"I just don't understand why though." Cassidy said through tears, her lip trembling as Marissa held her close.

"There doesn't have to be a reason, some people are sadly just meant to be mean. In this case of yer parents, they were influenced by a darker side that the world is trying to remove."

"But why did they do it to me?" she let out a small sob as she clung to her.

Marissa held the little girl tightly, knowing the pain she was feeling was all too much for such a sweet child. Since the girl came in her office those months ago, she had made quite the difference with her as she spoke of her memories and what she heard. And everything that was spoke was what she combated and proved to her that it was all wrong. She wasn't stupid. She wasn't disgusting. She wasn't even a mistake or deserved to die. She was just a little girl that was placed in a harsh world.

"That is something you may never know, and in truth, that's just alright." Marissa said to her, "Ya have yer aunt and uncle that love you deeply, and yer friends from school you were telling me about. Plus ya got me as well. Ya know I'm always a shoulder for ya."

"I know, Marissa."

She hugged the girl once more, feeling her shudder against her. It truly was a hard road for the girl to have been placed on, yet she stood up against the challenges and kept going when most believed she would fall.

"May I ask something?"

"Anything Cassidy."

"Is it true?"

Marissa looked at her, "Is what true?"

"What the one woman said?"

Marissa left a small giggle free, "Ya got to be more specific than that."

Cassidy straightened herself as she looked at Marissa, "The one woman that seems to be angry at everyone. She said you are like me, is it true?"

Oh, now she knew what she meant, "Ya mean Sage? Well, truth, yes. I do understand a bit more than most for my mum and da did the same pretty much to me as a wee child. I suffered under their hands until me grandparents got me out of there when I was still small. I remember bits and pieces of those days, not like you but enough to know it was wrong of them."

"So you do know what it was like for me?" Cassidy had awe written on her face as the truth was before her.

"Yes. It's why they gave ya to me. I understood yer pain and struggle. It's why I let you do as ya want, to be comfortable with me. I too went through the system of counselors and help but only one stood out. He was a great man and took the time to know me and understand why I thought and believed the way I did. And it's because of his work with me that I incorporate with my own." Marissa explained to her.

Cassidy smiled at her, "I'm glad. Really am. I wish more people were like you. You're so kind and happy."

"Oh Cassie, yer making me blush and tear up, messing with me hormones."

"Hormones?"

"Oh!" Marissa smiled, "Well, I got news a bit ago about something quite exciting."

"Really, what is it?"

Marissa took her hand and placed it on her belly, "I'm gonna have a baby. There's a wee one right where your hand is."

The girl's eyes lit up as her mouth opened in awe, she couldn't help but giggle at her as she finally looked at her.

"You're going to have a baby?"

"Yes, Cassidy, I am."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around her, embracing Marissa in a tight hug, "That's so cool!"

She pulled away as she continued to look at her stomach, "Will you bring the baby in one day so I could meet him or her? Do you know what it is?"

"No I don't know what it is but I will definitely bring them in to meet the sweet little girl I know."

The smile grew on the girl as Marissa looked at the time, the knowledge of the session was over and another day made well with the girl and her progress to healing. They walked out, speaking lightly of the baby within her and what it would be like, although the little girl was more interested in getting the baby something.

"How about little booties? I see them in the store all the time and they're so cute!"

"You can definitely do that if yer aunt and uncle don't mind."

"Don't mind what?" she heard the girl's aunt say.

"Miss Marissa is going to have a baby!" Cassidy exclaimed.

"Really?" the woman looked at her.

"Aye, 'tis true." Marissa nodded, "There's a wee one in me."

"Oh Miss Dunaid, congratulations!" the woman hugged her, "You are so very blessed now."

"You haven't the foggiest there."

The girl began to yap off her aunt's ear as she ended the session with them, letting her know what was discussed and what Marissa reached, yet even she wanted to give the baby something as well. Yet once they were gone, she was bombarded once more.

"A baby?" Jenny said, a rosy smile covering her face, "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope."

"Geez, that's so awesome and sweet. Matthew is such a sweetheart and would make a great daddy and you will be a wonderful mommy."

"Stop it, woman, yer making me blush."

A few more came in, hearing the exciting news, making her feel like a glowing woman. Some giving small advice or just wishing her well during the time, knowing her grandfather and more. Even Katherine and David smiled and said they would give her a good maternity leave when the baby came, as long as she brought the baby in that was. She couldn't wipe the smile that was on her, it was the same as when she told the other capitals that she was pregnant, each one either beaming in happiness or just jumping for joy, especially Matthew's family.

"You're pregnant?" the snide voice echoed the room.

Yet she knew it would hit her and the happiness wouldn't last too long. Turning around, she saw Sage eyeing her up.

"I am, just shy of four months along now since I learned. Was a wee over two when I did find out. Didn't want to say much until I hit the safety mark."

"Wow, can't even tell." she smiled.

"Guessing that was a fat joke." Marissa shot.

"Girls please." she heard Jenny try and break up the tension.

"Well come on, we saw the mouse of a man she 'has'." Sage sneered, "Isn't hard to see how you got that way, although it probably wasn't his choice."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." the woman's nasty grin came to her, "No one would be that desperate to have you, you had to have held him against his will."

Oh, she did not. She heard Jenny shout at the woman for her crudeness yet nothing fazed her, not even when the other counselors came to her defense, yet something better came to mind.

"Well, you can think that Sage but I know something you don't."

"Oh yea, and what is that?"

Marissa smirked, "Men prefer to put their butter on my rolls."

The woman's eyes widened as her jaw dropped. She silenced the room as everyone glanced at her, a few gasps and giggles filled the air as she glared at the spoiled woman.

"Oh and one thing you may never know, the French Canadian is damn sexy on a mouse of a man that I 'have' to the point it makes me nether lips quiver in want when he uses it."

That set the woman off. She charged at her, eyes glaring daggers at her until Dave caught hold of her. She started a fit of anger and false tears, demanding they fire her for her harassment. Marissa laughed, she couldn't stop it no matter how hard she tried. Katherine gave her a look of warning as Jenny pulled her away from the room, walking out to the main lobby to leave the place.

"I swear to god, you know how to make enemies."

"Oi, it isn't like she doesn't deserve it. Listen to her squawk in there like a damn bird. It's her fault, not mine."

Jenny laughed a little, "True but the roll and butter thing was great, and the French too."

"What was?" she heard someone ask.

Looking at the door, she saw Matthew standing before them, a box of food sitting within his hands as he gave them a curious look.

"Ooh, is that poutine?" she felt her stomach jump for joy.

"Maybe." he smirked at her, "But first tell me what I missed."

"She pretty much told everyone in here you're a sexy French Canadian that puts your 'butter' on her body 'rolls' or in the newest case, within her rolls." Jenny smiled at him

The look on the man was priceless. His jaw dropped and eyes widened, color draining lightly from him as his cheeks flushed a bright red. She knew he'd be embarrassed, just not that bad.

"Marissa." he gave a quiet whine.

"What, she asked for it." she told him, "She called me fat and said I pretty much raped ya to get pregnant."

"What?"

His demeanor changed, it grew darker as his tone dropped, his glittery eyes growing darker with anger. Oh, shit, she had forgotten that he and Alfred had helped Brie when she was involved in a rape at her school, he took a hockey stick to the bastards that did it to her too. Maybe it wasn't good to have mentioned that to her.

"Mattie." she walked over to him, "It's fine. I took care of it and there's nothing to worry-"

"Hey!" they heard someone shout.

Turning around, Marissa saw a bulking man head there was as Sage stood at the entrance.

"Shit Marissa, you really pissed her off now." Jenny said backing away.

"Who's that?"

"Her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? Thought she was too cold to even have a heart." Marissa tried to joke but the man kept coming at them.

She felt Matthew pull her behind him as he did the same with Jenny. Oh, this wouldn't end well. Not that Matthew wasn't strong but being a 'hulking' 177cm and a soaking wet one hundred sixty up against a giant bear of a man wasn't going to be great.

The man towered over Mattie as he demanded an apology from her yet Matthew wouldn't let her budge.

"Mattie please, it will just be easier-"

"Non, Marissa." she heard the French come off his tongue.

"You can't handle him." she whispered.

"Now man or else." the brute demanded.

"And as I said, she will not say a thing to either her or you, now be gone with you. Leave these two women alone and tend to your own."

She could still hear the dark tone in him, something seemed off, something she wasn't sure she wanted to see or not. Finally, the man lost his temper as he gave Matthew a shove, making him tumble back into Jenny and herself. Both of them let out a shriek of surprise, and then she saw it let loose.

The man raised his fist to connect with Matthew, yet as it came down, Matthew moved around him as if he was standing still. Grabbing his arm and twisting it sharply behind his back and taking out one knee. The man dropped as he yelped in pain, making Matthew twist harder it seemed.

"Now. I am done having to speak to you, leave these two alone and go with your girlfriend or else." he spoke, his purple eyes narrowed at the man.

With a final jerk, the man was free from his grip, kneeling on the ground as Matthew came back to them. He cracked his hand as he seemed to calm down slightly from the ordeal.

"Wow Mattie." she heard Jenny say, "That was impressive."

He just gave a small smile as he rubbed the back of his head, "What can I say, my girl was threatened with her best friend, what else can a man do?"

Marissa stood there stunned, unsure of what to say as she saw him, just for a sudden bolt of fear to well in her as she looked behind him, "Matthew! Look out!"

The man charged at them, ready to take Matthew on from behind, yet he never got the chance. Before he even got two feet near, Matthew whirled around and delivered a solid uppercut to him. The man dropped cold as she heard Sage yell at him yet Matthew made no notion to him or her as he came back over to them, taking them both away from the scene. Where in the world was this man hiding?

"Whoa Mattie, you knocked him out cold." Jenny awed.

"Hey, he threatened you three. I need to protect what matters most to me."

And boy did he do that. Marissa kept looking back as David attempted to get the man to his feet as Katherine gave Sage hell for the actions that had taken place, and the sight of Matthew hitting the man came to her mind.

"Can I be frank with ya Mattie?"

"What?"

"I gotta say, that was heroic what you did and proving more that ya love me and those around me," she explained, "and it also was quite hot to watch you drop a man nearly twice yer size."

A surprised chuckle left him as he pulled her close, "Told you that you mean a lot to me."

The three of them shared laughs as they left the scene, bidding Jenny goodbye as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

"Guessing that's your boss telling you that you have to speak with her and probably authorities?" Matthew asked.

Glancing at the screen, her heart bottomed in her stomach, "No, the hospital."

"Again?"

For the last two months, her grandfather was nothing but a fluctuating rollercoaster of emotions and issues. From trying to escape the place to ripping out his hoses and more, it was just becoming too hard to handle. She sighed at the piece, knowing it was them asking for her to come in and help settle him down.

"Dunaid?"

"Marissa, it's Dr. Shaffer. I need you to come in now."

"Guessing he's off again?"

There was silence on the other end, something was wrong, "Please Marissa, just come here."

Then it was silent. A chill crawled up her spine as haunting memories came forth. She felt Matthew's hand lay upon her shoulder, trying to pull her out of her mind as it raced with thoughts. Giving a sweet smile to her, he pulled her toward the hospital, letting the bright day guide them there. Yet something seemed wrong, each step she took felt heavier than the last as the hint of Old Spice and metal of the foundry kept tickling her nose. Something deep within her tried to tell her what was going on, yet her mind and heart wouldn't listen, it just was wrong.

Finally, the place was before them, the halls their usual cool selves as staff nodded and greeted them as they went by. Time moved on it seemed, nothing out of the ordinary yet something just seemed off.

Dr. Shaffer stood before the hall where her grandfather laid, her face in the papers as nurses spoke to her. Marissa shook her head, it was nothing but a silly fear that overwhelmed her and her own hormones going nuts as well. Never would she say that being pregnant was easy, she definitely owed Amber that bet money now.

The doctors eyes met her own, only then did Marissa pause. Her nan always did say that the deepest emotion on a person was within their eyes, and it was slapping Marissa in the face as the woman quietly came forward. She saw the stance before, the look, the way she sighed, everything, and all she wanted to do was run away from the truth.

"Dr. Shaffer?"

She sighed, "Marissa, there was-"

"Where is he?" she cut her off.

"Please." the woman gave a begging look, "Don't make this harder sweetie."

"Where is he?"

"Marissa let her-"

"Get off Matthew!" she pushed his hands away, her emotions becoming too much, "I've seen that look before. Watched it as it destroyed the man, now you will tell me where he is!"

"Marissa." Dr. Shaffer raised her voice to match her own, "I'm sorry."

Sorry? All that was before them and all the woman could give was a sorry? The smells hit her once more, almost demanding her to listen and understand the truth, yet she didn't want to.

"Yer lying." she shook her head.

"Marissa please listen."

"Yer wrong."

"It was sudden, his heart was weak-"

"Yer lying. Yer wrong."

"We knew that and he had an episode-"

"Don't lie to me."

"The attack between the Alzheimer's and the Mesothelioma was too much-"

"Stop it!"

"His heart went into arrhythmia and we did whatever we-"

"Don't sell me that bullshit!" Marissa shouted at her, feeling Matthew's arms wrap around her, trying to calm her down, yet it just made it too real for her.

"Marissa!" Dr. Shaffer grabbed her shoulders, her soft brown eyes looking in her own, "I'm sorry Marissa, but he's gone."

"No. No, no, no. Yer lying to me." she said, slowly falling into Matthew's grip, "Yer lying to me to make me feel better, they did it before with her and now yer doing it for him. Don't lie to me."

"Marissa please, especially in your state, listen. He's gone. He slipped away as we tried to bring him back. We did everything we could medically, but it was just too much. I'm sorry."

Marissa shook her head, unsure if it was out of denial of the news or the shattering of her heart. He was gone. Gone forever and to never be there again.

"No. No it can't be." she felt herself slip to the floor as tears fell, "It can't be, not him. It happens to other people, not him. No, not him. He can't have left me."

She couldn't hold it in anymore, a harsh sob left her as she let go of herself, "He promised me! He promised to be there and to leave when I was ready! I'm not ready, so he can't be gone. He can't be. God please no, not him. Anyone else but him. I'm not ready! I'm not ready!"

Marissa felt Matthew hold and rock her, trying to give comforting words to her as Dr. Shaffer held onto her hands yet it gave nothing to her. Every true ounce of comfort she ever felt was gone from her, along with her shattered heart. His scent touching her once more as it wisped away, never to be with her again.

Weakness. Heartache. Sadness. Confusion. Hell. Name it, he felt it. All he wanted to do was erase that moment, to never have it happen to him again, but today wasn't planned for him in that case. Her cries for her grandfather to come back to her as she sobbed against him just shook him, he just couldn't shake the feelings within.

Alfred and Amber flew up with Liberty the moment he called, doing whatever they could to help out. Jenny wasn't far behind, trying to help her and comfort her as best as possible, yet it just seemed far and in between with them all.

"It hurts Matthew, any counselor will tell you that and so would she." Jenny said gathering her stuff, "Time is the ultimate keeper here, only time will heal her. I know how close she was with him and you as well, know my door is always opened."

"Thanks, Jenny, I really appreciate it." he smiled weakly at her.

"Family will be the best thing for her right now. Stay by her side and show her you really are real before her."

"Believe me, Jenny, I don't plan on leaving her side. For anything."

Jenny smiled at him, "You really are a true man. Take care."

Once she was gone, he made his way back to his seat, looking back out in his yard, wondering what to do for her. A tap to his shoulder brought him back as he felt something cool press in his hand. Looking down, he saw the familiar bottle of Labatt within his hand as Alfred sat down before him.

"I, uh, thought it would, um, help a little." Alfred said.

"Normally I wouldn't condone drinking in a situation like this but..." he trailed off, popping the top and tasting the brew.

"I'll watch ya." Alfred replied, doing the same.

Matthew just wanted to give Marissa what she wanted most yet it wasn't possible, no matter how he looked at it. He understood the term forever, better than most people of the world, yet even it was a term that was taken for granted. People believed they had forever, yet in truth, it wasn't even close.

"What now?" Alfred broke the silence.

Matthew sighed, "Walt's will stated he wanted to be put to rest in Scotland beside Katheleen. I know Marissa wants him close but...I don't know. I'm in between a rock and a hard place right now."

"Did he want a burial or-"

"It states cremation but as I said, it's all on her."

"I get that but it's a Last Will and Testament, you really can't break it."

Matthew rubbed his temple as the lingering taste of the beer laid on his tongue after another swig. He wasn't sure what to do for either of them, honor the WWII vet or please his granddaughter and his future wife?

The sound of a door opening and closing caught them off guard, making Matthew spin around to see Amber walking toward them.

"I got Marissa asleep with Liberty. She's also got one of his shirts clutched in her grip as well." she said to them, standing beside him. "You ok Mattie?"

He could see the lingering tears resting behind his sister-in-law's eyes, ones he knew were both in sadness for Marissa and her own past.

"Yea, I'm ok." he said, "Thank you both for getting her so fast, really."

"Don't thank us." Amber replied, sitting beside him, "She's family and that's what matters."

"Speaking of, I have to take this call." he heard Alfred say as the cell vibrated in his hand.

"Look Mattie, you and I know what pain she's in. We both lost our mothers and it made an impact on us and yet we understand her. I remember what it was like when my mother passed. How hard it was to hold my head up everyday. But there is one thing that she has that I didn't."

"That is?"

"You." Amber laid her hand upon his cheek, "She has you. I may have had the reservation and Chenoa in my life, but she has someone deeper to her than what I had. And nothing can replace that."

Matthew smiled at her, knowing that she was right in that fact.

"Hey." Alfred came back in, looking at them both, "I just got off with Al."

"Allister?" Matthew questioned.

"Yea, the very one. He and Arthur are willing to send a plane over to grant her grandfather a WWII proper burial in Aberdeen, right beside Katheleen as well."

"Veteran style?"

"Very one. Supposedly Arthur got a hold of Francis as well and the man is willing to be the other half if it's all of us."

"So you, Arthur, Matthew, Francis, Allister, and Connor would be pallbearers while Juliet, Carine, Brie, and I help Marissa out?" Amber asked.

"Pretty much." Alfred looked back at him, "What do you say, bro?"

The thought of a proper burial for Walt just made it more clear that it really was real before him, "Yea. I think the salty Scot would like that."

Moments passed by as they shared what would go on and how to help one another out during the time that was before them, yet Matthew felt like he was going against Marissa, planning it without her, until an idea came to his head. Once Amber had taken Liberty to their room and Alfred went to make more calls, Matthew gained the courage to see how Marissa was fairing.

Opening the door, he saw her sitting in the sill, looking out over the land as the sun began to set. Her fingers gripped into Walt's shirt with a white-knuckling force as small tears slipped down her cheeks. He walked over to her, afraid that she would snap at him after earlier with her. Yet she didn't move. Not a stir from her as he sat before her, watching as the sun cascaded down her heart-shaped face. He let her be, letting her soak in the world around her as her heart tried to make sense of what happened.

"I'm going to hell." she spooked him as she spoke.

"What do you mean?"

Marissa scoffed, "Ya heard me in there, begging, pleading that it would be anyone, anybody else that it happened to, just not him."

"Why do you said that though?"

"I wished death and pain on someone else." she stated, her lower lip quivering, "I wanted all of it to go away and never return to me, that right there was wrong of me. I wished death on others that didn't deserve it or were just like me, not ready to let go. And it was wrong."

Matthew grabbed her legs, pulling her to him as he let his fingertips trace the soft skin that rested on his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder as he placed a kiss to her hair.

"Marissa, you're not going to hell." he told her, "You are hurt. Someone you love is gone and won't come back. There is nothing wrong with wishing he would come back. We all did it at one point."

He thought of how he wanted to continue as the items Walt gave him came to mind, "But now, even gone, he's not alone. He has your grandmother and I can say they are probably smiling down at you and so happy with how far you've made it. They're probably dancing with one another now, living like it was 1946."

A small chuckle left Marissa, giving Matthew a moment of relief knowing that he got to her, "It just hurts Matthew."

"I know, Maple, I know." he rocked her, "But you're not alone. We're all here for you, no matter what, and I already promised your grandfather forever and always with you."

Finally, those blues came to him, swollen with tears as her emotions splayed across them, "Thank you, Matthew."

"De rein."

"Now I gotta plan the rest of it." she sighed, trying to think past her emotions, "He wanted Scotland but I don't know if I can...I can-"

"Marissa, if I may?" he asked as she nodded to him, "I know he wanted Scotland to be beside your nan, and I would like to honor that. But with that I want to help you. So, why don't you and I make them something in the backyard? Somewhere you can go and speak with them and just remember them when you need to?"

"You mean like a memorial?"

"Yes. And as of now if you'd like, my family along with Francis's help would like to give him a real veteran funeral. From all the nations he fought along side with in WWII."

"Really?"

"Really." he kissed her head.

He watched as she pondered the thoughts, trying to hold her emotions together, just to see a faint smile curve her lips.

"Yes, both of those ideas would be perfect to me."