Suzanne knew of the truth. Brenda wouldn't have been able to care for the child. The child would have lived in danger from the risk that the Balkan may come after Brenda and her son. Brenda knew these risks, but as stubborn as she was, she couldn't admit that maybe Suzanne was brilliant in asking Brenda to consider having the child adopted into a loving, drama free home. Instead, she put her foot down, asking Suzanne a question as she cried hysterically at the thought of maybe never knowing her child.

"What would you do Suzanne-if he was your child? Leave him?"

The older woman looked away, trying not to show her emotions.

"I wouldn't, but think about this; wouldn't the child have been better off with his father? He would be able to give your child a more stable home life, a life much more stable than what you have now? Brenda, honey, I'm just trying to get you to understand my reasoning. How would you manage a child and your career at the same time, plus not only that but running from the Balkan?"

Brenda couldn't figure out how to answer it, because, she did not know how to.

Suzanne took her hand, and looked in her eyes, crying.

"Please…listen to me. I only have your best interests at heart. I care about you, Brenda."

Brenda smiled weakly. "I know you do, but this doesn't feel right to me, right at all. I want this child, no matter what."

Suzanne gave up pushing the issue, retreating to her cot in the tent they shared.

Six months went by, and Suzanne was speaking to another person on their team.

"I really think Brenda should consider adoption," Maggie said, agreeing with Suzanne. "The child will grow up to have an unstable home life, moving from country to country. He or she will not know where home really is."

Suzanne nodded. "It's a boy. But, yes, I do agree, her son will not know where home really is, and probably would never know his father or even Brenda. She's so self-absorbed that she'd probably forget to look after him." Maggie sighed.

"You have a point there, Ms. Stanwyck." Suzanne smiled.

"Oh please, Maggie… just call me Suzanne. You've known me for years."

The woman grinned. "Sorry Suzanne—force of habit."

Suzanne sat at her desk silently for a moment there. Brenda was now about six months along, and she still resisted the idea of adoption.

"Maggie?"

The woman looked up from where she was sorting boxes.

"Yes, Suzanne?"

"I'm glad someone agrees with me. I only want what's best for Brenda, and I don't think I'm being too unfair, do you?"

Maggie sighed. "I think you're being quite reasonable. Hopping from country to country is what Ms. Barrett is expected to do with our organization, and with a child, it would be difficult. Plus, with the recent threats Theo has been making, the child would be living in constant fear…"

Suzanne nodded. "Theo would kidnap an infant. I wouldn't doubt it. I've known him for quite a while, and he's quite capable of doing just that."

Maggie looked into Suzanne's eyes. She could sense fear in them…absolute fear.

"In her best interests, it would be better if we could have someone adopt the baby, keep him safe and away from the Balkan…but, Brenda refuses to relinquish parental rights. She told me the father already signed away his, but she didn't want to sign away hers."

Maggie nodded. "Who is the father, do you know?" Suzanne shrugged at the question posed at her.

"Don't know. Brenda's never talked about him. It has to be someone she's been with prior to coming to ASEC."

Maggie nodded. "Obviously. It's not anyone we know."

Suzanne put an arm around the woman's shoulder, leading her towards her desk.

"Sit down."

The younger female, well, she wasn't much younger than Suzanne, only by ten years, sat in the chair facing the large mahogany desk. Suzanne had it sent from London, where she kept a second home besides her one in the States. It was a beautifully crafted desk, with accents of gold outlining the crevices in the wood. Suzanne sat in the chair facing Maggie, and leaned in to talk.

"I've already asked an orphanage to take in Brenda's child. They said they would take the child to London for a year, and then transfer the child to the States for adoption. There are three couples willing to take the baby and raise him as their own."

Maggie looked at Suzanne, floored.

"You didn't consult Brenda?"

Suzanne sighed. "She wouldn't listen. She is still intent on keeping the child."

Maggie shrugged. "Does she understand the risks of keeping the child?"

Suzanne looked at Maggie, nodding with tears in her eyes. "I think she knows, but she's not being reasonable."

Maggie agreed. Brenda wasn't listening to Suzanne's advice, or anyone's for that matter. Anytime anyone brought up the baby, it was such a sensitive topic, she'd burst into tears just at the mention of adoption.

Suzanne sighed. "Well, it will be decided that she give up the child, for her sake and the child's. I don't want Theo coming after the child."

"Suzanne, is there something else you're not telling me? I've known you since your journalism days…" Maggie looked down at her feet, nervously.

Suzanne looked at her, frowning. "To be honest, Mags…there is something that you or Brenda are unaware of."

She pauses, picking up a leather bound journal. Flipping through the pages, she found what she was searching for, and then continued her train of thought.

"I was…involved with Theo at one time or another. We had a son."

Maggie looked at Suzanne, shocked.

"Alexander?" she whispered.

Suzanne looked at her, amazed that she picked up on it pretty fast.

"How did you know?"

Maggie shrugged. "I remember a man coming to Italy our last go around. He was such a nice man, generous and grateful for my assistance. He kept calling me Margaret, a name I hadn't heard since my mother. Only my mother called me by that name. I suspected he could have been related to Theo, but his features were too chiseled to be related to Theo- but in his eyes and smile, he reminded me of you."

Suzanne smiled. "Alexander took after my side of the family, the good looks, and the charm." She set down the journal. She became emotional, tears streaming down her cheek.

"I know what Brenda's experiencing—because, I had to do it myself. I made Theo relinquish his rights as Alexander's father after I left him. I did not want Alexander influenced by his father's dangerous life. I fled the States, entering London where Alexander was given the best education. I was a journalist, so I could afford to have him raised by myself and a nanny. I could afford private schools, boarding schools."

Maggie nodded. "I can see why you're intent on this for Brenda."

Suzanne sighed. "Yes. I lived it, and I don't want her to live in fear like I did. Alexander and I had to move frequently off and on, to keep Theo from finding us. I never let on to where I was at, because I was protecting Alex."

Maggie interjected herself," You two must have been close."

Suzanne smiled. "We were very much close, that is until he went to college in the States. Last I heard from him, he was dating Brenda."

"And now I know the Brenda he always talked so highly about." She smiled.

Maggie whispered, "Our Brenda Barrett?"

Suzanne nodded.

Choking back tears, she said, "I have reason to believe that Brenda's unborn son is Alexander's son-my grandchild."

Maggie stood there, stunned. She was completely speechless.