A/N: And so it begins…Please keep in mind that my knowledge of the subject matter isn't perfect so bear with me.

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything. I only take responsibility for the plot and any characters of my own creation.

As the cell door slammed behind him, T-Bone allowed a tightly closed fist to slam against the concrete wall. How was he supposed to tell Ruthie the truth while he was stuck in here? How was he supposed to apologize for forgetting something that obviously meant to much to her? He stopped, growing angrier with his train of thought. He didn't have to apologize for anything. She was the one he saw practically on top of another guy. The only thing stopping them from having sex right there on the Premanade was the damn table between them. T-Bone couldn't help but laugh.

"And she calls herself a virgin." If anything it was he who waited on an apology. Not that he would be accepting it. After what he had seen, what she had said, there was no way in hell he would ever forget what that virgin whore had done to him. People like her were the very reason T-Bone didn't exactly make it his life goal to surround himself with people. Let them in far enough and they just decide to leave you hanging. He'd spent his entire life just fine on his own. Sure that meant late nights and even later hours on the job (when he actually had one) but he made do. He had to. As a kid he'd figured out that his parents had too much on their plate to worry about him and his sister. Responsibility was on him and him alone. By the time he was eight he'd learned to feed himself and find appropriate shelter when and where he needed. At least here he had all that. Here, he could rest easy and just figure out his next plan of action. No one could corner him for scheming, unless that too was became illegal while he wasn't watching. Not that he couldn't find a way around that if it were. He'd learned to be resourceful, a survivor.

"Show them one moment of weakness…Just one and they throw you under the fucking bus," he muttered. What made him madder still was the fact that they just didn't get it. He wasn't actually going to put a bullet in her brain. T-Bone had more sense than that. He loved Ruthie Camden and she loved him. Sometimes love just isn't enough for some people he thought. That much was obvious. She was off playing mommy to some little bastard's mistake. A guy she claimed to hate with everything she had. He wasn't even sure what to call it. It sat somewhere between lying and desperation. It wouldn't surprise him if he'd just been used and left to the wayside when the real thing came crawling back. Even so, the idea left him numb. That would be the last time he ever stuck his neck out for anyone.

"But Ruthie's the only thing that listened to me," he reasoned. "How am I supposed to give that up?" Life had always taught him to fight for what he wanted. To make it fast before something up and swiped it all away. He does. He does go for what he wants in the most effective way he knows how and this is where it gets him. Caged like an animal. The very reason he never tied himself to anyone. T-Bone was a one man show. No one to answer to, no one to care about. Jane was at an age where she took care of herself. She was likely off doing her own thing. She wasn't his to worry about anymore.

"Why do I even bother to care?" he muttered. "They're all just liars and cheats. Bound to go off looking for something shinier." He let rip a maniacal laugh from his throat. "Those two won't even make it a month. Doesn't even love him anymore. It's me. It's always been me. Was just trying to show her what she's always said." Ruthie had always been stubborn. The most hard-headed girl he'd ever met. Finding somewhere they couldn't be bothered was the only way he was ever going to get anything out of her. "Loves me…" he muttered. "Just gotta remind her." And with that final thought, he threw himself onto his cot taking in all the warmth he could out of the thin sheets they gave him.

As the sun began to peak out among the stars, Kevin smiled to himself. Just another minute or two and he planned to make the announcement. Being a man of very little patience, there was no way he was waiting any longer for this. Inanimate objects thrown at him or not, the sooner it was out the better. He was never very good with vital information anyway if a few hours before was any indication.

"We're freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" he hollered.

"I didn't say you could—"

"Hey, you said I could scream it," he pointed out eyeing his disheveled wife with a knowing smile.

"I have got to watch what comes out my mouth," she groaned throwing a stack of available pillows at her husband. "You're obnoxious," she muttered.

"You love me," he smiled

"Not right now I don't. I'm sure every other aching body in this house will agree," she sighed rubbing at her tired eyes.

"Oh for the love of—"

"Good morning, Mom! Guess what?"

"You're going to tell us anyway…"

"Bastard's in the slammer."

"Language," Annie offered with a glare.

"Sorry," he said quickly, the stupidest of grins on his face. "From the sample I got a few hours ago, this should be an open and shut case. I'm not sure why he's not even trying to save his own skin but that's all the better for us."

"Thank you, Jesus," Annie echoed.

"S'just how he sees it," Simon muttered trudging in with Luke still asleep in his arms. "In his messed up world, he's done nothing wrong. Still believes that Ruthie's head over heels."

"Like I said, what he thinks doesn't really count for much when they see the laundry list of shit he's done. He's gotten quite friendly with the GOPD. Dare I say, it might even be like a second home to the guy. "

"Poor soul doesn't have one," Annie offered quietly.

"Right," Kevin said in a moment of solemnness.

"Luce, I'm gonna kill your husband now, okay?" Mary groaned tossing a throw pillow at his head. "He seems to have forgotten that when it's dark out, people like to sleep. Particularly those carrying small human beings in their bodies," she sighed cozying up on the couch.

"Feel free," Lucy said throwing her back into the pillow.

"You're the one who said I could," he reminded her.

"Well, I didn't think you'd take it literally!"

"Have you met your husband?" Simon asked with a raised brow. "Just the other day he got me stuck in a game of 'Simon Says' because I told him to do something."

"Thank goodness you never became a lawyer," Lucy mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nevermind." The confusion only seemed to grow on her husband's face but he shrugged it off finally taking the time to hang his gun belt.

"Hey, what do you say we stick you on the roof?" Sarah mumbled bringing her feet up as well. "We'll come get you once we've all had breakfast. Might I suggest you have a nice long talk with them?"

"But hasn't anyone been listening?" he asked more than a little excited for such an early hour. "I have good news!"

"So important it couldn't wait till we were all conscious of our own free will?" Martin muttered as they made their way down to the landing. Kevin turned at the sound of voices, arms outstretched.

"Let the man speak," Ruthie sighed. "He's not gonna shut up until he does," she sighed turning to her brother-in-law glaring lightly. "What do you got for us, officer?"

"We're freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeee."

"Care to elaborate? Free means a number of things these days," Martin urged him on, head resting lightly on Ruthie's.

"Go directly to jail, do not collect 200 dollars," he said.

"Why couldn't you just say that like a normal person?" Ruthie asked rolling her eyes slightly. As short as she was on patience, riddle or not, as he spoke she couldn't help feeling a weight lift from her shoulders.

"Because normal is boring," he shrugged.

"Hey, at least he said it in English and not pig Latin or something," Lucy pointed out.

"At least someone understands me."

"I'm your wife. I have to figure you out whether I like it or not," she said.

"And you find me sexy," he smirked. Lucy blinked, every pair of eyes in the room turning in Kevin's direction.

"That's not even a part of this conversation." The tall blond just shrugged, the wide smile a permanent fixture on his face.

"Isn't he supposed to be tried or something first?" Sarah asked swaying back to the original topic at hand. "Shouldn't we wait to celebrate until it becomes official?"

"Well yeah but he's got so much crap stacked against him it's not even worth worrying about. According to his track record, they would do just as good by him and Glen Oak as a whole by just sticking him in the nut house." Ruthie couldn't help but blanch. She always knew the term to be an adoring joke. Reflecting on what T-Bone had actually done in his short life to her and she's almost certain others like her, she could very well know of someone who was driven to insanity.

"But doesn't that mean that he could actually escape going to prison if they do?" Martin asked slowly kneading Ruthie's tense shoulders calmly. She offered him a small smile in thanks pressing herself just a bit closer to him.

"Not always. It could be severe enough that they just have him serve whatever sentence he'd get under a normal trial there in an enclosed facility. He'd get the help he needs while at the same time steering clear of a community he could bring harm to if provoked."

"Didn't Michaels mention something about him being a schizophrenic?" Simon voiced from his place in the armchair.

"Vaguely do I remember something like that, yeah. Makes it all the more important that we get this guy put away for good. Who knows what the voices he has running through his head will have him do the next time he finds an opening."

"Probably kill me," Ruthie whispered finding safety in her boyfriend's arms as she shrunk at the mere thought.

"Highly doubt it. If anything he'd come after one of us," Kevin said.

"Not that that's anymore comforting," Mary said quietly.

"Nobody's gonna kill anybody, alright?" Annie piped up, her insides a knot at the simple thought that harm could come to any one of them. "He's been questioned; he's in safe keeping until his trial date. We can all sleep more soundly now." The entire room looked over at her, a knowing look in their eyes. Clearly that subject was closed.

"When is this thing?" Simon asked. "I might wanna do a bit of shrinking of my own on this jerk."

"And by shrinking you mean beating him to a pulp," Ruthie clarified.

"It very well might come to that, yes." She only rolled her eyes in response.

"No. Last thing any of us needs is you in jail for not being able to control yourself," Annie said sharply, a swell of common pride at her son's constant need to see justice going through her despite her rejection of the idea. "Let's just let the system do its job and do what we have to in our own lives. This is supposed to take things off our plates, not add to them." The room offered a collective nod.

"They're cross examining him medically to see if he can stand trial. If all goes according to plan, the hearing is next week. I'm assuming they'll need your testimony, Ruth." The youngest Camden nodded, a sickening twist of her insides at the thought of having to see T-Bone again. Though they were different and more promising circumstances his face was the last thing she even wanted to think about.

"We'll all be there, Ruth," Lucy offered in quiet comfort.

"Absolutely. Wanna see him be dragged away with my own two eyes," Simon said gruffly. She said nothing in reply though always so grateful for the system her large family offered her at times like these.

There really wasn't very much to like about this place, even less attraction for "normal" people. A funny thought really since no one around here was seen as normal. Not anymore. They were all here for some death they carried out or a rape they were too drunk to notice they'd done. At least T-Bone didn't have that on his conscience. And yet, here he was with a pending trial on his plate that would taint his already spiraling lifestyle. If there was one thing he would never do is bring an end to Ruthie Camden's life, no matter what she may have done or not done. You don't end the life of the one you love. You could however, make them wish they'd chosen differently. T-Bone smiled to himself. Yes. That's exactly what he'd do. In just a few hours the Camdens would be begging for it.

Ruthie chose to stare at the wall, as out of sight as she possibly could be. As he walked in, from where she sat, there would be very little need for eye contact if any at all. Exactly what she wanted. She would later have to look in his general direction anyway as she offered testimony. Despite keeping her back turned, a chill ran down her spine as his none too familiar presence made itself known. Clearing her dry throat she took a firm grip of Martin's hand, the rest of her family a quiet huddle around her. He offered it a gentle squeeze, a subtle sign to take a deep breath, which thankfully she did as the room around her was beginning to spin. Just looking at him from the back sent her into a spin. She wasn't sure if it was the events of the past few weeks that had done it for her but she couldn't for the life of her remember what she'd seen in him. The sharp aching of her aged tattoo made her shift uncomfortably in her seat, a wheelchair for the day's occasion.

"Just breathe, honey," Annie whispered a few Camdens over. Ruthie could only nod, her focus on the subtle motion of her head in agreement. Anything else for the moment was just too much to think about. How was she supposed to get up there and spill her story in front of a room full of people knowing that whether she chose to look at him or not, T-Bone would be glaring at her from where he sat? The sooner he gets the help he needs, the better for all of us she thought.

Ruthie could feel herself slowly counting back the minute she was out of here and away from the constant fog in the air that hung over her, the better. Leaving Aaron home with Carlos could go one of two ways lately. She silently hoped they would fare better than the last time he was left in his care. Though the rest of her family was here, Carlos opted to stay home with the babies deciding that if he showed up for support T-Bone could very well end up leaving in a body bag. A thought she was sure ran through all of her brothers' heads at some point today. Can this clock move any slower?

"…Witnesses have reportedly seen you with the appointed victim. I understand that you and Ms. Camden at one point had relations?" Oh, I guess we've started she thought to herself, forcing her gaze forward if for no more reason than to see his reactions. Inside, T-Bone was raging. How much did they get out of Meredith? Besides her parade of body guards, they had no real whiteness to anything. He knew the moment they met she was just as weak, just as easy to crack but he needed an easy in. An in that wouldn't have Ruthie suspect anything, making the chase that much harder. As much as he wanted to do this on his own, there was no way he was going to get anywhere without someone the girl could trust.

"She's my girlfriend," he answered. Flat and deliberate, matter of fact.

"It is also understood that Ms. Camden though seen together two weeks ago had a falling out and are no longer together." The prosecutor was a stern woman whose questions were asked directly and not to be danced around. Something Ruthie herself appreciated. Getting straight to the point would get her outside much easier where she could breathe fresh air.

"Her call, not mine," he offered. "I found her with another guy so I naturally asked her about. She claims it was nothing. I saw them laughing and smiling and touching," he growled. "He had his hands all over her. It's no wonder they didn't work the first time," he mumbled.

"There was a first time?" T-Bone only offered the woman a nod.

"Did she tell you why she was out with Mr. Brewer that night?"

"Was her birthday or something. I completely spaced on when it was and told her I'd make it up to her the next week. Couldn't get much further since her mom called about some kind of family emergency."

"I understand you called Ms. Camden soon after they had left?"

"Yeah. Her mom answered. Said she was in the hospital. I ran a few lights to get there as fast as I could. I was in such a rush that I didn't quite see a car come at me. Next thing I know I'm in the hospital and someone's telling me I've been in a coma or something. She came to see me that morning, which was good because I never got a chance to finish our conversation that was interrupted."

"And did you end up having that important conversation?"

"No. She came waltzing in with him on her arm," he muttered glaring daggers at Martin. Ruthie could tell the wheels were turning in his head but he composed himself, something she would not have told him to stay if these questions got any worse. "Didn't quite get it at first. I was sure it was the medication they put me on, that I was seeing things. Ruthie was mine."

"And as much as she was yours, there was another woman in the room with you at the time."

"Yeah, so?"

"What relation did this other woman have to you, Mr. Stevens?" Ruthie could feel her hold on Martin tighten, mention of Tiffany bringing on a mess of emotion she wasn't even sure she should be having.

"Breathe Roo," he whispered, his hand tightening into a fist. He made sure to keep it out of her line of vision.

"We just hung out maybe once or twice," he shrugged. "Nothing else. I was committed to Ruthie. What business did I have with another girl?"

"According to witnesses you had a great deal to do with this woman. It says here that Ms. Johnson is pregnant, is that correct?"

"So she says," he muttered. "I don't believe a word of it. We were protected." From behind her Ruthie could hear a subtle growl rip through Simon's throat as she could feel herself beginning to tremble.

"Protected for means of sexual activity, is that right?"

"What other means could there be?" he asked.

"I'm just trying to understand Mr. Stevens."

"What is there to understand? Ruthie was out sick, I had needs. We were safe about it. What gives?"

"Mr. Stevens, for someone who is committed you spent a fair bit of time with Ms. Johnson."

"Ruthie was out sick, as I just said. When a guy is asked to fulfill them when his own girlfriend refuses, what are you supposed to do?"

"Most men would decline, sir."

"Yeah well, I'm not most men. Ruthie will tell you."

"Her time will come. Now, what do you remember of the morning you woke up in the hospital?"

"As much as I told you already," he said flatly. "I spent the first few minutes just trying to see straight," he said honestly. "When she showed up I was glad. Shows me she might have missed me. And then Martin shows up," he offered, the name bitter on his tongue, "and any chance of conversation is pretty much shot. All I remember after that is fighting."

"Who was fighting?"

"Tiffany and Ruthie. Staking claim to me or something. Gotta admit, it's kinda nice having people fight over you. Never really had that as a kid."

"As I understand you chose to be emancipated from both your parents."

"Yeah. What other choice did I have? Old man was never around and Mom just sold her body for sex."

"Would you say that was your only source of income?"

"Guess so but then we'd go right back to being flat broke cause she couldn't stay off the bottle. What the hell does this have to do with anything?" The woman only nodded pushing forward as her face remained expressionless.

"Is it then safe to conclude that you were forced to fend for yourself?"

"Well yeah. It was either that or starve ourselves to death."

"'Ourselves' being you and your younger sister."

"Yeah. Wasn't gonna just sit around and watch her die. She was too little. Was my job to make sure we had something to eat, some kind of warmth at night."

"So it's safe to say you've always been out for yourself, yes?"

"I guess so," he shrugged. "Not exactly proud of where we had to be but we were alive. When you're a kid on the street, survival is all you know." Again she nodded noting his responses studiously.

"How did you meet Ms. Camden?"

"Was working for the theater selling tickets and stuff. Ruthie showed up and, we started talking," he said simply. "Kept showing up and one thing led to another and we started seeing each other."

"Would you say you were in love with Ms. Camden?"

"Not right away I guess but yeah eventually I guess I was."

"Would you then say that you would go to great lengths to protect her?"

"Course. Her heart was broken and considering all she's done for me I can only be so fair that I return the favor."

"The Camdens took you in, is that correct?" T-Bone offered a quiet nod. "Would you say then that your problems were solved? A roof over your head and food on the table. Wasn't that your goal?"

"Yeah."

"So you owe them a lot, don't you?"

"They took me off the street," he said. "Who wouldn't?"

"So was the night of Ms. Camden's disappearance meant as a way of protecting her?" T-Bone couldn't help but look bored. It was like they already knew the story. Why would they bother asking all these stupid questions if they did? "Had to make sure she was safe. After what had happened the first time, I had to remind her."

"Remind her of what exactly?"

"That no good could come of her being with…that," he said shooting another look to the back of the room.

"And why is that?"

"He'd done it once. Who's to say he wouldn't do it again?"

"And you thought that the best way to show her that was to put her in holding, in a place where no one could find her."

"Was the only way were ever going to get a chance to talk. Never got any privacy in the house. Everyone's always flocking around her, being the baby of the family or something there's always this parade of bodyguards making sure she just barely breathes on her own."

"The Camdens are very family oriented then."

"Guess you could say that. Never one without at least three of them in toe."

"Describe your intentions with Ms. Camden if you would."

"I just wanted to talk, get her head on straight. I was gonna take the time to apologize for forgetting her birthday and other important things that just…slipped my mind. I knew that if we were alone, she'd actually listen, no interruptions." Pictures of her rope burned arms flashed on a big screen on the side of the room, making Ruthie cringe.

"Can you explain these, Mr. Stevens?"

"That would be rope burn," he said.

"Do you have any idea how she acquired these burns?"

"Used a bit of rope, just to make sure she wouldn't find a way to leave like she already had once." Ruthie was probably the only one who understood the double-edged reply, the words sinking in and sending a chill down her spine. She bit her lip as a fire ripped through her skin, rings around the places the rope had been.

"So you kept her there by force."

"Not for more than a minute. I took them right off once I got her in the room."

"Well, according to these photos, you managed to tie reasonably tight."

"Ruth has always been stubborn. Had to find a way to keep her there, have her listen to me like she'd always done."

"Had you ever stopped to consider that given your bond, Ms. Camden would have possibly done so willingly, forgoing all the unnecessary precautions?"

"No. She'd been too brainwashed by them to remember what we had and what we shared. I was just trying to help her see the—"

"…truth?"

"Yeah. She had to remember that I was only looking out for her, that I was sorry, that I would never hurt her like he did."

"Instead you chose a more hands on approach," the prosecutor nodded flipping carefully through every injury Ruthie had sustained.

"Those would go away," he reasoned.

"And you're sure that in all this rage, Ms. Camden never broke any bones or body parts?"

"Like I would know. She was gone before I could do anything else."

"So, it's safe to say you found no use for this then," she said presenting the unused gun in an evidence bag."

"Only had it on me in case things escalated. Never used it though."

"Not even when you discovered she had escaped?" Ruthie watched as for the first time, T-Bone went stiff surely choosing his words carefully.

"That wasn't on me," he said slowly. "I had an errand to run and she let her escape."

"Ms. Davis?" He only provided a nod. "And what was your plan now that she was gone?"

"Find her," he said matter of factly.

"And yet, not a few minutes later, Ms. Davis saw you flee the scene of the crime. Was your plan to go find her yourself?"

"After she failed to do what I asked her to, that was the only choice I had."

"No further questions, your honor." Ruthie could feel the air around her grow thick. She couldn't help but feel physically sick as T-Bone offered her the briefest glance, face expressionless. It was in his eyes that she saw ice.

"The prosecution calls Ruthie Camden to the stand." Her mouth felt like sand paper as her name fell from the woman's lips. The distance between where she sat and the whiteness stand seemed to drag on forever which she found strange seeing as she was wheeling herself up there. With her hand to a bible, she sighed openly hoping to loosen as many tight muscles as she could before they forced her to speak.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?"

"I do," she said in quiet confidence. Or so she hoped. Help me, God.

A/N: -sighs—Alright there we go. Let me know how it went? I'm kind of not too sure about how it played out…