I am so sorry for the late update! I feel so terrible. But I had this written out and ready to post, but then I didn't like it. So I changed it, and that happened about five times. LOL. But i hope you like this edit. Because I like it, but you might not. I'm not sure. Thank you so much Steph for you help! Love, Ashley.

John was still trying to digest what he had just been told. This had to be a joke. How could she have hidden this from him for so long? Didn't she think that he would have wanted to know that he had a daughter? t was no wonder he had felt such a connection with the little girl today. She was his blood. She was a part of him that he had never known about. Now that he thought about it, he could see some resemblance between them. She had his eyes, his smile, and some of his personality. A small smile formed on his lips as he continued to think about her. He had a daughter. Sure he was four years late entering her life. The smile slowly disappeared as his eyes finally met hers after what seemed like forever. Her jade eyes were filled with tears as she stood in the moonlight waiting for his response. She knew that it had been wrong not to tell him. She knew that he would have wanted to know. But fear still kept her from telling him.

"Why didn't you tell me before now?"

"I was afraid."

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Randy was taking care of the girls for the day; Jen and Sam would be busy working on things to help launch Samantha's new business. Of course he had no complaints; he loved spending time with Alanna and Ronnie. He knew that John would be in St. Louis for a few days because of the company. He hoped that his best friend would have a day off that he could spend with him and the girls at the zoo. Randy wanted nothing more than to try and connect John with his daughter. Of course he would never tell Jen about it. She wouldn't approve.

She would tell him that it wasn't the time to tell John. He was busy with his job and that she didn't want to slow him down introducing a child into his life. But Randy knew better than anyone that John didn't think about anyone more than Jen. Of course he never understood why until recently. But he knew that he had to do something to try and help this couple.

"She seems to like you," Randy said looking in the rearview mirror at the two sleeping little girls in the backseat. He was happy to see that Ronnie took a liking to John. It was like they both knew they were connected in some way. But he wasn't going to be the one to spill that information. He would leave that Jennifer when they got home. "She doesn't warm up to people that fast…"

"I must be special then." John turned in his seat slightly to look at the little girl who had managed to steal his heart in a matter of a day. But he knew that he would probably never see her again. He hadn't seen Jen in four years and he knew that she wouldn't be happy about her daughter spending time with him. He couldn't deny the connection that he felt with this little girl. She reminded him so much of her mother; minus a few differences that seemed to resemble him.

"You are definitely special…"

John looked at his best friend suspiciously; he could tell that Randy was hinting at something but decided to not push the subject. Instead his attention was focused on the woman standing in the driveway of the Orton home. His mind was instantly filled with a memory he often thought of…

"John!" Her voice filled the air before he caught her in his arms. A smile graced her lips as she kissed him. "Mm, I missed you." Their eyes stayed locked as he pressed her against the hood of his truck. This kiss felt like none of the others they had ever shared before. It had meaning; it made him feel like they were connected as one. It was in that moment he knew he was falling in love with this woman. It wasn't planned. He never planned on falling for her. She was supposed to be like every other woman. But there was something about her. Something that made him only want her.

"I missed you too baby," he whispered before helping her into the passenger seat of his truck.

Instantly he was pulled out of his thoughts by the screams of a young girl. His eyes met Jen's for a moment, her eyes full of fear and concern. She was frozen. She couldn't move towards the street where their daughter lay screaming in pain. John was the first to break the gaze and move towards the little girl. She clenched his shirt in her tiny hands, burying her face into his chest soaking his white tee shirt. Jen was immediately at his side once they met the driveways end.

"Oh my God, Ronnie, baby, are you okay?" Pushing the bangs from her daughter's eyes, Jen examined the scratch on Ronnie's forehead.

"Let's get her inside Jen…" She followed John inside; her pace a few steps behind him

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It was while she helped John clean up their daughter she realized that she had to tell him. She watched them for the rest of the day; how connected they had become and how John really seemed to have taken a liking to her. Jen knew that she couldn't hide it from him anymore. At the request of Ronnie, John helped Jen put her to bed. If you didn't know any better, you would think that they were already a family. At least that's what Sam thought as she spied on them from the hallway.

After putting Ronnie to bed, Jen told John she had to talk to him. Of course he thought that she was going to tell him that he wasn't allowed to see her daughter anymore. But little did he know that he was about to get the biggest shock of his life.