Bent But Not Broken

[Cian Lawrence]

Unghhhh...

The phone was ringing. The phone was fucking ringing at fucking five o'clock in the morning. Whoever was calling him had better be dying or...or...calling to tell him he had been chosen to be the next Batman. Yeah, Batman. Death or Batman. Anything else, he was going murder the caller. Well, sleep three more hours and then murder the caller. Yeah.

As it was, though, something in him knew that one more ring would wake up Mo and she would start to cry would would wake up Emma and Oliver and then he would never get back to sleep so he wouldn't be able to get enough rest for murder. So he picked up the phone.

"Unghhh..." he grunted in way of "hello." The sun was not up yet. He couldn't be expected to form actual words.

"Your brother is gay!"

Well, Jesus H. Christ hanging off the cross. "T'fuck?" Cian mumbled, sure this was a joke or a wrong number.

"Your brother is gay. And watch your mouth, Cian Doyle Lawrence! This is your father is talking to."

"Sorry, Da," Cian said, sitting up and rubbing at the back of his head. He cleared his throat of sleep and asked. "What about my brother being gay, now?"

"Timmy! Our little Timmy is bent for blokes!"

Cian blinked. Why did his father sound...mad? That wasn't good. William Lawrence wasn't a bad or abusive man. But he was Irish and Irish men had tempers and they did believe in corporeal punishment on their children. "All right, Da. Well... How'd you find out now?" He bent over, dropping his head to his hand.

"Just found him, didn't we! Comin' into the house at two in the morning smelling of pot! So your mother and I asked where the hell he had been and he starts raving that he's twenty-three and doesn't need our approval on anything or nothing. And then he up and says he had been out with his boyfriend! He has a boyfriend!"

Cian couldn't even comprehend what his father was telling him, he was too worried for his brother. "Da, where's Tim now?"

"Barged out soon as I started telling him that was unacceptable in my house! I'm not gonna have no-"

Before he could start in on the derrogatory terms for homosexuals, Cian cut his father off. "Nice, Da. Real nice. All right. I'm calling Timmy now and he's gonna come stay with me for a bit. I'm gonna call you back. Later."

"No, that's where he said he was off to so don't bother calling him. Said he was flyin' out to you and Emma's. Keenie, you're not mad with me, are you?"

Cian sighed and had to ignore the vulnerability in his father's tone. "Yeah, Da, I am. Timmy needed your support and you threw him out. I'll call you later, yeah? I love you." Without waiting for a response, Cian hung up and fell back against the pillows. Pressing his hands over his face, he groaned, "Unnnnghhhhh!" Emma was up by now, he was sure, and his gay (gay?) brother was going to be there in just five or so hours, depending on when he got on a flight and... He just really wanted to sleep.

[Emma Lawrence]

Somebody...ugh...

There were only two excuses for the phone ringing when the sun hadn't risen yet: somebody was dead, or Gerard Butler was coming to her house. Because she highly doubted the latter, she feared the worst concerning the former, and let Cian answer the phone. She'd gotten up to tend to Mo only an hour ago--it was his turn to do something that interrupted his sleep.

"Who died?" she mumbled into the pillow as the ringing ceased and he listened into the phone.

A light, sleepy chuckle escaped her when he incoherently responded to the caller. "What about my brother being gay, now?"

Perking up, she picked up her head, looking over her shoulder and laying somewhat on her back, hips still turned away from him. What was going on...? Only catching Cian's end of the conversation, she remained substantially confused until the tail end. Tim, coming to live here? Not that it was a hassle, but that would be A) one more mouth to feed, B) one more person with emotional distress they had to deal with, and C) one more person to get annoyed out of his shits at Mo's constant waking up during the night. But it was Tim, and he was hurt. Bad.

Emma echoed his exclamation, almost in perfect sync with his, as she flopped back down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her face.

[Cian Lawrence]

Sighing, Cian let his hands fall away. "So." He started off. "Tim's coming over. He had a fight with my parents; they threw him out. And he's gay, that too." He closed his eyes, wishing he was the youngest of his family. Then Tim would have some other older brother to go to and interrupt his sleep. "Wasn't even Batman..." he muttered petulantly.

But Holy crap, Tim was gay. But...he had had girlfriends... He had definitely had sex with at least one of those girlfriends, as Cian had had the displeasure of accidentally interrupting them once. Great memory... But shit, he had a boyfriend. Cian's head cocked to side. He wondered if Tim and his boyfriend had sex. 'Oh god! Oh god! Bad images! No! Puppies! Think of puppies, man!' He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, as if trying to rid himself of those mental images.

He supposed he could see it, though. Tim hadn'e been with a girl in a rather long time. And he didn't like talking about his love life. He hated it when they're mom came up on the "Where are my grandkids?" topic. Shit... Cian sighed, hoping this wouldn't be as hard as he knew it would be. Of course it had to be his brother, from their Irish Catholic, conservative family... "Poor Timmy..." he murmured, hand running through his hair.

[Emma Lawrence]

They threw him out? Her eyes reopened and she cocked a brow. His parents couldn't accept who he was? There seemed to be some children-issues with this family. First, they couldn't stand to so much as hear the name Colleen, and now there was a problem with their own son being gay? Emma briefly wondered what it would be like if Oliver grew up gay, but pushed it aside, knowing that it didn't matter now, and it wouldn't matter then.

...Batman? Eyebrows coming together, she peeked out from the covers of the bed and stared at him. "Do I want to know?"

Damn, Tim was gay. Emma had had a few gay friends in high school, and the whole deal was never really important, but this seemed a little more monumental. Perhaps because he was family, or because his parents' reactions had been extreme. "Yeah," she agreed thoughtfully, looking at the ceiling, biting her bottom lip. "Poor Timmy."

She turned her head to catch sight of the clock. He'd get here around seven, then. "He only just came out?" she asked softly, not knowing if the topic upset Cian.

[Cian Lawrence]

"Do I want to know?"

Cian chuckled mirthlessly and shook his head. "No. Nevermind."

"Yeah," she agreed thoughtfully, looking at the ceiling, biting her bottom lip. "Poor Timmy."

Cian sucked in a breath and nodded. "My damn parents," he mused softly, almost amused. "They'll get over it soon enough, I t'ink. Just need time to...adjust. S'all a shock at the moment, yeah? Plus my da was pissed at him to begin with, about coming in late and reekin' of drugs." Yeah, that part caught Cian a little as well. Sure, he knew Tim had tried pot before. Hell, him and Cian had gotten high together for the first time behind the high school. But he didn't know Timmy had made it a habit... He sighed; he really just needed to talk to his brother. Get the whole story from his point of view.

"He only just came out?"

"Mhm," Cian hummed. "'Parently got fed up with Ma and Da givin' him the run through and jus' burst out that he had been with his boyfriend."

[Emma Lawrence]

Tim, involved with drugs? Something didn't seem to add up right. Tim was such a good guy, full of integrity and confidence. Seeing him degraded to this, she didn't know if she could handle it. Hell, she hadn't even seen him. Frowning, Emma sat up, fixing the strap of her tank top that had fallen off her shoulder and keeping a steady eye on Cian. "Why did they yell at him for it? I get them being shocked, but...I mean, I can kind of understand pot, maybe, but he's an adult. And being gay isn't something to be scolded for. Not like he can help it."

It was too soon in the morning to form correct sentences. Emma shook her head, wishing that was not the early signs of whimpers from her daughter's nursery. Running a hand down her face, she put a hand on Cian's shoulder. "Well, so long as he's okay. I'm glad he feels comfortable coming here."

With Maura now at a full-on scream, Emma let out a long groan. "All right, all right," she sighed, though it wasn't loud enough for her to hear or be afraid of, and took to her feet.

"Did he say how long he's had a boyfriend?" she went about interrogating Cian, moving to the other room.

[Cian Lawrence]

"Why did they yell at him for it? I get them being shocked, but...I mean, I can kind of understand pot, maybe, but he's an adult. And being gay isn't something to be scolded for. Not like he can help it."

"Yes well, Emma, you know that and I know that but my God-fearing, conservative Irish family is not so taken to that point of view." He ran a hand over his face and exhaled slowly. But this was their son. He had heard too many stories of men hurting themselves or even killing themselves because their family couldn't accept them. Hell, no. He was not going to let that happen, not to his little brother. Note to self: hug Timmy good and long as soon as he gets in.

Cian moved with her, not wanting to shout through rooms and wake Maura further and possibly Oliver. "Did he say how long he's had a boyfriend?" "I didn't talk to Tim himself," he replied. "Just Da. And I'm sure the topic didn't really come up during their row." He sighed softly, hand moving through his hair again. "I look forward to a good long talk with Timmy about this all, though. Soon as he gets in. Especially about the drugs..."

Because if Tim was using, that had to stop. Not only would Cian not tolerate that in his house with his children, but he wasn't going to let his little brother destroy himself like that. It was fine as an experiment in the teen years but for Timmy to still be hitting at it indicated a deeper problem. One that could lead to an addiction.

[Emma Lawrence]

A scowl drew the curtain over her face and she brought up Maura in her arms, the baby silencing almost instantly. That was the problem with religion--it complicated things further than they needed to be, especially sexuality. If God didn't want gays, why did He permit them to exist at all? Cian's comment about the drugs caught her attention once more and her eyes bulged, head nodding in long, exaggerated strides.

"That's not going to be okay," she let him know, careful not to let her voice rise. "In this house, or to himself." She wouldn't stand for her children breathing in that shit, or Tim--he couldn't do that to himself. They would help him through this. She really wanted his plane to get here so she could give him a long, long hug.

His parents being so ignorant still upset her, and she shifted on her feet, going about rocking Maura, who had started to coo to herself. "It's just wrong..."

[Cian Lawrence]

"Definitely not," Cian agreed. He frowned then. "I don't really see Tim smoking, though. He's just..." He couldn't explain it. There was just some brotherly bond he felt; Tim wouldn't be into marijuana. Something in his gut told him.

He stroked Maura's cheek softly, listening to the soft noises she was making. "Yeah, I know." He bounced on his feet, anxious. "I just...wish I could talk to him. He's on the plane already, so I can't call him and he won't be landing until ten or eleven even..." He sighed through his nose. He was never gonna get back to sleep now.

[[We should probably time skip in a couple posts; lol.]]

[Emma Lawrence]

After wrenching her hair away from the grip Maura had on it, Emma looked back to Cian, seeing the frown pressed into the lines of his face. "Yeah?" she prompted, wanting more out of that. If Tim wouldn't smoke, then what the hell was he doing smoking? Looking off in some other direction, she didn't realize the baby's cries were growing as her rocking slowed. "What? What, baby girl?" she sighed, eyes drawn to her. "What's keepin' you up, hmm?" God, she swore some of Cian's accent rubbed off on her. She was leaving "g"s off of words now and then.

It only took a stride or two to reach him, and when her side was against his front, she craned her neck to peck his cheek. "He'll be here eventually. Why don't you try to sleep? So you won't be so...sleep-deprived and loopy when he gets here," she offered a chuckle at the end, remembering his Batman comment.

[Cian Lawrence]

"S'hard to explain," Cian replied, rubbing at the back of his neck with his eyes off at some distant point. He managed a grin as Emma spoke to Maura, though. "She wants her Da, that's what," he joked good-naturedly. As Emma drew nearer, he dropped a hand to Maura's back. "I'n't that right, bump? Y' want Da?" He kissed the top of her head softly. Maura just sighed sleepily and took hold of Momma's hair again.

He accepted Emma's kiss and pressed one of his own to her lips. He grinned ruefully at her comment. "That'd be good. Dunno that I'll be able t', though," he admitted. He wrapped his arms around himself, not quite hugging but not quite crossing his arms. He wanted Tim to get there already... Blowing out a sigh, he nodded. "Might as well try, though, right?"

[Emma Lawrence]

To keep the smirk back, she buried her face in his shoulder as she brought their daughter closer to her. "Sorry, handsome, but if you're going to sleep, all bets are off when it comes to holding the baby." Sending him off with a deep kiss, she kept a hand at his side. "And I've always got ways to make you tired if you find you can't sleep," she added, unable to keep the smirk back now.

((Sorry, short.))

[Cian Lawrence]

_____11:30_____

Cian had somehow found it in him to sleep for three hours. Of course it had taken him a full hour to quiet his mind after he had settled back down. But he had finally gotten to sleep and had woken up at around nine, sick to his stomach but no longer exhausted. His fortitude had picked a wonderful time to need recharging. After forcing a little something to eat, he told Oliver that his Uncle Tim was coming. The little boy's excitement had kept him occupied well enough. And then, around ten-thirty, he had started to worry again.

Because Tim was alone on the plane and he was probably just turning the argument with Ma and Da over in his mind, getting more and more upset. And he would be stuck on that plane, surrounded by strangers, 37000 feet up and almost as far to go across to New York... No wonder, he was sick to his stomach. And then he accessed the anger at his parents for making this so much harder than it had to be. But before he could properly get into that emotion, he had gotten a phone call. Liadan, Tommy, Luke, Francis, Brian and Kelly all on separate lines in the house, chattering in his ear, asking what had happened, where's Tim, Liadan heard fighting and Brian heard the door slam, and Ma's crying and Da won't talk to them and did he know what was happening.

Just as he was hanging up after that horrible defusing of the situation, the knock on the door came. It was Tim, of course. He rose, swallowing and answered. Tim stood there, looking a wreck. His jeans and long-sleeved tee wrinkled, the sleeves twisted in his hands. His shock of hair, so much paler than Cian's, was mussed from hands running through it. Red rimmed his eyes and he looked as if he was going to break into tears again soon. He opened his mouth to greet his brother, but Cian beat him to it.

Gripping the back of Tim's neck, he pulled him to his chest, holding him there tight. Tim's back shuddered and Cian rubbed it soothingly. "All right," he murmured softly. "Come on in. Let's get this figured out." He meant to move further into the apartment there, close the door, pull away. But in the end, he just held onto his brother.

[Emma Lawrence]

All morning, she couldn't shake the feeling of nausea. Her Empathy wouldn't let her release the feeling that she knew was attached to Cain. He looked like he could just give up his innards from the moment he hung up the phone with his Dad to the time she heard the knock on the door. Despite her efforts to make him feel better, he just seemed to...shrug them off. When he stood up to answer the door, she knew she had to give them their space before intervening.

The minute his Da walked out of his sight, Oliver took to his feet and scrambled up behind him. He stopped short when he saw Uckle Teem and Daddy hugging. Something was wrong. "Uckle Teem?" he asked meekly, tugging on his pant leg. "H-hewo..."

Holding Mo in one arm, Emma looked into the den, and went up to the man as well, putting a supportive hand to his back and rubbing in circles. "Hey, Timmy," she said gently. "How are you?"

[Cian Lawrence]

Tim took in a shaky inhale and pulled from his brother. He rubbed his wrists harshly at his eyes. "Thanks," he offered with a tremulous smile. Cian patted his cheek affectionately and let him inside, closing the door. "Hey there, dude," Tim offered Oliver, voice still a little shaky. He ruffled the boy's hair and bent for a hug. Rising, he smiled to Emma. "Better, thanks. You're gorgeous and so is that little thing in your arms." He swallowed and turned to Cian. "That my niece, then?" he asked.

Cian grinned and nodded. "Maura Erin. Our little Mo."

Tim swallowed and nodded. Cian could tell he was unfocused and shaky. Maybe he was on drugs... Or maybe it was just the trauma of your own family tossing you out. "I take it Ma called?" he stated, words stilted.

"Da," Cian corrected. "Come on," he said, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "Let's have a talk." He passed Emma a soft smile on the way. She was being so great about all this, but he needed to talk to his brother on his own. At least for now. They moved to the master bedroom and Cian shut the door behind them. He sat Tim down on the bed, where he immediately began twisting the cuffs of his shirt again. Standing in front of him, Cian sighed and dropped his hands to his hips. "From the beginning, then?"

[]

[Emma Lawrence]

((Works for me.))

Their conversation lasted as long as she'd expected, but that didn't mean it was any less painful. Having to try to tame a curious and restless Oliver while tending to an antsy and hungry Maura was no easy task, but she needed to give the brothers their privacy. He didn't want Tim to feel uncomfortable releasing this information at this level of intimacy. And if protecting him and just being there for him meant keeping the children at bay and not bothering them for a good three hours, she'd do it.

That didn't mean she couldn't do it with the least amount of effort. By the time the men were done, Emma could be found on the couch, curled up with her children, out like a light.

[Cian Lawrence]

In a word, it had been emotional. Tim had started from the beginning; the very beginning. He talked of realizing his sexuality and denying it and then tending to it carefully, hiding it from the family. How much that had completely killed him. And then of meeting David, his boyfriend of nearly a year. Of sneaking around and meeting in gay bars halfway across the town so no one would spot him and tell his parents.

And Cian knew his brother. So he picked up on the pain when he talked of hiding his sexuality, the anger when he spoke of the argument last night, the shame when he talked about staying in the closet. And the absolute elation when Tim told him about David. And that made Cian light up almost as bright as his brother because, well, if a guy made Tim happy, then all right.

It had ended in a hug, with Tim shedding more tears and thanking Cian profusely for understanding, for taking him in, for being the best older brother a guy could ask for. Cian waved it all off as they entered the main room. He chuckled as they saw Emma sound asleep with Maura and Oliver.

"Well," Tim reasoned. "We did keep them waiting almost three hours."

Cian laughed at that and shook his head. He ruffled Tim's hair and moved to the couch. Putting a gentle hand to Emma's shoulder, he said, "Em-n-em? Wake up now, love."

[Emma Lawrence]

This was a kick ass dream. Not only were she and Cian make sweet, profuse love atop a grand piano, but she was fairly certain they were somewhere in the Bermuda area, outside near the beach, and oh, he was so fucking amazing...

"Em-n-em?" Why was he speaking to her when she was trying to concentrate on kissing his abdominals? "Wake up now, love." Wake up? She wasn't sleeping...

Oh, crap.
Opening her eyes reluctantly, she pulled off a little pout before sighing, sitting up, careful not to stir the children. "Sorry. Running after these two..." She didn't finish, being interrupted by a satisfying stretch accompanied by a long yawn. Her body collapsed onto itself when she released from the stretch. "Have a good talk?" she asked, blinking her eyes quickly to help her wake up.

Her gaze drifted to her tear-stained brother-in-law. "Okay there, Timmy?" she asked, smiling for him.

[Cian Lawrence]

Cian rubbed at her shoulder comfortingly, wearing a soft smile. "Yeah, we did." He grinned up at Tim before adding, "He's gonna crash with us for a little bit. Until we can clear it up with my parents or..." he looked to Tim, who blushed.

"Or until I can stay with David," he added. A mischeivous grin passed Cian's face and Tim rolled his eyes. "I'm good, yeah. Thanks, Emma. Sorry to come bargin' in on you so shortly like that..."

Cian shook his head, though, cutting him off. "I told you to stow that, Timmy. We're happy to help."

Tim looked away, bashful. Changing the subject, he nodded to Maura. "So, can I hold the little one once she wakes up? Danny'll hate me for gettin' to see her first, you know."

[Emma Lawrence]

A lighter smile took over, and she was genuinely happy that Tim was going to be staying with them for a while. "Sure, no problem," she said, encouraging it, even, sending Tim the same grin. She loved all of his siblings, but after deeming Tim and Danny Maura's godparents, they seemed...closer. That, and those were the two of his siblings that had opened up to her right away.

"Don't worry about barging in, Tim," she laughed, standing, and hoisting Maura into one arm, making her stir. "We're glad to have you." Eyes trailing down to the other small child, she winced, looking to Cian. "D'you think you could get him and bring him into his room? He's tuckered." Catching herself, she sighed, letting her head drop back.

"It's like a disease," she chuckled lowly. "You Irish and your antics. Rubbing off on me!" Her smile widened and she nodded to Tim, handing the waking baby off to him.