A/N Hey guys! I know it has been a while since I updated. Two of my family members have the stomach bug, and I don't feel well so I hope this chapter is ok. I just want to warn that this is an AU story and I have no clue what Hawkes's background story is. So what I wrote came from my own head. Hope everyone had a good Easter! Thanks for the reviews and thanks to my Beta Reader clemsongirl26 for all her help.

Chapter 4

Peyton sat curled up on the couch waiting for Mac to come home. She had been at work when she heard that Don had been shot; it was worrying her that Mac had not called. She knew that Mac would want to stay with Stella until they found out how Don was. It was early morning when she heard the door open. She got up off the couch and met them in hall. She could tell by the look on Stella and Mac's faces something bad had happened. She quickly pulled Stella in to a hug; she felt Stella sink into her embrace as she gentle rubbed her back. Peyton locked eyes with Mac. He shook his head to her questioning eyes and she quickly hugged Stella tighter then led her to the couch. Peyton was gently rubbing Stella's back when Mac walked up to them with a glass of water.

"Hawkes told me to make sure you drink plenty of water," Mac said tiredly, but in a tone that said "don't argue."

Stella sat up and took the glass.

"I'll go fix up the guest room," Peyton said as she stood up.

"Thank you," Stella said softly.

"Anything we can do, we are here for you," Peyton said as she turned around only to step on a book that squeaked.

"I'll make sure you don't break your neck around here too," she added chuckling as she bent down and picked up the books and put them in a bin beside the couch.

Peyton walked into the guest room and began to pick up some toys that the girls had left in there. She didn't even realize she was crying until a drop fell on the light blue comforter she pulled down for Stella. She soon found herself in Mac's arms. He was gently wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"How did it happen?" she whispered into his chest.

"He was getting out of his car when he was shot and robbed. It seems to be the guy we have been looking for," he said bitterly.

"Oh, Mac, this is not your fault. I want you to be careful. Promise me, Mac," she said looking up at him tearfully.



He kissed her on the forehead and then pulled away.

"I'll go tell Stella the room's ready," Mac said then turned and walked out the door.

Peyton wiped her eyes and went to go check on the girls. She shivered when she suddenly felt a cold chill.

Don wasn't sure what to do, so he followed Mac and Stella to Mac's house.

"I knew you would take care of her for me, Mac," he said.

He tried to sit by Stella on the couch only to fall though the couch. He cursed and pushed himself off the floor. He smiled softly as he watched Stella smile as Peyton picked up the children's books. He followed them back to the guest room.

"Mac, she's right this isn't your fault. It's mine. You have to catch this guy, but you have to keep your head together. I know I'm not exactly the guy to talk, but you have two beautiful little girls that need their dad," he pleaded.

He watched as Mac walked out of the room and Peyton wiped her eyes. He walked in front of Peyton.

"I'll make sure he keeps his promise," Don said as Peyton walked though him.

He hated when that happened. He followed her into the girls' room.

Mackenzie Grace is four years old. Everyone affectionately calls her Kenzie. She has brown hair and light brown eyes. She loves to smile and be the center of attention. She is a daddy's girl.

Alexis Abigail is about to turn one in two weeks. She is completely different from her sister. Everyone affectionately calls the shy little girl Lexi. She has hazel eyes and little bit of brown hair. She is one serious baby. She stares a hole into anybody that comes into view, like her daddy when he looks at a piece of evidence. She only smiles when she really gets to know a person.

Peyton made sure the small lamp on the dresser was turned on. Then she gently pulled Kenzie's blanket over her then went to stroke Lexi's face with her finger before leaving the room.

Don sat on the floor in the girl's room not sure what else to do. He watched the girls sleep. It was just last week he and Stella had bought Lexi's birthday gifts.



Don shifted the bags he had been carrying all day for the hundredth time. Stella was happily looking around at the baby clothes and toys.

"Stella, please I know you have to be tired. We have been at this all day," Don begged.

"Come on, Don, admit that you are getting old and we can go home," she said challenging him.

"If it means I get to go home and curl up on the couch with you and catch the rest of the game, then yes I'm ancient," he said.

She laughed and shook her head.

"I'm done after this store. I promise," she said shifting though a rack of clothes.

"I heard that three stores ago," he mumbled.

"No, I'm done. Even though I can't see them my feet are swollen and my back is starting to hurt," she said as she rubbed the lower part of her back.

He put down the bags and walked over her, then began to massage her back where her hands had been. He smiled as he felt her relax into his hands. He slowly moved his hands around to the front of her belly to feel the baby. He pulled her closer to him. He wasn't the one to usually show affection, but since Stella found out she was pregnant, he wanted to do nothing but feel his child move in her. He heard her gasp suddenly.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" he asked nervously.

"Oh I'm fine. I just found the perfect outfit I'm going to get for Lexi for her birthday," she said holding up an outfit.

The outfit was a white one piece body suit with pink block letters that said BORN A PRINCESS and pants the same color pink as the letters.

"Isn't this perfect since both of those girls are Mac's princesses?" Stella asked.

"Yeah it's great. Now that we have her a toy that makes lots of noise and an outfit for Lexi's birthday like we have done for Kenzie's past four birthdays, are we ready to go?" he asked whining.

"Yes, you big baby!" she said pulling away from him to go pay for the outfit.

"Great! We already have the movies. Now I just have to go by Ray's and get the pizza, then we can sit on the couch and I can finish rubbing your back," he said picking up the bags and following her to the cashier.

"Sounds like a plan," she said smiling.



"Are you sad, Uncle Don?" Kenzie's sleepy voice asked.

Don raised his head up from his knees that were pulled up to his chest and looked at the little girl.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Are you sad?" she repeated.

He couldn't believe that this four year old could see him. How could that be possible? But of course, how could any of this be possible?

"Yeah, I guess I am sad," he said.

"Why?" she asked sitting up and wiping the hair out of her face.

"Because I'm not going to be able to come to Lexi or your birthday parties anymore," he said.

"Why? Are you moving?" she asked as her eyes got teary.

"Yeah, I'm moving far away and I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to see you guys anymore."

"Is Aunt Stella leaving too?"

"No, she is going to stay here and take care of the baby."

"I'm going to miss you," she said sadly.

"I'm going to miss you both very much."

Don turned to see Lexi standing in her crib staring at him intensely like she understood everything he said. Then she smiled and waved her little hand at him.

"Kenzie, will you do something for me? Will you make sure that you and Lexi become friends with my baby and help take care of him or her?"

Kenzie nodded.

"Will you give you Aunt Stella a hug and tell her I love her very much and I don't want her to be sad?" he added.

Kenzie nodded looking very sad.

"I have to go now. You go back to sleep," Don said standing up.



"I love you," she mumbled lying back down. She still looked like she was about to cry.

"I love you too, kiddo," he said then walked out of the room.

Don decided it was time to get some answers. He saw that Stella had not made it off the couch. She was sound asleep with her head in Peyton's lap and Mac was sacked out in his old leather chair. He walked through the door and headed for Hawkes's place.



Peyton woke up with a cramp in her neck and her phone ringing. As quickly as she could, she grabbed her phone off the coffee table.

"Hello?" she answered quietly.

"Peyton?" said a confused voice.

"Sid, oh my gosh! I'm an hour late for my shift. I'm so sorry," she said as she tried to remove Stella's head for her lap without waking her.

"Is everything ok?" Sid asked concerned.

"Not really, but I will explain everything later. Can you cover for me until I get the girls to where they need to be?" she asked as she headed towards her room to get dressed.

"Of course. Take your time."

"Thanks, I'll see you soon," she said hanging up.

Peyton got ready in record time, and then headed for the girls' room. She was surprised to see both of her children awake, but what really surprised her was Kenzie looked liked she had been crying.

"Baby, what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?" she asked as she walked over to her oldest child's bed.

"I don't want Uncle Don to move," she cried.

Peyton was completely shocked that her child knew something was wrong with her favorite uncle. She really didn't know how to tell her baby that she was not going to ever see her uncle again.

"It was just a dream, baby," she said wiping her tears away.



"Nuh-uh, Uncle Don told me I had to tell Aunt Stella something," Kenzie said stubbornly.

"Ok, baby, but not right now you are going to be late for preschool and Mommy is going to be late for work," Peyton said then stood up and began to pick out clothes for Kenzie and Lexi.

"Aunt Stella is here?" Kenzie asked hopefully.

"Yes, but we need to let her and Daddy sleep ok. You can see them when you get home. Now go get ready and you can eat at school," Peyton said as she laid an outfit on Kenzie's bed.

Soon Peyton had Lexi dressed in a blue dress and Kenzie in a pink polka dot sweater and blue jeans with a matching bow in her hair. She then went to the kitchen jotted a note for Mac and left it on the refrigerator for him then fixed a bottle for Lexi and put baby food in her diaper bag for the nursery to feed her. She made sure Kenzie had her princess book bag, and then rushed them out the door.

Don had only been to Hawkes's apartment once, but he somehow managed to find it again. He walked through the door. He was starting to get used to doing that. He saw that Hawkes was passed out on the bed; he hadn't even bothered to get undressed. Don noticed a few beer bottles littered the floor. He needed answers, but he did feel only a little guilty about what he was about to do.

"Morning sunshine!" Don said loudly right in Hawkes's ear.

Hawkes jumped ten feet off the bed.

"Flack! What the hell?" he grumbled.

Flack noticed that things seemed to connect in Hawkes's sluggish brain as he began to look around the room.

"It wasn't a dream," Hawkes said rubbing his face.

"I wish. You said that you could answer my questions, remember? I want to know why Kenzie and Lexi could see me," Don asked.

"They saw you?" he asked shocked.

"Yeah, now get your lazy butt up."



"Yeah, give me a minute. I just went to bed two hours ago," he grumbled as he headed for the bathroom.

"Yeah, you look like hell."

"Thanks," Hawkes said sarcastically as he came out of the bathroom in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. He went to his closet and pulled out a red sweatshirt then pulled it over his head.

He called for a cab, then went to the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee to take with him.

Once the cab came, Hawkes gave him an address and they were off.

"Want to clue me in as to where we are going?" Don asked.

"You'll see," Hawkes mumbled.

"What?" asked the cabbie.

"Nothing," Hawkes said.

The cab took them to an old part of town. Hawkes paid for the cab and got out. He walked passed the row of stores. Some were open and some that had been closed down. He then stopped in front of a store window.

"You're kidding me right?" Don asked as he read the door in front of him.

The door read in bold letters MIA HAWKES PSYCHIC AND SPIRITUAL READER.

"I wish," Hawkes sighed as he walked in the door making bells chime.

"Well, I am surprised to see you here," said a young woman as she came from the back of the store.

She resembled Hawkes in the face, but Don could tell she was younger than him.

"Is she here?" he asked grumpily.

"Well, aren't you being rude? You haven't even introduced your friend to me," she said smiling then crossed her arms.

"His name is Don," Hawkes said as he pushed past her.

"Grandma," Hawkes called into the back.

"Grandma?" Don repeated shocked.