A/N1: Thanks to everyone who is still reading and thanks to those who reviewed! It means a lot.

A/N2: Sorry for the delay. I got stuck on where to end this chapter, admittedly. I'm trying to get more into the magic/other aspect of the story but I do find myself writing a lot of the personal stuff anyway.

A/N3: I posted a story not too long ago about Lindsey and Aly meeting Eliot Spencer (of Leverage, played by Christian Kane.) In the story he is Lindsey's twin. It wasn't something I originally planned on using in this story but it was an idea that wouldn't leave me alone. If anyone is interested in that: s/9781282/1/A-Twin-Too-Many

Lindsey surprisingly fell asleep early himself, around nine-pm which he could not remember the last time he fell asleep that early, however he woke up around one-am and that was pretty much it for his night's sleep. Aly appeared to be more comfortable than she had been all day and in a solid sleep, so Lindsey checked on her every so often but he mainly kept himself busy by reading Aly's medical files more. He read about how Aly had a staff infection after her hamstring surgery and had to stay at the hospital longer, her bad pneumonia made worse by her over all weaker body and how her meat reaction actually stopped her breathing and kept her in the hospital for several days; those were the worst things he read that night. Whenever he needed a break he spent time thinking about how he was going to tell Sam everything. But how he was going to tell his brother and sister-in-law about him having a daughter suddenly, and then everything else about her, was what was on his mind the most. There was a very slim chance Lindsey would have actually mailed a letter with that information, but he wrote it anyway, several times, as practice for what to say during the impending phone call. Lindsey knew from Kelly telling him when he was dating his now-wife, followed by sometime after the wedding Amanda insinuated to Lindsey herself that she was a virgin until their wedding night. He suspected his brother was too but he wasn't certain. They were both generally easy-going people but he couldn't help wondering if they were going to judge him. He also found himself wondering if Amanda would more than Kelly, and despite Lindsey generally not caring what people think of him, they were both exceptions; especially Amanda. Lindsey and Kelly have been silently (for the most part) judging some of each other's life choices for years, Amanda he always got along with and felt she understood him sometimes even more than his brother did. Other family members were not on his priority list at that time.

When five in the morning rolled around it changed what was supposed to be Lindsey's second day off. First the overnight Wolfram and Hart secretary called him, which he ignored figuring she didn't know not to call him that day. Not long after that call Lindsey got another he couldn't ignore. The caller was Dr. Aldis Stark; the man Lindsey successfully represented the week prior on organ harvesting/trafficking, medical negligence, which were just what the courts knew about. During the trial, as he'd done in the past, Lindsey amused him by thinking the defense should be he had to turn to this line of work since smart doctors get legitimate jobs. Lindsey also suspected money exchanged hands for his med school diploma. He believed Stark attended, it just baffled him how he passed with his long history of being making stupid mistakes leading to all his legal troubles. Despite that, Aldis Stark was wealthy, demon connected, did work occasionally for Wolfram and Hart (he was better when he pushed the limits of medical/magical interactions as far as they could go than when he was doing "real" medical work) so he was not someone Lindsey could ignore. Not surprisingly he wanted to meet in a few hours Lindsey couldn't say no. He did consider it could be good to get it over with going to the office sooner than later, seeing if everyone knew and if he'd become gossip. Another plus was if everyone did know he'd be able to show being a parent was not going to get in the way of being a lawyer. It was being a lawyer that would get in the way of being a parent. /How am I going to tell Aly? I made such a big deal over spending these two days together… can she even handle being left so soon? Crap, who am I going to leave her with? It can't be just anybody./ Before he got to Aly, he called Sam. Sam had given him the name of a friend who babysat regularly over the weekend. Lindsey played his paranoia card (after they tried to find a way around Lindsey having to leave), and told her he would feel more comfortable with someone more than a babysitter, he also informed her that Aly has a serious allergy that needs to be stayed on top of. At one point he was willing to offer her mom a moonlighting opportunity. Sam mentioned her previously mentioned friend Peter just got out of nursing school and was applying for jobs. "Well, I'm…what do they call it? Baby-Daddy? Or something else? Either way, might as well add a gay male nurse-nanny to my life to bring me fully up to date in this modern world," was how he accepted the offer before he hung up to contact Peter.

Telling Aly was not the experience he thought it would be. She didn't seem upset in the slightest. The look on her face that clearly said "oh, this again, heard it before", was what he mostly got, even as he explained he really did not want to go. Whether that was better or worse, he wasn't sure about. He didn't expect her to miss him, but thought she wouldn't be that okay with being left, considering what Kristina did; but it was just another day of someone else taking care of her to Aly. Once Aly and Peter were introduced Lindsey was off to work.

Aldis Stark was already in Lindsey's office when he arrived. The men got right down to business. Aldis could not risk dumping bodies, they were bodies he was getting from demons, beyond the point where he could do anything to save them, but some organs and body parts he could make viable to be sold and transplanted. During times things went wrong during surgery, a number Lindsey believed the doctor has always lowballed with him but couldn't prove it, families would pressure him to do something with the body as they couldn't either because of what was spent on the surgery, any side effects that happened for the ones he used magic on, in ways likened to how Lindsey got his hand back, that came with the kind of side effects from the magic, or not wanting to get caught in any way with the illegal acts. To Lindsey's continued surprise he did know people have come out of Stark's procedures better, healthy, and they might not have been as lucky waiting and qualifying the legal ways. Talking him out of the "business" was pointless at this point, Lindsey knew that. The man was deep into legal debt and if getting caught hadn't scared him straight by now, nothing Lindsey could say would. Plus, that would run the risk of this guy somehow ending up in a legitimate medical facility and there were too many ways Lindsey could think of how it could turn into a fiasco quickly. In Lindsey's mind that morning he'd rather read a manual on how to do a medical procedure on Aly should she need one than ever let that "doctor" so much as draw her blood. "Okay, here's what I can do," Lindsey offered, rubbing his temple. "I think I heard my secretary arrive, she's going to get you the number of a guy named Magnus Hansley. Explain your situation and he'll tell you want he can do. He's a client as well." Once Lindsey heard Stark leave he got up himself and stood in his office doorway. "All my hard work in law school and I'm a glorified matchmaker," he complained to Sam. "Get in here," he hadn't meant for it to come out sounding like a command as it had.

Sam followed Lindsey into his office. "Tell me you're just mad about Stark," she stated right after closing the door. Lindsey was standing behind his chair, holding the back until he motioned for Sam to sit down. "You look like you need to sit down yourself," she said as she did sit in one of the chairs on the other sit of his desk. Lindsey sat too. "Lindsey, what-"

"Well, on the bright side, you know all those things you said I missed out on?" he cut off, "turns out I didn't miss all of them, not her first steps," the words flew out of his mouth laced with resentment, not at anyone, not even at Kristina, just… at life. Sam did not interrupt because it was clear to her whatever Lindsey had said and was going to say, was stuff he needed to say out loud, to a friend. "I carried her everywhere in the apartment yesterday to give her a break from her wheelchair." Sam only expressed shock in her facial expression, still letting him go on uninterrupted. "She tried to drink on her own, I should get juice boxes or something so she can. I didn't have to feed her the pizza after I cut it, she does like to do what she can on her own but I… wanted to give her a break, even a small one. Or maybe it was my guilt because I hadn't done anything for her until yesterday, haven't done anything to help her until yesterday. Maybe she would need a little less help if I had…" Lindsey finished by handing Sam a paper from his briefcase that was a synopsis of Aly's condition.

Even after Sam read it, it took her a minute to look up at Lindsey. It was obvious the doting mom was heartbroken reading such a thing about a child, let alone her friends' child. "Lindsey… I…" she started to stutter.

"I wanted to tell you in person." He explained. Sam nodded, understanding. "You don't have to say anything. We both know all the obvious standard lines people say over and over again in bad… un-ideal situations", he pointed out. "She is very sweet," he lightened his tone.

"So I hear, you said that yesterday, too," Sam smiled, hoping it was a sign that they started bonding.

"I don't know if it's the worst part or best part, she's very smart. Very smart, she can't say a lot of words, but she can get her point across in creative ways, on the spot," he briefly smiled, in a way Sam had never seen him do, has he described her intelligence, still thinking about her quick thinking with the watch. But the smile faded as he moved on. "She's smart enough to know exactly what's going on. She's different, when she is having trouble expressing herself is when she's the most frustrated, but she keeps going." Lindsey sighed. "It's like she's trapped in her own damn body. She knows what she wants to do and say, but she can't. I sure as hell would go crazy if I was in her position. No doubt. However, I think Kristina is just too selfish to raise a kid, any kid, but I know Aly suspects it's because she's not like other kids. Who knows at this point whose right? I don't know what she's thinking about her grandparents, she knows they went on vacation. I told her they probably miss her, but I didn't tell her they don't know, I don't consider them clean in this because of they knew what Kristina was like, and Aly knows they know what Kristina is like but make dumb excuses for her, they should have… done… I don't know, something. I've seen Henry at functions! A few months ago even!"

"I was going to ask you that."

"We'd nod that's it. Mingling is okay at those types of events as long as you don't look too buddy-buddy with the competition. I had no interest in hearing Kristina's name. He knew damn well the little girl in his house was mine, or potentially mine, and said nothing!"

"Maybe Kristina lied and said it was someone else," Sam suggested, trying to calm her boss down. Lindsey accepted it as a possibility. "Go back to your day off now. Go home, focus on Aly and yourself. Not them."

"They are very much a part of who Aly is, her self esteem-"

"So you make sure she knows that as far as you're concerned, she's the best person in any room she's in. That's it. Just love her, that's what she needs the most."

Lindsey could not admit to Sam although they had connected at times, and Lindsey had gained a lot respect for her in one day, he wasn't up to love, yet. He did take her advice on going home though.

When Lindsey returned home Aly had just finished breakfast, according to Peter who was cleaning up the kitchen. Aly was in her room playing. "I told you I wouldn't be long," Lindsey announced in the doorway of Aly's room. He saw her laying on her bed with her beloved Elmo, with a few other toys around her. "You're still tired?" he questioned, as he had to remind himself it could be from her weekend and not a sign he should take her to a hospital. "You got up but wanted to lay back down?" he continued to ask since she was on top of a made bed.

"She was playing with toys last I checked," Peter pointed out looking in the room.

"Aly did you lay down? Or did you fall? Did you have a spasm? Get too tired from sitting too long? " Lindsey interrupted immediately.

"I 'kay," Aly replied, shyly. She didn't like the vibe her father was giving off.

"That's not what I asked," Lindsey pointed out matter-of-factly. "On day ONE my kid falls and you had no idea?" he was yelling at Peter now, and scaring Aly, "What part of 'watch her carefully' did you not get? You are so damn lucky that somehow it was on her bed. You're the best Sam came up with to watch my kid?"

"Sir I am so sorry. I was checking on her," Peter defended.

"Get out," Lindsey ordered. He would have yelled more but Aly was crying; feeling guilty the nice guy that watched her got fired. Sam would later make Lindsey see it was a mistake that could happen under anyone's watch, Aly seemed fine it so she didn't call for help that was ignored, and talked him into giving Peter another chance.

Lindsey took them into the living room and sat on his favorite chair. "I'm sorry I yelled in front of you. But I need to know when I am not here, you'll be watched the way you should be," he explained, stroking her hair. "You probably think I'm a bit nuts with my yelling outbursts during a regular conversation," he then added, the filter between his brain and mouth failing to work again.

Aly hesitated for a moment, but telling the truth was the good girl thing to do, "…yea."

Lindsey couldn't help but laugh, especially because she sounded so honest about it. "I'll work on that. I missed you when I was at work," he decided to change the topic. "I would have been home even sooner, but I had to tell my friend Samantha, who sent the flowers, aaallll about you. She has a daughter your age, I think you would make good friends. She's likeable, and you're very likeable. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about your best friend."

Aly smiled. "Yea," she said, the indication Lindsey picked up on was that she had already trusted he hadn't forgotten. It felt weird being trusted by someone who deserves to be trusted and who trusts him to do something that wasn't defending felons.

"So is there anything special you would like to do today? Some place you want to go?" he asked. Aly shrugged. "Oh you're leaving the plans to the old nutty guy?"

"Yea," again, she was amusingly honest.

/Get ready to think I'm insane. Might as well get it over with though./ "Would you mind going somewhere with me?" She didn't. Lindsey had meant to see Lorne, the demon that runs the club Lindsey frequents over the weekend to ask him if he ever saw Aly in his 'readings' and if so, why didn't he say anything. Lindsey wanted the other world away from Aly as much as he possibly could keep it, but the idea that maybe, just maybe, Lorne could get a reading on her future was too appealing to pass up. At such an early hour it was probably the best time to go since Lorne would be the only one there. "I have to see a friend of mine. He's, well, he's a performer, like you see on TV. So he might be in a costume practicing. The costume is green, with some red actually, some can find it scary. Like scary Halloween costumes." Aly nodded to show she understood. "But he's a nice guy. Is it still okay?" It was.

Over at Caritas, Lorne's club, he was not the only one there when he heard a car (Lindsey's) parking out front "So Cordelia didn't see anything more specific?" Lorne questioned the current man he had been speaking too, Angel..

"No. Just men, business looking men, she said it looked like weird science could have been about to take place, but that probably means magic know? She also had a feeling they were waiting on someone. Two tables were set up in the room too. But no indication of when. Or maybe there was and she didn't pick up on it, they are getting harder and harder on her still," Angel explained.

"I'll keep my ears open."

As Lindsey, with Aly on his hip, walked down the stairs into the club, he noticed Angel at the half-way point. /What the hell? What force could I have possibly pissed off this much?!/ Using all the self-control he had, he went to go up quickly. It was too late because Angel saw him too. "Aaand my vacation's officially over," Angel announced at the sight of Lindsey, he didn't see Aly until they were fully down the stairs.

Lindsey's self-control was not good enough to back down from an Angel comment. He did tighten his grip on Aly slightly. Not out of fear, no, she was one thing of his that Angel was never going to touch. It was to make that clear. "Is that the politically correct term these days for bereavement sabbaticals?" Lindsey quipped back, standing in the club. "Met someone else, I assume."

Angel couldn't back off either, especially with how curious he was about Lindsey's company. "Well I wasn't trolling playgrounds looking for clients… or has Lilah been replaced? Just simply looking to hang out with someone your own size?"

Before Lindsey could make a comeback, a very determined Aly corrected the vampire. She pointed at her father and then down at herself to show the size difference, to let the man know he was very inaccurate. Then with her good arm she pulled off her glasses and held them out. "No." It was accompanied by a tone of someone trying to help someone learn something, not sarcasm.

Lorne didn't bother hiding his amusement. Lindsey was partly amused, even with her genuine offer to help his enemy see, but mostly proud of his kid for jumping to make her correct point. She wasn't mad, as Lindsey would have been, she was trying to be helpful. If Lindsey was being honest with himself, if she had been angry, even to Angel, it may have disappointed him. Angel for his part was embarrassed. For a 220-plus-year-old vampire, that took a lot. "Ah, tha-" he began to awkwardly to try to explain himself to the child he wasn't being literal, but had no idea how to get around explaining he was being insulting; but only to Lindsey. It didn't matter though because Lindsey cut him off.

"You don't speak to her!" Lindsey ordered, pointing at him. Lorne rolled his eyes and wondered if he could talk to the girl Lindsey was with elsewhere, as the children bickered. She had to be the mature option by default. Lindsey slightly bounced Aly in his arm quickly, as a kid would do to show off their new toy they were possessive of. "You don't get too!" /Well I shouldn't either, but he deserves it far less. I can't believe he's here./ Aly didn't like the yelling and the general feeling that this was a not very nice situation, but she was enjoying the part where it sounded like she was important.

"Is there going to be a point to any of this?" Lorne had to interject.

"I'm trying to find that out," Angel defended. Granted on its own it made Angel curious but the fact that Lindsey appeared with a kid when Cordelia had not yet figured out vision, one she doubted she had complete information on just heightened it.

"This doesn't concern you," Lindsey stated.

"There's concern," Angel pointedly made the comment vague as to not clue Lindsey in that maybe he had a heads up on whatever he was possibly up to. Plus, he really was genuinely curious about just the fact that Lindsey acquired a kid and who would leave their kid with Lindsey. Angel took a sniff of the room when something caught his nose. "Wait a-"

"You really are a sick bastard, really," Lindsey interrupted disgusted by the idea that Angel might be smelling the relation in the room. "Sorry," Lindsey added to Aly. /I should just make a standard issue apology about things like that later…/

"Angel, you and I were finishing up our conversation before Lindsey came in. Your business is done here," Lorne spoke up. He wanted to get to Lindsey's conversation through his own curiosity. "Really." The lawyer and the vampire exchanged one last look of mutual distain before Angel resigned to leave. "So now can I get an introduction?" Lorne questioned once Angel was gone. "Hi there, I'm Lorne," the friendly demon waved to the little girl.

Aly waved back. "This is Aly, my daughter," Lindsey explained, with a smile directed at said daughter. Lindsey then stared at Lorne to try to read his reaction, to see if that could help answer his questions; he couldn't. Aly was focused on something that could be seen on Lorne, as she expressed when she 'oooh'd' and pointed to his suit, followed by looking up at her father, suggestively. "I'm never getting a red suit." That one was one time Lindsey was perfectly fine with the disappointment he brought upon her.

"Not everyone can pull off the color like we can," Lorne cheerfully replied to the red glasses wearing little girl, who he saw as having great taste. "So what brings you here?"

Lindsey told Aly he had to have an adult conversation for the moment, and checked that it was okay with her to be put down at a table, out of earshot. Once he placed her at a booth that would be in his sight, he returned to Lorne to get to his point. "All those times you read me, you couldn't have given me a heads up that I'm a father?" he questioned, trying to sound too annoyed. "It would have saved me from finding out a few days ago!"

"Do I look like Maury Povich?" Lorne sarcastically replied. Before Lindsey could respond, Lorne moved on to a non-sarcastic answer. "Destinies I read can change, you know. I don't see everything. Sometimes it's just a short term road map and people can do things to make destinies change."

"So you did or didn't know?" Lindsey was confused.

Lorne sighed. "There was a time I saw a kid in your future, yes. I had a vibe it was a kid of yours, but I wasn't completely sure.

"So you could have told me."

"With all of the other things I had to read on you, it seemed less important. For all I knew you could have had her later. " Lorne hesitated for a moment before going on. "There was one time I did get a feeling she could have already existed. "When you sang without the guitar, after you lost the hand, that's when. Given your circumstances at that time, I didn't want to go on a hunch, what with your living with a vampire and all, in case you looked into it, found out that it wasn't in the future but now, and decided to take her or be in her life."

/Crap. That was a good idea./ "Alright, what about after? And what do you mean if I had decided?" He was insulted. "Yes, my life was in the toilet for a while. But I would have found a way to have some kind of relationship with her." /I think. Unless I knew what Kristina was like to Aly, then absolutely; in all likelihood./

"Are you sure about that?"

/Damn him./ I would have established some relationship as soon as I found out. She is four and I only met her yesterday! That shouldn't be."

Lorne nodded. "No, that's terrible, especially for the mini-muffin there. What happened?""

"My ex who deserves her silver spoon in her ass decided she didn't want to be her mother any more. It's pretty ironic considering it seems like she wasn't a mother, the butler seems more her mother, if you get my drift."

"I see. So she's rich. Let me ask you something, if you found out from the get-go, do you really think you would have a solid father/kid relationship? Isn't there a chance Lindsey of four years ago would have thought Aly was better off in the big house, with help, instead of with you, no matter what this woman was like as long as she wasn't being abused."

"Psychologically, an argument could be made…" Lindsey muttered. "I would have been in her life, especially with how Kristina was." Lindsey didn't just say it to Lorne, he was trying to convince himself that there was no doubt that's what he would have done.

"How much? Visits some weekends. My take, you would ration she was okay being cared for by other peoples help, and see her whenever there's an empty place on your calendar. As for your ex, you'd convince yourself you could force her to be better with Aly to make your absence easier."

The worst thing about Lorne said, was that there was a chance it could have gone that way, which made Lindsey angry but mostly angry at himself. "You are saying she was better off not knowing her dad for years? Thinking maybe she wasn't wanted by me?" he challenged.

"I said you'd see her. Now and then, I'm not saying it's better that this situation happened instead, but instead of being a sometimes dad, now, you have her full time. Well, I'm assuming given the comment about your ex." Lorne did not want to refer to the woman Lindsey was talking about as 'Aly's mom' given what Lindsey told him since that's not a mother.

Lindsey looked a little puzzled. "So being abandoned is better? You have no clue how rejected Aly feels. It's disgusting."

Lorne shook his head. "That it is. What if she felt twice as rejected if she knew you but you were off with whatever Wolfram and Hart was sending your way on top of what was going on in her house and it went on just as long or longer? Look currently in your life, things seem to be quiet, this might just be the right time. "

"When you said that you did see a kid, how so?"

Lorne shrugged. "It wasn't very informative, but apparently correct. I saw you and a kid whose life you have a big impact on. I didn't recognize Aly here, but that happens, since I do so many readings. The ex doesn't want to be a mother, now as her father, her whole life is depending on you. Don't let what should have been done take up too much time in your head or you won't get to all the things you should be doing now."

"That's all you got from the reading? Really?" Lorne confirmed it. Lindsey then filled Lorne in about Aly's medical conditions.

Lorne sighed in sadness. "Mini-Muffin can't get one break, huh? I'm starting to think less and less I came to a 'better' place."

Lindsey got right down to his point. "So, I was wondering, I mean, if she'd hum, or"

Lorne cut him off knowing exactly how his statement would end. "I don't need to explain Client Confidentiality to you of all people."

"She's a kid."

"And you are not her," the green demon sighed. "It wouldn't be fair for you to know more about her life than she does, unless you tell her about what I do."

"Nothing about her life is fair."

"I couldn't agree more. But this is like breaking open a diary, would you, oh wait, you would." Lorne made a hand gesture at Lindsey as the face and nod he return clearly indicated Lorne was right.

"For a reason of legitimate concern, yeah, I would. I wouldn't to see if she thought dinner sucked or to see if she ever cut one class," was what he decided to defend it with. "Besides, it'd be an item in my house, presumably purchased by me."

"You feel a need to know, I'm not going to say I understand, since, I can't," Lorne decided to get back to the serious topic. "But… it's not something I'm comfortable with when it's not her choice for possible details of her life being exposed. Plus, Lindsey, c'mon, what if the reading is… I hate even saying it's possible when I have no idea beyond what you just told me and it is a risk with everyone, …but God forbid…"

"Well, she's been in the hospital but with treatable things, and the Epi covers her meat allergy," Lindsey defended to see if that would change his mind. "Plus, then I would have a head start to change it should you get anything, you know," he quickly added.

"While in the meantime?"

/Damn./ Lindsey hesitated before answering. He knew Lorne had to say what he said, and he had a point that was hard for Lindsey to ignore, despite still wanting a reading. "What you want me to say what we both know? Yeah… I'll… it won't be easy for me to stay calm among other things if it's bad."

"I can't participate in taking that risk. Like I told you before, her future for the most part, hopefully the God forbids don't exist, is essentially wrapped up in what you do from here. Step one, stop with the self-serving risks."

Lindsey left the meeting with Lorne trying not to show Aly how annoyed he was. Not just by Angel being there. But what Lorne said, his indications Lindsey might not have been around for Aly had he known earlier, insinuations he still has a longer way than Lindsey agreed with to go before he can consider himself a selfless father. There was a need to prove Lorne wrong, as soon as he could. After Aly was put in her car seat Lindsey sat in the back as well. "So, does you mom still have that dog?" /Well, what she considered a dog./

"Yea."

"Do you like dogs?" he inquired as his plan was forming.

"Uh-huh!" She really, really, did.

"Do you want to look at one to get for us?" Aly loved the idea. Lindsey did like dogs himself, but had never wanted the task of taking care of one with how busy he usually is at work. His plate was filled even more, if Aly said no he would have been relieved. But she wanted one, so he'd do it for her. /Actually, protection-wise for her I should have considered this already. This is going to be a pain, but she's so thrilled. Completely unselfish of me, though I do get the bonus of getting to see that face excited./

Back at Wolfram and Hart:

Samantha was at her desk secretly researching Aly's condition while also looking up any information she could find to order any special toys or find activities recommended for kids like her on Lindsey's behalf, even though he had not asked her to or even mentioned he had considered doing so. All of her websites were quickly minimized when Lilah Morgan approached her desk. "Looking up Teen Mom support groups?" Lilah asked.

"Are you looking to be sued for inter-office harassment in the very office you are partly in charge of?" Sam countered. "What do you want?"

Lilah rolled her eyes but moved on. "Where is your boss? I hear you two have something in common these days."

Samantha gave Lilah her best obviously fake smile, "oh but we're already so close with our shared opinions on you." Sam dropped her attitude to get serious, "Lindsey left already if you heard he was here. He has one child to deal with, yes, don't make it two… today."

"Unplanned Parenthood unite!" That comment did not come from Lilah. It came from Gavin Park, 'the new old Lindsey' as Sam sometimes said. Lilah and Sam both gave him dirty looks for randomly inserting himself into their conversation.

"I hope your courtroom statements aren't so lame," Lilah countered. She did not like Gavin and not in the way she did not like Lindsey. She really did not like or respect Gavin as a lawyer or person. Lindsey was at least a good lawyer, not that she ever admitted that.

"My court record is what got me here," Gavin replied. "Who knows though, with Lindsey's out of court actions, if the rumors are true, will get me further."

"Don't count on it," Sam snapped right away.

"Yeah," Lilah agreed, "single parents have to work. Right Samantha?"

"Unless that harassment settlement is quite large," she countered even as she and Lilah exchanged looks that nonverbally spoke of their shared dislike of Gavin and how they both thought it was stupid he was already thinking about if he could work his way into Lindsey's current title.

TBC

A/N: Some of what's to come (can't give it all away): The magic aspect of the story moves forward. Sam and Teresa meet Aly. Aly and Lindsey get a dog (I'm deciding between them actually being in the store or after they bring her home stuff, anyone is welcome to vote on what they'd like.) If there is anything specific anyone would like to see/read happen I welcome suggestions and do my best to make it happen.

Thanks for reading!