Filled with guilt and self recriminations over his identical twin Sol's kidnapping and abuse, Ben seeks counseling which reveals he too has scars from his own suffering during the ordeal. He desperately tries to make amends with Sol, Seth, and his foster parents, and to make himself a better man. Meeting sweet, funny, gorgeous Marty at the Crab Derby seems like fate is finally smiling on him when he returns to college in Atlanta and spies Marty at his favorite local coffee shop. Marty causes him to have to face questions he never knew he'd have to ask about himself, as he discovers Marty is not a girl at all as he'd first supposed. Marty's not only a very gender fluid male but the one person who seems to complete Ben's heart if Ben can only acccept both Marty and himself as the people they truly are.
When events from his past return, Ben's left wondering if perhaps karma has returned to pay him in kind and whether or not Marty will end up as collateral damage. Desperate to hold onto what they might have together, Marty enlists the help of family and friends to help Ben find his self worth. But is it enough? Marty hopes so. He simply can't imagine a happily ever after without Ben in it.

Word count: 61,897 words