I'm desperate for changing

Starving for the truth

I'm closer to where I started

I'm chasing after you

Sara's eyes fluttered gently as she began to wake up, taking in the sunlight that flooded her bedroom. She lay there dazed for a moment trying to get her bearings after the emotional night she had last night. She suddenly realised that she wasn't alone, her daughter had climbed into bed with her taking over nearly the entire bed with her hair fanned out. Sara smiled at the sight of her daughter, her only source of happiness. She had invited Michael to their outing at the Millennium Park when Michael asked if she and Aurora would join him, Veronica and Lincoln for breakfast before they headed to the park. Sara was reluctant at first, but she agreed, this way Aurora could spend a bit of time getting to know Michael before telling her the truth. This way her daughter will not be as overwhelmed. They agreed to test the water first and this is a good start for the three of them. She looked at her clock and realised that they had forty-five minutes to get ready and get to the diner. She softly shook her daughter's hand calling out her name to wake her up.

.

Michael's fingers tapped rhythmically against the bare wooden table as his eyes focused on the double glass panelled doors. He hoped that Linc and Vee would get here before Sara and Aurora so he could tell them off, but he decided against it. He decided not to share what happened last night with them and he looked forward to seeing their reaction when they see Sara and Aurora.

Michael reached for the menu in an attempt to distract himself from his thoughts and the tight knots of anxiety pooling at the pit of his stomach. He looked up to see the happy couple walking towards him.

"Eggy's Diner? Good choice Mike." Lincoln greeted as he sat down.

"Hi Mike." Veronica said with a kiss on his cheek.

"Hey Vee." Michael was finding it hard to keep a straight face on. Here we go.

Lincoln gave the menu a good look over whilst Veronica studied Michael's face. It was softer somehow, different from the last ten years. She gasped; a realisation hit her. Does he know? She thought.

"So, guess who I spoke to last night?" Michael asked as he looked down at the menu, pretending as if what he was about to say next was no big deal.

Lincoln looked up while Veronica still had her shiny green eyes fixed on him. Michael looked up to see Veronica had already figured out while his brother still pondered.

"I don't know, Sucre?" He chuckled, a smug smile appearing on his face. The things the three of them used to get up to growing up flashed before him.

"Sara." Veronica whispered. The smile that Lincoln had faded at the mention of her name, realising full well the hot water he was in.

Michael nodded, "Yeah, we had a good talk actually."

"No. She's right behind you." Veronica shook her head, "Wait, what?."

"I invited them." Michael turned around to see Sara and Aurora walking through the door and towards their table. He stood up and waited for them to reach the table as Veronica and Lincoln looked at each other with confusion and worry.

Sara stood face to face with Michael and smiled at him nervously. "Hey." Michael opened his arms and although at first, she was reluctant, she gave in and gave him a hug.

"Hey." She replied shyly into his neck.

When they pulled back from one another, he noticed Aurora standing behind Sara.

Aurora finally looked to see who they were having breakfast with. "Hey. You're that guy from the garden last night."

Michael looked at the little girl beside Sara. He pressed his lips together as the familiar blue eyes stared back at him, reminding him that she was his daughter. His feet shifted on the floor not quite sure how to proceed. Take a deep breath. But she beat him to it.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Her words caused his lips to curve affectionately. "Hello Aurora, it's nice to see you again." This time Michael held out his hand.

Aurora giggled but shook his hand. "Hello Michael, thank you for inviting my mother and I to breakfast." This little girl was definitely Sara's daughter, very witty.

Sara stood before them and fought to hold back the tears as she watched her daughter interact with her father. She turned around to see Lincoln and Veronica's mouth parted in stunned surprise. She decided to greet them.

She hugged Lincoln and then Veronica who whispered, "I can't believe this."

Sara smiled, "I'll tell you about it later."

They all sat down in comfortable silence as they decided what to get. When Michael caught Lincoln's eyes, he saw it was apologetic. Michael smiled at his brother. After getting back to his hotel last night, at first, he was mad at his brother for not telling him despite Lincoln knowing for over a year now. But he decided that he had to take the blame, the responsibility and own it. Had he not walked out on Sara or at the very least opened her letters, he wouldn't be in this mess. He would not have missed the first ten years of his daughter's life. But here they are. Sara had given him a chance to prove himself worthy of their daughter. And he would do just that.

An hour later, Lincoln and Aurora were rubbing their full stomach with their head thrown back over the chair trying to breathe. Veronica burst out laughing at the sight of Lincoln and his niece rubbing their full stomach. Like uncle, like niece. Michael and Sara broke their intense gaze at each other to see what made Veronica burst out laughing. Sara laughed, her daughter done this every time she was full and now, she knows where she got it from.

It was coming to the end of May and the beginning of June. Veronica turned her attention to Aurora, "Rory your tenth birthday is coming up soon. Is there anything you had in mind that I could get you?"

Michael's head snapped at this; how could he not know this. He shifted his eyes from Aurora to Sara and she mouthed an apology. All he could do was smile and be patient, soon he will learn everything about his daughter. "Your birthday is in June?"

Aurora nodded, "It's next Saturday, the fourth of June to be exact."

Michael grinned. "Mine is the second, on Thursday."

"Cool! Finally, someone has the same birth month as me!" Aurora gushed.

"Yeah, cool indeed." Michael smiled.

Aurora smiled as she pondered and then an idea came over her. She turned back around to Veronica "There's a new sky show called the Planet Nine at the Adler Planetarium that we could go see." She frowned, "Mom was supposed to take me last weekend, but she got called to the hospital."

"Aurora, I said I was sorry about that. I got my dates mixed up."

Aurora smiled at her mother, "I know. I'm just saying"

"Okay, let's do that next weekend then. On Sunday if that's okay with your mom?" Veronica asked as she looked at Sara.

Sara nodded, "That's fine with me."

"Are you throwing a birthday party?" Veronica asked.

"No, not this year. I want to go up to the observation deck at the 360 Chicago, I think it'll be so cool to see the Chicago Skyline." Aurora beamed, from an early age she had shown an appreciation for buildings and architectural design. To Lincoln, Veronica and just about everyone else, there was no denying she was definitely Michael's child. She turned her attention to Michael and asked, "Would you like to come to the observation deck, Michael?"

Michael's heart melted as his eyes shone with tears. He cleared his throat, "I would love to."

Aurora smiled, "Neat!" as she drank her hot chocolate.