Disclaimer - CowLip/Russell T Davies/Showtime own them, I don't.

A post-series fic, so technically spoilers for 513. But it's not angsty! I swear! *g* Brian/Justin, naturally. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the prom/graduation question. Rated PG-13 for some bad language. I probably messed with Molly's age a bit - it all depends on your perception of time ;)

Feedback would be great! And yes, I know I need to finish the WIP. Try telling my muse that.

*

Lately she doesn't even call before turning up. She'll simply make an appearance and - also lately - you won't even sigh. You'll just slide the door open further, walk towards the phone, and ask if she wants Thai or Chinese.

You know her being here has something to do with Justin, but you're still not exactly sure *why*. He was hardly in her life before he left for New York, but ever since he went she's been visiting you.

You at least know you're her refuge, when school or friends or her mom get too much (Jennifer's the kind of mother you wished you'd had, but she's still a *parent* and sometimes you just need to get away from them).

It doesn't happen often - maybe once or twice a month - but she knows you'll give her the space she needs and won't try to pry anything out of her. If she wants to talk she will, but more often than not you just eat take-out and watch an R-rated DVD.

Molly still gets a kick out of that.

She also knows that if she's visiting when Justin comes back to see you, you'll do whatever it takes to keep him out of her hair.

Not that it's much of a sacrifice.

"You love my sister," Justin likes to coo, annoyingly. "It's sooooo cute." Because although he's had the innocence bashed out of him, helped take down a corrupt cop, roamed about town weilding a deadly weapon and suffered through your illness as much as you did, there are some parts of Justin that will always be the seventeen year old twink you picked up outside Babylon.

Then, one day, Molly asks you about sex.

For a few seconds you're horrified by the idea that she's turned you into some kind of father figure, before justifying it with the thought that no straight girl in her right mind would ask her dad about sex - especially not *this* girl's dad - and promptly describe the best ways to suck cock.

You make her swear never to repeat that particular conversation to her mother, before strongly hinting that maybe she should talk to Daphne about straight guys.

You've only a fucked a few of them, after all.

*

Justin calls in the middle of the night, waking you up from a perfectly good dream. It involved him of course, but you're not about to share that.

"Brian," he says, and it's all your sleep-fogged mind can do to understand the words, "I love you."

You'd probably be concerned, but Justin likes to do weird romantic shit like this.

You think about the return ticket to New York sitting in your briefcase.

"You woke me up," you tell him. "I demand phone sex."

He complies.

*

Molly's prom approaches and you have no intention of getting involved until she declares she's planning to wear something off the rack.

"Jesus Christ!" you snap. "What kind of fag hag *are* you?"

You pretend not to see her triumphant smile - she's just as bad as her brother.

You have final say on what she wears, because you're the one who's paying for it. Jennifer doesn't like the idea at all but you know she can't afford the dress and besides, she still owes you from that time she 'gave' you Justin.

Parents.

Prom night turns out to be a curious mix of excitement and dread. You tell Molly she looks hot, then glare at her date and remind him to use a condom.

It's doubtful you're meant to overhear, but you do anyway as they walk towards the limo.

"Your brother-in-law is really weird, Molly."

There's a jolt of something that you decide is panic, and when you look at Jennifer she's smirking. You consider giving her the finger but if you're Molly's brother-in-law that makes Jennifer your mother-in-law, and considering that in years past she's already caught you practically fucking someone who wasn't her son, it's probably best not to push it.

Her invitation to stay the night is gratefully accepted - this *is* the first place they'd call if anything...well, this is the first place they'd call.

The two of you try to watch a movie and you're the one who cracks first, pulling out your cell phone and calling the last number dialled.

"Hey," he greets after a few rings.

You feel no less tense. "You're still coming back for Molly's graduation, right?" It's only a few weeks away.

"Sure," Justin replies, sounding amused. "I said I would. Besides, I promised Moll."

Right. "Right, of course-"

"Hey, Brian? Hang on a moment. I'm just..."

You frown, waiting, and then you hear the sound of a door being unlocked.

You hear the sound of *Jennifer's* door being unlocked.

Stepping into the hallway you see that he's there, keys in one hand, phone in the other, rucksack dumped on the floor as he pushes the door shut and grins stupidly.

"Hey. I was meant to land earlier but there was a delay and-"

"You said you couldn't make it until graduation, you little *shit*," you spit out, and then you're on him.

He's let up for air a few minutes later so he can say a proper hello to his mother before you're dragging him into his old room.

"Brian!" he laughs, but doesn't fight you as you tug him down onto the bed.

You don't even fuck. You just hold on and kiss him and kiss him and kiss him until he pushes on your chest to speak.

"It's okay," he stares up at you, unblinking. "Molly's going to be fine. She's fine. It's not like she's gone with another girl." He pulls your head down, against his neck. "I'm okay, Brian."

Later, much later, when Molly is home and hasn't had her head bashed in with a baseball bat, the pressure on your bladder forces you reluctantly out of bed.

Stepping out of the bathroom on the way back, you're startled when you see Molly waiting outside and for once in your life you're actually glad you pulled your pants on to come out here.

"It's all yours," you declare magnanimously, but before you can head back to Justin her hand is on your arm.

"Brian?"

"Yeah, brat?"

"You should go to New York."

You weren't moving anyway, but suddenly it feels like you're frozen. "And abandon you?"

"Come on," she grins, "I'm boyfriend replacement therapy."

Bullshit. "Molly-"

"Brian, you've replaced your boyfriend with his straight sister," she taunts. "What kind of gay man *are* you?"

You can't help it and a muffled laugh escapes. She's no better than her brother. "It's not true, you know," you tell her knowingly, "I never went shopping for clothes with Justin."

"That explains a lot," she snorts, before attempting to hug you and ends up just kissing you on the cheek. "Go on. Go back and do what gay guys do. At least when you go to New York I won't have to listen to my brother having sex anymore. Ugh." Shuddering dramatically, she walks into the bathroom and shuts the door on your face.

Back in the bedroom you fumble around for your phone. Finding it, you sit on the edge of the bed and make a call. Justin mumbles something and snuggles towards you and that thing that might be panic flares up again.

"Ted," you say quietly when the call is picked up. "Yes, I do know what fucking time it is. Listen...what would it take to open a New York office?"

~FINIS

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