I stood beside Worth as we were now heading to meet my parents at their job. He was nervous, it was obvious to anyone who was looking.

There was nothing to be worried about because all he had to do was admit to what was happening within that prison. His nerves seem more towards what happened than anything else. What happened now a couple days ago.

I'd say I was disappointed because he thought just doing sexual favors would fix things. That doesn't work on me.

It may be nice at that moment, but then when that arousal fades...what you felt before sets back in. I didn't forget anything he said and it's hard to in the first place.

It was so hurtful...and I still feel like it was intended because he felt hurt. Not taking into consideration all I've done for him. Because now look! He's out and he'll be a part of taking that prison facility down for it's heinous corruption.

"Do your parents know what...happened between us?" Worth asks me awkwardly.

"No, I don't tell them that kind of stuff. Besides, I haven't spoken to them for a couple of weeks. We just planned this out and we were going to just see one another at this meeting." I tell him, and he looked weirded out by that.

I don't know why. People have different relationships with their parents, and we don't need to be all up in each other's business all the time. Not that I'm implying anything towards him.

"I wish I could've had a relationship with my parents... I don't even know if they're dead or not."

"Probably not." I respond, because it was unlikely. Considering what I've heard...they're probably still alive. I wouldn't even be surprised if Micah's weird ass knew where they were all along.

"What makes you say that?" He asks me awkwardly.

I shrug because I know it wouldn't be wise to get into that kind of conversation right now.

As we arrive at the station, I already saw both their cars parked alongside one another's. I begin to smirk because I saw their friends cars too and I knew that this was going to go down.

"You look excited."

I look, seeing Worth looking amused by expression. I fix it immediately because I didn't want this to be a new focal point to start a pointless conversation.

"I wouldn't say that. Let's go inside so that we're not late."

As I get out the car, I see him make his way around with a sad expression. I just look away from him because I already know why.

I haven't done anything that would warrant him to still be in a funk. He claims it's because things changed between us, in which, they did. It doesn't take a smart person to realize that.

We begin to head inside, and he was being all weird behind me. I could tell being in here put him off. Makes sense considering where he just came from.

Now I stop before we went past the X-ray doors. I glance at him as his lips were tightened together and he looked uncomfortable. My hand rests on his shoulder and he looks at me.

"Don't stress about it, okay? The people we are about to meet are all in favor of you. They wouldn't wish what you went through on anybody. Michael and the others must pay for what they did to you. Now, they'll get their just desert." I say firmly, grinning.

Worth inhaled deeply, soon nodding in understanding.

"Okay...I'm happy to hear that. You know how to say the right things." He murmurs, sighing as he shook his head. "Unlike me."

Now I face forward, I couldn't focus on that right now.

We begin to go through, and as we do I noticed some people recognize me. I already was saying hello to people I haven't seen for a few months now. Worth was just drifting behind me and I had to keep tugging him onwards.

He was attracting eyes as well. It's hard not to see him. I hope they don't get the impression that he's a bad person, because he's not.

Just...traumatized.

He can say the worst when he wants to. He's good at doing that very well.

"Nate!"

I gasp, seeing my parents walking towards me. I smile as I hug my mom as my dad went towards Worth.

When I look I saw him hug Worth who looked startled by that. My mom went for a hug with him right when we finished ours. The look on his face said it all.

He wasn't used to such a thing from people that weren't...me?

"It's nice to meet you Worth. I am sorry about all you have went through, everything you have suffered I hope you can relay to us just once more. We have enough to take that facility down, but your word is key too." My dad says to him.

I could tell Worth was at a loss for words. He just would open his mouth to speak, but it would close nervously.

My mom smiled at him, rubbing his back comfortably.

"You don't need to be nervous. We all want the best for you. You have nothing to worry about being in our presences. This is all for you, to help you. We know you can't get back those three years, but it's still something right?" She asks him.

Worth behind to nod shyly, and she grins.

"Okay, follow us." My dad become serious, and I follow them.

I look and saw Worth was still standing there awkwardly. I gesture for him to follow and he ends up rushing towards us now.

Once we get to the meeting room I saw Tyrese as he stood up fast. He waved at me excitedly and I wave back, going towards him as we hug.

"We can finally take that shit place down." He murmurs to me, and I smirk.

"Of course. It has to happen. Michael even wanted me to act like nothing ever happened. Even gave Worth basically hush money, but I'm gonna have to break my word when it comes to this. It's not right. If they'll do it to one person they'll easily do it to somebody else." I state to him.

Tyrese nods in agreement and I see him look around at Worth. He looked up at him and I didn't even realize that Worth was a little bit taller than him.

I saw Tyrese look at me and clear his throat.

"Are you two...?" He looked between us and I grin awkwardly.

"Yeah, we are." I nod. "That didn't play as a factor for me helping him out though."

"Of course." Tyrese nods awkwardly, only to chuckle some. "It's all good. Let's get started with this. We all can divulge basically what we've encountered and honestly, mainly we must listen to Worth's story. That is what's most important right now."

I nod in agreement, looking over at Worth as he sat down already near my parents. I sit beside him, handing him a water bottle.

"Who do you want to hear first?" I ask my parents, and they looked at us.

"It's probably best we hear your stories first. Because Worth has much more information and we want him to have as much time as possible to say." My mom tells him, and I grin at her.

I could tell Worth appreciated that as he looked at them in awe. I could tell he admired them and I was happy to see that.

Maybe this what he needed.

Some parental figures.

I wonder if they remember that this is M-N-M. I doubt it considering he looks much more brawny and more mature in all aspects.

"While I was there," Tyrese began, "I already saw many issues off the rip. Inmates were able to roam the facility freely. They all were trustees, which is alright in some aspects; but to the extent that these inmates were going to? They were allowed into headquarters and I'd even say some officers were friends with them. You can respectful and kind to an inmate, treat them as a human being - fair. This was on a whole other level to the point of doing favors.

"Not to mention that Worth...I'm sorry to say this, he was the main focal point in that facility. They all were infatuated with him, the rules did not apply to him. They all were doing very inappropriate things in terms of behavior and speech. Then to top it off, I was there under covering as an investigator there. Yet, they let me go towards the prisons and such. That should've never happened. I don't have as much intel like Nate does; but neither of us could too Worth's experience."

Tyrese tells them, and my parents along with others were typing and writing stuff down. I see Tyrese look at me now as he nods at me softly.

Looking over at Worth, he was looking down at the table with almost no life in his eyes. Like he was dejected and I hoped he didn't suddenly revert to the idea of needing to protect somebody.

For once, he needs to protect himself.

"Michael is Chief, but I know for a fact that he shouldn't be. Chiefs are voted in, and I've come to find out that his family has had a generational impact on that facility. He claims his relatives are not the same, but you never know. Also, no one has backed him up and said they voted him in, leading me to the conclusion that he was hired in. Which, is never a good thing when it comes to a high position like that and you have no experience on your belt. His ignorance and complete lack of authority and right doings is outstanding."

I shook my head, seeing Tyrese nod fast in agreement. When I look at Worth he still looked out of it.

"Even...when I first got there, they already were showing the corruption immediately. Throwing Worth parties, his privileges were like no other, and they all were flirtatious. I mean, everybody there wanted him in their pants. I don't know what was wrong with them but...it's a mess there. Then for them to keep him locked up there just to try and get a conviction out to somebody because they couldn't figure it out themselves? To top it all off, they exploit that and take advantage of...we'll everything! It pisses me off the more I speak on it. I bet Worth has way more to say than me though." I end it there, wanting Worth to have his chance.

Except his eyes gave away him entirely. He looked lost and I saw his hands balled up in fists on the sides of the chair.

I look at my parents who looked at him worriedly, and I rest my hand on his shoulder now.

"Worth, you need to calm down-."

"Calm down...? I shouldn't be here." He began to stand up, but I forced him back down in the chair so fast.

"You're not running from this. Tell them your story so that this can be handled once and for all. Why are you still trying to defend those bitches-?"

"It's not about them anymore! Every time I think about it and want to speak on it, it's like my whole body wants to collapse. I lose my train of thought and I freeze up. I used to be able to say it just fine, but now it haunts me. It angers me...and I'm already upset as it is! Then the fact that I can't even say it now? I'm so pathetic!" He shouts, and my dad was quick to stand now.

Right when Worth was trying to pull out of my grip he grabbed Worth's other arm. He just pulled him to the seat right beside him.

I saw Worth look at him like he was crazy, but I knew what he was doing.

He usually does this with people who...again, have trauma or need a safe place. Except it seems now that Worth may be...suffering from some form of PTSD.

Can I even go that far?

Is that what this all is now?

Is he in the first phase or what?

"We understand that you were originally in there to protect your older brother from his crimes, yes?" My father asks him, causing Worth to nod as he looked away. Only for my dad to twist his chair so that he looked at him head-on. "You do know that it is illegal what they did right? They should've never allowed you to take it this far. If they were doing their job, they would've let you go and not keep you there as some way of getting an answer. You did nothing wrong when it comes down to all of that, so don't feel like it is. You were still a kid when you went in, and you're not even fully an adult since the mind doesn't mature until your mid-twenties.

"I'm just saying that that fear and regret you're holding in, you don't have to hold it in anymore. Be angry, it's okay. We want to be angry with you, we want to take down those sick bastards. We just need your help, and we can take it a baby step at a time. Whatever you're comfortable with Malakai." My dad actually said his name and that seemed to snap Worth out of something.

He began to look at my dad in admiration and he lowered his gaze from him. I saw his hand run his face as if he was already tired even though he has barely spoken.

"I...I know I went in there and I said...to charge me; so it feels like it's my fault because they would've never gotten to this point if I hadn't done that-."

"Don't forget, they went to you; so they were probably planning on doing such a thing anyway. They took advantage of your naivety and circumstances." He tells him quickly so that he didn't go off on that narrative.

Worth didn't seem interested in arguing with that as he nods slowly.

"The first couple of weeks I was there...were fine. I didn't even know Michael existed and I did my own thing. I wasn't bothered and no one went to me for any reason. Until suddenly he found out my birthday was coming. I was honored at first and thought, maybe prisons aren't as bad after all. Except when they threw me my 'birthday party', they wanted sex for compensation. I was disturbed because they were making sexual advancements and they were willing to do anything for me. At that time I just...blocked out that sad feeling and replaced it with hatred.

"I tried to twist it around as if I'm doing this for power. And eventually, it came down to that because I had more power there than any inmate. Sometimes more power than some COs and officers... All because they wanted to have sex with me. I was willing to give them that if it kept me there and I could have what I wanted. It's just..."

Worth drifts, and I saw him look strained.

I look over at my parents who were looking at him in wait. They got something more specific out of him that I hadn't even gotten.

They always had that power.

Have I really been doing something wrong then? How could they get this out of him and he couldn't even confess this to me?

What have I been doing wrong?

Lying...I guess, but that was for a greater purpose in the end. I guess anyone can get that feeling and it can dictate how honest they are with you. How forthcoming they are with you...

I thought he was pretty forthcoming considering he told me it was Micah who did that shit. Except he was also half asleep too...he wasn't really in the right state of mind.

...can I even say that?

I stand up abruptly, seeing everyone look at me now. I just grin awkwardly as I nod towards the door.

"I'm going to go to the restroom, if you'll excuse me." I excuse myself, rushing out of there.

As I'm walking away I soon feel a hand grab my arm. When I look it happened to be Tyrese.

"Oh...why'd you follow me?"

"I can tell you're thinking about some stuff involving Worth. I just...I feel odd. I'm sorry I...I didn't think you two would have a relationship and I was hoping I could possibly go on a date with you one day. I'm not trying to start anything, promise! I just..." He drifts, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Is it wise to date someone with so much evident trauma? Do you really think he needs to be dating right now?"

"I don't want to hear that." I snap at him, sighing in frustration. "He needs somebody, and I do love him. I can't just abandon him all because of his trauma and what he's been through. What kind of person would that make me? And for what? So that I could just run to you? Not happening."

Tyrese looked offended by what I said, but soon nodded in understanding.

"Yes...I'm sorry for having said that; but it's obvious you two have tension. I don't know what happened between you two...but it's affecting the both of you because you're not on the same page... It's about his brother, isn't it?"

I stay silent, because it wasn't my business to disclose that.

"You don't have to say but...it's obvious, especially on his end."

I looked, seeing Worth still talking to the others through the door glass walls. He has always been one to not care or question if anything is going on, which is a redeeming quality of his.

Except does he really trust me in terms of this anyway?

"Nate-?"

"I'll be right back, don't follow me." I tell him, going to the upstairs restroom now.

I honestly just...needed time to myself.

Time to just...think about it all.

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