A/N: So far one vote for Tribbie and one for Cabbie. No idea where it will go but it should be fun to find out.

Secrets That We Keep

Chapter 2

The Past Revisited

"I didn't always use to live in Hollywood. Before we moved here I lived in Aspen. Living in a tourist town is so different then living here. During the summer it was so boring but once the snow started there were so many people around. I was thirteen when I met her." Robbie said as he sat down and began his story. Everyone sat and gave him their full attention. His eyes kind of glazed over as he spoke again, as if reliving another life.

"Her name was Sarah. She had the most beautiful blue eyes. Those were the first thing I noticed about her. See Aspen stays snowy well into April and Sarah and her family showed up in late March, when her school had their Spring Break. She was with her sisters and maybe a few cousins, I don't really remember. Anyway I was a complete and utter nerd, big shock right, so when she started to show me attention I thought I had lucked out. How wrong I was."

"You see her and her sisters had the "perfect" way to make sure they stayed STD free. They only slept with nerds. I was barely 13 so this beautiful girl flirting, touching, and even kissing me boosted the hell out of my ego. Then one night before she left she got me alone and things started getting really hot and heavy. When she tried to go for sex I refused. I barely knew her and I didn't want to have a one night stand. I was raised better then that. She wouldn't take no for an answer so she drugged me." Robbie said laying his head back on the couch. He wouldn't tell them how violated he felt, how used he felt. It took him most of the past four years to actually start to believe he was worth anything. It is why he never complained at what his friends did. He figured it was all he deserved. Lane had really helped him see that it wasn't his fault but even that was an uphill battle. Even Rex, who at one time was a source of comfort, became cold and cruel to him. The insults Rex threw at him where what he thought he deserved. Rex was literaly his self hate. He was so lost in thought he hadn't heard the collective gasp the group let out. He quickly wiped his eyes from the tears brought on by remembering and he continued on with his story.

"When she left I thought that was the end of it but in July she sent me a letter with two ultrasound pictures. She said it was mine and if I didn't get her money she would tell the cops that I raped her. I went to my dad and he called his lawyer. I told them what had happened to me and his lawyer just nodded and went off to where ever Sarah lived. I was told it was taken care of. He got a confession to what they had done to me and said I could charge her with rape. In that one moment I had a sudden thought and told him I wouldn't do it if she signed over parental rights to me. After a lot of talk we got it done. October 11th my angel entered the world. I took one look at her and that was her name." He said. Everyone was quiet as they took in his story. Tori was the first one to ask a question.

"So why didn't you tell us about her?"

"For the longest time it was because I didn't want to explain about her. Then it was because I didn't want to hurt Angel." He said looking at her.

"What do you mean hurt her? I would never hurt such a sweet girl." Cat said getting upset.

"Cat for you she would be a new toy. You would be here everyday for a few weeks and then you would lose interest in her. Then I have to answer her when she asks me where you are. I can't hurt her like that. My parents barely talk to me, my grandparents disowned me completely, and her other set of grandparents are the same. Even though she is only four she knows on some deep personal level it is because she is here with me. I strive to keep her as a happy lovable little girl and I'll move heaven and hell before I let someone hurt her even unintentionally. It is why I won't let Trina use her for her assignment. She would work with her everyday and then after her grade comes in she would move on to her next thing and I'll have to pick up the pieces." Robbie explained. Trina and Cat had no rebuttel for what he said. Neither one of them could say that it wouldn't happen just like he said. He looked at all of them. "Now please listen if you are not going to be here for the long haul then please as my friend just leave. Don't drop back in. I'll see you guys when I can and at school but don't confuse my daughter by being around for a while and then leaving from our lives." With that he got up and walked into the kitchen and started to clean. The others stayed in the living room for a little before they started to talk.

"This is incredible. He has a kid." Beck said still shocked. The others agree but then Cat spoke up.

"He is wrong. He is doing this all on his own and he is using Angel as a way to push everyone away." She said softly. Everyone looked at her shocked at how deep she was talking when Jade nodded.

"His whole family has abandoned him. Who knows that bitch did to him mentally when she took advantage like she did. The only person he knows will never leave him is Angel so he wants to protect her from any pain." Jade said sounding like she knew what it was like. The others just nodded and then Tori lit up.

"Then we prove him wrong. We come and show him that we are his friends. I know we haven't been in the past but we have to change. I know I'm going to help him." She said excitedly. The others quickly agreed, except for Trina. Trina looked lost in thought. "Trina?"

"Yeah?" She asked as she started out of her thoughts.

"Are you in for helping Robbie?" Tori asked. She already knew the answer would be no but she wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Trina looked at her for a long minute before standing up. She walked towards the door. She looked back at Robbie, who she could see cleaning the kitchen, and shook her head before heading out and leaving. No one looked shocked as they heard her car drive away.

"That answers that. Now what should we do to help?" Andre asked. They started to discuss what to do and soon they had a plan. When Robbie walked back out they all looked at him. "We want to help." Andre said looking at his friend.

Robbie looked pained for a while before speaking. "Look I still am not sure this is a good idea but if you want to then what you can do is start coming over now and then. Not everyday but once or twice a week is fine. Let Angel get used to you not always being here that way if you have to stop coming for a while it isn't that big of a shock." The others agreed and left for the night.

The next morning Robbie walked into his daughter's room and gently shook her.

"Wake up my fairy." He said softly. Angel opened her blue eyes and smiled at her daddy. She gave him a hug and then made her bed, well pulled the blanket up. She put her dark purple tiger with pink stripes on her pillow.

"Boston kept all the bad dreams away." She said happily. Robbie chuckled and ran a hand through her curly hair.

"Ok go cut on the music and I'll get breakfast ready." He said. She took off and soon the sounds of Boston's "Foreplay/Long Time" was heard through out the house. Robbie hummed it as he fixed her cereal and some fruit. He made himself some oatmeal and sat at the table as Angel danced in the living room singing the song, slightly off key but so full of energy that Robbie couldn't help but feel his heart swell with love. She ran over and took a seat and started to eat happily. After breakfast they went to get dressed and soon Robbie was waiting for the bus that took her to daycare. She picked a flower for her teacher and got on the bus with a smile. Robbie waved goodbye and then he got into his car and was soon heading for school. Lane had set up that his study period would be his first class so he didn't have to be at school until after Angel was at daycare.

After school Robbie told everyone to come over the next day as he needed to clean the house. They all agreed and Robbie was expecting a nice quiet night at home but it seems that life had other plans. Shortly after Angel came home and he was making her snack there was a knock on the door. He walked over and opened it to a huge stack of presents. Well it was huge stack of presents being held by someone. Robbie quickly started grabbing presents to see who it was and was shocked at seeing Cat standing there. She just giggled at him.

"Are you going to invite me in?" She asked playfully as she walked in. Robbie just stepped to the side before really looking at her. She was in a nice white dress that she wasn't wearing at school. It looked beautiful against her lightly tanned skin and really offset her red hair. In one word she was beautiful.

"What are you doing here Cat?" He asked, his voice squeaking a little. Cat just smiled and set the rest of the presents down. She didn't answer him instead she walked over to Angel.

"Hello I never told you who I was yesterday. I'm Cat." She said happily. Angel grinned up at her and answered in almost the same tone.

"Oh I love cats and your hair is really pretty. Maybe Daddy will let me make my hair purple because that is my favorite color."

"Well mine is the color of red velvet cupcakes. I love them!" Cat explained.

"Oh I've never had one before. Are they really good?" Angel asked.

"Oh yes. Maybe later this week if your daddy says it is ok I'll bring you one."

"Daddy is it ok?" Angel turned to him with big pleading eyes. Robbie knew he had no defence to that and when Cat did the same look his little bit of control was lost. He would give them anything right then just to see them smile.

"Yeah it is ok but it would be for after dinner." He said trying to sound like a parent but unable to keep the laughter out of his voice. Angel and Cat cheered and started to talk more. Robbie moved the presents into his room and when asked he told Cat it was to save them for when everyone came over on Saturday. She pouted but nodded before giggling and helping Angel in her room.

They had dinner together and then Cat bathed Angel before they both put her to bed. Robbie pulled out his guitar and played her a soft lullabye. What he didn't notice was Cat looked at him almost as if seeing him for the first time. When Angel was asleep he walked out and gave Cat a hug.

"Thanks for coming over."

"It was my pleasure. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She said and started to walk away.

"Hey Cat." Robbie started. Cat turned around and smiled. "I have an audition tomorrow afternoon. Would you mind being here to get Angel off the bus?" He asked her.

"Kay kay, I got her. Night."

"Night." Robbie said as he walked her out.

Meanwhile across town at the Vega household Trina sat in her bedroom trying to get rid of the feeling of guilt that Robbie had put into her. Of course she was just going to use her to get a good grade but somehow with out it being voiced she was ok with it. Now all she could think about was how horrible she was for it.

'Damn him. Damn him straight to hell for making me feel like this. I just want to secure my future. How bad can that really be. I hate him. That is all there is to it. And with me unable to get a kid I'll have to make sure that do well at the audition tomorrow.' She thought as she started trying to focus on the scene she had to read which was a submarine sinking and she was supposed to kiss the Captain. Hopefully she would at least get a hot guy for it. With that thought to keep her happy she went to bed.

A/N: First I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed, put this in their favorites, or set up an alert. It makes me really happy and I want to write more for you guys. Second don't try to figure out when this is supposed to happen episode wise as I'll pick and choose as I need the story elements. Also while this is feeling like a Cabbie story it is not set in stone. Who knows what will happen next chapter?

Two little funfacts when it came to writing this chapter:

Robbie got his daughter was inspired by the Starman comic from the nineties. Jack Knight, the Starman at the time, was captured by the new Mist and while he was unconscious she raped him and had a son. I of course took out the comic book elements but I really wanted it to be something like that as I don't think Robbie would have a one night stand.

it was going to be Trina with all the gifts but I honestly couldn't get it to work where it didn't seem like she was trying to buy her way into Angel's life to use her, something Robbie would never allow. So it became Cat because her doing that makes sense.

Please read and review. Tell me what you liked and what you didn't.