Part One: Perdita

Ever since she was a little girl Perdita had felt safe around her father. She could remember running to him when she needed comfort and she'd knew she could tell him anything. She was daddy's girl, through and through. Perdita knew that her father loved her, that he loved them all, her big sister, her little brother, and their mother, but she was afraid that what she needed to tell her father would make him stop loving her.

Perdita Joyce Honnicut had arrived on the 8th of June 1954 to her proud parents BJ and Peggy and loving sister Erin. Very quickly their joy was shattered as the slightly premature baby stopped breathing. In haste while the obstetricians fought to save the tiny girl's life, BJ and Peggy named their daughter Perdita Joyce, which translated to lost joy. However, Perdita was not a lost joy as her life was saved. But as she stood at the airport, wringing her hands nervously, she wished that she hadn't been born at all.

She twisted the hanky in her hands so tight she cut off the circulation. There was pain as the thin cotton cut into her finger, the finger where she wore Nicolette's ring. She glanced at the plain silver band with vines delicately engraved around it and for her own reassurance took it off. She read the worn inscription that she knew by heart.

"Nicolette Margaret Pierce 19/10/54 6lbs 13oz 3.27am" It did little to comfort her this time and so she slipped it back on.

"Perdita!" She turned at the voice and grabbing her bags, ran towards its source.

"Daddy I missed you so much!" Perdita threw herself into her father's arms. A private school in Maine - where Perdita attended by choice - meant the 16 year-old only saw her parents in the summer and at Christmas time, as BJ and Peggy couldn't afford to have her flown back in between. She spent the other holidays with her friend Nicolette and her family who she lived with in term time.

"Well I missed you too darling." BJ laughed as he hugged his youngest daughter warmly. "How have you been? You've grown so big!" He kissed her smooth, red-blonde hair and admired the young lady who was the spitting image of her mother.

"It's what I'm meant to do. I'm wearing Nicolette's uniform by the way." Perdita informed her father, watching as he eyed her up and down. BJ shook his head, Perdita was tall and curvy and becoming more beautiful everyday, he could hardly believe that the gorgeous woman before him was once the tiny blue baby on oxygen.

"And Nicolette's ring I see." BJ commented looking at the ring. Perdita had a ring also, and it too was sliver, but it was studded with tiny amethyst chips around it and bore the details of her birth. "Perdita Joyce Honnicut 8/6/54 5lbs 4oz 5.55pm" It had been a 16th birthday gift from Nicolette's parents. Nicolette had received hers at birth, but when seeing that Perdita loved the idea so, Hawkeye and Celina had bought one for Perdita.

"What? Oh, Nicolette and I were in such a hurry we didn't even notice we'd swapped rings when we were packing." Perdita said lightly, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. She and Nicolette had exchanged rings while they were apart, as they wouldn't see each other for a whole three months.

"You're getting more like your mother every time I see you. She's scatterbrained as you are. I wish you'd stay in California." Just as he'd hated being away from Erin's babyhood, he hated having Perdita away from him in her teenage years.

"Daddy, I love the school and I'm safe there, I've got Hawkeye and Celina to make sure I'm okay. Hawkeye is as protective of me as he is of Nicolette, Philippe, Daniel, Gabrielle or Antoinette." BJ carried her bags out of the airport and to their car.

"I know Perdita, I just worry about you, with all those boys. Philippe sounds just like his father a real girl-chaser. And you're just a little girl!" BJ said teasingly, and Perdita winced at that. Her father expected her to like boys.

"Daddy! I'm not a little girl." She fell quiet after that, trying to screw up her courage. BJ noticed that she was quiet and how she pulled away from him and worried, he tried to find out what was upsetting his beloved daughter.

"Perdita are you feeling okay?" He glanced at his daughter as she sat in silence.

"Yes, I mean no, I just feel a little sick." She mumbled quietly.

"Is it your tummy?" BJ took one hand off the wheel to put it on her stomach.

"No daddy, I haven't got my period if that's what you're asking." Perdita laughed a little. "I've just got something to tell you, and I'm not sure how."

"Perdita, answer me this, are you pregnant?" He deliberately made his voice teasing so she knew he was joking.

"No daddy!" Perdita laughed as her father took his hand off her stomach.

"Are you going to be expelled?" He joked again.

"Of course not daddy!" She sounded scandalized.

"Well then, whatever it is you can tell me, in your own time."

"Thankyou daddy." Perdita relaxed a bit. "I'll tell you and mum when I'm ready." BJ turned the car into their drive and smiled lovingly at his daughter, who looked pale and scared.

"In your own time sweetheart."

Perdita wasn't sure all the time in the world would be enough. It was going to be tough telling her parents she was in love, and even tougher telling them that she loved a girl.