We're Back

I watch as they walk through the gate together, smiling at them.

Ten years, in ten years, so much changed. More in the last two years. We decided Luna and Alex should go to school, now they are in high school I feel like I am losing them. I smile and drive home, I know what awaits me, Marcus, paint, and the room.

I can't keep avoiding it, but whenever we try painting it ends in a fight, a messy room and hours wasted. We should do it alone, one at a time. However, we don't, and temptation gets the best of me when I am holding the paintbrush. Pulling up outside the house, I walk in and stand frozen.

"Hi, Ma." I look at MJ and cuddle him.

"Why the hell are you sat down here alone? Your dad surely hasn't left you? It has been ages MJ." I cuddle him as he nods.

"I know, I was kind of hoping he would walk down I shout surprise I'm home early, but he hasn't come down yet." I nod laughing. I can't believe how big he is.

"You look really good MJ, looking after your sister, are you?" He nods smiling.

"I would say Issy is looking after me more, she joined years before me, she is making sure the guys don't give me a hard time and shit." I nod laughing.

"Master get your arse down here now." I sit down, MJ sitting opposite me. I hear the footsteps as Marcus starts moving.

"Better be good, I swear because it has taken four weeks and that room isn't done." I laugh, we should just do it, but distractions always show up.

"MJ?" He stands on the stairs looking at MJ.

"Yeah, it's me. Thought I would call round here first before seeing my other parents." He laughs standing walking to Marcus and hugging him.

"You're home early." He looks at me and then at MJ, and I see the panic in his eyes.

"Issy is fine, still there. My side of things just ended sooner, not home early to give bad news Dad don't worry." Marcus relaxes, he wouldn't have been smiling and cheery if Issy was hurt.

"I will make cuppas, you two sit." I walk to the kitchen and make drinks, Marcus and MJ talking, walking over I sit down handing them the cups.

"So, no Ethan?" Marcus looks at MJ and he shakes his head.

"Sorry MJ, I know you really liked him." He nods MJ doesn't look too upset, but then again if he is anything like Marcus, he will hide it well.

"Apparently the fact I like women as well turns him off." Marcus laughs and shakes his head.

"I doubt it MJ, I had a feeling from the start he was, I don't know, in a way using you but you have to get hurt sometimes." MJ laughs looking at him.

"Dad you're talking like I was in love with him, it was nothing. Anyway..." He looks at us smiling, I sense he met someone else.

"I was in America, night out with the lads. I did meet someone." Marcus smiles and nods.

"You don't hang around, who is he?" MJ laughs shaking his head.

"She this time Dad, Lucy. That is kind of why I am here." Marcus looks at MJ confused.

"I am going to ask Mum and Dad anyway, but if they say no for whatever reason, you're my backup." Marcus laughs shaking his head.

"If they say no, I doubt I will say yes." MJ nods.

"It's nothing bad, just, Lucy will be coming next week. She has nowhere to stay, and I kind of was hoping one of you lot would let us live with you for a bit?" Marcus nods.

"You know you can MJ, I can't see your mum and dad saying no, Katy and Isabella have their own house, they have plenty of room. If not, you're welcome here, as long as two old people and two kids won't cramp your style." Marcus laughs.

"Thanks, well, I guess I will go home and speak to them, thanks, Dad." He gets up and hugs Marcus then me and walks out, we turn and look at each other.

"Told you, didn't I? I fucking knew it, Kitty." I laugh and nod.

"Yes, and stop thinking that, I can see Master. You can't go and beat up every guy he dates just because they walk away, you know he is a handful." He laughs and nods.

"I said though, I told you, Alena and Jackson. I knew when I saw him, he would just use MJ and then drop him." I nod, he was right, but we couldn't step in, he did too much of that with Oliver.

"Just remember Oliver and how that turned out when you got involved, Master."

"Oliver was different, he deserved to get his arse kicked and you lot stopping me was wrong." I nod, he is right. MJ was 15 when he told us he thought he liked guys and was either gay or bi-sexual he still isn't sure which he is. Oliver was the first guy he slept with, MJ thought he liked him and turned out it was nothing more than sex to Oliver. He had boyfriends before but didn’t feel ready to do anything.

"I know, yes Oliver hurt MJ, but look how much you hurt MJ when you said you were going to break his legs, Master. He isn't a baby anymore, he is 21, and he needs to get hurt by love." He nods standing up and hugging me.

"So, Lucy?" I nod as he laughs.

"This is his first girlfriend, like a real girlfriend Kitty." Marcus looks at me shocked.

"You know MJ Master, he would have been open and honest with her about him being confused, maybe having a girlfriend is what he needs to realise who he is?" He nods moving back and kissing me.

"Now, let's get some painting done Kitty." I find myself laughing as I nod.

"I swear to god Kitty, I will find a way to restrain you to the wall and away from me so you can't throw paint at me." I am sure I would still find a way to do it, but I won't. This room is taking far too long to re-decorate.

"You know you could just give up Master? Do it yourself or I don't know, call Jackson?" I grin at him; it would make so much more sense.

"I know I could Kitty." I look at him waiting, clearly, he isn't going to carry on this conversation.

"But... Come on Master. It has been nearly two months, two months that is the longest you two have not spoken, all this over."

"Don't you dare say it, Kitty." I laugh as he cuts me off.

"I was just going to say something stupid and meaningless, look Master. What happened is bound to happen, we are all getting old, and Jackson laughing, well, okay was wrong but honestly, you would have done the same to him." He would have, and he knows it.

"I know Kitty, but you have no idea how much my self-esteem took a dive, and how bad I felt, partly for you, and then I felt insecure as hell and him laughing didn't help." I nod wrapping my arms around him. That night in the playroom was a disaster, it was the first time I had ever seen Marcus struggle to get hard, and he dived hard, Jackson laughing didn't help either.

"Please, come on Master. Think about today, about MJ. How much he would have loved to text me and tell me to get you all together like he normally does so he walks into all his parents in the same room." It isn't fair on MJ, not at all.

"I feel shame Kitty, I know when I see him I will be right back there and see him laughing, yes I would have laughed at him if it was the other way round, but it hurt, not being able to do it for you." I nod smiling.

"Master, I am sure it has happened to him with Alena, they just haven't mentioned it. Think about it, the only reason Jackson knows was because he was joining us that night, we never join him and Alena, they go to the business and do it that way, and there, contracts and what not means no one can speak." I don't want this going on any longer.

"Okay, but I swear one smart-arsed comment, and I am walking straight back out Kitty." I nod, I can understand him hiding away from Jackson, it can't have been easy for it to happen with him there to see.

"Grab your coat then Kitty before I change my mind." Nodding I put it on and walk out, getting in the car we start driving, and after half an hour we stop outside their house. Marcus looks like he is having second thoughts.

"He is your best friend, Master, tell me this. If it had happened on a night with just me and you, would you have told him?" He looks at me and nods.

"Yeah, I would have gone and spoken to him about it Kitty." I nod smiling.

"Exactly, and no doubt after he eased your worries you would both have been laughing and making jokes about it. This is just your ego getting in the way Master." I get out of the car and walk to him, walking into the house together. MJ sits with Alena and Jackson. Jackson looks hurt, clearly, he hasn't been doing well during this fallout.

"Sorry, punch me if it will help?" MJ looks at Jackson confused.

"I don't need to, me hiding away was a pussy move." I watch them huge and Alena rolls her eyes.

"Good, now can I be told what happened? I was told you hadn't spoken in over a month." MJ looks at them, and Jackson shakes his head.

"On your dad pal. Not my business." We sit down with them.

"Just something stupid MJ and my ego took a beat. What did they say about Lucy?" Marcus looks at him, dodging MJ's question.

"We said yes obviously." Alena walks over and sits down.

"So, you didn't tell us MJ, how long have you been seeing her?" Marcus asks, and MJ isn't a fool.

"Dad, I'm not a jerk. I have been seeing her for three months. I didn't mention it on the phone until i was sure. Plus, I was back and forth with the mission so didn't get a chance to see her much."

I smile at him.

"To answer the question you won't say out loud, yes she knows. She knows everything, it isn't anything serious, and neither of us is ready for that. I have no idea if I want a woman for life and she just got out of a relationship."

"Sorry son." Marcus looks at him apologetically.

"No need Dad, until I am sure I will tell anyone I get into a relationship with, I don't want to be the arsehole who makes a woman think I love her to then realise I don't like women." Marcus nods smiling, the door opening.

"MJ." We turn to the scream, Katy running over and hugging him.

"Where is Ethan?" It has been a year, a long mission, things change in that time.

"Sorry, I guess he was a jerk, so how long are you back for?" She sits down.

"Two or three months. Issy is doing great I told mum and dad." She nods smiling.

"Right and when is she coming home?" Katy looks at him waiting, his head shaking.

"She isn't Katy, I tried, Wayne, dying on that mission, I don't know. She is refusing to come home, not even for Elise." My head lowers, everyone, staying quiet.