*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.*

A FEW WEEKS LATER:

"I am so proud of you!" I squeal as Dean walks out of the detention center free and ready to go home.

"Thanks, Baby," He says with a smile before he stops and wraps me up in his arms giving me a strong embrace as I melt in his arms. "I love you," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips passionately. I have missed kissing him and feeling his arms around my waist. I have missed being in his arms it's been a long few months. "God I missed you," he says with a smile as he finally breaks the kiss. "I've wanted to do that for a long time."

"Me too," I say with a smile as I take his hand into mine as we walk to my car. "So you're free, how does it feel?"

"Good," he says, "really good. Where is my little princess?"

"She's with my dad. Pop Pop wanted to spend the afternoon with her to give mommy and daddy some time alone together."

"There is not enough time in the world for us to be alone for me to do everything I want to do to her mommy," he says giving me a wicked smile. "But you'll find that out later tonight."

"I'm sure I will," I say with a smile "So do you want to go get something to eat before we go to get Natalia or do you want to get Natalia first?"

"We can go out to eat first then we'll get Natalia," he says as we get to my car. He opens the driver's side for me, kisses my lips quickly before he rounds to the passenger's side. "I do want some time alone with you," he says as he buckles his seatbelt.

"It will be nice," I say with a smile as I start the car. "Where do you want to go? I imagine you have had enough nasty food to last you a life time and you want something good."

"A place that serves a nice juicy burger sounds nice to me."

"All right, we'll go to the burger place down the road."

"Sounds like a plan," he says to me as he takes my hand into his intertwining our fingers as I drive us to get something to eat. Physical touching wasn't allowed when we visited with each other so all of his physical affection is welcoming to me.

When we pull into the Burger place's parking lot I park the car and we get out. He holds the door open for me as we walk into the restaurant. The hostess shows us to a booth before the waitress comes to take our drink orders as we look over the menus. "So are you happy to be out?"

"I'm very happy," he says, "I am happy to finally be a family and be with my family. And Natalia gets her surgery in a couple days?"

"Yes," I say, "I'm so nervous, Dean. I am scared for her. I don't want her to get the surgery but if I don't let her get it there is no telling what could happen. She is just so young."

"I know but she's a fighter. I think she'll be all right. I'm scared too."

"I'm just glad you're going to be with me the day of her surgery."

"Me too, I missed so much it seems," he says, "and I hate that. I missed 2 months of her life. I don't want her to look back and ask why I wasn't there when she was born."

"It will be okay," I say, "so any plans to go back to school?"

"I did get my GED while I was in there so I don't have to go to school. I might take a couple classes for college but I'm not sure. Right now my main focus is working and providing for my family the right way."

"My dad is going to talk to you about that job when we pick up Natalia."

"Cool," says Dean, "how is everything with your dad?" he asks before we are interrupted by the waitress bringing us our drinks and to take our order. Dean makes me smile when he orders a cheeseburger, French fries and onion rings. I can tell it's been a while for him. He shrugs his shoulders after she leaves and says, "What? I'm hungry."

"I bet," I say with a smile as I reach across the table and take his hand into mine stroking his knuckles with my thumb. "Everything with my dad is okay. I wouldn't say they are great but they are okay. Things are a bit rough. He won't tell me anything about my mom leaving. He keeps saying we'll talk about it but then when I try to he says it's not the day nor the time. It's like he's hiding something. He told me I don't need to know about it and told me that if my mom loved me she never would have left me. I am sure my mom loved me. I think he paid her to leave and never come back."

"But why would he do that? They were high school loves weren't they? Why would he pay her to leave and never come back that doesn't make sense? Maybe your mom just left and he's telling the truth."

"I know my mom, Dean, she wouldn't just leave unless she was forced to leave. He won't tell me what happened but he's very upset that I want to go see my mom in Phoenix soon."

"Why would he be upset about that?"

"I'm not sure," I say, "he said it's a bad idea. I just want to see my mom. That's all I want. I miss her and I love her. I want to form some type of relationship with her again. I'm 18 and he can't stop me. I want Natalia to know her grandma and have a relationship with her."

"I'll go with you to Phoenix when you go if you want me to."

"I would love that. What about you? Do you want to see your dad?"

"Yes," he says, "I still want that closure with him. I want him to know he's a dick for leaving his girlfriend and his son behind so that he could go to college. I would never do that. I could never do that to you or Natalia. Just the thought breaks my heart."

"Because you're a better man than your father ever was and I guess this makes me a better woman than my mom ever was cause I could never just walk away and never come back. I love you two too much."

"Thanks," he says, "but let's see how well I fall into the father role."

"You're going to be great with her," I say, "trust me."

"Thanks," he says with a smile. "So has school gotten any better?"

"Yes, Tara has been watching Natalia for a couple hours a day at the apartment to give me the time to work on my school stuff. I just took my college finals since I will be pre-occupied the week they are so my professors gave me the opportunity. I think I did pretty well. I am registered for the next semester and for cyber school I am doing very well. I got caught up on everything and I am back to my straight A's," I say with a smile.

"That's awesome, Ana," he says with a smile as the waitress brings our food. "I am so proud of you. I knew you could do it."

"Thanks" I say with a smile. "I got my SAT scores back last week. I did pretty well. I got a pretty high score so that should help me with college."

"Did you start to apply anywhere yet?"

"I did. I applied at NYU and UCLA. I am looking into other schools that can help us family wise and help single mothers but NYU and UCLA are my first choices."

"I'm proud of you, Ana. I'm really proud of you. I knew you could do it. Aren't you glad you didn't quit school?"

"I am," I say with a smile as I take a bite of my burger. "You don't mind having to move out of Ohio do you?"

"Ana, I don't care. As long as I am with you and Natalia I don't care if we move to Africa."

"Okay," I say with a smile as we eat our lunch together before we go to my dad's house to get Natalia. I am anxious to see how Dean does in the father role. Up until now he's only been with her for an hour visit in which she slept most of the time or ate but nothing more.

I knock on my dad's door before Dean and I walk into the house. "We're here!" I say with a smile.

"We're in the living room," calls my dad.

Dean and I make our way to the living room and I smile when I see my dad laying on the couch with Natalia laying on his chest. "How was she?" I ask.

"She was great," he says as he carefully sits up. "She just had a bottle so she shouldn't be ready to eat for a while. She did spit up couple times so I had to change her outfit."

"Yeah," I say, "I need to get her formula changed again I think her stomach is too sensitive for it I think."

"Yeah she spit up quite a lot."

"Always," I say, "how many diaper changes?"

"Just a couple she had a nice poopy diaper right after you left."

"Glad it was you and not me," I say with a smile. "Thank-you for watching her."

"No problem," he says with a smile as he stands up. "Dean," he says, "how are you?"

"Good, Sir," he says. "I'm happy to be out and happy to be home with my girls."

"That's good. You don't plan to go back do you?"

"Never," he says as I get Natalia's stuff together. "I am keeping my life clean and doing the right thing."

"That's what I want to hear. I believe this little girl wants her daddy," he says with a smile.

"Hey, Princess!" says Dean as he takes Natalia from my dad. "Daddy is home now!" he says giving her tons of kisses on her cheek. "Daddy is so happy to see you and be home with you. I can't wait to spend more than an hour with you. She is so beautiful, Ana, we did a great job."

"Yeah we did," I say, "you more than I."

He lets out a laugh as he holds Natalia and she gives him a big smile showing off her little dimples she inherited from her dad as I get her fleece sleeper out for him to put her in before we leave. "So Rod," says Dean. "That job? Is it still available?"

"Yes," he says, "I kept it open for you. It's yours if you want it."

"I do want it. I don't need an interview do I? And I turn 18 in a couple days so I don't need a work permit right?"

"No, the job is yours. I'm not interviewing you. It's my company but I do need a social security card and you'll need to fill out an application."

"Okay," he says, "When will I be able to start?"

"How about I give you a two week wait period so that you can be with Ana and Natalia since Natalia has surgery in a couple days."

"Sounds good to me, what are the hours, is it daytime or nighttime?"

"Which would work best for you?"

"Daytime probably so that I can start some family time with my family, get into a routine of having dinner together and all that."

"Okay," he says with a smile. "You're a good guy, Dean," he says, "I think you're good for Ana and I am sure you're going to be a fantastic father."

"Thanks," he says, "but I think it is Ana that is good for me."

"I think you two are good for each other. So how does Monday-Friday 7-3:30 sound for you?"

"Sounds perfect," he says with a smile.

"And it would be $13.15 an hour."

"Sweet," he says as I take Natalia from him to get her into her fleece sleeper to get her in the carseat so we can get home to spend the rest of the afternoon together as a family. "That's a pretty nice paycheck."

"You've got a family to take care of," says my dad with a smile.

"I do. Thank-you so much Rod for this opportunity and giving me this job. I need it."

"You're welcome but all I ask in return is that you take care of my daughter and my granddaughter. They are pretty special to me."

"I always will," he says with a smile. "Well," he says looking at me as I am holding Natalia's carseat with her in it looking at him. "I think Ana wants to go and I am ready to get back to my apartment and get comfortable, watch some TV and play with my baby girl. Are you coming to the hospital the day of her surgery?"

"Of course," says my dad. "You two need some support. I'll be there."

"Thanks, Daddy," I say with a smile. "Well, we are going to go now. I love you."

"I love you too," he says before he kisses my cheek softly after I give him a hug. "And I love you, Talli," he says to Natalia. "Sorry, I just thought of this nickname for her." He kisses her cheek.

"It's cute," I say with a smile. "Thanks, Dad, I'll call you later."

"Okay, take care, Dean and enjoy your time with the girls," he says before they shake hands. I am just glad my dad is giving Dean a chance at a job and is being so nice with him. For a while I wasn't sure if he was going to like him or not. There was a time he didn't but their relationship seems to be forming quite nicely.

When we get back to the apartment Dean gets settled in and then he spends the afternoon playing with Natalia. I love seeing him with her. He is so good with her. He took over everything to give me time to get stuff together for her surgery and for me to get some housework done as well to make us dinner his favorite meal; steak baked potatoes and macaroni and cheese. He changed her, fed her, played with her and put her down for a nap. He loves his little girl there is no doubt about it.

After I do the dishes I walk into the living room as he is sitting on the couch holding her as he watches something on MTV. "You know, you're going to spoil her if you keep holding her so much."

"I don't want to put her down," he says as he kisses the top of her head. "I haven't held her for 2 months. I really want to get in all the time I missed."

"I promise you that it is okay to put her down. She won't hold it against you. She likes to be in her swing and she likes to get some belly time in."

"Please just let me hold her a little bit more," he says.

"Actually it's time for her bath. Do you want to give her a bath?"

"If you help me," he says, "I'm not sure on how to give her a bath."

"Okay, I'll fill up her bath tub, you go to her nursery and get her towel, pajamas, baby shampoo, body wash and baby lotion and a new diaper."

"Okay," he says as he stands up and kisses my lips softly. "I think I can do this."

"I think you can too," I say with a smile before I go to the kitchen to fill up her bathtub before he comes out into the kitchen with everything I asked him to get. "All right," I say putting my hand in the water. "It's good now I am going to warn you she does NOT like getting a bath. She will scream the whole way through it. It is the worst thing in the world for her."

"Okay," he says, "so what do I do?"

"Well, first you want to undress her and then put her into the water slowly and carefully. She will scream the moment her diaper is off so have the pacifier ready."

"Okay," he says as he starts to undress her carefully. I smile as I watch him. He picks her up as she starts screaming and puts her into the tub gently as she continues to scream. "Now what?"

"You're going to wash her hair, just put a little bit in your hand and rub it through her hair and when you rinse it out cover her eyes. Then you're going to wash her body with the body wash then she's all done and you can get her dressed in her pajamas after putting lotion on her body."

"Okay," he says as he begins the process. Natalia continues to cry. "It's okay, Talli," he says. "You don't need to cry. Daddy is going as fast as he can." Natalia continues to cry and surprising to me Dean starts singing to her. "Hush little baby don't say a word, daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird and if that mockingbird don't sing Daddy's going to buy you a diamond ring," Natalia stops crying immediately as he continues to sing to her in his deep raspy voice, he isn't half bad. She looks at him as he continues to give her a bath. I am impressed. He picks her up out of the tub and wraps her up in a pink elephant towel and kisses the top of her head. "That wasn't so bad was it?" he asks as he dries her off before he gets her dressed. "All fresh and clean," he says with a smile as he starts to get her dressed after he puts her lotion on her. "And you smell so lovely like lavender," he says as he zips up her pink ballerina sleeper before he picks her up from the table while I clean everything up. He kisses the top of her head and takes her to the living room. I make her a bottle so he can feed her before she goes to bed.

"I love her," says Dean as we are standing over her basinet in our room. "She's so adorable."

"I love her too," I say. "You did so well with her today. You're going to be a great dad."

"Thank-you," he says with a smile. "It seems kind of easy but I'm sure it gets harder."

"It does but your voice and your singing wow. That made her settle down. I can't say it didn't do the same for me. I never heard you sing before."

"I don't do it much," he says with a smile as Natalia drifts off to sleep with her pink pacifier in her mouth, swaddled in her pink blanket. "You want me to sing to you too?" he asks as he wraps his arms around my waist as my arms settle around his neck.

"Yeah," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips. "Your voice is panty dropping."

"Panty dropping huh?" he asks with a smile.

"Yeah," I say, "Sing to me and you'll see."

"Hmm, sounds like a good idea to me," he says before he kisses my lips softly before he starts to sing to me. His voice is mesmerizing and just does things to me as he sings "Stuck in This Moment With You." I want to hear this singing more often.

"I missed you," I say as I interrupt him mid-song. "Really missed you."

"I missed you too," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly.

"Show me," I whisper against his lips.

"I thought you would never ask," he says as he leads me over to our bed. He kisses me with want and need. His hands all over my body and my hands all over his, we start to strip each other out of our clothes, wasting no time to get our hands on each other and to make love to one another for the first time in months. I need it so badly and judging by his eagerness and the erection forming in his briefs as he's pressed up against me as I stroke him to a full erection. "Damn, Ana, I need you so bad," he says as he pushes me back onto the mattress. He tears my panties off before he removes his briefs quickly before he is towered over me. His blue eyes stare at me intensely and a smile comes across his face. "This is going to take a while. I have a lot of pent up tension," he says, "and I need to make love to you."

"Do you hear me complaining?" I ask with a smile. "I have the same tension."

"Sexy," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "Do I need a condom?"

"No," I say as I trace my fingers up and down his spine. "I have Implanon. We're good for three years. Natalia is not becoming a big sister for a while."

"Okay," he says, "I just wanted to check."

"Nope we're good," I say with a smile, "now show me how much you missed me."

"My pleasure," he says lowering himself to me and thrusting himself deep inside of me making me moan out in pleasure. It's been so long and it feels so good. He starts his fast and rough movements as he shows me over and over, orgasm after orgasm how much he missed me the last few months. I couldn't have asked for a better homecoming with my man.

TWO DAYS LATER:

Dean, Talli and I arrive at the hospital for her surgery. This is the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life but hopefully like the doctor said it is the best thing for our princess. I'm scared to death as the doctor looks her over in the room before they have to put her to sleep. Tears fill my eyes as I watch my little girl drift off to sleep. Dean wraps his arm around my shoulders as he rubs my back to comfort me. He kisses my temple. "Everything is going to be okay," says the pediatric surgeon. "We're going to get in there and fix her all up."

"Okay," I say with tears in my eyes. "And what happens after?"

"We're going to put her in the Pediatric intensive care unit for a couple hours and then we'll move her to the room. Hopefully she's out of here in a couple days but it all depends on how the surgery goes and how she recovers afterward."

"Okay," I say, "and you're sure everything is going to be okay?"

"I'm positive," he says, "I've been doing this for 20 years she is not the first baby I did open heart surgery on and she won't be the last. It's an easy fix."

"Okay," I say as Natalia lies sleeping on the bed.

"We're going to take her to the operating room now. You and your husband can sit in the waiting room and wait. I will send a nurse out every so often to give you updates. Then I will come get you when it's finished to let you know what happened and what we're looking at for recovery."

"Okay," I say. "Thank-you."

"No problem," he says. He gives Dean and I time to kiss Natalia before we go to the waiting room to wait for her during the surgery while they wheel our baby to the operating room.

"It's so hard," I say to Dean as he wraps his arms around me in the waiting room embracing me as I cry on his shoulder.

"I know it's hard but you have to think positively you can't think of the bad things only the good things. Just think what this surgery will do for her. She'll be able to breathe better, she'll start gaining weight and she will be healthy. It's never easy but it's going to be okay."

"What if something happens?"

"You can't think like that. The doctors know what they are doing and Natalia is a fighter. She's going to be just fine. I promise and when it's over you're going to be happy that we made this choice. It's the best thing for her, Ana."

"I guess," I say. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says before he gives me a quick kiss. "It's going to be okay."

"All right," I say as he takes my hand and we take a seat to wait for the surgery to be finished.

*A/N: What do you think of Dean being out of jail? DO you think he is going to stay on the right path? What are your thoughts on him working for Ana's dad? Do you think that's enough to provide for his family? What do you think of Ana staying in school? What about the colleges she applied to? Do you think it's a good idea for them to visit her mom and to visit Dean's dad? What did you think of Dean with Natalia? How do you think her surgery is going to go? Please review and thank-you for reading.