"Are you glad you saw them?" Jeff asked breaking the deafning silence in the car.

"Not glad, more like relieved that it's over."

"How do you feel knowing that you are basically the Heir to their fortune?"

"Mr. Lewis said that they didn't do it to buy me off, but that's the way it feels to me. I want to believe that they both are really sorry for putting me through hell, and I know I told them that I forgave them but now i'm not so sure that I do. At the time, seeing the mighty Elliott Lewis looking like death was sitting beside him, my heart broke for him and I never thought that would happen..."

"It's called compassion honey and you have more than a little bit of it." Jeff said taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it.

"I just still can't believe that the man in that bed was Elliott. When I was with them he was a good 275lbs. and today he barely looked like he could hold up his own head."

"So where too now?"

"Back home I guess."

"Oh come on that's boring. We have the rest of the day free, lets do something fun."

"Ok, what do you want to do?"

"Well if you're up for it...Laser tag?"

"Laser tag, eh? Let's go for it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah but no bitchin when I beat you."

"Beat me? I thinks not." Jeff said cockily.

"We'll see Hardy...we'll see." Kaitlyn said closing her eyes. She figured she'd nap as Jeff drove after the day she'd had she really needed it.

"All right Ryan, wake yer ass up so we can get to the fun stuff." Jeff said tapping Kaitlyn's arm.

"We're there already? How long was I asleep?" Kaitlyn asked streaching.

"Close to an hour, so you better be well rested."

"Oh yeah I'm well rested. I hope you're ready for your Laser tag beat down." Kaitlyn said getting out of the car.

"Game for two." Jeff told the man behind the register.

"That'll be $80."

"Eighty Dollars! For Laser tag?" Kaitlyn asked shocked.

"It's forty bucks per person kid, are ya playin or not?"

"We're playin." Jeff said taking out his wallet.

"Pick you suites." He said moving aside to show the large selection of colorful laser tag suites.

"I want the green one." Kaitlyn said.

"And I'll take the light blue one." Jeff replied.

"There ya go kids. The course is yours for an hour. If you want it any longer after that it's another forty."

"Thanks man. Let's go Ryan." Jeff said escorting me to the laser tag course.

"You have to be the biggest cheater in the history of laser tag." Kaitlyn yelled as she and Jeff made their way back to his car.

"Don't be a sore loser Ryan, it's not befitting of you." Jeff teased.

"I'm not being a sore loser. I won two out of three games, or have you forgotten so quickly. I'm just saying that in that last game the only reason you won is because you turned your lights off on you suite, and I couldn't see you."

"I didn't turn the lights off. I had a wardrobe malfunction."

"BULL!" Kaitlyn screeched. "Just admit that I'm better at Laser tag than you are?"

"You wish rookie. You just got lucky today."

"And if you keep complaining then you won't be getting lucky tonight." Kaitlyn threatend with a smirk.

"Well then it's settled."

"What's settled?"

"I will be doing no more talking about luck or losing for the rest of the day." Jeff said causing Kaitlyn to laugh.

"Where have you two been?" Elyssa demanded the second Jeff and Kaitlyn arrived at Matt's.

"Out." Jeff told her.

"Duh Jeff! Out where?"

"Jeff took me to see some people I knew a long time ago."

"Who, your friends?"

"Not really. You remember the people I said that I ran away from?" Kaitlyn asked her.

"Uh-huh."

"Well they needed to see me, so I went."

"But I thought they were mean to you."

"They were, but that was a long time ago. We are all more mature and grown-up now."

"Oh. Is that all you did?"

"Yeah, yeah E that's all we did." Jeff said.

"You're lying Jeff."

"Now E why would you say that?"

"Because when you lie you blink a whole lot." Elyssa answered causing Kaitlyn to die laughing.

"She's right Jeff. you do blink a whole lot when you're lying."

"Fine. After seeing Kaitlyn's foster parents we went and played a game of laser tag." Jeff admitted.

"LASER TAG! Jeff you know I love laser tag." Elyssa whined.

"Sorry kiddo, we'll take you with us next time."

"Yeah E then both of us can beat him."

"You beat Jeff at laser tag? Wow no one has ever done that except..."

"Me." Came a voice from behind Kaitlyn. "You must be Kaitlyn, I'm Shannon. Jeff's best friend, or so I thought." Shannon said smiling sweetly at Kaitlyn.

"It's nice to meet you Shannon. Jeff has talked about you on numerous occassions."

"That's funny he never mentioned you to me. I had to find out through Matt that Jeff had a special lady in his life." Shannon said looking at Jeff.

"Sorry man we haven't talked in a while, but you know that I would have told you everything once we got back into the swing of things."

"Yeah...Yeah...Yeah! So Kaitlyn you beat Jeff at Laser Tag, very impressive."

"Yeah I won two outta three. Only lost the third game cuz Jeffro cheated."

"Cheated? That's low, even for you Jeff." Matt said coming outside with a pitcher of lemonade.

"So, Shan when did you get here?" Jeff asked as he drank his lemonade.

"This morning. I called your place and when you didn't answer I called Matt. He told me that you went to out of town."

"Yeah, he was kind enough to escort me to Cary to see my foster parents."

"I see. Was it a nice visit?"

"Ummm...Let's just say that it wasn't what I expected."

"Ahhh, something tells me that's a sore subject." Shannon guessed.

"Yeah, but the wound is finally healing."

"Glad to hear it." Shannon said.

"Yeah, that's great news." Matt said.

"So, Shannon how long will you be here?"

"Few days then I gotta get back on the road."

"Oh, well then that means that you'll have to come over to my place for dinner tomorrow night then."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, say you'll come and that goes for you too Matt."

"Oh darlin you don't have to worry about us turning you down us boys live to eat a good home cooked meal." Shannon chuckled.

"He's telling the truth. We live for good home cooking." Matt agreed.

"Then it's settled. All four of you will come to my place."

"Are you sure?" Jeff asked.

"Why wouldn't I be sure? In fact invite your dad also I'd really like to get to know the people that are important to you." Kaitlyn said winking at Jeff.

"Yeah and Kaitlyn you can have the people important to you there too." Elyssa said.

"Well there is only Bella but i'm sure he would love to come. Oh and maybe my friend Al."

"Al? Who's Al?" Jeff asked.

"You know the guy that runs the pool hall?"

"Oh yeah, Al's...duh! I didn't know you knew him."

"Yeah he and Bella are friends and he would watch me when Bella wasn't able to."

"Gottcha." Jeff said.

"Kaitlyn would it be alright if I brought my girlfriend?" Shannon asked.

"Sure honey, the more the better. So that is dinner for seven, well eight including myself tomorrow night at my place. Jeff can bring you all there, but right now I have to get to the gym before Bella has a fit."

"Do you really have to go?" Elyssa whined.

"Yep! But tell ya what why don't you come watch me practice."

"Can I really?"

"Sure, be my cheering section, In fact why don't you all come down and after I'm done with practice we can go to a movie or something." Kaitlyn suggessted.

"Sounds like fun, let me call Crystal she's at the hotel. I'm sure she'd love to met you."

"Great. So E do you think you can give Matt and Shannon directions to the gym?"

"Sure that's easy."

"All right. Shannon you guys go and get Crystal and we'll see you at the gym." Kaitlyn said as she and Jeff left Matt's.

"She's incredible." Shannon told Matt as they watched Kaitlyn and Jeff leave.

"Yeah I can't remember the last time I saw Jeff this happy."

"Think he'll tell her about Mariska?"

"If he hasn't by now I don't think he will."

"Well if he doesn't I hope she never finds out on her own."

"You and me both Shan, you and me both.