The Lies We Tell

A/N Hello hello! So, I shocked some of you last chapter. Sorry about that. I promise you that he will find out. But, getting there is half the fun... Enjoy!

Chapter 4

1 year. It had already been a year. Vincent's anniversary was today. The day she had chickened out and not told him he was gonna be a father. And everyday, she regretted it.

Vincent Ryan Keller Jr, known to one and all as Ryan Chandler, had just turned 4 months old. He had his mother's Hazel eyes and Brown hair. As much as Catherine would have loved him to look like Vincent, she knew that Ryan's resemblance to her was actually for the best. Then, no one would suspect his true paternity.

Everyone believed that Evan was his father, and she let them believe the lie. Evan knew he wasn't Ryan's father, but for some strange reason, went along with Catherine's lies. He had a strong suspicion who Ryan's father actually was, but had never voiced it. Nor did he actively participate in Ryan's life. Catherine was a single mother to everyone who mattered.

After his marriage, Vincent had moved upstate. Catherine hadn't spoken to him in a year. Not that he hadn't tried to get ahold of her. Oh, yes. He had called her repeatedly. She never answered his calls. By ignoring him, Catherine figured it would help her to let him go. Eventually, the phone calls had stopped. But not before he left her one, last message. Catherine had listened to it so many times, she had it memorized:

Catherine, I don't know why you aren't answering your phone. Obviously, you don't want to talk to me. I just don't know why. I won't call you anymore, but I will leave you with this. You were wrong.

No matter how many times she listened to his message, she couldn't figure out what he meant about her being wrong. Wrong about what? All she had wanted was his happiness. How was that wrong?

After Ryan was first born, Catherine had wanted so badly to call Vincent. To tell him about the miracle that was their son. Instead, she had held their son tightly against her chest, and wept because Ryan would never know his father.

From the first, Ryan was a sweet baby. He had a happy disposition, hardly ever crying. He was rosy cheeked and had Vincent's dimples when he smiled. Every time he did, Catherine saw Vincent.

Catherine thought of him more often than she wanted to. She wondered how he and Alex were doing. Was Alex pregnant yet? That thought made her stomach twist and knot. Ryan would have half siblings out there, and she would never be able to tell him.

Even though he was still just a baby, Catherine dreaded the day when he would ask her why his father wasn't around. Unfortunately, he would be asking about Evan, not Vincent. She wondered if she would ever tell Ryan the truth. She supposed that someday, she would have to show him his birth certificate. Only on it, was his true father listed, as well as his true name. Catherine didn't know if that was the smartest or the stupidest thing she had ever done. But, at the time, she had wanted Vincent to be able to claim his son if it ever became necessary.

Ryan was sleeping, and Catherine was finishing up the dishes, when someone knocked on her apartment door. Drying her hands, she called, "Just a sec!" Hearing only silence on the baby monitor, she opened the front door...and froze.

"Hello, Catherine..."

"V-Vincent! What are you doing here?" Catherine gasped out. Her eyes widened and she blocked his view of her apartment with the door.

"I'm sorry I didn't call first but, you seemed to be ignoring all my calls. Now, why would someone who claims to be my best friend do something like that?" Vincent asked, an edge to his voice she had never heard before.

"I-uh...I'm sorry. I've just...I've been really busy since you left," Catherine said, panic creeping into her voice.

Vincent chuckled darkly. "Have you? Well, it's so nice to know that while my marriage was falling apart, my best friend was too busy to answer just one of my fucking phone calls!" he ended on a near shout.

"Please...keep your voice down. Please!" Catherine begged. Vincent tried to glance around her.

"Why? Am I interrupting a hot date or something?" he said sarcastically.

"Just...no. Just please keep your voice down," Catherine said, panicking.

Vincent opened his mouth to respond, when a thin wail threaded its way through the monitor. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What the hell was that?"

Catherine sighed, and backed up, allowing him to enter the apartment. His eyes took in the baby swing and toys that were scattered about the living room. He swung around to face Catherine, but she had disappeared into the other room. From the monitor, he heard her voice, speaking low:

Hey there, baby. There's someone out there that you need to meet. Someone very important to Mommy. So, lets dry those tears and get your diaper changed. What do you say?

Vincent heard cooing, and Catherine's low chuckle. He glanced around the room, but saw no pictures. Then, he heard her talking again:

Well, now. Is that better? All clean and dry now. What do you say? Ready to meet Mommy's friend?

He heard more cooing, and then silence. Seconds later, Catherine's footfall sounded on the floor. Turning to face her, Vincent was unprepared for the sight that greeted him.

Catherine stood with a small baby in her arms. A boy, if the clothes were any indicator. He judged the baby to be about 4-5 months old. Suddenly, his mind stopped. He calculated the dates, and froze. Why hadn't she told him?

Catherine watched as the gears turned in Vincent's head. When he froze, she waited for the explosion. He stared at Ryan, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke.

"Catherine...is he...why didn't you tell me?"

Catherine swallowed hard. "Tell you what?"

"When were you going to tell me about him?" he said, gesturing toward the baby. Catherine blinked rapidly, and fought to keep her voice steady as she tried to answer him.

"Why would I tell you?" Catherine said. She buried her face in Ryan's hair, and silently begged his forgiveness for what she was about to say. "He isn't yours." Lie #1.

Vincent stared at her. "Are you sure about that?"

Catherine met his gaze squarely. "Absolutely. Evan is his father." Lie #2.

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want to. You aren't Ryan's father."Lie #3.

"Ryan?" Vincent questioned. Catherine froze. "His name is Ryan?"

"Yes. Ryan...Evan Chandler." Lie #4.

"Why did you name him Ryan?"

Because I wanted him to be named after his Daddy. "I always liked the name."

"And the fact that it is also my middle name isn't coincidental in the least?"

"Nope. Just liked the name."

"You are a terrible liar," Vincent stated.

"Whatever, Keller."

Vincent stared at the baby again. His gut told him she was lying, but he couldn't prove it. Instead, he made his way to the couch and sat down. Catherine followed, propping Ryan on her lap. Vincent reached out, and stroked his finger down Ryan's cheek. Immediately, Ryan turned his head, and started rooting around. Catherine sighed.

"Is he hungry?" Vincent asked. Catherine nodded, and blushed.

"I-uh...I breast fed. Excuse me," she said, before standing up and heading into Ryan's room. The last thing he heard was the static on the monitor when she turned it off.

Vincent leaned back against the couch. Ryan was his son. He just knew. But, how was he going to get Catherine to admit it?

A/N Sooooooo...okay, so he kinda knows now. At least, he thinks he's right. But, it ain't over yet...Review!