Chapter 20

They all took the Titan jet home and Brady got Kristina settled in the sleeping quarters. He sat by her and was holding her hand but they hadn't had a moment alone together until now.

"Are you warm enough? I can get you another…" He began to say but she cut him off.

"I'm fine." She looked down at their hands together. "Brady I'm so sorry for all of this. This isn't…this isn't how…."

"Shhhh, you don't have anything to be sorry about. This isn't your fault, and I don't care how or what happened that conceived this baby….our baby…she was conceived in love. I…I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner. I'm sorry you felt like you had to push me away. Maybe if I had made it clearer how I felt about you then you wouldn't have felt you had to do that. Maybe you would have known that I'd face anything with you as a team, me and you and that we could get through anything as long as it's together. I…I want to be a family with you Kristina, with you and the baby."

Kristina had silent tears streaming down her face. She opened her mouth to speak but yelped. "Ohh!"

"What, what is it?" Brady asked concerned.

She laughed. "No, it's just the baby is kicking me. She gets more active when I lay still or on my back." She looked at him. "Do you want to feel?" She asked.

He nodded and allowed Kristina to guide his hand to the side of her stomach. It took a second but then there it was, it felt like a knuckle roll against his hand. He couldn't believe this was his little girl doing this. He laughed and smiled and looked back at Kristina. She was smiling back at him. He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.

A few moments went by and there was a knock at the door.

Brady got up and opened it to see his father standing on the other side. "Hey Dad."

"Can I come in, or is it good time?" John asked politely.

Kristina nodded from her bed that it was alright. She had seen John but he had been on the phone most of the time since they'd met up and were ushered back to the jet. Then, once they arrived Victor was here and had a doctor ready to check on Kristina and then they departed so she hadn't had a chance to say two words to Brady's father.

Brady stepped aside and let his father in. He warmly smiled at the small woman in the bed. She was lovely and John felt a connection with her immediately.

"We haven't officially met and I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm John Black, Brady's father."

"Brady told me who you were, and I wanted to thank you for all you did to find me. I can't even begin to show my appreciation."

"Well, there is no need for any thank you, but I was happy to help. I want you to know that if you ever need anything I'm here. I know what it's like to be taken and held against your will. Unfortunately, we have that in common. It's not a pleasant experience but you can draw strength from it. After what you went through I know you have that."

"I don't feel very strong. I was scared every moment, for myself and the baby. Then….I don't know…" she allowed her thought to trail off.

"Then what?" Brady asked sitting beside her again.

"Well, when the doctor told me that I was having a girl, it put a picture in my head of her. I imagine her with your eyes and my hair, but….I don't know, something changed."

"Changed like how?" Brady asked as John just stood behind him listening.

"Changed in me. I mean, I knew moments after the doctor left my room that I would do whatever I had to do to save her from a life with Helena. I knew that I needed to stop feeling sad and scared and that I needed to be her mom and protect her." She looked at Brady and then John that gave her a sympathetic smile. "I…I killed one of the guards Brady. I saw the life….drain…drain out of his body."

Brady slid beside her on the bed and held her as she placed her face in her hands and sobbed. "You did what you had to do. I'm proud of you for not only protecting yourself but also our baby."

John sat beside them. "Kristina, there are going to be many more times in your life, hopefully none as terrible as what you just went through, but still nonetheless times that you feel straight in your heart and in your gut that there is not one thing in this world you would not do to protect your child. You'd die, beg, steal, and kill to ensure their safety. That's the bond of being a parent, a true parent to your child. It's like nothing you'll ever experience with anything else. It's scary, but it can be the greatest joy too." He looked at Brady. "I'm very happy for both of you that you are going to be able to experience it."

He stood up. "I'm going to give you more time alone. I just wanted to let you know that I'm here and if you need anything, anything at all you can always come to me."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Kristina said as she still stayed curled in Brady's arms.

"Thanks Dad, thanks for everything." Brady replied. He had a new respect for his father. He'd always respected and admired him even when they'd had their battles over the years. But now knowing he's about to be a father himself makes him see him in a different way.

After John left Kristina looked up at Brady. "He seems very nice."

"Yeah, he is. He was very right though." He pulled Kristina's face up to look at him. "You protected our child. You drew on the strength I've always known you've had and didn't give up. I love you for that and so much more."

"I love you too. I missed you so much, not only being locked up and not knowing if I'd ever see you again, but after we broke up. That day I felt…I felt like my heart was ripped out. I wanted to tell you so badly that it wasn't what you thought and it wasn't true about me and Ethan but I didn't…I didn't want to put you in danger with Helena, and I didn't want you to….to feel…obligated."

"Obligated?" Brady shook his head. "It doesn't matter now. But you need to know that you are not an obligation to me. After all of the moments we've shared together, if you didn't know it then, than I want you know it now, I'm with you because you're fun, and strong, and intelligent, and the most beautiful woman I've laid eyes on, and you get more beautiful to me as each day I know you passes. I was scared too. That's probably why I didn't fight more when I found Ethan at your apartment. I didn't want to admit how much it hurt because I'd already fallen in love with you." He kissed her hand. "My guts were turned inside out thinking of the two of you together but I could have fought harder. Maybe if I had you would have told me."

"I don't ever want you to feel like you have to 'fight' for me. I know what it's like to feel like you're fighting for someone's feelings and I want you to know that you have always made me feel so loved, and so special, and so strong at the same time. Remembering your words to me and your belief in me is what I kept repeating to myself over and over to try and believe in myself that I could get myself and our baby out of that place. You've given me strength I never knew I had. I love you, and because of you I know what that really feels like."

Brady looked down at the small woman in his arms. He kissed her lips softly and stroked her hair before pulling her close again then sighed. "I just want to stay like this for as long as we can. You can't imagine how many times I've dreamt of holding you again over the last few months."

"Trust me, I can imagine." Kristina said as she closed her eyes and buried herself in Brady's chest.

Although it didn't feel right to be doing, Ethan couldn't help but stand listening at the door. He was going to knock and wanted to have a few moments with Kristina but he caught a couple of words before he did and then didn't feel right about interrupting either.

He walked away going to the lounge and poured himself a drink. Jason walked over to him. "You alright?" The tone was still the same for Jason but he did have a softer look on his face noting the concern and sincerity of his question.

"Yeah mate, I'm fine." He responded and sipped his drink.

"I know you know about Jake, and I usually don't offer anything unless someone asks me but Kristina is family and I do care about her happiness. I want her to be safe and happy regardless of whatever she chooses. But, when I chose to give up Jake and Elizabeth, it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and probably ever will do in my life, but I wanted them to be happy and safe and I had to do what felt right to me to do for them, not me."

"Do you feel like you decided something for them, like they maybe would have chosen differently if you would have given them the option?" Ethan asked.

"Elizabeth yes. She makes her own choices and I wouldn't want to make them for her, but we had to make choices for Jake together, and she knew that even though it hurt, when a child is involved you do what is right for the child." He replied with a sadness in his eyes that not many people recognize. He missed his son greatly. He glanced over at Victor in the next compartment speaking to John. He wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to see his great grandchild come into the world like Victor will. It was new for him to look that far into the future as he never really saw the point to it, but now seeing the life Victor Kiriakis has made for himself in this world and line of work they are in, he couldn't help but wonder. He nodded at Ethan and went back to his chair.

Ethan finished his drink and struggled with his own heart and demons. He spent so much time pushing Kristina away, then finally realizing his feelings and still fighting them, then admitting them to her to only be too late because she had fallen for another man, then circumstances bringing them together again and closer than ever only to have her ripped away from everyone and thought dead. Now, she sits in the other room safe and sound and every fiber in his being wants to fight for her because he knows no one loves her the way he does. He paused for a moment at that thought. Maybe there lies the answer.