Caitlin pushed the stack of photocopies across the table at the Java Web. "This is mom's schedule for the next week. She stays at the office about an hour later then she's supposed to. Sean says she's still learning her duties."

Grinning wickedly, Cole reached for the papers as he took a bite of his scone. "This doesn't look like a secretary's handwriting."

Licking the whipped cream off her hot chocolate, Caitlin nodded in agreement. "No, mom doesn't have a secretary yet. She was telling us yesterday at dinner how complicated making all the arrangements is.."

Using his thumb gently, he cleaned stray whipped cream from the corner of her mouth. "I'm sure your father's finding her one."

She set down her cup angrily at the mention of her father. Caitlin reached into her purse for another photocopy. "This is dad's list of candidates, I think she's interviewing them next week."

Taking it happily, Cole took her hand, squeezing it in appreciation. "You're good Caitlin. Nearly as talented as you are beautiful."

Melting under his gaze, Caitlin started blushing. "So this is useful?"

"Incredibly useful." Cole repeated, keeping her hand in his. "I couldn't do this without you." He reached across the table to take her other hand, reminding himself how innocent she was. How much fun it was going to be to change her, to mold her from the spoiled rich girl into a woman of purpose. "If it wasn't for you, I would have had to give up on my family's legacy and go home."

Sighing dramatically, Caitlin leaned in closer. "Your family has such a beautiful story. Such a romantic history, and then your cruel mother ruined it for everyone."

Smiling modestly, Cole let sorrow take over his dark eyes. "My mother is in Sunset Beach. Del Douglas told me that much. He might have told me everything- I guess it's just my luck that he was murdered before I could get anything more out of him. Another part of the Deschanel curse."

His wounded act brought sympathy up in her innocent face. Cole smiled bravely and continued. "I know she was beautiful, because my father wouldn't have been captivated by her otherwise. She must have been young when she had me. Embarrassed, maybe even engaged to someone else. She never told my father she was pregnant."

"And I keep wondering that maybe, maybe if she had just told him my father would have come back for me." Cole shrugged, pretending to hide his feelings behind a brave front. "Then I could have known him." Faltering in his act, the real bitterness he held against his mother broke through. "If she had just said something, I might not have lost both of my parents."

"Having parents isn't always as wonderful as it sounds." Caitlin interrupted, matching his degree of anger with her assumed hurt. "Sometimes I think it would have been better for me if I just hadn't known mine."

Stirring her hot chocolate angrily, she destroyed what was left of the whipped cream. "When I was young all they did was fight. Bette used to tell me stories about how in love they were. How deeply they cared for each other, once. I used to imagine how wonderful it would be when they found that again."

Cole looked up from the notes he was taking on Olivia's schedule, finding the places when she'd be alone at the office. Caitlin was truly angry, her hatred glowing in her blue eyes. He studied her, watching the sparks of instability, the unconscious twitching of her hands that hinted at a true mental breakdown. "But now I know better. Now I know that love like that is just for two people and they forget about everyone else."

In her fidgeting she destroyed a paper napkin, twisting it into a tortured knot. "At least when they were fighting they cared about me. Daddy didn't even ask where I was going when I left the house tonight. I don't know if he even noticed I left."

Cole set down the papers, got up out of his chair and knelt on the floor near her feet. "I don't know what your father is thinking. Nothing, nothing he could gain from your mother is worth losing you."

Caitlin reached down for him, pulling him up to kiss him. If only Gregory saw that. If only her father appreciated her the way Cole did.

It was long after midnight when Caitlin came home. She entered through the patio door, knowing it would make less noise. The living room was dark and quiet except for the study. Light shafted into the room from the open doorway. Was it her father?

She tiptoed over, watching the light highlight her feet as she peered around the door. Though it was her father's study, Dr. Baxter sat at the desk. Feet propped up on the desk as he condensed a stack of papers into notes he could actually use.

His ears were better then she anticipated. "Shouldn't you be in bed son?"

Caitlin laughed softly but took it as an invitation. "Probably, though I'm not anyone's son. Not even sure if I'm anyone's daughter anymore."

Sliding his glasses down his nose, Roger peaked over his notes at her with a sympathetic smile. "Come in, sit down. You sound like you need a drink. What can I get you?"

Sinking gratefully into the chair, Caitlin shrugged as she ran a hand through her hair. "I don't drink."

"Ah." Roger pulled his feet off the desk and headed for the kitchen. "Then we'll have to experiment. Come on." He flipped the light in the kitchen on, heading for the refrigerator. "Let's see what kind of goodies Rose has for us, shall we?" While he dug into the shelves, he tried to get her to open up.

"So what's going on with you and Gregory?"

Caitlin tensed immediately. "Nothing." She started, hoping for a moment he'd drop the subject. Keeping it all to herself was taking its toll, saying something might get the weight off of her shoulders. "Maybe that's the problem."

He swirled a pitcher of juice, smiling in victory. "Pineapple juice." Roger went to the cupboard, taking out two tall glasses and pointed to the freezer. "Ice." He ordered, filling the cups halfway with juice. "He's been busy lately?"

"Busy doesn't even cover it." She complained as she dropped ice cubes into their glasses. "Daddy and I used to talk all the time. He'd call me from the office when I was at school to see how I was doing. We haven't talked to each other alone since before he went to Wisconsin."

Roger picked up the glasses, leading the way back to the study. "And he needs to spend more time with you?"

"It's not just that." Shaking her head and she settled into the chair across from the desk, Caitlin tried to put her feelings into words. Her thoughts came so easily when she was with Cole. Why should talking to Roger be any different? "What's with him and mom?"

Roger finished their drinks, setting hers in front of her with a wink. "This was Lillian's favorite way back when she was a girl in school."

Caitlin took a tentative sip and smiled. "It's pretty good. Thanks." She took another sip. "But who's Lillian?"

Roger flopped down into Gregory's chair, nursing his drink thoughtfully. "The honorable Barrister Lillian Baxter was my wife for many years." He put his feet back on the desk, looking up at the ceiling. "Lovely woman, brilliant, dedicated and gorgeous. Had no business being with me really."

Taking another sip, she felt the gentle heat from the alcohol run down her throat. "What happened?"

"She left me for her wig and robe." He chuckled at her puzzled expression. "Back in England, lawyers have a very specific dress code that must be followed. Black robes and white wigs, even for the women. Quite fetching at times."

Slipping her feet out of her shoes, Caitlin pulled her feet up underneath her. "How long were you together?"

"Nearly ten years." Roger explained easily, remembering the beauty in her smile. "Lillian had always made it clear that any children we had were my responsibility first and foremost, but I've loved the little brats. So we had the boy together and Lillian started working on her bar. I began taking Ethan along on all my house calls."

"Then you understand." Caitlin realized suddenly, setting her glass down hard enough to knock some of the liquid up. " You have to understand. You were Ethan's whole world. If you suddenly stopped paying attention to him-"

Taking his handkerchief, he cleaned off the shiny surface of Gregory's desk. Roger gave her a kindly look, wondering what had happened inside her pretty head that made her so fragile. "He'd survive. I like to think I've given him enough of a hold on the world that he could make his own way."

Caitlin gulped down her drink, wiping his hand across her mouth. "What if it was too early?"

Refilling her glass with less alcohol this time, Roger ran his fingers through the gray curls of his hair. "You're twenty. How much parenting do you think you need?"

"Don't use your reverse psychology on me." Caitlin giggled, feeling the alcohol go to her head for the second time this week. "I took that class."

"Then this should be an easy question to answer." Roger teased, appealing to her pride. "What would you do, if you were your father?"

"Pay a little attention to my children for god's sake." She leaned forward in her chair, anger starting to get to her. "Talk to them. Ask them what they're doing. I haven't been home before midnight all this week and Daddy hasn't noticed."

She would have continued ranting, listening the numerous ways her parents had found to be awful lately, but Roger was laughing. Worst of all, he wasn't in hiding it behind his hand, or trying politely to pretend he wasn't. He was really laughing. "What?" She asked indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's funny about that?"

"Most young women your age would be thrilled if their father's didn't notice when they came home. " Roger put up his hands defensively when she stood up. "Of course it isn't that way for you lovey, but you have to try and get some perspective. You are an intelligent, beautiful woman. You'll be twenty-one in a few months, you'll finish college-" Coming around the desk, Roger sat her back down in the chair, perching on the edge of the desk and smiling down at her sagely.

"There comes a point where your parents stop telling you what to do and start listening to what you've done. Stop advising you and start treating you like an equal." Roger put his hands on her shoulders, wishing he could make her transition easier. "But you have to let them poppet. You have to allow them to let go."

Tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears, he tried to picture the woman inside of her. "I know it's not easy, I know it's terrifying to know you have to make your own choices." Chuckling again dryly, he realized the root of her problem. "You may have to accept that your parents trust you to live your own life now. Gregory trusts you to still come to him when you need advice, but he knows- he knows you can handle almost everything that comes your way."

Caitlin stood up and hugged him fiercely. He was so sweet, she could almost believe him. Maybe he was right and her parents were just trying to let her grow up. She kissed his cheek, smiling weakly. "Thank you for the drink."

"It's a panty ripper if you ever want to ask for it again." Roger winked as he squeezed her shoulder. "Sweet dreams lovey, try not to worry too much. Things always seem brighter in the morning."

Nodding as she yawned, Caitlin seemed inclined to agree. "Goodnight. Thanks for listening to me."

"I like to. Makes me feel useful." Roger waited in front of the desk for her to leave, waving her goodnight. "My notes on the virology lab were pretty boring anyway. If you stick around long enough, I could put you to sleep with them."

She waved back shyly as she headed up to bed. Roger returned to Gregory's chair, returning his feet to on the desk where he liked them and leaned back to dive back into the complicated needs of the research laboratory.