said as he stood up and stomped over to his train set and kicked it hard.

"Nick," Brian said in a firm, hard tone. "Don't test my patience, okay? I know you're upset and you want that ring. Maybe you can ask Justin to give it to you the next you see him but right now that's not your ring. It's Justin's. Do you understand that?" Brian walked over to Nick and grabbed his shoulders gently.

Still glaring at Brian Nick walked over to his toy shelf and threw all the toys off of it, the whole time glaring at Brian...mostly just trying to get a reaction out of him.

Brian sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. He was tired, exhausted, and there were too many things that he had to think about, and Nick wasn't helping him. "Fine, you want to trash your room, go right ahead. But this is your room and you're gonna have to stay in all the mess." Brian said as he walked over to the door. Turning around with a sad tone to his voice he said, "I don't know what I got myself into and I don't even know what to do anymore." He walked out and went to his room.

Nick stood there in total shock, he hadn't expected that reaction. Normally his parents would yell...throw things and hurt him...but sometimes that was better then being totally ignored in his book...at least they were paying attention to him. Not wanting to be by himself Nick followed Brian quietly.

Brian walked into his room, totally unaware of Nick following. He threw himself on his bed, face down, and let the tears fall as he began to cry. "God help me," he said, his voice muffled. "I need help; I don't know what to do. Please, give me the strength and wisdom what I would need, Lord."

Seeing Brian cry was something Nick had never seen before. He had never seen an adult cry and he felt himself want to cry but instead it was making his tummy hurt. "Me sowwy," he whispered, knowing he had made Brian mad. Quickly he ran out of the room and back to his own and started to clean up the mess he had made.

Brian was caught off guard when he'd heard Nick's voice in his room. Startled he quickly sat up and looked at the door just in time to see Nick run out of it. Quickly wiping his face with the sheets he got up and ran to Nick's room wondering what he was up to now. "Nick, what are you doing?" Brian questioned once he was in the room and noticed Nick bent over by the toy shelf.

"Cweening," Nick whispered as he attempted to put everything back on the shelf just how Brian had it but wasn't turning out like it should at all and he was getting very frustrated. "Tupid thing!" he said before kicking the toy shelf.

"Nick," Brian sighed. He walked over to where Nick was and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Go sit on the bed, okay? I'll be with you in a minute."

Nick swallowed hard; he knew he was in for it now. "O...o...otay," he whispered as he slowly walked to the bed.

Brian bent down and started picking up all the toys that were thrown on the floor. When they were all back on the shelf he walked over to the train set and started to put everything together. Once things looked like they were supposed to he sat down on the floor by the train set and looked at Nick who was sitting on the bed staring at him with big wide blue eyes. "I'm sorry," Brian apologized. He should have known Nick wouldn't understand things. Heck, he knew this but he didn't know what made him get so hopeless earlier. "I shouldn't have walked out of here like that. Forgive me?" Brian asked feeling like the millionth time he was asking Nick for forgiveness.

"Me one who made room messy," Nick whispered.

"I know," Brian said. "You need to learn how to control your anger Nick. You need to learn that you can't always have what you want. You need to learn so many things, things I don't know how to teach you. You need to understand that I don't know how to raise a two year old. I wasn't ready for it but... now here you are. I love you but I can't do this all by myself. I need you to work with me and help me. Do you understand?" Brian asked and snorted when Nick just looked at him. "Nevermind."

"I be good boy now...no take me back to mommy and daddy...pweeze...me pwomise to be good!" Nick practically begged his big blue eyes filling with tears.

"Even if I could I can't," Brian mumbled as he got up and walked over to Nick's bed. "I'll never take you or bring you or give you back to them, Nick. Ever. You won't have to see them again. I promise." And as God is his witness he was going to stick to that. "I don't expect you to understand everything but I do expect you to... I don't know... think things through... as best as you can." Brian wrinkled his nose. "Okay, well, just be a good boy. Yah, that'll work for now."

"Me twy to clean up," Nick said looking over at the shelf that was now in the right order. "Me not big nuff to do it...but me twy"

Brian smiled a small smile. "I know you did and thank you for trying." Brian kissed the top of Nick's head and took in a deep breath as he hugged the younger boy close to him. Resting his cheek on Nick's head he let his mind wander off not realizing the tears as they began to fall.

"Brian no cwy...." Nick whispered feeling his tears. "Me wuv you...no cwy."

Brian lifted his head as he looked at Nick in his arms. "I know you love me, Nick. And I love you, too." And so does Justin, Brian thought to himself, not saying it out loud.

"Me hungy," Nick said after a few minutes of their cuddling. He giggled when his stomach started to growl.

"I can hear that," Brian said as he let go of Nick and stood up. "Let's go downstairs and see what we have left to eat." Brian waited for Nick to join him before they walked out of the room.

"Me no want no more candy...or smoothies...made tummy ache." Nick said with a pout as they walked downstairs to the kitchen.

"I could have told you that but you wouldn't have listened to me," Brian said as he lightly laughed. Opening the door to the fridge he peered inside. "Do you want me to warm up some milk for you?"

Nick nodded his head quickly, there was one thing his mommy had done for him that made him feel happy and that was when she gave him bottles with warm milk...he missed that. Instinctively he started sucking on his binkie a little more.

Taking in Nick's reaction Brian nodded his head. "Milk it is," he said more to himself. Taking out one of the pre-made bottles he headed over to the microwave oven and heated the milk for a few seconds. Taking it back out he squirted some on his wrist making sure it wasn't too hot or too cold. The nurse at the hospital taught him how to check. Satisfied he walked over to Nick and handed him the bottle. "Here you go."

Nick smiled big as he took the bottle and started drinking it quickly a very content look on his face.

Brian sat opposite of Nick and watched as he happily drank the milk. He should try the cup soon, he thought to himself.

Nick smiled at Brian and giggled at the way Brian was watching him. "Why Justin run fast?" he asked still wondering why Justin left his room quickly.

Brian frowned as he tried to remember all the things he over heard Justin telling Nick through the baby monitor. Sighing he said, "Justin's sad. He lost someone he loves. He thought we don't need him anymore and he ran out."

"Me want him!" Nick exclaimed his eyes wide.

Brian immediately picked his gaze up from where they were watching his hand wipe away invisible crumbs on the counter to Nick wide eyes. "Why?" Brian questioned. He knew that was a stupid question but he really wanted to know why. It's not like Nick remembered their past history or knew anything about who Justin really was. So, what could Nick possible want with Justin?

"He my fwend....he pway wit me and by me candy...get in twuble to make me happy." Nick whispered, popping his bottle back into his mouth.

"Hmm," Brian said. "Okay." He felt his stomach grumble but he wasn't in any mood to eat anything.

Nick handed his bottle to Brian having heard his stomach.

Brian laughed. He wrinkled his face and shook his head. "No thanks." Looking at the time he realized that it was a little past seven in the evening. "So, Nick, what do you wanna do now?"

Nick glanced out the sliding glass door that was next to him. "Can me go pay out dare?" he asked pointing outside just wanting to run around.

"There's nothing out there and it's dark out. I don't want you getting hurt or falling down." Brian said looking at Nick and then sighed when Nick looked at him with puppy eyes. "Oh, okay."

Nick smiled big as he put his bottle down, grabbed the now ever present binkie and went to the door. The cool thing was he still hadn't figured out his size yet and still thought he couldn't open the heavy door himself.

Brian watched as Nick stood at the door and looking out at the yard. "What are you waiting for?" He questioned not understanding why Nick was just standing there.

"Help?" Nick asked looking at Brian.

Brian looked at Nick with an amused look. Reaching his hand over he opened the lock and slid the door open.

Nick smiled his thanks before he ran out the door and started to just run around the back yard still only dressed in a t-shirt and his diaper. He definitely was a bundle of energy.

Brian walked over to one of the lawn chairs and sat down, thankful that the automatic yard lights were on. He could see Nick clearly. "Nick," Brian called out. "I don't want you playing that close to the fence or near the pool."

"Otay!" Nick called as he climbed to a top of a little hill in the backyard and then lied down and log rolled down it giggling like crazy.

Brian quickly got up and walked to the bottom of the hill so that Nick wouldn't roll his way right into the pool. "Hey buddy," Brian said as he laid down with his arms tucked beneath his head, gazing up at the stars. Nick rolled right into him.

"Ouff," Nick said as he rolled right into Brian, he then giggled when he realized what happened. "Why down here Brian?" he asked as he rested his head on Brian's chest.

"Just looking at the stars," Brian replied. "Besides, if I hadn't you'd have rolled right into the pool," Brian said as he turned his head to the left and looked at the pool that was only two feet away from him.

Nick's eyes went wide, "Oops...me didn't mean to do dat!" he giggled as he looked up but saw clouds instead. "Ohh look bunny!"

"Where?" Brian asked looking back up at the sky. "I don't see it!"

"Dare!" Nick said pointing right above him at the cloud that looked like a bunny. "Dare moose too!"

"Moose and a bunny?" Brian asked as he titled his head and searched the sky. He saw the bunny. "Oh, I see the bunny but I don't see the moose!" After a few seconds of silence Brian finally saw the moose. "Oh, I see it." Pointing over to another cloud he said, "Look, there's a bird. It looks like an eagle."

Nick nodded his head in agreement before he sat up and then stood up. "Can't catch me!" he giggled before running off to some other part of the large back yard.

Brian groaned. Kids and their energy, good lord help him. He was just relaxing and enjoying the silent night, why did Nick have to get up and run around? Oh well. "Coming," Brian grunted out as he got up and quickly walked to where Nick was.

Thankfully Brian had just got up and ran to where he was because Nick had just gotten on the pool deck and tripped, causing him to skin his knee and the palm of his hand. He was now sitting there balling his eyes out in pain.

Brian's eyes widened when he noticed Nick trip. "Oh god," Brian gasped out. "Oh Nicky, shhhhsh." Brian tried to soothe Nick. He looked at Nick and then back at the sliding door. There was no way he could carry Nick. But he knew he had no other choice. Taking a deep breath he let himself relax. Quickly he picked Nick up in his arms and carried him in a hurry into the house and into the living room. He sat Nick down on the couch before hurrying over to the medicine cabinet he had installed in the kitchen. Taking the first-aid kit out he walked back into the living room and sat down beside Nick placing the kit in front of them on the coffee table.

Nick continued to cry looking down at his skinned knee which was bleeding quite a bit because he was an adult and falling wasn't as graceful or as short as if it was a little kid that had fallen.

"Goodness Nick," Brian stated as he gently picked up Nick's leg and rested it on his thighs. "Shhh, everything's going to okay. I promise." Brian then got out the white gauzes and poured a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol onto it. "This is going to sting a bit but I need you to stay still, and it won't hurt as much, okay?"

"No no, no!" Nick cried knowing how much that stuff did sting, but he didn't try to push Brian's hand away either.

"Nick, please. We have to apply this and clean that wound before it gets infected. You don't really want all the germs growing in you and then have the doctor chop your leg off do you?" Brian questioned. He didn't think the doc would actually chop the leg off but he wanted to get the point across to Nick. "It'll only sting for a few seconds and then it'll go away. I promise." Brian then slowly, as he blew on the wound, began to softly circle the wound with the gauze. He began to blow harder on the wound when he brought the gauze closer and closer to the point in which he started to clean the wound. He was glad that Nick didn't seem to be feeling much pain. It was a trick he learned, blowing on the wound, when he was a little boy. His granddad had taught that to him while they went on the father's and son's fishing trip while he was a little boy and had fallen down, scrapping his arms and legs. "Almost done, Nicky. Almost done!"

"Otay," Nick whispered his eyes were closed tight as his mouth clamped shut. It was weird how much he had been through in his short little life but yet a simple skinned knee still bothered him as much as any other kid.

Brian kept blowing on the wound as he threw the bloody gauze in a small plastic bag and took out a square bandage that had pictures of the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles. He put the adhesive bandage over the wound, happy that it was big enough to cover it and lightly kissed the 'boo boo'. "There, all done," Brian said smiling as he reached his hand over and wiped the remaining tears from Nick's face. "Doesn't hurt now, does it?"

Nick sniffled and shook his head in the negative before he hugged Brian tightly. "Tank you," he whispered before he pulled back his eyes going wide. "Binkie fall..." he said remembering his binkie had fallen down outside when he had.

"Oh okay," Brian said as he gently put Nick's leg back on the couch. "You stay right here. Don't move, don't touch anything. I'll be right back." Brian quickly walked out of the living room and into the backyard. He quickly spotted the pacifier lying in the dirty grassy lawn and picked it up. He walked into the kitchen and brought out a heating bowl with hot water in it. Placing the pacifier into the bowl of water he brought the flame to the max and let it simmer for about a minute. He wanted to make sure that it was thoroughly cleaned. When he was satisfied he put the bowl under cold water before taking the pacifier and walking back to Nick.

While Brian had been gone Nick spotted a rolled up ace bandage sitting on the coffee table that Brian had to take out to get to other things. The temptation was just too big and Nick had to play with it. So he was now sitting with it wrapped around himself.

Brian's hand froze mid way with the pacifier in it. This was priceless. Quickly he ran over to the showcase and grabbed the camera he placed there and snapped a few pictures of Nick wrapped in ace bandages. Laughing he held his hand out with the pacifier in it. "Here you go."

"Me mummy!" Nick giggled remembering how Brian had called him that before when he had wrapped himself in toilet paper. He then reached out and put the pacifier into his mouth and sighed happily...that was until he realized he was kinda stuck and couldn't move. "Uhh...help...help Nicky..."

Brain laughed. "That's what being a mummy is all about. You wrap yourself all tight to the point you can't move. And now you can't move. I think you did a good job." Brian winked. He wanted to see what Nick would do if he didn't help the younger boy to unwrap himself.

Nick wiggled around some more a pout forming on his face. “Help..." he tried again.

Brian couldn't help himself. Nick was just so cute. He was going to make it his personal goal to always have a camera on hand. Quickly he snapped some more pictures before setting the camera down and helping Nick out of his current predicament. "There."

Nick glared at Brian for a second before hugging him. He always loved to hug people that helped him it was his way of saying 'thank you'.

Brian hugged Nick right back, just as tight. "I don't know how you can wrap yourself with that stuff but you can't unwrap yourself."

"I dunno," Nick said with a shrug as he giggled. As he rested his head on Brian's shoulder his eyes started to get droopy.

"Tired, already?" Brian asked as he chuckled. He relaxed against the back of the couch and placed his legs on the coffee table. Putting an arm around Nick he grabbed the remote and put on the Disney channel.

Nick closed his eyes, his head was starting to hurt, and he was really sleepy all of a sudden. He didn't really care what was on the TV screen.

"You really are tired, aren't you?" Brian questioned when he felt Nick's head slid on his shoulders. Praying that Nick wouldn't ask him to CARRY him upstairs he asked, "Do you want to go upstairs and sleep? It'll be more comfy than my shoulders and sleeping sitting up!"

Nick nodded his head as he sat up. "Yeah me sweepy."

"Okay, let's get up and get you tucked in then," Brian said as he uncrossed his legs and carefully stood up waiting for Nick to do the same.

Nick stood up and walked with Brian upstairs to his room, his feet dragging the whole way. Once in his room he walked right to his bed and flopped on, not thinking about changing or anything like that he was sleepy.

Brian sighed as Nick flopped on his stomach on the bed. Walking over he gently tugged the sheets from under Nick so that he would be able to cover Nick with them. Sitting on the edge of the bed he looked down at Nick. At that moment everything seemed like it usually was... everything was back to normal. Nick’s hair was a mess, his eyes closed, his pink lips slightly parted as he used that to breathe, and his head half under the pillow. Smiling to himself he gently removed the strands of hair that were covering Nick's forehead and eyes. He tucked Nick in a bit more before turning the baby monitor on. "Good night, Nick," Brian whispered as he kissed the exposed forehead. Turning the lights off and the night light on he walked out of the room leaving the door slightly ajar.