"Baby come on, we gotta get back to the house." Corny said as Maybelle just sat in their office at the station. It had been about a month since Lawrence had passed and Maybelle seemed to be doing surprisingly well.

"Rory? I have a question." Maybelle said, standing up and walking over to him.

"What's that baby?" Corny ask pulling her to him. It had been a while since he held her in his arms and it felt good. As he held her though, he could feel the baby moving in her belly and it brought a smile to his face.

"Why do people hate us together so much? Half of your own family didn't even come to our wedding, including your parents." Maybelle ask.

"I don't know honey. I do know that I love you no matter what people think and I also know I will never stop loving you." Corny answered. Maybelle pondered his answer for a minute then shrugged.

"I love you too and I won't ever doubt that you do love me." Maybelle said. They stood there for a minute before connecting their lips. They hadn't had the time to just be together and spend quality time with each other. It had been a while since their lips had felt the warm embrace of the others. A warm feeling filled their hearts as they deepened their embrace and kiss. The phone rang and Corny hesitantly pulled away, much to Maybelle's disappointment, which she voiced with a soft whimper.

"Corny Collins?"

"Daddy can you-" The crying voice of his daughter caught him off guard. He tried to understand her but she was crying so hard that he couldn't.

"Inez, princess, calm down. I can't understand you." Maybelle looked up from the pile of letters on their desk and payed full attention.

"Daddy come get me please." Inez pleaded.

"Why sweet heart? Whats wrong?" Corny ask motioning for Maybelle to come next to him. Maybelle quickly went and stayed close to him.

"Daddy he hit me." she said as clear as day. Corny's hand balled into a tight fist and his eyes could see nothing but red. Maybelle could tell he was upset but she didn't know why.

"Where's Alex?" Corny ask.

"I locked us in the bathroom. There's a phone in here and that's what i'm calling from. Daddy please get here soon. I'm scared." Inez explained. She was shaking harder than a tail of a rattle snake.

"OK. Daddy and Mommy are coming right now." Corny reassured her. He hung up to phone and grabbed Maybelle's hand, beginning to walk out of the room.

"What's wrong with Inez?" Maybelle ask when they got in the car and she was able to catch her breath.

"He hit her." Corny told her, starting up the car.

"Where's Alex?" Maybelle ask.

"She locked them in the bathroom. They are okay. She's just scared." Corny explained.

"Rory, he hit my baby. They might be okay but he's not going to be." Maybelle said the same color of anger now glossing over her eyes.

"I know May, but I want you to let me handle it. I don't need you or the baby hurt." He said as he pulled up to the house where Jamal lived. They hopped out the car and made haste to the door. Maybelle knocked carefully on the door. The door flew open, Jamal standing behind it.

"We came to get Inez and Alex." Maybelle said calmly. She didn't want to go in guns blazing that quickly.

"Hey Mrs.C! She's in the bathroom. I'll send them out in a minute." Jamal said a slick smile on his face.

"Actually can we come in? We'd like to talk to your parents." Corny ask stepping a little bit too close. Maybelle tugged on his hand a bit ,and he came back, trying to remain calm.

"Sure." Jamal said backing up to let them in. As soon as they got in though, their whole demeanor and attitude changed.

"Why did you lay your filthy,grimy, no-good-doing, hands on my daughter?" Corny ask backing Jamal up to the wall while Maybelle rushed towards the bathroom. She carefully knocked on the door and she could tell that Inez was truly scared because she heard her wimpier behind the door.

"Inez it's Mommy, sugar. Let me in." Maybelle said gently. She didn't hear any response but the door soon unlocked and Maybelle opened it just wide enough for her to slide through and closed the door behind her.

"Mommy!" Inez sobbed, her face buried in her mothers chest.

"Shh, it's going to be okay. Daddy is handling him right now." Maybelle said attempting to calm her. It seemed to work because her breathing got lighter, her heartbeat got slower and she could feel Inez's arms un tighten around her. Inez let Maybelle go and walked over to Alex.

"What happened?" Maybelle ask sitting on the edge of the tub.

"He wants to get married and I told him that I was not ready." Inez said lifting Alex onto her lap.

"Is that why he hit you?" Maybelle ask. Inez nodded and Maybelle herself saw red again. She kissed Inez's forehead and flew out of the bathroom and went to find Corny. Corny still had Jamal backed against the wall, not letting him move.

"Baby let him go." Maybelle said gently. Corny made eye contact with her to make sure that everything was going to be alright with her. She nodded and he stepped back allowing Jamal to move. Maybelle moved towards him left just enough space between them to not frighten him.

"Now, you want to marry my baby girl and she is not ready. Frankly I was not ready at her age either, but because of the parents I had, I was forced to marry. I will not do that to my baby. I don't want her married to you at all, and until you can prove yourself to me, her and Alex will be off limits for you. Understand?" she said in a frighteningly calm soft way that made it even more of a threat. He nodded slowly and ran off to his room. Maybelle gathered Inez, Alex and their stuff and they all spent the rest of the evening safe in their home.