AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you so much to everyone who supported, read, and reviewed this story. I appreciate it a lot!

Please keep watch for more upcoming stories in progress. I've still got lots to come. :)

Chapter 7 - 5 years later.

Denny was in the kitchen of the flat fixing up some dishes while Pamela was playing happily in the living room.

"Mummy, who's this man you're with?"

Denny walked over to Pamela and saw her looking at a photo of her and Casey that had been taken a week before Casey's death. Pamela turned to Denny.

"He's got the same eyes and hair as me." Pamela said casually.

Denny knew this day would come and she would have to tell Pamela about her father and Pamela was right, every day she was becoming more of an exact image of her father and for Denny it was like looking at Casey again. Pamela had the same blue eyes and brown hair, except her hair was slighter lighter than what Casey's had been. Denny picked up the photo and sat next to her daughter.

"Pamela, the man in this photo that I'm with is your Daddy." Denny explained, trying to keep strong.

"My Daddy? Like Uncle Brax is to Arlo?"

Denny nodded. "That's right Sweet-pea."

"Where is he?" Pamela asked.

Denny sighed. "Pam before you were born your Daddy got involved in some bad mess and ended up getting hurt."

"Is he going to come back when he's better? When will he be better?" Pamela asked, curious about this man. She had always wondered why Arlo had a Mum and Dad, while she only had a Mum.

"Pam, your Daddy won't be coming back, he passed away."

Pamela looked away not fully understanding but sensing that whatever passed away meant that it was unsettling for her Mum.

"Would he have loved me like Uncle Brax loves Arlo?"

Denny almost broke down upon hearing her daughter's comment.

"Pamela, even though your Daddy never had the chance to meet you, he always wanted a child, so yes, he would have loved you very much." Denny said as she stroked her daughter's hair.

"Are you okay Mummy?" Pamela asked. Denny gave a weak smile.

"I'm fine Sweet-pea."

Pamela shrugged. "I think I'm going to draw now. Is that okay Mummy?"

"That's fine Pam." Denny replied and walked into the kitchen wiping her eyes.

A little while later Pamela appeared in the kitchen holding a piece of paper.

"Mummy, look what I drew!" Pamela exclaimed, holding up her picture.

Denny place a glass back in the cupboard and took the picture from Pamela's hands. The picture showed three people together holding hands and all smiling. One person had light brown coloured hair and was female and Denny realised it resembled her, a smaller girl with honey-brown hair, blue eyes and wearing a floral dress, exactly like what Pamela had on that day and a third person was a taller man with brown hair wearing shorts and a t-shirt, the same attire Casey was wearing in the photo.

"I made a picture of the three of us, you, me, and Daddy. I copied the picture of Daddy from the photo. Do you like it Mummy? This way we can all be together! And see Daddy's smiling, he's not hurt!" Pamela explained as she stood on her tip toes to stare over the drawing and point on the picture to show her mother.

Denny felt a sense of overwhelm. Pamela had a sensitive heart just like Casey. Denny knelt down and pulled Pamela into a tight hug.

"This is wonderful Pamela, your Daddy would have been so proud." Denny said as a few tears fell from her eyes.

Denny stood up and sniffed, wiping her eyes and Pamela watched on concerned.

"I didn't mean to make you upset." Pamela whispered.

"Oh no Sweet-pea, I'm happy. Look, why don't you go over and play with Arlo for awhile? Mummy has something to do."

"Okay." Pamela replied and walked out the door, Denny following behind.

Denny knocked on the door and could hear Ricky yelling. "Arlo James, you had better not be throwing that football in the house again! Do you want your father to take it from you?"

Ricky opened the door to see Denny and Pamela. Arlo came out of the hallway carrying his foot ball and Ricky turned to him.

"Dad was the one teaching me to throw the ball!" Arlo replied, not noticing the guests at the door.

"That does not make it so Mister. I'll be having a word with your father about that too." Ricky said with a smile.

"Come here, Pamela and Denny are here."

Arlo picked up his football that he dropped and walked to the door, standing beside his Mum.

"Hi." Arlo greeted.

Ricky brushed Arlo's hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Aw Mum! Not in front of people." Arlo complained and wiped his cheek.

Ricky raised her eyebrow and smiled at Denny.

"What brings you here? Is everything alright?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah fine. I was wondering if you'd be able to watch Pamela for a few hours? There is just something I have to do." Denny asked.

"Sure, not a problem. Pamela might actually keep this little one out of trouble." Ricky joked.

"Thanks Ricky." Denny leaned down to Pamela.

"You be good for Aunt Ricky and I'll be back soon."

"How are you Pamela?" Ricky asked.

"Good Aunt Ricky."

"Arlo, Pamela is staying over for a while." Ricky told her son.

"Cool. You wanna go play in my room? I got some great new toys." Arlo asked Pamela.

Pamela nodded and followed Arlo.

"As long it does not involve playing with that football inside the house!" Ricky yelled.

Denny gave a laugh and Ricky shook her head turning back to Denny.

"He's grown so much Ricky." Denny said.

"Yeah, he's getting to be more and more like his father every day." Denny tried not to think of Ricky's comment.

"What, is he looking more like Brax?" Ricky shook her head. "No, he's getting into more trouble..."

"Hi Denny, Hi Rick. Who's trouble?" Brax said as he greeted the girls, giving Ricky a kiss as he entered the door from having finished his shift at work.

"Ricky was just telling me how Arlo is a lot like you." Denny said. Brax smiled.

"Can't complain there, he's strong, handsome, a real winner..." Ricky slapped Brax's chest.

"A troublemaker! He's been tossing his football in the house and who taught him that?" Ricky eyed Brax.

"I merely taught him skills of using a football." Ricky raised her eyebrow at Brax.

"You know he's also like me because he loves the same women that I do." Brax gave a cheeky smile.

"Not gonna work Casanova." Brax sighed.

"I'll talk to him."

"He's playing with Pamela at the moment. She's staying for a bit."

Brax nodded.

"So what is this thing you have to do, can we help?" Ricky asked.

"No, I have to do this on my own."

"Okay, well Pamela will be fine till you get back."

Denny smiled and left the Braxton house with her daughter's picture in hand and headed over to the cemetery.

Denny kneeled down in front of Casey's grave.

"Your daughter asked about you for the first time today. It was so hard telling her you would never be here...I wish you could see her grow up, she's so much like you. She has so much happiness about her and is so positive about everything. It's almost like you've come back through her."

Denny held the picture in her hand and gently placed it on Casey's headstone.

"Here, she drew this picture of the three of us, said it was a way for us all to be together again." Tears ran down Denny's face.

"Casey I miss you so much! I don't think I'll ever love anyone the way I loved you." Denny wiped the tears away from her face.

"Casey to me, you'll always be my soul mate, the father of our daughter, and a spirit that will never run dry." Denny rubbed the soil and stood up, heading back to the Braxton house.

It wasn't a final goodbye, it never would be a final goodbye, but Denny could move on knowing she still had a final part of Casey growing up in front of her eyes, through their miracle daughter and part of Denny believed that maybe, just maybe this had all happened for a reason that Casey had been given a chance before his life came to an end.

Denny entered the Braxton house. "How did everything go?" Ricky asked.

Denny nodded. "I went to Casey's grave to complete our family again."

Brax looked at Denny. "Pam drew a picture of Casey, her and me happy together and I thought it was best that Casey had it."

Ricky got up and walked over to Denny, rubbing her arm. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I think everything is finally going to be alright. Where are the kids?" Denny asked.

"Playin'." Brax replied with a smile. "Kids!" Brax yelled.

Arlo and Pamela came running out of the bedroom.

"Hi Mummy!" Pamela announced. "Did you give Daddy my picture?"

All the adults just looked confused at the young girl.

"Pam, how did you know I went and saw Daddy and gave your picture?"

Pamela shrugged. "I don't know. I just had a thought of him and he said thanks and that he loved me and you and all his family."

The three adults were stunned. "I guess Casey is still with us after all." Brax commented.

Ricky wrapped her arms around Brax and Denny watched the kids playing with a smile.

"Would you like some tea Denny?" Denny lost her track of thought and looked to Ricky with a smile.

"Sure, I'd love one thanks." Denny sat down at the table as Ricky put the kettle on and Brax got mugs out while Brax and Ricky's son Arlo James Braxton, and Denny and Casey's daughter Pamela Braxton-Miller sat in the living room representing the next generation of the Braxton family.