Oh yea I've kinda been forgetting to do a disclaimer so here it is: My name is Secret not Cate Tiernan and I live in New Zealand not America. Obviously I did not write this or else I'd be stinking rich with the mansion to match. Do the math people IT'S NOT MINE!!

Hunter couldn't believe he had lost her.

After falling head over heels in love with her he had been stupid and thrown it all away.

The town seemed empty without her. It's streets empty. It's roads deserted. He missed her warm smile and her loving embrace. His mind strayed to that last mind-blowing night they had spent together. He couldn't believe her would never have that again.

He had searched for her, but she had covered her tracks well and he knew she was far stronger that him. She would stay hidden until she no longer wanted to be.

He would wait for her. He had already quit the council and Widows Vale was his new home. He would wait for her. Forever if he had to. But he would be there when she returned.

10 years later.

…happy birthday dear Max, happy birthday to you!!

Morgan watched as her now Nine-year-old daughter blew out her birthday candles. She couldn't belive it had been 10 years since she had left Widows Vale. 10 years since she had seen her family and her friends and Him. 10 years since she had been home.

No matter how long she it would be since she had left, Widows Vale would always be her home. Her house, her town, her life. It saddened her that her daughter had never seen what meant so much to her mother. But that couldn't be helped. The longer she was away from there, the harder it was for Morgan to return. She knew she couldn't do it.

But she had Max. She was the light of her life, the meaning for her existence. She knew that without Max she would not have survived His betrayal all thous years ago.

"Ok now its time for the birthday girl to make a wish." Said Morgan. Max drew in a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks, sending a fickle blast of air at the candles.

Max looked the spitting image of Morgan. She had long brown hair and a 'strong' nose and tanned skin. She was pretty but not strikingly beautiful. The only thing that didn't match Morgan was her eyes. They were a deep sea green that could only be linked to one person.

Morgan's eyes swam with tears to see her beautiful little girl surrounded by all her friends, having so much fun. Max went to the local school in the town that they lived in. It was a little village in the heart of England called Brightingville. Morgan had stumbled upon this little town when she was almost 9 months pregnant. Before that she had travelled around from one city to another trying to find the place to raise her daughter. She went through New York and London and even had a stint in Glasgow. Bu then by chance as she was catching a bus to who knows where it broke down in this little Victorian village. Morgan had been here ever since. Max was born in the very house they still lived in now. Morgan had found a job at the local Motel that had supported them well over the years.

Morgan never intended to be particularly close to anyone in the village. She was polite but never sought out to make a relationship with anyone. Most people didn't try to get to know her either. Except for one woman.

Her name was Jessica Morrison and she was Morgan's best friend. Jessica's daughter Makayla was Max's best friends, practically inseparable, and over the years Morgan and Jessica became inseparable to.

Makayla hugged Max after she had successfully extinguished her candles.

"Happy birthday Maxy Waxy" said Makayla as they both smiled for the camera that was wielded by Jessica.

"Ok guys," said Morgan and six little faces looked up at her. "It's time for the treasure hunt!"

All the girls cheered and rushed out the door and into the backyard. Morgan followed them.

"Ok. There are Chocolate bars hidden around the garden. You have to find them and then you get to eat them. Ready? Go!"

The girls rushed off to find the treasure and Morgan retreated to sit next to Jessica by the window.

You may be wondering what coven Morgan belongs to? Well she doesn't belong to any. She gave up magic when she left Widows Vale. She knew that would be the only way to keep her daughter safe and to stop Him from finding her.

She still wrote to her parents and Mary K. occasionally. But it still killed her that she couldn't see them. She even sent Bree the occasional letter. Her parents still didn't know about Max. Morgan sometimes wondered if she made the right choice in leaving like that, without telling anyone, well besides Mary K. and Bree.

But she knew He didn't have the right to know.

"Can you tell me the birthday story Mum. Please!" Max begged as Morgan tucked her into her bed.

"And what story would that be?" asked Morgan, knowing full well what she was talking about.

"That one about how you went on an adventure and found this place and had me and we lived happily ever after."

"Oh that story!" said Morgan. She opened her mouth to begin the story as it always did on her birthday, about her going on a big adventure around the world after escaping the 'orphanage' that she grew up in. She never had the guts to tell her daughter that she didn't have any Grandparents because her Mother ran away from them. But today something changed. She couldn't stick to her old lie.

"How about I tell you the big girl version of that story." Morgan said with a forced smile. Max picked up on her Mum's nerves and frowned a bit.

"Ok…I suppose." Morgan took a deep breath and began her story.

"Well you know how I said I grew up in an orphanage and that I left when I found out I was going to have you?"

"Yea" said Max nervously. She didn't like this story already.

"Well that isn't true. My parents, Mary-Grace and Sean Rowlands, brought me up. Actually they're my adoptive parents, but that's a story for another time, when you're older. Well, what happened was, I fell in love."

Max stared at her mother, not daring to say anything in case it caused her mother to stop telling the story. But in truth this story scared her. She could tell that her mother didn't like telling it and she was scared that something bad was going to happen.

"His name was…Hunter. Hunter Niall. I fell in love with him and he fell in love with me. But then he went away to find his parents, who had been missing since he was nine. While he was away I found out I have going to have you. I was a bit shocked but I knew that me and Hunter would get through it. So I…"

'Crap' thought Morgan. 'How am I going to explain this to her without telling her about magick.'

"…I went to go find him, to tell him. But when I found him he was… well he was kissing another woman."

Max saw tears glisten in her Mothers eyes and knew this was why her mother had kept this from her over all these years. Without hesitation Max leaned over and hugged her Mum tightly. Her Mum smiled down at her and continued her story.

"Well I decided that I was going to leave and find my own place to live. I was only seventeen at the time and the prospect of being all alone frightened me a bit but I did it anyway. My parents didn't know about you and I wanted it to stay that way. I didn't tell them where I was going or, when I eventually settled down here, where I was because I didn't want them to come get me and take me back. So I left and travelled for a bit, until I was to pregnant to, and then I settled down here, had you and we lived happily ever after."

Both Mother and Daughter fell silent and locked in each other's embrace. Neither of them wanted to let go.

"I love you Mummy." Whispered Max sleepily as she drifted off.

"Goodnight my Darling" Morgan answered.

ANOTHER CHAPTER!! Please review so I feel special. 12 people have added this to their story alert so I should get al least 12 reviews. If this is on your alert and you don't review then SHAME ON YOU!! Give me some love. The honourable delegate of Antigua and Barbuda expresses her love to all of you and goodnight…I mean afternoon.