Decided to start something new this time around. Thought it would nice to start shoutouts for those who have reviewed the previous chapter. Before I get started, thank you for all the welcome backs! I am so glad that you've all stuck with me, despite all the writing blocks and long pauses between chapters and stories. Still having a hard time trying to write chapter twenty for my other story "The Great Escape". So bear with me a little longer.

Nonnie88- Took me long enough, didn't it? :) As for why Alec is here, you'll have to keep reading the story to find out.

Solveariddle- That's stubborn Cal for you! Actually both Cal and Gillian are quite stubborn. Or at least, I must make them seem that way.

LieBones- Keep reading! :) The answer you seek should be in this chapter. I actually never thought about the fact that he and Zoe were doomed from the beginning when I wrote that part. Actually made me smile a bit that you thought of it that way. As for if they're in no turning back part of their relationship? Maybe. I'm still toying around with some possible scenarios that have to deal with their relationship.

SassyCop- I'm hoping that you'll like what I have planned. Prepare yourself for possibly another wild ride.

KarenJC- Personality transplant...hmm, he might have? You might be surprised how much his return kicks things into gear.

As she walked towards the lobby, she had to remind herself quite a few times to breathe. When she arrived in the waiting area, she saw him with his hands "Alec." He stood to greet her, kissing her lightly on cheek. "What are you doing here? I thought you moved to Georgia."

When he looked at her, his eyes were red. He looked like he had aged overnight. "I did. Then I came back for a business trip and the rest is history."

"You met someone." Gillian guessed, noticing the ring on his left hand.

"I never thought that I would. After we split and then divorced, I did nothing but sit in my office—taking big cases and doing paperwork. Then one week, I had a business trip to attend to. To make a long story short, I met a good person that night and we just seemed to hit it off." He looked slightly uncomfortable telling her this, but he continued. "We got married and we relocated in D.C. Just after that, Marleyn found out that she was pregnant. We were able to welcome our little boy about four months ago."

"You always wanted children." Gillian spoke softly; eyes gleaming. The one thing that she couldn't give him was children. It had been the one thing that she had longed for and yet, part of a closed wound had suddenly opened at the thought of him being able to have children so easily.

"No. I know how much you wanted to have them. I messed up, a lot when we were married—beginning with not talking about Sophie. She had been a big part of our lives when she was taken." She followed his gaze to the picture that was sitting on her desk. In fact, it was the same picture she had been staring at before she found out that Ava was in the conference room, waiting to talk to her. "I still think about her sometimes." She still didn't say anything, but zoned out slightly. "I didn't come here to stir up old wounds. I actually came here because I need help finding my wife and son."

After he explained everything, she inquired. "I hate to bring this up—is there any possibility that she could have gone somewhere without telling you?"

His eyes widened in defense. "You're asking me if she just up and left?"

"I'm asking if she left somewhere and didn't tell you where she was going."

"No, my wife would never go anywhere without telling me, or taking her purse and the diaper bag—both which were still sitting on the diaper table when I came home on Friday night." His voice raised, slightly hysterical. "The police said that there was no sign of a break in, or any sign of her car. When the police arrived, they asked me all sorts of questions. One officer thought I had something to do with their disappearance!"

"And they are going to suspect you, until they are able to rule you out." Gillian reassured him.

"I'm not sure that I can wait for them to do that." He offered impatiently, just as his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out with a sigh. "I should really take this." When he retreated to the corner of the room, Emily walked by looking slightly frantic.

Walking around her desk, she slipped out into the hall. "Emily?"

"Gillian, hey. You haven't seen my dad around, have you?"

"I saw him about ten minutes ago. What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. He called me on my way here, asking if I could bring his lucky pen and some Tylenol before we went to the book signing. Except his pen wasn't where he said it was. Then he asked me to bring some Tylenol, which there wasn't any. Mom did manage to find the prescription that you bought for him after the accident."

Walking down the hall towards his office, Gillian filled her in. "His lucky pen. I knew there was something wrong when he walked into my office this morning." Shaking her head, she pulled out the bottle from the bag to see that it was still almost full.

As they walked down the hall, they both noticed that the curtains were drawn in his office and exchanged another look. When they walked in, Cal was lying still on the couch with his eyes closed. "Dad?" It took a moment, but his eyes fluttered open as he took in the sight of both Emily and Gillian standing there.

"I've seen that look before." Cal muttered. "What did I do now?"

"Tell me what you were thinking, when you thought it was a good idea to not take what your doctor prescribed?" Gillian inquired, standing next to the couch.

Cal blinked the sleep out of his eyes. "I put it in the kitchen drawer, so I could use it if I needed it."

"If you're going to lie to my face, at least make it sound convincing." Gillian chimed in, letting him know her disappointment.

"According to mom, this isn't the first time that he's pulled something like this." Emily quietly read over the instructions on the bottle. "Mom was telling me that his appendix burst right after she had me."

"It was the day after you were born." Cal corrected, sitting up with a tired groan. He grabbed the bottle from her hand; squinting and blinking some more, as if he were wary about what she was giving him. "You're going to have to read the instructions to me."

"Take one capsule every four hours." Digging in, he grabbed one capsule and held it in his hand. "You know this would have been a lot easier if you had taken this in the first place."

"Except I asked for Tylenol."

"Sorry, we were out."

"Liar. We had a full bottle the last time I checked. I fully intend to find it when I get home."

"How do you know that the fairies didn't steal it?"

"There's no such thing as fairies."

"I think that's a good idea that you go home, Cal." Gillian caught his attention.

"You want me to cancel the book signing."

Emily looked back and forth between her dad and Gillian. "Apparently you two still have some things to discuss." Handing him the pill, she capped the pill bottle and excused herself. "I'm going to grab some water, so you can take that."

"I have a case of bottled water next to my bookshelf." He informed her, but she didn't listen. The door closed behind her, leaving them alone.