Jax sat in the chapel with Kristina by his side, happily licking her orange popsicle. "Is it good?" he asked and rumpled her hair affectionately when she smiled and nodded enthusiastically. She reached for his hand and grabbed his fingers, offering her popsicle to him- her large brown eyes bright and trusting. He shook his head and picked her up, placing her in his lap. "No thanks, but I have to tell you- that was the best offer I've gotten all day," he teasingly confided, his blue eyes twinkling as he watched her resume eating again.
Being with Kristina reminded him how much it had hurt when he found out that he was not the father of Sam's baby. He was at that point in his life where he wanted children. He wanted someone to be able to love, to teach all the morals and values that his parents had taught him. He wanted to give his mother some good news, she hadn't had any in a long time and he wanted to honor his father's memory by utilizing what he had taught him and passing that on to his own child. It simply wasn't that easy though. In order to have a child, he had to find someone he loved who loved him back first and shared the same dreams he had. And that obviously wasn't going to be happening for a very long time. Possibly never. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Perhaps he had already let the "one love of a lifetime" slip out of his fingers when he refused to marry Brenda. He gazed down at Kristina and softly stroked her dark hair. She was so innocent- she didn't deserve all of the bad things that were happening to her.
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Courtney held Michael's hand as he yanked at it incessantly. "I don't know why we have to be here, Uncle Jason said that John Durant is a bad man and Mommy shouldn't be visiting him!" Michael said crossly, unable to understand why his mother would do such a thing. If Uncle Jason told him John Durant was no good and his father never disagreed, then it must be true. He looked up to both men and he believed that they could do no wrong. Courtney sighed and knelt down until she was at eye level with him. "Sweetie, it's not up to you what your mommy does, okay? John Durant is her father and she wants to get to know him. You want your mom to be happy, don't you?" she asked, giving him a look. Michael crossed his arms over his chest and said, "Yes, but I don't want her around him!" He looked hurt and bitter that his mother would do this to him.
She smiled at Bobbie, who walked up to them and said, "Michael, you don't look very happy." Michael went over to his grandmother and repeated what he just told Courtney. Bobbie sighed at him and said, "I know just the thing to improve your disposition. It's Dr. James' birthday today and we bought him a chocolate cake. Would you like a piece?" Michael nodded and she smiled at Courtney before leading him away. Courtney looked around the hospital and felt a little awkward and alone. Carly was with Morgan visiting Durant and Michael just left with Bobbie. She didn't want to leave because she knew Carly had something else she wanted to talk to her about even if she was avoiding it at the moment. She decided to go into the chapel and wait. It was quiet in there and perhaps it would offer her some comfort.
She walked in the general direction and opened the door quietly, preparing to step in when she noticed that someone was already in there sitting in the very front pew. Her heart stopped when she saw who it was. She would recognize that familiar tousled blonde hair anywhere.
