Hello everyone!

I didn't get that many reviews for my last chapter, but I really want to thank you who did review. SUMMERAN1, Kursk and ItalHunni28; a huge thanks.

I also want to thank those of you who are my loyal reviewers, thank you!

adambrody10, kursk, SUMMERAN1, ItalHunni28, carrymearound, RA4Evah and cdgeiger

I hope that you all will enjoy this chapter; I'm pretty happy with it. You finally get to know Francesca's story, though it's not over yet...

I would still like to know what you think of a sequel. I have written one very long chapter at one, but I'm not sure I will post a sequel if there's no interest. Maybe it's hard for you to tell what kind of sequel you would like when you don't know the end of this fic, but I'll appreciate all suggestions.

As for now I'll just say enjoy your reading and please review. You who write yourself know how much it means and you who don't; It means the world!

Chapter 20 – The truth

"You ready to go in?" Seth asked and gave Summer a smile.

"I am." She answered and pulled the knob on the door. A nurse was now in the room. She was quite old and had short, grey hair that made Francesca look a little younger for once. A sick person, one with cancer, looked so weak and years older than they really were.

"I'm about to go so come in you two." The nurse said friendly and smiled at both Summer and Seth. Francesca sat on the bed looking a little surprised that they both had come back.

"Hey!" She looked a whole lot better when she smiled.

"Hi again!"

"Hi." Summer went closer to her mother's bed, dragging Seth with her. The nurse then took her stuff and left the room in completely silence.

"So, how are you?" Summer was the one to first speak.

"I'm always good when I get visitors. Please take a seat." Francesca motioned to the chairs by the window. Seth let go of Summer's hand for a moment to pull them closer to the bed. Summer mumbled a thanks as they sat down, quickly grabbing hands again.

"I'm glad that you're here. I wasn't sure you would come." Francesca was very polite, maybe that was the real her or she was desperate for them to stay.

"Well, I had some responsibilities since you wrote me as closest relative." Summer said sounding a little harsher than she wanted to.

"Well, I didn't really have a choice since you are my closest relative."

"Don't you have a husband or other kids?" That was the question Summer was so afraid to ask, but yet wanted to know the answer of so badly. It was something she had wondered all her life, or since that Christmas night any way.

"No, of course it's my friend Sally, but she's sick herself. And I also wanted to see you one last time Summer."

"I'm here, so spill." Summer had a lump in her throat and hated to feel like this; not safe, not comfortable.

"You want answers don't you? You wanna know why I left, if I loved you and your father? You wanna know why I never came back or contacted you? What I've been going?"

"Well, yeah." Francesca had said everything Summer wanted to know and she was happy that way; she didn't want to talk more than she had too. She didn't want to break down in front of her mother.

"I really don't know where to start or how to tell you, but first of all I want you to know that I loved you very much. You were such a good kid" Francesca started and when no one replied she continued.

"You see, I had a big secret. Before I met your father I was an agent. I know it sounds weird and fake, but I was; agents do exist. I worked for a few years and on a mission I met your father. We fell in love, got married, moved to Newport and had you. I quitted the agency and started to live with you. We were very happy and I was so grateful that I'd got a family again. You might know that my family died when I was a kid; that's how I became an agent." Francesca stopped for a moment, trying to read her daughter's face without succeeding.

"But the thing is that once you become an agent you can never return to a normal life. I thought I could if I never told anyone, but that was a mistake. They found us and I had to return. That was the hardest thing I've ever done. I felt more pain then than what I do now with my sickness. Though I knew that you were in good hands; Neil was such a great father to you. First I thought about making up something about another man in my life, but in the end I couldn't. I couldn't lie so I just left." Tears ran down Francesca's cheeks and her last words echoed in Summer's head. I just left. I just left.

"Yeah, you just left!" Summer almost yelled as tears started to form in her eyes as well and when she couldn't hold them back any more, they ran down her cheeks unstoppably. Seth massaged her hand, trying to calm her down.

"Summer..." Francesca began.

"No, you left us. You left me! I was a six year old girl and I adored you. I never even imagined that you would leave me. I was your sun, remember?" Summer now cried a lot as did Francesca; huge sobs and rivers of tears.

"How can I know that you're telling the truth? I don't know you. You lost my trust a long time ago."

"I know it's hard to forgive me for what I did and I don't expect you to. I'm happy that you know the truth now, because it is the truth. I'm happy to see you, to see your husband and to know that you are fine."

"I would never leave my daughter, or my son. I would never leave anyone I love. I've learned that love is the most important thing; love and family."

"I know you're angry with me and I understand, but try to understand me. You may think that I was selfish that left, but if I hadn't you wouldn't be here now. Not you, not me, not Neil, not your children." Summer didn't say anything, just kept crying. She took her hand up to her face and turned away, silently crying into it.

"Seth?" Francesca said, for the first time inviting Seth into the conversation.

"Um, yeah?"

"Could you go to that drawer and get a bow inside, please?"

"Sure." Seth let go of Summer's hand and stood up. He gently kissed her head and touched her shoulder before he went to the drawer and got a pink box from it. "This one?" He asked and Francesca nodded. Seth gave it to Francesca and then sat down again, pulling his chair as close to Summer's he could. He put one hand on her knee and the other one on her shoulder, stroking it and her hair.

"Summer, I want you to have this. You can look through it at home or at you hotel, it doesn't matter. I just want you to take a look. And since I'm not sure if I ever see you again I want you to know that I love you and I'm proud of you. You and Neil." She smiled and Summer rose, immediately followed by Seth. Summer wiped a few tears away and took the box in her tiny hands, her hands shaking a bit.

"You're beautiful. Have a great life; you deserve it." Francesca smiled again and Summer managed a little smile on her lips. She still wanted to cry, but didn't dare to.

"Thanks." Was all she said before she walked towards the door.

"Bye Francesca." Seth said and went after his wife.

Well outside Seth wanted to stop Summer as she walked. He knew that she wanted to get out of the hospital as fast as possible, so he let her walk with fast steps taking her arm as she held the box in her hands.

As they were outside, almost at the parking lot Seth stopped her.

"Summer, stop!" He said as she tried to walk away. He had a fast grip of her arm, but not fast enough to hurt her. Summer then gave up and met his eyes with her own. They were dark, maybe even darker than usual, and filled with tears. Seth took the box from her hands and embraced her. She immediately gave in to his touch and wrapped her arms round Seth's back crying. Seth hugged her back as hard as he could with the box in his hand. Summer pulled herself closer and Seth tried to do the same wishing the box was somewhere else.

"Summer, I just have to…" Seth pulled her away and placing the box on the ground, quickly standing up again and taking her back into his arms. This time he could hold her as she clung onto him as if she wanted to disappear in him. Seth's jacket wasn't closed and Summer buried her head in his shirt under it. He was sure that a wet spot would spread from her tears and makeup, but he didn't care at all.

To be continued...

I really hoped you liked it!

Some of you may think that the agent thing is too fake and that it only happens in movies, not in real life. You may think that it doesn't fit this story, but I did.

Once again, tell me what you thought.