Readers! Sorry for taking so long on this! I've got finals this week so things are hectic! Anyways read and tell me your thoughts please =)

Doubts

The hospital kept me for two more days after that. I cried a few times because I missed my father, but I knew he had to pay for everything he had did to me and Lexi. I was even more heartbroken to hear he would be spending a few months in jail for the child endangerment charge and for his negligence. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to take care of Lexi without him around; I mean…I knew nothing about raising a baby.

I was silent when Mark picked me and Lexi up from the hospital. He had brought me a few things to wear and a car seat for Lexi. He watched me handle my sister quietly with a soft smirk on his face. I wanted to tell him to stop looking at me but…it was kind of heartwarming to see him look at me that way.

"You all ready to go?" he asked.

I shrugged, "I guess so…should I stop by my place and get some stuff?"

He shook his head, "Sorry Katrina, but Nicole told me to keep you as far from the house as possible."

I sighed and looked at Lexi, "This isn't fair…if I would have known they were going to take me from dad I wouldn't have said anything."

Mark sighed, "I'm sorry Kat but they were planning on taking you from John a long time ago."

I looked at him, "What do you mean?"

"The day before the accident I got a call from child services. Apparently someone tipped them off about how John has been treating you."

"Impossible…the only people that know about that is me, you, and…that's it." I said.

Mark folded his arms, "Are you sure?"

"Positive. If anyone else knows it would have to be one of his friends, but he has so many….any of them could have did it."

He sighed to himself. "I know what you mean but let's not worry about that right now ok? You look like you need to rest and we've got a long drive ahead of us."

"Ok." I said as I slowly turned away from him.

He walked up to me and gently placed his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, I know you don't agree with this plan, but I promise you…I'll keep my distance for as long as you want me to."

I sighed and then picked up Lexi's car seat. I then turned in his direction, staring at the ground so I wouldn't have to look into his eyes. "That might be a good idea…"

He nodded, "Ok. Well let's get going."

I followed him out of the hospital, wondering to myself if things with my dad would work out in the end. I really didn't want to go with Mark at this point though he seemed to understand how I was feeling.

On the way to Houston, I was really quiet sitting in the backseat with Lexi. I wasn't in any mood to deal with anymore stress. Mark was quiet too, but he did sing a few songs to himself. His voice was oddly smooth and very relaxing to listen to. I ended up joining in on one song and for the first time since we last spoke, our eyes met. He looked at me through the rearview mirror with a smile on his face. I tried to hide my smile, but I know he caught it anyway.

I ended up falling asleep soon after. I was still slightly under the effects of the medicine the doctors had me on at the hospital.

By time I opened my eyes again, I was laying in a very well put together bedroom. It had light purple walls with posters of my dad up on one side of the room. I got up from the large bed I was on and kept looking around. There was a white dresser with a few pictures of me and my dad, back when we were close. There was also a picture of Mark holding me when I was about two years old. There was another picture that kind of caught me off guard. It was one of Mark and I at my football game…the same day I gave myself up to him.

I sighed and then turned around and saw another door, leading to a large walk-in closet. There was a huge mirror on the front of that door, one I knew I'd be using very often. I also had my own bathroom, complete with a shower. There was new hair care products in the small cabinet in the bathroom along with a curling iron, a flat iron, and combs and brushes. There was also a door in the corner of the bathroom that led to a small balcony. It gave me a great outlook of the city…so beautiful.

After exploring my room, I headed out into the hallway to figure out where my sister was. It was very quiet in the house so I started to panic. My heart pounded inside of my chest until I heard her laughing in a room diagonal from mine. I slowly approached her door and listened.

"Peek a boo," said Mark's voice. "Peek a boo,"

Lexi laughed hysterically at Mark. I found myself smiling as well listening to him make her laugh. It was a wonder he was so good with kids. I half expected her to be screaming her head off.

"Whose a pretty baby huh?" he said as I opened the door.

He was standing over her crib looking down at her with a smile. She was sitting up clapping her hands and laughing at him. I looked around her room, finding it to be filled with so much love. Like my room, she had a poster of my dad up on the wall. She also had many teddy bears on her little dresser and plenty of supplies on her nursery table. I leaned against the door frame and watched him entertain her until she spotted me. She crawled up to the end of the crib and reached for me with a smile.

Mark looked up at me and smiled, "Oh, hey there Katrina."

"Hey," I said as I came into the room. "I see you two are having fun."

"Something like that…Lexi is quite a happy baby." He said.

I smiled down at her, "Yes she is…if only I got to meet her mother. She just left her on the doorstep and left."

Mark looked at me with a little suspicion in his eyes. "Interesting."

"What?" I asked as I picked Lexi up.

He shrugged, "It's nothing. Did she leave anything?"

I nodded, "Yea a letter. I still have it if you want to see it."

He nodded, "Yea I would like to see….oh wait…it's still at my dad's house."

"Oh alright then, well are you hungry?" he asked.

I was going to say no but then my stomach protested, making Mark laugh.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said as he stepped past me.

I rolled my eyes and followed him downstairs to the kitchen. His house was amazing, with deep red walls, black steps and carpets, beautiful paintings of flowers and cities, and very expensive furniture.

"I love your place." I said as I took a seat at the bar in his kitchen. I saw all the alcohol bottles he had locked in one cabinet and wondered why none of them were opened at all.

"Thanks, I put a ton of work into this place." He said.

I nodded and placed Lexi on my lap.

"So what are you hungry for?" he asked.

I shrugged, "I'm not sure. At this point I'll eat anything."

He smiled, "Ok…spaghetti it is."

I fought off my smile as I watched him prepare the food. I couldn't help but notice, but there was something strangely different about him. He seemed less tense around me…and very…very….attractive to me?

Only yesterday I thought of him as the jerk who stole my heart and then shattered it into a million pieces but now, he seemed like a normal guy who was just trying to do his part and help out. I chuckled to myself. There was no way I was going to let him get close to me like that again. I would take his kindness since he owed me, but…as for us being closer than acquaintances, it wasn't happening. At this point, love wasn't a factor to me anymore. The only person I was sure truly loved me was Lexi and that's how it was going to stay.