"Get the hell away from my daughter."

Not again, Shane thought as he looked at Steve. Behind Steve, Bo entered the room.

"Steve. . . ." Shane tried to keep completely calm. "Just calm down. Stephanie was crying and Kim had to take Jeannie into the other room."

"That's not good enough," Steve said. His voice had a dangerous edge to it that Shane recognized. "I told you to stay away from Stephanie."

"Relax, man." That was from Bo.

"I am relaxed." Steve turned to face Bo. "I'm very relaxed. I'm also very pissed that, for all his talk, Mr. ISA here doesn't seem to be able to listen. I warned him to stay away from Stephanie. And he just can't seem to get it through his head that Stephanie's my daughter, not his."

Shane suspected they were not going to avoid another confrontation. After the night before and this morning, Steve already was on edge. This was just round two. Or more like round eight or nine. Still, Shane decided he would see if he could work this out. There was always a slim possibility that Steve might listen to reason.

"You're wrong, Steve. I fully understand that Stephanie's your daughter." Shane kept his voice even. "Like I said, she was crying and I was just trying to calm her down."

"She doesn't need you to calm her down." Steve's voice rose as he spun back around to face Shane. "She's got her mother and me. So - I repeat - stay away from Stephanie. Hell . . . you weren't even supposed to be here."

Over Steve's shoulder, Kim entered the room. "I'm sorry, Steve. That's my fault. I got confused about Shane's schedule." She crossed the room and took Stephanie from Shane's arms.

Why was Kim lying? Shane wondered. This whole situation was ridiculous. "No, she didn't get confused about my schedule." Shane stepped toward Steve. "I thought I'd be working late - fixing that mess you created, by the way - but let's just say it's not something that one late night was going to fix. So I thought maybe I'd come home, see my son and get some sleep." Shane suddenly realized the absurdity of what he was saying. "Why am I even explaining this to you, Steve? This is my house, and I don't need to explain my comings and goings to anyone."

"Maybe you don't," Steve said, still glaring. "But that doesn't mean you get to play daddy with Stephanie."

"I'm not-"

"Don't give me that!" Steve yelled. "I know what you're doing, Donovan." He stepped closer. "Kayla's not part of your life anymore, and you can't use Stephanie to keep her there."

"Oh for god's sake, Steve." Shane could not contain his exasperation. Why couldn't Steve get it through his head that he had no designs on Kayla? And why did Shane have to keep appeasing these absurd theories of Steve's? Not anymore. I'm not going to let him do this to me, Shane thought. "Stop being so ridiculous."

"Am I?" Steve said.

Bo reached for Steve's shoulder. "Look, man, just chill out." He glanced at Kim. "Can you get Stephanie's things so I can get him out of here?"

Translated, that meant "can you get Stephanie out of here." Shane could read the worry on Kim's face, but he gave her a curt nod. I can handle this. Kim looked at him once more and, carrying Stephanie in her arms, headed out of the room.

"Get me out of here." Steve chuckled dangerously as he reacted to Bo's words. "Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. I'm sure that's exactly what Mr. ISA here wants to do. He's probably wishing I'd get out of here all over again." Steve grinned at Shane. "I'm not going anywhere. So you'd better get used to that. And if you want to play daddy for someone else's kid, why don't you go do it with Jeannie?"

Shane fought to control himself. The last thing he was going to do was discuss Jeannie or Kim with Steve. "You just leave her out of it," Shane warned. His jaw tightened. "This has nothing to do with Jeannie, and has nothing do with me wanting to, as you put it, 'play daddy.'" Did it? Shane tried to set the thought aside. All he was doing was helping with the baby. What the bloody hell was so wrong with that?

"Why don't you admit it," Steve demanded, his voice starting to rise again. "You got screwed by Winters and you pushed Kim away, so you latched onto Kayla and Stephanie."

Shane could tell he was fighting a losing battle to suppress his anger. "Steve, I'm warning you."

Steve laughed. "Or what? You're going to talk me to death? Give me more of your empty words? Offer some 'logic'? I'm not interested, dude. So stay away from Stephanie or I'll make you wish you had."

"This is pointless," Shane said, running his hands through his head. He took a few deep breaths. Don't let him get to you. Just stay calm. He gritted his teeth. "I'm not going to get into this with you, especially when you're all emotional like this."

"Oh, right . . . I forgot." Steve continued with his mocking tone. "God forbid anyone gets emotional. You sure as hell don't. All that British reserve means you don't have emotions." Steve shook his head. "You're always cool. Or is that cold?"

"Come on, Steve," Bo said. "You're not doing anyone any good."

"Forget it, Brady! I'm talking here to Mr. Unemotional ISA Superspy." Steve glared at Shane. "That's how you go, isn't it? All cold-like, no emotions?"

Shane was close to losing the last remnants of his control. "You're about to see just how hot I can get, Steve."

"Yeah?" Steve laughed. "I'd like to see that. It'd be a change. Maybe even a first. No wonder Kim walked out on you."

"Steve. . . ." Bo sounded a warning.

Shane stepped forward. He was only a few feet away from Steve and he could feel his entire body straining to explode. "You keep Kim out of this."

"Why? It all makes sense now." Steve shook his head. "You're one cold SOB, Donovan. Real cold. After you, Kim probably couldn't wait to hook up with Winters. At least, he could keep her bed warm."

From behind Steve, there was a thud. Shane looked away from Steve to see Kim standing in the doorway, her eyes wide. She was holding Stephanie. The baby's diaper bag was at Kim's feet where she had dropped it.

Bo and Steve also turned toward Kim. She blinked once, then twice, apparently fighting back tears.

"Whoa, Steve, that was low," Bo said.

"That's okay, Bo," Shane said. "I'll handle this." He looked at Kim and saw the pain etched on her face. That does it.

Steve was turning back to face Shane. "Oh, you're going to-"

He didn't finish the sentence, because Shane's fist was already flying through the air. The punch connected directly with Steve's jaw and sent him crashing to the floor.

Yeah, Shane thought, as he loomed over Steve. I'll handle this.