Outside, Debbie is near tears. She can't believe Chris got off. Melanie says that that's how it works: "He pleaded guilty, the prosecutor reduced the charge from aggravated to simple assault, and Roy sent him off with probation and service." Debbie cries, "He'd have gotten more for bashing a dog!" Too true. Mike tries to lead his mother away, and Debbie agrees to go home: "But not to rest. I'm going to call every P-FLAG chapter in this country; we're not putting up with this for one fuckin' second. We're going to march, and we're going to carry huge signs, and let this asshole judge know what we think of him." Vic tries to shush her. Like that ever works. Debbie rushes over and tries to get in Hobbes's face, but her family pulls her away. Mike tries to calm her down by saying that Hobbes won't get away with it. Except he already has.

Mike and Brian are in Brian's loft. Brian exclaims, "All protests are bullshit. Well-meaning do-gooders marching around, carrying signs. Chanting? 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, homophobia's got to go'? " Mike takes this to mean Brian won't be joining in. Brian snorts, "Jesus, what the fuck did I ever do without you to harangue me? When the hell are you going back, anyway?" Mike slowly replies that he's not going back. Brian nods, "I know." Mike's like, did T&E tell you? No, somehow Brian figured it out by himself: "I knew it wouldn't work out." Mike grumps, "Right as usual." Hardly ever, actually. Just lucky this time. Brian's like, "It's not about me" (as snow falls somewhere in Hawaii); it's about Mike, "Did you really think you'd be happy living in Wisconsin as a doctor's wife?" Mike says that he was in Oregon. Brian doesn't care. Mike sighs, "Maybe that's the problem. I don't know where the fuck I belong." Brian grabs his arm and pulls Mike down for a kiss, replying, "There. That's where." Well, that clears it up. Thanks. Brian tells Mike to go help his mom, "and make the world safe for fags." Mike laughs and asks Brian what he's reading; it looks like their old Chemistry book from high school. Brian futzes that he's doing some research for a new pharmaceutical client. Mike grins, "Well, you must be thrilled. You'll be able to get E wholesale."