A week had passed since the police had taken Peter Rabe into custody on the charges of child abuse. A court trial had been held two days earlier, and inside the Condo, Mark was on the phone, discussing what the judge's calling had been with Joanne who had volunteered to help testify against Peter. It had turned out that Peter hadn't even really tried to deny the charges, and repeatedly stuck to his stance that it was his right as a man to keep his daughter in line, so she would remember her place and role as a female.

"Thanks for your help on the trial, Joanne," Mark stated thankfully.

"It was no problem, Mark. Anytime. Just one question. How did your boss take loosing him as an investor?"

"Actually, Patrick was actually glad it ended this way. He said that once word of Peter's trial gets around, any film industry that has connections to him are going to be in danger of loosing other interested sponsors. So we were lucky we hadn't gotten around to final plans with him."

After the conversation had come to an end, Mark shifted his attention to his family, who were waiting nearby for the news.

"Well, Joanne said that Peter has been taken to a correctional facility, where he'll be having regular counseling. Although, I'm not sure how counseling will be able to help. He's pretty much set on his low opinion on women, if you ask me."

"Dad?" Zack, who had barley spoken to anyone since Peter's arrest, looked imploringly up at Mark from his seat by the window, where Zoey had been sitting moments before Penny and James had discovered her bruise. "What's going to happen to Zoey." For a brief moment, Mark looked down at his feet before answering his son's question.

"Last I heard, social services were making arrangements with Zoey's grandparents in Iowa. They said they would be more then happy to take in their granddaughter, especially after their daughter, Zoey's mother, had her…. accidental fall down a flight of stairs." As Mark finished his explanation, he shared a dark look with Emily, showing they both had doubts about the fall being an accident.

With the knowledge that Zoey was being taken to Iowa, Zack's face deflated even more, and he retreated to his bedroom. After a momentary pause, Mark followed him into the room. Upon entering, he found Zack sprawled out on his loft bed. Before Mark could try to say something, Zack started talking.

"We're not gonna see her again, are we?"

"I don't know," Mark admitted, "but in all honesty… I don't think there's a good chance of it."

"It's not fair," Zack complained.

"I know it's not, Zack," Mark comforted, laying a hand on Zack's arm. "But you need to remember that Zoey's gonna be living with loving relatives now, and they'll take better care of her then Peter did. She'll be much happier in Iowa, believe me, and I don't think she'll forget that you tried to help her."

"I know she's better off there," Zack confessed. "I just wish…she was closer, so we could at least visit her. I know we can still write to each other and stuff, but it's not the same."

"No, it's not," Mark sighed. "Zack, if there was something I could say to make things better for you, I'd say it now. But if I said that it'll get better in time, I'd be lying. Life doesn't work like that. Everyone gets their heart broken at some point in their life, and sometimes the people you care about are taken away before you're ready to say goodbye. Time will not change that. All you can do is remember that your mother and I will always be around to help you through the hard times, and so will Auntie Maureen, Aunt Joanne, and the rest of our family." At the mention of Maureen, Zack reluctantly found himself smiling.

"Is Auntie Maureen still planning to go out and organize another protest against people like Mr. Rabe?" Zack asked.

"Knowing her, it's very possible," Mark mirrored the small smile.

At that moment, a small cough was heard as Penny announced her presence.

"Sorry to interrupt, Dad," Penny apologized. "But James is here, so…"

"Thanks, Penny," Mark nodded. "Tell him I'll be right out."

In the aftermath of Peter's arrest, Mark had come to be quite grateful towards James after his help in protecting Zoey from Peter. There was no doubt in his mind that if James hadn't been there, Peter would have had no reservation in hurting Penny to get at his daughter when the strawberry-blonde-haired girl was shielding Zoey from him. Since then, Mark had decided to get to know James better, and not just as his daughter's boyfriend. Today, they had been planning to visit Ellis Island to just talk, and then stop for a drink on the way back.

As Mark started leaving the room to join James, Zack spoke up again.

"Dad? Do you think…could I come along, too?" Mark looked back with a kind smile.

"Of course," he agreed. "You, me, James, and Rodolfo. There's nothing like time out with other guys to make you feel better after a girl, especially when they're guys who really care about you. I know that for a fact."

Mark's words proved to be well spoken. When the four of them left the Condo moments later, Zack found that, in the knowledge that he would be spending the day out with his family, he was already feeling a little better. At the same time, he couldn't stop himself from hoping that somewhere in Iowa, with the help of her grandparents, Zoey was starting to feel better as well.