It had been about a month since Michael had found himself suddenly with a new family for himself and his baby boy. Shann upon hearing his daddy call Kevin and Scott dad immediately started calling them Granpops and the two men were thrilled. True to his word Kevin made sure that he and Shannon had everything they needed. Shannon was quickly becoming spoiled, but they made sure he had limitations too so he wouldn't be a brat.

Tomorrow was a big day. The Kliq, or his uncles as Kevin told him he could refer to any of them as if he'd like, were coming over for the weekend to finally meet the new additions to Kev and Scott's little family. He knew that there were others coming too. PJ was bringing his lover Raven and their traveling partner Jeff Hardy. HBK was bringing HIS current lover Shannon Moore who was a friend of Jeff's. Sean Waltman was coming alone, but according to Kevin this wasn't a bad thing. Apparently, just days before Scott saved him and Shann, Sean had gotten out of a long time and very bad relationship and according to Kevin the Original Kid needed time to himself. Paul apparently was bringing a mystery guest. Kevin and Scott didn't know who it was, but they were promised to be shocked and happy about his new lover.

Tonight Shann and Scott had gotten a night to themselves. Scott took the baby out to Chuck E Cheese's leaving he and Kevin alone. When Kevin got a call from PJ to confirm sleeping arrangements for the weekend, Mike slipped outside to give himself a moment alone to gather his thoughts. He had decided that before he met the rest of Kevin's family he should warn his father what he was introducing them to. A part of him still scared and insecure was afraid once they found out about his past that he would be thrown out. However, a larger part knew that would never happen. Kevin and Scott made it VERY well known that they would NEVER hold his mistakes over his head since neither of them had led perfect lives.

"Hey baby," Mike heard Kevin call and turning his head saw his father hobbling out now minus the crutches. "Whatcha doin out here all by yourself?" Kevin asked handing his son a pop and sitting down took a sip of his own water.

"Thinkin'," Mike said softly. "Trying to gather my thoughts."

"Sounds serious," Kevin pointed out and put an arm around Mike's shoulders. When the small man immediately curled into his side Kevin smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Tell dad what's on your mind baby. Lemmie slay them dragons flying around in your head."

"Before you introduce me to the rest of your family you need to know what kind of person I am," Mike said quietly and Kevin stopped him before he could speak further.

"Let me make one thing straight. I told you the first day you arrived here that if you needed to tell me about your past I would listen, but son I already know what kind of man you are. Ain't nothing you can say tonight that is gonna change your mind." Firmly Kevin kissed Mike's head and brushed some hair from his eyes as he waited for his boy to speak.

"Even if you find out I'm a whore?" Mike asked and Kevin sighed. "Tell me baby," he asked and Mike proceeded to do just that.

"My parents weren't… well they weren't you and Scott. Mom hated me. She used to tell me all the time that I'd ruined her life. Of course the booze she swilled like water didn't have anything to do with it. I was the cause of all her problems. I don't know where my dad was. Shit I don't even know who he is… I doubt she does. Mom liked to fuck… a lot."

"To call my mother a cheap whore would be kind. She worked for booze and if I was lucky one or two of her john's would bring me a happy meal. Most of the time though I would go days without food. Since she worked out of our little one room apartment she would lock me in the closet while her 'men' were there. If I made noise she would throw a fit and beat the crap outta me."

"When I did get food it was always cold. I never knew food could be hot 'til I was old enough to go to school. Of course that was another adventure. I was the dirt poor white trash kid. The kids made fun of me cause my clothes were always too small and no matter how hard I tried my teachers always thought I was stupid and a trouble maker."

"I hated school. I couldn't read well. Still can't cause my brain ain't right from all the drugs and booze she did while I was in her tummy. Things ain't right when I try an' read em. When I was 13 I just stopped going to school all together. Wasn't like I belonged there anyway I mean I'm too stupid to be wasting their time."

Mike felt the sigh in his dad's chest and looking up saw the annoyance on his face. He'd found out his parents hated it when he was down on himself, but as he saw it he was only tellin the truth.

"Anyway once I stopped going to school there wasn't much to do. I roamed the streets a lot. Eventually I found the library and I'd sneak in there and thumb through the books. One day one of the old biddies there caught me and I got in trouble. They threw me into this program for 'troubled kids'. But it was just a bunch of bull. They gave me a bunch of tests and told me my brain don't work right. Like I needed then to tell me that."

"What did they say is wrong?" Kevin asked softly not wanting to interrupt but needing to know.

"I'm dyslexic and I'm suppose to wear glasses cause my eyes ain't right either," Mike answered and from the nod he got knew he'd be visiting the eye doctor soon.

"Anyway, I managed to con the teachers into letting me pass and eventually graduated. I think it was more cause they were tired of seeing me that I actually did anything right. While I was there I realized my brain wasn't the only one wrong with me. I used to wander the streets at night cause I was too big to fit in the closet and mom wouldn't let me in the room when she had her customer's in there."

"One night while I was roaming the streets I saw these guys fucking in an alley. I couldn't help but watch them. That night when mom finally let me in the room I lay on the floor and they were all I could think about. The next night I went out looking for them and some guy ended picking me up. I made $50. That was more than mom had made in a week in months. Once I realized that I could make money that was all she wrote. I'd bring in $300 a night some times. The guy at the pharmacy would give me shitty looks when I came into get condoms, but I wasn't about to go without them."

"Bout two years ago one of my regular guys asked me if I'd ever fucked a girl. When I said no he offered me $200 to let his sister fuck him. Two months later he put me in the hospital cause she got pregnant and I was the only guy she'd ever been with. She didn't want the baby, but I bribed her. Said I'd give her all my earnings four days a week if she'd let him live and then give him to me. The day she walked out of the hospital she gave him to me and we've never seen her since."

"I was determined to live a decent life since I had a kid to support, but found out I was too stupid to do anything real for a living and you can't raise a kid on the wages from McDonald's. Shann though… fuck dad he was the only good thing that had ever happened to me! He got real sick when he was 8 months and so I took him to the hospital. They called child welfare on me, but I stole him out and ran. I know it was selfish, but I couldn't let them take him from me! One of my old regulars was a doctor so I called him. He told me he'd help me, but I had to work it off. He was the guy in the alley that dad saved me from."

"So now you know," Mike said afraid to look up sure he would see only disgust in his father's eyes.

"Mikey look at me baby," Kevin ordered and reluctantly he looked up. When he saw only love in his father's eyes Mike found himself at a loss for words. "Michael you are my son and I am damn proud of you. You could have easily given up at any point in your life, but you didn't. Maybe your choices weren't always the best, but when you had a chance to make it better you did. When you needed to sacrifice for your child you did. As far as I am concerned no one could ask for a better son or father."

"Dad I've been thinking," Mike said his voice shaky as he wiped away tears he hadn't known existed. "I wanna change my last name and Shann's too."

"OK, to what?" Kevin asked careful to keep the hope out of his voice.

"Well, Since you an Scotty are my dads I wanted it to be one of your names, but I couldn't decide which one cause you both have done so much for me. Then I was watching TV and one of the actors had was one of them people with two last names and I realized that was my answer! Then though I couldn't decide which should be first so I decided to make a compromise."

"What's that baby?" Kevin asked softly kissing the top of Mike's head again.

"I am gonna be Michael Nash-Hall and Shann will be Shannon Michael Hall-Nash!" Mike looked up at his dad and saw a big grin on his face. "Sounds like a smart decision to me."

"THANKS!" Mike said and giggled happily when his dad tickled his side.

Later that night when Kevin came into his room to check on him before bed, he found his son staring at a poster of the Hardy's on his wall. His arms were crossed behind his head and his eyes glazed as if he was far away.

"Hey you," Kevin said softly hating to interrupt his dreaming.

"Hey dad," Mike said happily and smiled up at his father. He knew that he was way too old to be getting tucked in at night, but there was something comforting about it and since he never got it as a kid he wasn't about to argue.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Kevin asked and Mike nodded. "You'll tell dad what I said tonight?"

"Yes, I promise," Kevin reassured him and leaning over kissed Mike's forehead.

Looking up at the poster on his wall Mike sighed as his dad got up off the bed and as the lights were turned off he sighed. "Dad can I tell ya something else?"

"Of course baby," Kevin replied turning back to look at his son.

"I have a crush on Jeff Hardy," Mike answered and couldn't have been more shocked if he'd said he could fly.

"Sleep well baby," Kevin said and turning left the room shutting the door.

Walking out into the living room Kevin smiled at Scott as he rocked the sleeping Shann in the rocking chair. Seeing Kevin out of the corner of his eye, Scott looked up and smiled at his lover. When Kevin hobbled over and Kissed him gently on the lips Scott sighed and smiled. "I love you Big Man."

"I love you too Chico," Kevin said and thinking about the tale Mike had told him that night felt his eyes mist and his head drop.

"You gonna tell me what's makin you so sad?" Scott asked carefully.

"Why don't you put Shann to bed while I lock up the house and I'll meet you in our room," Kevin suggested and nodding Scott took Shann tot he bedroom across from Mike's. The baby would be in his daddy's bed by morning, too used to having him near to sleep without him, but they were slowly trying to wean him of the habit and made sure he always at least STARTED the night in his own bed.

By the time he got Shann's sippy cup filled with juice, got the baby settled, and got to the bedroom Kevin was already undressed and laying in bed staring at the ceiling. The expression on his face was one of great anger and intense pain, which worried Scott. "Your leg bothering you Chico?"

Kevin turned his gaze to Scott and instead of answering held out his hand in a silent invitation for Scott to join him. Quickly Scott undressed and closed their door then hurried to bed. "OK baby tell me." Scott demanded and for the next hour Kevin did repeating every word burned into his brain of the tale his son had told that night out on the deck.

"Oh Jesus," Scott moaned and rolled into Kevin's arms seeking his lover's comfort. "How the hell did he make it this far?"

"I dunno, but we're gonna make up for the hell he's lived through or die trying," Kevin said firmly and Scott nodded his agreement.

Feeling Scott still shaking in his arms Kevin kissed his head as he had done to Mike earlier only now it had a different effect than the fatherly comfort he had been giving his son. "Kev," Scott sighed and lifting his head looked up at his love with longing. "Make love to me baby please."

Without thinking of turning him down Kevin rolled the two of them over putting Scott on the bottom with their heads even on the bed. Taking a couple moments Kevin simply stared at this man he'd loved for so long. Their lives had been long and their road to this place they enjoyed now had been hard. There had been more than one moment when Kevin had been sure they would never make it here, and several when he wasn't sure Scott would make it anywhere alive, but the had.

Scott was older now. His years of hard living were apparent, but as far as Kevin was concerned there was no one more beautiful. "God you still steal my breath," Kevin sighed and Scott's eyes misted. He'd never gotten used to the love and beautiful words Kevin lavished on him and probably never would. It wasn't too long ago that he'd been fighting to get away from Kevin and now he couldn't imagine living one moment without him.

"God Kev I love you," Scott breathed before emotion choked him. "If I live to be 100 I'll never be able to repay you for everything you've given me."

"Well then I guess that makes us even," Kevin replied softly giving back everything that he was given as he always did without thought. As the emotions slipped from Scott's eyes and ran down his cheeks, Kevin leaned down and kissed them away. "No more tears," Kevin whispered believing the two of them had shed enough over the years. "It's time we were happy."