Summary: Hey everyone I'm back. This chapter isn't as long as the other ones but I thought this would be a great way to end it. Hope you like it and hopefully I'll be back next week with another update. Peace and Love.

Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be unless...

Chapter Nine

"So Katherine would you mind telling me more about yourself."

They were having lunch and quiet conversation when Dee asked Katherine the question. She tensed for a moment before putting down her fork and staring at him. "What do you want to know?"

Dee shrugged. "Anything you tell me would be fine."

"I guess I could tell you about my life." Katherine replied. "Well I was fourteen when I ran away from home, pregnant at fifteen, seventeen when I graduated high school, twenty-one when I graduated college, and twenty-three when I had my first art show but that's the watered down version."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any old feelings."

"No. After what I did to you the least I can do is give you the truth about my life." Katherine stated. "My father died when I was eight and it caused my mother to fall apart. She started drinking, heavily, to the point I was raising her instead of the other way around. When I was twelve she met and married Steven. He was just as bad as her but he took on the burden of taking care of her which gave me time to be kid I was supposed to be." She stopped for a moment to take a breath before starting again. "But that all changed when I was fourteen and Steven decided it was time I start earning my keep so one night he came into my bedroom."

Dee's heart began to beat frantically. He didn't want to learn that he'd been a product of rape by Katherine's stepfather. "Oh my God, tell me he didn't."

"No he didn't." answered Katherine, shaking her head. "I fought him with every fiber of my being and it was enough but in the process it woke my mother up and caused her to come to the room. I tried to tell her what happened but she didn't believe me." She paused and gave a stifle laugh. "I wasn't surprised, she never believed anything I told her."

"What happened next?" asked Ryo.

"Like I said Steven didn't do anything that night but I knew it was only a matter of time before he tried it again. So I did the only thing I could; I ran away. I was fourteen and living on the streets and in shelters for about three months when I got a job working at a small bodega. It was there that I met Michael Hamilton, your father."

"Can you tell me about him?"

"He was seventeen when we met, had his own apartment, and a student at NYU. His parents were made of money and let him do anything he wanted so when he found out that I didn't have a place to stay he practically begged me to come stay with him."

"And you did." asked Dee curious. "You went to live with a total stranger."

"I was young and homeless. In my mind I didn't think my life could get any worse and it didn't. I worked and he went to school and in the evenings we would just talk to each other about everything. Michael and I, we connected on a level that I never knew existed. He was my first everything. I loved him and then four months after we met I found out I was pregnant. I told Michael and he was afraid but he promised he would be there for me."

"Then what happened."

"His parents found out." Katherine replied sadly as she looked up at Dee and Ryo. It was a subject that she didn't talk about. The memories alone were to painful of the man she once thought she'd be with forever. Still, even with the emotional pain Dee had a right to know where he came from. "And they forced him to choose me and the baby or them. He choose them." She paused for a moment. "He left the apartment but renewed the lease for another year and he would write and send money. It was good for a while but suddenly it just stopped. I always assumed his parents found out and stopped him from doing it.

"So I did what I could and you were born, a month early I might add. May 16th."

"Really. So I'm only a few weeks off then huh." Dee chuckled softly as he took a sip of his drink. "Jess and Mother were never sure about my birthday but they estimated I was born sometime in May. Since I didn't know they picked May 4th and that's the day I celebrate my birthday."

"Oh my god that's interesting."

"What is?"

Katherine turned to look at Dee, her eyes widening with excitement. "May 4th is Joshua and Elizabeth's birthday."

This made Ryo smile in amusement and laugh. "Think they'll mind sharing." Both Ryo and Katherine seemed amused by the discovery but Dee remained quiet and still. "Dee." asked Ryo concerned as he squeezed the man's leg under the table. "Are you all right."

"Are you going to tell them about me." Dee asked quietly without looking up, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "About what I am to them because I'm fine if you don't…want them to know that is." He braced himself for the rejection he knew was coming when he felt a hand grab his. "What-" he whispered looking up to see it was Katherine who had his hand.

"I am not ashamed of you." she replied sternly, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I love you. I have always loved you and who you are is not going to change that. I want people to know you are my son and that includes Joshua and Elizabeth."

"And David?"

"Including David." she hissed. "I've found you and I'm never letting you go again." and this time she didn't try to stop the tears from falling. She let them.

Dee felt his own heart wanting to burst from all the emotions he was feeling. No longer did he sit there in fear and wait to be rejected. He sat there and held tightly to his mother's hand. They had a long road ahead of them but if she was willing to put in the effort then so would he. It's what he wanted. Dee hadn't realized that he too was crying until Katherine's hand reached over and wiped a tear from his cheek. "I can't believe I'm crying again."

"It's okay to cry as long as they're tears of joy." she sniffed. "They are tears of joy aren't they."

"Yeah they are." grinned Dee happily. "They really are."

Ryo watched in amazement as tears were shed by both mother and son. To see his lover happy was something he wanted more than anything and he was happy to be there and witness it.

Sorry for the shortness. This was more of a filler than anything else but don't worry, the next chapter will be longer I promise. Have a great day and weekend.