Disclaimer: I own nothing about oltl, nor any of the characters involved.

Natalie Vega looked around at her family. Her mother had rallied them to the Palace for a dinner to celebrate the return of her husband from the grave. It was too good to be true. In some ways she knew it was. Cristian was different. She was different. But she kept on smiling, kept pretending to be happy because she had been sad for enough of her life, right?

She looked at everyone, tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear. Asa was at the bar ordering a whiskey, discussing stocks with a bored looking Duke. Renee and Jessica were sitting at their table, discussing Jessica's new haircut. Viki and Carlotta were chatting in the corner, and Antonio and Cris were playing with Jamie. Well, Cris was playing with Jamie. Antonio was staring at Jessica. Natalie sighed. How had things gotten so screwed up?

"Hey Natalie," her Uncle Bo said, walking up to her and giving her a kiss. Matthew couldn't come- he had an indoor soccer tournament."

"Oh Uncle Bo, you should've went," Nat admonished him. Bo smiled.

"Matthew's a good player," he told her. "He'll have plenty of tournaments. But this- this was important to you. So of course I'm here." Natalie smiled. Bo was the only member of her family that she never once felt judged by. Well, maybe not the only member. Natalie looked around, hoping Kevin would arrive soon.

Kevin Buchanan sighed, and raked his hand through his hair. This was going to be a long night. That much he knew. He knew he had to come tonight for his sister, for her marriage, but he didn't feel like facing his family. He didn't feel like facing anyone. His son was dead.

Natalie smiled, when Kevin walked in and raced up to him, giving him a big hug. "Hey big brother," she greeted him. Kevin held her close for a moment. He knew how lucky he had been to get Natalie for a sister. She would always be on his side.

"Kev, so you decided to join us," Jess said snappily. She smiled. Kevin knew it was a joke, but he really couldn't take Jessica's snootiness sometimes. He exchanged a glance with Natalie. She rolled her eyes.

"Honey, it's so good you could come," Viki told him. "Come, let's all sit down." The Buchanan's and Vegas all took their seats. Natalie next to Cristian, Asa next to Renee, Antonio and Jessica conveniently across from each other, and Duke as far away from his father as he could get. "I propose a toast," Viki stated. "This family is going through a most troubling time. My brother is missing, as is my grandson. But I have faith that we will get them back. Just like we did Cristian. So, this is to Cristian. Our hope, and the man who makes my daughter fabulously happy." Everyone toasted. Nat squeezed Cris' hand, and gave him a kiss. There was something different, something wrong about it. She quickly took a sip of wine.

The dinner was going well, in Kevin's opinion. They had already been served their main course, and he hadn't wanted to yell or cry or throw something at all anyway. That was a relief. He was tired of feeling. He just wanted nothingness.

"Mom, do you think Uncle Todd will come back soon?" Jess asked.

"I'm sure he will honey," Viki stated. "He always does."

Natalie snorted. "Let's hope not."

"Natalie that is horrible!" Jessica gasped. "Todd is your uncle!"

"No, Todd's the man that tried to trade me to a lunatic for his wife and almost killed my husband!" Natalie snapped.

"Oh really?" Jessica sneered. "Then do you hate John McBain too? He almost got your husband killed." Natalie's temper flared. Her face burned as bright as her hair.

"Jessica, why can't you just accept that some of us don't like your uncle?" Kevin asked. "We're not asking you to hate him, so don't ask us to like him." Natalie smiled at her brother. He smiled back. Jess flipped her hair, and turned to Antonio.

Cris stroked Nat's hand. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. "Todd tried to kill me?"

"Yeah, don't you remember? Back during the Mitch Laurence fiasco?"

"Oh right," Cris said. "I forgot for a second. It was so long ago." Natalie smiled, but her eyes were full of concern.

"Wahhh! Wahhh!" Jamie cried. Antonio looked up. He walked over to his daughter, and held her. After 5 minutes she was still crying.

"I don't understand," he fumed. "She always stopped crying for me."

"She probably doesn't remember you," Nat told him. "It's been awhile. I mean, she's been living with RJ for months now." Antonio looked tortured.

"Hey let me try," Jess said, taking Jamie from Antonio. "Shhh." Natalie looked at Kevin. He looked stricken at the sight of Jamie. He must not have even noticed she was there. Nat looked at Jess, who also must have realized Kevin's discomfort. "I'll go take her to the other room. Maybe she needs to be changed." Jess started to get up.

"Oh Jessica, let me," Carlotta pleaded, smiling. "It's been so long since I've seen her-"

"Of course," Jess replied, handing over the baby. Carlotta left. Jess walked over to her brother, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey Kev, you ok? Kevin looked up at her.

"Yeah," he replied, starting to smile. His momentary weakness was gone. "I'm fine." Jess sat down. Kevin knew he'd have to be more careful from now on.

"Honey, how is the search for Ace going?" Viki asked delicately. She turned to Bo. "Do you have any leads?"

"No," Bo sighed. "But I have the feeling if we had all the facts we could find him quicker." He sent a pointed look Kevin's way.

"Kevin, darling, I really wish you would lean on Kelly during this. The two of you need each other," Viki told her firstborn son.

"I don't need anything from Kelly," Kevin snarled. "She's done enough already."

"Oh please dad!" Duke burst out. "Kelly's done nothing but love you and that little boy! You're the one that threw it all away!" Kevin looked down.

"Duke I don't think we should discuss this right now," Kevin pleaded.

"No," Duke yelled. "We will, because you don't deserve a woman like Kelly." He stood up. "She's decent and she's kind and she cares about her kid and she's honest and she's-"

"She's a liar," Kevin hissed. "She's a cheater and a liar."

"Pot meet kettle," Duke retorted, sitting down.

"What in Sam's hell is wrong with you people?" Asa fumed. "We are Buchanan's! We love each other- we do not turn on one another!"

"Pa, settle down," Bo told him. "It's not good for your heart."

"I tell ya what's not good for my heart!" Asa roared. "This!" and he gestured at Kevin and Duke as if to make his point.

"Kevin, I understand you and Kelly are having problems, but you are both that little boy's parents," Viki insisted. "You need each other."

"No we're not," Kevin snapped.

"Kev, I had lunch with Kelly just the other day," Jess exclaimed. "Kelly considers you Ace's father. Biology doesn't matter. We all should know that."

"You don't understand, Jess" Kevin told her.

"Then make me understand!" Jess yelled. "Why do you hate her so much? You've both made mistakes! Why can't you just grow up and forgive each other? She's the mother of your child!"

"No she's not!" Kevin roared. "You want the truth Uncle Bo? Do you? Fine, I'll tell you." Natalie looked at her brother fearfully. He was shaking and quivering. This was not like him.

"Dad, no!" Duke said. "Don't do this to Kelly. She doesn't deserve it!"

Kevin laughed bitterly. "Oh yes, she does. Kelly was pregnant with my child. But he died."

"Ace is dead?" Viki asked, incredulously, tears spring to her eyes.

"Ace is fine," Kevin replied, sullenly. "My child, my son, was a stillborn. And Kelly got the bright idea to get Paul to steal her a replacement baby. And she let me believe he was mine. She let me love him. Until I wanted to divorce her. Then she claimed he was Todd's. She claimed he was my worst enemy's. It took her months, MONTHS of me bonding with that boy, loving him, to tell me he wasn't mine. And it took her even longer to tell me what happened to my son." Kevin snorted. "Actually, she didn't even have the guts to tell me. She let Todd do it. Todd. And let me tell you Jess, the man you love so much, laughed and smiled while he told me my little boy was gone forever. So that's the woman you're all devoted to. That's the woman mom that you love so much more than me. Excuse me." Kevin walked out.

The Buchanan's looked at each other speechless. Carlotta came back, Jamie in her arms. She looked at all of them.

"What did I miss?" she asked. Antonio stood up.

"Let me take you home mom. The Buchanan's, they need to be alone," he whispered.

"Cris, why don't you go too? Go with your mom. I'll meet you home later," Nat whispered.

"Okay," he replied, kissing her goodbye. The Vega's left. Natalie stood up.

"Where are you going?" Jess asked.

"After Kevin obviously," Nat replied. "He can't be alone right now." Jess stood.

"Let me?" she asked. "I have experience with this." Nat gave her sister a sad smile. They hugged. Jess left.

"I better- I better go call Clint," Viki told the remainder of the family. "Kevin needs him and Joey." She grabbed her purse, and went to the terrace to make her call.

"But where is Ace?" Asa asked.

"With his birthmother," Duke replied softly. "She's the kidnapper." Asa sighed and took another shot of whiskey.

"Is that true, Duke?" Bo asked. Duke nodded. Bo sighed. "I better get to the station and inform the FBI of this. Maybe I can get this all sorted out." Bo got up to leave.

Natalie paced around the Palace for a minute, and then grabbed her coat and jacket.

"Where are you going?" Duke asked.

"To give Kelly a piece of my mind," Natalie snapped. Duke grabbed her arm.

"Don't," he replied. "She's in enough pain already." Natalie twisted her arm away.

"She doesn't know pain, but don't worry- she will," Nat declared. She started to walk out.

"Natalie!" Duke called. Nat turned.

"You don't even talk to me," she fumed. "You little boy, have a thing or two to learn about family loyalty." Nat rushed out. Duke looked down, dejected. Asa looked at Renee.

"That little hellcat- she's a Buchanan" he declared, a pleased smile on his face, despite the tragedy his family was going through. Renee put her hand over his in agreement.