A/N: I am SO sorry it has taken me this long to get this chapter out! Thank you all so much for being so patient with me. Classes just started last week and I've been very busy since then. It's going to take me longer now between my classes and my job and everything else, but I will get these chapters out as soon as I can.

Chapter 7: Answers

Javier was having a hard time thinking straight. Part of him knew that Katey was right, that it would have killed him to know that he had a daughter in another country that he would never see. That part of him was almost grateful that she never bothered to try and tell him. Almost. At the same time, however, another part of him felt so guilty that she had to take on the responsibility of raising and supporting a child, their child, by herself; especially as young as she was. That part of him was also hurt that she didn't include him in that responsibility. He may not have been able to go to America himself, but he would have tried to send money or something to help her. Even though he heard her explanation and knew it made sense, it didn't stop the bruise that his pride sustained. It felt as if she didn't fully trust him or didn't have enough faith in him. He looked over at Katey and found her sitting in the chair looking down at her hands clasped tightly together in her lap, the anxiety pouring off of her in waves.

"You could have told me, you know." Her head jerked up when she finally heard him speak. When his words registered her shoulders slumped and she looked down at her lap again. She was expecting something to that degree, and knew that she deserved it.

"It hurts to think that you didn't have enough faith in me to contact me and let me share in the responsibility of raising our child. If you know me like you say you do then you know that I would have had money wired over or something to help support you and Maria. She is not just your responsibility Katey, she is mine as well." Her defensive side kicked into gear at his accusation that she didn't know him. She did know him, and that's why she did what she did. She sat up in straight and looked him dead in the eyes as she defended herself and her actions.

"Javier, it's for that very reason that I did not want to tell you. I know you better than you give me credit for. Of course you would have sent money to help support Maria, I never doubted that. I never thought for a second that you would shirk you responsibilities towards your daughter. However, I also know that you most likely didn't have a whole lot of money to spare in the first place. You already had an entire family to care for, you didn't need Maria and I adding to the package. Like I said before, I did not want to be a burden to you." Javier watched as she seemed to deflate, leaning back in the chair once more and breathing heavy from her outburst. It was then that he saw the strength that his Katey possessed, and he marveled at it. The strength of will, and the courage and determination, it took for her to not only leave her family behind and raise Maria in a strange city, but to raise her without ever asking help from anybody. He softened as the true reason behind this whole mess was finally revealed to him.

"Mi reina," he began tenderly, "you could never be a burden to me. Neither could our daughter. I am sorry if I ever made you think otherwise. I am sorry that you had to raise our daughter alone." His comment was met with silence at first. He watched as tears slowly made their way down her cheeks and wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her.

"It's not your fault. I am the one that chose to raise her by myself. In the end, it was my decision to not ask for help. You had no way of knowing, Javier. I cannot blame you for this. What is important is that you're here now right? To stay?" She looked up at him hopefully, silently begging him not to leave after getting her hopes up.

"Si, to stay." He could not hold back a smile as he saw her eyes light up at his reply.

"What changed your mind? About Cuba, I mean? I know how much you love it there; I never imagined that you would want to live anywhere else."

"My grandpa passed away last year. The stress that entered all our lives after Castro took power became too much for his already tired body."

"I'm so sorry." Even though Katey had never really gotten to know his grandfather, he had always seemed like a nice guy, and Javier certainly was fond of him.

"It's okay. It was hard, and Mama didn't take it too well, but it made Carlos and I finally accept that it wasn't going to get any better, despite what we had hoped for, and that we needed to get our family out as soon as possible. So we came here. Just the thought of coming to America made me wonder about you, but I never dreamed that I would actually find you here. It is a miracle.

"But enough about that, I want to hear about you and Maria. She said that you taught her Spanish? How?" Katey quickly warmed up to the subject of Maria. She was so happy that he was here and that he seemed to be okay with Maria, even wanted to know more about her.

"Well it didn't take me long to decide what I wanted to do with my life after we got back from Cuba. I knew that I was never going to be happy doing anything but dancing, and when I found out about Maria I knew also that I wanted her to be exposed to the Cuban culture as much as possible so that she would know where it is that she came from. So after she was born I moved us down here and studied dance at the University of Miami. While I was there I also took classes in Spanish. As I learned it I taught it to her. She takes after you in so many ways Javier; I couldn't live with myself if I didn't in some way explain to her about her father and where he came from." She stopped herself, a little embarrassed that she had revealed that last bit. Curious as to his reaction, she looked over at him to find the distinct sparkle of unshed tears in his eyes. It took him a minute to compose himself before he choked out a response.

"She does?" Katey nodded silently, becoming emotional as well as she watched the wonder and happiness reflected in his eyes. It took them both a few moments to get their emotions under control before they were able to continue. Before long though Javier was asking more questions and Katey was happily answering every one of them. They were so lost in their conversation that they didn't even notice their daughter standing in the doorway watching them with an absolutely giddy smile on her face, reveling in the sight of her mother and father talking and laughing and smiling and just being here.