Author's Note: Hello everyone. So I realized that my schedule (laughs uncontrollably) wasn't the brightest idea on my part. It put so much pressure on me to get things done, which made me completely shut down. I mean completely. However once I forgot about the schedule creativity seemed to find me. So here's to everyone who is still reading my stories.

Chapter 7: The Not So Happy Morning After

" Come between a Mother and child, and be prepared to bring the wrath of hell down on yourself."-Every Mother that ever lived.


" But I'm not sleepy," Carly-Ann insists and I try to stifle the bubbling giggle that threatens to spill out of me when she rubs her sleepy eyes.

" Sure you aren't and the sky isn't blue," I murmur setting her down on her bed, kneeling down taking her shoes off one by one.

" Really, I'm not," she says yawning hugely and I cant help but to shake my head. The stubbornness is definitely from me. I take my time changing her, sliding a nightgown over her head, running a brush through her hair slowly, reveling in the silkiness of it. Moments like this, when I hold her close I sit in stunned silence that something so beautiful, innocent, and pure came from me. I hug her closely, rocking her gently before sliding her into her bed, pulling the covers over her sleeping form.

" I love you my sweet girl," I whisper kissing her forehead, " Sweet dreams." I breeze through the bathroom, shutting her door gently behind me. I smile softly as I enter my room, and stop short finding Michael sitting on the corner of my bed.

" Hi," I murmur wrapping my arms around myself suddenly nervous that we're so close, that we're breathing the same air, that if I really wanted too I could cross the room and kiss him if I got the nerve to do so.

" Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Michael asks, his eyes shining brightly as he smiles.

" You may have mentioned it," I murmur blushing deeply as I rest my hand on my throat feeling the pulse drum against my fingertips.

" May have?" he asks surprised, " Well you are beautiful Dani. So beautiful. Not just in a pretty ball gown, but all the time. When you just wake up and you blink like an owl startled from a peaceful sleep, or when your deep in thought, and you get this crease between your eyes just here." I shiver slightly when his crosses to me and runs a finger down my forehead.

" Michael, earlier, when you said," I trail off when he lowers his face to mine, resting his forehead against mine.

" I meant what I said Dani, when I said I have every intention of marrying Carly-Ann's mother. You are it for me. The moment I saw you I think I knew," he murmurs and I take a deep breath trying to steady my shaking heart and resolve.

" Love at first sight doesn't exist Michael," I whisper looking up at him with blurry eyes.

" It does in my fairy tale," he whispers lowering his face, his lips pressing against mine in the sweetest and shyest first kiss that I have ever experienced in all of my life.

" Michael, please," I whisper pulling away from him pain coursing inside of me as he holds my face in his hands. Only it isn't just my face that he's holding, its my heart, and Carly-Ann's, " Life isn't a fairy tale, as much as I want it to be. Believe me, with you it would be so easy for life to be just that, but at the end of the day it isn't."

" Tell me what has you so hesitant Daniella, give me one good reason why you don't want this," he says backing away from me to sit on the edge of the bed his face the picture of brokenness.

" A couple of months ago, shortly after the accident, Carly-Ann and I sat downstairs at the table in the library. I was studying the itinerary for the tour, last minute things you know? Carly-Ann was coloring, and she looked up at me and she asked me a question," I say looking at him, " She asked me if you liked her, and it made me hurt, because I thought she knew that you love her. That wasn't the thing that caught me so off guard though. It was when she asked me if you would be her Dad someday." I watch his face, tears sliding down my cheeks as light crosses his face, flickering a sudden awareness in his eyes.

" Dani, you know that I love her more than anything in this world. I would trade all of this," he motions with his hands, " My life for her. You have to know that I would be the very best father that I could be to her," he says his voice pleading as he stares at me, " And I would be the best husband that I could be to you. My life was empty before you and Carly-Ann walked into my life. Sure I have money, things, crowds of people surrounding me all of the time, but it wasn't until the first moment I saw you, or the moment that Carly-Ann crawled into my lap to make sure that I wasn't going to turn into a werewolf, that my life had meaning. Everything fell into place when you two came into it. Don't you see? You are it for me. There is no one else. No one before you, or after you."

" Follow your heart and you'll find that it will take you where you need to go," I whisper, the words of my Mother echoing through me.

" What?" he asks his eyes narrowing in confusion.

" That's what my mom told me last night, when I told her that you said you have every intention of marrying me. She told me to follow my heart," I murmur walking to him, " It looks like my heart has always, will always, lead me to you."

" Dani," he murmurs taking me into his arms, hugging me closely to him, " I love you."

" I love you too Michael," I whisper kissing him deeply, finally feeling completely and irrevocably at peace.


I wake slowly, my body sated as I turn my head jumping slightly when I see Michael's face close to mine, and I smile slowly knowing that last night wasn't just a fairy tale dream that my mind cooked up after spending the entire night wrapped up in the one that Michael had created for me. I run my fingers along his face, enjoying the feel of his skin.

" Morning," Michael murmurs his lips curling softly to reveal perfect teeth.

" Morning," I whisper back pressing my lips to his, feeling the familiar heat coursing inside of me, humming in my blood.

" You look especially happy this morning," he says pushing up so that he rests on his elbow staring down at me.

" I am especially happy," I murmur, " I'm ecstatic actually because I thought this was all going to be a dream. That I would wake up and find that yesterday, that last night didn't really happen."

" Mmm, well believe it baby, it happened, a lot," he jokes and I playfully smack his arm blushing deeply.

" Stop it," I laugh loudly, squirming when he starts tickling me.

" Michael have you seen Dani," Max's booming voice vibrates through Michael's bedroom and I gasp clutching the sheet to my body, blushing so deeply that I fear the heat from my blood is going to cause internal combustion, " I, am so sorry, Dani, there's someone here to see you." I look over at him in confusion.

" What? Who?" I ask, motioning with my hand for him to turn around so that I can get dressed.

" I don't know, but he has something for you," he says and I pull Michael's shirt on buttoning it quickly. I rush down the hall way, Michael and Max's footsteps resounding behind me.

" Daniella James?" the stranger asks and I nod my head self-conscious about my ruffled appearance.

" Yes," I say, and he hands me a big envelope a sad smile on his face.

" You've bee served," he says and I stare at him in shock as he see's his way out the front door. I stare at the envelope in my hand, and my heart hammers wildly in my chest as I rip it open. My eyes flash over the front page and my stomach turns viciously before the papers flutter to the floor in front of me.

" Dani, what is it?" Michael asks grabbing me as I sway harshly, the room spinning and tilting.

" It's Nathanial, he's suing me for custody of Carly-Ann," I whisper struggling for air, "He wants to take my little girl away from me."


I sit staring out of the window in the library my heart aching, and I feel so cold. Even with the steaming mug of tea cupped between my hands, the icy feeling runs wildly through my blood.

" Baby, talk to me," Michael urges, and I blink blindly looking at him.

" Six years. He has been gone for six years. He beat me, told me he didn't want me or our child, and now all of a sudden he wants to waltz back into my life, into her life, and try to take her away," I say tears sliding down my face numbly.

" Dani, that isn't going to happen, I wont let it, ever," he says and I roll my eyes at him, shaking his hand off my shoulder.

" It isn't your choice to make Michael," I say pushing off the window seat, " You cant fix this. He is trying to take my daughter away from me, don't you get it? That's my child. My everything, and the scum bag sperm donor who was nowhere in sight for two thousand, one hundred and ninety days suddenly decides he wants to take a crack at being a father. How is that fair?"

" You counted the days?" he asks a slightly amused, " All right that isn't the point, the point is I know that I cant fix this Dani, but I can be here for you, for Carly-Ann, whatever you need. If you need the money to go away, you and Carly-Ann, I can do that. I can help you two disappear, if that's what you want," he says taking my shoulders in his hands.

" Are you crazy?" I ask trying to stop the tears from falling, " What your talking about is illegal."

" For you and Carly-Ann I would kill him if it would help," he mutters and I'm so shocked by the seriousness in his voice that I cant help but laugh.

" As heart warming and intriguing as that sounds, no," I murmur shaking my head, " I just, I need to think this through, one step at a time, that's what I'm best at."

" Well first things first, why don't we go get our daughter up and have some breakfast," he says as he starts pulling me from the room.

" Michael, you just said 'our' daughter," I whisper stopping him in the mid-step.

" I'm, sorry, I just, it kind of slipped out," he stammers and I shake my head hugging him fiercely.

" No, its okay, it sounds, right," I say kissing him lightly before linking my fingers with his, walking with him to get our daughter up for the day.


I sit on the couch with Carly-Ann my fingers brushing through her hair as she stares at me and Michael.

" What's wrong?" Carly-Ann asks her voice ringing through out the room and I wince. I had been trying all morning to somehow forget, to make the truth out to be some sort of horrible and terrible nightmare.

" What do you mean sweetie? What makes you think something is wrong?" I ask my eyes flashing up to Michael's, and I find slight comfort in the fact that he looks as lost as I feel.

" Well this morning you made me chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream, and the only time you make me that is when something is wrong. Do I have to go to the doctor? Do I have to get shots again?" she asks her voice growing wild with unadulterated fear.

" No honey, you don't have to go to the doctor," I reassure her, pulling her into my lap.

" Then, what is it?" she asks her small voice urging me to tell her.

" I got some papers earlier today," I say taking a deep breath as I mask my face into the picture of smooth composure, " Your father is taking me to court for custody, of you."

" What does that mean?" she asks and I groan inwardly wishing that I wasn't sitting here at this moment having to explain to my six year old daughter that the father she never knew wants to take her away.

" It means that he wants to go live with him," I whisper my heart breaking slowly as the words fall from my lips, the reality of them swirling around me.

" What? He cant. I don't know him, I'm happy here with you and Mikey. I want to stay in Neverland, I don't want to leave, I hate him. He made you cry, and he never wanted me, I wont go, I wont, you cant make me," she screams hot tears rolling down her flushed cheeks as I tighten my hold on her waist.

" Shh baby, I wont let that happen, I promise. I promise, I am going to fight for you, with everything inside of me," I whisper, rocking her as she cries my face buried in her hair.

" We're going to fight for you Carly-Ann," Michael says kneeling down in front of us, his big hands reaching out to cup her face between his palms.

" Pr-promise," Carly-Ann chokes out, her words hitching over her sobs.

" I promise," he murmurs taking her into his arms and I watch with a broken heart as Michael comforts my little girl, and I wish with everything inside of me that I could make this go away.


Michael's POV

I stand in the door way of Carly-Ann's room and watch as she lovingly and carefully brushes her dolls hair, her face the picture of peace, and yet something clouds her young eyes. Something that she shouldn't have to feel. Something no child should ever experience. Fear.

" Knock, knock," I call lightly tapping on the door frame. She looks up slowly, casting a look over her shoulder in a movement that reminds me so much of her mother it's staggering.

" Hi Mikey," Carly-Ann whispers a soft smile haunting her lips before she turns back to her doll. I cross the room, lowering myself to the floor so that I'm sitting across from her, watching her closely.

" You didn't come find me after dinner for your nightly story," I murmur, " What's on your mind little one?"

" I'm scared Mikey," she whispers, tears welling in her eyes and my heart breaks inside of my very chest, " I don't want to go live with Nathan."

" Honey what are you talking about?" I ask her gathering her into my lap.

" I heard Mama on the phone, talking to Grandma, and she said that if worst comes to worst I would have to go live with Nathan, and I don't want too, he isn't my daddy, you are," she confesses blushing madly as tears start rolling down her angelic face.

" All right listen to me Carly-Ann Sophia James, your mom would never let that happen, she is going to fight for you the hardest that she can, and so am I. I promised you that I wouldn't let anything happen to you sweetheart, and that's a promise I will keep forever," I reassure her hugging her close.

" Will you tuck me in tonight?" she asks and I smile as I rest my head on hers.

" Of course I will sweetie," I say, and I get up setting her on the floor, " I will be back in ten minutes, I'm going to go get a book, you get your pajamas on, brush your teeth, and climb into bed."

" Okay," she whispers and I walk out of the room, my chest burning as I make my way quickly to my room for the my old weathered copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which at the moment is Carly-Ann's favorite book. I shut the door quietly behind me and sink down to the floor, grasping the book hard against my chest as hot tears course down my face and wet my lips, praying that I can keep my promise.