Thank you for your comments, as a few enjoyed it here is the next chapter which I hope you like too.

She sat nervously on the sofa, alone now that she'd accepted Bobby's offer of a drink simply to get him out of the room for a moment. She had forced herself to come across as fearless, this was her only chance to face the woman she had finally found out was her mother and after all of the searching and planning of this moment she had not wanted to mess it up. Now though, as she sat alone in the unfamiliar house she felt terrified, after spending so long rehearsing what she would say and do, it all seemed so spontaneous and she had no real idea of what she was going to do next.

Bobby had used the excuse of going to get a drink for his 'guest', in order to find his wife. She was sat on the side of their bed, looking vulnerable as she dabbed a scrunched up tissue to her face in order to wipe away the tears that had continued to flow.

"Oh Darling," Was all Bobby managed to sigh as he took a seat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked smoothly as she wept more fiercely into the comfort of his body next to hers. They had always kept such an honest relationship, been open with one another –well, that's what Bobby had thought, yet now it seemed as though he knew nothing at all about his wife and what hurt most was that she hadn't opened up to him.

"I'm sorry." Ann mumbled as she blew her nose, "Bobby I'm so sorry but I have to sort this out by myself," It killed her to see the hurt in his eyes as she spoke of keeping him in the dark once more, "just let me speak to her alone." She'd wiped the remaining tears away now as she stood up from the bed to make her way back downstairs. Before she left, she gave Bobby a tender kiss on the cheek and hoped that he would understand, that when she finally explained all of this to him, he would understand.

"Sophie?"

Although it was whispered the name made her jump, she hadn't been called that for so many years.

"That's not my name anymore." She commented coldly as she stared directly into the eyes of the woman she had always been searching for. Even during those happy times there had been this darkness because she was missing a part of her and now she was stood before her and mirroring her stare with those familiar eyes.

Ann tentatively walked closer and when the girl, she'd thought was Sophie, didn't object, she took a seat next to her but purposefully kept a distance so that it wasn't too uncomfortable.

"It's Lilly now, my name's Lilly." She added, in a monotone that allowed her to keep her feelings hidden. That was how she'd learnt to live, by keeping her emotions under wraps so that she was never made to feel vulnerable, so that she couldn't be hurt again. Right now, sitting in this warm home next to her mum – it was the most vulnerable she had ever felt in her life, and that scared her.

"That's a pretty name." Ann commented, not at all what she had intended to say but all she could really manage as she fought to keep the lump in her throat from allowing all her tears to gush out all over again.

"I'm sorry" she added after a moment of silence. Those were the words that she had really intended to say; the words that she had said over and over as she'd cried herself to sleep each night. Never had she honestly thought that she would get the opportunity to sit besides her daughter and say those words, but now that she had, she realised how empty they were. By the look of anger that flashed in Lilly's eyes – she thought that too.

"I know it's not enough but –" Ann tried to redeem the statement and explain what she really meant by 'sorry' but it was too late, Lilly's had jumped up from the sofa to stand in front of Ann.

"You're sorry! Is that it? What? After everything that happened, after all you put me through, do you really think that you can just sit here and say that you're sorry and everything will be alright again?"

"No, not at all Soph-" As she went to say the name she stopped herself and corrected it, "Lilly, I know it's nowhere near enough but you have to believe that I mean it, I truly am sorry."

"Oh please! Sat here in your grand house with a loving family, sure doesn't look very sorry to me!" Her voice boomed in indignation as she let out the feelings that had been bottled up for far too long. This wasn't how it was supposed to have been, but she would not sit here and listen to lies after everything she'd been through.

"It hasn't always been like this, I didn't just leave you and start again I –"Impulsively Ann defended herself, it was something she'd taught herself to do as a method of protection. If only the pair knew how alike they really were.

"I should have known you'd make this all about you, you selfish –"

"Now that's enough!" Bobby cut the girl off as he entered the room. He respected that Ann wanted to solve this her own way but after listening to the voice's continuously raise, he couldn't just sit there any more and do nothing.

"What's all this shouting going to solve, huh?" He asked calmly, moving closer to his wife but keeping his eyes on the woman who still stood up pacing lightly from one foot to the other because she remained agitated. Bobby had grown up in a family where arguing was all there was, he had worked so hard to prevent that from continuing into his family and although this may not be exactly his family business, it was still his home.

"Bobby, it's alright, she has a right to be angry."

"Damn right I do –"

"Maybe, but there's no need to shout the house down darlin'" Bobby smiled and the young woman didn't say anything when he stepped towards her, there was an undeniable kindness about the man and she couldn't deny that he'd done absolutely nothing wrong to her even though she'd invaded his home.

"Now, I'm sorry but I haven't even asked your name, what is it?" The way to go about this awkward situation was to remain calm and pleasant in Bobby's opinion. He could sense by her stiff composure that Ann still didn't want him getting involved in this, but for once he would ignore his wife simply because he loved her and wished to help her.

"My name's Lilly sir and your Bobby I gather. Now I apologise for barging into your home, lord you're not involved in our problems and I don't intend to drag you into them but I have a few things to sort out with that wife of yours." She would be respectful to this man, but the anger inside of her just wouldn't allow her to say a kind word about Ann, not yet anyway, there was still so much left to say.

The slight twang of Lilly's accent sent a shiver down Bobby's spine, yet another resemblance to the wife he loved which served as a reminder that they were connected. It took him a moment to regain his composure but he couldn't allow her to speak to Ann that way;

"Now you listen here young lady you won't speak to my wife that way again, you hear? What you need to understand is that Annie's problems are mine too and I may not know exactly what's going on here but I sure intend to find out. We can at least try to keep everyone happy but it's only going to work if you hold back that temper." He spoke logically and reasonably to the women as they watched him with those eerily identical eyes.

"Fine, I'll try." Lilly stated and resumed her seat next to Ann, "But I want some serious explanations right, it's the least I deserve."

"Of course," Ann replied. Bobby made to leave the room again, now that he had settled the pair he respected that they might need some privacy to talk their 'problems' out, but Ann reached out for his arm. "You should hear too Bobby, you might not feel the same way about me afterwards darling but you deserve to know the truth."

He stayed and sat by her side, perched on the arm of their sofa. As much as he hated having been kept in the dark, he worried now that he would regret knowing what he was about to hear. Bobby loved this woman very much and couldn't contemplate anything her having to say would alter his view on her. However, if there was one thing Bobby Ewing could do well, it was read people's emotions and right now his wife was terrified which only made him scared himself. The only sign of comfort that he could give was to take her hand in his and he hoped that this action would be enough as she began to speak.

Please comment and let me know what you think, ideas always welcome as I'm not really basing this on any current story lines :)