Episode 16 "Infinity"

Chapter 3

Daniel waited at the nurse's station in the maternity ward of the hospital, allowing him a moment to ponder over the events of the past day while the nurse went to pull the documentation for him to sign. Something about being in the hospital again filled him with a sense of guilt and disappointment, and he eventually took a seat, leaning his head back to reflect on the low place he was in.

Emily and David had left that morning to attend his mother's sentence, and it was just as well that he already had planned not to go, as his conscience continued to accuse him for his violent reaction the previous day. Again he was reminded of how flawed his instincts were, despite his growth in the past year, he still had a lot to learn, specifically in the area of restraint. He knew he was hurt and exhausted and that's what had pushed him to lash out at his mother, but the sting of her words was all that kept coming to mind. They signified the act he regretted most in his life, and that's what ate him up inside – the fact that in his wrath he had destroyed Emily's chances at ever having children again. Even though she had long since moved past it, it was a sin that seemed to constantly be before him, and he knew it was the last straw that set him off. And yet, his reaction in itself was even more telling of his flaws, almost ironic, in that again he lashed out violently, nearly choking his own mother in return for the painful stabbing of her words.

He did his best to brush the thoughts away as he waited, hoping that he could find his way back to redemption again, even if he could not save Margaux, he could do all that still relied upon him to do. And that included, most recently, his new role as a father. The expectations for the role were running through his mind as he felt the presence of someone walk up beside him, a face he did not expect, nor had encountered since the first night he and Emily rekindled their romance.

"Hey," the low voice greeted him, and Daniel looked up to see Jack, standing over him, a small bouquet in his hands. Jack glanced up at the nurse's station and then around, as if checking to see if Daniel was all by himself.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Daniel greeted him back honestly, doing his best to be indifferent, while not holding any particular angst against Emily's childhood friend.

"Yeah, I know," Jack acknowledged, walking around to sit one seat over from him as he lightly set down the flowers on the seat in between. "Nolan said you might be here… I came to pay my respects. I was once very close to her too."

"Of course," Daniel responded, a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry, my mind is all over the place right now…" He rested his hands on the bridge of his nose, doing his best to try to keep composed now that he had company.

"It's alright I understand," Jack sympathized calmly, giving Daniel an empathetic look. "Louise sends her condolences… she wanted to come but, thought it might be awkward." Jack left it at that, knowing Daniel knew full well the uneasiness of their past and especially Louise's own history with Margaux. Something in the forlorn expression on Jack's face conveyed that there was still a measure of guilt underlying with her now that Margaux had passed, but Daniel barely reacted to the statement. Jack wondered if he even knew that he and Louise were together, his distractions seemed so overwhelming. He continued to pursue his welfare. "How are you holding up?"

Daniel sighed, and finally looked Jack's way. "It's a lot," he admitted. "Even though we went our separate ways… it feels so strange for him to be here, without her." Daniel shook his head in realization, referring to his son.

Jack nodded, understanding more than Daniel likely realized and paused from responding as the nurse returned to where they were seated with the paperwork.

"Alright, Mr. Grayson – here are the papers you need," the nurse briefly interrupted them, handing Daniel a folder with forms attached. "The baby's name goes here, and I just spoke to the doctor, you can visit him in observation room whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," Daniel answered her, perking up a bit with the latest update.

Jack looked over with interest. "You haven't named him yet?"

"No," Daniel answered a bit sheepishly. "This is my first time being allowed to see him."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

SCENE

Moments later, Daniel stood in front of the observation window for the incubation nursery, with Jack at his side, looking on in support. Daniel felt his own heart nearly stop as he gazed upon the tiny life that slept soundly in front of him, separated by the glass, but already dearly cherished in his heart.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Jack remarked as he watched Daniel enjoy the first few breathtaking moments of falling in love with his son.

Daniel half sighed, a delicate grin coming to his face. "Words can't describe it."

"No they can't," Jack agreed, folding his arms as he reminisced about the first time he held Carl in his hands, the emotions that filled him and the immediate connection he had made. He knew his presence there with Daniel was one that he would have never expected, but what he didn't know was how grateful Daniel was to have another father beside him, a good one at that, lending him support in the journey that lay ahead of him just by being there.

"You've been here before," Daniel finally acknowledged, taking his eyes off his son for the first time to glance over at Jack, referring to his previous similar experience. "How do you even begin to take the responsibility of another life into your hands?"

"The honest truth?" Jack looked over at him, relaxing his arms as he gestured to answer Daniel's question. "You just dive in…Head first." He paused to reflect for a moment and Daniel immediately softened at the words that followed. "When I lost Amanda, I was fortunate to have had the chance to see her interact with the baby…watch her… learn from her… and I was ready. I wanted to do, as a father, everything she could do as a mother." He glanced over at Daniel softly. "Except breast-feed, of course."

Daniel breathed a light laugh, and Jack was relieved to see him relax a bit in spirit. He continued. "But once she was gone, it was different. Even though I knew what to do, I felt like it all relied upon me. That if I made one mistake, I had no one else to blame but myself, and I couldn't imagine not giving Carl the best care I could." He nodded his head in admission. "But as it turned out, I had more help than I realized I did…" he looked over at Daniel again. "I had Charlotte."

The mention of his sister's name served to soften Daniel even further, and he listened closely, inwardly proud and encouraged by Jack's relation of his experience. "I was thankful to have her support… and Carl loved her, trusted her. And now, I'm fortunate that he's developing the same kind of attachment to his grandmother and to Louise."

Daniel faced forward again, gazing intently to memorize his son's face, taking in the words that Jack spoke as he realized the firm point he was making.

"Daniel, you're not in this alone," Jack continued to emphasize. "You and I both know that you have someone to help you when you feel overwhelmed – someone who's been wanting a family for as long as I can remember." Jack paused, to allow the intensity to deepen, and while a part of his heart still ached at the thought, his respect for Daniel and sympathy for his situation trumped his own prior uneasiness. "You have Emily."

With his assurance, Daniel met eyes with Jack again, and for the first time, felt a sense of respect emanating from Jack, as if he had finally accepted him for what he represented – Emily's true love and with that, a person who would be in both of their lives forever. Even so, the reminder of his own guilt in taking away Emily's chances at her own family continued to eat him up, and he considered for a moment the possibility that she may not want to be a part of his journey. "What if she doesn't want this?" Daniel asked honestly, glancing from Jack to the beautiful angel in front of him. "I'm asking so much of her—"

"Do you honestly think she wants anything else?" Jack asked, cutting off his line of thought. He didn't need to breach the subject to recognize Daniel's apprehension around the sensitive area ever since he wounded Emily. "She may be the most stubborn person you'll ever meet, but once she cares about you – she loves you for life. And trust me… this is what she wants." He stared at Daniel for a beat after letting his words hang in the air, curious if they would sink into his heart. And he was not disappointed.

"You're right." Daniel admitted, knowing that his words were true. He gave him his full attention, reaching his own personal level of respect as their discussion came to a peak. "I appreciate you being here with me…you're a decent guy, Jack." He paused to think. "You always have been… which is probably why I acted like a jerk to you for so long; I felt threatened by the person that you were… one that I would never be."

Jack clapped his hand on his shoulder, humbly bypassing Daniel's admission of his own insecurities, to remind him instead of what was truly important. "You're going to be a great father, Daniel. Don't ever stop believing in yourself."

Daniel nodded, grateful and again looked back at his son, feeling a sense of absolution come over him in the bond that was just forged. "I just wish there was a way I could name him in honor of his mother," he took a breath, trying to keep light amidst the heaviness of the situation, glancing down at the paperwork still in hand. "I'm not sure if Margaux is gender neutral…?"

Jack laughed lightly in return. "I'm sure you'll think of something..." And he meant it, his confidence in Daniel solidified more than he ever thought would be possible. They both stood for a moment longer, watching as Daniel and Margaux's sleeping, unnamed child stirred, knowing that no matter what name Daniel chose, it was going to signify the beginning of a new life for him, and change everything.

SCENE

"Evening, Lady Justice!"

Nolan called upstairs for Emily as he entered the beach house, toting a small handheld device and a bottle of champagne in hand.

"In here…" Emily called out from the living room, and Nolan came around in surprise, not expecting her to be where he found her, outstretched on the couch.

"Sleeping Beauty, on the day of Victoria's sentencing—?" Nolan remarked in surprise, as he came to sit the chair opposite Emily while she turned slightly, trying to wake herself up. "Ems… this is the moment you've been waiting for, and you're not even awake to enjoy it?"

Emily rubbed her head as she lifted herself to sit up straight, running both hands through her hair. "Sorry, I just haven't been right since my father disappeared this morning at the courthouse…" she glanced up at him a bit uneasily. "He hasn't been home since; I'm worried about him."

"Yeah, well you can call off the dogs," Nolan insisted, handing over the tracking device so she could examine while he retrieved two glasses from the kitchen. "Because according to the trace you had me run on his cell phone, he's just playing Captain down by the docks."

"All day?" Emily asked in concern, looking at the device while Nolan returned with glasses in hand.

"At least for the past few hours," Nolan answered, to a questionable look from Emily. He shrugged; as he popped open the bottle. "What? I couldn't check sooner, I've been busy deleting my entire hard drive so there's not a smidge of incriminating evidence left behind…wouldn't want all our hard work to be for nothing, would we?"

Despite agreeing heavily on the latter point, Emily just rolled her eyes, satisfied enough with the partial information Nolan was able to relate. She still feared for where her father had went to before that, but had to accept there was little she could do to prevent whatever he was up to until he finally came home and opened up to her. She set the device down on the table in front of Nolan as he poured her glass and then took his own, leaning back in his chair.

"Ahh," Nolan relaxed, sipping away. "Victory/Victoria! So this is how that feels…"

Emily smiled out of the corner of her mouth, nervous to join him in celebration when she still could not be sure that they were completely in the clear. She glanced at the glass he placed before her but did not take it.

"Uh, Rapunzel—let down your hair," Nolan chided her, observing her indifference and wanting her to lighten up. "You've won – what's with the golden stare?" He leaned forward; catching on that it was her concern for David that kept her from relaxing. "Are you really that concerned that David will do something rash?"

"Would you be, if it were me?" Emily shot back with a fiery glare, and Nolan couldn't deny she was right.

"Ah… point taken," Nolan digressed, resting his glass back on the table. "Revenge is a family business," he glanced around, doing his best to brainstorm how they could prepare for what could potentially come next. Seeing Emily's look as more downcast than he expected, he pried for more information. "Speaking of which, how are things on the Danny front?"

Emily half shrugged, unconsciously glancing in the direction of the front door where she expected him to walk through any second. "It's hard to say… he still needs time to process everything. He went to see his son today, so hopefully that's helping ease the loss, but… based on everything that happened? I'm worried Victoria's sentence won't be enough for him either."

Nolan chuckled dryly. "Daniel on the rampage… David on rough tides… is this the first time in Hamptons history that you're the only person not wielding the red sharpie?" He shook his head in shock. "What kind of parallel universe is this?"

"I haven't given up completely," Emily corrected him, though her voice lacked the usual conviction she held when asserting a plan. She rose to her feet, taking the glass with her to drown it in the sink. "I just want things settled before moving forward. The verdict should have given us closure, not an excuse to keep going."

Nolan smirked as he got up to follow her, watching as she set the empty glass back down on the counter, never once realizing that she had poured out its contents, rather than drank it. "Welcome to my world… now you know what it feels like to be in a one-way tug of war with someone you care about who just…won't…stop." He eyed her directly as he delivered her rightful comeuppance, to which Emily took it in stride.

Rather than sass him back, to his surprise, her countenance became apologetic. "Then I owe you an apology – I think I finally understand how it feels…" her voice trailed off as she seemed to concentrate on something else, but before Nolan's curiosity got to him too much, Daniel walked through the door, somewhat unexpectedly.

"Ah, please," Nolan finished with her, glancing up as he walked in. "Save the sentiments...you're starting to scare me," he added with a grin, grazing her chin with his finger as he made his way towards the door, changing places with Daniel. "Congratulations," he greeted him softly, glancing over towards the opened champagne that remained on the living room table. "Little gift to celebrate little Grayson…"

Daniel smiled in kind as Nolan made his way out, hands in pockets, and then looked back over at Emily, who shifted uncomfortably at the kitchen sink. "Hey," she greeted him, unsure of what to expect. Her expression said as much. "How did everything go?"

Daniel set down the folder that was in his hand on the counter, his exhaustion apparent. "I'm really a father," he answered simply, a note of resignation in his voice. He pondered on it for a moment before picking up Emily's empty glass and taking it with him over to refill at the living area, where Nolan's bottle remained.

Emily scratched her head softly as she studied how to respond to him. "That you are," she whispered as she sauntered over to stand beside him while he sat in the chair where Nolan just was.

Once nearby, Daniel placed an arm around her, pulling her close so that his head rested softly on Emily's lower stomach, feeling relieved to just be next to her for a moment. In turn she reciprocated the gesture, caressing his head in return. "I was worried about you," she opened up honestly, wishing that it didn't come out quite as uncertain as it sounded.

"I know," Daniel acknowledged, aware he had given her full reason. He pulled back enough so he could see her face, meanwhile gently nudging her to relax into his lap affectionately. She complied, placing an arm around him, enjoying the affection despite being unsure of what was to come next. "You've had every reason to be," he continued. "The truth is, I haven't handled everything that's happened… well I haven't handled it the way I wanted to."

Emily remained silent, looking down to confirm her agreement, but anxious to hear what he had to say. She knew she eventually needed to share with him the turnout of Victoria's sentencing, but instead she just continued to stroke the back of his head, hoping he would open up further.

"Jack was at the hospital today," he went on, to a look of surprise from Emily. "We had a long talk."

"About?" she asked, twinging with interest.

"Everything," Daniel answered, staring off into space as he recollected their conversation. "Fatherhood… loss… choices…" he looked into her eyes. "You."

Emily furrowed her brow in surprise, but Daniel continued, allaying any concerns on the topic. "He reminded me of what's most important. I'm a father now, with a child to raise… but I don't have to do it alone," he continued to gaze into her eyes. "I don't want to."

Emily tilted her head, immediately sympathizing. "Daniel, you know I'm here for you. We're in this together."

He nodded, hoping desperately he wasn't asking too much of her. His own guilt compelled him to look down before he proceeded with his next request. "You don't mind—having this new person in our life? Because it's a huge responsibility… and I never wanted to force you into something you weren't ready for."

Her sigh was one of surprise, rather than exasperation, and with it, Daniel began to feel slightly comforted. "Even if I wasn't ready – I want to be with you. And that's all that matters."

Her response gave him life, spurring him into further confession. "You know, when I went to see my mother… the thing the hurt the most wasn't her excuses or her lies for what happened to Margaux… it was the things she said about you that cut the deepest." Emily began to protest but Daniel needed to finish. "I know I overreacted—but today I remembered something. No matter what she's done to hurt us both… no matter what her fate is now… we've been given a chance to make things right. And that's all I care about – building the rest of my life with you."

It was Emily's turn to nod in response, gracious of Daniel's inclusion of her own feelings in his recanting of the things that motivated him most, and thankful that at least he seemed to be abandoning the path she feared he was going down. It was even a relief that he didn't care to know Victoria's sentencing, a true sign that he had finally let it go. Somewhere in her heart, the promise she made to Margaux in her final moments had been realized. She smiled from within, leaning forward to lightly peck him on the mouth.

"Our future starts now then," she replied, knowing there were still things to be done before they could put it all behind them, but at least they had direction. "I can help with the arrangements for the services," she offered.

Daniel was grateful. "I appreciate that…and I haven't given up on our story yet. I want you to know, first chance I get; I'm making the final revisions and getting it on my publisher's desk. So the whole world can see just who the real Amanda Clarke is… and why it was so easy for me to fall in love with her...regardless of her name." He kissed Emily again in return, and the fresh emotion comforted them both, desperate for this moment since their interruptions the night before.

"Speaking of names," Emily replied once they separated, looping both arms around Daniel's neck as she referenced his son. "Did you settle on one?"

"I did," Daniel admitted, already full of appreciation for her interest, and he took a breath as he announced the name of his firstborn. "Marshall Leigh Grayson."

"Marshall Leigh," Emily repeated to herself, catching the reference. "LeMarchal."

"Something to uphold her memory," Daniel admitted, caressing her cheek, to which she smiled in agreement.

"I think she would be honored," Emily responded, deeply proud of him. Again she thought of Margaux's last words, and the reprieve that Daniel seemed once again, to have found his way. "In fact, I know she would be."

"You know what makes me smile when I think of it?" Daniel asked, and for a moment Emily was unsure just how deep his connection was going to run, but she listened anyway. "It's that I can call the two people I love most the same nickname – Em."

Her heart touched, Emily melted in his arms, kissing him again before pulling him into a tight embrace. Despite the shadow cast over the past days, she could be sure of one thing – they had each other and whatever events that came in the near future, they would be able to face them together.

END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note: Hey Revengers! I had to keep this one a little mushy for you… hope I didn't overdo it too much in some parts but I think we all needed a little soft relief with all the drama in this episode (plus the actual show, ugh!) Please tell me your thoughts! Are you liking Baby Grayson's name, and Daniel's little fixation with it? What do you think David has really been up to? And stay tuned, because more drama is STILL on the way… unfortunately the Revengeverse never quite ends on too much of a happy note. In the meantime, please share your feedback and thank you for all your continued support. I'm trying to hold off until after the series finale to post the final chapter, just to give us all something extra to look forward to. So hang in there and enjoy the last ride! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame