Disclaimer: I do not own Lie to Me or any of the characters in this story.

As promised, another chapter very soon after the previous one. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, some of you are reviewing every chapter and I really appreciate the support and encouragement. Including what's already been posted and what I've written ahead of time and am storing on my computer I've now written a bit over 27 000 words for this story. A bit longer than the single chapter I'd originally thought I'd write :P I have a feeling the end of this chapter might provoke a reaction.

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Later that afternoon Cal and Gill picked Emily up from the airport. Cal had thoroughly embarrassed Emily, showering her with hugs and kisses while Gill had smiled politely and waited her turn to give Emily a quick hug. Emily noticed she seemed a little distant, but didn't think anything of it, putting it down to Gill not wanting her to embarrass her the way her father had.

As soon as they were in the car Emily started chattering away about school and how much she hated Math and wished she could just do English and History instead of all of the other subjects they made her take. Gill listened intently, as she always did when Emily spoke, and offered to help her with her Math homework. It wasn't unusual for Gill to lend a hand, she'd always been bright, and it took her a while sometimes, but eventually she was almost always able to recall how to do whatever it was Emily was trying to accomplish. The teenager smiled. "Thanks," she replied. "Man, if you guys ever have babies, they're going to be geniuses," she decided. She'd known about Sophie, but it didn't really click that maybe the reason they'd tried to adopt was because Gill couldn't have kids.

"Emily, not every couple that gets married has to have babies," Gill said, a little snappy.

Emily looked genuinely surprised. Gillian had never been anything but sweet and patient with her, and as she opened her mouth to speak she found herself on the receiving end of a warning look from her father in the rear view mirror. She closed her mouth and looked out the window silently.

The rest of the car trip passed in uncomfortable silence, and when they arrived at the hotel Cal got out and handed the keys to the rental car to the valet. A bell boy came and collected Emily's luggage and he walked over to the front desk. "Em, I thought you and Gill could share a room," he told her. "You're not going to want to share with me, and I don't want you in by yourself."

"Dad, I don't think that's such a good idea..." Emily said quietly, glancing over at Gillian, who was waiting near the elevator.

"You'll be 'right, Em," he assured her. "She's just a bit touchy at the moment. Probably best not to bring up any little additions to the family, okay?" he suggested gently.

"Because of Sophie?" Emily asked curiously.

Cal took the key to the additional room and nodded slightly. "Something like that," he agreed, ruffling her hair a bit then kissing the top of her head. "Just try not to talk about it, okay?" he requested.

Emily nodded her agreement and walked over, linking arms with Gill. She wasn't going to let Gill be upset with her. "Looks like we're roomies until the wedding," she smiled.

Cal and Gill had discussed the arrangement before they'd even left DC, but that didn't change the fact that Gill would rather be sleeping with Cal. She slept horribly without him and as much as she loved Emily she needed to be with Cal at the moment. "Your dad thought it would be best," she replied.

"I like the idea," Emily smiled. "Do you have any more romance novels? I read the ones you leant me from cover to cover already. I seriously think I'm in love with Blake from that last one," she said with a sigh.

"Oh, great," Cal replied, rolling his eyes. "You too?"

Emily turned and shrugged, beaming at Cal. "They make me happy," she explained, and Gill's head whipped around to face the two of them.

Cal looked at Gill then, holding her gaze. They were both thinking the same thing. Emily had learnt that from Gill.

"What'd I say?" Emily asked nervously, looking back and forth between the two adults.

Cal smiled. "Nothing, Em," he assured her, gesturing for them to get on the elevator when it arrived and stepping in behind them.

"I was thinking you might like to go shopping this afternoon," Gill told Emily with a smile, trying to make things go back to 'normal'.

Emily smiled. "Shopping tomorrow, pool today?" she suggested. "There were some really cute guys in the lobby and they had towels with them..."

Cal cleared his throat to remind her he was still there. "Not bloody likely," he told Emily.

"But Dad..." Emily protested.

"And this is exactly why you're sharing a room with Gill," he told her. "She might be more lenient than me, but at least you'll be under adult supervision. Absolutely no boys. I'm just waiting until you're old enough that I can send you off to live in a convent," he informed her.

Emily turned and looked at Gill pleadingly. "Sorry, Emily," Gill apologised. "Your Dad's already made his decision."

"Can't you change his mind?" Emily asked hopefully.

"Probably, but I'm not going to," she told her. "It's not my place to get involved."

"But you're going to be my stepmother in a few days," Emily replied. "Surely you get some say, too. Please, Mum?" she requested, not trying to be manipulative, but completely forgetting about Cal's earlier instruction to lay off the subject of Gill having kids.

Gill gasped quietly as she stopped and stared at Emily. The use of that one word had taken her breath away.