Moe French had been pestering his daughter for weeks about meeting the father of his grandchild and she had finally relented. The two had plans to meet at his apartment where they could have a quiet lunch. Mister French was excited to say the least, he had tidied the place to within an inch of its life and even made Chicken Rice Casserole, it had been Belle's comfort food since she could have solids, and Moe wanted everything to be perfect. He knew he had a problem with gambling and to a lesser extent drinking, but with the news he was to be a grandparent all the beer had been binned; Belle couldn't have been more proud. In fact the only alcohol that remained was the bottle of wine for their meal. He'd always wanted a large family but alas the world had taken his sweet Collette from him, the baby was to be his new chance.

Moe spent weeks wondering what 'Cameron' would look like. Would he look a little like Gaston, with jet black hair and strong shoulders? Or would he be like Aaron from her rebellious years, bleached hair and tattoos? From what Belle had told him he knew rather little, all Moe knew was that Cameron had a good job and told her baby Star Wars. In the end Moe decided that it was to be a surprise, 'how bad could it be?" He asked himself.

He'd just finished setting the table when a gentle knock that he recognized as Belle's came at the door, Moe looked up to the small clock above the couch on the other side of the room; One o'clock. The front door was thrown open revealing his darling daughter in a tight fitting short sleeved cream dress with rose decoration but that was not what he noticed. He didn't notice how it brought out her eyes or notice how it was a little too short for a pregnant teenager, even one who was nearly twenty. No, the only thing Moe French saw was the child curled again her left shoulder.

"Hello Papa." She greeted, nervous beyond belief at how her father would take the news.

"Izzy..." He began. "Who's this? And where is this 'Cameron' of yours?"

Cam had consented to going all the way back down to the car to retrieve Humphrey, who Bae had left in the back seat. He'd said it would be better for the old man to be sacrificed than the pregnant beauty but Belle knew the truth; Cameron Gold was scared. Belle had nowhere to turn, her Papa had seen Bae, she had to tell him now.

"Cam went to get his bear." She gestured to Bae with her head. "This, this is Baedan. Or just Bae, he's Cameron's son."

"Son?" Moe just stood there in the doorway gawking at her and the child.

"Yes Papa, son." Belle turned her attention to Bae. "Angel, can you say 'hello' for me?"

Bae was cautious of the strange man, but his Mama seemed to trust him, so Bae did too. The toddler lifted his head from her shoulder and in his bravest voice said.

"Hello." Then turned to Belle. "How was that Mama?"

"You did very well, Bae. Papa can I come in or are we going to stand here all day?"

Moe had forgotten he hadn't let her in, he was in too much shock. Cameron already had a son, was their some ex-girlfriend waiting to jump out of the woodwork? And why the hell was the child calling his daughter Mama?

"Mama?" Moe asked stepping aside to let Belle in. She covered Bae's ears.

"His mother wasn't a good mother, she died, I love him, he's my son." She filled him in quickly but softly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"I suppose not, Izzy. At least your man will know how to care for a child."

It scared Belle that he was being so accepting, like suddenly everything would come tumbling down at her feet. Maybe he had Grandpa fever, she giggled to herself.

"Bae, why don't your take you bag and go play over there?" She pointed to the coffee table on the other side of the room and handed him the small Thomas The Tank Engine bag that was filled with his things. Bae ran off happily.

"Anymore surprises I should know about, Izzy?" He'd meant it as a joke but Belle couldn't help worrying her bottom lip. "I made Chicken Rice Casserole, your favourite." He announced as he wandered off over to the paisley kitchen. "Does Cameron prefer tea or coffee?"

"Tea, definitely tea." She spoke as a somewhat reserved knock came at the door. Cam really was nervous. "I'll get it."

The door opened and Belle pulled him inside fast enough that Cam, for a moment, thought she'd broken the sound barrier. From there he was manhandled over to the living area where he handed Bae his bear. Bae smiled with a soft 'thanks Papa' and then went back to his Buzz Lightyear toy.

"Okay, my Papa seemed to be accepting of Bae, so that's half the battle. Just you left and we're home free."

"I thought we were having lunch, not going to war."

"Not all people are as accepting as Victor, Jefferson and Ruby. My father likes your normal nineteen-fifty's style family. That's why him just going with everything he knows so far is freaking me out."

"Sweetheart, you're panicking and its not good for our baby. Take a breath." She did. "I love you. You're his daughter, I'm sure he will accept what makes you happy."

Belle had no idea how a man who was more terrified than she was, had somehow become the voice of reason and logic. Alas she was going with it and pulled him into a hug. Another deep breath was in order. Moe came back to find a man in a suit with his back to him. 'Moment of truth' Moe told himself as he made his way over to the mysterious Cameron, tea in hand. He was shorter than he had imagined and a little over dressed, he had his arms around Belle who had a little smile her face. Yet it faded and her eyes flew open when he said.

"You must be Cameron. I'm Moe French, Izzy's father."

In split second everything changed. Cam turned revealing a man who was about Moe's age, with a cane and grey blended in his hair. What the hell? The man before him was not what Moe had been expecting at all. Before he could say anything Belle began to speak.

"Papa." She sounded terrified. "This is Cameron." Belle held onto Cam's arm using his warmth as a comfort blanket. She hoped, no, she prayed her father would remain in his accepting mood but Moe's face dropped.

"Izzy?" His voice was almost a growl and gave Belle the sudden urge to hide behind Cam, however, she needed to be brave and get through the afternoon.

"I know Cam is a little older than you expe..." She was cut off by her father's growl, Bae nearly jumped out of his skin and shuffled away from the now homicidal looking man.

"'A little'! Izzy, he's old enough to be your father."

"Papa, he's three years younger than you." She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth, but by then it was too late. Her Papa had gone off the deep end and into full-blown rage.

"Isabelle, that is not a good thing! He's too old for you! I would have expected this from Ruby, not you! You told me you met him college, does he hang around waiting to see which innocent young girl he can take advantage of?!"

"That's enough!" Cameron's voice suddenly put a stop to Moe's yelling long enough to get a sentence in. "Belle is almost twenty, she can make her own choices. You cannot force her to do something that she is not happy with. And you're scaring my son."

"No, you don't get to pretend that you're innocent in this, you brainwashed my daughter, my sweet little Izzy and now she thinks she loves you."

"I do love him Papa. I know this is a lot to take in, I'm sorry. You accepted the baby and Bae, why can't you accept that I love Cam? He makes me happy."

"That's what you think now, Izzy. Give it a while and he will find someone younger, more gullible, and then you'll have nothing. You aren't even that boy's mother but he's palmed him off on you." Belle looked like she could cry.

"I would never do that to her and Baedan loves her." Cam growled.

Bae wanted to run back to his father's car and hide until the adults where done screaming at each other. He cuddled Humphrey close to him and tried not to cry. Bae had never heard his Mama shout, and that was more petrifying than anything else; more than the strange man telling his Mama that she wasn't his Mama. Bae watched as Belle began to cry, acidic tears dripping down her cheeks and wetting the fabric of her dress.

"Isabelle Penelope Marie French, I will not let you throw your life away on a monster more than twice you age and some other woman's unwanted child!"

Bae could take no more, he charged over to the door and through sheer determination got the it open, he ran down towards the stairs seeking his father's Cadillac.

"Bae!" Called Gold, who had become more concerned with protecting his son than taking his cane to Moe. "Bae!" With that Gold was gone, faster than he knew he could move, off to catch up with Bae before he fell or wandered out in front of a car.

It left Belle and her Papa alone, and much to the neighbour's relief, silence fell. Belle couldn't speak, didn't know how to feel; her hormones making everything ten times worse, blurring everything into one massive swirl. How had her Papa suddenly gone from the kind man she'd always known and loved to this animal in front of her?

"Izzy." Moe began at a calmer volume. "I know you think you love him, I see that. And I see that the boy loves you, but the father, Izzy, he's too old. There is something monstrous in his eyes, something hidden away deep down inside and one day it be let out and go after whoever is closest. I will not let my daughter, my grandchild, go will that beast. I won't." He placed his hands-on her shoulders and looked down at Belle with love. "Izzy, you can move back in here. I'll help you with the baby and..."

"No."

"What?"

"No." Belle looked him dead in the eyes. "What happened to 'you're mature beyond your years'? What happened to ' I won't start some huge fight and lose you too'? I love Cam and I love Bae. I won't leave him because you don't approve of him and I sure as hell won't take his baby from him." Belle had no idea where her strength was coming from but she was grateful for it and was going to push it as far as it would go. "This is my life Papa, not yours. I'm not a little kid that needs protecting, I'm a grown woman who for the first time in a long time, is happy, truly happy. You said you didn't want to lose me, but Papa, if you can't get it through your head that this is my choice, than no one decides my fate but me then...then you have lost me."

It was the most painful thing she had ever had to say and after a second to breathe, Belle picked up Bae's bag and Buzz Lightyear toy and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her so hard it nearly came of its hinges. She left him there in silence with nothing but the smell of Chicken Rice Casserole burning in the oven. Cooling tea still in his hand.

XXXX

When she made it to the parking lot she found Cam sat in the back seat of the Cadillac holding a crying Bae; she slipped in beside him. Bae balled into his father's neck and clung onto Humphrey like a life line. Belle started crying again and let Cam pull her to him with his free arm.

"I'm sorry, Bae." She began. "We didn't mean to upset you."

The toddler looked up at her, his eyes red and puffy, bottom lip between his teeth and hands clutching at Cameron's shirt. Belle cuddled closer and snaked an arm around Bae.

"Love you, Mama."

Bae was brave just like Belle and always knew just what to say. Cameron gave the toddler and his sweet Belle a squeeze showing his own love for them and it took all her pain and fear away. Age and blood didn't come into it, Cam was the love of her life and Bae was her son. No one, not even her Papa could change that.