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Chapter 2

He wasn't even sure why he was here. It wasn't like anyone wanted him here anymore then he wanted to be here. He hated parties. He hated this house. He hated the fact that this was supposed to be his life with her. He shook his head and blew out an annoyed breath as his eyes scanned over the picture of Erica, Jack and Alli. That sweet child that could have been his. But as always, every chance at happiness was stripped right out from under him. He was just about to set his empty scotch glass down and make a break for it, when he heard rustling, and then a soft voice from behind him.

" David. " He heard a tiny voice exclaim, from what he presumed to be the top of the stairs behind him. He smiled brightly to himself, he'd know that voice anywhere. He set his glass down on the coffee table in front of him, and spun around on his heels, seeing Alli flying down the stairs towards him. She was already over half way to him, her smile bright and playful.

" Hey princess." He grinned, kneeling down so that he could scoop her up when she finally got to him.

She beamed at him, as she flung herself into his arms. " Hi." She breathed into his shoulder as he hugged her tight.

He laughed lightly a few seconds later, after hugging her tight. " I thought you're supposed to be asleep." He asked, shifting their positions so that he was sitting on the stairs and she was on his lap.

She nodded, her arms still around his neck as she looked at him, " Yes."

" Then why are you awake?" He asked, using his other hand to tickle a spot on her lower back. He smiled as she giggled and wiggled her body, trying to escape the tickles. She obviously inherited that from her mother.

" Because I want to dance." She told him, flashing him her most adorable smile.

God, he was going to give this child the world. If her smile didn't get him, it would be those big, brown, almond eyes that she got from her mother. Erica could get him to do anything if she batted those eyes just right and now Alli had the same power of him. If by the grace of god he managed to survive both of those things, it would be her pigtails and pink nightgown, that read, what else but "Princess", that got him. " I don't think your mommy is going to like your not being in bed."

She shook her head, " Mommy would let me dance." Her smile fade as she braced herself to say the next part, " Daddy wouldn't." She scowled. " He's no fun. I don't like him."

David could help but snicker, she sounded so much like Erica, " Well, I think he's just doing his job as daddy and making sure that you're taken care of."

She pulled her arms from around his neck, and crossed them over her chest, " Then he's not my real daddy." She said, pouting now.

David's breath caught for half a second, and his heart clicked. God, he wished that were true.

" Why aren't you dancing?" She asked innocently, her eyes locked with his.

He shrugged, " I don't know, I guess I haven't found the right girl to ask to dance."

She nodded, satisfied, " My real daddy would let me dance." She said, shaking her head, as she switched gears back to their original conversation.

" Well," He said, managing to pull himself out of his haze, " maybe it's because this is a charity party. I don't think you'd like it."

" Who's cherry?" She asked, looking over her shoulder and up into his eyes.

He laughed lightly, and pulled her close. He adored this child. " Charity. And it's not a who, but a what." He started, and she nodded, showing that she followed. " A charity, is a group of people, who get money that they use to buy clothes and food for families that don't have it." He told her, " And your mommy's party is being used to raise the money to give to charity."

She stared up at him for a seconds, her face twisted as if she was processing everything. " Oh," She breathed a few seconds later, " that's very nice."

David nodded, smiling proudly at her. " Yes, it is."

She nodded, " And mommy and daddy have lots of money. They can feed lots of kids."

" Yes they can." He told her, nodding. Brightest child he'd ever met. She had to have gotten that from her mother.

" I want to help mommy make money for the charity." She told him, " I want to feed kids. I want to dance."

He studied her face for a few seconds, and then looked around the stairwell. There was no one around, really and there was enough room where she could dance, one dance, and then be back in bed before Jack or Erica found out. Beside that, he didn't have it in him to tell her no. " I think you could maybe, dance one time, before you go to bed. But you'd have to promise me, after that, you'll go to bed."

" Promise." She told him, nodding so vehemently that her whole body shook.

" Okay." He nodded, scanning the room, " Only one problem."

" What?" She asked, turning her head to look around the room.

" Who are you going to dance with?"

He watched her face light up and her eyes go wide as something dawn on her, " You." She breathed, nodding happily.

" You want to dance with me?" He asked, narrowing his eye at her.

" Yep." She grinned.

" I don't know," He teased, " I was waiting for the right girl."

" That's me." She beamed. " I'm a princess. I'm prefect."

" Well, when you put it like that, how can I resist?" He asked, putting a hand to his heart.

She shook her head, and grabbed his hand, " You can't." She said, pulling him as she ran down the stairs.

Unnoticed by them, someone ducked around the corner as Alli fly past him, dragging David with her. The man whipped around another corner, headed straight for Erica Kane. He tapped lightly at her shoulder, " Ms. Kane?" He said in a heavy French accent.

Erica turned on her heels, " Yes, Jean-Paul?" She asked, eyeing the photographer. She'd hired the best photographer around. Straight from France and the most prestigious art school in the entire country.

" Come, you must see." He said motioning towards the other room.

" See what?" She asked, not sure why she should leave her guests.

" The picture of the year." He told her in his thick French accent, " Please, come, you must see."

She nodded, and excused herself to the few guests she'd been talking to.

" Please do not get mad at Miss Alli." He told her as they approached the room where David and Alli were.

" Alli is wake?" She questioned, " Why didn't she come find me?"

He just smiled at her, and pointed towards the dance floor.

Alli stopped in the middle of the floor, and turned to look at David, smiling her brightest smile. She was still holding his hand, but she wasn't moving. Her smile faded as something hit her.

" What?" David asked, looking down at her.

" I don't know how to dance." She breathed, her whole demeanor changing.

" That's okay, let me lead." He told her with a smile.

She nodded, held her breath as he picked her up.

Erica leaned behind the corner with Jean-Paul who was busy taking all the pictures he could get. She had to stifle a gasp as she watched them. This was no doubt the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. And even if Jean-Paul wasn't taking pictures she'd have it burnt into her brain. It was moments like this when her heart twisted at the thought that Alli could have been dancing with David as her dad.

David set her down softly on the tops of his feet, showing her where the best place to put her arms were. Of course she didn't listen, and threw them around his legs.

She leaned her chin against his legs and beamed up at him, signaling that she was ready for their dance to start.

David nodded, and put his hands around her tiny back.

Alli held on for the ride, beaming as he moved them slowly around the dance floor.

Erica watched them with wide eyes, her face filled with awe. She'd never seen Alli so content. So at ease. So at peace. It was like she was right where she belonged. She stifled another gasp with the back of her hand. She didn't want this to ever end. She didn't care about her guests. Or the money. Or anything other then the scene before. One of pure innocence and love. Like it or hate it, Alli was crazy about David, she always had been, and he adored her. It must be something with the Kane women.

" That is the picture of innocence, the one we will use on the website. On the pamphlets. In magazines." Jean-Paul told her, " That picture of love and laughter, of a father and daughter."

Erica's head whipped around, and she was just about to correct him, but the words got caught in her throat. She turned back to David and Alli, letting Jean-Paul go back to snapping photos, his words ringing in her ears. Father and daughter? Her mind raced, old wonders and instincts starting back to the surface. Could they really be after all?

To be continued…

Chapter 4

She wasn't a big fan of this place. The hospital. So much had happened here in the seven years that David had worked here. Good, bad, heartbreaking. The memories inside these walls were enough to fill a lifetime.

But she was here for a reason today. To do something she should have done four years ago. Another DNA test. She'd fought it for years, the feeling that the test was wrong, and that David was really Alli's father. And every time that she saw them together, those lingering doubts crept back to the surface.

After last night, and seeing David and Alli together, she had to know. She couldn't fight it anymore. She couldn't deny what she saw when she looked at them together, father and daughter.

It might also be the sex they'd had that made her unable to fight back the doubts. She was sure that if anyone was around her cheeks would be pinking as she flashed back to last night. She never expected sex with him, but now, she couldn't stop wanting more. Needing more. Needing him. She'd made herself, stop loving him. Made herself bury her feelings for him. Made herself be happier with Jack then she really was.

She stopped a few feet in the door, hearing the sound of doctors voices coming down the halls. They sounded frantic, and she blanched.

" David," Erica screamed, flaying on the gurney as they wheeled her towards her room, " it's to soon, it's too soon. Make it stop. Please." She was eight weeks from her due date, and she knew from sonograms that the baby was tiny.

" Deep breaths, it'll be okay." He soothed, smoothing a lock of hair off her forehead, as he walked along side her gurney. His other hand was locked with hers, and she was holding onto it with dear life.

" She's too small, David." She said through a sob.

" She's a fighter." David told her, " She'll be fine. I promise."

" Don't let anything happen to her, David. Please." She begged.

" Nothing is going to happen to her, or to you." He told her, shaking his head, " I promise."

" You get her through this, David, stay by her side." She commanded him, " Take care of her."

He nodded, and leaned down to place a kiss on he forehead, " I will. I promise. You just focus on breathing, and keeping calm for the baby."

He'd kept his promise, and hadn't left her side, or Alli's side. He'd been there when she came screaming into the world. He'd been there to hold her, as Erica fought to hold on. She'd hemorrhaged and almost died, and was in no shape to do anything other then watch as they pulled Alli from David's arms and rushed her to the NICU.

She opened her eyes, and blew out a breath, shaking her head slightly, trying to get that memory out of her mind. To this day she was still haunted by the sight of her little girl laying in her NICU with tubes all over her. She shuddered slightly and forced herself out of that haze, and back to her mission at hand: get David's DNA. And she knew just how she was going to do it. It probably wasn't the most practical, or even rational way of collecting the DNA she needed, but it was most rewarding to all of them. She cheeks pinked a little this time, she knew that for a fact, but that wasn't going to deter her.

His door was just a few feet away, but she stopped again, wanting to make sure that she had him all to herself as she collected her DNA.

DNA…she hated DNA. She hated tests to determine it. She hated having to know about it or care how it worked. She hated that it could make or break hearts.

" Jack," She started, trying to force the words up through her throat, " Dr. Clader says that I'm about twelve weeks pregnant." She said, deciding that she had to take this in parts, make the revelation slowly for all of their sakes.

He nodded, flashing her a smile as she continued. " He's scheduled me for an Amniocentesis in a few weeks. To make sure that everything is alright with the baby." She paused at the next part, trying one last time to get the nerve just say it, " I asked him to do a DNA test at the same time." She said, spitting it out.

His eyes went wide, and she stared at her, " Hayward." He breathed, his voice full of fire.

She nodded slowly, " I…twelve weeks, it's just to close to be sure one way or the other."

" That son of a bitch might be the father of this baby?" He half asked, half said.

" Yes." She told him, " But you may be. It's just to make sure." She offered with a smile, but she saw the vein bulge on his forehead and her smile faded.

" I can't believe this." He fumed, " How could you let his happen, Erica?"

She took a deep breath, deciding that she just had to go in there and do it. She was going to drive herself crazy if she stayed out here and kept flashing back,. She pushed his door open, " David." She breathed from the doorway.

David's head shot up from the file he was reading and he looked at her, " Erica?" He questioned. He hadn't expected to see her here. He hadn't expected to see her anywhere near him for awhile. It wasn't like they'd had much to say about the fact that they'd had sex in her hallway.

" May I come in, David?" She asked, already taking a few steps in.

He nodded, not that he really had a choice, and not that he would have told her no. He liked having her close. " Is everything alright?" He asked, and his heart twisted slightly, " Is Alli alright?"

" Oh, yes, she's fine." She nodded, stopping in front of his desk.

" Are you alright?" He asked studying her face. He didn't think she was here because something was wrong medically with her, or Alli, but he knew that she was after something. He knew that look, he knew she was here for something that only he could give her.

" I'm fine." She offered with a smile, " But there is something we need to discuss."

He nodded and got up from his desk. He moved around it quickly, so that he was standing in front of her a second later. " Alright, I have a few a minutes before I go on my rounds." He told her, offering her a slight smile.

" What happened last night," She started, " in the hallway."

" I didn't plan that." He told her, the words jumping out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them through.

" I didn't either." She said, what the hell was she doing? Why were they discussing this? Why did she even start this? She should have just jumped him.

He nodded, " Well…" He said, stopping to let her pick up, not sure where she was going with this.

" Well," She said back to him, " I suppose we should just forget about it and move on." She said, " Like we did before."

He nodded, that worked well. They'd forgotten about it before, sure, until she came to this very office, sat on his couch, and told him that she was pregnant and it might just be his baby. " I think that's for the best."

" And it can never happen again." She told him, now they were getting somewhere. He always had her all turned around . She should have just said that to begin with, and then offered him a goodbye kiss, that turned into another round of sex on his desk.

" No, no of course not." He nodded. What the hell was she doing? Trying to step on his heart a little more hen she already had? She knew he loved her. She knew he'd give up anything she asked to have her back. She knew he'd sell his soul to have what should have been, his.

" Alright then, thank you." She offered, nodding.

" Erica," He started, " What the hell is going on? "

She raised an eyebrow at him, " What do you mean?"

" You know how I feel about you. You know how I feel about Alli, and you know that I wouldn't tell Jack what happened last night for anything in the world."

Her eyes slammed shut at the force of his words and the honesty in his voice. All she could do was nod and wait to see what he said next.

" So then, what is this about?" He asked, " Are you trying to make me have to give you up again? Are you trying to make me have to hand over Alli to you and Jackson, yet again? Do you want what's left of my heart to stomp on?"

She shook her head. No. No. That was the last thing she wanted. She wanted, what should have been his. What should have been theirs. That's why she was here. That's why she was talking to him. That's why she was making a total ass of herself. Because she had one last shred of hope that what should have been, could be. God, how had this gone so wrong? She opened her mouth to say something to him, but no words came out. Instead she just shook her head and took a step towards him.

He watched her with wide eyes, trying to figure out why she was reaching out towards him rather then speaking to him. He got his answer when she closed her hand around the material at the top of his shirt. Gripping it tightly.

She sucked in a breath, and pulled him to her. Not stopping until his body was pressed hard against hers. She pulled on the shirt yet again, and raised herself up, so that she could pull his lips down onto hers with crushing force, lock him to her with a kiss that would change everything.

They were falling against the desk a second later, well Erica was anyway. The back of her thighs crashed against the edge of the table, but they never broke their kiss. It was ragged and rough, hard and fast. Their lips slid and worked over each other, in a state of frenzied passion.

Rest of the chapter:
Chapter 4

Chapter 6

She stood outside the door to the lab. She just stood there. She wanted to go in. Hell, she'd been trying to go in for, for, well, she wasn't sure how long she'd been trying. But every time she moved to press the door open, she replayed the last time DNA results had been give to them.

" I'd like to hold my daughter." Jack said to David, and they all knew that he'd put extra emphasis on the fact that the baby was his.

They'd waited weeks to find out who this little miracle baby girl belonged to. It was no surprise that Jack played the daddy card as soon as he had it.

David tightened his arms around the little pink bundle, his eyes locked with Jack, and they stared each other down.

Erica watched helplessly from the bed. She could see David' heartbreaking even the expression on his face never wavered . His eyes, oh god his eyes. Every piece of his heart was crumbling, breaking into pieces that would never be put back together again.

David had been the first voice that child heard when she came screaming into the world. He was the first face those tiny eyes saw. His arms were the first to hold her tight. And he'd been the first one to give her the first bottle she was able to eat. He'd been the only "daddy" she'd known for weeks.

And now…he wasn't, anything to her any longer.

Erica gasped and fought back a few tears, trying to keep it together for all of their sakes.

David swallowed hard, and looked down into the little face he swore he saw himself in, and closed his eyes. God, don't do this to him again. That tech had to walk back in and tell him that they'd made a mistake, that this was his little princess, and that he could keep her forever. He had too.

" David," Jack said again, " I want to hold my child."

He nodded, and opened his eyes slowly. His hands shook, and he fought back tears as he slowly placed the little pink bundle in Jack's arms.

" Oh," The lab tech said, jumping in the doorway, obviously startled by the fact that Erica was just standing there. " I was just going to come see if you'd arrived."

She nodded slowly, blowing out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

" I'm sure you're anxious to find out the results." He said, offering her a smile.

She nodded deftly, and he nodded back, stepping so that his back fell into the door so he could hold it open for her.

Dear god, this was it. Her whole world was about to be turned upside down, she felt in her soul.

The tech lead her to his desk, and pulled a chair out for her. He sat down at his desk a second later, and looked at her. " Ms. Kane?" He said, noting the far off expression in her face.

" Oh, oh, yes, what was the question?" She breathed, trying to focus on him.

" I said, that the results are a match." He said dryly.

" A match?" She breathed, " David and Alli?" She said again, trying to grasp it. She knew what he was going to say. She knew walking in those doors what the results would be. She knew. But hearing him say it, hearing him say it…made it real.

" Yes." He said, spinning the file he was looking at her towards her. " This is your DNA profile." He started, " We were able to create your profile because your DNA was also on the condom," He told her, watching her face. " It was rather in genius to bring the condom as your sample's, because having your DNA helped us to make a far more definitive match." He continued, " In case you were wondering, you are without a doubt, Alexia's mother." He said, laughing slightly.

He was her father. David. That smile. That pout. That laugh. None of that had come from her. She'd always known that. She'd inherited those things from her daddy. From David.

" Oh my god," She breathed a few seconds, later, it was all she could muster. Nothing else seemed adequate.

" This is an obvious shock," He said nodding, " but it's true. The sample is a match."

Erica just stared at him, trying to force this all through her mind. " I….you're sure?" She forced out a few seconds later.

" Oh, absolutely." He nodded, pointing to the other side of the file, " This is Dr. Hayward's profile." He said, pointing to the profile on the right side, " And this is Alexia's."

Erica nodded, he was pointing to the parts that were a match, telling her how many needed to be match to determine paternity. She didn't give a damn about the details or the how's and why's, even she could plainly see that Alli's profile resembled David's.

" As you can see," He continued, having obviously said something before that, " there isn't much more of a match that there could be."

" There's no way…." Erica breathed, shaking her head, " I mean the last test…."

" The last test was wrong." The tech continued, shaking his head as he moved towards the computer .

Erica stared at the file, seeing the three profiles side by side. She reached out slowly and slid her profile under Alli's and then slid David's on top. She gasped softly, seeing them all line up perfectly.

" Well this is strange." The tech breathed, reading the results from the first DNA test off his computer. " It's the same DNA test. But the name of the father is different."

Erica nodded, she wasn't listening, she was just staring, staring at the paper work that lined up perfectly, that showed the three of them, together as one.

" Ms. Kane." He said, turning his head from the computer, to look at her.

" What did you say?" Erica said, looking at him, as she ran a finger over the DNA profiles.

" This is the same DNA test as the one I just ran." He told her, " But there's another name on these results."

" I don't understand." Erica breathed, finally peeling her eyes off the DNA profiles.

" This test isn't wrong," He breathed, "its been tampered with." He said, shaking his head.

" Excuse me?" Erica said, still not completely able to process the fact that not only was David Alli's father, let alone that someone had tampered with the test.

" Each test is done." He told her, " Then they're logged." He said, pointing to a spot on the screen. " This is the date and time that your test was logged."

Erica nodded, determined to follow along, determined to push through her shock, surprise, and happiness…and focus on the fact that it seemed someone had deliberately done this to them.

" After a test is logged, unless there is a note made to the file itself, which there isn't, the test isn't opened again until the results are printed." He continued, " The print time and date on your file don't match the last log in date."

" Which means?" She said, the idea that someone had purposely just starting to creep into her mind.

" There should have only been one log time on your test. The print date should have been the standard two hours after log." He said shaking his head, " There's another log on this test. One about seven minutes before printing."

" Which means that someone accessed the file before it was printed?" She half asked, half said to him, " Isn't that normal, accessing a file before printing?"

" Normally, yes. But not on our system." He told her, " When we log a file, we set the print date and time. It's all automatic after that. The file accesses automatically about a minute or so before print and that's that."

" So to be logged on the system," She started. She was completely out of her shock now. Completely rational. Completely calm. Completely…at peace with what he'd just told her. She knew that when she left this room that the truth would hit her in the face, that reality would come knocking at her door, but for now, she could lose herself in the idea that someone had done this to them on purpose, " it means that someone manually opened the file?"

" Yes." He answered.

" How can you tell that the file wasn't accessed by hospital personnel?" She asked, wanting to have a clear read on this when she went to Jack and David.

" Hospital personnel would have used their code." He told her, " It's a special password that only hospital personnel have. There would be a record."

" Someone removed David's name from that file?" She asked, but she already knew the answer.

" According to this, the test has always been right. This is the same DNA test I just run, only done four years ago."

She couldn't find her words any longer. The weight of everything she'd been told in the last five minutes pressing down on her. David was Alli's father. Not Jack. David.

" Ms. Kane," The tech said again, " I assure that we will get to the bottom of them." He told her, " And we will use the utmost care when informing Dr. Hayward and Mr. Montgomery."

" What?" She said, hearing the words inform and David and Jack's names following, " No, no you won't tell them anything." She said shaking her head. "There is a four year old little girl in the middle of all of this and I will not let her find out about this from strangers." She told him, " I have to be the one to tell them, all of them."

He nodded, offering her a sympathetic smile, " I don't know how this happened, but we will get to the bottom of things. And if the hospital and the lab can be of any assistance to you and your family as you deal with this reveal, we gladly will." He could smell a lawsuit a mile away, and this was sure to be cause for one. Some unknown mystery person, gaining access to hospital computers, changing the name of DNA results that lead to a little girl being raised by the wrong father for four years of her life.

Erica nodded deftly, standing up slowly. She thanked him for all he'd done, and headed for the door. Her mind was racing and she was fighting ever instinct in her to run out that door, down the hallway, into David' office and tell him. Tell him that Alli was his. That she was his little princess. His. Always his. His to love. His to protect. His to love, forever. She swiped at a few tears after pulling the lab door closed, and sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes slammed shut and the image of Alli in David's arms as father and daughter flooded her mind. She had to take this slow. She had to figure this all out and take it one moment at a time. Jack and David had to know before Alli, and they still had to find out who did this to all of them. For now, she'd go pick up Alli at Myrtle's and hold her close , relish in the miracle she had, and the miracle they'd both gotten back…David.

To be continued...

Chapter 8

" You ready?" David asked, standing just inside the front doorway, looking down at Alli was who was attached to his legs.

" Lets go, now." She nodded.

Erica laughed lightly as she headed towards them, a coat and beanie in her hands. " It's getting cold out." She said, holding the coat out to Alli.

" I don't want it." She said, looking up at David.

" We can stay longer if you put it on." He didn't even finish and he'd was prying herself from around his legs and walking towards Erica.

Erica put her beanie on, and helped her into her coat. " There, you look perfect."

" I know." She smiled, kissing her quickly on the cheek before bounding off towards David, " Lets go now." She told him.

He laughed a little and knelt down, " Let's fix your coat first, in case we run into Tony. "

Erica gasped as she watched them. They took her breath away. The way that David was slowly pulling the back of her hair out of the edge of her jacket, before rearranging her curls so that they fell perfectly against her shoulders. She watched with welling tears, and a radiant smile as he buttoned her jacket with a slow tenderness that only a father could show his child. She was screaming inside, at the top of her lungs, the truth. She only wished they could hear her.

" Now we're ready." David said, standing up, " Shall we?" He asked, holing out his hand to her.

She nodded, bouncing on her feet as she took his hand, "We'll win you a teddy bear mommy." She said over her shoulder to Erica.

Erica nodded deftly. Only half listening. She was already picturing them at the carnival, playing games, eating junk food, riding the rides. She almost laughed at the thought of David squished up on the rides in the kiddy section of the carnival. He'd do it to. He'd do anything for Alli.

" Bye Mommy." She said, beaming.

David swung their joined hands a little as he reached for the door. He was just about to pull it open, when it was pushed open from the other side.

" Daddy." Alli breathed, her little voice chalked full of annoyance.

Erica jumped slightly at the sound of Jack's voice booming in the doorway.

" Hey kiddo." Jack said staring down at her. He set his briefcase down on the floor and knelt down for a hug. " Give your old man a hug." He said holding out his arms to her, " I came home a day early so that we can spend all day today together."

She looked up at David, and then back at Jack, her smile fading instantly as she scowled at him.

" I was thinking we can go to the carnival." He said, waiting for his hug.

She shook her head, and her little hand tightened in David's. She focused on Jack, and stepped back a little, and prepared to tell him, or show him just how happy she was to see him.

He knew that look, that look she got when she was going to kick him. He started to move, his shin already aching at the thought of her kicking him again. He probably should have just stayed still.

Erica gasped and her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

David's eyes went wide, and he watched Jack reaching for the body part she'd just kicked him in.

Jack breathed more then a few obscenities as he fell backward, landing on his back.

" You go back." Alli said to him, as he gripped at the place that should never come in contact with a foot. " I don't like you." She said, shaking her head, tears wavering in her eyes, ' You mess up everything. " She yelled at him, letting go of David's hand as she turned and ran away.

Erica watched her run by her, heading straight for the hallway and her room. Erica didn't know whether to go follow her, or go see if Jack was alright, see it as he was rolling around on the floor in the doorway holding his crotch, where Alli's kick had unfortunately landed when he'd shifted his body to avoid the shot to the shin.

" Jackson," Erica said softly as she headed towards him, " are you alright?"

He breathed a few more curse words as he struggled to sit up.

David chewed on his lip, fighting back his laughter to such a point that it hurt, as he moved to help Jack.

Surprisingly, Jack wasn't resisting the help from David.

Erica figured it was probably something to do with Jack knowing that David could understand what kind of pain he was in. She wasn't going to go check on Alli just yet, despite the fact that Jack didn't need her help. She knew better then to try to reason with Alli when she was as upset as she was. Eventually, she'd sulk out of her room, stomping her feet, her arms crossed across her chest, as she ranted and raved about how she hated the world. For a four year old, she had the woe is me teenage melodrama, down to perfection.

David helped Jack to his feet, still visibly fighting back a laugh. He had to hand it to Alli, she really liked giving Jack a hard time, and she seemed to have the aim, even if it was accidental.

Jack pulled his arm from David's grasp a few seconds later, shaking his head, " I can manage."

David nodded, " Suit yourself."

" What are you doing here anyway?" He asked, making his way to the couch.

Erica shook her head, moving to help him sit down, " Do you need some ice?"

" I'm fine." He huffed wincing as he sat down.

Erica nodded, " Alright, fine." She breathed shaking her head.

" Alright fine?" He tossed at her, " Alright fine?" He said again, his voice, " I leave my conference early, to come home and spend the day with my wife and daughter, whom I haven't seen in almost week. My daughter is at the door waiting, but not for me. No," He half yelled, and Erica watched the vein in his forehead bulge, " no she's all dressed and ready for an outing with him." He said turning his eyes on David.

David's stance stiffened and he crossed his arms, " Don't blow a fuse, Jack. I was going to take her to the carnival. It's not like I was going to kidnap her."

Erica fought off a smile at seeing his stance, so that's where Alli got it from. " Alli's been looking forward to this for days."

Jack whipped his head back around and stared at Erica, " You do know that she's not his daughter, don't you?"

David's fists clenched and he had to forcibly keep himself from going and kicking the bastard where Alli had, only this time, he'd make sure that Jack never used that special part again. He'd be doing them all a favor. Erica wouldn't mind and Alli would probably help him. How someone so adorable and so full of life and personality come from that lame ass?

" Stop it." Erica told him, " David adores Alli and Alli adores him. She's been looking forward to this for days."

" Why do you trust him Erica? He's given you reason no to trust him. He might take Alex one day and just forget to bring her home."

" Why are you being like this?" She asked, shaking her head, 'We agreed a long time ago that Alli and David would get to spend time together."

" You agreed." He shot at her, " I just got tired of arguing with you."

" This is ridiculous, Jack." She said.

" I don't think it is." He said starting to get up. He breathed a couple of curse words and shook his head..

" If you hadn't moved, none of this would have happened." She shot at him, shaking her head.

" If you would teach your child how to express herself some other way other then kicking people, this wouldn't have happened." He fired at her.

" She's angry." She told him, " She'll come out soon and apologize before she and David leave."

His eyes went wide and he narrowed them at Erica, " She's not going with David."

" Of course she is." She told him.

" The hell she is." Jack shouted.

" David," Erica said, turning her eyes on him, " you can go get Alli."

His eyes caught hers, and he hesitated. He wasn't sure if this was how he wanted to spend the day with Alli. It all seemed tarnished now.

" Lets go." Alli said happily, running through the hallway headed straight towards David.

Jack watched her run to David, and throw her arms around his legs, as she waited for him to scoop her up. God, why couldn't Erica just make this easy on them, and keep that bastard out of their lives?

Erica nodded for David and Alli to go ahead. She knew she was disobeying Jack, and that it was wrong to take Alli's side over his, but she couldn't resist those faces and she couldn't disappoint Alli. And in the end, it didn't really matter if her world crumbled now or later, because it was going to anyway.

David nodded, and flung Alli into his arms.

She grinned at him, and looked over at Erica, " Bye mommy." She offered with a wave, " Bye daddy." She grinned, waving more vibrantly at him.

David and Alli were out the door a few seconds later, and Jack and Erica were left staring at one another.

" How could you take his side over mine?" Jack shot at her .

" I didn't take anyone's side, Jackson." She said, " I let Alli go on the outing that was already planned for her."

" With David Hayward, when she could have gone with her father?"

" He is her…"She stopped, catching herself just before she could finish. She'd almost let the truth out, and a part of her wanted to finish the sentence and just end this once and fore all.

" He's her what?" Jack questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.

She paused for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to finish that sentence with. " He's her friend. Her doctor. He loves her and she loves him."

" And that makes it alright for her to kick me? For her to throw a mini tantrum and go pout in her room?"

" She just wanted to go with David." Erica told him, " She didn't do anything wrong."

" Wrong, she kicked me in a place that no man should ever be kicked in." He yelled at her.

" Then you shouldn't have moved." She fired back at him, " I bet a kick to the shin doesn't sound to bad right about now."

" You are unbelievable." He said shaking his head at her.

" And you're sleeping on the couch." She fired at him. " I don't want to see you for the rest of the night." She told him, pushing past him.

" What is it about that man? What does has he ever given you? What the hell does he have to offer you?" He asked, yelling back at her.

She was standing by the door way, putting on her coat, " My daughter.' She replied, taking her purse off the rack, she shot at him, pulling the door open now. She slammed it behind her before he could say another word. If he wanted to make this hard for them, then she'd let him. David and Alli would enjoy her company at the carnival.

To be continued….

Chapter 10

" I've never been to a sleepover." Alli rambled looking up at Erica, " What do you do at a sleepover?" She asked, still staring at her mommy, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to her. " Who' house is this mommy? Is this where the sleepover is?" She asked again, " Mommy?" She said more loudly this time, tugging at Erica's hand.

Erica looked down at her, but didn't dare speak. She couldn't. There wasn't much she could say to Alli that wouldn't end with the truth. It figured that the night that her world was turned upside down, the night she choose to take Alli and leave the house, the Valley Inn was doing construction on all but their first 3 floors, which just happened to be filled to capacity for a doctors convention. David would enjoy the hell out of that fact. David, she blew out a breath, knowing that the door would be flying open any second. " This is where our sleepover is, yes." She finally breathed looking down at Alli, " And it's…"

" David." Alli said, bouncing on her feet.

" Hey princess." David said immediately, kneeling down so that he could catch her when she flew into his arms. His eyes met Erica's, as he stood up.

She didn't dare break their gaze, she couldn't.

" We're having a sleepover." Alli told him, beaming, " Are you coming to our sleepover?"

David peeled his eyes from Erica's, and looked at Alli, "Sleepover?"

She nodded happily, " I got new pj's, see?" She told him, grinning as she showed him her new pajama's.

" David, may we come in?" Erica finally breathed, trying to push through the haze of seeing Alli in his arms again, but this time, knowing that they were father and daughter.

" Of course." He nodded, stepping aside so that Erica could walk in.

She nodded, and picked up the two bags that she'd brought with them. One was Alli's one was hers, and it was just enough to get them through the night.

" Are you ladies alright?" He asked, his eyes focused on Erica, who was setting down their bags on his couch-chair.

Erica nodded slowly, flashing him what she knew he'd know was a completely phony smile, " Yes."

" Mommy said that daddy's not invited." Alli told David with a smile, "I've never had a sleepover, have you?"

He shook his head, smiling down at her, " Not with two such beautiful women."

Alli beamed and nodded, " I like this sleepover, mommy." She nodded, "What now?'

" Have you had dinner ?" David asked, as he finally set Alli down.

" Mommy bought me pizza." She said, hugging Erica's legs for a few seconds before moving to her bag.

" I love pizza." He told her, "Pepperoni, but it has to be under the cheese. Everything has to be under the cheese."

Alli's mouth fell open, as she looked at him over her shoulder. "That's my favorite."

David nodded, " My kind of girl."

She nodded happily before turning her attention back to her backpack, that contained the teddy bear she wanted to play with.

" Did you pack the movies I told you to bring?" Erica asked of Alli, but her eyes were fixed on David.

Alli nodded, " Which one are we going to watch?"

" You pick, surprise us." She told her, cocking her head to David, signaling that she wanted td talk to him.

He nodded and they took a few steps, making sure that they were out of Alli's earshot.

" I'm sorry David," She started shaking her head, her voice just above a whisper. She needed to tell David first, so that the two of them could explain all of this to Alli. " of course the Valley Inn is remodeling all but it's first three floors, which just have to be full because of a…."

" Doctors convention." He finished with a smile.

" Yes." She said shaking her head, " I couldn't think of anywhere else to go." She admitted softly, " Anywhere else, I would have been lectured and questioned. I just need a night to process everything."

" Process everything?" He asked, studying the beautiful features he still knew by heart. " What did Jack do?"

Do? She almost laughed. What hadn't he done? And how was she going to even begin to explain this to him? "I don't think we should get into this with little ears around." She said with a small smile, motioning to Alli who was deep in concentration as she fished through her backpack for the movie she was looking for.

" Yeah, kids have amazing hearing." He offered with a smile, " Well, you're more then welcome to stay here as long as you need."

" Thank you." She replied, offering him her most honest smile, " Paul said that a few rooms should open up tomorrow."

" Well, whatever Jack did, he's an idiot." He offered with a smile.

She nodded fighting back her own smile.

" This one mommy." Alli breathed triumphantly pulling the movie from her bag.

" Beauty and Beast?" David said, reading the cover.

She nodded happily bounding to them, " It's my favorite." She beamed holding out the DVD case to him.

" Well, then, we have to watch it." He told her, watching her nod and flash him biggest grin.

" I like sleepovers." She laughed as David scooped her up.

He nodded, " Me too." He said, pulling her close. They took a few steps, before turning to look at Erica.

" Mommy," Alli smiled, " come on."

She nodded, but didn't move. She couldn't, she was lost in the sight of them again. The way he held her. The way she held onto him, smiling her most adorable smile, as she rambled about things that would make anyone else crazy, but not him. No, he listened intently, and pretended to be interested, hell, maybe he really was, in what Alli told him.

" Erica?" David said this time, " It's not a sleepover unless everyone is part of it."

" You can't miss my first sleepover." Alli added, flashing her mommy her most enchanting smile.

Erica laughed softly, and shook her head, " No I can't." She said walking towards them, she tickled Alli's tummy, and watched her wiggle in David's arms as she giggled furiously.

" I'll make some popcorn, and how about some cookies?" David asked, smiling down at her, as she nodded through her laughter. " I have to make the popcorn, though. You mother doesn't do to well with a microwave."

" Excuse me." Erica said, gasping, as if she were shocked by his accusations, but her smile more then gave her away.

" It's true, Alli. One time, she almost set the house on fire trying to make popcorn." He nodded, but his eyes were on Erica, and that beautiful face of hers. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her smile was radiant and as enchanting as ever. He hadn't realized how much he missed the little things about her, her smile, her laughter, her bright eyed happiness.

Alli cast her eyes from Erica to David, and back and forth a couple more times. She really loved sleepovers.

They all started into the den, and Erica noted just how much like a family they looked.

" Mommy," Alli said, looking over David's shoulder at Erica, " can we sleepover for always?"

Erica gasped softly, yes almost falling for her lips. Soon, soon, she could tell them yes. Soon she could answer them. Soon, very soon.

To be continued…

Chapter 13

David blinked his eyes a few times. It was still fairly dark outside, he noted after a few blinks, not sure what exactly had woken him up.

" Hi." A little voice said from somewhere near him.

He forced his eyes open all the way, and turned his head just a little, before her saw her. Alli, at the foot of his bed, clutching her teddy bear as she jumped happily.

" Well hello." He laughed through a morning yawn, moving to sit up.

" It's morning." She said, all smiles, as she continued to jump.

He nodded, " Yes it is." He was all smiles now, how could he not? This was his child, and he couldn't help but look at her and see himself, now. He couldn't help but see the amazing blend of them that made her so special.

" I'm hungry." She said, jumping towards him now.

He cocked his head a little, and motioned with a finger for her to come closer.

" Are we gonna play another sleepover game?" She asked, jumping up to him now. She stopped at his hips, looking at him.

He reached out and scooped her up, sitting her on his lap. " We have to be very quiet."

" Why?" She asked, but she whispered anyway. She was sitting on his lap, her legs hanging over each side of his as she faced his chest. Her teddy was in her lap, and she held it loosely, staring up at him, with wide eyes.

" It's a surprise." He breathed, almost choking back tears, all of the sudden. It wasn't quite real yet, but having this little lady in his arms was starting to make it seem like it wasn't a dream at least.

" A surprise?" She beamed, " I love surprises."

He nodded, " I know, you're just like you mother."

" Is it a surprise for mommy?" She asked, looking over at her Erica's sleeping frame.

David nodded, looking over at Erica himself. She took his breathe away normally, but there was something about her when she slept, that made his heart swell. Maybe it was the way she snuggled into the pillow, or wrapped herself in the covers. Or maybe it was the way her face was light and free of worry while she dreamt. Maybe it was just her in his bed, that made his knees weak. " Yes." He nodded, peeling his eyes off Erica, " How about we make her some breakfast?"

Alli nodded vehemently, " Yeah, yeah, lets make her breakfast," She said atheistically, " I know how to poor the milk on cereal, mommy taught me."

" Really? All by yourself?" He asked, flashing her a knowing grin. This little princess and her smile were going to be the end of him, and he didn't mind in the slightest..

She nodded proudly, " I'm mommy's big girl." She smiled.

" Good, then that means you can be my special helper."

" I'm a good helper." She said, nodding enthusiastically.

" What should we make?" He asked, poking a finger into the ticklish spot against her lower back. He had his hands around her tiny back.

" Mommy like eggs, and toast." Alli told him, " It's all she can make." She giggled.

He laughed lightly, nodding, " That's better then she used to do." He told her with a wink, " We'll make her some special eggs and toast really spoil her."

She nodded, " Me too, spoil me too."

" Of course." He nodded, " What is your favorite breakfast dish?" He watched her adorable little face squish up, and her eyes go wide as she thought through his question like it was the most important question she'd ever been asked.

" Pancakes." She finally said a few seconds later, flashing him her brightest smile.

" I love pancakes." He replied with a knowing smile." Have you ever had chocolate chip pancakes?"

Her eyes went wide and she tipped her head, trying to grasp this, chocolate for breakfast? "Chocolate for breakfast?" She asked, completely disbelieving.

" Chocolate for breakfast." He confirmed.

" Daddy would never let me have chocolate for breakfast." She breathed, her smile full watt.

" Well, sleepovers are about eating junk food, and having fun. So I'll make you and mommy both some."

She nodded and grabbed his hand, " Lets go." She said, sliding off the bed, one hand in his, the other holding her teddy bear.

David laughed, nodding as she pulled him off the bed.

Erica let her eyes flutter open when David's back to her. Her eyes opened just in time to see David scooping Alli up, and settling her on his back. A piggyback ride from her daddy, on the way to make her a surprise breakfast. This was the perfect way to wake up.

She'd managed to drift off to sleep for another hour or so, and now she had an overwhelming desire to get up and go and see how they were doing on breakfast. She didn't want to ruin the surprise, but the thought of them in the kitchen together. She yawned softly, arranging the sweatshirt around her body as she got up out of bed. She tiptoed down the hallway a few seconds later, after having closed the door with out making a sound a second before. She edged up on the kitchen doorway, not wanting to make a sound or move into either of their sight.

Alli was sitting on the counter, her feet swinging against the cupboards, and her eyes were locked on whatever David was fixing next to her, and she was beaming from ear to ear.

Erica watched the sight, stifling a gasp with a hand over her mouth. This was what should have been. This was as it should be.

Alli rambled on about something, her little face lighting up with each word she said. David laughed, and touched the tip of her nose with his finger, leaving a spot of flour in it's place. She giggled, and nodded, looking to her left. She looked down at a small pile of hand picked wildflowers, trying to decide which ones were the prettiest for her mommy.

Erica couldn't help but smile at Alli's face. The way she twisted it up as she thought through her decision was so much like David's that it took it her breath away.

Alli picked up three flowers, a pink one, a purple one and a yellow one, and handed them to David.

He smiled at her, telling her to place the flowers in the small glass of water.

" What are you two up too?" Erica said from the door way a few seconds later.

" Mommy," Alli squealed, bracing herself against the counter before she jumped down.

Erica was kneeling down, holding her arms out to catch her little princess. " Morning baby." She breathed, holding Alli close.

" Hi mommy." Alli said, squeezing her arms around Erica's neck as Erica picked her up.

" Smell's wonderful in here." She said smiling at Alli.

" We're making you a surprise." Alli told her as they walked towards the counter.

" Yes, we are." David said flashing them a smile over his shoulder, " It's not a surprise if you're already awake." He teased.

" You have to go back to sleep, mommy." She said narrowing her eyes at Erica.

" Can't I just close my eyes and pretend I didn't see anything?" She asked them, and David shook his head,.

" No, that's cheating." He said, and Alli nodded, giggling. " However, you are in luck, and your surprise is done." He told them, smiling as he moved to the table. He pulled out a chair, and walked back to Erica, taking Alli from her arms.

Alli giggled, as he sat her down, before he pushed her chair in. She giggled loudly, all smiles as David motioned for Erica to sit down in the other chair he'd just pulled out.

Erica tossed him a coy smile, her eyes wide and probably filled with the love she felt for him.

He winked at her, his own smile bright and filled with love. He pushed her chair in for her, after she was seated. " Alright ladies, I hope my cooking is up to par." He teased, reaching over to the counter and picking up the glass with the flowers first.

" I picked them all by myself mommy." She announced proudly, as David set the flowers down on the table.

" They're beautiful." Erica grinned, smiling up at David as he carried their breakfast towards.

" Chocolate Chip pancakes for the princess." He grinned, setting the plate down in front of Alli. " And something special for the lady." He said, setting Erica's plate in front of her.

" Chocolate for breakfast, mommy." Alli giggled, picking up her fork, " Don't tell daddy." She started, putting a piece of the already cut up pancakes, into her mouth, " He won't let us stay over no more." She breathed through a bite.

David sat down at his chair, before he cast his eyes in Erica's direction. Alli was absorbed in eating her pancakes, which they were thankful for. The last thing they needed or wanted was for her to pick up on the looks that were passing between them. Erica's eyes said it all. They'd enjoy breakfast together, their first one as a family and after breakfast…they'd tell her. How, they had no idea. But they had too, and the sooner the better.

Alli rambled on about her pancakes, drawing David and Erica out of their haze. This was the moment they were going to choose to live in, not what came next. The three of them. Together as a family. Enjoying the little moments. This was what life was supposed to be.

To be continued….

Chapter 15

" David is my right daddy." Alli said again, her eyes leaving Erica's now and turning to focus on David.

Erica nodded, " Yes."

" Jack is my wrong daddy." Alli said again, her eyes locked on David.

" Yes, that's what the right test told me." Erica told her again, watching her look at David. This was probably one of the easiest and hardest things she'd ever done.

She nodded, " Are you still my right mommy?" She asked, still looking at David, who was staring back at her, neither of them dared to move.

Erica nodded and a small smile spread across her face, " Oh yes, sweetie, always."

She seemed satisfied and nodded. She looked at David, and smiled her brightest smile at him, " Can my room be pink?"

David laughed, nodding, tears already welling in his eyes as he managed to flash her a smile, " A hundred shades if that's what you want."

Alli giggled as she leaned forward and threw her arms around him.

David held her close, his arms as tight as around her as they could be without hurting her. His eyes fluttered closed, and he drew in a breath, more then a few tears fell down his cheeks, and he didn't care in the slightest.

Alli held him tight her little arms tight around his neck. She wasn't sure she understood all of this completely, but she liked the thought of David as her daddy.

Erica's tears fell freely now, and she covered her mouth with a few fingers to stifle her gasp and quiet her cries. This image would be burned into her brain for the rest of her life.

" Are we going to live here now?" Alli asked, arms still around David's neck as she leaned back a little to look into his eyes.

David stared back at her, his eyes drifting to Erica a few seconds later as they both thought through how to answer that question.

" Come here sweetie." Erica smiled, patting the couch next to her.

Alli nodded, sliding her hands from around David's neck as she eased back unto the couch. David slid onto the spot next to her. Her big brown eyes wandering for David to Erica and back again.

Erica looked over at David, and blew out a breath before she looked down at Alli. " All of this is kind of hard to understand I know, sweetie." Erica started, " Even if we'd like to stay here forever, we can't, at least not yet."

" Why not?" Alli asked, not liking this conversation anymore. If David was her right daddy, then why couldn't she stay with him?

" We have a house." Erica started.

" I like it here." She said, pouting slightly now, " And David is my right daddy." She said, flashing David a smile.

" I know." She offered with a smile, " This is all such grown up stuff." She said and Alli nodded, " I know you want to stay here with David, but we have to live at our house, at least for awhile more. Your room is there. All your toys. And my office there." She continue, watching Alli nod slowly.

" And Jack lives there." Alli added, her eyes drifting back and forth between.

" Yes, Jack does live there." Erica nodded, " But Jack and Mommy have to have a long talk…."

" 'bout Jack being my wrong daddy?" She asked, and Erica nodded.

" Yes, and about some other grown up things." Erica informed her. " We're going to go to our house tonight, and talk to Jack." She kept going, needing to just finish this so that Alli wasn't anymore confused then she already was.

" Do you understand at least kind of?" David asked softly, looking down at her.

She nodded slowly, her face twisted and she thought through all of this with all she had. " I think so." She finally said, "I live with mommy and Jack even though he's my wrong daddy and we have to live there 'til mommy tells Jack that he's my wrong daddy."

Erica and David laughed, nodding proudly, " Very good sweetie."

" I'm sorry that any of this had to happen, Alli." David said, smiling down at her.

" It's okay…." She stopped looking up at David, she flashed him her most adorable smile, " daddy."

David's face seemed to light up at the fact that she'd called him daddy, knowing that this time it was true.

Erica smiled brightly at them, a few tears starting to well in her eyes. " We'll talk about this some more later, okay?" Erica told her, "Why don't you go make sure that you have all your toys and we'll go to the park?"

Alli nodded, smiling brightly, " Okay mommy." She said, looking over at David, " Will you come too?"

David flashed he his brightest smile and nodded. She had to ask? Sure he had rounds, sure he had things to do, but he was more then willing to tell the rest of the world to go to hell if it meant he got to spend the day with his princess, he was more then going to.

She squealed with delight, throwing her arms around Erica first, then repeating the move with David. She giggled as she ran towards the guest room.

" She took that well." David smiled at Erica.

" As well as a four year old can." She said back to him, "All of this is still so surreal."

He nodded, " It's so hard to believe that the lab messed up, they're usually so thorough." He mused, shaking his head.

Erica blanched slightly. She'd wanted to tell him this before they told Alli, of course despite her best laid intentions, things had gone amiss.

" Erica?" David said, reading her expression, " You did tell me that the lab made a mistake."

Now was as good a time as any, and he had a right to know. " The lab ran the test according to procedure." She said, " And the results that they gave us they believed to be accurate."

" I'm not following." He started, narrowing his eyes at her.

She was trying to find the words to map this out for him, despite the fact that her mind was screaming to just tell him that the test was rigged, and that it was Jack who'd rigged it. " The test was tampered with." She said, the words fallout out of her mouth before she could stop them.

His eyes went wide, and he stared back at her, " Tampered with? Are you sure?"

She nodded, " The way that the tech explained it to me," She started, " was that Alli's test was accessed before it's print time and date." She said, and he nodded. She'd forgotten that he used the hospital computer system too. " If the file had been accessed by hospital personnel…"

" There would be a record of their password being entered into the system." He finished, knowing the procedure used for logging, accessing and printing files from the hospital computers.

" Yes." She said, smiling softly, " Alli's file wasn't supposed to be accessed at all. Apparently, when a file is logged, the print time and date are set ."

" So there's an access time that shouldn't be there, and no record of any hospital personnel having accessed it.." He finished, his voice already laced with anger.

Erica nodded, and open her mouth to tell him the rest of the story, but the words sat in the back of her throat.

" Why would someone tamper with the test?" He half asked, half mused, shaking his head, " Besides you, me and Jack, no one with any invested interest in Alli's paternity knew about the test."

Erica shook her head, " No, the three of and the lab tech's are the only ones who knew when the test was being conducted."

" Why would one of the tech's change the results?" He wondered allowed.

" The tech's didn't do this." She said, " Jack did." There it was out. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

To be continued…