"Just one more bite, Little Sweetness," Steve pleaded with his daughter. "One more for your Papa."

Stephanie pushed the spoon away again and then smiled at her father. With that one look, Steve knew he was beaten. He could no more resist a smile from his daughter than he could her mother.

Putting the spoon down, Steve picked up the napkin and wiped Stephanie's mouth. Hearing a giggle behind him, he turned, smiling at the sound.

"Are you laughing at me, baby?"

Kayla shook her heard. "I'm just imagining how this is going to work when Stephanie's a teenager. All she is going to have to do is smile at you, and she'll get anything she wants."

"It's not my fault, Sweetness." Steve stood and pulled Stephanie from her high chair. "She's got your smile."

Kayla walked to where Steve was standing. "That's funny" She looked at her daughter. "I always thought she had your smile." Kayla's voice softened. "It was how I knew you would always be with me."

Steve's heart clinched at his wife's words. Silently, he reached out, put his arm around Kayla's shoulders, and pulled her to him. As they stood together, Stephanie reached out and put one small hand on Kayla's cheek and the other on Steve's.

"I think she's telling us it's a little of both," Steve chuckled. Stepping back, he lifted Stephanie high over his head and smiled broadly at the giggles that rained down from his daughter. Pulling Stephanie back down, he leaned over and kissed Kayla on the cheek.

"I'm going to get this little one cleaned up."

"Okay," Kayla replied, kissing Stephanie's cheek. "Dinner should be ready pretty soon."

Steve left the kitchen and carried Stephanie to the bathroom, feeling a sense of relief. For the first time since the rescue from Cal, he felt a bit of normalcy returning to their lives. He knew Kayla was still dealing with the events of the kidnapping and had tried to get her to talk to him about it. Each time, Kayla had insisted she was fine and that she was just tired or worried about Shane and Kim, or some other excuse.

But she had not fooled Steve. He knew there was more to it, but was hesitant to push too hard. Pushing Kayla too hard could just push her farther away. So he watched her closely, held her when she trembled in the middle of the night, and vowed to give her the time she needed to heal. Now, with Shane waking up and Lawrence out of Salem, maybe that healing had finally begun.

Working quickly and efficiently, Steve bathed Stephanie, changed her, and dressed her in her pajamas. He was still amazed at how much he loved even the most mundane parental duties. Each moment with Stephanie was a reminder that his dreams really had come true.

Carrying a now-clean little girl, Steve returned to the kitchen. He placed Stephanie in the playpen with her toys just as Kayla put dinner on the table.

"That smells delicious, Sweetness."

Kayla smiled as she sat down. "Thanks. It's just a seafood pasta. I stopped by the market on the way home and picked up some fresh shrimp from Ma and Pop."

"I guess that's one of the advantages of having a fish market in the family, huh?" Steve winked at Kayla, then took a bite of the meal she had prepared. "It's wonderful, baby."

"I'm glad you like it. It's hard to compete with the wonderful meals you cook."

Steve grinned and reached across the table for Kayla's hand. "It's not a competition, Sweetness. I enjoy cooking for you." His grin faded slightly. "It's the least I can do when you work all day."

Kayla shook her head. "Don't. You're working too. I know how hard you are trying to find a way to help Shane."

Steve shrugged. "Maybe. But it's not like that job pays very well. I should probably start up the job search again."

"If that's what you want to do, then sure," Kayla replied. "But don't do it just because you think you have to. With me back at work, we don't need the money."

Steve sighed and took another bite of the pasta. It still bothered him that Kayla's salary was supporting their family. Maybe it was old-fashioned, but he felt that it was part of his job as a husband and father to support his family. Yet, he knew he had an obligation to Shane and the Brady family as well. And Steve finding some 9-to-5 job was not going to help them.

"It's not going to be like this forever, Kayla," he finally said. "I meant what I said before. I want to be husband and father that you and Stephanie can be proud of. Once Shane is cleared, I'll find that job."

"And I meant what I said before too," Kayla responded. "Job or no job, Stephanie and I love you and are proud of you. You have nothing to prove to us."

Steve nodded and smiled slightly. But I still have some things to prove to myself, he thought silently. Deciding to change the subject, he asked, "Was there anything new on Shane this afternoon?"

Kayla shook her head. "Not really. I talked to Kim before I left and Shane was still kind of in and out of consciousness. But he's definitely out of the coma and that's great news."

"Yes, it is," Steve agreed, breathing a silent prayer of thanks. "Now, if somebody can track down Alamain, we might just get things back to normal again." As he took another bite, he caught Kayla glancing at him, a speculative look on her face.

"What is it, baby?"

"Nothing," Kayla said quickly.

"Come on, Sweetness. I saw that look. What's running through that mind of yours?"

Kayla sighed. "I know things are dangerous with Alamain running loose, but maybe it's better that he's out of Salem."

Steve's eye narrowed. "What do you mean, Kayla? You don't really think he's gone for good do you?"

"No," Kayla said quickly. "I know how that man operates, and I'm sure he'll be back eventually." She took a deep breath and looked into Steve's eye. "But as long as he was here in Salem, I'd always be worried about what you might do. I know how much you hate him and I understand why. But . . . I don't want to lose you again."

Steve sat silently for a moment. He wanted to reassure Kayla that she would not lose him, but he knew she was right. If Lawrence was still in town, it would have only been a matter of time before there was some kind of confrontation.

"I'm not going to lie to you, baby. I hate that man. Not just for what he did for me, but for what he's done to our family." Steve again reached for Kayla's hand. "I will do anything I have to do to keep you and Stephanie and the rest of our family safe. You know that."

Kayla nodded, but did not speak. Instead, she lowered her gaze to her plate and picked at her food. Steve sighed, wishing he knew what to say or do to make things right. But it was the same unsolvable dilemma they always faced.

They finished their meal in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As Steve cleared the table, Kayla picked up Stephanie and carried her into the living room. Steve watched them leave and then turned to the task at hand. Within a few minutes, the dishes were done and he walked slowly into the living room.

Standing in the doorway, he watched Kayla sitting on the floor, playing with Stephanie. His daughter was giggling and his wife was smiling. Steve stared for a long moment, wanting to burn the picture in his mind.

Catching Kayla's eye, they exchanged a smile and Steve walked over and joined them on the floor. Maybe they could not guarantee what would happen in the future, but they were together now and Steve would cherish this moment for as long as it lasted.