Morgan Fairbanks sat in her bedroom writing in her journal. She tried her best not to let it get to her that today was her birthday and she was home alone. She understood that because her father was a tool that her mom had to work just so they would have enough money to survive but sometimes she wished that her life just didn't suck. She didn't have a father and this would probably be her last birthday on this earth. She was torn from her sadness by the phone ringing.

"Hello." she answered in her most cheerful voice.

"Morgie. Happy birthday, girl. Tell me? What are you doing?" asked her caller.

"Oh you know, I'm about to put on my most fabulous dress and go out with the girls and have a blast on my birthday." she answered sarcastically.

"Come on Morgie. It can't be that bad can it? Where's your mom?"

"Mom had to work today. I'm not bitter if that's what you're thinking. I know how things have to be but I just, well I wish that things could be different."

"Okay, remember what we talked about? If you could get anything for your birthday, what would that be?"

"NO WAY!" She screamed in his ear.

"Get your ass downstairs girl, I'm freezing."

Morgan hung up her phone and ran downstairs, because if what she thought was waiting downstairs for her was waiting then this was going to be one of the best birthdays ever.

Melanie Marcus sat in her office looking at the files in front of her. For once this wasn't a case that she was excited about winning. It was the medical records of her niece Morgan. Morgan's cancer was back again. This time it looked like it might be her last and her asshole of a brother wasn't helping at all. She had talked to Morgan's mother and apparently there was a new guy in her life. She knew nothing about him, but her sister-in-law was coming up for a visit and she was going to get to the bottom of this.

"You look worried." stated Lindsay as she walked into her wife's office.

"I am. I'm still not sure about this new friend of Amy's." stated Melanie.

"Oh come on, the poor guy seems harmless. She met him at her treatments and he's nice to her. The poor guy has cancer and Amy wouldn't let anyone around her daughter who would hurt her. You of all people know that, Mel."

"I know Lindz, but things will be better when they're here where I can see her and look after her."

"Yeah, soon she'll be here and you won't have to worry about that friend of hers.

Justin Taylor sat at the loft trying his best to not think about what he was doing. He had to do this, Brian was entrusting him with a secret. A secret that only he, Brian and one other person knew but it was a big step. This was his life, and by Brian trusting him with this secret he knew that he wanted him to be a big part of it. All he had to do was make it through this lunch with his mother.

"Honey, you've been quiet. Is everything alright?" asked a concerned Jen.

"Everything is fine. I was just thinking about something." replied Justin.

"You know if you need someone to talk to about Brian I'm here. At first I was a bit skeptical about the two of you but over the years I've seen that you two love each other very much. If there's anything that I can do to help, let me know."

Justin looked at his mother a long time and then he decided that he could ask her without revealing the situation.

"Mom, if you were in love with someone and they asked you to keep a huge secret that could change lives, would you do it?"

Jen looked deep into the pleading eyes of her son and she knew right then he needed an answer and she knew just what that answer was.

"Honey, if it's someone who loves you and you love them back, well then you will keep their secret for as long as they need you to."

"You're right, mom." replied Justin as he began eating his spaghetti.

Ally Patrick stood outside Morgan's house trying to keep a smile on his face because he knew any minute she would come bouncing out of the house for the surprise of her life. He hated what was happening to her and if there was any way that he could change what was happening to her he would. If God would let him switch places with her he would gladly, but then again in this case it wasn't like he was in much better shape than her. He thought back to the day he met her.

Flashback

Morgan Fairbanks sat on the bed in her small space thinking about what was being pumped through her body. She had cancer. She wasn't going to let it get to her though. It wasn't going to kill her. She was going to beat this.

"Hey Morgan, do you mind if we let Mr. Patrick here share a space with you? He's had a bit of a rough day?" asked a nurse, pulling a gurney into her small space with a body on it that was completed covered.

"No, I don't mind. What's the matter with him?" asked Morgan concerned.

"He just had a very strong dose of radiation. He didn't expect it to hit him so hard so quickly but it did and well, he's having a bit of trouble with photosensitivity right now so could you just be quiet and try not to bother him, please. That means turn your camera off. I don't think this one wants to be filmed."

"Sure thing, Nurse Betty. I'll be very quiet.

Morgan waited for the nurse to be gone and then she slowly and very quietly eased off her bed and over to the gurney that sat in her small room.

"Hey Mister." Morgan called out, tapping the cover and getting no reply.

"Hey Mister, are you okay? You're making some weird noises. Should I get a nurse?"

"Didn't she say for you to leave me alone kid, so fuck off!" shouted the guy as he uncovered his head.

"What the hell is your problem?" shouted Morgan.

Ally Patrick uncovered his head to say something surely rude and crude to the girl but one look at her sweet, innocent face and he took back the ugly words on the tip of his tongue.

"Just a bad day, kid. You know how it is." Ally stated.

"Yeah. No worries. Where's your family. Are you here all alone?"

"Yeah. I don't need anyone around here watching me get pumped with poison."

"It's okay, I'll keep you company."

"Oh my god!" screamed Morgan, breaking Ally from his train of thought.

"I cannot believe that you did this for me! Are you freakin' serious?" she squealed.

"Every girl should have the car of her dreams on her sixteenth birthday. I remembered everything you said and I hope this is to your liking, sweet Morgie." Ally beamed.

"It's perfect." Morgan stated, beginning to cry.

"Hey! None of that. This is a happy day." said Ally, taking Morgan into his arms.

"I know. It's just that I never thought I would get something this wonderful on my birthday, and especially not from someone who is not my father. Oh Ally! I love it but I can't accept it! You must need this money for something. What about your son? You shouldn't waste your money on someone like me."

"It's fine, and don't you worry about my son. He has what he needs now. It's my turn to spoil my daughter. So take me for a spin?"

"Hell yeah!" screamed Morgan, heading for the driver's seat.

Michael paced the small aisle in his store feeling scared out of his mind. He was supposed to pick up Brian today from his treatment but when he went there, they said that he cancelled. That was something that he shouldn't be doing. Why would he cancel? Just the thought of that had Michael on edge. What was going on? He was deep in thought so he never heard Ben enter the store.

"Penny for your thoughts?" stated Ben, sneaking up being Michael and putting his arms around him.

"Oh it's nothing. I was just thinking about something."

"I know you've been thinking about 'something' a lot lately. Is it the whole Brett Keller thing? I told you that I'm over that and we should just put that behind us."

"No, it's not that. I just… well… it's Brian actually."

"Brian? What has he done now?" Ben asked bitterly.

"I was supposed to give him a ride someplace today and when I got there they said that he had cancelled, that he decided not to show up."

"Well, maybe he had something better to do."

"No, he couldn't have something better to do when it comes to things to do. This is the most important."

"Michael, what's going on? Tell me. You're upset."

"I can't. I promised. I made a promise to him but if I don't tell someone right now I'm going to go crazy."

"What is it?" Ben asked, very upset.

"It's Brian. Brian has cancer, Ben and I'm so scared that he's not going to make it.

Ben didn't quite know what to say. Brian was sick with something real. Cancer! It made him remember Brian's appearance lately. He was on edge and had lost weight. He remembered how drawn even his face seemed the last time he saw him. He didn't know what to say. All he did was hold his disheveled lover, trying his best to comfort him.

Morgan looked at herself in the mirror and she couldn't stop the smile from appearing on her face. Ally always knew how to make things better. He had bought her a car. A freakin' convertible so that she could feel the wind in her hair. How hysterical was that! She had no hair. She went with him to get a haircut. He had it all buzzed off. Just a little flip in the top. None on the sides or back. He was adorable. He was always adorable with his beautiful, hazel eyes and olive skin. She couldn't help it. She was so in love with Ally it was ridiculous. But he was gay, and like her dad. He was perfect in every way and the best kind of person that anyone would want for a dad and he had elected himself hers. For that she would always be grateful. She had so much fun with him that she didn't even get a chance to tell him that she was moving to the Pitts. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he found out that she was moving to his neck of the woods.

Justin was frantic. He could barely get the door to the loft open. He couldn't reach his mother all day and then when he checked his messages he had this strange message from Michael about how Brian had cancelled his treatment for the day. That was something he can't be doing. The radiation is hard enough and not to mention he just found out he was anemic. He was practically shouting Brian's name when he entered the loft.

"Brian!" he shouted.

"Brian, do you fucking hear me!" he shouted louder, getting more scared.

He saw the partitions around the bed were closed. Just something about them being closed made his blood turn cold. He walked up the three steps and pulled them back and was taken aback by what he saw.

Brian was asleep under the covers. He was beautiful. He had sweat beading on his forehead. That was a problem lately. Brian suffered from night sweats. He approached the bed and brushed the hair back from his brow. He took note that Brian's hair was much shorter now. Brian's eyes popped open.

"Hey" he whispered hoarsely, a sign that he'd been asleep for a while.

"What's the matter? Michael called me and told me you didn't go today. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just had something more important to do today."

"What?" Justin inquired.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Brian stated, closing his eyes.

Justin wanted more answers but Brian had fallen back asleep. Brian had been secretive a lot lately, and it worried him. He had finally told him about the cancer and he promised him that there would be no more secrets but something was up. He picked up his pants and a car rental receipt fell out of it. Apparently he had been in a town three hours away. Who could he be going to see? He turned back and saw him sleeping and was just happy that he was there and alive. He needed answers though, and he would get to the bottom of this.