Enjoy and please review.

She set in the dark waiting for him to return home. She knew he would not be staying long; she wasn't going to stand for that. She wouldn't have any of his excuses, not after what she had heard the two of talking about. They were talking about keeping this from her for her own good, for the good of everyone. How could her mother and her husband keeping something this important from her be for any kind of good?

He walked in the door, she knew he was coming home late, his meeting ran longer then he had anticipated. He hadn't expected to have a meeting, this meeting anyway. He had planned on keeping this knowledge buried for as long as possible; he truly never wanted it to come out of the woodwork. He was honestly sorry that he finally recovered his lost memories. Then Felicia called telling him she had a confession to make. He knew right away what it was; she was going to admit to the kidnapping, all those years ago.

Flipping the light on in the den he asked, "Is there a reason you're setting here in the dark?"

"Just waiting on you to finally get home, dear."

"I called and told you I had a meeting, you got my message didn't you?"

"I got your message and I stopped by to see if you needed anything on my way home from the boutique."

"You're on maternity leave, what were you doing at the boutique? What did you do with Arden? Where were the twins?"

"The twins were at school, they're having dinner with Libby now. And I'm perfectly capable of taking care of our daughter in my office. Just because I just had a baby doesn't mean I can't get any work done. I'm not going to let my business fall apart; I've worked too hard for it! We've worked too hard for it."

"Speaking of our daughter, is she asleep?" A simple nod was the only response her got. "Well then would you kindly calm down, you don't want to wake her."

"I am calm! As calm as I'm going to be after what I heard this evening."

"Maxie, what's going on?"

"I know you're smart, did it not click when I said I came by your office on the way home? Who was your meeting with, hmm?"

He looked at her like their son did when he got caught doing something he shouldn't. "You're mother," he paused, "what did you hear?"

"Enough! And I can't believe her. I can't believe you. I trusted you, I've always trusted you! How could you keep something like that from me? Why would you go to her about it?"

"You have to understand."

"Understand what? Understand that my husband thought it was okay to lie to me. Understand that he was conspiring with my mother to keep up the lie. How am I supposed to understand that?"

"It was for your own good," he cried. "I was not conspiring with your mother, she came to me, and she wanted to tell me what she did. She said she could no longer live with it. She asked me to keep it from you; she did not want it to hinder any progress the two of you had made. All I did was tell her that I had already decided to keep it to myself. I really did not see the point in dragging up the past. I know that was a hard time for you with the…the baby and all. I did not want to bring it all up again; we are in such a good place right now."

"We were in a good place," she interrupted. "Right now I'm done. I don't want to talk to you anymore. I don't even want to look at you right now," she began to cry.

"Please, Maxie, let me explain it more thoroughly. Can we not just talk about this? Work this out?"

"I've heard everything I needed to hear. You said you were going to lie to me for my own good," she was crying harder. "I'm done for tonight, for a while, I'm going to pick up the kids and I want you gone by the time I get back. I'll call you when I'm ready to talk. Do not wake up the baby!"

"Let me call Jason, I'm sure the kids can stay there so we can hash this out. Or at least let me get them, so you cool off."

"I'm not hashing anything out tonight! You can go get them; go cry to Jason about what you've done. Just be warned when you get home you will have a bag packed and a room at Metro Court," she stated stomping her foot into the hardwood floor.

He took a deep breath, attempted to kiss her; she turned and gave him her check. He headed out the door, and then stopped in his tracks, turning around he apologized for the whole mess for the first time. Finally, she thought to herself.

He reached the penthouse to find Jason waiting at the door giving him a very disappointed look. "Didn't I teach you anything?"

"You taught me a lot, what are you referring too?"

"Maxie called," Sam snapped from the couch.

"Didn't I teach you that hiding something from someone you love doesn't work? Did the whole thing with Elizabeth and Jake teach you that?"

"Whoa, Stone Cold, so not the same situation."

"Stone Cold?" Spinelli hadn't called him that in forever.

"I'm a little stressed," he shrugged.

"Lying to your wife. Her finding out. I think that'll do it."

"Sam," Jason scolded.

"I'm sorry Spinelli. I just don't understand why you didn't just tell her. It's always worse when something comes out later."

"I only figured it out about a week ago. Then today Felicia called saying she had something to tell me. When we talked we agreed not to say anything; I thought Maxie had moved on and I didn't want to drudge up one of the most painful situations she had been through."

"I get why you did it," she started.

"But it doesn't make it right," Jason finished.

"I know, I know, and all I'm trying to do now is work it out. Can't you talk to her being her best friend and all?"

"I can try. Do you want us to take care of Jasie and Walker tonight?"

"I am pretty sure she would not stand for that tonight. She has already told me she would have my bags packed and a room at Metro Court for me, I better get the kids home. I really don't think I can handle being in anymore trouble."

"You don't have to stay at the hotel. Stay here, the play room has a pull out couch."

"Stay in my regrettably pink room again. I couldn't, she wants me at the hotel, and I should stay there. I need to do everything I can to get back in her good graces."

"Good luck," Jason laughed sarcastically.

"Thanks," he moaned as he headed upstairs to get his son and daughter.

They walked in the house to find more than just his bagged packed. "Momma," Walker questioned, "what's going on? Are we taking a trip?"

"Yes you are sweetheart," she smiled patting him on the head.

"A trip," Jasie sang, "where are we going?"

"Daddy's taking the two of you to Tennessee. Right Daddy," she said through her teeth.

"Tennessee," he said puzzled.

"Daddy's granny lives in Tennessee. She's been wanting to see the two of you again. It'll be fun," she stated.

He faked a smile. "Daddy has to talk to Mommy for a minute. Why don't the two of you run to your rooms and see if Mommy forgot to pack anything you need?"

"Okay Daddy," they said in unison rushing up to their rooms.

"Why am I taking them on a trip right now? I thought we were going to wait until Arden was a little bigger to visit her? I was even thinking we could just fly her up here."

"I've made all the arrangements; you're flight leaves in an hour. It's a long weekend for the kids, and I need a break to sort everything out. Don't you dare think for a second that this is over! This is so far from being over!"

"Momma," being hollered from upstairs interrupted her speech and woke up Arden.

"I'm being paged, get the baby." He saluted her thinking it would take the edge off. "Not funny," she said laughing on the inside.

"I didn't mean to wake up Arden Momma," Jasie whimpered. "I just wanted to know if you packed Bob."

"Yes love I packed your turtle. Can you tell your brother I packed his frog, just in case he wants it," she winked at her daughter. "I'm going to go downstairs and get Arden from Daddy. You and Walker need to hustle up, the airplanes not going to wait for ya'll."

"We're going in an airplane? Cool," Walker hollered as he walked downstairs.

"Boys," Jasie rolled her eyes.

"Dad, is it true? Are we really going in an airplane?"

"That's what Mommy said isn't it?"

"And Mommy doesn't lie," she grinned taking Arden and plopping herself down in the rocking chair. "Really the three of you need to get going. I love you! Come tell me and your sister bye."

"Bye mommy, bye baby! I'll miss you."

"Me too. I'll miss you and Arden, Momma."

"I'm going to miss you so much too! I'll see you when you get back."

"How about you two hit the bathroom before we hit the road," he bossed hoping it would give him a chance to talk to her some more.

"Bye," she said bluntly, "I'll see you when you get back."

"Maxie?"

"Go, you don't want to be late. If and when I'm ready to talk I'll let you know."

"I love you. You know that right?"

"Of course I know that, and I love you too," he wiped a tear from her cheek, "this is just something I have to work through." She took his hand and kissed it softly. "You need to go."

"The two of you look plum tired," she said when she opened the door, "why don't you head upstairs, open the first door you see, ya'll can go to bed in there." They hugged her and headed upstairs. She was old and practically put the fear of God in them, they were too scared to be anything but obedient.

"What's going on Damian? This certainly is no routine visit; you said you were waiting till the baby was a little older to come back down here. I mean Maxie called and said you were coming, it seemed more then the spur the moment trip she played it out to be."

"We're just having a little quarrel. It's nothing really. She's just overly stressed. She said she needed time alone to think, and thought me bringing the twins down here would give us all a chance to take a break."

She rushed to get the door before whoever it was rang the bell again. "Do you not realize I have a very cranky baby asleep in here? Sam, it's been a long night and I don't feel like talking."

"I just wanted to see if anything has changed since last night. See if there was anything I could do to help."

"I think I've got it under control," he said walking out of the nursery. Sam looked at her dazed and confused, not recognizing the man's voice.

"Thanks for the offer, but I called Mac last night, he's been here, we've been talking."

"Do you mind if we throw in our two cents," Jason questioned walking up the front steps Lulu in tow.

"Not you two too!"

"Maxie, we were here when it all happened. We saw the pain you went through, he was just trying to keep it all from coming up again."

"Can't you people just leave me alone? Give me time to think, please."

so i finally think my block may be unblocked. i have wrote the last chapter, this chapter, and have two more in the works. dont know when to end it, maybe i'll just keep it open. again i hope you enjoy and please review. i'll take constructional critisism and ideas.