Three weeks had been nothing but pure darkness for her. It had been three weeks since she learned that her husband lied to protect one child over the other. Hope opened the rear door of her SUV to remove the groceries, only to discover Zack's toy forgotten under the passenger seat. She had thought that she was out of tears, but they came again. She hugged the plush toy to her chest, "Oh…my baby…" She looked up to the sky and wondered if he was now watching over her. She quickly wiped at her face, just in case he was. She wanted to show him that she was ok, even if she wasn't.

Hope stuffed the toy into her pocket and shifted the grocery bag onto her hip and shut the door. She had put all of her focus on just making it up the pathway to her front door that she had almost missed the small figure seated on her porch steps. Her first glance was in thinking that the small figure was her Zack-not dead, but so very much alive and waiting for her. "ZACK!" She reached the figure and stopped dead in her tracks.

After a double take, Hope realized that although it was a young child-it wasn't Zack. She also noted that the child was tethered to the railing. Hope quickly set her bags onto the top step and knelt down at the child. She was extremely puzzled by the sight before her. Who would tie their child to a railing? And just who is this child, for that matter?

Further investigation made her realize that this child hadn't acknowledged her presence-even with her obviously trying to talk to the child. When Hope reached to untie the child, with intent on bringing him inside from the cold, she had noticed a note pinned to the child's sweatshirt.

"Detective Brady, this is YOUR child."

"What the hell?" She took another look at the boy, still oblivious of her. True, she was a detective-or at least she once was. Since Zack's death, she hadn't done much in that area. However, Bo still was. "Another child for you Bo?"

After a bit of coaxing, Hope managed to get the boy to stand. She was then able to assess his age just from his appearance. He appeared to be the same age as Zack-hence the reason for her mistaking that it was her Zack.

Hope ushered the boy inside and seated him on the comfortable couch. She kept one eye on him and moved over to the phone. Even though she was currently estranged from Bo, she was still in contact with him. They still had a child between them-Shawn.

"Brady."

His voice used to make her melt on the spot. But again, she maintained a cold posture. "Bo, I need you to come over right away."

"What's wrong, Hope?"

"Just get over here." She left him no room to talk and she hung up on him. Hope moved back over to the boy and tried to get him to talk. "Hi, what is your name?" No reply. Hope frowned. The boy wasn't looking at her, but past her. "Do you know where your parents are, sweetie?"

She had spent the next half hour trying to get a reaction from this boy. When she emerged from the kitchen, with a glass of warm milk-hoping to put the boy at ease-Bo was standing by the couch.

He motioned to the boy, "Kidnapping other boys won't replace Zack."

Hope angrily frowned at his insinuation. "I didn't kidnap him. He was tethered to the porch."

"What?!" Bo tilted his head at the boy. "Who would do that?"

"I don't know." She moved to the coffee table, exchanging the glass for the note. "But this was pinned to his shirt."

Bo took the note and read it. "This is your child?" He looked up at Hope with an exasperated expression. He looked back at the note, appearing to not believe what he had just read.

"He looks about Zack's age." Hope began, drawing Bo's gaze back to her. "Now, either the person who wrote that note and left the child here doesn't know that I've left the field while you haven't…"

"What are you saying?" Bo interrupted.

"I'm saying…" Hope paused, a longing look was pouring from her eyes-but only briefly, "…If this child is Zack's age…then six years ago, I was pregnant with Zack." She folded her arms and leaned on her heels, "So, what were you doing six years ago?"

Bo was silent. He tried to think back six years. Just as he was about to shake his head in denial, Bo remembered his one night with the real Princess Gina. At the time, he assumed it was his Fancy Face. "No, it can't be…"

"Can't be what, Bo?" Hope unfolded her arms and let them hang loosely at her sides. "What is it that you're not telling me?! Please, no more secrets between us, Bo. I can't handle another lie right now!"

He looked at her, with her pleading teary eyes and his heart broke. "I think…I think this child IS mine."

Hope immediately put a hand to her mouth and shook her head in protest as she stepped away from him. "How?"

Bo marched right up to her and gently grabbed her arm, "You'll want to sit down for this, Hope." She looked at the boy and then back at Bo, finally conceding. Bo took a deep breath. "Six years ago, you-or at least I had thought it was you-called me, from the Fancy Face II. I was too excited to have you back, that I ignored all feelings that it wasn't right."

"Was it her?"

Bo nodded, knowing who Hope had assumed it was. "The real Princess Gina. She had us all fooled while you were locked in the Turret with Stefano."

Hope looked at the boy, "You had slept with her."

"Thinking it was you!" Bo interjected. Then there was silence. The pain in Hope's eyes was too much for him, so he stared at the boy. "I had no idea about him."

"Just like Chelsea." Hope commented before she could stop herself.

"Hope, that wasn't fair." He shot back.

"I know." She sighed, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Hope." He approached her and touched her shoulder, "You have to believe me."

She looked up at him, not sure if he meant about sleeping with the real Gina, or about Zack, or just everything in general. Hope shook her head, "I wish I could, Bo." She shook him off and stood, "I don't want to appear inhuman…but what are we going to do about this boy? We don't even know his name, or what exactly is wrong with him."

Bo looked at the boy, "What do you mean?"

"I tried talking to him, but he just sits there." Hope touched Bo's hand, "Maybe you need to take him to the hospital."

Bo knelt down and touched the boy. Alarmingly, the boy flinched away with a shriek. It took both of them to get the boy to calm down again. "Ok, that was disturbing."

"Something is wrong." Hope commented in concern. "It can't be from sitting outside. I don't think he was even out there long enough."

Bo stood up, "I'm taking him down. Do you want to come?"

She took a split second and made a decision. "Yes."

The drive to the hospital was luckily a breeze. Hope and Bo escorted the boy into the building just as Lexie approached the nurses' station. Bo edged forward, "Lexie!"

She turned around, "Bo?" She then noticed Hope with a little boy.

Hope noticed Lexie's double take, and kept her lip from quivering. "This little boy was found tied to my porch. He wasn't wearing a coat, only had a sweatshirt and jeans to protect him from the cool air."

"But there's more." Bo added. "Can we get a private room?"

Lexie paused, but being faced with friends and not strangers, she agreed. "Sure, follow me."

Once in the room, she motioned them to explain. Hope stayed quiet, so Bo leaned forward in the chair. "Lexie…this boy…he's my son."

Lexie's eyes grew wide, "He's what…?"

Bo grimaced. "Do you remember that incident with Princess Gina-how it was the real Gina and not Hope?" Lexie numbly nodded.

Hope noticed that Bo couldn't get the words out, so she stepped up to finish for him. "Bo had thought it was me. He slept with her, Lexie. And apparently this boy…" She started choking up, but managed to finish, "…is the result."

"Oh my gosh, Hope." Tearfully, Hope allowed Lexie to pull her into a hug.

Hope leaned back and put a hand to her heart, "Bo and I, we…we think that there is something wrong with this boy."

Lexie moved to better look at the boy. "What do you think is wrong?"

"Look at him, Lexie…he hasn't talked or really moved. And he doesn't look back at you…it's like he sees through you." Hope blurted.

When Lexie proceeded to place her hand on the boys chin to better flash a light into his eyes to gauge his sight, the boy freaked out again. She had to jump back when the boy threatened to frantically lash out at her. Bo stepped in to calm the boy once again. He then looked at Lexie, "You ok?" She nodded. Bo sat back once the boy was calmed. "See what we mean?"

"I suggest we keep him here a couple of days…run some tests." Lexie began to advise, as a doctor. "Bo, Hope, don't worry…we will get to the bottom of this."

"Thanks, Lexie." Bo half smiled. "You don't mind if I stay with him?"

"No, of course not." Lexie then turned to Hope.

"I would like to stay too." Again she gave Bo a longing look.

The next few days were very taxing on all involved parties. The boy had numerous outbursts, yet it was unknowingly bringing Bo and Hope back together. However, neither of them would say nor do anything to admit it. Shawn had visited them in the hospital after learning of the situation. He was distant about accepting another child as his brother, but his parents understood. Bo had begun the search for not only his son's name, but who had previously taken care of him and left him at their doorstep.

Finally, after many days of tests and investigations, some of the mystery surrounding the boy was revealed.

Lexie called Bo and Hope into her office.

"What did you find, Lexie?" Hope spoke as they all seated.

Lexie folded her hands on her desk, "Have you found his name yet?"

Bo shook his head, "No leads on that. But Hope and I…we've decided to call him Connor."

Lexie nodded, "Well, according to…Connor's test results…he's perfectly healthy…"

"There's more, isn't there?" Hope questioned.

"Yes." Lexie's smile faded, "Try not to be too alarmed…but there not only seems to be some possible inherited psychological damages, but some intellectual impairment as well." When Hope gasped, Bo instinctively took her hand. He felt grateful that she didn't jerk away.

"What do you mean possible inherited psychological damages?" Hope whispered.

"Well, if it's true that Gina was…is the mother…"

"It's true." Bo hesitantly interrupted.

Lexie tilted her head in their direction, "Then between her depression, being locked up for many years, and then hell bent on seeking revenge…"

"But it doesn't make any sense." Bo interrupted again. "It was only a span of just weeks between my sleeping with her and the incident at Tuscany that resulted in her death…how could she…how could Connor have survived?""

"There could be many possibilities, Bo." Lexie answered. "And maybe whoever had left him on your porch might know."

Hope stood up, "Are we cleared to take him home? I think having him in a homely surrounding might help him adjust better."

"That would be the best prescription I could give right now." Lexie stood up and walked around her desk. She hugged Bo and Hope goodbye, "Good luck with him. And don't hesitate to call or bring him in if need be."

"We won't." Hope replied before following Bo out of the room.

When they arrived home, there was a small gathering to welcome Connor into the family. "You guys!" Hope gushed upon seeing friends and family gathered in her living room.

"So this is the little guy?" Jennifer came forward. To her disappointment, Connor-who was being held by Bo-pressed closer to him in an attempt to get away from Jennifer.

"He'll get used to you, Jen." Bo assured her. She nodded and stepped back.

Shawn then came forward, "So now our dysfunctional family is a bit more dysfunctional now."

"Shawn!" Hope scolded him. He just shrugged. She pulled him aside, "I know you aren't thrilled with this."

"You shouldn't be thrilled either, Mom." He countered.

Hope sighed. "I know."

"Or are you thinking to replace Zack?"

She shot him a shocked look, "I could never use anyone to replace Zack. Shawn…" He started turning away, but she forced him to look at her, "…think of this as a fresh start for ALL of us."

"What are you saying?" He eyed her wearily.

"I don't know, really." Shawn noticed her quickly glancing at Bo longingly. "But he is Bo's son. That makes him our family."

"I guess I could give him a chance." Shawn finally conceded.

"That is all I'm asking, son." She then moved and joined in the conversation Bo was having with Gran.

Connor had been placed on the couch when she carefully sat next to him. To her surprise, he willingly laid his head on her lap. She looked up at Bo, who had been watching. He moved to sit on Hope's other side. "He's taken a liking to you already." He winked at her.

Hope reached over and ran her hand through Connor's hair, an action that eventually lulled him to sleep. "I think the feeling is mutual."

"He's not the only one." Bo continued.

"Don't push it Brady." She warned. Bo held up his hands in defeat. "I don't want you to be expecting anything…but…" She paused, trying to gather the courage to continue, "…you'll need to be here to help care for this little guy."

"Are you asking me to move back in?" Bo managed to hide his excitement.

"I guess I am." She distantly agreed. But her distance couldn't be held for long, "I didn't want to admit this, Bo…" He noticed the look of longing in her eyes-a look he's seen from her a lot since Connor's arrival in their lives. "…but I think having Connor will be good for us." Without any hesitancy, Hope reached up and placed her palm on the side of his face.

"I think so too." Normally, he would have leaned over to kiss her. But he didn't want to rush things and possibly do something that would cause her to shy away again. And it didn't help that they were in the center of an ongoing party.

Off to the side, Shawn watched his parents. He could literally see the bond between them reforming. And that had put a twinkle of hope in his eyes.