A month had passed as Danny worked right along side of Trevor and Charlie. Finally, it came down to the inevitable. Danny's business partners took the opportunity to use Danny's misfortune to make themselves a fortune. They would drop all pursuits against Danny legally if Marna Inc. was signed over to them. It was an easy decision for Danny. Desai Industries had enough wealth for him.

Thomas was adjusting much better than all thought. He was happy as long as he had him mommy and daddy both. He did seem to cry at times when Phoebe or Samuel were thought about. However, Thomas seemed to understand when he was promised they'd go see them soon.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Charlie?" Danny readied to sign the papers. "I was going to make you a partner once you learned the business."

"I'm fine with it, Danny. I'd rather all worries be over with. I don't want to see my brother in prison.." Charlie chuckled. "...again. Besides, they are going to go after Bruce and Rachel. Those two can't hide forever."

"What does Lacey think?" Trevor had read over the document.

He felt the men were being unfair. He knew with time, he'd prove Danny's innocence. However, he understood Danny didn't want Lacey worrying. Danny wanted to get on with his life.

"She said it was my decision. She thought Marna Inc. was kept to keep me grounded so I won't be like my dad. It was." Danny smiled as he signed the papers. "But Lacey and Thomas do fine with that now."

Two weeks later, all things were settled and the Desais flew back to the United States. Green Grove is where they belonged as far as they were concerned. Charlie gave Danny the news, bad or good depending on who you were, Rachel had killed Bruce fearing he'd squeal on her when they were caught. She tried to escape but was being held in a prison in Indonesia due to that is where she murdered her brother. It was obvious that Rachel would never see her freedom again.

Danny stood in the bedroom looking into the small bathroom connected to it. He rubbed his neck as he watched Lacey nervously. She squealed. Danny wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. Was she happy? Mad? Sad?

"NO!" Okay that answered his question. Happy wasn't in that scream.

"Ummm." Danny leaned on the door frame. "The box said…"

"I don't care what the box said. I'm tired of boxes and plastic sticks." Lacey huffed. "This can't be happening!"

Danny smiled half-heartedly. He was kind of excited about it. He had been trying to get things fixed with his family. Lacey and he didn't exactly plan the little celebration the night Thomas spoke.

"Honey…"

"Don't!" Lacey pointed her slender finger at him. "I used birth control most of the time. You didn't remind me or wear a condom!"

"You did this with Thomas too. " Danny shrugged. What was the big deal any way? Thomas was a great kid. Another Thomas wouldn't be so bad if that was the fear she was having.

"Don't be so smug, Sperm injector man!" Lacey folded her arms and marched around the room like she was on foot patrol. "A month in bed. Swelling ankles. No holding down dairy products. Carrying a HUGE baby in too little a womb. Night feedings. Aching breasts. Diapers. Baby kicks under the rib."

"Are you okay?" Danny ran his hand through his hair.

" You have no idea how difficult it was. YOU WEREN'T HERE!" Lacey screamed.

Danny stood up and embraced Lacey. "I am now. I will be."

Sniff. "I love Thomas."

"I know."

"I do. But…" Lacey cried. "He's difficult to raise. I worry if he will ever know…" Sniff…tears…sniff. "Love of a woman. I know he's four. But I look at him thinking what if he never grows up? What if he remains in his shell forever?"

"Shhh." Danny rubbed his hands down Lacey's back. "You're afraid this child will be autistic too."

"Yes. Am I a bad person to fear that? Is it wrong as a parent not to want to see a child have to go through what I know Thomas will have to endure all his life?"

"No, Baby. I thought that too. I think it would be great for Thomas to be a big brother." Danny ran his hand up and down Lacey's arm.

"I'm scared." Lacey admitted. "I want Thomas. I love him with all my heart. I wouldn't give him up for all the children in the world. But I don't want to feel so out of touch like I do with him sometimes."

"Lacey,if this baby is like Thomas. We'll deal with it. TOGETHER. Thomas is special and unique. So will this child be. Of course, no parent wishes a life on a child that will make them different than what society sees as normal. But we won't love this baby no less than we love Thomas. We love him an awful lot."

"You're right." Lacey smiled as she whipped her hand over her wet cheeks. "You being here will make a world of difference. Not facing the unknown future alone will be great ."

"The only thing is.." Danny laughed. "Is Thomas going to like this."

There was no big wedding ceremony. They had married with their best friends at a small church in Green Grove. Only the Mastersons, Sarita, Scott, Jo, Rico, Phoebe, Samuel, Cole and Charlie were there. Charlie was best man and Phoebe was maid of honor. Of course, Thomas stood with his mommy and daddy holding their hands as they recited their vows.

Lacey did have a difficult pregnancy. Her ankles swelled. But Danny was there to rub them. She vomited a lot but Danny was there to hold back her hair. She felt strong kicks to her stomach. But Danny was there to rub her aching tummy. She couldn't get out of the bed the last month. But Danny was there to carry her wherever she wanted to go…

Thomas was surprisingly different towards Lacey. He seemed to sit by her when she was sick. He was comforting her by reading children's books. Strange how he sensed he should read children's books instead of his usual adult literature.

Thomas sometimes would lay his head on Lacey's abdomen and listen intently. He was given his own stethoscope to listen to the baby's heartbeat. When he did pick up the baby's heartbeat he'd smile. "Bubby."

"Or sissy." Lacey would giggle at Thomas's words.

Those words were coming more frequent. The eye contact remained difficult. But that was okay. Thomas was trying to tell his family his needs and his desires.

Each visit with an autistic specialist brought new hope. The advances in studying autism was making leaps and bounds. Lacey and Danny were sure to allow Thomas the best that they could afford.

"Hi." Danny plopped down still in his suit after a hard day in the office. There was important meeting with a classy gentlemen from London looking to sell Desai Industries his company. Also, Danny had made Charlie a 20 percent owner of Desai Industries. He loosened his tie. "Tired."

"Danny..." Lacey pointed to his suit outfit. "Thomas laughs at you."

"I know." Danny grinned. "He thinks I look like an old man."

Thomas came bounding through the room. "Daddy…" He doubled over holding his stomach in laughter. No matter how many times Thomas saw Danny in a suit. It still had the kid laughing. "Old man."

"Hey." Danny grabbed Thomas and twirled him around. "I don't look old."

"Yes." Thomas giggled. "Old Man!"

Lacey covered her mouth trying to stifle a giggle. Danny cocked his eyebrow at her. "Not you too, Mommy."

Lacey squealed when Danny grabbed her with one arm while holding Thomas with the other.

Thomas stopped giggling and made a grimace. "Ew. Mommy pee."