Challenge - Coming out fic ~ Lollipop

January 2003

"Kelly, I... I don't understand," Joey said holding his daughter in his arms.

"Joey, don't you remember our agreement?" Kelly asked.

"Sort of," Joey trailed off.

"Joey, we agreed that by the time Brianna was 2, we'd go our own separate ways, so I could live my life and have a family with someone else, and you could have Brianna and finally move on with your life; with the man of your dreams..." Kelly explained, setting a bag down on the floor.

Joey nodded, "Don't go... Where are you going to stay? At least stay here until you find a place," Joey begged.

"I have an apartment in town. The address and phone number is on the kitchen table. I'm not leaving your life completely. I still want to be a part of her life and your life, but just from a distance. You and the guys are still on a break until September... You need to tell them. They need to know... He needs to know..." Kelly said taking their almost two year old daughter from him and hugging her. Handing her back to Joey, Kelly hugged Joey and gave him a kiss, "I still love you, but it's for the best. I want you to be happy," Kelly said grabbing her bag.

"Kelly, I love you, too... Thank you," Joey said softly.

She smiled and knew she was doing the right thing, "Let me know when you tell them," Kelly said leaving the house, shutting the door as she left.

Joey took Brianna up stairs to lay her down for her nap. He kissed her and put her in her crib, covering her up and making sure she was comfortable. He then grabbed the baby monitor and left the room, turning it on. He went downstairs and sat on the couch. He reached for the phone and dialed a number. It rang once, and then twice and finally he heard a familiar voice answer, "hello?"

"Hey Lance, its Joey," Joey said.

"Hey Joey, how are you?"

"I'm good, kind of... Do you think you and JC could come over? I need to talk to you two," Joey said.

"Sure... When?"

"Soon, now..." Joey said.

"Okay, we'll be over in a bit," Lance said hanging up the phone.

Joey sat on the couch and gathered his thoughts... Hearing a car pull up, he opened the door and went outside and found JC and Lance getting out of JC's jeep.

"Hey guys," Joey said.

"Hey man, what's up?" JC asked as the three of them went inside and sat down in the living room.

"Can I get you guys something to drink?" Joey asked.

"Nah, we're fine. What's up Joey? What's wrong?" Lance asked concerned.

Joey looked at the baby monitor and then up at JC and Lance. "I have something important to tell you," Joey said.

"What is it? You can tell us," JC said.

Joey nodded, "I'm gay and Kelly left today because of our agreement we made when Brianna was born," Joey explained.

"What? She left?"

Joey nodded, "Kelly and I agreed that since I was gay, she'd have the baby and when the baby was 2, she would move out and stay in our lives, just from a distance, so we could both have the families we wanted," Joey explained.

JC and Lance took their cues and each sat beside Joey on the couch, "Joey, its okay," Lance said.

Joey nodded, "I should have told you two sooner, but I didn't know how to... I mean it's not like I have to worry about you guys hating me for being gay, but I just... See the thing is... Well... It's... I... **looks down** I like Chris," Joey finished leaning back on the couch, rubbing his face with his hands.

JC smiled, "What is with coming out lately?" JC said.

"What?"

JC grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number. All he said to the person on the other line was, "Hey, it's JC. Come over to Joey's now," and then hung up.

"Who did you call?" Joey asked.

"You'll find out when they get here," JC said.

Joey nodded, "I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't raise Brianna alone. What if I'm not a good single parent?" Joey asked.

"Joey, you're not going to raise her alone... You have 4 brothers that will help you any way we can," Lance said resting his hand on Joey's knee.

Joey smiled, "I wish I had 3 brothers and a boyfriend," Joey said softly.

Within minutes of JC's phone call, someone was knocking on the door. JC went to answer it.

"Where is he? What's going on? Don't ever call me like that again, without telling me what's going on. Is it Joey? Is it Brianna?" Chris exclaimed walking into the living room waving around a tootsie roll pop.

"Chris, calm down... How many of those have you had?" JC asked.

"Well, I crunched on 5 on the way here, plus this one, and 6 before I left the house and after you called, so this is my 12th in the last 10 minutes," Chris said.

"Oh, Chris, you're going to be bouncing off the wall," JC said reaching for the one in his hand.

Chris popped it into his mouth and jumped from JC. "What did I speed over here for?" Chris asked pacing back a forth.

"Chris sit; Joey as something to tell you," JC said.

Chris looked at Joey and then sat down where JC had been sitting beside Joey. "Okay, what's up, Joey?" Chris asked.

Joey looked at JC and Lance who both nodded. "Chris... I... I'm... I'm gay," Joey said softly, not making any eye contact with Chris.

Chris put his hand under Joey's chin and made him look at him, "What's wrong? I'm okay with that. There's something else... What is it?" Chris asked.

Tears fell from Joey's eyes and he reached up to wipe them away... "Chris... I'm... I'm in... In love with you," Joey finished as JC and Lance backed away from their view.

Chris smiled and pulled Joey into his arms, "I love you, too, Joey," Chris said into Joey's neck kissing his cheek as they pulled away.

"You love me too?" Joey asked.

Chris nodded, "Yeah, I do. Joey, I'm gay, too... I just never said anything because you were with Kelly and you have a daughter with her, so I didn't want to tell you... Where's Kelly?" Chris asked.

Joey wiped his eyes and explained everything to Chris. By the time Joey was finished he was in tears... He was upset... He was letting his emotions surface after hiding them for so many years.

Lance came back to them and rested his hand on Joey's knee, "You two have a lot to talk about. JC and I are going to go home... Call us later," Lance said.

Joey nodded and wiped his eyes, "Thanks," he said.

JC and Lance nodded and left the house.

As the door clicked shut, Joey looked at Chris. "What does this mean for us, now?" Joey asked.

Chris took Joey's hand and laced their fingers together, "It can mean anything you want... I have loved you for a long time and we could make this work," Chris said.

Joey smiled, "I want to make this work," Joey said.

Chris and Joey smiled and pulled each other into a hug. They would make this work, no matter how hard it would be. As they pulled away, they shared a gentle kiss that couldn't last long because they heard Brianna cry over the baby monitor.

"I'll be right back," Joey said softly getting up and going upstairs to check on Brianna.

She just dropped her bottle... Joey handed it to her and calmed her down and she fell back asleep. He smiled and left her room again and returned to the living room. Chris wasn't sitting on the couch anymore, so he ventured into the kitchen; still no Chris. "Chris?" Joey said out loud, questioning is mind; hoping everything that happened earlier wasn't just a day dream.

A few seconds later, Joey felt arms warp around his waist, "I'm here," Chris whispered in Joey's ear.

Joey closed his eyes and leaned into Chris' body. "For a second there I thought I was dreaming everything," Joey admitted.

Chris kissed his neck, "Everything was real," Chris said lacing his fingers with Joey's, tightening his hold on his waist.

Joey smiled and turned slightly to kiss Chris' lips. Chris deepened the kiss Joey turned around and wrapped his arms around Chris. Chris did the same and Joey pinned him against the counter.

Chris rested his hands on Joey's shoulders and pushed him away, "Maybe we should take it a little slower..." Chris said kissing on the cheek.

Joey pulled away a little and nodded, "Yeah, we should probably... I guess we just got caught up in the moment," Joey said softly.

Chris smiled.

Joey grabbed Chris' hand and dragged him until the living room. They sat down on the couch, face to face and started talking. Most of their talking was small talk, getting used to each other's company... "Chris... Maybe this is a little too soon, but... Uh... would you move in sometime?" Joey asked.

Chris looked at Joey, "Yeah... If you want me too," Chris said taking Joey's hand in his.

Joey smiled, "I can't raise Brianna alone... Chris, I've thought about living with you," Joey said.

Chris smiled, "It's gone though my head many times, too... I'd love to move in... But I think we should take it slow. I think I love you," Chris told Joey, resting his hand on Joey's cheek.

Joey raised his hand to meet Chris' and smiled, "I think I'm in love with you, too," Joey said.

Chris and Joey leaned in and kissed each other, sealing their deal; knowing the time has come to finally show their feelings.