AN: Thanks so much for all the reviews. They mean so much and have given me a lot of ideas for the rest of the story. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. I'm going to try and keep updating as soon as I can. I started school again this Monday and this semester is going to kill me before it's over. Enough of that.... previous disclaimer still stands true... Enjoy and review please!!!!

**** Chapter Four****

I woke the next morning wishing I had gotten a better nights sleep. My dreams had become all too similar to my reality thus keeping me awake into the wee hours of the morning. I rolled over in my bed and tried to fall back asleep but failed. My rumbling stomach was demanding food and I knew I couldn't hold it off any longer. I checked my alarm clock and noted the time. I eventually rolled out of bed and threw a t-shirt on before heading into the house.

I entered an empty kitchen and couldn't have been more grateful. The house was actually an eerie kind of quiet which was out of the norm. I quickly yanked the refrigerator open and desperately searched for something to fill my stomach with.

"I just got some bagels if you want one."

I whipped around and saw Lily standing in the doorway with a coffee mug in hand.

"Oh, I didn't see them." I replied as I glanced at the bag on the counter.

I began to prepare my bagel in silence while Lily just stood there and watched me.

"Is he.."

"He's working upstairs right now." She answered quietly.

I nodded but didn't look up at her. I didn't want to look at another disappointed set of eyes.

"I'm sorry about what happened last night. The way the girls found out and everything." Lily said to me in a soft tone.

I slowed my pace of spreading cream cheese on my bagel as she spoke to me.

"It's not your fault Lily. It's just the way Dad and I are." I said.

I finally looked up at her and held her stare for a moment. I had no idea how to read her thoughts through her eyes like I did with my parents but I was learning. Lily was a different type of parent than mine. I enjoyed her company and was glad my dad picked her to marry in the end. Lily always had a way of getting me to talk when I didn't want to and she was at it again.

"What are you up to today?" She asked nonchalantly.

"I've got rehearsal at Coop's later this afternoon. We're trying to get some songs down for our gig next month. I've got to meet with Robin sometime today too." I answered.

Lily's eyebrow lifted at my response.

"Robin?"

"Skye's mom." I answered.

"You've got a baby girl huh?" Lily said with a small but genuine smile. I saw the twinkle in her eyes that came whenever someone mentioned babies.

"Yeah." was all I could say as I looked down at the counter for a distraction.

Just then as if on cue my dad entered the kitchen and froze when he saw me. I glanced up and saw he was still angry with me from the look in his eyes. I quickly gathered my bagel and headed towards the door.

"Later Lily." I added before the door slammed behind me.

"Is it cold in here or is it me?" Lily asked.

"Lil, he still needs to cool off before we talk again." Rick explained.

"He's not the only one."

"What do you expect from me? I have no clue how to handle this at all and on top of it, I've got to think about how all of this effects all the other members of this family." He commented.

Lily looked a bit taken back by his tone but continued "I don't expect anything more than you can give Rick. Just remember it's about Eli not the girls and how they feel right now. Oh by the way, you've got a granddaughter."

And with that she left the kitchen, leaving Rick there to process it all. He knew she was angry with him but it was just another thing he couldn't handle at that moment.

It took a few days before the ice began to melt a little between my dad and I. I won't lie and say we were back to normal happy as pie. No way. I knew he was still disappointed in me. I would have been an idiot not to see it or feel it every time he was around me. Mom was another story however.

She had let go of her angry faster than him which I was grateful for. She was rather a surprising quiet party in the matter which wasn't like her at all. Normally she had a lot to say about everything but not my daughter.

My daughter.

I still wasn't used to saying that. Robin was still a complicated matter in my life and royal pain in the ass to be honest. I had been meeting with her for over two weeks trying to get somewhere with her. She had yet to give me a straight answer about her motives or her plans for Skye. As well as her plans involving me. She was rather impossible to talk to but I tried my best to make the most of it. I dreaded each time I went to meet her but knew it had to be done. The same gloomy feeling came over me while I waited at the coffee house for her to show up. She was always late no matter when or where we decided to meet at. I gave her some slack at first knowing getting Skye ready probably took some time but it was as if she didn't bother to try and make it on time.

I glanced at my watch again and then looked towards the door. There was no sign of her but after all she was only 45 minutes late. One time she showed up over an hour late just as I was heading for the door. She still had some time I guess. I hated letting her jerk me around the way she did but didn't know what was else to do.

Finally I grew tried and left the coffee house for home.

I pulled in the driveway and instantly noticed the garage door was open. I couldn't remember if I had left it open by mistake but it wouldn't have been the first time. I didn't see dad's car anywhere but noticed Lily's. At least she wouldn't bite my head off for making a simple mistake like leaving a door open. I quickly parked the car and then headed inside. I took my coat off and hug it on the rack before I headed into the house.

"Eli, I'm surprised to see you back so soon." Lily said with surprise over the music she was playing. She looked up from her laptop at me.

"I'm not surprised to be back so soon. I think I might have messed up the days or something." I confessed.

"She wasn't there?"

"Nope." I said as I plopped down on the couch in an exaggerated manner.

"I could have sworn it was today but it's a simple mistake I guess." She said with ease.

"Yeah, so what are you doing home? I thought you had to be at the station late tonight?" I inquired.

She turned down the music that was playing in the background as she replied "I was but I have some research to do and just couldn't get it done at the office. I've been trying to zone out with a little music and it's been going well."

I got off the couch as I said "Well, I don't to interrupt you're groove here. I'm think I'm gonna head to Coop's or something."

"OK, thanks Eli."

I stopped in the kitchen to grab a soda when Lily called back to me.

"YEAH?" I called out as I headed back to the living room.

"Before you leave again I was wondering if you've got Rolling Stones in your music collection?" She asked.

I laughed in shock "What?"

"Rolling Stones. I don't know what your type of music is exactly but I think Jake took my Stone CDs a long time ago. Anyhow, I wanna listen to them. Do you have any I could borrow.?" She asked again with a smile.

I continued to smile as she spoke again.

"I'll be careful with it and bring it back to your room when I'm done."

"Alright Lily, I'll go and see what I can muster up for you before I go." I agreed and then flashed her a toothy grin.

"Thanks Eli." She called to me as I headed to my room.

I flung the door open and quickly headed over to me music collection. I sifted through a few stacks searching for the cd's she had requested. I was so caught up in my search almost didn't notice. It caught the corner of my eye but soon had my full attention. I took in the sight on my bed and couldn't believe my eyes. I froze in place but my mind was racing a mile a minute.

"ROBIN?" I called out in urgency.

My feet started to move and I darted into my bathroom but found no one. I searched around my small room for her but found nothing.

"ROBIN? WHERE ARE YOU?" I yelled out again.


I ran towards the door and looked in the garage but found no sign of her. I stood there looking out at the empty space until I heard it. The sound that scared me the most. I slowly made my way back to my room and stood there starting at the bed. Skye's little face had grown pink as she continued to cry in distress. I obviously had woken her up with my yelling but who knew how long she had been sleeping in her carrier on my bed, in my room, at my house. All without me knowing.

"Shhhhhh baby, let's not cry ok." I hushed to her but knew I had no effect on her. Her cries just continued louder until I couldn't take it anymore.

I awkwardly reached into the carrier and took her into my arms. I bounced her for a second not knowing what else do to.


"Skye shhhhhh calm down. Please stop." I said to her again louder trying to be heard over her cries.

She began to wiggle in my arms as she became even more upset than before. Not knowing what else to do I bolted for the house. I held her in my arms as I entered the house.

"LILY!!!!" I called out in desperation.

I entered the living room again with a baby instead of her cds while she hung up the telephone.

"OK, I'll get to you first thing in the morning. Bye." She said and then hung up.

She looked at me standing there with a crying baby in my arms and her jaw dropped open.

"She's gone." was all I could manage to say.