Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 05:03:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pwrlftrbear@aol.com
Subject: Stepping Into Forever 8

	"You want to be your own cousin?" Jim asked.
	"It was just an idea.  It'd allow something to 'happen' to Brian
and I'd be able to keep the properties."
	"Hey!" said Mike.  "I like this place."
	"I didn't say you'd have to move out.  Not sure I could handle
living in the city any more.  I could even take out a life insurance policy
on myself," he said with an evil grin.
	"I thought you were already rich," I teased.
	"Well, certainly enough for a normal life time," he said
reasonably.
	"It's not like it hasn't been done before," Jim said, rubbing his
chin.  "Just usually not for oneself.  You should have thought about that
before you changed.  It's a bit late at this point."
	"I think I can still pass for myself if I really want," he said,
glancing at me.
	"He might at that," I chuckled.
	"What do you mean?" Jim demanded.
	"I was able to fool Joe's sister.  And she knew me about as well as
anyone I know here.  Would think it'd be easy enough to fool a lawyer or
insurance guy who hasn't even met me before."
	"Well, might not need to fool the lawyer," Jim chuckled.  "I do
know a few who are like us."
	"Oy.  Were-lawyers.  There's a scary thought," Cliff laughed.
	"Still wouldn't explain a long lost cousin suddenly showing up,"
Jim said patiently.
	"I've got some ideas there, too," he said with a wicked gleam in
his eye.  "Isn't it Bear Night tonight?"
	"Yes it is," Cliff answered.  "We had thought about going until you
called."
	"So, what say we go and see what I can do," he said to Jim.
	Jim glanced at me.
	"Don't you think your friends might recognize me even if they don't
you?" I said.
	"I've already thought about that, Dad," he said with a wink.

	"Woof!" the bear at the door grunted as we approached the bar.
	"Hey, Neil," Mike said.
	"Hey guys.  Nice to see you," Neil said, looking at me closely.
	"Aren't you...," he began.
	"Hey!  Neil, isn't it?" Brian said, grabbing Neil's hand.  "I don't
think I've seen you since the funerals for my cousin Brian's family a
couple of years ago."
	Neil looked up at him blankly for a long moment, then his
expression cleared.
	"Yeah, I think so.  You're the other Brian, aren't you?"
	Brian laughed and I glanced at Jim's stunned expression.
	"Yeah.  Not too original in our family," he chuckled.
	"You're younger than he is, aren't you?  We used to call him Big
Brian and you Little Brian," he said looking up at my cub.  "Not so little
any more."
	Brian gave Jim a smirk and a wink.
	"Guess he should be glad he never picked on me when we were kids,"
Brian chuckled.  "Never imagined I'd end up this much bigger than him."
	"So how is he doing?  Haven't seen him in a couple of months," Neil
said, his gaze drifting back to me.
	"Yeah," Brian said, leaning in conspiratorially.  "He does look
like the guy Brian's seeing.  You have no idea how weird it was to find out
my uncle had hooked up with my cousin."
	Neil choked on his laughter.
	"Oh, my God," he chuckled.
	"Had Saul ever even met Brian before?" Brian asked, turning to me.
	"Not that I know of," I said, struggling to keep my expression
straight.  Wasn't made any easier with Cliff and Mike laughing soundlessly
behind Neil.
	"Saul?" Neil said, his brow creasing.
	"Yeah.  Saul and his twin brother, Paul," he said, jerking his
thumb toward me.  "Like I said, we're not terribly original."
	"Yeah, I can see," Neil said, his expression clearing with a grin.
"Well, it's good seeing you again under better circumstances.  Go on in."
	As we walked in, Brian cast Jim a defiant look.
	"Still think I couldn't pull it off?" he asked.
	"What did you do?" Cliff asked.
	"I planted...false memories in his mind.  Now he really does
believe he's already met me.  I practically grew up with him.  If I can do
that to him, I'm betting I'd have no trouble at all with someone who barely
knows...knew me.  Now then, what do y'all want to drink?  That way, I can
'take care' of John, too."
	I watched him saunter of towards the bar, amused by how different
it was from the last time I saw him do that.  He was drawing a lot of
attention as he passed through the crowd.  He was a lot more confident now.
Perhaps too confident?
	"So is that what you meant, back at the cabin?" Jim whispered in my
ear.
	A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
	"Well, our bond felt...muted.  He was keeping his emotions from me.
I think he didn't want to... influence me?"
	"Would he?" Jim asked seriously.
	"Would he?  I don't think so.  Could he?  Don't know," I said,
turning towards him.  "At the funeral, he was able to make a roomful of
people see him as he was, but he looked the same as he does now to me."
	"Still, he's taking all this a little more cavalierly than I'd
like.  Just hope he's as good as he thinks he is."
	"You and me both, Bro."