A/N: Glad the MaDi back-story went down so well. I thought delaying T.J.'s birthday and party would be a bad thing, but clearly not. So, thanx for all the fab feedback, and now, cometh the day, cometh the sweet sixteen ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 21

T.J. D'Amato could not stop smiling, which was as it should be on the day of a girl's sixteenth birthday. The banner across the living room wished her a happy day and all her favourite people were sat underneath it. Mom and Dad, Grandpa Keith, Aunt Mac, and her BFF Sam. T.J. wasn't sure she could be any happier as she unwrapped her new stereo and clothes and all. Not that it was all about the gifts. She was actually pretty happy to have her parents in the same room, Leo's arm round Veronica's shoulders, and everybody just getting along like it used to be.

Of course, T.J. was no fool. She knew life was never all smiles and happy ever afters for long. Her folks were still divorced, her Dad wasn't even her Dad, and there were a lot of things about her past and her future that T.J. still had to wrap her head around. Right here in this moment, she didn't care though. Today was her special day, everyone kept reminding her of that, and she was going to enjoy it, no matter what.

"Oh, I almost forgot," said Veronica, hurrying to the bookshelf and producing an envelope. "This came yesterday," she smiled, handing it over.

T.J. was pretty sure she recognised the hand-writing as she turned over the card and read the return address. Yes, it was from Uncle Wallace in New York. Tearing into the envelope, she grinned at the personalised card and all the wider at the cash that spilled out of it onto the floor.

"Geez, Mom! When did Uncle Wallace rob a bank?" T.J. asked with wide eyes as she scooped the hundred dollar bill up off the floor.

"I really don't know," the blonde looked equally confused as she eyed the money and then read her daughter's card over her shoulder.

In it, the message said that Wallace was so proud to call T.J. his niece, even if they weren't blood. He thought of her as such, and he missed her and her mother so much since he moved away. It was shocking for him to realise she was sixteen now, and he wanted to buy her the best gift, but since he had no idea what she'd be into and sending gifts in the mail could be pricey anyway, he just sent the cash. T.J. was to tell Veronica not to judge him for trusting a Benjamin to the US Postal service. It was his money after all. Besides this was for family, and he'd take any risk for that.

Veronica felt so dumb for the tears in her eyes when T.J. read her card aloud then. All the love Wallace had for her daughter, more than most real uncles ever would, despite the fact he was so many miles away these days. She really needed to call him more often, even visit sometime soon.

"I miss Wallace," sighed Mac as she began collecting up all the fallen wrapping paper for the recycling bin.

"He's a good guy, no doubt about that," Keith agreed as he moved to help her.

With T.J. and Sam in deep conversation over what the hundred dollars from Uncle Wallace may or may not be spent on, and Veronica rushing off to find tissue for the make-up about to leak all over her face, that left Leo as the only available body to answer the door when the bell rang a moment later. Perhaps he shouldn't have been all that surprised when opening it revealed Logan Echolls.

"Huh. It's you," said the Sheriff, the smile falling off his face in an instant.

"Last time I checked," Logan replied with a smirk he couldn't help, but that look was gone again in a second. "Look, man, I'm not here to make trouble," he assured the guy that had raised his daughter behind his back. "Now, I have every reason to be mad at you, and I guess you can hate me pretty easy too, given how things were with me and Veronica," he said, all adult and sensible in a way even Logan didn't really know he could be until he had to do it. "Fact is, it's T.J.'s Birthday and I have a right to see her, and bring her a gift..."

"I know," Leo nodded once, stepping aside to let the other guy in. "I don't have any right to stop you," he agreed, stepping in close the moment Logan breached the threshhold. "But I can say this, I love Teresa Jane as if she were my daughter. Father or not, if you ever, ever hurt her, I'll see to it it's the last thing you do. I don't care how many million you have or how long I spend in jail either," he added, when Logan turned to meet his eyes.

"If I really screwed up that bad," he answered in a voice just as low and dangerous, "I'll let you beat my ass down for free, Sheriff."

With that he breezed on by, a smile on his face a mile wide as he stepped into the living room, arms wide in an over-the-top greeting. He started singing Happy Birthday at the top of his voice as the others laughed and joined in just because they could. It was T.J.'s day and nobody was going to start a fight, not today of all days.

"Hey," she smiled as she stood up from the couch and faced her biological father. "Um, I didn't know you were coming over," she said, shifting awkwardly, not sure whether she was supposed to hug the guy or not, or even if she wanted to.

"It's your birthday," Logan shrugged, explanation enough as far as he was concerned. "And I, er... I got you a gift," he admitted, pulling a small box from his back pocket. "It's not expensive or anything. From what I've seen you're like your Mom, not big into flashy jewellery and all. Plus, Heaven forbid I should be accused of buying anyone's affections," he said, trying to smile through it, but there was a definite pointed look at Keith then.

T.J. wasn't paying attention, not to her Grandpa throwing a dirty look at Logan, or Leo hovering awkwardly in the background. She didn't even notice Sam drooling on the carpet beside her as she opened up her gift, the first ever from her real Dad. Inside the velvet-lined jewellery box sat a thin silver-coloured chain, with a medium-side pendant threaded on it. It was in the shape of the number sixteen, and one small white stone, perhaps even a diamond, shone out from the centre.

"It's beautiful, thank you," she said sincerely, looking up at Logan. "I really love it."

"Let me see that," said Veronica stepping into the room then.

Logan tried not to react as she came in, breezing past him to get to her daughter's side and look down at the pendant in the box. It was sweet and entirely subtle for a Logan-type gift, the kind of thing he would never buy for just anyone. Actually, this was just the sort of gift he might've bought for her once upon a time, knowing she preferred the simple thoughtful gift over big, flashy, and expensive stuff.

"Oh," she gasped as she picked up the pendant in her hand and turned it over.

Down the back of the number one, Teresa was engraved, and Jane on the six. Personalised, special. Yes, this was a genuine from-the-heart gift that Logan picked out himself, not sent a flunky on an errand. Veronica was stunned by how easily she teared up when she noticed.

"That's so cool," T.J. smiled all the wider. "Thank you, Logan," she said, reaching out to hug him then.

It was a brief and awkward moment, but it made Mac smile as she watched, and even Keith couldn't really hold in a happy look. It was only right and proper for father and daughter to know each other now, and so much the better if they got along. Keith felt sorry for Leo, whether he had done wrong or not, but so long as Logan wasn't upsetting T.J. or Veronica, he guessed he could get used to the guy being around now.

"And don't start worrying that this is an alternate gift," said Logan then, as Veronica helped her put on her new pendant. "The party is still on," he grinned.

"Personally, I can't wait," Samantha sighed giddily, as T.J. rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Sam," she urged her friend, grabbing hold of her wrist to drag her away from Logan. "Let's set up my new stereo," she encouraged her.

Mac thought about offering her assistance but soon changed her mind. As Leo came back into the room, falling into conversation with Veronica and Keith, she realised Logan must feel very much like the spare wheel. That wasn't fair. He belonged here more than most and yet he had been pushed out so long. That didn't work for her at all.

"So, Mac," he said, on realising she was there beside him, and the only one to be so. "How're things with you and my old BFF Dick?" he asked conversationally.

Oh yeah, now Mac remembered why she should've left the guy alone after all.

"Awkward with a side of panic," she admitted, neither of them even looking at each other as they spoke, but pretending to be interested in the CDs and DVDs T.J. had piled near the coffee table. "Um, did he say anything to you about what happened at all?"

Logan tried not to smirk at that. Mac really hadn't changed much. She'd stopped putting the coloured streaks in her hair and lost a little of the teen attitude from her clothes, but that was all. She was still the same on the inside, a little insecure about guys, despite how smart she was about almost everything else.

"Y'know, thanks to The Bro Code I really can't tell you that," he pointed out, wondering a moment why his daughter had a movie he knew to be a bad remake of his own work, "but I will say that I'm pretty sure he's not screwing around, Mac. I don't ever think he'd do that with you," he said sincerely as they finally looked at each other.

"That's what I hoped for," she admitted with a genuine smile, letting out a breath she hardly knew she'd been holding this whole time. "So, how's the movie star life?" she asked, turning into him a little.

"It has its perks," he admitted, "but... y'know, it's not everything it could be," he told her, staring across at T.J. as she laughed with Sam and Veronica then.

Mac looked between Logan and his daughter. She felt his pain, she knew what it was to be lied to and not know your real family. Of all people, she understood, even if Logan wouldn't know why.

"For what it's worth," she got his attention again when she spoke, "I never agreed with their decision," she whispered, knowing now was so not the time to accidentally start another battle. "It just really wasn't my secret to tell."

"I don't blame you, Mac," Logan assured her with a sigh, running his hand back over his hair, "or Wallace, or whoever else that knew. Honestly, I don't even blame Veronica and Leo right now," he told her honestly. "Seriously, Mac, do you think I could've been a decent father back then?" he asked her with a look as he leaned back into the couch cushions with his hands behind his head.

Cindy Mackenzie did not know how to answer that question. It was clear enough that Logan himself did not believe he could've stepped up to the mark back them. Mac was pretty sure he would've tried, but maybe he was right, maybe it wouldn't've worked out. Of course, things were very different sixteen years later.

"So, how about now?" she asked, leaning in a little only so no-one else would hear. "You think you can do this now? Be a good father?"

"Hardest role I ever landed," he admitted, shaking his head. "But I'm gonna try, Mac. I seriously am."

"I believe that," Mac nodded definitely. "In fact, I..." she stopped short of saying anymore when there was a knock on the door.

With the others messing around with the stereo that was making a lot of noise, it was doubtful anyone else even heard. Logan looked half way to terrified, and Mac could see why. A movie star in his ex's home, visiting the long lost daughter nobody outside of the house was really meant to know about. That could not lead to any good if strangers came a-knocking.

"I'll go," said Mac, practically having to climb over Logan to escape the room with so much stuff and people on the floor.

The former nerd checked through the glass by the door and saw only one fuzzy figure. That was somewhat of a relief, but she still didn't know who was calling by until she opened it. In fact, Mac didn't know who was there even after she had opened the door.

"Hi," she smiled at the young man in front of her.

"Oh, hi. Um... is this...? I was looking for T.J.," he rambled some, making Mac want to giggle.

She never saw a guy that she figured on being a PCHer look so nervous and stammery. Of course, judging a book by its cover was strictly prohibited in Neptune, because more often than not you were wrong.

"You have the right house," she confirmed, turning and calling to her 'niece' that she had a visitor.

When T.J. came over to the door it was with a huge grin and definite blush the moment she spotted Antonio. Mac shifted away without a word and left the young people to it, turning Logan away the moment he tried to come close. Teenagers who clearly like each other require alone time, that was just the way it was.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" T.J. asked her friend. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong..." she giggled, literally face palming when she realised how it sounded.

"It's okay," he laughed too then. "I, er... I brought you a gift. Happy Birthday," he smiled, handing over the box in his hands.

"Oh, thanks," she replied, though somehow didn't look pleased at all. "You're not coming to my party?" she asked, stepping out onto the porch and pulling the door not quite close behind her.

She could use her family not eavesdropping right now. Besides, she had told Sam that white lie about Antonio and her spending time last weekend. Less questions would be better than more right now.

"I'm totally there for your party. Absolutely," Antonio told T.J. fast. "I mean, of course. I just wanted you to have this before is all," he gestured towards the fairly flat box as yet unopened in her hands.

Smiling again now, she prised the lid off and peered inside. Antonio watched her expression so carefully she could almost feel his eyes burning into her, and yet she couldn't mind.

"A photo album," she said, seemingly happy about the gift that had a 16 on the front in glitter.

"I know, it's lame," Antonio looked pained as he spoke then. "I didn't really know what you'd like, and then I thought, well, you have so much family and then with your party tonight, you'd probavly have a lot of pictures..."

"Antonio, seriously, breathe," she urged him when she looked up and saw him turning colours. "It's a really great gift. I love it," she told him, going up on her toes for all of a second to plant a kiss on his cheek.

There was a moment when they lingered close together, when T.J. almost thought she'd done a very stupid thing. She had told him she had no interest in dating right now, and yet they were close enough to kiss for real and she almost wouldn't mind.

A car horn blasting made the unlikely couple practically leap apart then. Antonio looked back over his shoulder and waved a hand in a 'wait a second' gesture.

"That's Weevil," he sighed. "I gotta go."

"It's okay," T.J. smiled. "I'll see you tonight, and thank you again for my gift."

"You're welcome," Antonio told her as he backed away off the porch, almost tripping down the steps.

T.J. headed back inside after a quick wave goodbye, and immediately Sam ran over to ask what had happened. Veronica came over too, taking a good look at the gift from her daughter's new 'friend'.

"This is from Antonio, huh? Very thoughtful," she said, sharing a knowing look with Leo.

"Who is this Antonio anyway?" asked Logan curiously as everyone ended up back in the living room.

"Nobody," said T.J. fast, but Veronica couldn't help but have a little fun, even if it was cruel.

"He's a friend of T.J.'s from school," she explained. "His Mom is pretty much engaged to Weevil, if I recall."

Logan couldn't answer that and he didn't need to in order to make his feelings very clear. The look on his face was just a picture for all to behold!

To Be Continued...