"I'm sorry Jess they tried to save him, but his heart couldn't take it anymore" his heart what about hers, no this wasn't true.

"Mum please don't say this" Jess fought back the tears.

"Darling your dad died about an hour ago. Oh Jess darling I'm so sorry" her step mum cried. She couldn't take this wrapping her arms round her she sobbed her heart out. Her dad , her beloved dad was gone and she was an orphan, that was how she felt. Angie pulled her into her arms stroking her back, trying her best to get her head around what had happened. They had been walking the dog in the park, planning Jess's surprise 21st birthday party, when Paul collapsed. The emergency services found a faint pulse, getting him to the hospital in record time. Angie called Jess, she had arrived too late, too late to see her dad, too late to tell him how much she loved him. Too late for everything and now he was gone, what would happen to her?. She had no one or so she thought, her life was going to change so much thanks to her godfather and Angie.

"Michelle turn that fuckin noise down" God why the hell did he marry this kid. Yeah she was good on the eye, and ok in bed, but when it came to sense she had none, along with that god damn awful music. Great now the baby was awake just what he needed, more noise to disturb his viewing.

"MICHELLE GET THE FUCKIN KID"

"For fucks sake Mark chill will you" she went to get Aishling from her crib.

Glenn had warned him when he first started seeing Michelle, that she was after his money not him. After the messy divorce from Sara, he needed something and at the time Michelle was it. She had lost that stupid diva search or whatever they called it and asked Mark to train her. Well more like wouldn't leave him alone at all, he had been on a downer at the time, after the crap his ex had thrown at him. The worse of it all, the girls he had brought up as his own were never his in the first place. That hurt the most those two beautiful girls weren't his. Michelle walked in with Aishling as Mark looked up, he wondered if she was his too. It had happened so quick one minute he was showing her moves in the ring, the next his moves in bed. Most of it in a drunken haze, then Michelle dropped the bombshell she was pregnant so he married the bitch, and boy was he paying for his sins. He never knew women could bitch so much about clothes , shaving their legs or waxing, having their nails done. Who the fuck cared what wax they bloody used?, Who was dating who. Drove him mad, at his age he didn't need it, he should have listened to Glenn and ran in the opposite direction.

"Here take her Mark she's driving me crazy" he grabbed Aishling looking down at her she had none of his features. Blue eyes, blonde hair, more like Jericho then him, thinking back she had hung around him around the time she fell pregnant, only when she thought Mark was too drunk to notice. He needed to look into that more when he was sober, yeah right, he didn't remember a day when he had last been that.

"Today is a sad day in show business as we lost a wonderful director Paul Moore" the newscaster reported. Mark walked slowly to the tv.

"He leaves behind his second wife Angie and his only daughter 20 year old Jess"

Wow was she really 20 already, he remembered how happy Paul and Anne had been when they had Jess, his heart broke for his god daughter. Yes he had a heart, only two women in his whole life shared it Anne and Jess. The blue eyed, brown haired little tyke had him wrapped around her finger from the day she was born. He would do anything for that little girl, anything. Hell he hadn't seen them all for almost ten years, Mark blamed himself for Anne's death, still did, it had pushed him towards the bottle. He thought back to that night 19 years ago, Paul had stayed at home that night with Jess she was teething and grouchy, wanted her daddy. If it wasn't Paul she wanted it was Mark they were the only two who could comfort her. Anne hadn't minded they were always there for her, even on the evening she died. Mark had been driving the conditions wet, the other car had hit them as it went through a red light, causing Anne to hit her head hard against the windscreen. Mark held her tight waiting for the emergency crew, promising her that all would be ok, it had to be.

The doctors tried to save her, he had prayed hard that night, hoping she would pull through, no child especially Jess deserved to lose their mum so young. No prayers were answer as Anne died three hours later held by Paul and Mark with Jess next them, it was what she had wanted. Shaking his head with the memory, Jess needed him now more than ever, losing her dad would have almost killed her.

"Michelle get your fuckin daughter" looking at him wide eyed she wondered what had gotten into him.

"My daughter? Don't you mean o…."

"Listen you lying bitch you heard me take your fuckin daughter and get the hell out of my life"

"But…." How had he found out they had been so careful.

"Michelle I may be drunk off my ass half the time but even I know Jericho is the dad, you will get the divorce papers within the week now fuck off" He went upstairs packed his bag calling the airport for the first available flight to Manchester UK. His baby girl needed him and he was going to be there for her.

Jess was uncontrollable, Angie loved her so much, hating to see her in this much pain. She finally agreed that the doctors could sedate her, though she wasn't happy with it. It had been two days since Paul had died and they had been sorting out the funeral, when Jess had her breakdown. As she said goodbye to the doctor, a range rover pulled up into the drive. Out stepped the tallest man Angie had ever seen, he had on black boots, tight black jeans, a black hoodie which she was sure read deadman Inc and a black bandana to hold his hair back. Mark walked over taking his sunglasses off, as Angie started to walk backwards.

"Hell darlin you are sure hard to find" Sticking his hand out "I'm Mark darlin you must be Angie, where's that baby girl of mine?" So this was the Mark, Paul talked so much about. Wow he was gorgeous, she knew she shouldn't be looking after losing Paul so recently, but he was one good looking guy.

"Well Mark it's good to put a face to the name. Paul talks sorry I mean Paul talked a lot about you" tears welled up in her eyes. Mark pulled her close.

"It's going to be ok darlin I will help in any way I can. How's Jess holding up? Where is she?" He couldn't wait to see her god the last time he had held her was almost ten years ago. He remembered her crying on his shoulder not wanting him to go back to the states. He made a promise with her that should she ever need him he would be on the next flight out. Mark had hoped deep down she would call but in time he felt she forgotten about him, as she grew up and made new friends. He had kept in touch on and off with Paul keeping tabs on how she was doing, missing out on her growing up to the age she was now.

"Thanks Mark its hard, one minute we were talking the next" Angie couldn't hold back the tears, Mark let her cry as he held her soft body to his, rubbing her back.

"Come on Angie let's get you inside" maybe Mark had come at the right time for them all.

Setting her down on the sofa he managed to locate the drinks cupboard and poured her a small brandy

"Here sweetheart take this will help sooth you a little" Angie took small sips grateful for his support. She couldn't resist stealing glances at him.

"Mark Jess has been sedated at the moment it wasn't a decision I took lightly she has been so upset with Paul dying we all have, if you want to look in on her she's the second door on the right on the third floor" checking Angie was ok he walked up the stairs, his heart breaking a little more, how she must be suffering, the poor child. Entering her room the curtains were closed so he couldn't really see her at first. Sitting on the bed he pulled her gently into his arms his poor baby had suffered so much in the last two days. He hoped now that he was here she wouldn't suffer any more pain, little did he know he would be the one to hurt her most.