Author Note: This is a Stendan story... This is a story which has people in it who died or left a while ago, but I wanted them to be involved so they are still very much alive and existent in this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoak's or the characters in this story... Except Jed, he is my original character.

Ten years had passed since Stephen Hay lost the love of his life.

Ten years had passed since Stephen Hay lost the man who replaced the love of his life.

Eight years had passed since Stephen Hay got diagnosed with HIV.

Seven years had passed since Stephen Hay had gotten divorced by his second husband.

Five years had passed since Stephen Hay met the new love of his life, and those five years had been some of the best of Stephen Hay's life.

Ste was 28 when he had met Jed, a young and handsome doctor, at Chester Hospital were he was being treated for HIV. At the time of meeting Jed, Ste was still on a downward spiral and, if he was being honest about, he was about to hit rock bottom. His drug addiction had improved but, that was only because the stuff he was taking was interfering with the improvement of his health. Without the drugs, Ste ended up sinking into a depressive state and the medication for depression wasn't recommended, giving the circumstances.

It was a cold and bitter day when Ste arrived at the hospital to find out that his doctor wouldn't be available and he would have to see the new doctor, something he was none to happy about. Ste had become a private guy ever since he had gotten HIV and he had only ever told his doctor and Jon Paul as Jon Paul was the only person he had feared giving it to.

However, that first visit with the new doctor was the reason that, five years later, Ste finally had his life back under control. Ste and Jed were living together and the village was glad that Ste was finally under control and happy. Many people in the village had worried about Ste for years and had hoped that someone like Jed would come along and make everything better.

Ste's children loved Jed too and he doted on them. He always brought them gifts and made them dinner and allowed them free reign over the television when they stayed. Jed was shocked when he first met the children. He couldn't believe that Leah was 16 and Lucas was 14, Ste just didn't seem old enough but he grew to love them like they were his own.

However, it was the beginning of August in 2023 when Ste's life began to take another turn, and this time, Ste wasn't sure which direction it was going in...

Ste was watching the television waiting for five o'clock to roll around so he could start making dinner for Jed's arrival home from work. Ste was working part time in Tony's café as Jed was insistent that he shouldn't work too many hours for fear of a relapse so, Ste spent most of the time making sure the house was tidy and dinner was ready and he liked it that way.

It was time for the news when a familiar face flashed up on the screen Ste couldn't peel his eyes away. He could feel his breathing becoming uneven as the news reporter spoke, "Police have now reopened a ten year old case after new evidence has come to light. Brendan Brady, convicted of five murders, has gone back onto trail, this time with a strong chance he could be proven innocent. We'll be following this can keeping you updated as much as we can".

Ste didn't know when the tears had started falling down his cheeks or when he had moved closer to the screen but he had found himself with his hand touching the television. Brendan could be getting out of prison he thought and he stood up, looking at the coffee table before he booted it, breaking one of the legs, "Why now?" he screamed, "Why now when my life is getting good? Why now when I have Jed?" he finished before he collapsed to the floor and pulled his legs up to his chest, sobbing into his knees.