Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and always keep the feedback coming. I love that you guys are so into this story. I also love how everyone is a detective and is trying their best to guess the ending. Just sit back and relax and try to enjoy. More chapters to come and the further we get, the more it will all make sense! Also in reference to the message someone sent saying some of the chapters would not open. I checked the site and everything seems to be in place. I know we had a problem a while back and I had to end up resubmitting and formatting the first 20 or so chapters. My best advice is to open any chapter of this fic, copy the url, then change the last numbers to the chapter you want to read...

Anna could barely contain her bundle of nerves as she buzzed the sprawling gate. It opened, allowing a spectacular view of the spacious Greenwich mansion.

"Miss Rojano, have a seat", Alex the assistant said after making sure she was comfortable. "Mr. Scott will be with you in a minute."

She smiled and nodded her appreciation, her eyes taking in the sights around her. The home, like most in that neighborhood, was gorgeous. From what Anna could see from her spot in the living room, the whole place had been brilliantly, carefully and beautifully decorated with interesting art, plants and furniture. It very well could have been the work of a professional designer but Anna had a feeling that the superbly good taste belonged to the beautiful dark haired woman in the large oil painting with Lucas that hung above the fireplace.

"Anna…"

"Lucas", she greeted him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

"It's good to see you."

"It's nice to see you as well. Thanks for letting me stop by on such short notice. I…I just really wanted to see you, Luke."

"I guess you heard about what happened."

"Bits and pieces. Whatever the newspapers could scrounge up."

"I'm afraid they've got it right this time. Basically Brooke took up with her new boyfriend Felix and left for Hong Kong of all places leaving our baby alone in the house."

"Oh my God. Is the baby okay?"

"She's fine. I mean, she's great but anything could have happened, you know? And not to mention, Brooke. I mean we thought she was kidnapped or something. I was worried sick imagining all the horrible things that could have been happening to her. I guess in the end it was worse than I thought, huh?"

"Wow. You must really be upset with her."

"Upset is not the word. Angry is not the word. In fact, there are no words to describe how I feel about this whole situation. It's everything…my kid being in a house God knows how long by herself, being summoned to the police station, finding out my wife is missing, basically being accused of being behind her disappearance, agonizing and searching for her, then having her pop up with a big smile on her face in the arms of Felix Colwell of all people! Now tell me how that would make you feel."

"I…I don't know what to say. I mean, I don't know your wife at all but I've heard you talk about her, especially with the baby and all. From what you described, I don't know. It just seems so unlike her, you know? She really loves her baby and you say she's been the best mom since day one…I don't know. It just doesn't make sense that she would just abandon her, especially for a shopping trip and a guy of all things. And if this Felix character is half the cad you say he is…well, it's none of my business but I just don't see it."

"Anna, I've gone over everything about a hundred times in my mind. None of it makes any sense to me either. You're right…Brooke is a great mother. She loves Harmony more than anything that's why this all just doesn't click to me. I know her, I mean, I really, really know her and I have known her for more than half my life and yeah my gut is telling me that there is no way this could have happened like this. But then reason and logic and facts point to another direction. What do you do?"

"So you don't believe her? You think she lied?"

"I don't know. I really don't know. I'd like to believe Brooke. Hell, I'd like that more than anything in this world but it's hard. It's an impossible situation almost. No notes, no phone calls that can be proven…I mean, why would Mrs. Patterson lie? What does she have to gain by it? Besides, she really likes Brooke."

"Maybe it's just a big misunderstanding. I'm sure it'll all work itself out in the end, right?"

"I hope so but I don't know. Brooke, uh…I mean she's a great girl. She's a free spirit and she's wild and impulsive and crazy and just fun. She's like this whirlwind of magnetic, positive energy. Always has been like that. We were so opposite, I guess that's what attracted me to her in the first place. I admired the fact that she was who she was and she never bothered to apologize for it. But uh…in the end I learned she was covered head to toe in issues and that the happy go lucky, cheery, fun loving girl was just a cover up for that. Brooke had a lot of family stuff that happened with her parents that she never really dealt with. It hurt her a lot and it damn sure left a lasting impact but I don't think it was something she ever sat down and actually confronted. Before me, her way of coping was being the big flirt and hooking up with different guys all the time. And then when she met me, I had so much pent up shit with my father, she could forget her troubles by taking care of me. Another way Brooke handled things was by drinking."

"She was an alcoholic?"

"No. I mean, we all get hammered from time to time, especially when we're younger but for Brooke it was always sort of an escape. She'd drink…a lot. Anyway, it was getting to a point where she was getting out of control. Thank God she realized it before things got too bad and she was able to stop the problem before it actually became a real problem. But now…I mean, we have a lot going on. She's been through a lot of crap this past year. Wanting a baby, not being able to conceive, us fighting and growing apart, me cheating, her finding out then being alone and pregnant, the divorce, having our lives lived out in front of the world, being a new mom…I mean, need I go on?"

"That is a lot for any one person to take."

"I know. And that's why I'm thinking maybe she just cracked. After all that has happened, it finally became too much and she just snapped. I know she loves Harmony and would never intentionally hurt her. And that's the only thing I can come up with and I pray that it's true because I don't want my daughter to get hurt and more importantly, I don't want to hate Brooke."

"I'm sorry, Lucas", she said sincerely, rubbing his hand.

"You must think I'm a real jerk, huh?" he bitterly laughed. "I'm thinking like a crazy person."

"No, you're thinking like a father. You don't want to hurt Brooke and you don't want to hate her either. You just want to protect your little girl and there's nothing wrong with that."

He forced a smile as his tired eyes stared at the floor.

"It's like everyday things just get crazier and crazier. When did all our lives become so mixed up?" he asked in a whisper to one in particular.

As they sat pondering in silence, the loud and clear cries of little Harmony echoed through the baby monitor.

"I've got to get her", Lucas said. "Mrs. Patterson is out for the next hour or so…"

"Can I come with you?" Anna asked.

"Sure", he nodded quietly.

They climbed the stairs and treaded down the hall that led to the pink nursery. In her crib with tears in her eyes, lay little Harmony.

"Come here, sweetheart", he cooed as he gently lifted her from the baby bed. "What's all the fuss about, huh? Why is Daddy's big girl so upset?"

The child seemed to instantly calm in the loving and familiar arms of her father.

"She's beautiful", Anna smiled.

"Thank you. She is, isn't she? I love her so much. I mean, she is the best thing to ever come into my crazy life, that's for sure. From the moment she was born, from the minute I even found out she was on the way, all I ever wanted to do was protect her. For the first time I'm scared. I just worry that if I have to continue doing this on my own that I won't do a good enough job. I worry about having her and Mrs. Patterson on the road with me. I worry about her getting sick. I worry about everything. I guess that's just a part of being a parent. But these last few nights, I have been up with her when she can't sleep. And she just screams and cries but nothing seems to be wrong."

Anna traced the tears on the little face with sad eyes.

"Maybe she just misses her Mommy", she offered quietly.