PRESENT DAY:

Marcus shuddered when he came back down to earth, trying to forget all the memories of the first time he'd gone to prison, and his life even before that. He forced himself to suppress the monster he inevitably became in prison.

The day he joined Harry's anger management class, he remembered him from the newspaper he held up in Dime's face.

He never planned on coming out of the closet, so he never pursued Harry. He used to sit in his car after Anger Management and watch over Harry until he was safely on the road, and then he'd drive off. That was the least Marcus could do since he tortured Harry's father behind bars.

Reading Harry's anonymous letter made him fall in love with him. He had his suspicions that the anonymous letter was from him, but it wasn't until the heavily publicized car accident that he got his confirmation.

Marcus eventually came out to his family when he realized that he was in love with Harry.

But how would he ever tell him that he used to be a downlow prison porn star Don and he was on multiple videos having sex with Harry's dad?

"I gotta get out of this trial. I only had three more months and I was going to be off parole. But I had to protect Harry from Bob Grimes, the man that took his husband's life.

Like Dime, Bob robbed Harry of a lie, that he never loved Jonathan, that he was learning to love Jonathan.

His cousin Lou, Steph's brother and the Warden's son secretly dated Harry in high school. The day he was gunned down by Dime on national television was the day everyone found out.

He loved Harry so much that he'd also never tell him that Jonathan had a one night stand with him, a few days after Harry said in his sleep that he was going to marry Jonathan, but he wasn't in love with him...

Jonathan enjoyed every inch of this beef.

Marcus tapped it strong and slow, but his love for Harry kept Sweet Dee laying dormant.

Sweet Dee from there on out would only be for Harry, if he ever wound up in a relationship with him.

The secrets he kept wasn't a part of the deal...

Lady

Lady sat on an empty bar stool, her nerves, shot. She has tried to be there for her son Harry every chance that she could but unfortunately those chances were far and in-between.

When was she going to accept the fact that she didn't try hard enough to find her son when her abusive ex-husband took him away? She didn't call the police; she didn't put out a Missing Person's report nor did she lose any sleep.

If Dime didn't want her, she definitely didn't want her son...

"Can I get you a drink?" The bartender asked.

She refused to meet his penetrating gaze.

He hunched his shoulders and moved on to a few other conservative people, mixing drinks.

A tall, suited brother sat beside her, folding his hands in front of him.

He made instant eye contact with Daniel, the bartender, melting him with a gorgeous smile.

Daniel dropped everything and walked up to him, shaking his hand.

"She'll take Vodka mixed with Henny and Goose. I call it the Kicker."

Ignoring a drink that she wasn't going to accept (who mixes anything with Henny and Goose?), she covered her face, fighting back tears.

Maybe she should just leave. Why was she in a bar anyway? This was the last place to grieve in. But she didn't care. Being around strangers was just what the doctor ordered.

She may have lost her son yet again, but she's already looking for somebody outside of herself to blame for her televised failure told from Lynn Waters lips.

That somebody was Dime. Her ex husband. She'll blame him as a smokescreen to hide her hand in the matter.

"Here. Take this to the head, I promise it'll make you feel better.

"I'm good, nigga. I don't know you like that."

"Take the drink, Lady." He set it in front of her.

She handed it back. "Fuck off!"

She gazed into his eyes, her breath catching in the base of her throat. You'd swear cherubs was in his ass with the manipulative way he kissed her hand, squeezing it.

"I'm Charles Dame, an attorney."

"And why are you harassing me? Don't kiss my hand, I don't know where your lips been."

"I come in peace."

She took that drink after all.

Swallowing with one gulp while throwing her head back.

"I have a feeling that this isn't a chance meeting."

"No. It's not. I know it's too soon, we just met, but can you convince your son Harry to step down from testifying for his lover Marcus Johnson in court?"

Lady accidentally knocked the glass on the floor. It shattered with her heart.

"Marcus Johnson? The man that beat his daddy to death with his fists?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying to me? Did Lynn put you up to this?"

"No."

"Are you sure? You look a little, frazzled around the edges."

"Listen. I'm looking out for Harry. I'm trying to save him from the media. He's already been through an ordeal and Marcus took advantage of Harry's vulnerability and now he's paying the price."

"Harry's hurting. He lost his husband and needed consoling. I wouldn't say Marcus is his anything. A part of my son died with Jonathan. I once lied to Lynn and told her at gun point that I met Jonathan, that he was a sweetheart and that was a complete misconstrued statement."

"Marcus must mean something to him. He's about to face trial for the alleged murder of Bob Grimes. His son and a very deceptive prosecutor want his head. I'm asking you to be one of Marcus character witnesses, so Harry don't have to be subjected to more media and more hurt. When Harry was comatose Marcus stepped in and singlehandedly carried your son's private practice until he recuperated, surely that means something."

"Have you not been watching the news? Lynn Waters basically drug me through the mud. She made it seem like I abandoned my son when in fact Dime took him away from me and raises him on his own. I lost my credibility."

"So you're going to give up on him yet again because of that? When are you going to stop throwing yourself a pity party?"

"I'm not throwing a pity anything."

"Sure you are. Lynn lost her credibility when she was brought up on conspiracy and prostitution charges that are more recent than what she said about you. Therein your help comes to play. This is your chance to testify on Marcus behalf for saving your son's life. Surely that must mean something."

"I don't know about this." She thought about it. Part of her was grateful that Marcus stepped up to the plate and did something any mother would do to save her child, but the fact remained that he was gay and she still couldn't find it in her heart to accept him for who he was.

He handed her his business card.

"By doing nothing you are letting Lynn win. Harry lost his husband. He lost you. You owe it to him to be there for him. He's hell bent on testifying on Marcus behalf. I'm just afraid that he's not strong enough to do so."

He stood up and took a final look at her.

"Listen, the choice is yours. Marcus is facing life and quite possibly the death penalty. How do you think that will make your son feel that yet again you failed to make his life a little easier by being there for the man that put his freedom in jeopardy by saving his life after nearly dying in a car accident. Put on your big girl panties."

Patting her shoulder, he left without uttering another word.

Lady sipped her drink, wiping tears out of her eyes.