AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the feedback you guys. I'm really happy with how good this is doing on Fanfiction, I have it on another site, but it's not doing quiet as well. I get two, maybe three views a chapter, but here it's doing great. Anyway, Helena-on-Earth, you're the only reviewer on the right track- great guesswork.

Less than an hour after Skye and Dawne had left Sonny and Carly's penthouse they arrived at the Quartermaine's. She figured that if she and Dawne stayed at the mansion long enough, Dawne would eventually meet everyone there was to meet in the family.

And she was right. Almost immediately after walking in the door Emily and Zander came down stairs and offered to take Dawne out to play in the yard.

Skye agreed and walked into the study finding Edward on the phone behind his desk. "Oh, lemme call you back," Edward told the person and hung up before he could get a reply. "Skye, I was just thinking about you. I wanted to run an idea by you-"

"No," Skye replied flatly.

"But you haven't even heard it!" Edward complained, looking sincerely hurt.

"I don't care what it is Grandfather," Skye shook her head. "If it involves Dawne, the answer is no."

Edward huffed and set his face in a stubborn expression. "It wasn't my idea, it was Lila's."

Skye paused, willing herself to come up with a snazzy comeback, but when Lila was concerned she went soft. "Go on," she motioned.

"Lila thought it would be a good idea to throw Dawne a little 'Coming out' party," he used the quotation marks around his words. "You know, invite everyone we know to a big party and introduce my little great-grandbaby into society."

"She's seven," Skye answered. "Not sixteen."

"It doesn't matter," Edward shook his head.

Skye looked away as she considered the idea. "When and where?"

"Friday night," he replied. "We haven't gotten to the where part."

"Humm," she chewed her lip. She'd already decided to say yes, but she liked watching Edward squirm. As she pretended to mule over the idea she silently wondered if Carly would rent her club out to them for Friday night. Probably not, she reasoned. ::Friday's a busy night. Plus we're not all that chummy with each other yet::. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask. "All right," she sighed. "As long as I have final say over the guest list, and..." she dragged the last word on until Edward was practically dancing circles around her.

"And?" he prompted.

"I want my job back," she smiled sweetly.

"Your job-" Edward repeated. "Hell no."

"Then there's no party," she replied with a shrug. She turned and began to walk out; hoping she was right and he'd call her back.

"Wait a minute," he said with a sigh.

Skye grinned, but forced her face to be blank as she turned back around. "Hummm?"

Edward opened his mouth several times before giving her a thoroughly cross look. "All right fine. You can have your job back." He watched her face break into a grin. "But one wrong move and," he crossed his finger over his throat giving her an idea of what would happen.

"Thank you grandfather," she gave him a small smile as he stomped out of the room, muttering obscenities at her. She watched his retreating back, then threw her hands in the air once he was out of sight. "Yes!" she exclaimed and danced around in happy little circles.

"What's got you so excited?" Jax asked as he stepped into the room. Skye turned to him, not the least bit embarrassed that she'd been caught dancing for joy. "Well hello there Mr. Jacks," she smiled. "Why am I so happy you ask? I'll tell you why. Because I just conned grandfather into giving me my job back!" She danced over to him, twirled and fell into his arms, knowing he'd catch her. "I'm so happy I could say yes to anything!"

"Well that's promising," he replied. ::Holding her in his arms shouldn't feel this good:: he thought to himself silently. "I was going to offer to take you and Dawne out for a late lunch, if you haven't already eaten, that is."

"Ohmigod!" she exclaimed and looked at his watch, noting it was nearly 2. "That'd be so great. Carly and I must've gotten too into our conversation-"

"Carly?" he repeated. "Since when have you and Carly had a ::conversation::?"

"Since two days ago," she answered. "Dawne and Michael met at the play ground and became friends so we decided to let them get to know each other, blah blah blah...." She noticed he looked a bit worried. "Oh don't worry. Just because Carly and I are becoming ::somewhat:: friends doesn't mean I'm going to tell Sonny everything I know about you."

"I didn't think you would....." he said, and added, "Of your own free will."

"Ahem," AJ cleared his throat from the doorway. "Have I walked in on something?"

Jax looked down at Skye and realized he still had his arms around, holding her closer than a man should hold his ex-wife. Skye must've noticed it too, for she wiggled out of his arms. "I'm gonna' go get Dawne ready to go," she informed them. "I'll meet you outside?"

Jax nodded and watched as she walked out of the room. He could help but notice how her hips swung side to side casually, slowly and seductively.

"You know what they say about a men who stare at their ex-wives' asses," AJ said casually after Skye had disappeared out the front door.

Jax's attention snapped back to AJ. "No, what do they say?"

"You're still in love with her," he replied.

Jax's mouth fell open. "There is nothing wrong with admiring a woman's features!" he exclaimed.

"There is if she's your ex," AJ pointed out.

"Skye happens to have a very nicely shaped body," Jax informed him.

"Well I wouldn't know since she's my sister," AJ countered. He waited for Jax's comeback, but none came. "Look, are you in love with her or not?"

"Why would you care?" Jax asked.

"She's my sister," AJ replied simply. "Look, this is how it is with us: Jason and Emily have a great relationship while Skye and I have a great one. That means I love and care for her unlike the other people this family who could care less about the two of us. I'm probably the only person in this family that realizes just what Skye is."

"And what is that?" Jax prompted.

"A great person," AJ replied. "I just don't wanna see her hurt again, especially by you... You've put her through enough."

"I've put her through enough?" he repeated. "How would you know anything about what I've 'put' her through?"

AJ shook his head. "You really have no idea how much you hurt her, do you? I may have been involved in my own little problems at the time, but that didn't prevent me from noticing Skye."

"Skye doesn't prevent anyone from noticing her," Jax mumbled.

"You hurt her and humiliated her in front of ::everyone::," AJ went on. "You even drove her to drinking again, something she hadn't done in years."

"I didn't mean to do any of those things."

"But you did, and you did nothing to stop it," AJ replied. "Anyway, it's obvious you're in love with her still -you haven't even tried to deny it- and I know she's in love with you still. I don't care if you get back together, but if you hurt her, I ::will:: destroy you." Without giving Jax a chance to reply, AJ walked out of the room to the kitchen to swipe some apple pie from Cook when she wasn't looking.

* * * * *

They arrived at Dave and Buster's less than half an hour later, just in time to make the late lunch crowd. It wasn't overly full, but there were quite a few people there, so Jax ordered a table located in the far corner of the restaurant.

When they'd first gotten into the car, Jax had asked Dawne a few questions, such as what her school was like and if she liked it. Ever since then she'd been rattling on excitedly about what her schedule was like, who her favorite teachers were, her best friend Eva who was Argentina's Prime Minister's daughter, and so on.

He was amazed to find that even though she was only in second grade, she'd already taken 4 years of French and would be starting Italian next year. They'd already learned their multiplication tables, were writing lengthy essays and had studied most of the world's geography. What she was learning in second grade at her private school was what a fourth or fifth grader would learn in a public school.

Silently he hoped that if he ever had a daughter, she'd be just like Dawne. She was extremely intelligent, full of energy, and the cutest little girl he'd ever met. It made him want to scoop her up and spoil her until she couldn't see straight. He smiled, maybe he could spoil her a little while she was here.

"So girls," he began as he pushed Skye's chair in for her. "Would you like to play first and eat later, or eat first and play later?"

"Play first!" Dawne exclaimed as she leaned back to look into the arcade room hungrily.

"Maybe we should eat first baby," Skye objected. "You haven't eaten since breakfast."

Dawne frowned, but nodded and sat down. "Don't worry," Jax smiled. "I'll ask them to cook yours extra fast so you can play soon, all right?"

"Thanks Mr. Jacks," Dawne said with a grin as the waiter came up to take their order.

Jax did as he promised and requested that they make Dawne's chicken fingers first and bring them out as soon as possible. The waiter nodded promising to relay the message to the cook, and left, leaving the three alone again.

"I'd appreciate it if you called me Jax," he told Dawne with a warm smile as if their conversation had never been interrupted.

She nodded. "Mommy calls me baby, it's my pet name. She gives pet names to people she likes...... Did she give you a pet name too?"

Jax laughed as he watched Skye's eyes widen in embarrassment. "Your mother used to call me Honey," he replied.

"What did you call her?" Dawne asked, ignoring her mother's discomfort.

"I don't think I had a pet name for her," Jax answered as he searched his memory for a time when he'd called her by a pet name.

"My Love," she said softly. "You used to call me My Love." He looked over at her and saw hurt in her eyes, but she looked at her daughter and forced a smile. "You're very full of questions today Baby," she observed. "What's got you so interested in Jax and my marriage?"

Dawne shrugged. "Just curious," she replied. She looked around the room inquisitively, as if searching for something. "Can I go to the bathroom?" she asked, turning back to her mother after she'd found it.

"Sure," Skye nodded and stood up as Dawne did to go with her.

"Mom! I'm not a baby," Dawne exclaimed. "I can go by myself!"

Skye hesitated, half-standing. She saw the hope in her daughter's eyes and melted. "All right, go ahead," she nodded. Dawne smiled and as she walked off Skye kept a careful eye on her daughter's retreating back.

"I must say I never pinned you as an overprotective mother, Skye," he replied, watching Skye watch her daughter with interest.

"Would you rather me not care at all about her like my mother did for me?" Skye shot back, turning to him when Dawne disappeared into the bathroom.

"No," he shook his head. "I guess not." He watched her throw nervous glances at the bathroom every couple seconds as she drummed her fingers on the table. "Skye," he said and placed a hand over hers to stop her from drumming her fingers. "She just went to the bathroom, she'll be fine."

She looked down at his large hand holding her small one, feeling a small surge of electricity pass between them. Slowly she met his ice blue gaze, and saw in his eyes that he'd felt it too. They stared at one another for a moment, then slowly Jax leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.

Skye remained rigid in her seat, too shocked to move. Her eyes remained shut because she could seem to open them. She could not believe what just happened, it had to be some sort of dream.

She'd been sober too long, that was it. She needed a drink. A nice shot of whiskey.... or maybe some Vodka. That's it, a tall glass of Vodka, heaven knows she'd be able to drink the whole thing. Slowly she opened her eyes and stared at Jax.

He was staring right back.

Before she could think, Dawne appeared between them as if by magic. "Dawne," Skye said simply because it was all she could think to say at that moment. "Um, how'd it go?" she asked stupidly.

"There was a line," Dawne answered. "But a lady let me cut in front of her."

"Well that was nice," Skye observed, avoiding the piercing stare she felt coming from Jax. "Did you say thank you?"

Dawne nodded as a waiter came up with a small basket of chicken fingers, fries and a side of coleslaw and set it in front of Dawne. "Thank you," Jax told the waiter and slipped him a twenty for his troubles.

Together she and Jax watched as Dawne ate the chicken and fries quickly, talking about how she wanted a pony in between bites.

"Well your birthday's coming up, maybe someone will get you a pony," Skye with a mischievous grin.

"Really?" Jax inquired, his interest perked by the mention of a birthday. "When's your birthday Dawne?"

"April 21st," she exclaimed with a childish grin. "I'll be eight!"

"Congratulations," Jax offered as he thought about the information Dan had given him. Skye had taken a three week leave in mid April, so that ment Dawne ::had:: been born in that time period. It was already the ninth, Dawne wouldn't be staying through her birthday, he concluded. "What's your middle name Dawne?" he asked suddenly.

"Marie," Skye and Dawne replied at the same time.

"That's a very pretty name," he replied as he made a mental note to have Dan look up Dawne Marie Quartermaine's birth certificate for the father.

Dawne smiled at Jax, and Jax smiled back. He could help but already be in love with her. "Can I go play now?" she asked.

"Sure," Jax replied and pulled out his wallet. "Now go put this in the machine over there and it'll give you tokens," he instructed her while handing her a fifty. "If you run out come back and I'll give you more, 'kay?"

"'Kay!" she exclaimed and ran off to convert the fifty into coins.

"She likes you, a lot," Skye told him after Dawne had disappeared.

"I like her too," he answered. "She's a wonderful little girl. You did a great job."

"People keep telling me that so it must be true," Skye answered.

"It is," he told her sincerely.

Skye nodded and looked down at her lap as she twiddled her thumbs. "Um, about that kiss-" she began slowly.

"Don't even mention it," he cut her off. "It was wrong, I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

She nodded slowly. Her hope was completely dashed now. When he'd kissed her, she thought maybe, just maybe, there was hope for the two of them. But no more. He'd killed that hope without even realizing he had. "You're right," she nodded, forcing herself to sound as if she agreed. "It was totally wrong. It won't happen again."

"Never," Jax agreed as he watched Skye once again avoid his gaze. ::God I could just kill myself!:: he thought. ::Every time there's some sort of invitation, one of us shoots it down! I've got to stop seeing her, it just makes me want her even more, that's what I have to do:: He looked away from Skye in the uncomfortable silence. ::I have to leave or else I'll end up doing something we'll both regret later on::

He sighed inwardly. ::I'll just get through the rest of the night, and then that's it. No more Skye for me::

* * * * *

Forty-five minutes later he and Skye had finished their diner in silence. The only words they'd spoken were on passing the salt and agreeing to go join Dawne in the arcade room.

They found her easy enough on a two-person motorcycle race with another boy a few years older than she. They were racing head to head, both everywhere but on the road itself. Skye watched as Dawne ran into several trees and boulders, even a cow or two. Finally the race ended with Dawne in 7th and the boy in 4th.

"One more," the boy asked.

"Okay," she agreed. "But I want help," she demanded and pointed to Jax and Skye.

The boy surveyed the two adults with interest. "No fair," he shook his head. "They're grown ups."

"We'll bet ten tokens," she said with a sly smile.

The boy looked at the hand she held out with greedy interest and nodded. "You're on."

"My God," Jax breathed after the display was over. "She's a miniature you."

"You should see her at poker," Skye mumbled. "Which of us do you want?" she asked turning to Dawne.

Dawne studied her mother and Jax. "Jax," she decided.

"Happy to oblige my lady," Jax grinned and straddled the motorcycle behind the young girl.

Skye watched on in amusement as Dawne instructed Jax on how to use the game properly. Little did she know, Jax had his own motorcycle parked in his garage with all his cars. But Jax paid attention and acted innocent as she taught him.

"Come on already," the boy whined.

Dawne said nothing but slipped two coins in the slot to start the race. They started off evenly for the first thirty seconds of the game, then slowly Jax sped up, leaving the boy behind in his dust. He found a few short cuts and zoomed down them soon ending up a full lap a head of the boy. Skye grinned as the race ended and Jax and Dawne came in first.

"Yay!" Dawne exclaimed clapping her hands excitedly.

"You cheated!" the boy whined.

"Did not. That'll be ten tokens please," Dawne reminded him.

He grumbled the whole time as he counted out ten tokens and handed them to Dawne, then stalked off angry at his loss.

Jax looked up at Skye, smiling broadly at Dawne's happy face as she counted the tokens and carefully slipped them into her pocket. "How about you Skye? Wanna' give it a try?" he asked with a wink.

Skye glanced at the game and turned back to him with a sly smile, identical to that of Dawne's. "Why I think I will," she answered and climbed astride the opposite motorcycle. "A hundred bucks says I beat you."

Jax grinned. "You're on," he said and held out his hand for her to shake.

Skye took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Can we barrow some coins baby?" she asked Dawne as she climbed off Jax's motorcycle with his help.

"Okay," she said and handed them two coins each.

The slipped their coins in and each selected their motorcycles and riders. Jax picking a blue motorcycle with a male rider while Skye picked a red one with a female rider.

"Shall we do the easy course?" Jax asked looking over a Skye with amusement as he indicated the plain oval shaped tack.

Skye licked her lips and turned back to the screen, picking the course with the most curves. "No way you're goin' easy on me," she told him.

"Who said I was going to?" he asked as the revving of eight motorcycles, including their own, began.

Skye looked back over at Jax when she saw the red light. "Jax?" she called, bringing his attention back to her. "I love you," she told him as the light turned green. At his stunned expression she turned back to the game and shot out in front of all the other bikes, including Jax's.

Jax shook his head and turned back to the game, inwardly cursing Skye as he began the race in last place. Through out most of the race Skye remained a head of Jax, but a few times he slipped in, taking short cuts the whole way.

As they neared the last curve, with both of them racing right alongside of each other, Skye used the attack button on her handlebars, kicking Jax's bike and knocking him to the ground. She crossed the finish line in first and began laughing hysterically at the look of shock on Jax's face.

"I beat you," she told him in between laughs.

"You play dirty," he scowled.

"You could've done the exact same thing to me, but you're too much of a gentlemen," she replied still laughing.

Jax shook his head, realizing she was right. He had known about the attack button, but didn't think she had. It was completely his fault for underestimating Skye.

Slowly he reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and handed her a hundred-dollar bill. "Here," he said, keeping his scowl in place. "You dirty rotten cheater."

"It has its advantages," she smiled as she tucked the hundred in her bra for safe keeping. She patted her breast where the hundred was hidden. "No way you're getting it back now."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I thought I'd add a little fun into it and having Jax take them to Dave and Busters just seemed like a good idea. Oh well, I really appreciate reviews, so please review! Thanks! Until next time....