Chapter 10: Destiny's New Path

10 months later

Ever since Jeremy and Faith talked, their relationship was better, and she was more relaxed when Eric stayed over with his dad. She wasn't pregnant yet, but she was happy about the situation because she was more assured that he loved her no matter what. Everybody noticed a change between the couple and they were happy for them, they just hoped that Destiny could be just as happy. They were all waiting for that day to come.

Now it was May, Eric had his seventh birthday two weeks ago, and Faith & Destiny's birthday was tomorrow. But unfortunately, Destiny took her dad's place at going to forensic conferences and there was one in San Francisco, so she wouldn't be around to celebrate with everybody.

Jeremy and Faith were doing the dinner dishes when there was a knock on the door.

He looked over at her. "I'll get it." She nods while drying the dishes as he leaned over and kissed her cheek before he walked to the front door.

After he got there and opened it, his smile grew when he saw his son on the other side.

Even though he can see him as much as he wants, it still gets him excited every time he sees him.

Eric smiles back. "Hi, dad."

Jeremy then brings him in a hug. "You excited to spend the weekend with me?"

As Eric nods they release one another, then with the bag in his hand, he ran to his bedroom.

They watch him before looking at one another, then Jeremy asked. "You want to come in?"

"Sure, but I only have time for a few minutes." He nodded as he stepped away to let her in before they walked toward the living room after the front door was shut.

When they got to the room, Faith had just finished wiping her hands as she smiled at her sister. "Too bad you won't be here for our birthday."

Destiny nodded, not wanting to mention the last time they missed a birthday.

Ever since Faith came back they celebrated their birthdays together, no matter what was between them, because they never wanted to take those birthdays together for granted.

Then she sighed. "I am sorry that I have to ruin your guys plans though, but it's something I couldn't help."

Faith shook her head. "No problem, we love having him here, plus we can celebrate next week." Jeremy smiled and nodded at that.

Destiny smiled in return. "Ok, good." Then she looked at her watch, seeing it was time, before she turned toward the bedrooms and yelled. "Eric, come say goodbye to your mother." Right after she said that, the little boy came running up to her.

They hugged before she kissed the top of his head. "I love you honey."

"Love you too mom."

She smiles while she pulls back to look at his face, her little boy was growing up before her eyes and looking so much like his father, then after one more hug, she looked at Jeremy and Faith. "I better get going."

They nodded as Jeremy replied. "I'll walk you out." Destiny nodded as they started walking toward the door, and after he opened it, she stepped out before turning around to look at him. "Be careful."

She looks at his concerned face, knowing that ever since the crash happened he gets concerned for her and Faith if they ever get on a plane.

Destiny gives him a small smile. "Jeremy, it will be fine, the flight is barely an hour."

He nods. "I know, its just..."

She cuts him off. "You're worried about me, that won't change, will it?"

He smiles, taking her hand. "Never, you're stuck with me being worried about you for the rest of your life, you're just going to have to deal with that."

She smiles, very appreciative. "Then I couldn't have a better worrier than you. Take care of our boy."

He squeezes her hand before releasing it. "I will, have fun and be safe."

She nodded as they looked at each other, both still showing how much they still cared for one another, then she sighed. "Bye, Jeremy."

"Bye, Destiny."

After one more nod and smile, she turned and walked off the covered porch and into her vehicle, and he didn't shut the door until she drove away.

He had always cared and worried about her before they had dated, and when they started dating his worry and caring went deeper. Now, even though they weren't together, it was still there and he doesn't think he will ever shake that feeling, but he was ok with that.

He sighed while he turned and walked to the living room, and when Faith looked up and saw Jeremy looking a little spacey, she asked. "Everything ok?"

He mentally shakes his head before giving her smile. "I'm fine."

Faith nodded, but knew he was worried about Destiny's plane ride.

Faith goes back to helping with the puzzle that her and Eric had set up, then after a few seconds, Jeremy goes and sits next to his son before the three of them puts the puzzle together, and he didn't stop being worried until he got a phone call from Destiny two hours later when she had called to say goodnight to Eric.

The next evening

Destiny had walked in the hotel bar room after attending her first night of two at the forensic conference, when her phone rings, and after she saw who it was, she smiles before hitting the talk button and bringing it up to her ear while she walked to one of the bar stools. "Hi sweetie, you having fun with your dad?"

Destiny smiles bigger and sits on the stool, listening to her son while he explained his day. She did notice an older man sitting a few seats away, but she was into her conversation with her son to give any special notice.

After talking to him for a few more minutes, Faith and Jeremy said happy birthday, which she said thanks and told Faith the same thing before Eric got back on the phone, then she laughs a little and replied. "Thank you buddy, that was the best Happy Birthday wish in my life."

She closes her eyes, hearing her beautiful son laughing, before he asked. "Really?"

"Yes." She then cleared her throat before finishing. "Listen buddy, I have to go. But I'll see you in a few days."

She hears a sigh before he replied. "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. I miss you."

"I miss you too mommy, and I love you."

She loves hearing those words from him, they were the best.

"I Love you too buddy, bye."

After she got a bye back, they hung up, then she sighed.

The man who had been sitting a few chairs down from her, spoke. "Hey Robert, give the lady a birthday beer, and put it on my tab."

The 30 something bartender nodded his head as Destiny turns her head to the right to really look at the guy that spoke.

He looked older, his hair was light brown, almost blond looking, that was in a crew cut, and when he looked at her, she noticed he had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. He also looked a little familiar to her but she couldn't place him right away.

She took a second longer before speaking. "Thanks for the drink."

He gives her a smile, which she thought that looked good too. "Well I figured since you are away from home on your birthday, it is the least I could do."

She takes a drink when it was in front of her before raising an eyebrow. "How do you know I am away from home?"

He smiles a bit bigger before replying. "Well, you are here and you were talking to someone, who I assume is really special to you, and really misses you. I don't think you would let them down by staying away if they lived here."

Destiny nods with a smile, thinking he was 'cute and very smart'. "True, you would be correct."

He gets a smirk on his face as she shakes her head before looking down at her beer, and while she was taking a drink, he asked. "So, was it your son? You kept calling him buddy."

She nods and swallows before looking toward him again. "Yes, my seven year old son."

He nods before looking down at his drink. "You married?" Then he shook his head, looked at her again, which she was looking at him a little shocked, so he continued. "Sorry, that was a little personal." He then looked back down at his drink.

Destiny was still looking at him, thinking about her choices.

She could get up, walk away and forget about this encounter, or she could stay and get to know him, which while she was still looking at him she had a very strong feeling about this, and since it was something she hadn't felt in a very long time and wasn't ready to let it go just yet, she gets up and sits down next to him before replying. "No, not married."

He looked over at her, surprised that she moved closer to him, but held out his hand. "Hi, I am John Wright."

Destiny mentally gasped and connected the dots.

Now she knew why he looked familiar, he was a professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Between watching baseball games with her dad as she got older and a few times with Jeremy, players names and faces were getting a little familiar to her.

But instead of making a spectacle of herself after hearing his name, she just smiles and takes his hand so they could shake. "Destiny Grissom."

He smiles, but she also noticed that he looked a little surprised that she either didn't know who he was, or knew who he was but didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

They release hands, both saying it was nice to met one another before they started their evening together.

The sun from the outside was shinning through the curtains, and the occupant from the bed opens her eyes slowly, but as the light was shinning in them, she shuts them again. She also noticed the feeling of a headache. She didn't get trashed last night, but it was enough to wake up with a slight headache.

When she opened her eyes again, she looked around without lifting her head, remembering that she went to John's room last night. She took a breath and turned her body around, seeing the empty space next to her.

She wasn't fully expecting him to be there, but it would have been nice. She knew what last night was and knew what she was doing, its just been awhile since she has been with anybody, and it wasn't like she had a lot of one night stands in her lifetime, but she did have a few.

The difference with this time was that she felt different, and she was just hoping on some level he felt the same as her, but considering she woke up alone, she was just another woman.

She sighed while thinking. 'What do you expect from a baseball star.' Before sighing again.

Just when she was going to sit up, she hears a bedroom door open and a man's voice. "Oh, you are awake." She moves her eyes over the clothed body of the man until she came to his face, which he had a small smile on it. She was so speechless that he was actually there, she just nodded, then he walked up to the bed and sat on his side before asking. "You ok?"

She cleared her throat with another nod. "Yeah, just a little headache."

He nods in understanding, pointing to her side of the table. "I left you some aspirin and water."

She sits up, bringing the comforter up with her, before turning to get the aspirin and water.

After she swallowed she looked at him, seeing that he was staring at her, then she cleared her throat again before replying. "Listen John, I know what last night was, and I don't ex..."

She gets cut off when he puts a finger to her lips. "What do you think last night was?"

He takes the finger off her lips as she raises an eyebrow. "I am sure a star baseball player such as yourself has had one or two one night stands in his life."

He looked at her a little shocked. "You knew who I was?"

She nodded and smiled at his surprised look. "Yes, I've watched a few baseball games in my lifetime."

He shook his head with a smile, looking down at his hands. "I would have never guessed you knew who I was." He looked at her again and continued. "You never acted like anybody else I've ever met, or any other woman for that matter."

This time she looked at her hands while replying. "Well then I must be one of a kind." Before she looked at him again.

He nods with his smile getting a little bigger, but there was also tenderness in his eyes as he cups her cheek. "You really are."

She cleared her throat before getting them back on topic. "Like I was trying to say, I don't expect anything. It was a wonderful night, but if that's all it was, then I understand and I'm ok with it."

While they were looking into each other's eyes, he made a decision right there, so he shook his head and spoke. "Have dinner with me tonight."

This time she looks at him with shock, she was not expecting that. "What?"

He scoots closer to her before continuing. "Have dinner with me tonight. I want to treat you right for your birthday, please?"

She was powerless to say no to him already, and that was kind of scaring her, then she mentally shook her head before replying. "I will be honored John Wright."

He gives her a dazzling smile as he leans toward her and kisses her on the forehead before pulling back and looking into her eyes while whispering. "I will pick you up here at 6."

She nodded with her heart still pounding at his touch and the way he was looking at her, then after one more kiss, which was light on the lips, he pulls back and continued. "I have a game to go to, but then I will pick you up for dinner, I promise." He wanted to make sure that she believed him.

She nodded. "I'll be waiting."

As he was getting up from the bed, he said. "Stay as long as you want and use whatever you need to. Then when you leave, just shut the door. I'll see you at six."

"Ok." He nods as he grabs his suit jacket, and after a few more seconds of staring at each other, he walked out of the door.

When the door closed, she puts a finger up to her lips and smiled while thinking how crazy this was.

Not only was he an Iconic Baseball star, but he was older, not that it bothered her, but she would never have thought this could happen in a million years. She knew that if this was a continuing thing, which she wouldn't get her hopes up too much, she needed to have a level head because she had a son to think about.

As she laid back down with the soft blankets around her, she thought about the events that happened before meeting him and after, she didn't think when she came to this conference that she would meet someone, let alone a professional athlete. But even if he was just a regular guy, she thinks the time that she had spend with him would have still been special to her.

She sighed again when her alarm on her phone went off, telling her it was time to get up and get ready for her last day of the conference.

When she was ready and had made it to the conference, she tried not to think about tonight, but she wasn't that successful, she just couldn't help it.

Although on the other hand, it did make the time go by faster, and once it ended, she went to a dress shop and bought something nice for tonight. Now normally, dressing up wasn't something she loved to do that much, only when it was important to do so, but tonight was different.

By the time she had bought the dress, was ready, and had called and finished her conversation with her son, her dinner date would be arriving any minute.

She stepped in the lobby of the hotel before looking down at her watch, seeing she was a few seconds early, then as she was counting down, she heard his voice. "Punctual, I like it."

When she looked up from her watch to look at the man before her, she mentally gasped, he looked more gorgeous than he did last night. He was wearing a suit and tie, which made her extra happy that she did put in a little more into her appearance, especially when she received that smile from him.

Her thoughts get inertuped when he walked up to her and took her hand before kissing it, then he spoke while looking into her eyes. "You look very beautiful."

She smiles. "You don't look half bad yourself."

After he smiled in return, he asked. "You ready?"

When she nodded, he took her arm around his and walked her to the limo so they could start their night.

And it was a good night, the restaurant that he took her to, they were seated in the most private seating possible, but they were both stared at, which made her kept thinking. 'They are probably wondering why he is with me.' but that negative thinking stopped when he was just looking at her the whole time, it was like no one else was in the restaurant with them.

Once dinner was finally done, and instead of taking the limo back to the hotel, they decided to walk since it wasn't that far, which she enjoyed a lot, even though they did get stopped a few times because some people did recognize him.

After the latest autograh, he looked at her and apologized. "Sorry about that."

She just smiled, waving it off. "Well least they aren't throwing things at you, since after all you are in 'enemy' territory."

He smiled and chuckles at that while nodding his head. "Very True."

She smiled back as they continued to walk and talk, just like they had been doing all evening, which it was mostly about their childhoods, their accomplishments, and she will admit she was a surprised when he wanted to hear about her son, but didn't waste time in thinking about it and told him that he was the light of her life.

When they got back to the lobby of the hotel, she asked. "You leave tonight?"

"Yeah. I travel back to LA, then to Chicago, Atlanta, and Colorado before going back to LA, which that's just for the up coming weeks."

Destiny looked at him, surprised. "Wow, how could you do that for 20 years?" He has been a player since he was 25, and this season was his 20th.

He shrugs. "It's what I love doing, so traveling is just part of the job." She nods in understanding before looking down, not knowing what else to say. He then steps closer to her and puts his hand on her shoulder. "Destiny, are you ok?"

She looks up at him and said. "Yeah I'm fine, just meeting you has been crazy and wonderful, and I don't know if I am ready to let it go just yet."

"Why, let it go?"

She looks at him wide-eyed. "You mean..."

She trails off, and he smiles as he rubs his thumb up and down her cheek while replying. "What I mean is that when I come back into LA I would like you to come and visit, and while I am away, maybe we can talk on the phone."

Her heart sped up at the prospect of being with him again, while she asked a little shocked. "Really?"

"Yes, like you said, it has been crazy and wonderful, but I am not sure I am ready to let this go either."

She smiles bigger while nodding. "Ok, yeah."

He smiles bigger this time before bringing her in a small kiss.

When they pulled back, she asks. "So, is this just casual?" She wasn't sure if she should label their meeting yet, and she didn't want to make it too serious, just in case it scared him away.

He replies to her while he ran his thumb up and down her cheek again. "You mean? No stress at wondering if this is going anywhere? And we can see and be with anybody we want?"

Her heart was breaking a little at the conditions, but like she thought before, she didn't want to scare him, so ignoring the little break, she nodded. "Yeah."

He thought she was going to amend it, but when she didn't and he thought that's what she truly wanted, he nodded. "Ok." Before bringing her in a hug. "I'll call you when I can."

She nodded as she pulled back from him, then after giving him her number and a little peck on the lips, they said goodbye and she watched him leave before she turned and headed to her room, so she could pack since she leaves early tomorrow morning. But she couldn't help but smile the whole time, this conference had one unexpected turn and she was glad she took her father's place to come here.

AN: Is anybody still interested? Please review.