A little pre-note on this Chapter. I'm trying to do a scene in here with a little "heat" between Steffy and Marius. As I'm not exactly used to writing them I hoping you don't hate it. So just a word of warning, if it's a bit clumsy for your taste, please forgive :)

Hope walked through the gardens, letting her fathers' words soak into her tired and devastated mind. According to him, when she fought for custody of Beth, had now turned into, should she fight for custody of Beth.

At the hospital, after everyone had finally left her alone for five minutes, she'd rang her lawyers and told them the news of the DNA tests that both Cat and the Police had run. After carefully listening to what she said they'd then gently told her she only had a very slim chance of retaining custody of Beth, but if Beths birth mother had a good family, as well as money, she could up that from slim to non-existent.

Now her father had upped the ante yet again, if he was telling the truth, and she believed he was, then she could not only be endangering her own life, but that of her unborn daughter.

Her hand automatically slid down to cover her belly protectively as she came to a halt. Looking up she found herself in front of the cabin where so many happy memories remained of her former life, the birthday parties with the kids, playdates, games, Liam's devotion, now, all of them were gone, including her two children, and she even managed to drive Liam away with her stupidity.

A broken sob escaped her and she sank to the ground, what do I do, she thought miserably. How do I even begin to think of letting my child go?

The question was, did she even have a choice? And if she did, was she prepared to risk hers and her unborn child's safety, especially when the odds were stacked so high against her?

She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. No, if it came down to it, she couldn't, wouldn't, risk her baby on a losing battle, no matter how much it broke her heart, she still had the baby she was now carrying to think about.

Finally, her mind clear on her choice, she picked herself back up and headed back to the main house to tell her mother of her decision.

Meanwhile at Forresters . . .

The next morning at Forresters Marius having just finished up a design, is now looking for Steffy to get a final approval for the ordering of the materials he's decided on for its pre-production. Her secretary tells him she's down doing the final fits for the lingerie line, and discussing the upcoming showing with Adelyn, the new designer they've bought on by Steffy to replace Sally Spectra.

Hoping for just a quick word he goes directly to Adelyn's design studio where her secretary, recognising another designer, tells him to enter.

He knocked and opened the door, shuffling his large sketch pad to his left hand as he walked into the room.

"Hi Marius, we're over here," said Adylyn.

Marius turned, sweet mother of God, he breathed, transfixed at the sight before him. Standing on a fitting stool was non other than Steffy, and she was dressed in possibly - to Marius' eyes – the sexiest deep purple silk and lace lingerie he'd ever laid eyes on.

He blinked several times as both women look at him expectantly.

"Well, can we do anything for ya, you know, apart from cleaning up the large puddle of drool you're makin in front of you?" Asked Adelyn in her distinctive Aussie voice.

Huh? Was all Marius could seem to muster as he continued staring raptly at Steffy.

"Well I gotta say, this is kinda the reaction I was hopin for with this little number, but on a professional level, and since I've got you here, do you think I could improve anywhere with the piece? It's gonna be my show stopper after all. Give him a twirl Steffy." She added, waggling her finger in the air, and winking at Steffy mischievously.

Steffy was staring at Marius and his quite visible reaction to her. She felt like she could practically feel his eyes as they roved over her body, what's more, she felt herself responding to his heated gaze. For the first time in months, she felt powerful, sexy, strong, and in control of what was happening. A slight smile curved her lips as she slowly pivoted on the small stand.

She heard him whisper, Jesus Christ almighty, before she slowly pivoted back around to face him, she was pleased to see his mouth was slightly ajar, and he'd subtly moved his sketch pad in front of his body.

"What do you think then? It's not a thong, but the panties are quite brief, and Adelyn's put on these little lace ties, so that they can either be taken off normally, or, for the more adventurous, slowly undone." She said in a throaty voice as she slowly undid a tie to demonstrate.

Marius was riveted to the spot, he felt as if they'd need a bulldozer and a kilo of C4 to budge him at this point. He watched as Steffy slowly undid the tie at the side of the panties, then just as quickly did them back up once her little demonstration was over, and all the while his imagination was running riot.

"So, anything I can help you with?" she asked with a wicked smile.

Marius shook his head and cleared his throat.

"You don't want to know," he said with a wry shake of his head before turning abruptly to Adelyn to try to gain some control over himself.

He feigned a professional air as he said.

"The lingerie is perfection, as is your model, but I wonder how Steffy would look with her hair up in a soft mohawk perhaps, and with the same colour purple splashed at it's sides, perhaps in jagged streaks?"

Adelyn's eyes went wide and she turned back to stare at Steffy in deep thought, nodding slowly as she saw what Marius had in mind.

"Oh yeah, and perhaps something silver somewhere, delicate chains maybe, around the neck or ears," she muttered, nodding more vigorously.

"You're a genius Marius, thanks a mill, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone about that." She said pointing delicately at his sketch pad. "I mean I can't say I blame you; Steffy here's enough to melt anyone's ice blocks!"

She laughed and wandered over to her desk leaving a blushing Marius with some privacy to talk to Steffy.

He helped her down from the stand, barely managing to keep his hands from caressing her shoulders, as he imagined what it'd be like to move her hair aside so he could kiss her neck.

He mentally shook himself, slowly coming out of the sensual daze she seemed to cast so effortlessly over him. She quickly put on a robe and came back to see why he came to see her.

"So, I'm hoping that's the final design and fabrics for your latest piece?" she asked as she stood back in front of him.

Grateful for the reprieve her quickly turned straight back to business and explained what he would need. Steffy looked at the sketch and smiled.

"This is going to be beautiful; I'll ring through from here and tell them you're on your way. How are things at home?" She said as she abruptly switched the conversation back to more personal issues.

Marius gave her a rather ironic smile, "strangely good at the moment. Father is taking Cat and Bastion to inspect a house today, I believe it is Katie Logans, it's just come on the market and Father wants somewhere larger for the family, especially until Cat is settled with Bella."

Steffi's eyebrows raised slightly in question. "As to me, I'm here trying to keep myself busy as everything else seems to be in hand, and quite frankly, I'd prefer to not know what my father gets up to, it's easier. I've told Cat and Father about Dr Harris and they have him coming around for a meeting today with both Liam Spencer, Bill Spencer, and our family, they will work out the best way to explain it all to the child. Liam is going to invite Hope Logan to the meeting, but we don't know if she will come, we haven't even heard whether or not she will fight Cat for custody, although Fathers contacts have told us she has engaged some extremely good lawyers, even though both her and her mother seem to be on the verge of financial collapse."

Steffy snorted angrily, "that's because she's expecting a rather large windfall from me, that's why!"

Marius frowned in concern. "I'm sorry Steffy, with all my own problems I've totally forgotten about yours."

He took her hand and held it gently, "How are things? Is there anything either myself or my family can do to help you? You have only to say the word and I'll be there."

Steffy let out a deep breath, she actually believed him, knowing that someone was so genuinely on her side was nice, it felt good. The fact that it was Marius, a man who seemed to have the ability to make her toes curl with a simple curve of his lips, and who had just looked at her with such awe, and need, as she stood before him, well, that was just candy.

"Thanks, but I have everything in hand, the deposition starts in two weeks, hopefully your own case should be over by then and you'll have your niece back."

Marius smiled. "If you need anything, anything at all, call me, okay?" He then raised her hand and kissed it lightly.

Steffy felt a swooping feeling in the pit of her stomach at the contact, anything else that was about to be said was suddenly interrupted by Adelyn as she looked up from her sketching table.

"Damn, I can feel the sexual tension from over here!"

She went into a paroxysm of fake hacking coughs, "C'mon guys, it's cloying, either you're gonna have to get a room, or better yet, ignore it until later, and in the meantime we'll all get back to work. I need to get this design finished or my boss is gonna ream my arse."

Steffy felt herself blushing furiously, she'd been so wrapped up in the moment that she'd actually forgotten Adelyn was even in the room with them, and Adelyn, being Adelyn, had, had to remind them both in her own special way. She wouldn't be living this down in a while, she knew her friend would see to that. Way to go Steffy, you slore, she thought distractedly.

Aloud she said, "I'll be right there." She turned back to Marius, "good luck with everything, and please, let me know how it turns out and if I can help in any way."

Marius nodded as he felt himself blushing also. He noticed that Adelyn was still grinning at them. "Thank you, Steffy, I'll take these straight to purchasing." Then he fled out the door as quickly as he could, embarrassed, confused, and still thoroughly aroused. He vaguely wondered if this was to be his life at Forresters now, a frustrated mess lusting after a woman he felt needed time to heal from her marriage break-up. He wanted Steffy Forrester, that was undeniable, but he didn't want to be a fill-in, the rebound guy. If, and when they ever got together, he wanted it to be able to explore if they could have more.

Time, I need more time. He thought as he walked down to purchasing.

Meanwhile . . .

Ridge sat at his desk in the hotel room, he'd positioned it by the window for the natural light. He stared at the dress he was designing, a frown creasing his forehead, something wasn't quite right. He adjusted the neckline a little the refocussed on what he'd done. "Better," he murmured to himself.

He looked up at a knock on the door, what now, he thought in annoyance at the interruption.

Rather than move when he was still in what he called, his "design mode", he simply yelled.

"Come in, it's open."

Brooke entered, "Ridge? Please, we need to talk."

Ridge sighed tiredly, "how did you find me?"

"I rang every hotel in L.A, then finally a new employee let slip that you were staying here. Ridge why? Why would you close yourself off from me? I know we have our problems, but we've worked through them before, and we can work through them again. Please, come home with me, you love me, I'm your Logan!" she said tearfully.

Ridge shook his head. "And has Hope dropped her case against my daughter? Is she still in YOUR house? Are you both still happily conspiring against Forresters and Steffy?"

Brooke frowned, "Ridge, I can't ask Hope to stop her case, she's already lost so much, you do know Liam left her? Added to that, the DNA tests came back and they prove Beth isn't Hopes," she sobbed.

"But you had tests done? . . . Brooke? Tell me! You had tests done when you and Hope took Beth from Steffy. You swore to me!"

Brooke backed away a little as she saw the rage on Ridges face. "I was going to, I was on my way with the samples, but I had to drop into work for a moment, and then I got distracted, and, well, I finally thought that as everyone had already admitted that Beth was Hopes, there was no need to, so I didn't bother dropping them off because I wanted to get back home and check on how Hope was going."

"Get out!" rasped Ridge. "Get the hell out of here and don't you ever dare come back!"

"Ridge, no!" gasped Brooke in horror.

"You lied!" he yelled. "You stole my daughter's child, and then you lied straight to my god-damned face about it!"

"No, Ridge, it wasn't like that!" she cried desperately.

Ridge stared at her in utter disgust and shock, as for the first time in his life, he felt like he wanted to slap a woman.

"Get the hell out of here Brooke, before I do something I'm not sure I'll regret. If you want some kind of approval or validation for your actions then go see Eric. I'm sure he'll be willing and able to back anything you say. BUT, if you ever come near me or my children again, I'll have a restraining order put on you, is that understood?"

"Ridge, please, no," she said reaching for him.

He slapped her hand away.

"GET OUT!" He screamed at her.

Brooke hurried out the door, half sobbing has she went.

"I'll never give up on us Ridge, we're destiny!" she said from the doorway before she turned and ran to the elevator.

Ridge walked over and slammed the door shut, catching sight of himself in the mirror he muttered angrily.

"Destinies change Brooke. Destinies change!"