Hey I'm glad everyone enjoyed the twist.

Takerlover21--Despite her dysfunctional family Steph is going to be a great mother. Will the baby make it and is Paul going to be a good father? I don't know yet. Stay tuned.

Latisha-- I had better gifts planned out but I lost the slip of paper they were written on. You know how it is- a thought slips in you mind and you write it down on a little piece of paper and then lose it.

Fidelitas, cenassoldier, Rko's wife, Insane Zula, Steph-- Its just going to get more interesting. Thanks for reviewing.

Myth--HEHEHEHEHEHE I'm still laughing.

Phenoix--Where are you? I hope everything is all right. I miss hearing from you

Enjoy. Happy reading. I hope everyone had a good Halloween.

Tues October 22

"Randy, scoot over. I can't see the TV." Journey pushed at the body lying across from her.

"I know." He replied grinning. At her low growl he positioned himself so that he was lying on top of her.

"Stop it." She gritted out trying to shove him off. Ignoring her he settled in until he was more comfortable.

Dave walked in to find his kids wrestling on the couch. "Hey." He yelled, causing the two to freeze. He eyed them sternly. "Journey, how much of that paper have you gotten done?" He asked looking pointedly at her open book.

"That's my cue to leave." Randy muttered, inching off the couch.

"Don't move." Dave growled swinging his eyes to look at Randy. "You're next."

Randy's eyes narrowed but he settled back on the couch.

"Journey?" Dave prompted.

"I've got two pages done." She admitted.

"That leaves you eight pages still to do. And you have to turn it in on Monday don't you?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yea." She muttered looking down.

"That's less than six days from now. How do you plan on getting it done?" He asked impatiently.

"I will okay. You don't have to hound me about it."

Dave narrowed his eyes at her tone. "I want to read it before you turn it in."

"Dave! I'm not fifteen." She retorted.

The big man continued to look at her sternly.

"Fine." She snarled, snatching her book up and heading or her room.

Dave watched her climb the stairs before he turned his attention to Randy.

"Been having fun lately?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Randy asked warily.

"You know pulling pranks is a good way to get o the bad side of a lot of people." The older man answered conversationally.

"My choice." The younger man responded in a flat voice.

"A very immature choice." Dave responded.

"Just acting like you treat me." Randy retorted, jumping up and stalking from the room.

"What the hell." Dave muttered. Shaking his head he turned off the TV and began picking up the dishes they had left. Looking around he noticed that there was one person he hadn't yelled at yet. Frowning he walked up the stairs and pushed open the door to Journey's bedroom.

"Where's Laney?" He asked.

Journey looked up form where she was sprawled across her bed. "Mark came over and they went for a walk in the park."

"How come you didn't tell Mark about Paul when you'll called him the other day?"

Journey shrugged. "Laney's choice. She didn't want to worry him. As long as he knew where she was I didn't see it a problem."

Dave nodded and turned to leave the room. "Hey" she called out stopping him. "Did you get it all out of your system?"

"What?"

"The lecturing?" She responded dryly.

Dave sighed. "I didn't do it to be mean."

"You just do it because you care about us. I know." She recited. "But I'm not done being mad so go away."

Mark looked down at his daughter as they walked down the jogging lane. "I missed you baby girl."

"I missed you too." She answered smiling up at him.

"Must not have missed me too bad. You didn't tell me about Paul."

Laney shrugged looking away. "Not much to tell."

"You lying to me baby girl?" He asked sternly.

"Him yelling at me didn't bother me. I just wish I knew what I did to cause him to yell at me." She answered hanging her head down.

"I don't think it was so much something you did as a problem he's having." Mark said thoughtfully.

Laney shook her head confused.

"He's worried to death about Steph and the baby. That puts a strain on a person." He explained.

Laney's head snapped up. "Well he's sure not acting like it. He's never around and Steph is convinced that he doesn't like her anymore. Something else is going on." She declared confidently.

"You ever think he's right and it's none of your business?" He said watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Laney shook her head. "He's part of my family. That makes it my business."

"Sit down baby girl." Mark indicated the park bench. The big man waited until she was seated before he continued. "Someone's been harassing Paul."

"Harassing?" She asked perplexed.

"Sending him weird gifts, threatening notes." Mark clarified.

"So that's why he's made sure he's gotten the mail everyday."

"He doesn't want Steph to know and cause more problems with the baby." Mark answered.

"But why didn't he tell me. I could have helped him." She protested.

"Or you might have accidentally let it slip to Steph. He didn't want to take the chance." He pointed out.

"I can see that, maybe. But why did he have to be so mean about it?" She asked sadly.

"He's frustrated and angry and scared. He took it all out on you. Plus you have to consider that he's worried about you." Her father explained, putting his arm around her.

"But why would he be worried about me?" She asked surprised.

"Because you become very impulsive when you're worried about someone. He doesn't want you to do something stupid." Mark said tugging at her ponytail.

"Like visit the flower store he was at when I finally got a hold of him?" She asked weakly.

Mark slanted a look at her. "Baby girl, what am I going to do with you?"

"Put up with me?" She taunted smirking.

"How about I just take you home?" He held up his hand when she started to protest. "You have a ton of school work to catch up on."

"But I want to be here when he baby is born." She protested.

"I'll bring you back." He promised.

"I guess since Steph is in the hospital she doesn't need me anymore." Laney admitted.

"She told me how much of help you were to her before she went into the hospital." Mark comforted her.

"I think I want to be a doctor." She told him.

Mark laughed and hugged her to his side. "Well then you definitely need to start on your school work"

Later that night.

"How's my girl doing?"

"I'm rebelling." Journey answered even as a smile tugged at her lips.

"What's a sweet innocent girl like you rebelling about?" John teased his girlfriend.

"I hate school and Dave's becoming a barbarian." She answered grumpily.

"I can understand the school part. Maybe you and I can get together tonight for a little study party." He suggested hopefully.

"And what would we be studying?" She answered giggling.

"Anatomy's my favorite subject." He said suggestively.

"It's a good thing we're on the phone." Journey groaned.

"Oh I don't know. It think you've gotten really good at phone sex in the last month." He teased.

"John!" Journey exclaimed, burying her head in a pillow.

"Let me get a baby sitter and we can have the real thing. Seen Randy lately?" John asked.

"Last I saw him he was waiting in line to be chewed out by Dave." She answered sourly.

"What did he do this time?" John asked dryly.

"I didn't stick around to find out. I've been lectured enough today."

"Oh, so I take it you really do need help with school and that wasn't just a line." John asked disappointed.

"I really need the help." She admitted.

"Are you sure you don't want to run away and do it on your own?" He asked innocently.

Journey groaned. "You're never going to let me live that down are you?"

"But it's so much fun to tease you about it." John laughed.

"I'll show you fun." She growled.

"So do I get off the phone and let you get to work or do we rebel some more?" John asked when he had stopped laughing.

"Actually I like the idea of you coming over and helping me. For real." She added when she heard him snicker.

"Let me find a baby sitter and I'm there." He promised.

"Thanks John. I'm glad you're back."

"Me too babe."

"Don't call me babe."

Journey was still laughing when Dave poked his head in the door. "I'm leaving. Mark and Laney are out so you're all alone. I'll lock the door on the way out."

Journey narrowed her eyes at his clothes. "Where are you going? You're dressed awfully nice."

"I have a date." Dave answered shutting the door on her shocked face.

Forty-five minutes later Dave walked into the hospital waiting room to find Jayden waiting for him.

"You look nice." He said smiling appreciatively as she stood to greet him.

She shrugged as she nervously smoothed down her gray slacks. "It's been awhile since I had any reason to get dressed up."

"Are you hungry?" H asked leading her out to his car. "I called Steph and she recommended Mexican. Seemed very passionate about it too." He added thoughtfully.

Jayden laughed, relaxing a little. "She's been craving it but she's not allowed to eat something that spicy."

"No wonder she was drooling at the thought of Quesa dip. But if that's not something you like we can go somewhere else." He offered.

"Are you kidding? I'm almost drooling myself thinking about fried flour tortillas." She smiled in delight at his deep, chest-rumbling laugh.

Twenty-five minutes they were being seated at a small table at the Mexican restaurant.

"So I know that you like everything under the sun except Thai food and you know I like to cook. I believe its you turn to ask a question." Dave informed the stunning red head across from him.

"Okay, how old are you?" She asked peering over her menu.

"I'm 35. Same question." He threw back at her.

"Don't you know you aren't supposed to ask a lady her age?" At his look she laughed. "I'm 30. My turn again." She frowned in thought. "Have you ever been married?"

"Once for about seven years. I couldn't give her what she wanted so we divorced." He shrugged but couldn't hide the flash of sadness in his eyes.

"So what do you do for a living?" Dave asked after the waiter had taken their order. "Model, fashion designer?" He joked.

"I don't think so." She laughed. "Actually right now I am writing for Raw Magazine."

Dave narrowed his eyes. 'Damn' he thought wishing he could bang his head on the table. "Paul tried to warn me but I didn't put the two together. Your articles are very interesting." He said tactfully.

Jayden laughed at the expression on his face. "It's okay if you don't like them. The magazine isn't really my cup of tea."

Dave looked at her sheepishly. "So what do you really like to do?"

"I used to be an investigative reporter for the New York Times. But I got a little too enthusiastic about a cause and lost my job. Continued pursuing the cause until I ran out of money. Hence Raw magazine." She shrugged ending her explanation.

Dave looked at her assessing. "It must be a very good cause for you to give up a job that you obviously love."

"It is," She answered solemnly. "So are you a dog person or a cat person?" She asked brightly, changing the subject as the waiter placed their plates in front of them.

"Dog person. I have tow golden retrievers."

Jayden made a face. "Ehh, I have this beg orange fur ball of a cat that sheds on everything I own."

"So have you ever been married?" Dave asked steering the conversation back to personal mattes after the plates had been removed.

"I was for about six months about ten years ago. I was young and stupid. He was a player." She shrugged off the look of commiseration.

"So no kids?" Dave asked to keep the conversation going. He frowned in concern at the look of devastation on Jayden's face seconds before a mask of cool politeness came down.

"No, I don't have children." She answered. Pushing back form the table she rose gracefully to her feet. "Please excuse me. I need to use the ladies room."

Dave watched in concern as she walked away. 'I wonder what happened to make her so sad.' He wondered. Determined to put a smile back on her face he rose at her approach.

"It's beautiful outside and probably one of the last nice day's we'll have. Would you like to take a walk with me?" He asked holding out his hand.

Composed once more Jayden nodded in acceptance. Placing her hand in his her eyes widen at the surge of electricity that surged up her arm. Smiling hesitantly she followed him out the door.