"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Kim said, lifting Jeannie out of her crib. The baby smiled, reached out, and tugged on a lock of Kim's hair. Pulling Jeannie close, Kim hugged her daughter. "Now how about we get you dressed and then get some breakfast."

As she cleaned and dressed Jeannie, Kim thought about the day ahead. The entire family would be coming over for a party in the evening, the first time everyone had been together in one place since she had returned from England. It was hard to believe that had only been a couple of weeks ago. The time at Donovan Manor seemed so long ago.

Jeannie laughed and her happy gurgling brought a smile to Kim's face. "You're going to be talking soon, I bet," she said. Once Jeannie was dressed, Kim lifted her up and carried her downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Simmons," Kim said, spotting the butler. He was stirring something in a large mixing bowl.

"Ah, good day, Madame Brady." Simmons' round face broke into a broad smile. "And how is the young madame on her special day?"

"She's just fine," Kim said, glancing down at Jeannie. "Very excited about having all her aunts and uncles and cousins coming tonight." Kim looked back up at Simmons. "How are you coming along with the preparations?"

"The food is under control. I was just about to put the cake in the oven." Simmons grinned again. "Chocolate, of course."

Kim laughed. "Did I just hear you correctly?" she asked. "I think I just heard you say that you were volunteering to give Jeannie her bath after the party."

Laughing in reply, Simmons said, "Don't think I've had to do my fair share of cleaning up children. Why when Master Shane and Master Drew were just lads-"

"I'm sure Kim doesn't need to hear any tales of my wayward youth." Kim turned abruptly and was surprised to see Shane sitting in an alcove on the opposite side of the kitchen, where he was sipping from a coffee cup.

"I'm sorry," Kim said. "I didn't see you there."

"Obviously." Shane's voice was even, but she detected the tension in it. Kim also noticed the dark spots under his eyes. That did not surprise her; she had heard Shane pacing around his room and the upstairs hallway several times during the night.

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked. "I heard you moving around."

"Not much, but I've gone without sleep before." Shane shrugged. "It comes with the job sometimes."

Kim figured that was the cause. She knew Shane had flown to Washington before dawn the day before and had not returned until the evening. She suspected that whatever was going on had something to do with Steve's revelations during his therapy session two days earlier.

"Lawrence?" she asked.

Shane nodded. "But that's all I can say." She could tell that he wanted to say a lot more, that whatever he had learned was troubling him deeply. But Kim also knew that, though they had made some steps towards trusting and opening up to each other, there was still a long way to go.

"Shane?"

"Yes," he said.

Kim picked her words carefully, not wanting to give back the steps they had taken forward. "Whatever you can't tell me about . . . you would tell me if we - I mean the children and me - were in danger, wouldn't you? You wouldn't keep that secret from me?"

Even as she asked, she remembered the time she had been lured by Drew to Stefano DiMera's island. Shane had known a lot of things, but, most importantly, he had known Stefano was alive and had not told her or anyone else in her family. Kim, Roman, Kayla and Steve had all walked right into Stefano's trap, and they almost all had paid for Shane's silence with their lives.

"You would tell me, wouldn't you, Shane?"

Shane sighed and set his coffee cup down. "I would tell you everything I could."

"That's doublespeak, and you know it," Kim said, her voice rising.

"Kim . . . I don't want to argue." His voice was full of resignation, as if he knew an argument could not be avoided. That caused Kim to soften. Before they had married, Shane had warned her about being an ISA wife. He had told her that there would be secrets he would be unable to tell her, and she had told him she could live with that. The reality was just sometimes much harder to accept.

"I don't want to fight either," she said softly. She carried Jeannie over to the high chair next to the main island and set her in the seat. "It's just hard not to worry, knowing Lawrence is out there, plotting against us."

"Nobody's going to hurt you or Andrew . . . or Jeannie." In those words, Kim could hear the determination in Shane's voice. "I won't let anyone do that."

Locking the tray on Jeannie's chair in place, Kim turned back to Shane and smiled. "I know you wouldn't." Then she added, "And thank you for saying Jeannie too."

Shane shifted uncomfortably in the alcove, and then stood up. Kim kicked herself.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know it's hard for you to have us living here." To have the constant reminder of what I did with Cal, she thought. What had Shane said to her before she left Salem? She had told him how lonely she had been when she believed he was dead, and he had told her that she would always have a baby to remind her of that loneliness. But I'm not the only one who has that reminder. Kim turned back to Jeannie. Simmons had set the baby's food on a plate and passed it over the island. Kim took it gratefully, glad that she did not have to see the pain that she knew was etched on Shane's face, and began to feed Jeannie.

The room fell silent for awhile. The only noise came from Jeannie, who was making baby noises between bites of mashed apple. Kim assumed that Shane had left, so she was surprised to hear his voice from close behind.

"I can't believe she's already one," Shane said quietly.

Kim nodded as she lifted the spoon to Jeannie's mouth. "I know. I was thinking the same thing a little while ago." A lot had happened in that one year. Kim turned her head to see that Shane was standing just behind her, his eyes fixed on Jeannie.

"She's a beautiful girl."

Yes, she is, Kim thought. She turned back to Jeannie and realized that the baby was watching Shane intently. Then she burst into a big smile and laughed.

Kim laughed too. "Flattery will get you everywhere - even with a one-year-old." She turned back around and saw that Shane was still looking at Jeannie. He had a pensive expression, and Kim almost detected a slight smile. She knew it was hard for him, but maybe her being in the house with Jeannie might at least help him get past his pain.

At the very least, Shane deserved that. He was not at fault for what had happened between Kim and Cal. Maybe nobody was. Kim longer knew. But, regardless of who was to blame, Shane's pain was real, and Kim wanted more than anything to take that away.

As Kim turned back to continue the feeding, she heard Shane say, "I'd better get to work."

Kim nodded. "Of course."

"Just tell me when you want to set up for the party," he said. "I'll make sure I get my things out of the library so they're not in the way."

Kim turned her head once more. "Shane . . . I hope you know that you're welcome at the party. I didn't even think I had to tell you that. You're still part of this family and it wouldn't be right if you weren't there. This is, after all, your house."

There was a long silence, and Kim could see his discomfort. She figured he was thinking about Kayla. Or maybe about his argument with Shawn the week before. But before Shane could come up with an excuse, Kim said, "Please come. It would mean a lot to . . . to Andrew if we were there together."

Shane saw right through her. "And to you, I suspect?"

Kim felt her cheeks grow hot, before she answered. "And to me."

Shane gave a hint of a smile before he headed for the door. "I'll do my best to be there."