Alex didn't say much on the drive to their flight to Texas.

Miku sat quietly with her boyfriend, leaning against him in a comforting manner. She didn't say anything either. She could tell he wasn't in a talking mood, but she could also tell that he wanted her comfort.

It was difficult to put herself into his shoes. Here he was, finally recovering from the hell he went through a year and a half ago, only to have to get pulled back into it against his will.

She fully understand why he wouldn't wanna talk about it.

The limo pulled up in front of their private jet. Alex opened the door, waiting until Miku was out to close the door. As workers tended to their luggage, Alex and Miku went into the plane.

Stepping into the luxurious private plane, Alex immediately laid down at a long couch that went around the length of the plane. Miku laid with him it was time to take off.

Once they were in the air, they laid back down.

"How are you feeling, honey?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest.

"Well, I've got a mix of emotions. Mainly, I'm just pissed off. I can't believe I'm getting sucked back into this." Alex said.

"Yeah. Well, your innocence was proven once. They can prove it again." Miku said surely.

"Yeah, but this new evidence may be enough to 'insinuate' that I slept with Valerie. If that happens, the jury could see things differently this time around." Alex reasoned.

"Don't talk like that. You're innocent and you're not gonna go to prison." Miku said, very quickly and very firmly.

"Yeah, well I don't share your confidence." Alex said, getting up and pacing back and forth.

"You need to. Otherwise, you're gonna suffer through this whole thing just like last time." Miku said, standing up as well.

"How do you know so much about this?" Alex asked curiously.

"I read an article about it." Miku answered.

Alex paused, "Right."

"Alex, please don't do this to yourself. I hate seeing you like this." Miku said, hugging him.

"Yeah, how do you think I feel? This woman is trying to ruin my career again, and she's using her daughter to do it." Alex said.

"It's sick. I know. But you can't let her get to you." Miku said.

"It's a little late for that." Alex said, pacing again. Miku sighed.

"What's going through your head?" Miku asked softly.

"What do you think? I'm angry! I'm sick of this-this witch! And Valerie. Urgh, when she betrayed me back then, I felt like I couldn't even trust my own fans.

"I got into music to entertain. To show off my talents. That's all I care about. That's what makes me happy.

"And then here comes the Martinez's. They wanna take all that to the trash. They don't care about me. They just want my money. They're trash.

"I'm not taking it this time. This time, they're gonna suffer for it. I'm filing harassment charges. I'll suck them dry! Make sure that they don't find the money to f with me again." Alex shouted.

Miku's lip trembled. She took a step back, scared by the rage he was displaying again. This was a completely different Alex. This wasn't her boyfriend, right? He wasn't like this.

"Babe. Please. This isn't you... You're scaring me." Miku said softly.

Alex sighed, shaking his head and looking down, "Sorry."

"You can't say things like that. Don't stoop down to their level. Otherwise, they win. They'll always have that power over you if you let them." Miku said, walking up to him and resting her body against his.

Alex wrapped his arms around her, holding her. He gently kissed her head, closing his eyes.

"Yeah. You're right. I shouldn't say things like that either."

"Please don't." Miku said again.

"Okay." Alex whispered.

They held each other in silence for a bit, swaying with the rocking of the plane and not saying a word. They both sighed multiple times, calming down and relaxing in each other's arms.

"Thank you for coming with me." Alex said.

"I wasn't gonna let you go alone. Not like this." Miku said.

"Yeah... Miku?"

"Yes, honey?"

"I have one request." Alex said.

"Name it." Miku said, loosening her grip on him to look up at him.

"I don't want you to come with me to the trial itself?" Alex said.

Miku swallowed, "I can't agree to that. I need to be by your side."

Alex shook his head, "No." He said quietly.

"Why not?" Miku demanded, letting go of him and placing her hands on her hips.

"Miku... This is gonna be a rehash of the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I don't want you to experience that alongside me." Alex said.

"But wouldn't you want me there? To make it easier for you? So I can comfort you and take some of that pain off your shoulders?" Miku questioned.

"You can do that after. But please, this is something I don't want you to have to bare with me. I'd rather right this off and then move on and forget about it." Alex said.

Miku was silent for awhile. Doing what Alex was asking was the last thing she wanted to do, and it went against her every instinct as his girlfriend...

But she did have to consider how he felt too.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Miku agreed.

Alex nodded, "Fair enough."

Miku shook her head, sitting down, "I guess I just don't understand, baby. Do you not want my comfort? Would you rather I'd just stayed in Japan?" Miku asked.

She didn't want to take it too personally, but she couldn't help it. Her sole reason for coming with him was to be by his side the entire time, when he needed her most...

And that wasn't what he wanted.

"No, honey. That isn't it at all. I just... This is something that I don't want you to experience. Trust me." Alex said.

"I do, but... I just want to be there for you. There with you. But I guess it isn't the same thing." Miku said with an irritated undertone.

Alex's eyes fell to one side, "I'm sorry. I just...don't want you to go through the same pain I had to go through. It'll be new to you. I'd rather spare you that pain. I'll be fine through the trial, and I'll be with you before and after. Okay?" Alex reassured.

Miku sighed. She hated not doing exactly what she wanted to do, what she came to do. But...it couldn't always be about her. That's just how these things worked.

"Okay..." She said softly, hugging him again, "But I better be with you until you walk in and as soon as you walk out." Miku said.

"Haha. Deal." Alex said, kissing her forehead.

They held each other silently again.

"I love you," He whispered, "I'm sorry. I know I'm being kinda stubborn. I just don't want you to see me there. See how I was like. I know it's not gonna be pretty." Alex said.

"I know it won't, but I don't care about any of that. When I say I love you, I mean all of you, not just the better parts of you." Miku pointed out.

"I care though..." He looked down again, running a hand back through his hair.

Miku sighed. She could see all the pain behind his eyes as he talked about his past. He was embarrassed. She could see it...

And as much as she wanted to stay firm on her stance, she also understood why he was asking her to stay out of the trial.

So, reluctantly, she swallowed her pride, and said:

"I won't go if it'll make you feel better, but I WILL be by your side from every moment until then and every moment after." Miku said firmly.

"I already agreed." Alex chuckled dryly, little humor present.

"Well I'm just making sure." She said, resting her head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her again, "I'm very happy you're here with me. Things would be a lot harder without you."

"That's what I'm here for." She said softly.

Trial day.

Miku held Alex's hand as the limo made its way to the courthouse.

This past week had been emotionally taxing on both of them, especially Alex. With each day it seemed like he lost reason to be happy. As the trial day grew closer, Miku felt like he was losing joy even with her.

She hated it. She hated that she couldn't make him smile that much anymore. She hated that he was always too weighed down to laugh and be cute, like he'd been.

And she hated the person that was causing it.

In a strange way, she felt she could relate. Kaito had been holding her down, and making her purpose in life less enjoyable. That's what this woman was doing to her boyfriend, and he didn't know how to handle it.

She hated that woman.

Alex, dressed in an expensive black and white suit with a black trench coat, stared at the window as the limo drove on.

She couldn't even imagine what was going through his head. His past was coming back to haunt him in the worst way possible.

From what he'd said in their talks, he felt trapped. Back then, his ignorance opened the door for the Martinez's to take advantage of him. Now they were doing it again. And somehow it was worse than the first time.

Not only were they trying to bring back something that was supposed to be put away, but now that Alex was older and getting successful, if he lost the case, his life would quite literally be ruined.

That's what they wanted.

The limo pulled up in front of the courthouse. Alex sighed, turning and hugging Miku.

"Thank you." He said to her.

"I'll see you after." Miku said.

Alex put a hand on her cheek and kissed her deeply. Miku gasped in surprise, but just as quickly kissed back eagerly.

He hadn't kissed her like this in over a week.

"I love you." Alex whispered.

"I love you too. Things will go just fine, you'll see." Miku said.

Alex nodded and got out of the limo. She watched as he walked with Kathy through the sea of photographers and reporters. The limo pulled away...