Chapter Ten

Pete didn't know how long he sat next to Cassie's beside with their daughter right next to them. After all that had happened he was not going to let them out of his site ever again. He had came so close to losing them both. It had only been a few days since the hostage situation and yet it felt like it had just happened. Now here he sat in her hospital room. She had lost a lot of blood and had a slight infection. She was lucky that she made it out a live. When he opened his eyes he saw her holding their daughter. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. She was smiling down at the little angel they had.

"As soon as we get out of here mommy's going to get a nice place for us and you're going to have a big beautiful nursery filled with all sorts of things that will make you happy." he heard her promise their little girl.

"Maybe if it's okay with mommy daddy could help with that nursery." Pete suggested softly as he leaned in to them both and touched his daughter's head. She lay sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms.

"Sure if you want too" Cassie said as she looked at Pete. God I'm glad he's okay. I only wonder if he's here out of obligation or what. She thought as she watched his facial expressions as he looked at their daughter.

"Of course I do." he had never felt more love than he did at this very moment. He didn't want to think about anything else. He just wanted to have this one moment with his family. It's weird to say my family. He thought as he leaned onto Cassie's bed. This is exactly what I want and where I want to be.

"You know just because she's your daughter it does not mean that you have to stay with us." Cassie said as she handed their daughter to a nurse who came in to take her to get checked over.

"Is that why you think I stood outside of the hotel scared out of my mind?" he questioned once the nurse had taken Hope out of the room

"No, it's not, I know you don't want to be tied down." she said to him trying to let him have an easy way out.

"Yeah, that was true at one point in my life, but everything's changed for me." he said to her as he looked into her eyes. There was so much pain in their depths.

"Was this before or after Patrick told you I was pregnant with your child?" she asked as it hit her how he knew. Patrick how could you betray my confidence? She wondered

"It was before, but Patrick didn't have to tell me I can count you know." he said as he looked into her eyes" It all makes sense now."

"So, he didn't tell you, you just figured it out all on your own and decided that you wanted to stick around." she said to him not really believing that he wanted this.

"Yes, weather you chose to believe me or not." he told her honestly" When I saw you at Kelly's and found out you were pregnant." he paused" I thought it was another man's I was pissed that another man could give you what I never could." He closed his eyes" I loved you back then when we were together it was why I kept coming back to you. No other girl felt right you did" He paused again" Being with you was like coming home over and over."

"Why did you not tell me this before?" she asked curiously

"Because I didn't want to admit it even to myself." he said honestly" I told myself every time I was with you that it was because the sex between us was great. Not because it felt like home."

She didn't say anything she just sat there and listened to him.

"I didn't want to love you or anyone else. I always thought of it as a foolish emotion that we didn't need." he confessed to her" Then you came to me and said you were leaving." he paused as he thought back on that memory" You walked away with all of my heart."

"Leaving you was the hardest thing I had ever done." she said softly" I want to believe everything you're saying, but I can't." she paused this time" How do I know it's because of what you feel for me not what happened that's making you feel things for me that's allowing you to be so opened?"

" You'll just have to trust me." he said as he looked deep into her eyes hoping beyond hope that she would believe him

" I want you to be apart of Hope's life." she said softly as she held his eyes with hers" When I was in the hotel I vowed that should I make it out alive I was going to tell you exactly how I felt and that you were the father of Hope." She paused as memories of that night came back to her." After I gave birth I was so weak I barely remember what happened." she let out a breath she wasn't even aware of holding.

"You're safe now you don't have to think about what happened." He said feeling angry at the people that held them hostage. He hated that he saw fear in her eyes. There wasn't anything she could do to make that fear go away.

"My father knew Craig." she confessed" Craig was the ring leader. He was trying to make me tell him the combination to the brief case that he was after I didn't know it, but I didn't tell him because I bargained with him to let my little girl go free and he did. Then he kept making these crude suggestions about what I could do to save everyone's lives." she paused as she closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath" There was a woman they called her Sam. She kept trying to help me, but Sonny kept telling her to be quite. There was a man there I think he said his name was Nick or something like that." she was trying to remember the events that happened" A pregnant nurse name Elizabeth and Emily helped deliver our baby are they okay?"

"Yes, they are. Elizabeth was kept in the hospital for observation." he said as he held her hand

"Robin was shot how is she?" she asked

"She's fine Patrick has been with her since they brought her in." He told her

"Jason." she said as she remember that he saved her life" How is he? He saved my life by getting me out."

"Um, last I heard he was okay." he told her " Sam got out too, so did Sonny, Nicholas and Carly."

"I'm glad everyone got out okay." she said relieved that no one died. Craig was a very cold person she knew that better than anyone.

"I'm just glad that you and our baby are okay." he told her as he snuggled up to her.

She lay there in the arms that she had always belonged. Whatever doubts she had she'd deal with later for right now sleeping in Pete's arms was exactly where she needed to be.