Disclaimer: I do not own any of the cast or crew of DC, nor do I own the show. This is purely fictional and for entertainment purposes. However, I do own the original characters.

There was an uncomfortable silence between McKenzie, her boyfriend and her dad.

"So..." Her dad said breaking the silence. "Since you're in town…what are you two planning to do?"

"McKenzie and I are going to go to lunch." Zach said. "You're more than welcome to join us."

"No, you two go ahead." Her dad said. "I have other plans."

McKenzie gave her dad a look and he ignored her.

"Ok, well I'm ready." McKenzie told her boyfriend. "Let's go."

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Morris." Zach said shaking his hand.

"You too, Zach."

McKenzie and her boyfriend headed out to his rental car and got in.

"Where do you wanna eat?" He asked.

"There's a great bistro about 15 minutes away." She told him with a smile.

"Cool." He said backing up.

McKenzie gave him directions and 15 minutes later they were sitting down at a table at the quiet bistro.

"So, when are you planning to come back home?" He asked putting his baseball cap on backwards.

"Well I was planning to only stay 2 more days, but I think that I'm going to stay another week." She told him. "My family hasn't seen Aubree in a while and I still wanted to catch with my friends."

He nodded and she knew it wasn't a good nod.

"So has he seen her?"

"If you're referring to Jake, yes he has." She said getting a little defensive.

"Why are you getting upset?" He asked. "It was just a question."

"He's her father, he has a right to see her."

"He didn't care too much about seeing her, considering he hasn't in over a year."

"Zach, did you come all the way to Seattle to argue with me?" She asked. "Because it wasn't worth the plane ticket."

"No, I didn't." He said grabbing her hands in his. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't want to fight with you either."

"Ok, we won't talk about this now." He said giving her a smile. "I'm here for 2 days and want to spend time with you and Aubree, since you won't be coming back for another week."

She nodded and leaned over to kiss him.

They had a nice lunch and she showed him around Seattle for the rest of the day.

Jake woke up around 1 in the afternoon and was surprised he didn't feel bad from the night before. He had fun going out with his friends and Mac. Now he wanted to see his daughter. He took a shower, and got dressed. He had a lot on his mind, worrying about the family business, and not waiting McKenzie and Aubree to go back to Colorado. He had to step up to the plate for both situations and he just didn't know where to start. His phone rang and it was his mom.

"Hi, mom."

"Hey, son…what are you doing? Do you have my grand baby?"

"No, not today. McKenzie's mom is in town and she has her."

"When are they leaving?"

"In a few days, I think."

"Well I want to spend some more time with her before they go. So when you see her, call and let me know, ok?"

"I will."

He talked with his mom for a few more minutes before hanging up. He called McKenzie and it went straight to voicemail, so he decided to call McKenzie's dad. They were going to meet up to go fishing. Jake met Mark over at the dock where Mark had his boat. He hopped aboard as Mark was putting the fishing gear aboard. They bullshitted with each other until they got to their fishing grounds.

"Jacob, when are you going to ask my daughter to stay?" Mark asked the younger man.

Mark always knew what was on Jake's mind, much like his own dad.

"I want to; I just don't know if she will."

"You won't know unless you ask." He said casting his line out and looking back at Jake. "I know you don't want to lose your daughter again."

"That's becoming my worst fear now days." Jake admitted. "It used to be about the family business, and not living up to the family legacy. Now I fear not being able to see my daughter and not being the dad she needs me to be."

Mark just listened without saying anything.

"I've missed so much of her life and she's only 2." Jake sighed. "I don't know how my life got so fucked up."

"Everyone makes mistakes. What you do with those mistakes, is up to you."

Jake nodded.

"I wasn't the man McKenzie needed me to be years ago. I worked hard and partied harder." He said. "Up until a few months ago, I thought that was how I was supposed to live my life, but when I seen Aubree and it was like looking in the mirror. When I seen her smile and called me daddy…"

"That's the best feeling in the world." Mark said. "No drug or bottle will ever make you feel the way."

"I want to be the dad I know I can be."

McKenzie wondered why her cell phone hadn't rang all day and remembered she turned it off when Zach got there. While they were on their way back to her dad's around 7 p.m., she turned it on and listened to the 3 voicemails she had. One from her mom, one from her dad and one from Jake's mom. She decided to call her mom back first.

"You have someone here that wants to see you."

"She misses her mom, huh?" Mac asked with a giggle.

"Yep."

"Well I'll swing by the hotel and pick her up." She told her mom. "I'll be there in half an hour."

She hung up and gave Zach directions to the hotel her mom was staying at.

"At least your mom will like me." Zach chuckled.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, you know your dad didn't like me the minute he saw me." He said looking over at her.

"It's not that he doesn't like you…" She said trying to figure out the right words to say. "It's just he's…set in his ways. It's just because he doesn't know you yet. I bet when he does, he'll come around."

"He'll have plenty of time for that." Zach said kissing the top of her hand right near her knuckles. "When we come to visit and when he comes to Colorado."

Well just like Zach predicted, McKenzie's mom seemed like she really liked Zach. They picked up Aubree and headed back over to her dad's.

"She's a little cranky tonight." McKenzie said wrestling with her unruly daughter once she got her out of the car.

Zach nodded and walked them up to the door.

"I'll let you get her settled down and I'll come back tomorrow and we'll all spend some time together before my flight."

She unlocked the door and nodded.

"Ok, sounds good."

"Bye, Bree." Zach said.

The toddler let out a whine and he chuckled.

"Just like her mother."

"That's not nice." McKenzie said with a giggle.

"It was a joke." He said kissing her. "I'll call you later."

"Alright."

He got back in his rental car and headed back to his hotel. McKenzie got Aubree in the tub and fed her. She had just got her settled down on the couch when her dad came in.

"Where were you all day?" She asked her dad.

"Fishing."

"Seems like you're enjoying your retirement already."

Her dad had retired 2 days ago. He had worked on the Seattle police force for over 34 years.

"Yeah." He said taking off his baseball cap. "So, you where's….?"

"Zach?"

He nodded.

"He went back to his hotel." She told him. "We're all going to spend some time together before he leaves tomorrow."

"So, he flew here for 2 days?" Her dad asked sarcastically. "So, are you flying back with him?"

"No, actually. I'm planning to stay another week." She said straightening the magazines on the coffee table. "I at least owe that to Jake."

"Speaking of Jake…he wants to get Aubree tomorrow."

"How do you know that?"

"I went fishing with him today."

"Dad!"

"What?" He asked with a half chuckle.

"You wouldn't go to lunch with me and my boyfriend because you were going fishing with my ex?" She asked shaking her head and then let out a giggle. "You're unbelievable."

"You know I don't like meeting new people."

She nodded knowing that was the truth.

"So, what do you think of him?" She asked hopeful.

Her dad took the longest time answering, before he let out a sigh.

"Can't say because I haven't had a talk with him." He said. "Since he'll be here tomorrow, I think that's a good time to get to know him a bit."

She smiled, at least her dad was trying to make her happy. She just didn't know what he had up his sleeve.