Disclaimer: I don't own it or get paid for it : ) I don't own the characters and therefore have no hope of making any money off this.

A word of warning: the next few chapters are short.

CHAPTER 36 "My Baby!"

"A.B. honey, how are you? How was your vacation?"

"It was good Helen-much better than I could have imagined." Helen could hear the smile in Stiles voice and she was intrigued.

"Listen, are you and Evan free tomorrow night? I'd really like you to come over for dinner. I have some photos I know you'll want to see." Stiles was being purposely coy and having a difficult time controlling the emotion in his voice. The grin on his face would have given him away.

"Well, I'll have to check with Evan, but I as far as I know we're free. You sound," Helen paused, "Happy."

Stiles laughed. 'If only you knew.' He thought. "I am happy and I'd like to share that with my favorite in-laws."

Helen was now more curious and she decided to be at his house for dinner the following evening with or without her husband.

Stiles spent the entirety of the following day practicing what he was going to say to Helen and Evan. Although the news was good this time, he knew he had to be careful about how he told them; finding out your daughter is alive after four years of grieving for her would be a shock and he had no idea how they'd react to finding out they had not one, but two grandchildren considering they never knew Terri was pregnant. Terri had planned to tell them the weekend after she came home from Montreal, but she never got the chance. Stiles didn't see the point of telling them after they found out Terri was dead; they didn't need another reason to be sad and angry.

Helen greeted Stiles with a kiss on the cheek. "Hello darling. I'm glad to see you, it's been too long."

"Hi Helen, Evan, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice. Come in. Dinner is just about ready."

The three in-laws spent dinner having polite conversation until Helen couldn't take it anymore.

"A.B., I know you well enough to know that something is going on. You didn't just invite us over for dinner out of the blue for no reason; what is it?"

Stiles smiled at his mother-in-law. "I never could get anything past you, could I?"

"Did you get married while you were away? Is that what you want to tell us?" Evan asked in a serious voice.

"No. That's not it at all. Look, why don't we go in the living room. I want to show you something. Actually, I want to give you something."

Neither Helen nor Evan said anything as they left the kitchen, but they did share a glance. Stiles motioned for them to sit down as he walked toward the fireplace.

Pointing to the wall above the mantle, Stiles asked, "What do you think of this painting?"

"It's beautiful." Helen said as Evan stood to get a closer view of the artwork.

"She's right, it is beautiful. Is it new?"

Stiles was now grinning from ear-to-ear. "I got it while I was away. It's combination of two places on Andros Island in the Bahamas—where I spent the past two weeks. I saw it in a gallery and it reminded me of Terri. It cost me a small fortune, but I had to have it." Stiles went on to explain how he happened upon Sam's little gallery that sold local works. "Both of these places have a special meaning for Terri and me. On our trip there, we fell in love with the house and we buried two things precious to us in this little cove. That's why I went back."

"To buy that house?" Evan didn't understand why Stiles needed them to come over to tell them about a piece of real estate.

"No. I made a promise to her that we would go back on the five year anniversary of our first trip there. We planned to open the little time capsule we buried and add to it."

Helen, the romantic that she was, had tears streaming down her face and didn't attempt fighting the urge to hug him.

"I'm so glad you told us about this. Terri would have loved it, I'm sure."

"So this was done by one of the locals on the island?"

Stiles couldn't contain his grin. "Yes and no. That's what I wanted to tell you. Take a look at the artist's signature."

"T.F.S. what about it, should that mean something?"

"Your daughter's initials. T.F.S."

"What an amazing coincidence."

"No Helen, it wasn't a coincidence."

"What do you mean? Are you telling us that Terri painted that all those years ago and it was still for sale on the island? That's incredible." Evan shook his head in amazement.

"I think you should sit back down." Both of the Freemonts obediently did so. Though neither suspected that what Stiles said next would change their lives, the sudden change in his demeanor got their attention. Stiles picked up a large file folder from the table and handed it to his in-laws.

Helen just smiled when she saw what it was-a picture of Terri. Stiles smiled as well; he remembered a time, not so long ago, when a photograph of Terri would have sent Helen to the bed for hours if not days.

"This is a wonderful picture, but what does this have to do with the painting?"

Ignoring Helen for the moment, Stiles answered his father-in-law's earlier question. "Evan, the reason I went to Andros was to say goodbye to Terri. You know I got engaged nearly six months ago, but I never set a date; I couldn't and I didn't know why I was stalling. A few weeks ago, I finally understood that I couldn't move on until I let Terri go, really said goodbye to her. Our anniversary was coming up and I realized that it was in the back of my mind that I had to keep the promise I made to her to return to the island. I planned to bury our wedding rings in the same little cove we visited."

Evan held his wife's hand as she fought more tears. "A.B., that still doesn't explain the photo."

"So, have you done it; said goodbye, I mean? Are you ready to get married now?"

"I…I've spent the last few days trying to decide how to have this conversation and," Stiles sighed. I promise I'll answer your questions and clear everything up. Please just bear with me a couple of more minutes."

Both Freemont's nodded, still confused and growing more curious by the minute.

"Kara decided to surprise me and showed up on the island. She knew I went away to get my head together, but I didn't tell her the importance of the island to Terri and me. To appease her for my less than enthusiastic response to her presence, I took her on a tour. While we were on the beach, a little boy started talking to us." Stiles smiled again, thinking about his little son. Turns out his friend's father owns a restaurant on the island. The boy's mother, well, the woman we thought was his mother, said Kara and I should come to the restaurant before we came home. When we got to the restaurant, the woman we met earlier handed me this letter."

Stiles picked up a second folder, took out Terri's last letter and handed it to her father.

Evan and Helen read the letter-twice. "I don't understand. It's been a while, but this looks like Terri's handwriting and it is signed Terri. So was that painting at this person's house? They had Terri's letter?"

"Honey, what you're trying to tell us? Did you go to the address listed here? What's all of this about?"

Before Stiles could answer, Evan interjected. "When was that picture taken?

"A little over a week ago."

"That's impossible! A.B, I know you miss her, but really. Did you get a hold of some of that, that," Helen leaned over her husband and whispered in Stiles' direction," REEFER while you were on that island? I know it's rampant down there and I know you were probably a little sad, but A.B., I expected better of you!"

"Helen!" Evan practically screamed as he turned to glare at his wife. Her flare for the dramatic had gotten to him this time. "A.B. you should probably get to the point pretty soon here, before Helen gets any more worked up."

"I'm sorry, I'm getting there. Yes, I went to the address on the letter. The woman who opened the door looked a little like Terri, but with blond hair and green eyes. She asked me to come in then left me standing in her foyer. A few minutes later she came back without the wig and contacts." Stiles paused before revealing the real news. "Helen, Evan, it was Terri. She's alive!"

Helen, whose hand had been over her heart through is last little speech fainted into her husband's arms. Stiles helped Evan put her on the couch and got a cool compress for her head. While the two men waited for Helen to wake up, they continued talking.

"Son, I've wanted nothing more the past four years than to see my little girl again, but this doesn't make any sense. I know you loved her very much, but…"

"Evan, she's alive! She's really alive. I would never give you false hope. I know what this news means to you."

"But how?"

"Yes, how?" Helen asked, eyes barely open.

Stiles explained the situation with Quinn as best he could without revealing too much. Quinn had been arrested, but everyone was trying to keep Terri's name out of the news.

When it sunk in that her daughter was truly alive, Helen sat up and tried to get off of the couch. "Where is she now, is she here? Terri!" Helen called out, hoping her daughter would appear.

Stiles put his hand on Helen's arm to get her attention. "Helen, she's with my father and stepmother. She'll be home tomorrow. They should be traveling now."

"She'll be here tomorrow? My baby will be home tomorrow? A.B.?" Helen was pleading to him with her eyes. If her little girl really was alive she wanted to see her.

Once again, Stiles had a huge grin on his face. "Yes, Helen. She'll be here tomorrow."

Helen, Stiles and Evan hugged and cried together for several moments. However, when Helen came out of her state of shock and wanted answers.

"What do you mean she's with YOUR parents? Why didn't she come home with you? Just how long have you known she was alive?"

Stiles was waiting for that to come up. "We didn't think it was safe for her to come home until things were settled. You know my father is a retired Colonel. We were sure my dad's would be safe for her until we could get the appropriate people handled and . . ."

"I want to talk to her. Can we call her? I want to talk to my baby?"

"She's going to call you later tonight if she can. They're taking a rather circuitous route back here, so I don't know if she'll be able to call. I need to show you one more thing, well two things, before you talk to her."

"What else could there be? They did something to her, didn't they? What's wrong with her? Evan, I can't take much more. A.B. tell me, please!"

"Helen, nothing's wrong with her. She's fine." Stiles handed Helen a photo of two small children—her grandchildren.

"Who are they?"

"Are you okay? Helen promise you won't faint again?"

Helen nodded. "A.B. please who are these children with Terri?

"They," he finally said after what seemed to be an eternity for the couple sitting on his couch, "are your grandchildren."

"Grandchildren?" Both Helen and Evan exclaimed at the same time. Helen was nearly crushing Evan's hand to keep from screaming. She felt sick to her stomach and nearly whispered, "Oh, They raped her. My poor Terri and she was alone. "

"Hel . . ." Stiles tried in vain to jump in before Helen got anymore carried away.

"What is that man's name, Quinn? Wait until I get my hands on him. I'll . . ."

"Helen!" Evan screamed to get his wife's attention. She stopped talking and looked at him.

"What?" She snapped, annoyed that he interrupted her.

It was Evan who answered her. "Look at that little girl, she looks just like him," he said, pointing at Stiles. Then he leaned forward and examined the photo more closely. The boy has Terri's face, but A.B.'s coloring."

Stiles used Evan's slight pause as an opportunity to set the record straight. "Helen, Terri wasn't raped. She was four months pregnant when she was abducted. We were going to tell you that weekend, but, we didn't get a chance."

"Why didn't you tell us before?"

"After she died, with everything that happened between us right after her funeral, I just couldn't bring myself to tell you. I'm not sure I would have anyway; I wanted to spare you any more grief." Stiles tilted the picture so he could see it.

"This big guy is Jack and this little angel is Ava. They're this many years old," Stiles held up three fingers and laughed.

Evan stood up and hugged Stiles so tightly he couldn't breathe. Helen just stared at the picture and mumbled to herself, "My baby had a baby—two babies. They're my grand babies. I can't believe my baby is a mommy. Oh A.B. they're just beautiful.

"I can't believe I wasn't there for her. A.B. how is she, really? Is she okay? How on earth has she taken care of herself all these years? Are my babies okay? She doesn't know anything about children. . ." Helen stopped briefly as a thought popped into her head. Helen grabbed Stiles' arm.

"What do you mean she was four months pregnant? You had only been married four months when she died, I'm mean disappeared! Did you get my daughter pregnant BEFORE you married her?"

"Helen, does that really matter now? We have our daughter back; we have two beautiful grandchildren. . ."

"Yes it matters! I taught her better than that." Stiles just laughed then gave Helen a hug, picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

"What was that for? I asked you a question. Why on earth are you laughing? This is not funny."

"I'm sorry, Helen, it's just so good to see the old you. You've mellowed over the last few years. No, Terri was not pregnant when we got married. Scouts honor. It happened on our honeymoon—really."

Helen scowled at him, but let that go. "Why didn't she tell me, I'm her mother? Why on earth did she wait four months? What were the two of you waiting for? Well?"

"As you can imagine, we weren't planning on having kids so soon, and Terri wasn't all that happy about it at first. She didn't even tell me for two weeks after she found out, but Helen we have two beautiful, healthy kids and she's done a great job with them. That's what I wanted to give you tonight—your daughter and your grandchildren."