Peyton's whole body shook as she stepped out of the car. She had been parked across the street for hours just scoping out the hotel. Finally, she saw her emerging and walking towards her black Jeep Wrangler.

"Nikki! Hey Nikki, wait!"

The dark haired woman turned, surprised at the now familiar blonde.

"Peyton…"

"Do you have a minute? Can we talk?"

"Um…sure. There is a restaurant in the hotel. It's pretty quiet."

Peyton nodded and followed her to a private table where the women ordered food amongst silence, then picked at it when it arrived.

"Peyton, look, I know you must think I'm a pretty awful person", Nikki began. "I mean, what kind of woman just abandons her own child?"

"I don't know all the facts. I only know stuff Jake has told me. Regardless, I'm not here to judge you."

"I appreciate that."

"But I really love Jenny."

"You might find this hard to believe but so do I."

"Then why did you leave?" Peyton asked after a moment of hesitation.

"Fair question", Nikki sighed. "I was very young and very confused and very selfish when we had Jenny. I know it's not a good enough excuse but I was scared. Carrying her inside me, I knew there was no way I could have an abortion or give her up to strangers for adoption but after she was born, I felt like I couldn't keep her either. It's hard but I guess I don't have to tell you that. Anyway, I didn't know what kind of mother I would be. I was overwhelmed and I had a touch of post partum depression and it all of a sudden just became too much to handle. So I gave her over to Jake because I knew he would do the right thing. I walked out on two people I loved very much for a chance to go away to college and party and travel and live the good life. Pretty evil, huh? Honestly, I tried blocking them out of my heart and mind because at least then I could deal with it. But uh, it didn't work out that way. Peyton, guilt is a horrible, horrible thing. It ate me from the inside out. I hated myself for leaving."

"So that's why you came back?"

"Yes. I wanted to see my baby and hold her and talk to her."

"She's really beautiful", Peyton said shakily.

"I saw that. She is. Um, how long…"

"A few years now. Uh, they moved in right after high school."

"I see."

"Look, Nikki I sympathize with you or whatever but you can't just waltz back into all our lives after so much time. It's not right and it isn't fair", Peyton blurted out. "You can't take Jenny away."

"I would never do that. Look, I know she's happy. And safe and healthy and that's all that really matters. I'm not trying to take Jenny from you and Jake, but I want her to know her mother. I've changed Peyton and I've cleaned up my life and I work for this real estate agency up in Raleigh. And I have a townhouse and a dog and good friends and I don't drink or party or sleep around anymore. I'm a responsible adult who acknowledges the mistakes I've made in the past. All I want is a second chance with Jenny."

"But Jake…"

"I know I hurt him. I broke his heart and ruined his life. He'll probably never forgive me for that and as much as it kills me, I accept his decisions because I understand. But he's a great father and he loves our daughter. And I know you've been a great mother to her."

"How…"

"After that night at the café, I found out where you lived. My intent was to knock on the door like a normal person but as I stepped up to your walkway, I could see inside. Jake was exhausted on the couch passed out and Jenny was asleep in your arms. I watched you fluff his pillow and kiss Jenny and you guys looked like the perfect family. What was I supposed to do? I just stood there and cried. I felt like the outsider I guess I am."

"Nikki…"

"Look, I don't want any trouble. I'm not trying to come between you and Jake and I'm not trying to involve lawyers or anything or take Jenny."

"What do you want?"

Nikki shrugged.

"To see her and talk to her. To hold her. To let her know I love her."

"That's it?"

"Just a second chance. I want to right the wrongs and make up for all the time I missed out on. I just want to be a part of my little girl's life."

Peyton looked deep in Nikki's eyes and saw something different than the description she had been told about for so many years. She saw maturity and warmth and sincerity.

"Nikki…"

"Can I ask you a question? Think back to when you were 16. I'm sure you've done things you weren't proud of, stuff you wish you could change. But honestly, are you, at 21, the same person you were at 16?"

Peyton shook her head. No she wasn't. She had changed. A lot of people around her had changed. That was just life.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to Jake. I don't know. Just convince him to let me see her."

Peyton nodded. She knew it wouldn't be easy.

"Okay. I will talk to him, I give you my word, but I can't promise anything. He was pretty upset…"

"I know but your trying really means a lot. I know you probably don't want to help me and God knows you don't know me anything when I owe you everything."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You've helped raised my little girl. You take care of her and love her. As much as it hurts to admit it, you're just as much her mother as I am…if not more. I'm the one who gave her life but you're the one who has shaped her life."

A tear trickled down Nikki's face and Peyton's heart, for some inexplicable reason went out to the woman.

"Okay fine."

"Excuse me?"

"I have to pick Jenny up from the Jagielski's right now. If you go down to the park by the River Court, I'll meet you there in half an hour."

Nikki's face broke out into a huge grin.

"Oh Peyton…"

"It'll only be for five minutes or so and if you talk to her, you can't tell her who you are, okay? And this has to be our secret. Jake would kill me…"

"Okay, okay. I promise. Whatever you want."

Peyton's heart pounded the short drive over to Jake's parents. She picked up Jenny like she did everything but made a detour on the way home. She drove down by the river and sure enough, Nikki was waiting as promised. Jenny immediately diverted to the sandbox where the two women joined her.

"Hi. Is your name Jenny?" Nikki asked.

The little girl nodded and smiled and Nikki tried her best not to break down.

"What are you doing? Are you building a sand castle?"

"Block", Jenny said, handing it to Nikki.

"Jen, you want to show Nikki how we build the sand castle?"

Jenny nodded and they played well past the five allotted minutes. An hour later, Peyton finally left.

"Thank you", Nikki said. "What you did today…it meant a lot."

Peyton nodded, driving home, wondering if she had done the right thing. To her surprise, Jake was already there. He was inside in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

"Smells good", she forced a smile, kissing him.

"Spaghetti and meat balls for my girls", he grinned.

He picked up a grubby Jenny and gave her a hug and a kiss.

"Where have you guys been, Pey?"

"Um, the park. I took her there after I picked her up."

"Cool", he shrugged. "What made you go there?"

Peyton sighed. She didn't want to lie but the truth seemed so hard. In fact, she didn't know why she had done what she had. Biting her lip, she looked Jake right in the eye.

"I took Jenny to the park and we met Nikki."

Jake felt his blood run cold. He turned and looked at Peyton, searching for a sign that she was joking or at least out of her mind. He found neither. Instead he grabbed a chair and took a seat. It felt like the wind had literally been knocked out of him. Hadn't Peyton been listening all those years? The wind had definitely been knocked out of his sails and he felt like something had been ripped from his heart as well.

"How could you?" he finally whispered.