Haley couldn't believe it. She had spent the past year of her life dodging the paparazzi hounds and in the supposed sanctity of a private, family gathering, the relentless leeches were there, intrusive cameras in tow, stealing still shots of her most intimate moments.

"Stop!" she yelled, using her arm to shield her crying daughter's face.

Nathan was just as disoriented as he put a protective arm around his ex wife and daughter.

"Nathan, Haley, no need to be camera shy", Dan grinned, putting his arm around the two. "Let's say we smile for this one. I'm feeling the cover of People magazine, what do you say?"

The couple balked and Haley cringed as a particularly bold photographer was just inches away from her.

"Please don't get so close to me", she pleaded, drawing Lillian in close to her.

"Haley, turn this way!" another directed.

"Don't take pictures of my daughter."

"Easy, fellas", Dan interjected. "You're upsetting Grandpa's little princess. She just woke up from a nap. Why don't you take five and we continue this in a bit?"

They reluctantly went away for the time being to adjust their camera equipment.

"Dan, what the hell is going on?" Deb demanded, after watching the confrontation from afar.

"If it isn't the birthday girl? You're just in time, Grandma."

"Dad!"

"No need to thank me, Nathan", he waved his hand.

"Thank you? You've got some nerve! What the hell are you trying to pull here?"

"Besides saving your ass? Look, boy, you are this close to possibly resurrecting what is left of your pathetic career. So far you're more famous for showing up to games drink, mowing over bikers in your SUV, and frolicking with strippers. How about a little damage control? It's a nice family celebration and an excellent chance for the public to see you sober, cleaned up and enjoying time with your daughter."

"Dad…

"Relax. I've got all this under control. Yeah, it might seem a little shaky with that whole Megan thing but out of sight, out of mind, right? And according to some very important industry PR people, a poll on E! shows that 81 percent of the public thinks you and Ms. James here, make a great couple. Apparently there is something oddly appealing and enduring about two star crossed lovers reuniting and making a baby while being trapped during the tsunami. Interesting."

"Daniel Paul Scott", Deb shook her head. "Why am I not surprised? Of all the sneaky tricks to pull…"

"Deb, what are you talking about? This is beautiful! We're all family."

"I don't believe this", Haley shook her head. "So this is why you invited me? Dammitt! I should have known better! Shame on me, huh? Actually, shame on all of us who dared to think that you had turned over a new leaf and you were being sincere for once. But of course you had an ulterior motive and of course one you stand to benefit from."

"It's a family thing", he shrugged.

"Family? You have some nerve to speak of family! Humiliating your wife? Subjecting your granddaughter to these blood sucking, tabloid selling vultures I try to protect her from?"

"Lower your voice and put a smile on that pretty face, huh?"

"No, Dad", Nathan shook his head. "This is wrong! Dead wrong and you know it. It's just another example of your lies and manipulation. I don't want any part of it anymore. Come on, Haley. Let's get out of here."

"There you go, the crown prince of ungrateful. I'm doing this for you, Nathan."

"No, man. You're doing it for yourself."

"What's going on?" Lucas asked as he made his way to the center of everyone.

"Once again, I put myself on the line to bail out your brother here and as always, he chooses to be stubborn and unreasonable", Dan folded his arms.

"I'm being unreasonable, Dad? Please! I can't believe you said that with a straight face…but then again, I can. After all, it's you we're talking about here."

"Guys…"

"Enough!" Deb yelled. "Everybody just stop. Dan…have mercy on your twisted soul. This takes the cake. You've hurt your children enough. Are you trying to get an early start with your grandchild as well?"

"Deb…"

"No. Nathan and Haley, take the baby and get out of here before it gets any worse."

"Mom, I'm sorry about your birthday…"

"Don't be", she sighed, cutting her eyes at Dan. "It's okay. Besides, it wouldn't be the first one your father has ruined."

Nathan nodded and guided Haley and Lillian back into the house, Lucas close on their heels. Dan sighed and straightened his tie before glaring at his wife.

"Nice work, Deb. Now what? I promised these people pictures. What am I going to do with all these damned photographers?"

She shrugged as she rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I don't know, dear. I'm sure you'll figure something out. Considering they are the scum of the earth, you should be in pretty good and comfortable company."

Gathering his composure, Dan quickly paid off the camera hounds and retreated into the house where Nathan and Haley were preparing to leave.

"They're gone", he informed Haley.

"Yeah? Well, so are we."

Dan rolled his eyes.

"Haley, it's okay…"

"Okay? No, it's not okay. It's anything but okay and the saddest part is that you actually believe it's okay. Sorry to disappoint you but there is nothing remotely 'okay' about what you just did."

Dan gently touched her arm.

"I'm sorry that you're upset. Maybe I was wrong to ambush you like that. Please stay. Please enjoy the rest of the party."

"I'm not falling for that one. You aren't sorry. You know exactly what you did. I don't want any part of it and I don't want my daughter to have any part of it."

"You, you, you. It's always about you. It always has been, huh, Ms. James?" Dan took a sip of liquor.

"No", Haley shook her head. "That's where you're wrong again. It stopped being about me a long time ago. I'm not afraid of you. You can't hurt me anymore and I don't even care if you keep trying. But I won't let you hurt Lillian. And I won't let you use her either."

"I love Lillian", he said matter of factly.

"Well, you've got a sick way of showing it", Nathan said from the doorway. "Come on, Hales. We're out of here."

"Where are you going?" Dan asked.

"Far away from you."

Dan finally sighed and nodded.

"If you must", he swallowed. "At least let me say good bye to the child."

He walked over to the bed where Haley had placed little Lillian in her carrier. The little girl was wide awake, small hand tugging at her bootie as she eyed her grandfather through one blue window like her father, and one brown, like her mother.

Dan leaned in carefully and slowly, smiling widely as he tenderly caressed the smooth skin of his granddaughter's face. Lillian began to coo, smile and gurgle. Dan just stood there, not saying a word but he didn't have to. It was almost like he could telepathically connect with the baby.

"You be a good little girl and I'll see you again real soon", he whispered. "Grandpa loves you, Lilli."

He stood and backed away, Lillian's little eyes craning to see every glimpse until finally he had disappeared from sight. Haley shuddered, desperately trying to rub away the goose pimples that had spread across her flesh.

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

Haley nodded.

"Can we…let's just get out of here."

"Luke is getting us a car in the back. We'll go back to the beach house. It should be safe there."

"Thanks", she sighed. "God, I can't believe him!"

"Me too", Nathan muttered. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay. I mean, it's not your fault. It's not like you knew he had this all planned out."

"Yeah but I should have known something was up. This isn't the way I wanted to do it, Haley. I mean, our private life should be our private life but somehow when we became famous, it's like we were forced to give that up. I know eventually I'll have to step up and tell the world that Lillian is mine. I'm fine with that. She's my daughter and I'm not ashamed but I wanted to do it the right way and at the right time."

"I know", she said softly. "I wish our every move didn't have to be shared with the whole world but unfortunately that's our life right now. It's this unwritten rule that we owe the public. I don't know. We've both made our share of mistakes. I can stand up and face mine. I can pay the price. I know you can too, Nathan and you will. I just don't want our daughter to have to. Lillian didn't ask for any of this. It isn't fair."

They heard the unmistakable sound of two quick horn beeps and they knew Lucas was waiting outside to whisk them away in an unmarked car.

"You ready to get out of here?"

"More than you know", she answered.

Nathan took a deep breath and bit his lip.

"You go on ahead. Let Lucas take you guys back to the beach house."

"What about you, Nathan?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'll be by later. I promise. But for now, maybe I should hang around here. I want to make sure Mom is okay and I want to make sure the stalkarazzi is gone and Dad doesn't have any more tricks up his sleeve."

"Okay", she finally sighed. "Um, I guess we'll see you back at the house."

"You'll be okay?"

She managed a smile.

"We'll be fine."

He helped her load the belongings into the vehicle and after giving his brother instructions to make sure everything was secure at the beach house, he waved when they pulled off. He watched the car disappear out of sight before turning back to the party that was carrying on a few feet behind him. It was time to head back. It was time to jump from the frying pan back into the fire.

Haley was right. They had made a lot of mistakes. Unfortunately the past would always be there as a haunting reminder to any hint of a possible future. It wasn't easy and it wasn't fair. But as hard as it was, the one person who stood to suffer the most was the one person they couldn't let get hurt. So Nathan would be the sacrificial lamb. He would surrender himself and put whatever piece of himself he had to on the line to protect Lillian…and to protect Haley.