A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. I hope you all are really enjoying the story, and please tell me if there is anything that needs to be explained or if you're confused. Sorry this chapter came so late. I had planned to get it out on Tuesday, but I've been studying for finals. Due to the delay, I tried to make this chapter extra long for you. Once again, I don't own Grey's Anatomy. ( tear, tear)

Italics are thoughts

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Chapter 3

Sam's POV

Silence filled the room.

I could tell my Dad was trying to get the strength to say something. His lips made moves to speak, but no sound came out. I held my hand up before he could say anything.

"Let me talk okay?" ,I waited until he nodded before I continued. "I know you probably think I'm insane or crazy or something, but I'm not. I didn't find out who you were until about a year ago. I found an old diary of my mom's and a few letters she had written… My mom, her name was Cassandra. Cassandra Carter. You met her 17 years ago, at the Diner she used to work at, Hal's, and you asked her to go on a date with you. Your first and only date was at the local carnival, where you won her a stuffed dog. Mom gave me the dog when I was little, so I would have something to connect to you with," I smile at the memory of my mother and then go back to trying to convince him, " In the journal mom said that the night of the Carnival was the night I was conceived. If you still don't believe me, there's a letter in my jeans that my mom wrote for you."

Dr. Karev glanced back and forth between us, his brown eyes looking for some kind of clue as to what was to happen next.

Confusion and shock covered my dad's face and though he spoke no words, his eye's told me everything I needed to know. He was trying to tell if this was all a joke, and I was going to bust out any minute laughing. But I didn't and he could see it was the truth. So, without making a sound, he turned and strode out of the room.

I sighed lightly, I had figured that would happen. My fingers picked at the edge of the rough hospital sheets, as I sorted through all the emotions that were floating in my chest. On one hand I was glad that I had finally met my Father, but on the other I was terrified of what would happen. What if he didn't want me? What if he sent me back to… him? Panic filled me and I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

Dr. Karev noticed my panic and gently brushed his fingers over the back of my uninjured hand. The one touch sent little sparks up my spine, and a small shiver caused goose bumps to rise up on my arms.

I smiled at him, and tugged on the stiff, ivory sleeve of his lab coat.

"What the diagnosis, Doc?"

His eyebrow raised a little at my nickname, but the corner of his lips lifted up into a little grin.

"While you were out we did a few x-rays. It's amazing but your ribs aren't broken, just very badly bruised. You have a fracture on your radius, but it's not as bad as it could be so you won't have the cast on for to long. Other than that you only have a few minor cuts and bruises. In a week or so we'll check the progress of your arm and see about removing the cast." He gave me a wide smile, showing off white teeth. My stomach gave a little flip, and blood rushed to my face.

Oh boy, I thought.

Derek's POV

A daughter… I couldn't believe it

I had always thought that Mark would be the person to find out that he had a long lost child.

Just like it was yesterday, I remember when I first met Cassandra. God, she had me wrapped around her pinkie from the first moment I looked into her emerald eyes. After the first glance, I went to Hal's everyday until I finally got the courage up to ask out the goddess who possessed my soul. Just like Sam said, our first date was to the fair that the community held every year. And also just as she said, we made love that night. A few weeks later, she broke things off. My heart was completely torn up when she said goodbye. She told me that we were different people, from different worlds. Me being in Med-school and she being a waitress just barely scraping by, that we would never work. I tried to convince her that we could make it work, that I loved her and would do anything for her. Now that I look back, I remember seeing pain and guilt in her eyes. For so long I wondered exactly why she broke it off, there was no way she truly believed the things she had said.

Well I guess now I know.., My thoughts wondered to the girl laying in a hospital bed just one floor below me, Sam.. My daughter.

Sam looked almost exactly like Cassie. The button nose, curves, pale white skin, and lovely green eyes. The only thing I could see that set them apart was her hair. Instead of the violent copper of Cassie's hair, she had inherited raven black hair.

Just like mine…

I sighed and ran a shaking hand through my slowly graying hair. Cassie had been so kind and sweet. Always truthful. So I knew Sam was telling the truth. Cassie wouldn't have told her that I was her father, unless it was true. I just could not figure out why she never told me.

I needed answers.

Without a second thought, I headed down to the Pit. My head was in a cloud, I was barely conscious of the people trying to get my attention or the four nurses that I stumbled into. Finally after threatening a few frightened interns, I was able to find Sam's clothes located in a Biohazard bin. What I found was unexpected. The few teen girls that I had treated wore pink, and sparkles. Sam's clothes were darker and huge for such a tiny girl. The black hoodie was torn and looked like it had been made for a professional football player. Along with it, there was a white, or what I thought was white, t-shirt that was more of a brownish red, due to the amount of dirt and blood that covered the whole surface, and a pair of jeans that had seen better days.

Slowly I started to empty out the pockets.

Inside the pockets of her hoodie I found, a photo of a slightly younger Sam with an older Cassie and a few pennies. I rubbed my thumb over the smooth, worn surface of the photo. The picture was taken in a forest, trees and wildlife surrounded the two beauties. Sam sat, smiling widely, on Cassie's right. Cassie and Sam both had a guitar placed in playing position in front of them. Cassie stared at Sam with a look of complete love and pride. A slight smile appeared on my face at the thought of her and I felt a lump form in the back of my throat. Yes, I love Meredith more than anything, but Cassie was My first Love and she would always have a place in my heart.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pocket the photo and move to the jeans. Dark, crimson blood covered the legs in big patches and I shut my eyes. With a shaky hand I empty out the pockets. Along with a few more pennies, I found a black Ipod Classic, a guitar pick, a school ID, and a aged yellow envelope. Silently, I cursed the Interns for forgetting to empty out her pockets. Now I realize I wasn't really mad at the Interns. I was just releasing out some of my frustrations.

I put everything except for the envelope into my pocket. Gripping the envelope tightly, I make my way up to my office. I don't even bother to shut the door before I collapse into my black leather computer chair. My hands start to shake even worse than they did before, and I tear into the envelope. I recognize Cassie's soft flowing script on the delicate parchment.

Dear Derek,

I know this is going to sound cliché, but I've always been one to keep the cliché alive. So here it goes.

Derek, if you're reading this, it means I'm dead and Sam has found you. It's true.. Sam is your daughter. I know you're probably mad at me for keeping her from you, for not telling you. I didn't want to take you away from your dreams. You were working so hard in Med-school and I knew you would have dropped everything you had worked so hard for, to take care of us. Maybe it's selfish but I couldn't be the reason for your downfall.

Please don't hate Sam for my mistake. Derek, she's such an amazing girl. While everyone says she looks like me, she gets her personality from you. Sam is so kind, caring, and humorous, but most of all selfless just like her father. She gets straight A's, plays the guitar, and.. Ironically enough, she wants to be a surgeon…

Derek, I know this is a lot to ask, but please… Sam needs you. Our Daughter, needs you. Please take care of her.

Love,

Cassandra

I have never been a person to cry, but as I read Cassie's letter I couldn't help the few tears that ran down my face.

Sam's POV

"How can you not like him?", I cried out, completely mortified that Dr. Karev had just revealed his extreme dislike for Eminem.

Dr. Karev just shrugged, and popped a piece of white cheddar popcorn into his mouth.

"I just don't."

His shift had just ended a few minutes ago, So I had no idea why he had decided to stay here with me. But he did. So now he was dressed in dark blue jeans, and army green button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The shirt was tight around his biceps and chest, enhancing the look of his well defined muscles. I gulped a bit, turned my gaze away from his chest, and shook my head.

"You're not human, Dr. Karev." Like a Ninja I reached out and stole a few pieces of popcorn from him.

"My shifts over, dude. Call me Alex." I smiled, as Alex reached out and tried to steal the popcorn from my grasp, but I quickly popped them in my mouth. Our laughter bounced through my pure white hospital room.

My gaze kept shifting to Alex's smile. Every time I would look at him, a little flutter would occur in my stomach. I knew I shouldn't be crushing on a older man, especially one that works for my Dad, so I focused my thoughts on my Dad. I kept glancing at the door, lost in my thoughts. Alex leaned back in the cheap plastic hospital chair and propped his crossed legs up on the bed next to me. Gently, he brushed his fingers over mine, noticing my worry. I shifted my line of sight to his chocolate brown eyes.

"Give him some time. It's a lot to take in.", Alex offered me more popcorn, trying to distract me, but I shook my head no.

"I know… It's just… I keep getting this feeling, that he's going to hate me." I whisper and look sadly down at my hands.

"Dude, He won't hate you. Like I said, It's a lot to take in. I mean, finding out your having a kid is a hard. But finding out 17 years later… That's just therapy waiting to happen."

I tried to hold back my smile, but I couldn't. Alex smiled back at me and tossed the empty popcorn in the trash across the room. He stood up and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

" I'm gonna go so you can get some sleep," At the entrance to the room he turned and gave me a heart breaking smile, "Goodnight, Little Shep."

Derek's POV

1 Hour Later

I was finally able to pull myself into Sam's room, a little while later. As expected, Sam was sleeping peacefully in her bed. She looked so hurt and so innocent, laying there covered in bruises and cuts.

My heart ached, and a feeling of guilt had made it's home in the pit of my stomach. I had missed every moment in my daughters life. I didn't get to see her grow up, hell I didn't even know what her favorite color is. A father is supposed to know this, right? And now, my daughter needed me, how could I possibly shut her out?

Sam started to shake in her sleep, and a little whimper escaped her lips. I moved forward and reached out to grip her hand. Her whimpers died down and she subconsciously turned and scooted toward me. I placed a little kiss on her temple, a tear falling onto her forehead.

My voice was a whisper and shook with intense emotion.

"Everything is going to be okay, Sam… I'm not going to leave you."