Martin, I know we've been through a lot in the past two years. Your the father of my son and I will always love you for stepping up and taking care of what's yours. I know this is going to be hard to do because it was hard for me to leave him but I need to get a way for a while. I need to clear my head and live out things I always wanted to do. Since, I know that you are the best father anyone can want and that's why I need you to take care of your son. This was a very difficult decision I made but I'm leaving Reno. I am not going to tell you where I am going or leave you any numbers to contact me at. I know you'll be thinking " How could a mother leave her child?" but this is best for the family. Kiss Aaron for me and Martin I know this is the right decision because I left him with you.

Sincerely,

Sandy

Martin read the letter once again and balded it up. It's been a year since Sandy have been gone and his life was the life he always didn't want.

He left Reno and moved to Virginia to go to school and make a better life for Aaron. He was now four and this is the life he didn't not want his son to ever have.

At first, moving to Virginia was the best decision he made, that's what he thought, he was about to make to the pros in no time.

One night with some of his team mates a car came out of no where and hit his. He broke his arm in three places. His scholarship, school, job, and everything else was taken from him. Unable to find a descent job he started to strip. Yes, Martin Brewer was now a popular stripper in Virginia.

He made between 2,000-3,000 dollars a night.

But one day his life changed for the worse, he met another stripper name Keisha. She was a really cute tall, slim girl with brown eyes and blonde hair.

She introduced him to a man named Mark. Mark said he can make him more money since he found out Aaron had a rare disease and he needed help paying for his medical bills.

That's when he started to live three different lives. At night he was a stripper during the evening he was a drug dealer and in the morning he was a father.

Now at the age of 23 he's addicted to sex, drugs and alcohol.

Martin got up from the coach and stumbled to the bathroom. He was holding his stomach as he can feel the food coming back up.

Today was the worse day of his life, they took him, his only son was taken from him when someone called child services on him. Even though he was a mess he always made sure his son was safe and out of harms way. Aaron never saw him do drugs or have sex with the multiple girls every night.

His head was over the toilet as all the food came up. When he finished he opened to bathroom mirror and pulled out a bag that was filled with powder.

He had to get his head together because he had to work tonight. This was the only job he had left. A month ago Mark made Martin pay him off and told him he can never work for him again because he was smoking up all the inventory.

" Martin get yourself together...you can do this," He said to his self in the mirror. He sniffed the powder got dress and was quickly out the door.

Martin entered the club door and made his way to the back to get dress. He was way slimier now to the point where you can see his ribs, his hair was longer and he had a slight bead.

The manger of the building told Martin that he needs to get his self together or else he's fired.

That was a week ago and Martin was the one who kept the club running but with his appearance changing quickly the club was loosing all of their big clients.

" Martin, we need to talk."

" Right now. I'm going on in 10 minutes."

A big light skinned, bold headed dude shook his head and Martin followed him into the back.

Martin didn't even realize that all his belongings wasn't at his table.

" Martin, you have to go. You know I'm your friend and I want you to go get help."

Martin looked at his bags that was outside on the ground and walked away with his head hung down.

" Martin..Martin if you need anything call me!" Big Will, as they called him, really cared about Martin. He was like a son to him and he was the one that suggested they let him go. He knew Martin was on drugs and he needed him to get help before he kills himself.

Martin walked to the closest liquor store which was three blocks. He walked inside of the liquor stop and grabbed a cold beer, he opened it and downed it, then took another one and did the same thing. After five he grabbed the six one and decided to pay for that before leaving the store. The moon was shining and all Martin wanted was his father. He missed him so much. It's been four years since he's been gone.

Martin sat down on the curb as he watched a group of what looked like college students walking across the street.

He looked particular at this one short girl with dark hair and beautiful eyes. He knew he seen her from some where but he couldn't think where.

As soon as she turned around their eyes met and he couldn't believe it, it was Ruthie Camden.

She looked at him for a while then kept walking. She then turned around and started moving toward him.

He left the empty bottle on the ground and started walking the opposite direction.

" Martin...Martin," he could hear her calling after him " Martin don't walk away from me"

He could hear feet starting to run as he sped up until he heard nothing but his own heavy breathing.

He went across to a park and sat on the swings.

The breeze felt great, he thought he was dreaming or too drunk to believe he really saw her.

" Martin, get yourself together" he thought as he started to laugh out loud.

" Martin, is that you?"

He quickly turned around as he was startled and was now looking into the eyes of someone he was so afraid to tell that he loved because it might ruin their friendship.

" Martin, what happened to you? Why are you in Virginia?Why haven't I heard from you in forever?Where's Sandy and Aaron? Why did you run from me?"

Martin eyes rolled back and everything went dark.

Martin opened his eyes to a bath tub filled with water and Ruthie washing his body.

" Don't look at me like that, you need to get cleaned up," Ruthie looked at Martin with the saddest face he never seen her have " As soon as you become sober your going to answer ever question that I have for you."

Martin grabbed the wash cloth and looked at Ruthie.

" This wouldn't be my first time seeing you naked." Ruthie walked out of the bathroom and waited for him to get dress.

Moments, later Martin walked out with a shirt thatsto small and pants that look like shorts on him.

" I asked one of my class mates to see if he had extra class that you can wear. He was the only one that was close to your size."

The way Ruthie looked at Martin broke his heart. He knew he didn't look like the old Martin he was a new man with just the same name.

" My other friend is sleeping in a different room so you can sleep in this one until you feel better."

Martin looked around the hotel room then at Ruthie. Tears started ti floow down his now skinny face. He walked over to the bed Ruthie was sitting on and laid his head on her lap. All the pain, hurt, and abandonment rushing back all at once. The tears wouldn't stop flowing and he can feel Ruthie little hands stroking his hair as she just let him cry.

" Ruthie, my life has been hell," He said between sobs " Sandy left me with Aaron a year ago. They took him from me Ruthie...my son...they took him."

" Sandy took Aaron away from you?"

" No..no, she left him with me and a social worker took him. I'm a bad father how can I let my life get this bad to the point where my son was taken from me. All I can remember is him holding on to me telling me don't let then take him."

Ruthie was to shocked to even think of anything to say. She never thought in a million years Martin life would turn bad.

" I knew I should of never started working at the club and I knew I should of never started dealing drugs but I needed the money," he continued " I need to pay for my sons medical bills, a place for us to stay, food on the table..."

" Why didn't you just come back home? You know we would of helped you." she said cutting him off " I never thought in a million years you would sell drugs, I'm guessing you smoke it to by the way your looking. I can't believe this. I'[m taking you back home."

Ruthie was now pacing back in forth. Martin could tell she was angry with him but was to worried to tell him.

" I'm not going back to Glen Oak looking like this and with out my son, Ruthie."

Ruthie looked at Martin then at the wall. Martin knew something was up and he was still wondering what the hell she was doing in Glen Oak.

" I have a plan and I'm not taking no for an answer."

" Why are you here?"

" What? I 'll be back in a minute." Ruthie grabbed her purse and was walking to the door but was stopped when Martin grabbed her hand.

" Answer my question first. Why are you here and where are you going?"

" I'm a senior in college and I'm here on a trip with one of my classes. Now can I go?"

" Answer the other question first and what is the plan?"

" Martin stop with all the questions and I'll be back"

" No. Ruthie answer the questions."

Ruthie took a deep breathe because she knew he was not going to agree with her plan but she refuse to leave the person she care dearly about stay like this.

" I'm going to talk to my teacher about talking to the dean of the school and letting me take classes at University of Virginia for a semester."

Martin looked at Ruthie like she was crazy. He was not going to be the one getting into her way of her graduating on time.

" No...your not going to stay out here with me like this"

" I want to help you. I can get you into meetings and help you get Aaron back then you can come back to Glen Oak with me."

Ruthie could hear Martin screaming no as she closed the door to the hotel room. She knew she couldn't take the rest of her classes out here it was too late,she was suppose to be graduating in two months. But she was determined to help Martin, she was going to tell her teacher what came up and that she will not be returning back with them. It's not like the teacher can stop her she's 21 and can do what she please.

" My name is Martin Anthony Brewer and I am an alcoholic, drug abuser, and a sex addict. I'm 23 and have been clean for 45 days. I'm looking to get my son back in 2 weeks when I go to court." Martin sat with other people that have been through the same program he is currently going through. Today was his last day of the program and they were telling how far they have came. Ruthie was sitting in the back listening and watching. Martin didn't;t know where he would be if it wasn't for Ruthie.

Eventually, he figured out Ruthie wasn't actually going to school when she said she was and that she told her parents that she had to take another semester over in order to graduate because some of her credits was messed up. He hated when she had to lie to her parents but Ruthie wasn't accepting him telling her no about anything.

He was now back to his normal weight and looked his old self. He worked out ever day and got his six pack back. He moved into a single bedroom with Ruthie. She got a job to pay for the bills and refuse to let him help. She wanted him to focus on getting better and getting Aaron back.

That night at their place they both was cuddled up watching Ruthie favorite movie " Titanic," Martin hated that movie but he promised he'd watch it with her that night.

Ruthie could feel Martin head dropping every five seconds. She slapped his hand and his head fell hitting the hedge of the couch.

Ruthie cracked up laughing as Martin held is head smiling. He swopped Ruthie up in his arms as he tackled her to the floor.

" So, you think that was funny?" Martin held on to Ruthie body as he tickled her non-stop.

" Martin, okay you win...you win."

Ruthie head came from under Marin chest and their eyes met. Ruthie put her free arm around Martin head and did something she been wanting to do since she was a teenager. Their lips met. Ruthie put both of her legs around Martin and he began to unbutton her pants as she sucked on his bottle lip.

Then Martin stopped and gave Ruthie a devilish grin. He then grabbed her and picked her up of the floor. Sitting on the coach he placed her between his legs and wrapped his strong arms around her.

" As much as I want to do this, I can't," he whispered into her ears " I been wanting you for a long time but right now is not the time for us to do this. I'm trying to get over three addictions and your not helping with one." Martin finished as he could see the disappointment on Ruthie face. He knew she understood, he was addicted to sex and he was 45 days clean. He at lease wanted to get a year clean before he had sex and he could tell this was going to be hard.

Today, was the happiest day of his life. Martin was now in the court room holding his son who he hasn't seen in forever. They both were crying and Ruthie couldn't help but cry. She did what she had set out to accomplish: Martin is clean and he has his son back. Now all she had to do was make sure Martin get's on this plane with her.

He promised but he didn't know that he was leaving today. Ruthie told one other person what had happened and he was the only one who knew the truth about everything.

Ruthie even found out that Sandy went and married Johnathon , they both are now traveling around the world. Just thinking about Sandy made her angry.

Ruthie was in the drivers seat driving when Aaron asked where they were going.

" Where going to see your uncle," Ruthie said as Martin eyes got big. He didn't know who are what she was talking about because he was the only child. " I know you remember your Uncle Mac."

Martin in Mac had a falling out because Mac didn't want Martin to leave with Sandy to Reno. Mac told Martin that he had every right to make her stay in Glen Oak with his child. In the middle of all the arguing Mac called Sandy a bitch and a huge fight broke out. Martin hasn't talked to Mac since and Ruthie knew that he needed his best friend who was more like a brother to him.

The car pulled to a stop in front on a restaurant. When Martin got out of the car he walked up and hugged a man who he's been missing. Mac and Martin cried together as people walked past looking at them.

Feeling accomplished Ruthie looked back at a smiling Aaron and gave him a high five.

" Ruthie Camden you are good at what you do." She said into the rear view mirror.

This was a one shot story. It was an idea that's been in my head for a long time. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it and please tell me what you thought...Was it bad,good, okay? Please review