Susan sat on the couch, studying Sydney. Nathan waited as long as he could, but a trip to the restroom was inevitable. Sydney didn't know why she had been so nervous…until Susan spoke.

"So, you're sleeping with my dad…" It was somewhere between a question and a statement. Sydney's stomach turned and her face went crimson.

"I…we…yes?"

The teenager smiled. "I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that, but," she laughed, "it was just kinda there in front of…"

"Susan, I'm so sorry that you found out that way," Sydney said, not able to look the young woman in the eye. Her next words flew out of her mouth. "Nobody knows, well, almost nobody and it's not like we actually told him, but with school and the mentoring we just thought it was best to keep it quiet and my best friend in the entire world, and I mean ever, I've known him since I was a toddler, I haven't even told him and…"

"Hey, teach, run on sentence." She was still laughing. "I get it and it's fine. Smart, really." Her voice calmed, though it was obvious she was still fighting against some laughter. "I've been after him to ask you out for a while."

Sydney's blush deepened, but she did look at Nathan's daughter. "He told me. Um, I guess that means…you're okay with this?"

Susan's voice turned serious. "I haven't seen him happy or take care of himself in a long time…" She wanted to say more, but Nathan returned and she stopped.

"So, ladies, what would we like to do?" he asked, unsurely.

"You've dated, right?" Susan asked, unable to quash her curiosity. "I mean, it's not just you two sneaking around having sex like teenagers?"

Nathan sighed. "Why can't you be one of those kids who is completely grossed out by all of this and wants to pretend it's not happening?"

"I've never been a conventional child, have I?"

He laughed. "Not at all."

"So, is this a 'don't tell Charlie' secret?"

Nathan looked at Sydney and she shrugged. "I trust him, Syd…we sort of had a thing happen and we bonded."

"Okay," Sydney said, wondering what the "thing" was.

Susan smiled. "So that's one thing out of the way, but now I have to ask about Swearingen. All the girls at school knew he was an ass, but…"

"Susan, language?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Anyway, he was pretty horrible at school, always checking out our as…butts and looking all pervy." She looked at Sydney, then at her father. "Are you guys…okay?"

"I don't know what might have happened if your father wouldn't have been shown up." She looked at Nathan and smiled. "Happily nobody there needs to worry about it anymore." She moved closer to Nathan and he put his arm around her.

They were quiet for a moment and Susan watched the way Nathan was looking at Sydney. "You aren't just having sex," she said, a slight trace of wonder in her voice. "You've said it." Her tone was sure.

Nathan looked at Sydney and simply beamed. "Yeah, we have." Sydney's face mirrored his, her smile wide.

Susan's heart warmed. "Do I keep calling you Miss Turner?"

"No, well…at school I guess? For now." Sydney was snuggling into Nathan as she answered; feeling more relaxed than she could remember. It was an odd conversation taking place for sure, but not having to sneak around in Nathan's home anymore felt so freeing.

"Good enough for me." Susan got up from the couch. "Junk food?" Sydney got up and followed her. The hours that followed were perfect. They snacked, talked, and watched a bad movie together before Susan went to bed. She reiterated that she would be wearing headphones all night.

Nathan and Sydney went to his bedroom, Nathan smiling at her as he shut the door. "She's happy."

"I'm happy," she replied, her voice flooded with relief. "And I want Arlen and David to know too."

Nathan walked to Sydney, taking her into his arms and kissing her. "You're sure?" he asked, not wanting her to feel pressured to do so.

She nodded. "Sneaking around has been fun, but…you're too wonderful to hide any longer." She kissed him, tugging at his bottom lip with her teeth. "You didn't get to enjoy yourself the way I did earlier," she whispered.

"Syd…"

"I believe she really is wearing headphones."

"I don't doubt it," he laughed, "but I have a little something different in mind." He began to slowly undress her, kissing her skin as he unveiled it. She shivered at his touch and understood that the mood was completely different than it was earlier. She made a mental note that she owed him something special. He led her to the bed and she watched as he shed his own clothing. He joined her beneath the covers and let his hands roam her body, gentle but seductive. "I love you," he breathed and it sounded like a sacred confession. He was holding her body close against his and reveled in the heat they shared.

"I love you too, Nathan." She caressed his face. "Are you okay?"

"Baby, I've never been happier in my life." He stroked her hair, kissing her again with more passion. "Tell me you want me."

Sydney's answer came quickly. "Always. Want…and selfishly need."

"Oh, Syd," his tongue glided along her neck. "That's not selfish at all." He reached over to the nightstand, wishing he didn't have to break their contact. A moment later, he entered her. They remained on their sides, facing one another as his hips pumped slowly. "I need you too…ooh…you've saved me, Syd." He rolled them so he was on top of her, his movements still tender. "Sounds so overdramatic, but you let me have a new beginning to my life."

Sydney shook her head, trying so hard not to cry. "You made those changes, Nathan…"

He changed her position just a little, but it was enough to slide deeper within her. "You made me want them more." He held them there, his eyes watering. "Tonight made everything that much more real…" He began to move again and Sydney's toes curled. "We're so right, aren't we?"

Sydney couldn't breathe as he somehow moved without leaving the depth he was at. She clung to him, desperate to keep the euphoria sweeping through her body. She was only able to respond after coming down from her high. "Yes." She kissed him deeply, her hips meeting his as he let his pace increase. She felt a tear fall on her chest. "Nathan, that's my shtick," she said, her hands running along his back.

"You think less of me?" he asked, smiling through his tears.

Never once had Sydney ever experienced something like this. The last time a man cried in bed with her was in high school after she and Arlen had experimented and he had thought he disappointed her. "I've never been with anyone so open. Please don't ever be ashamed of it."

Nathan felt the unmistakable heat rising in him and he claimed his lover's lips once more. She came with him and he no longer cared that his tears still fell. He had his daughter's approval and support, he was with a woman he loved who let him be himself…he felt whole, happy, and sure of himself for the first time in what felt like decades.

Sydney found herself in Nathan's usual position, gently wiping away his tears then cradling him in her arms, his head resting on her chest. "Nathan, I know there are still so many things we haven't told one another, but I need you to know that no matter what your past may hold, I swear to you, it will never make me look at you differently." She ran her fingers through his hair. "I never want you to think you can't bare your soul if you feel the need…" She groaned at herself. "That sounded so 'movie of the week', but it's the truth."

"I was nothing more than the guy with the paycheck. If I expressed anything, I was scoffed at…laughed off. I couldn't vent, I couldn't…be for so long…" His words were uncensored and unstoppable as Sydney rubbed his back. She didn't ask questions, she didn't press for anything more than he was giving her. "I have no idea why it lasted, why I let it…I think…I thought I'd lose Susan and I just couldn't. I let myself get lost in a fog and it was never the job that drove me to drink, not at first anyway…" His finger traced shapes on Sydney's stomach. "I still don't know how I let it all happen, but if it hadn't…" He yawned, physically and emotionally exhausted. "…we wouldn't be here."

Sydney swallowed hard, her heart both elated and breaking. Nathan had been completely broken and she couldn't understand how Celia could have done that to him. She knew there was so much more than what he was telling her, but she didn't have any nagging feeling that he'd actually caused any of it. He was asleep in her arms now and she was content. She had the feeling that she would get little bits of this story from time and that was fine. All that mattered now was that they brought one another the happiness and comfort they needed to free themselves from their pasts and open up their futures.