Thanks to Dejavu1978 and RatedrKjErIcHo for the help with this story.

Annie paced the room impatiently. It seemed like it had been so long since she had seen Payton that she could barely stand the wait. She thought about her therapy session. She felt it had gone well and she was found it surprisingly refreshing to tell her story to someone who was not emotionally connected to it.

She had just poured her a soda when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to see John and Payton standing there.

"Mommy." Payton said reaching up to her.

"Hey, baby." Annie hugged the little girl in pig tails. "I miss you so much."

"I missed you too."

John did not address his wife. He crossed the room and sat in a chair out of the way and watched as Payton bonded with her mother.

"So, tell me all about what you have been doing with daddy, grandma and grandpa?"

"We played dolls and paint."

"Oh that sounds fun." Annie smiled. "Are you doing your learning time?"

"Yes."

"Good. We can't have you falling behind." Annie glanced at John. He stared at her. She couldn't' tell if he was scared she would hurt their child or if he secretly cursing her. It made her nervous. "Why don't you play with your baby doll while mommy talks to daddy okay?"

"Okay."

"You don't have to watch like I'm a crazy person," she whispered and leaned against the wall beside him. "It makes me feel like a criminal."

"That's not what I'm doing, Annie."

"God, what happen to us?" Annie's eye's teared up. She looked at her husband, begging him to return the same look of longing.

"That home invasion happened. Randy Orton happened." It was a cold statement. An accusation.

"I don't want to argue." Annie looked at her feet. She felt like a second class citizen. It wasn't the first time she had felt that way in John's presence. She never felt she was good enough for him.

Annie moved from John and returned to her child, playing as long as she could before John would leave with her once again.

"I love you baby and I will see you soon." Annie hugged Payton tightly not wanting to let her go.

"I love you mama." Payton's soft lips grazed her mother's cheek. Annie forced a happy expression but she wanted to scream. Payton was the only thing she woke up for everyday.

"Bye John." She said as he picked up Payton.

"Good-bye Annie." John smiled and Annie felt a spark of hope for the two of them, but then again, he did not find a reason to stay longer.

She watched as they walked away and she felt the hurt of it. She went back into the room and shut the door. She couldn't stop the tears from falling as she leaned against the door. She desperately hoped that the therapist would help her and she could have her daughter.

John put Payton in the car and they headed to his parents.

"Daddy, why can't I be with mama?" Payton said from the backseat.

"I know you miss mommy but it's just how it is right now." John wasn't sure how to explain this to his three year old.

"Why?"

"Baby, when those men came to the house and they put you in the closet, they hurt mommy really bad. She has to get better before you can be with her all the time."

"Why are you not with mommy?"

"Right now mommy and I have some things to work out."

"Do you not love her anymore?"

"Baby, I love your mom and no matter what happens we both love you."

John changed the subject by turning on the DVD player in the back seat. Watching SpongeBob was enough to distract Payton from answers she could not understand. Answers he really did not know.

He sighed and tried to sort through the tangled webs in his mind. He loved Annie, he did, but he just wasn't sure he could trust her. But he couldn't stop thinking about the brief affair he had a year and half earlier. He never meant for it to happen and he felt guilty for it. He and Monica Benson, a colleague, had gone to Alaska for a business deal. They had a little too much drink at dinner and ended up in bed together. He thought it was an only a onetime thing but as Annie put more energy to being a mom, he started to feel neglected. Annie had always been there for him and traveling with him and then suddenly she was home and he was on the road alone. And it was those lonely nights that he found that just hearing Annie's voice was not enough. He found that there were some things he needed while on the road that his wife could not do for him when she wasn't there and the other woman could. The affair only lasted a few months and he ended it. Or rather she did. The other woman had grown bored with him and the fact that he was married and moved on to another of his co workers who was single.

But it had been a good thing for him and for Annie. He had been confused and had even contemplated divorcing Annie for the woman but with the other woman ending it; he realized he wanted his marriage. He loved his wife and he had been a fool.

Annie never knew or suspected it. She trusted him completely. He started to wonder how he could be mad at her when he had an affair first.

Randy arrived at the hotel wanting to surprise Annie and take her to dinner. Developing genuine feelings for Annie had been a surprise and not part of his plan. But he knew he had to help Annie get her daughter back or it wouldn't work. The wheels turned in his head. A plan began to form. He knocked on the door and heard the crying inside.

"Randy, what are you doing here?" Annie opened the door and tried to hide that she was crying. She wiped the tears away discretely but she could not hide how swollen and how red her eyes were.

"I wanted to see if I could take you to dinner. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. John brought Payton to visit me."

"I'm sure that made you and her happy." He walked in the room. "So, why the tears, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that." Annie stepped away from the door and let him in. "I'm just used to being with her all the time. This one hour a day three times a week will take some getting used to."

"Oh, Annie." he pulled her into his arms. She stiffened her body, but he forced her to him anyway. "I still can't believe they did this to you. It's so unfair. Here you are a victim and the police, social services and even your husband treated you like YOU were the criminal." Randy wanted Annie to feel like she had no one. He needed her to feel alone.

"My therapist says that it's just a feeling brought on by what happened. She said that no one really is blaming me. She said they're not trying to punish me. That I was just seeing it that way."

"I think you need to trust your own judgment. Taking Payton from you ... I mean I don't' get it. How can they all stand there and think that would help you heal. I tried so hard to tell them that that day, but ..."

"You were there when they discussed it?"

"I'm sorry. I know it wasn't my business. But Annie you're my friend. I care about you. I just wanted to help you."

"Why can't I ever stay mad at you Randy? Even when I want to be, I can't."

Randy smiled coyly. "So how about dinner?"

"I don't know." She was unsure about going somewhere. She didn't want John to think more was going on.

"Just as friends. Annie, you have to eat."

She thought about what he had said. Maybe he was right. He was the only ally she had. "Alright."

"Great. I know a great place not that far from here. It's quiet, small."

"Okay." She grabbed her purse and cell phone and followed him out. She wasn't afraid of Randy. She knew he wouldn't hurt her but she didn't want anything to get in the way of trying to get her marriage back.

They drove the distance to Sorrento Ristorante. A small Italian restaurant. They were shown to a quiet table by the window. Randy ordered them Calamari Fritti for an appetizer, Caprese Salad and Lobster and Arugula Tortellini with Lemon Cream and Caviar for the main course and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. He ordered them Tiramisu for dessert.

"I figured since you were nice enough to cook for me all those times, I would take you out. I'm not the best cook so this is the best I can do." He laughed.

"It's great."

"Now that's what I've missed."

"What?"

"You and a real smile."

He leaned over and took her hand in his. "Annie, this may be bad timing, but I have to say it. I can't stand the idea of you staying alone right now. I know you feel alone, but I'm here and I STILL care. Don't' shut me out."

"Randy." She said pulling her hand away. "I have to think about Payton and what's right for her."

"I'm thinking about Payton too."

"I have to think about my life with John. I still love him that hasn't changed. If I don't try to fix things ... He could take custody of Payton forever."

"No. Annie that won't happen. You have always been a good mother. It's not your fault ... I mean. I know a great lawyer who will take your case. He WILL win it and John and all his government goons will see that they can't get away with what they did."

"I think you're making it out to be more than what it is."

"No. Annie, I'm not. You don't want to see it. But John saw his opportunity and he took it."

"But Payton has always been with me. He would never take ..."

"Leverage, Annie. It happens all the time. He won't take Payton because he wants to be a full time father. It's a control thing. He has to win. Don't you see? Guys like him are just programmed that way."

"John's not one of those guys." She said defending her husband.

"Damn it Annie." Randy growled and then took a deep breath. "I don't want to see you do this to yourself. Where have you been all this time while he was off doing who knows what? Sitting right there at home just like he wanted."

"He was working ..."

"How long do you really think those meetings take? Annie, his company is in a holding pattern. They have an embezzler in there that they want to find. John hasn't always been on the road doing business." Randy pulled out an envelope and slid it to her. "I didn't want to show you this because I don't want to be the one to cause you pain, but I can see if I don't show you the truth, you will be hurt a lot worse by his lies and deceit. I won't let him play games with you anymore Annie. I care about you too much."

Annie swallowed hard. She opened the envelope and peered inside.

She poured them out on the table and fanned them out. She placed her hand to her mouth and bit down on her hand to stifle the screams. She wanted to scream so loud. John in the arms of another woman. The photos had been taken through the blinds of a hotel room.

"Oh Annie." Randy pulled her into his arms. And smirked while he held her. He had hired a private detective to follow his wife and he was glad he had held onto the pictures. "I'm so sorry. You see he's not doing this because he thinks you cheated on him. He knows you didn't. He just needed an excuse that's all. He was looking for an excuse."

"Randy, I ..."

"You have to fight him, Annie. Call my lawyer and fight for a divorce. Fight for your daughter."

Annie's sobs subsided. The photos had brought anger within her that she had never known she could feel.

"Annie, come stay with me.

"I'm not going to do that. Randy." she said. "I just learned all of this. I need time."

"It's too soon. I'm sorry." He smiled. "I still wish you would come stay with me. You would be safe."

She didn't say anything as their dinner arrived. They ate the meal in silence and soon returned to the hotel.

"Thanks for dinner." She said as she stood at the door of her hotel room.

"Anytime." He smiled leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. "Goodnight Annie."

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