Hey all! Sorry it's been so long between posts, I haven't been the most healthiest of late but here is the update & hopefully its steering this story in the right direction. I'm hoping to update the other fic soon so please just be patient & I'll try to do you proud.

Entering the busy sports bar Jamie sought out his son who had been avoiding him all week, Jamie knew the obvious reason behind his childish behavior. Caleb had been quiet ever since he met Thomas, or more to the point he'd been quiet ever since he found out who Thomas's mother was.

Sitting down on the stool beside him Jamie & ordered two beers. He didn't say a word & neither did Caleb, it wasn't until Jamie took his first mouthful that Caleb finally spoke up.

" When were you going to tell me? " He kept his focus on the big screen.

" Tell you what? " Jamie asked, he knew exactly what he was asking but he'd rather Caleb come out & say it.

" Don't bullshit me Jamie you know exactly what " Caleb spat back at him. Jamie took another mouthful of beer hating that Caleb called him Jamie & not Dad, Caleb always had a way of hurting his father when he was angry about family matters.

" What was I suppose to say? " he stared at Caleb.

" Oh I don't know, maybe something along the lines of I've been talking with your ex-girlfriend again and oh one more thing...I'm taking her son camping this weekend. I mean, what the fuck? " Caleb slammed his hand down on the bar making those closest to them jump on their stool.

" I didn't realize I had to tell you every little thing I do. And if you must know I never stopped talking to Hanna or Ashley, I just never told you that I never stopped talking to them. What are you more pissed about? The fact I get to spend time with the family I never had or the fact that you're not in the inner circle of the Marin family? " Jamie retaliated.

" I didn't realize there was an inner circle, I never interfered with Hanna's life out of respect. We went our separate ways and I kept it that way. But here you are bringing it back into my life " Caleb gulped down the last of his beer.

" How am I? I don't invite her to our things & she doesn't invite you either for the exact same reason you just said. If you must know your name doesn't even come up. You & Hanna may have ended things but we never did. I like them & they accept me so I'm not cutting ties with them because of you " Jamie turned in his seat, he could see Caleb flexing his jaw. A clear sign his son was pissed off and biting back what he really wanted to say.

" Can we just drop it? I don't want to discuss it anymore " Caleb threw some money down on the bar & stepped away. " In fact...I think I've had enough for tonight ".

Jamie followed him catching him on the side walk outside the bar.

" Hey! Whats really going on up there? " he pointed to the side of his head.

" Nothing. I'm tired & I don't want to talk history " Caleb kept walking toward his truck, Jamie knew if he pushed a little harder Caleb would say what it was that was really bothering him. If he was this riled up this much it had to be something.

" Caleb! Stop shutting me out & just give it to me, you're pissed off because I lied to you? Is that it? " Jamie knew it wasn't entirely the truth of the matter but what else did he have to go on.

" No you know what infuriates me? " he turned on the spot to face Jamie. " That someone got her pregnant. Someone left her all alone to raise a kid. A kid who doesn't have a father & probably wonders everyday if this is the day my Dad comes back. A kid who wonders every god damn day what his father looks like. There. Happy now? Her kid reminded me of how I felt when I didn't have a father ". Jamie hooked his thumbs into the loops of his jeans, he bit his lip & shook his head.

" Well shit... I mean that wasn't what I...I didn't bring him around last weekend to remind you of that " Jamie was ashamed Caleb's childhood was still a very sore spot for him.

" Well it did so... " Caleb got into his truck and started the engine.

" She knows who the father is Caleb " He walked around the truck & hung his arm on the door. " She said he wasn't ready to be a father so she left. She made that decision all on her own & she's doing quite well, better than one might expect " he tried lessening the hurt Caleb may be feeling.

" I guess life just keeps handing the both of us a shitty hand " Caleb started to pull away from the curb. Jamie stepped aside & watched his son drive away into the night. Jamie walked back to his truck & thought about all the things Hanna ever told him about Thomas's biological father. Who he was, where he lived, the circumstances that lead to her falling pregnant & being abandoned.

If there was one thing Jamie could do to put his sons mind at rest, He was going to do it. It was time he started asking questions from someone other than Hanna.

One week later Jamie tracked down the one & only Travis Hobbs, turns out the boy didn't go too far from home. As Jamie drove through Rosewood he couldn't help but look up at the beautiful bell he restored years ago. It still looked as good as the day they re-hung it. On the other side of town Jamie pulled into the empty gas station & looked at the man working behind the counter.

He hoped this was the person he could get answers from.

The bell rang over the door as Jamie stepped into the small shop, he approached the counter & looked over his features wondering which part of him made Thomas. It wasn't his green eyes, it most certainly wasn't his sandy blonde hair nor was it his pale skin.

" Travis Hobbs? " Jamie asked.

" That's me, who's asking? " he closed the cigarette case behind him.

" Jamie Doyle " he held out his hand. " I just wanted to ask you a few questions if you have time? "

" About what exactly? " Travis put both his palms down on the counter.

" Hanna Marin "

" Gees...thats a name I haven't heard in a while " he rubbed his hand down his cheek, " Hanna was a sweet girl but it was wasn't meant to be. How is she do you know? " Travis asked.

" She's good. Great in fact but I wanted to see if you could confirm something for me. Hanna said about five years ago you & her were involved? " Jamie waited patiently.

" Yeah we dated for a few months. Nothing serious, she was still hung up on some ex-boyfriend of hers ". Some ex-boyfriend? That ex-boyfriend is my son Jamie thought.

" So you dated but you were never...how shall I put this? Intimate? ".

" That's a bit personal isn't it? " Travis retorted. Jamie had no idea how to respond so rather than beat around the bush he just came out & said it.

" Hanna has a kid. And she says its yours... " Travis' face went blank.

" Well I hate to break it to you Jamie? " he asked " but in order for her to fall pregnant with my child we'd actually have to have sex. I barely got past first base with Hanna. She was a sweet girl but she was never into me that way " Travis spoke with such disappointment, Jamie couldn't help but feel bad for him.

" Huh " Jamie tapped his knuckles on the counter, if Travis wasn't the father then who else could be Thomas' father? " Well, that clears things up sort of. I'm uh...sorry to have bothered you. You have a good day now " Jamie turned and walked out of the gas station. As he got back into his truck he started to wonder who else Hanna could have slept with, he didn't remember any other boys being around after Caleb and Ashley told the exact same story as Hanna did.

Could there be a possibility Hanna & Ashley made a pact to keep a much bigger secret? The secret of who Thomas's real father was, and if so why would they feel they had to lie to him of all people. He was like family to them.

The following week Jamie was working alongside Caleb ripping apart a bathroom & throwing the old & rotten remains into a large metal skip bin outside the home. For half an hour they walked back & forth with parts of the wall, scooped up broken tiles and eventually carried the massive bath tub outside.

" Ready? One. Two. Three " in one go they lifted the old bath into the skip bin with the rest of the debris. Caleb retuned back to the bathroom to sweep up the last of their mess when Jamie stood in the door way.

" So I went on a hunch & found out some thing " he crossed his arms over his body.

" What thing? " Caleb asked.

" About Thomas, more specifically about Hanna " Caleb hit his head on the door handle as he looked up.

" What about her? " Caleb rubbed his head.

" Well I went looking for Travis Hobbs the guy she says fathered Thomas and turns out the guy never slept with Hanna. Said he barely got to first base with her "

" And why is that important to me? " Caleb pretended not to care.

" Because Travis didn't father Thomas. He's not his child " Jamie emphasized the word not.

" So who is then? " Caleb wanted to know.

" I don't know I haven't quite figured that out yet. But when I do I want to ask the asshole why he never hung around " Jamie pushed himself off the door & went to supervise another area of the house.

Later that afternoon Caleb threw his keys on the sideboard as he walked inside his home, he kicked his boots off in the hall & dumped his bag on the floor. Stripping off his dirt & dust ridden clothes he shuffled into the kitchen & grabbed a beer from the fridge. Gulping down the cool liquid he let out a groan. There really was nothing better than coming home to a quiet house & a nice cold beer.

Caleb had lived by himself for the past four years, there were no friends waiting to greet him nor any female companions. He could drop his clothes where he wanted, he could drink from the milk carton without being nagged hell he could even walk around naked.

Caleb had no attachments & no one to answer to. Free as a bird. The way he always wanted to be. Sitting on the worn leather couch Caleb kicked up his heels & finished the cool beer, shortly after he fell asleep.

As their hands entwined he moved them to the sides of her head, thrust after thrust he filled her completely. When she grabbed a handful of his hair tugging him down to kiss her Caleb let go spilling his love into her & whispered his true feelings.

" I love you Hanna "

" Stay with me a little longer? " Hanna whispered back.

Caleb shot up from the couch knocking the beer bottle on to the floor, he was shocked he remembered that night so vividly. What bothered him the most was those last few words

Stay with me a little longer...