******* Uh, hi? Remember me? A long time ago, on a continent far, far away I started writing this little fic called Smiling Back. Yeah, that was me. Well, as many of you have so kindly reminded me, I haven't updated in. months. What can I say? I'm really, really sorry.

I have plenty of excuses. I got hooked on Harry Potter, I started rewriting SB adding more of Rafe and Evelyn because so many of you were upset that I was making Rafe act like a bastard so I wanted to explain his story a bit more, and my husband and I launched a website (shameless plug - www.cluesearchpuzzles.com ) and I am in charge of content.

I have probably one more chapter written for ToI, and outlines for another two at least. I just need the time to write and since it's summer and my kids are home.

Oh, I forgot my best excuse - I've been researching how to turn SB into an original fic based in the European theater. Danny and Rafe would still be flyers, but probably of bombers. Evelyn would be a WAC and Kate would be an American married to a Frenchman (still a bad guy) and she would be working with the Resistance. Once again, I have ideas, I just need time.

I promise I will try harder to get chapters out. Thanks to everyone who took the time to nudge me - you know who you are. ( I really appreciate it.

******

Time of Innocence Chapter 12 By RogueAngel (Who doesn't own a darn thing, so don't sue)

Grace watched her mother walk across the field with a small basket of leftovers and sighed. She had hoped that she would be allowed to do the chore. at least to take some food out to the clearing for Danny, but her mother had been adamant. She wasn't to leave her room. Grace could tell by the look in her mother's eyes that she was in trouble. Big trouble. Not that she expected anything less.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly, trying to fight back the tears that wanted to fall. She hurt so badly, for some many reason - for some many people. She had taken the possibility of Danny's parentage seriously, but her investigation had been a lark. Looking back she realized that she should have talked to her father about it.mentioned what the old woman had said, then he could have talked to Danny. Instead she had just stirred up a big nest of trouble. Her mom and dad hadn't said much, but Grace had gotten the impression that things weren't right with Uncle Rafe and Aunt Evelyn and she knew it was all her fault.

"What's going on?" a soft voice asked from her doorway, startling her.

Seeing that it was Josh, Grace bit back her usual retort. Normally she didn't like her brothers coming into her room. Sam only annoyed her and Drew and Matty always managed to break something, but Josh was different. She could talk to him. He'd listen to anything, his eyes seeming wiser than their years.

"What makes you think something's going on?" Grace bluffed feebly.

Josh simply raised an eyebrow and sat down on her bed, waiting for her to tell him the truth. He was always patient like that, taking after their father in more than just looks.

Grace sighed and rested her head against her knees. "I found out something. something shocking. And instead of. talking to Dad about it I. well. I made a mess of it. And now Dad's upset. Mom's mad. Danny is." she swallowed convulsively. "And Aunt Ev and Uncle Rafe." She wiped her now teary face on her shoulder, "they're all. hurt."

"What did you find out?" Josh asked quietly, his head cocked slightly as he watched her, his concern evident.

"Danny's not. he's not," she faltered. "He's not Uncle Rafe's son. he's dad's," she managed to choke out."

Josh's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Are you sure?"

Grace laughed humorlessly. "Oh, I'm sure alright."

"How'd you find out?"

"Some old lady cornered him at Tildy's and she made some comments. Danny didn't want to talk about it, he was already upset about not being able to fly, so I."

"So you pretended to write a paper on family history," Josh finished for her.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Wow," Josh said, shaking his head in amazement. "Danny's our brother. Our half brother. I guess it makes sense, he."

"What makes sense, oh wise one?" Sam drawled from where he was lounging negligently in the door way, a smirk on his face.

Grace immediately launched herself off her window seat moving to shut her door. "Go away Sam. I wasn't talking to you."

Ignoring her words, Sam slipped past her and sat down on the bed, leaning against the headboard and bending one knee in a relaxed manner.

"Get your dirty shoe off my comforter!"

Sam didn't move, but didn't protest when Josh pushed his foot down. "So what's up? What'd you do this time, Grace?"

Narrowing her eyes, Grace stared back down at her brother. "Go away Sam. I don't feel like talking to you. It's none of your business."

"Oh, I think it is," Sam told her, his hazel eyes flashing at her, though he continued to smirk. "I know that mom and dad are upset about something. I want to know what. And how you're involved. They're not mad at you, as far as I can tell. Did I miss some big family secret or something?" He was trying to make her mad and her lack of response seemed to puzzle him. He was usually able to get a rise out of her pretty quickly. After all, he'd made a lifetime's study of it.

There was a long silence in the room. Grace kept her face toward the window, ignoring Sam. Josh looked hesitantly back and forth between his two siblings. Sam stared at Grace, waiting.

"He's going to find out eventually, Grace," Josh finally said, trying, as usual, to keep the peace. Still Grace said nothing.

"Are you pregnant?" Sam said, his eyes wide, leaning forward with an almost gleeful look on his face.

"Samuel Walker! What a horrible thing to suggest. Of course I'm not," Grace yelled, finally turning to face him. "How could you even."

"That got her," Sam laughed, nudging Josh in the arm.

"It's not funny," Josh told him with a frown. "And it's not about Grace, it's about Danny."

"Oh really?" Sam commented after a thoughtful moment. "What's Saint Daniel done to upset everyone?"

"Don't call him that," Grace snarled.

"Why not? He can do no wrong in anyone's eyes," Sam sniped back, brushing his dark blond hair out of his eyes in frustration. The topic of Danny always seemed to make Sam act his nastiest. "Is he still whining about not being able to fly? Still think he's being unfairly punished? Poor little Danny. Did dad get in a fight with Uncle Rafe trying to get him to let up on Danny?"

"No."

"Then what's his problem? Nobody thought it a big deal when I wasn't allowed to fly for a month - and I didn't even almost crash the plane."

"You were flunking math," Grace pointed out through clenched teeth. "Mom and dad didn't let you up again until you improved your grades."

Sam shrugged. "It's been what? Two weeks?"

"Three," Grace corrected.

"Fine, three. It's good for him. He never gets in trouble and when he does dad's always over there smoothing things over with Uncle Rafe."

"That's not true and you know it!"

Sam smirked, shaking his head. "Please. Saint Danny."

"What's going on here?" a deep voice interrupted, startling all three children. Sam actually looked a bit sheepish before his smirking mask fell back into place. "Grace why are you yelling at your brother?"

"He's being a jerk," she pouted, turning back to the window, her face flushed.

"I just want to know what the hell is going on and she won't tell me," Sam huffed, his look belligerent. "I'm a member of this family too, you know. I should be included in whatever is going on. Josh knows. It's not fair that I don't. I'm older."

Danny glanced between his two sons, his eyes questioning Josh, who nodded. "Grace just told me."

"I see," Danny sighed. His shoulders seeming to droop as he entered the room and shut the door. Grabbing the chair from Grace's desk he pulled it out and sat down. "First off, Sam, you need to watch you language. Second, we're not keeping anything from you. Your mother and I were planning on talking to you three tonight, though we'd prefer to wait awhile before we inform Drew and Matty, okay?" He watched all three of them nod.

"So what's Danny done?" Sam asked, when it seemed that his father wasn't going to say anything. Josh looked serious, which was normal for him, but he was watching their father intently. Grace looked like she was about to cry.

"Danny hasn't done anything," his father said. "In fact, he's just had quite a bit of a shock and I would like you all to," he took a painful breath, "to give him some space. He's a bit upset and."

"So it is about the plane," Sam interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Figures."

"No, it's not about the plane," Danny told his son, his voice a bit harsher than they were used to hearing. "Danny just found out that Rafe isn't really his. father."

At the mention of his uncle's name, Sam had perked up. He absolutely adored his uncle and since he was a young boy could often be found following him around the farm. For a long moment he was speechless. "Then who is?"

Danny glanced Josh and then looked Sam in the eye, his gaze intense and pained. "I am," he told them softly, his words seeming to reverberate in the quite room.

End of Chapter 12 - sorry it's so short. (