(Author's Chapter Notes:

Here it is...the sequel to Forbidden Love. I hope it doesn't disappoint, but I couldn't continue it where it left off. I felt the story needed to pick up sometime in the future.)

As she watched him with his Lego's, each piece placed meticulously, making his structure solid, more solid then most five year olds creations, or at least she would like to think, Sara couldn't help but think of his father. But then she saw so much of Michael in little David.

She sighed softly as she watched the sun shining in through the small window hit his dark curls; the curls she couldn't bring herself to crop short even though getting a comb through them was a nightmare sometimes at best. He looked up at the sound, his blue, gray eyes questioning. And then meeting her smile of reassurance with a smile of his own, his small head dipped back down, and he was once again immersed in his task.

She glanced quickly to her watch and then back to the only real joy in her life.

While it was true that the last five years had been tough, Sara was thankful for each and every one of those days with her beautiful son. But she knew if not for David's grandparents, the Apolskis, things could have been much different; she could have lost him. She most certainly would have. It was only their acceptance of them into their home that had allowed her to keep her baby.

Sara thought now of the first three years of David's life. Living with the Apolskis had been a God send.

She felt her heart fill as she thought of the love she had witnessed growing daily between David and his grandparents. They were truly amazing people, and Sara herself had grown to love them as if they were her own family. And really up until the last six months they had been the only family she could claim. But then Grace had become ill.

Sara swallowed, locking away her tears as she fought back the images of her once strong mother withering away before their very eyes.

Ovarian Cancer. But ironically Grace's illness had been a turning point for them. Shortly after her diagnosis Grace had reached out to her only daughter, and Sara had responded in kind. After all, how could she deny her dying mother her only chance of knowing her grandson? Sara had pushed aside all of the bad feelings and embraced her mother, forgiving her as best she could in order to make amends before…

She brushed at her tears as the knock on the door of their small apartment brought her from her thoughts.

"Come on, Sweetheart, that's Grandpa Aldo."

David hopped up and stood patiently as his mother smoothed the wrinkles from his dark blue suit. Sara watched his eyes move over his creation, his reluctance to leave it unfinished apparent in his always curious eyes.

"You can finish it later, sweetie. I promise, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

His smile was quick to come and she couldn't help but smile back.

It seemed no matter what the day brought her, all it would take is a smile from her son and Sara's day would instantly be lighter and brighter.

Sara took his small hand in hers, and they made their way to the door, mother and son, both wishing the day over. David, so that he could get back to his Lego's, no doubt, and Sara because this was the day she would bury her mother. Grace's funeral was to begin in little over an hour.

She opened the door and met her step father's kind eyes. Sara knew this was hard for Aldo. She knew his love for Grace was immense. He would have done anything for her, of this Sara was certain.

"Sara, how are you, my dear?"

Sara shook her head and tried to smile. "As best as can be expected I suppose."

He nodded and then his eyes moved to his grandson.

"Hey, Davey! How's about a big hug for your old Grandpa?"

David grinned and threw himself into his grandfather's arms.

Sara watched as a smile lit Aldo's somber features. She knew his love for his grandson was genuine. While Aldo had been financially supportive over the last four and a half years, his role in David's life as a grandfather had only come about after Grace was diagnosed.

As she watched them now she couldn't help but think how quickly they had bonded; how quickly David had come to accept that he had two grandpas. Of course he might never be as close to Aldo as he was with his "poppy", but still Sara knew he had come to love Aldo in the short time since he had reentered their lives.

She heard David giggle as his grandfather hoisted him up, and then Aldo was looking at her questioningly. She pulled her eyes away from David's infectious smile and nodded.

"I'm ready."

And she was; at least Sara thought she was ready, as ready as she would ever be on such a day. She pulled the door closed and locked it behind her, the sunlight deceptively portraying the day as one of beauty and new beginnings.

And then taking a deep breath of the spring air, she followed Aldo to the limousine that would take them to Grace's memorial service.

XXXXX

The day seemed destined to last forever, or so it seemed.

Sara couldn't ever remember feeling this tired. She sighed in relief as Aldo led David away, his offer to show the boy some designs he was working on, just the distraction both grandfather and grandson needed she was sure.

Sara watched them disappear and then her eyes moved back to her plate. She had been picking listlessly at her food for the last half hour. But she knew it was a lost cause, her appetite was nil.

She pushed the plate aside and stood up, her eyes moving to the door.

He was late. Well, she had known he was going to be late, but he was even later than she had expected. Paul had promised he would only miss the first hour or so of the service, and here it was almost noon and he still had yet to show.

She sighed and looked at her watch again for what had to be the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. She knew how hectic his schedule could be, but still, this was her mother's funeral…

She glanced at the engagement ring he had presented to her at Christmas, and sighed. And even though it was larger than she was comfortable with; almost two carats total. She had been surprised by her own answer. She had to remind herself even now, months later, that she was doing the right thing. Paul was a good man. He would be good for them. He was stable. And he would make a good father figure for David.

She bit her lip and let her eyes move once again to the door. Where was he? His shift at the hospital should have been over by now. But she knew how wrapped up he could become, and if one of his patients needed him…

Sara had met Paul at Mercy General; the hospital they both worked at. As a nurse she was surrounded by young doctors and she had been hit on by many a resident in her short time there. In fact she had turned down invitations to dinner left and right or so it seemed, and Paul had been no exception.

She smiled softly as she recalled how relentlessly he had pursued her. Finally after two months of convincing she had said yes to dinner. And it had grown from there.

Determined to stop watching the door, Sara stepped way from the table and made her way to a group of her mother's friends. As she approached they grew silent and she forced a smile. Her suspicions that they had been talking about her were probably just paranoia, but still it made her uncomfortable.

She spoke with them briefly, their condolences seemingly genuine enough, and then excused herself, her intention to find David and see if he wanted some of the chocolate cake he had been eyeing all morning.

She was turning around to do just that , but froze in her tracks at the sight of him.

"Hello, Sara."

"Michael, what are you doing here?" Her heart was pounding so hard and her legs felt weak.

"Aldo called me. Sara I'm so sorry about Grace..."

"You came for my mother's funeral?"

But then that was a stupid question, of course he had come for the funeral. That would be so Michael, wouldn't it? She was surprised by the anger she felt, even as her eyes moved hungrily over him. He looked good, his hair shorter then she was used to seeing it, almost non existent, but it suited him.

She was still waiting for his answer when David ran up behind her.

"Mommy, Mommy, look what Grandpa Aldo gave me!"

He was waving the small model of a building in the air and jumping up and down in his excitement. She pulled her eyes from her son and back to Michael. The color had drained from his face.

"That's great sweetheart, did you say thank you to Grandpa Aldo?"

David nodded his curly head.

"Yep, and he said if I'm good for the rest of the day he'll give me the other one in his office!"

Sara forced a smile. "That's really great David."

She turned to Michael her face a mask of politeness as she ignored the intensity in his questioning eyes.

"Um, Michael this is my son David...David this is.."

But David cut her off. "I know who you are, you're my Uncle Michael, right? Grandpa has a picture of you in his office and he said your my uncle."

David stuck out his hand to him.

Michael just looked at him for a second and then Sara watched as he stooped down and took David's hand in his.

Her chest tightened at the sight of the two of them hand in hand and she had to gulp back the lump that had formed in her throat.

Oh, why today?

Of all days for this to happen, why did it have to happen today? She stood watching as David showed his 'uncle' the model building and told him how it was built. She knew Michael would have questions, questions she couldn't possibly give him straight answers to.

She was totally unprepared when Paul's arms came up around her waist in greeting.

Chapter End Notes:

(I'll try to update soon. I have 3 stories at the moment, and I'm trying to keep them all current. LOL!)