After hours upon hours of pure pain, Siva finally welcomed her new baby daughter. She held the tiny bundle of joy as she was so relieved, so happy that her baby was safe. Lex stared down at both Siva and his new daughter with a smile on his face. "So what's the name going to be, Siv?" he asked.

Siva smiled then chuckled, "I have a feeling she's going to be just as rambunctious as you are. She already looks like you too."

"Yeah, she whines like you too," Lex laughed.

Their new baby did indeed look a bit more like Lex than Siva. She had the same dark hair, naturally pouty lips, and nose as her father. She, however, received the same joyful eyes as her mother.

"How about Alexis?" Siva finally asked, "Little Lexi for short."

He nodded as he looked down at his little twin, "I like it. I think it suits her already."

Java and Noelle finally walked in, both red-eyed from being up in the wee hours of the night. "There's my new niece," Java smiled once she saw the baby.

"You wanna hold her?" Siva asked.

"Sure…of course," she replied. Once she was handed Alexis, she grinned. "She's so cute, so cute that she's gonna have the boys after her."

"Not if I can help it," Lex said.

Java smirked then looked down at the baby once more, "Noelle, do you wanna hold her?" After she didn't hear a reply, she called her daughter's name once more. "Noelle…kid." She turned around now and found her asleep on a sofa nearby with her left arm on the armrest and her face buried into her arm.

Damien walked into the room and once he saw Java with the baby, he smiled. It was actually nice to see her relatively smiling and gushing over something other than jewelry. He took a seat next to Noelle. "She's out cold isn't she," he smirked.

Siva chuckled, "Whatever you do, don't wake her up. She takes after her mom and me. If you dare to wake her up, she'll rip you to pieces. Oh, and she's a light sleeper."

"You're too cute! I could just eat you right up," Java gushed, she was in her own little world.

Damien chuckled, but suddenly he felt Noelle move on the couch. He felt her put her head against his arm as she put her feet up. "I thought you said she was a light sleeper. Wouldn't she hear us talking?" he whispered.

"She must be really tired then…really tired," Siva replied.

Noelle continued to snuggle up against Damien, not even realizing it wasn't him. She sighed quietly while a tear rolled down her cheek.

He stared down at her then moved his arm out from underneath her head and wrapped it around her while she slept in his lap now. He wiped the tear away from her cheek and then the other that rolled down her other cheek. "She's dreaming about him, isn't she," Damien said.

Java nodded as she handed Alexis back to her mom. "Yeah. I don't think she has accepted it yet…that Max is gone."

"I agree," he said.

She smirked then moved a few stray hairs away from Noelle's face. "Go ahead and take her back to the base…to her room. Be careful please."

Damien nodded and then scooped the girl up. He was surprised to see that she didn't freak out or even notice that she was being carried. "Wow, really?"

"'Wow really' what?" Java asked.

"She's really out…and she's really light," he chuckled.

Java smiled slightly, "Well she only weighs like two ounces. With a baby on board, make it three."

Siva looked at Damien and Java then to Lex, "Why wouldn't you ever do that for me?"

"What. Carry you when you're sleeping?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Because you're a light sleeper and you'd rip me to pieces if I dare wake you," he laughed, "I guess it runs in the family."

She scoffed but then realized that he was right. She looked over to Damien now and watched the boy leave. "Java, why didn't they ever get together?"

"It's a long story….but Damien and Noelle know that they can't be anything more than good friends," Java replied.

"It's a shame. They would have been really cute together."

She shrugged, "Well, Noelle had Max. They were cute too"

Siva grinned, "What was that, Java? You actually defended the Noelle and Max relationship?"

"Yeah, so?"

Damien carried Noelle back into the hotel, aiming for her bedroom. Once there he lay her gently down on her bed then slipped the sheets over her after he'd taken off her shoes. He stared at her for a moment before he left. When he got up off the bed, he felt a light crinkle underneath his hand. He checked to see what it was and saw that it was an envelope filled with about three letters.

He looked back at her, made sure she was asleep, and pulled the letters out of the envelope. He read the first one, the notification of Max's death. He placed that one behind the next letter. He carefully examined Max's letter, both pages of it. After doing so he sighed. [i]"Don't worry, Noelle. I'll be here,"[/i] he thought to himself. He returned the letters back to their original place and then left her room.

The next morning Noelle woke up and saw that she was back in her old room. She sighed deeply before she got out of bed. Right when she was about to walk out the door, Java came into her room.

"Morning, kiddo," she said. Once she saw her face, she smirked. "Nice…uh….tribal markings."

Noelle looked in her mirror now and noticed that her make-up had run down her face. From her tear ducts, creeping down both sides of her nose and mouth, down to her chin, was grey make-up mixed with tears. "I look like a cheetah," she muttered.

Java shrugged, "At least you're a cute cheetah."

She smirked and then proceeded to wipe off her make-up, "So, how's Siva? I'm kinda bummed I didn't get to meet Alexis."

"She's doing fine, so far," Java took a seat on Noelle's bed now, "But the real question is, how are you doing?"

The girl shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm…okay. I've definitely had better days."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I'm just curious. I just gotta ask you one thing," Java reluctantly said.

"What is it?" Noelle asked then turned around to her with her make-up all redone.

"Are you aware that you cry in your sleep?"

"You're joking right?" Noelle scoffed.

"No, I'm not. Last night, right before I was about to sleep I heard you crying. Even before then, I saw it," she sighed, "So either you've got some over-active tear ducts or there are just some things you've got pent up inside of you that you just need to let go of."

She shook her head, unable to accept her mother's words, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Noelle, whatever it is, you've got to let it go. You [i]need[/i] to accept that he's gone."

"Don't you think I've tried?" Noelle snapped. "I've tried and tried but I just can't-"

"Can't? Or won't move on?" Java asked. She stood up now and approached her daughter. "It's been a month, Noelle. I know you've cried and cried and you're still hurt. But now it's time for you to heal."

Noelle sighed deeply, as she was really trying to keep from crying. She looked Java in the eyes, with her own eyes already watering. "Java, have you ever lost someone? Someone you wished you had for one more moment but then they're just whisked away without so much as a good-bye?"

Java shook her head slowly, "No."

"Then you don't know," Noelle said quietly as a single tear rolled down her cheek, "You don't know…just how hard it is. I've been living every day, just wanting that one more moment…that single second just to say that I love him. But I can't and I have to live every moment knowing that I can't. "

Java sighed, "Alright, kid, alright." She finally nodded and wrapped her arms around her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Noelle smiled slightly.

As the two pulled away from each other, Java pulled out a small white envelope from beneath Noelle's purple sheets. "I think it's time for you to read this," she said and handed her the envelope.

She took the envelope and watched as Java left the room. She sighed deeply, hesitant to read the letter but she eventually forced her eyes to scan over the words.

Noelle-

Amongst all of the things I have ever said to you, I just want you to know that I loved you. I loved you greatly and it hurts me to know that I won't be there. Noelle, if you are reading this…it means that I failed to keep my promise.

But please don't be sad. I know you're hurting, but you have to be strong. Do it for our baby…do it for us. You cannot go on living with such a burden on your back. You've got to move forward, Noelle. I know there are people there to help you but you have to be willing to accept their help, Java's especially. She knows you better than anyone else in the world and I think she knows that already. I have complete trust that she'll get you back on track.

Though many people, such as her, didn't approve of us I think we were the best out there. I'm not being biased or anything…haha yeah I kind of am being biased. There's no lying there. I have reason, though, as to why I think so. Hmph don't think I'm being cocky, Noelle. I know you're smirking right now.

My main reason as to why I think we were the best out there is because we had balance. You were yin and I was yang. You, Noelle, you are like no one else I've ever met. You are the perfect balance of everything I could ever ask for. You're smart, passionate, beautiful, fiery, and determined…although sometimes you did have the genetically-horrendous temper. I love you for all those things though, including your temper. Hey, maybe sometimes I really did need a kick in the ass. I'm sure that'll come in handy later for when our son or daughter is acting up.

Speaking of our baby, I thought I'd ask a favor…one last favor from you…actually make that two. The first favor is that I want you to name our baby Janelle if it's a girl. No, not Max please. I can't have my little girl running around with a boy's name. Besides, I think Java was more than just a good influence on your life and I think she'll be the same with our baby. If you do have a boy though, I'll leave the name choice up to you. I wouldn't mind him being named Max but not Maxwell.

My second favor, Noelle, is for you to give out baby lots and lots of love. I seriously mean a lot, baby. I want you to give him or her extra kisses on the cheek, you know…one from you and maybe five from me.

You don't know how badly I'd have wanted to be there. It hurts me that I can't be there to meet our baby. I have complete faith in you, though. I know that you'll do your best at being a good mom.

Apart from that, I want you to live a life. Live without any inhibitions, Noelle. That's the only way to do it. I want you to be free. Don't let my departure hold you back. Just go out there and have some fun, wreak havoc in the city, go out with Java and throw back a couple of drinks (after the baby's arrival, though). Do anything! You deserve it.

Lastly, I want you to know that I'll always love you. You made my heart soar with just each step you took. So as long as you keep going it'll be like I'm right there with you.

All my love,

Max

Noelle sighed deeply as she quickly wiped her tears away. She sat on the bed for a moment until she finally decided to walk out of her room with the letter in hand. She saw Java waiting for her and finally she cracked a smile.

"What is it?" Java asked.

"You know," she smirked, "as much as you and Max didn't get along, he actually liked you."

"Really now," she smiled and began walking with her daughter out to the back of the hotel. Once they were both outside, Java turned to her. "You better go, kid," she sighed.

"Yeah, i'll…see you around," Noelle replied. As much as she wanted to stay, she knew she had to go for the sake of her baby's safety. She nodded to Java and started to walk out of the techno building.

"Noelle, wait," Java called. She walked hastily up to her, took her headset off, and slipped it on to her daughter. "Now you call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay," Noelle simply replied.

With that, Java watched her daughter leave once again. "Please be safe," she muttered quietly as she slowly turned away and began to head back into the hotel.

Flashback

The undesirable crash of plates and glass, and the harsh screams of a woman is what woke Java late at night. She peered out the window, curious as to what was occurring at her neighbor's home. From there, she saw the flash of red hair as the woman in the house seemed to be screaming at someone in front of her. Java opened her window now to see if she could hear the conversation…or rather the screaming match from the other house.

"Don't yell at her! She's only a kid!" a man yelled. It was Ron, the eldest son in the family. Next to him stood Mega, who was holding the hand of the little girl.

"I'll yell at who ever I want!" Jane screamed and then looked down at the girl, "Robert isn't here, is he? So there's no one here to protect you worthless piece of shit." She glanced back up at Mega, who muttered something under his breath.

"What's that you wanted to say, Joshua?" she asked him harshly.

"I said that Noelle shouldn't listen to you," he replied sternly.

Her hand struck his cheek within milliseconds. She angrily took Noelle's hand from his and dragged the helpless five-year-old across the room, past all the empty bottles of booze that sat on the coffee table. She pushed her out the back door, took a bucket filled with cold water and threw the contents on to the child. Jane dropped the bucket now and held up a yard stick. With the kid soaking wet, she slapped the stick against her back. It caused the little girl to scream out. "Shut up!" Jane yelled and brought the stick down again.

Java ran out of her room now and outside, into the bitter cold. She somehow unlocked the side door to Jane's backyard and ran in. Right when Jane was about to hit Noelle with the giant stick, she caught it. "Not another hit, Jane," she said firmly.

"And what are you going to do about it, Java?" she asked, her breath reeking of alcohol. "Call the police? Well let me remind you, I'm the wife of the city councilman-"

"And let me remind you that the empty bottles of tequila could speak for themselves."

"Just what are you going to say? That I'm an unfit mother?"

Java shrugged nonchalantly, "You're the one holding the yardstick, not me."

Jane glared at her and then threw the yardstick on the ground. She carelessly walked into the house, locking the door behind her.

Java watched her leave before she turned back to the kid in front of her. "Are you alright?" she asked, kneeling down.

Noelle nodded, shaking from the cold wind. "Please don't make me go back," she cried quietly.

She wrapped her jacket around the kid and finally stood up, "I can't promise that you won't be back there." She looked down at the kid to find a helpless pair of grey eyes staring up at her, "But tonight…you can come with me." Java then led Noelle back to her house. She snuck in quietly so as not to wake either Ebony or Siva. She brought her back to her room where she let Noelle have a shirt of Ebony's.

She then sat on the bed next to the kid once she was finished changing. "Does Jane always do this to you?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah," Noelle replied reluctantly. "B…but Ron and Josh try to stop her at least."

"I know," Java sighed. Although the boy did try to stop Jane, it seemed like it didn't work. She looked down at Noelle then smirked. "You should get some sleep, kid. You've had quite a day."

The next morning, Java sat in the kitchen while Siva was busy making some breakfast for the kid. "I can't believe her. Jane seems like such a nice woman," Siva said.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You should have seen Noelle. The kid seemed so scared, she was even scared to let me touch her," she replied. She looked over her shoulder to see if the kid was behind her before she continued to speak. "There were some nasty bruises on her back, some from last night and some from previous occasions."

Siva shook her head in disbelief, "What I don't understand is how anyone could hit a child."

At that moment, Noelle snuck down the stairs. Quietly, she walked into the kitchen and stood next to Java. "Ebony told me to tell you that Daniel's coming home," she muttered.

"Oh really?" she replied with a slight smile.

"Who is he?"

Siva turned around with pancakes on a plate, and placed it on the table in front of Noelle. "He's our dad…well mine and Java's. C'mon and sit, this plate's yours."

Noelle sat down at the table, carefully grabbed the knife and fork, and began to eat fast as if the girl hadn't eaten for days.

Java and Siva watched in amazement. "Whoa, kid slow down there…you might get a stomach ache," one of them finally said.

"Sorry, I'm just really hungry," she replied.

"It's okay, Noelle. No one's going to take your food," Siva said with a light chuckle. She heard a knock at the door and went to go answer it. When she opened the door she saw him with a bag in his hand. "Dad, be cool," she whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Daniel replied with a whisper. He smiled then gave Siva a big hug, "What are you talking about 'be cool'? I'm already cool."

"Okay, be extra cool. Noelle is here," she said quietly.

"Noelle? Janie's daughter?" he asked, a grin growing on his face. He stepped into the house and peered over the corner to find a small girl in front of Janelle…or rather, Janie. He looked back to Siva, "She's so cute."

"Then go introduce yourself," Siva said and playfully pushed him into the kitchen.

He stumbled in, casually walked up to his eldest daughter, and kissed her on the forehead. He looked down at Noelle to find piercing grey eyes staring back. "Hi there," he smiled.

"Hi," she replied quietly.

"What's your name?" he asked, taking a seat next to her. He couldn't help but smile, especially since this was the first time he had ever seen or even met his granddaughter.

"My name's Noelle," she said.

Java stood up from the table and moved over to Siva, "You told him to tone it down, right?"

"I tried. You know how he gets," she replied.

After several minutes of speaking to the girl, Daniel went back to his daughters. He smiled once more, "I have a feeling she's gonna be quite the heartbreaker when she's older. Have you seen those eyes? Janie, she's beautiful."

"Yeah, the boys are gonna be after her. But, Dad, really? Janie? It sounds like you can't decide if you want to say Jenny or Johnny."

"All these years and you're still not used to it," he smirked. He heard a knock at the door and opened it. There, he saw Jane at the door, "Hi, Jane."

"Daniel. I don't suppose Java's around, is she?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I'm here," she replied curtly.

She stepped out the door and in front of Jane. After closing the door behind her, she stared down at her.

"I want my daughter back," Jane said.

"What. So you can hit her again? She told me everything, Jane."

"That little shit's lying to you, she has no idea what she's talking about."

"Little shit?" Java sighed and shook her head, "Some mother you are."

"Yeah? At least I wasn't the one who was…" Jane smirked, "knocked up."

Right when Java was about to walked back into the house, she stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around slowly and walked up to Jane. "You just made the biggest mistake of your life," she growled, clenching her fist slowly.

"And what are you going to do about it?" she asked, obviously taunting her.

She said nothing and suddenly, "WHACK!" Java's fist met Jane's eye.

Jane faltered, but got up quickly. She charged at Java now, hoping her fist would strike the girl's face.

Java ducked, though. On her way down, she grabbed Jane by the ankle and yanked it up. It caused the woman to trip and fall flat on her face. "Now sidown, ya little shit!" Java yelled. She knelt down over Jane, grabbed her by the hair, and smirked, "If you ever touch one hair on my daughter's head, you're answering to me."

"Your daughter?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, you just met Noelle's mom. You know…the one that got knocked up?"

Moments later, Daniel walked outside with Noelle next to him, "What happened here?"

Java dusted herself off as Jane got up off the ground, "Jane just tripped. Messed herself up a bit."

"Yeah, I was just about to-"

"Leave," Java smirked.

Jane moved over and grabbed Noelle by the arm, "Let's go home."

Java saw the kid tense up and immediately she looked up at Jane, who then let go of the kid. She watched the two of them leave, "Please be safe."

End of flashback