When Layla arrived at the airport, there was a driver posted at the gate to retrieve her and her luggage to take her to her apartment. She expected her father to be waiting for her in her one bedroom loft. Thankfully he was not there. She was too tired to have the discussion to she needed to have with him after her long flight. After taking a showing, without bothering to eat, she went to bed.

In the morning, she woke up and stumbled downstairs to find her father in her kitchen making coffee. Although the coffee was welcome, he was a surprise that could have waited. Oh, well. She would much rather have this discussion away from the office anyway.

"Father," she greeted the handsome athletic blond man in his 50s who, if people did not know otherwise, believed him to be her real father.

His brilliant icy blue eyes, a physical trait that set them completely apart, shifted from the coffee he was pouring to her face as she yawned and stretched. He smiled when she rubbed her eyes like a sleepy child. She was still his little girl no matter what genetics or time told him otherwise.

"I can't blame you for being angry with me," her father said, pouring cream into her coffee turning it a light beige color, just the way she liked it.

Layla took the cup with both hands, allowing the warmth to penetrate them as she held the cup under her nose to inhale the heavenly scent. For a second there was a queasy sensation swimming around in her gut, but she brought the cup to her lips to take a sip anyway.

A little thrill ran through her body as the hazelnut taste flooded over her tongue and the caffeine hit her system. A sense of euphoria flooded her body making her feel a bit light headed. She sighed and took another sip. Nothing could keep her from the necessary first cup of coffee.

"It's good?" her father inquired, pouring himself a cup.

"It's very good. Thank you," she said, taking a seat on one of the backless stool on the other side of the counter.

She propped her elbows on the shiny pristine white surface of the countertop, holding her cup next to her lips and under her nose. Her eyes followed his movements as he opened the flat pink box on the counter to reveal twelve donuts of various kinds.

"Lemon or raspberry?" he asked her.

Layla blinked at him, setting her cup down before she dropped it. It had been years since he had bought her junk food - not that she didn't buy it for herself when he wasn't around. Wow. She could get used to apologies like this. Her favorite coffee and her favorite doughnuts.

"Lemon, please," she requested, salivating as he picked up the round doughnut covered in a clear sheen of glaze and filled with a tangy lemon curd.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I'm just worried about you," he said, handing her the treat.

"I know," she sighed, trying to understand his motives but it did not assuage her annoyance.

"I can't allow you to work exclusively for the Joestars. I need you at the hospital," he stated bluntly, picking up one of the plain glazed for himself.

Layla stared at him in disbelief. He never ate sweets. He was far too concerned with what he put inside of his body in order to keep himself looking and feeling young. Although not a diabetic, she feared he might go into diabetic shock right in front of her because his body could not handle the sudden onslaught of so much sugar and carbohydrates.

"Ugh, I can't," he groaned, ripping off a paper towel and spitting out the bite of doughnut into it. He stomped on the lever to flip open the garbage lid to toss it away. He took several loud swallows of his black coffee. "I just don't know how you can eat that crap."

Layla giggled, taking a large bite out of her doughnut. She sighed in approval and pleasure before taking another bite.

"I never wanted you to get so close to the Joestars. That family is cursed," her father stated with all sincerity.

Layla continued stuffing her face to maintain her silence. Holding her plate out to him as she kept chewing her current mouthful, she pointed out her next selection. He picked up the raspberry filled one to drop it on the plate before quickly turning to the sink to wash his hand.

"Joseph Joestar has this air about him...something that draws people to him in inexplicable ways," he went on, pouring himself more coffee and refilling her cup as well. Without asking if she wanted more, he poured in more cream. "I never wanted you to get caught up in his gravity and get sucked in."

Is that what happened to the woman who had an affair with Joseph? She got caught up in something she saw in him, a fantasy of her own making or maybe it was just his goofily charming and weirdly magnetic personality? What would make him do such a terrible thing to Suzi Q.? Layla didn't understand a damn bit of it.

"Sweetheart, are you even listening to me?" her father inquired, pulling her out of her own thoughts.

"Daddy - "

He looked up from his cup, hopefulness warming his glacial blue eyes and his flawless smile on his model perfect face. "You're not still angry?"

"I wouldn't go that far," she returned, inhaling a deep breath. "I'm still hurt and yes, a little mad at you."

"You have to understand, Layla. People around that man have a tendency to die and that scares the hell out of me."

Unfortunately, her father was not wrong. Looking back at Joseph Joestar's history, it was an obvious pattern and difficult to miss.

"If something happened to you because of that man, I'd never forgive myself...or him," he murmured, staring at his black Italian loafers with gold buckles on the little strap across the top.

Layla sighed sadly. Those shoes reminded her of the ones Jotaro always wears. Suddenly losing her appetite, she put down the doughnut and pushed the plate away in favor of drinking her coffee.

"Is that why you stopped the assassin training and put me in the medical program instead?" she asked bluntly, waiting for his eyes to meet hers. "You decided you couldn't risk something happening to me so you changed my vocation."

"Partly," he admitted, running his finger around the thick rim of his chunky white coffee mug. "I realized you did not have the conscience to be a killer. If you hurt someone during your training, you would treat their wounds yourself. The guilt would make you cry yourself to sleep at night. Your teachers said that would pass after while. The first thing you needed to kill was your soul. Some things should not be destroyed."

"Why do you hate Mr. Joestar so much?" Layla asked, folding her hands together on the counter in front of her.

Her father exhaled noisily, taking another sip from his cup. He grimaced, and she could not be sure if it was because of the cold coffee or his distaste for having to tell her the truth.

"Who am I, father? And don't start with how I was left at the hospital, I mean before that. Who are my birth parents? Where was I for three years?" Feeling sick, putrid bitterness from her stomach creeping up her throat, she gulped and asked, "Why was I abandoned, discarded like an unwanted kitten?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't asked before now. I was hoping you never would," her father said, giving her a regret filled smile on quivering lips. He put down his cup and leaned across the counter to take her hands between his. "Your grandfather was Caesar Zeppeli. Your mother was one of his daughters."

"Zeppeli," she repeated to herself. "Caesar Zeppeli?" Her face twisted in confusion as she remembered hearing Joseph speak fondly of his best friend. That would explain why Joseph always had such a strong affection for her. Her grandfather helped him retrieve the antidote from the Pillar Man responsible for placing the lethal ring around his heart. "My grandfather was killed by one of the Pillar Men, wasn't he? Wa-Wamuu...I think that was his name. But ..."

"See what I mean," her father retorted.

"God," she gasped, thinking about all of the times she had teased the poor man about those so called "wedding rings" before she finally stopped. Each time she had unknowingly been reminding him of his best friend's, and her grandfather's, untimely death.

"Will Zeppeli, your grandfather's grandfather to put it simply, was Jonathan Joestar's Ripple teacher. I assume Mr. Joestar has explained to you what Ripple is," her father stated with a rather bitter tone to his voice. "I know you two have talked a lot and gotten very close."

Sometimes we talk too much, she thought. Thanks to the archives, she knew Will Zeppeli was acquainted with Robert E.O. Speedwagon which would explain why her mother came here as well besides having a connection with the Joestars. Two generations of her family, Will and Caesar, had been tied to the Joestars, Jonathan and Joseph. Perhaps it was an inescapable destiny the Joestars become a part of her life. Even her father, the man she had once viewed as ten foot tall and bulletproof, could not fight whatever cosmic force was at work to keep these two families linked.

"Yes, he's explained it to me. He spoke about Caesar Zeppeli quite often and how they became friends. He never told me I was his best friend's granddaughter."

Out of all the secrets he could have divulged, why didn't Mr. Joestar tell me about my lineage? Layla shook her head and rolled her eyes. She did not have the ability to be angry with him at the moment. Her mind was too busy trying to comprehend the bombshell of information her father dropped on her.

"You were born in Italy and lived there for three years until your mother fled here with you. I tried to steer you away from your family's inherent gift for medicine and healing, but I quickly realized it was more important for you use that ability rather than hide it. I never wanted you to know where you came from," he confessed, letting her hands go. Turning his back to her, he walked away with the pretense of getting coffee, "I wanted to keep you away from the Joestars, but...well, we see how that turned out."

Oh, her father would absolutely lose his mind if he knew exactly how close she had gotten with a certain member of the Joestar family. Layla nervously chewed her lower lip. Picking up her coffee cup, she slid from her stool to go stand next to her father. As he filled her cup again, she had another question to ask.

"Why exactly do you hate Joseph Joestar so much? There's more to it than you've said so far. Please tell me why," she requested, studying his face as he poured in the cream.

His face hardened into a mask of fury giving the impression his features had been carved out of marble. Only the muscles in his jaw worked beside his ears, squirming under his skin as he clenched and unclenched his teeth.

"Joseph Joestar always gets what he wants. All he has to do is ask, and whatever it is...whoever it is...belongs to him. Well," he said, pausing to turn to replace the coffee decanter. "One time, the one time it really counted, he was told no. You were the one thing I was not going to permit that man destroy or kill by the mere association with him. But..."

A pained expression passed over his face, relaxing his features. His eyes clouded with sadness, tears making them gleam. He came to stand beside her once more.

"Daddy," she said, taking one of his hands in hers. "I'll be fine. Thanks to you and the extremely eclectic training I have received, I can take care of myself."

"I hope so," he rasped, picking up his cup of coffee to take a drink to wet his dry throat.

"What happened that night? When my mother came to the hospital?"

"Your mother came in, bloody and half dead. She had been stabbed three times and shot twice. Sheer determination to protect you allowed her to make it here alive. At the time, I was Chief of the ER so I was immediately called due to the unusual circumstances. She had fled Italy safely but the assassins were waiting for her at the airport," he said, inhaling a shaky breath as if it hurt him to remember that night.

Layla felt sick. She sat down, pressing her hands to her belly as if to stop it from churning.

"She told me her father's name, saying that's why they were after her...to exterminate all of the Zeppeli heirs. She begged me to protect you. Then she died in my arms," he said, keeping his back turned to her. "I didn't try to find out if any of your family was left since that might tip off whoever would be looking for you."

"Did she say who wanted them dead?"

"No. But I'm guessing Dio."

At least he was no longer a threat to her existence.

"What was my mother's name?" she asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.

"Luciana."

"What was my name?"

"Liliana Caesaris Zeppeli. I changed your name to Layla because that was the name of my favorite song. Your middle name, Julia, was the name of Julius Caesar's daughter," he explained. "I wanted to change your name to protect you, but I also wanted to honor your grandfather."

"Oh, Daddy," she gasped, leaning on her elbows and holding her head in her hands. "My mother was murdered. Assassinated. Is that the other part of the reason why you chose the assassin training for me? So I could protect myself and someday get revenge on the people who killed my mother?"

"I suppose it was," he sighed. "But your sweet soul just couldn't handle it. You were always too attuned to people's emotions for that. When they hurt, you hurt."

Do I have a Stand? Maybe that's my Stand's power, she thought bitterly. The ability to read people's emotions and know what they're feeling. Pretty useless really. And painful to me.

"When you sat in the hospital with a week with the man who's jaw you broke, I knew being an assassin wasn't for you. You took care of that man, anticipating his needs sometime even before he knew what he needed. That's when I knew you should be a nurse."

"Why didn't you..." Layla's voice deserted her, not allowing her to ask her entire question.

"Why didn't I give you to Joseph Joestar? Because I had a promise to keep to your mother. I looked into your mother's eyes and swore I would protect you at all costs before she died. You have your mother's eyes, you know," he said, turning to look at her. A fine sheen of tears covered his eyes again but none had fallen yet.

"No, I didn't know that," she murmured, shrugging. "I don't know why, but I always imagined I had eyes like hers. I've pictured her a thousand times. Do I look like her?"

Her father nodded. She had her mother's blond hair too which was like her father's.

"Looking at you reminded me of that promise every day. I viewed giving you to Joseph Joestar as the same as giving you a death sentence. I filed adoption papers without telling him about you. When he discovered your identity, a nasty custody battle ensued." Her father smiled, a somewhat spiteful yet sad smile. "For once in his life, someone told Joseph Joestar no. The court determined me to be the better caretake and denied his petition." The smile faded from his face. "I wanted to protect you so I did...in the way I thought best. Now I'm not sure I made the right decision. About any of it."

"Well, that certainly explains why there is so much animosity between the two of you," she murmured pensively. "I guess even you couldn't stop fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it."

"Apparently not," he said, coming around the counter to stand beside her. "Layla, if you want to take that job with the Joestars, I will sign the job transfer when I get to the office."

Layla hesitated, staring down at the counter.

"You still want the job...don't you?" her father asked her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Do I still want the job?, she asked herself. Before she returned home, she had decided she would take the job for Suzi Q.'s sake, but now there was more to it - a whole lot more.

Perhaps she should get to know Joseph Joestar a little better because he is definitely not the man she thought she knew. He is more complex than she imagined. In light of what her father told her, she would like to learn more about her grandfather as well through Joseph and his memories of his friend.

Her eyes lifted to skim over her father who currently studied her with a mixture of worry and bafflement dimming the brilliance of his eyes. With him, his eyes truly are the window to his soul. She could see everything he was feeling by looking into his eyes.

Good men sometimes make bad decisions. Places, time, people, and extenuating circumstances dictated these decisions that at the time seemed right but in hindsight are so horribly wrong. Sometimes these bad decisions do have a good outcome. Other times, not so much.

Either way, things are what they are and here we are now, she thought to herself. One day she would make a decision that would no doubt come back to bite her in the ass. She couldn't help but wonder if she had already made a detrimental choice she would regret for the rest of her life.

"Did something happen to change your mind? What did that man do now?" her father demanded, growing defensive as he stood up taller with his chest puffed out.

"I still want the job. I'm just still trying to process everything you told me," she said, not exactly lying but not being completely truthful either. "Thank you, Daddy." Gazing at him with tears in her eyes, she added, "You do understand that no matter what happens, you will always be my father, right?"

He chuckled softly in relief, his eyes shiny with tears of his own. "I'm glad you feel that way. You will always be my precious daughter. Honestly, I expected you to officially disown me and not want to have another thing to do with me after I told you the truth about everything."

"I'm hurt and confused...and still mad," she admitted, sliding off the stool to embrace him. "But we can work through this somehow. That's what family does."

"That's what family does," he repeated in agreement, hugging her tightly.

Layla tried to imagine what life would have been like with Joseph Joestar as a father. Honestly, at the moment, she could not even begin to fathom how different her life would have been if she had been his adopted daughter. Being his somewhat adopted granddaughter had been quite the wild ride especially over the last three months.

Her life had always been regimented, completely planned and almost boring in its predictability - until she met Joseph Joestar four years ago. Slowly over those years, whether by choice or chance, she became a much bigger part of their lives than she anticipated. Now she knew why.

Although still trying to wrap her head around everything her father had told her, she could still say without a doubt she had a good life, a good education, and a good dad. Some of his motives and solutions might have been slightly skewed, but overall he had good intentions. Her welfare was always at the forefront of his mind when making those decisions.

Also if she had been adopted by Joseph, she would have had a completely different relationship with Jotaro than she presently had. She might have been a doting aunt showering him with presents. Or as kids she might have detested him, seeing him as an annoying little brat, and never wanted to have anything to do with him.

After becoming his lover, Layla could not take either scenario seriously. He had come to mean so much to her. He was the sneaky man who, despite his brutish attitude and harsh words, had somehow stolen her heart away from her. There were those moments, those rare and beautiful times shared between them, when he became soft and tender, speaking sweet words and holding her gently. Those were the reasons she fell in love with him.

"Shit," Layla muttered.

"What?" her father asked, letting her go from his embrace. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied, smiling up at her father. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. The green block numbers said the time was 8:03. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Shit, you're right," he said, hugging her quickly one more time before walking toward the door. "I'll make dinner reservations tonight. Take today to rest and get over the jet lag. We can talk more later."

"Okay," she agreed reluctantly, following him to the door. "Have a good day."

"Get some rest," he ordered her as he walked down the hall to the elevator.

Layla would prefer a pint of double chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips, a chick flick, and a good cry by herself. But her father had allowed her to take the job with the Joestars so there was reason to celebrate. Doing a quick calculation in her head, she figured the time in Japan to be around nine at night. She should make a phone call.

Going up the metal stairs to her bedroom which really wasn't a room at all, just an open platform that overlooked the rest of her apartment below, she tossed her suitcase onto her bed to retrieve her day planner and Holly Kujo's phone number. Calling the operator and requesting assistance to be connected to an overseas party, she rattled off the number and waited.

"Hellooo," sang Holly.

Layla's heart soared with happiness at hearing her cheerful voice. She needed that brand of genuine overflowing joy Holly offered with a single word spoken with her melodious tone.

"Hi, Holly. It's Layla," she said.

Thank goodness they had a shockingly good connection which is why she called the operator directly for assistance. This was going to be an expensive call but so worth it.

"Oh, Layla, hi! How are you?" the woman inquired.

Her smile grew even broader. It was so strange but wonderful for someone to ask her that question before she asked them in a purely clinical manner.

"I'm very good. How are you?"

"Great! But..." Her voice faltered, suddenly sounding full of cautious worry. "Why are you calling? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fabulous. I am calling with good news. Is your Dad close by?" she asked. Her belly tightened. It was strange to think that man could have been her Dad. Holly could have been her sister. And Jotaro her nephew. Oh, no thank you.

"Sure. He's right here and staring at me. I think if I wasn't about to give him the phone he would have rip it out of my hand," Holly giggled, handing it off.

"How's my favorite nurse?" Joseph asked after getting the phone.

An odd crawling sensation ran over her entire body when she heard his deep and naturally loud voice in her ear. He was trying to be casual and flippant but she could hear the hesitancy in his teasing, not quite knowing if he should act like things are all right because they most certainly are not.

Layla was still not sure how to feel about him. Still upset with him, feeling deceived and disappointed by his infidelity because she had believed him to be such a devoted and faithful husband, she could not find it within herself to forgive him.

There were things she wanted to know about her grandfather, and herself for that matter. Questions to which he most likely had the answers. She wanted to take care of Grandma Suzi which is why Joseph wanted to hire her as their private nurse to begin with. Also, Grandma Suzi needed someone to be with her - especially if Joseph should have another attack of conscience and confess his sins to his wife.

"I'm good," she chuckled. "How are you, Grandpa Joe?"

"Fantastic! Fit as a fiddle," he said, using one of his favorite adages.

Layla laughed. She could picture him beating on his chest with his fists like King Kong the way he always did when he said that.

"Sooo...you're really okay?"

"Uhm...I will be. I've learned some things has changed my perspective a little."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's a discussion for later."

"Okay. What's your good news, kiddo? Let's have it," he demanded jovially.

"Well, it looks like I am going to be your nurse after all. Dad is going to allow me to take the job," she informed him happily.

"Oh, my god," he mumbled in shock. "I can't believe your father is allowing it."

"Neither can I." She paused briefly before adding, "He also told me some other things. Like about my mother. You and I will have a lot to talk about."

"You're right. We will. I'm glad you're going to be working for us."

"It's bound to be an adventure right?"

"Right," he agreed, trying to sound upbeat.

"Good grief, old man, get off the phone. Let someone else have a chance," Jotaro growled in the background.

"Hey, Grandpa Joe, can I talk to Jotaro?" Layla asked.

"Sure thing. It's good to hear you call me that again," he said.

In her imagination, Layla could easily see the wide, toothy smile on his face. She smiled as well. Just like with her father, they would work things out because that is what families do.

"Hey, my boy, Layla wants to talk to you!" Joseph yelled at Jotaro but did not need to since they were obviously in the same room together, most likely gathered around the kotatsu.

"Sunny."

Hearing Jotaro call her by her nickname made her want to melt. Her entire body warmed. In the background she could hear Joseph yelling for Suzi Q.

"Hey, Suzi! I've got good news!"

"Shut up, old man!" Jotaro bellowed. "I'm trying to talk here."

Layla laughed as tears of happiness sprang to her eyes. At least some things had stayed the same. Perhaps it was only her who had changed over the last few days after the things she had learned about people she thought she knew and loved dearly.

"Hey, Jojo. I miss you," she confessed. "I..." She cleared her throat. "I lo -" Her voice broke like a twelve year old boy's so she cleared her throat again. "I lo - " A raspy squeak escaped her. Dammit!

"Yeah. Me too," Jotaro said.

She could practically hear the smile in voice which warmed her heart while embarrassment burned her face. Although love is undoubtedly the sentiment is in her heart, she could not get her mouth to speak the word. At least he understood what she was trying to tell him.

"I'll see you soon, Sunny," Jotaro promised her.

"See you soon, Jojo."

With those few words, the phone was passed off again. That was enough. A thousand words from him could not have spoken more clearly and lovingly to her heart.

"Layla?"

It was Suzi Q. Tears dribbled down her cheeks.

"Oh, Grandma Suzi. It's so good to hear your voice."

"Joseph told me the good news. I'm so happy," she chirped excitedly.

"Me too," Layla returned just as thrilled. "I guess I better start packing huh?"

"Take your time, dear. There's no big hurry. It's going to be a major transition for all of us. But they will be good changes," Suzi Q. assured her.

"Yeah, good changes," she agreed.

"Will you be coming back for Jotaro's birthday?"

"Uh, no," she replied regretfully. "I'm afraid there are some important things I need to take care of here. I will call on his birthday. I will see you when you return though. Please take care of yourself and your stubborn husband."

"I will," Suzi laughed. "I think I will talk to my husband about bringing a special gift back for you since we will not be coming back until after Jotaro's graduation. Good bye for now, dear."

"Good bye for now," she echoed and hung up.

Layla hoped Suzi Q. intended Jotaro himself to be the gift which made her heart flutter. The thought of Jotaro stepping off the plane with a big red bow tied around his neck flashed through her mind and made her giggle.