A/N: I'm so very sorry to have been MIA as of late! My counterpart at work retired a couple of months ago, and I've had to take on her work in addition to my own substantial workload. Needless to say, it has severely infringed on my writing time. But alas, I finally have a new chapter ready for those of you still orbiting in the Revenge-universe who also happen to still be interested in this story. :)

Chapter Fourteen: Truth

A lie can be defined as a statement made with deliberate intent to deceive. Someone once said in the absence of truth, there is confusion, the essence of truth. Emily reflected on this notion while she dressed for the day, wondering if the same could be said for an omission. Regardless of verbalization, of one thing she was certain: confusion had become her latest truth.

"Any word from your dad?"

Emily snapped to attention at the sound of Daniel's voice coming from behind, reflexively looking up in the mirror to watch him enter their shared bathroom. Recovering from her momentary daze, she turned to face Daniel who was now staring at his own reflection as he struggled to perfect his crooked necktie. "Uh... no, I was about to call him," She finally answered, gently batting his hands away to take over the task. "Here, let me."

Daniel gave in willingly, his mind clouded by the recent the news of David's near abduction accompanied by his mother's life being threatened in the process. "We're lucky he was able to fight off two assailants at once. Your dad must have developed some serious defense skills in prison."

Emily cut her eyes upwards briefly as she continued to loop the fabric into a square knot, experiencing the ever present nagging of her conscience, urging her to share the real reason behind their parent's survival. But when she confessed credit was due to Aiden Mathis, a name Daniel would most certainly not be pleased to hear, nor understand, it was undoubtedly going to cause friction. A decision made in haste, Emily called her old love and ally as a precautionary measure, and though she was abundantly grateful for the protection Aiden had already provided to her father, she now realized explaining his reappearance to Daniel would not be quite as simple.

Finishing the tie with ease, she slid her palms downward to rest against his chest, pensive. "Daniel, there's something I need to tell you -"

Though instantly intrigued by her preface, his phone began ringing then, distracting him. "It's my mother... I better take this," Daniel sighed after retrieving it from his pocket. "And I've got to get to the office, so we'll talk more later, okay?"

Emily could only nod as he quickly kissed her and rushed out the door while answering Victoria's call.

Her latest omission was beginning to resemble a secret, something Emily had promised not to keep any more of from Daniel. She heaved a defeated breath as her own phone began to ring. It was David, no doubt having escaped Victoria long enough for each to initiate phone calls to their grown children. Pushing her inner conflict aside, Emily shifted to the more pressing matter at hand – learning the entire truth from her father.

Long before Emily was aware of David's presence, he could see her waiting in the distance as he walked along the beach. With crossed arms resting against her protruding stomach, she stood staring at the ocean as she so often did, eyes squinting from the morning sun and hair blowing in the wind. David smiled proudly to himself at the striking picture before him. His daughter had grown into such a beautiful and capable woman in their time apart, and he now realized there was a great deal more about her to learn.

"You're always ahead of me, aren't you?" David observed from afar as he approached, speaking both literally and figuratively. Emily only acknowledged him by briefly averting her gaze from the ocean to watch him closing the remaining distance between them. David stopped at her side, pivoting to face the rolling waves as well, unaware of just how significant they'd become to her. "Who was that guy last night?"

Emily paused, her countenance somber as she continued to ruminate over how much her father was obviously withholding. "His name is Aiden. We trained together in Japan."

"How did you know I was going to need his help?"

"I didn't... I just knew you were at risk. So I called in a favor since I can't protect you... well, physically, at least."

"What are you saying?" David asked, turning to her. "That if you weren't pregnant, you would have done what Aiden did?"

Emily shrugged, indifferent. "More or less." When he only appeared dumbfounded by her reply, she flatly elaborated, "Dad, I already told you – you have no idea what I'm capable of. I just wish you would accept the fact that keeping me in the dark isn't helping anyone."

Her familiar words struck David differently this time, the mere thought of Emily enacting the same measure of defense as his rescuer suddenly causing him to view her in a whole new light. Perhaps, he'd truly underestimated her in more ways than one. "The guy coming after me is Malcolm Black," He finally allowed, still apprehensive to share the information. "He ran an illegal arms operation out of a compound in Canada."

Emily narrowed her brow. "So... that's where you were the past ten years?"

David nodded. "Malcolm smuggled me up there after I was stabbed. He forced me to launder money or he would kill you... or at least, the girl he thought was you. When I fled, I took evidence to protect myself... Now I have to find him to let him know that." It would be a huge risk, but one he was determined to take in order to ensure a peaceable future.

In true form, Emily received his admission calmly, tilting her head ever so slightly with an air of caution. "On a scale of one to ten, how dangerous is this guy?"

When Emily returned to the Manor that afternoon, she immediately noticed the disabled security system, her instincts inwardly signaling her something could be amiss. Rounding the corridor with caution, she was soon relieved to only find Nolan and Aiden waiting in the living room who both promptly stood at her onset. "What's going on?" Emily questioned, already suspicious of their combined presence.

Nolan disapprovingly slid his eyes to his counterpart. "Would you like to tell her Aiden, or shall I?"

"Nolan and I -" Aiden began as he scratched the stubble growing on his chin, trying to find the right phraseology. "Had a difference of opinion," He downplayed with a strained upturn of his lips.

"A difference of opinion?" Nolan rebuffed, scoffing. "Ems, I noticed your security system kept resetting itself... so I figured I best come check on things, given the circumstances. And when I did...I discovered that Aiden... had sort of hog-tied and tortured one of the guys who attacked your dad."

"What?!" Emily exploded at Aiden, though he seemed impervious to her predictably brash reaction. "Aiden, have you lost your mind? What the hell did you think you were doing?"

"The same thing you would have done if you weren't -" His eyes scanned her figure up and down for emphasis as a tiny smirk puckered his mouth. "- presently encumbered."

Emily glared at him, mostly because a part of her knew he was right. If not for the life growing within to consider, she was likely to have reacted to David's assualt in an extreme manner. It was beside the point at the moment though, and she brought her hands to rest disapprovingly at her hips. "Did you really think I wasn't going to find out you were doing this on my property?"

"I wasn't trying to hide it. I was trying to get answers."

Emily impatiently exhaled, raising her brow. "And did you?"

"No," Aiden admitted, glancing to his left to address Nolan. "But I would have if someone hadn't released him."

Nolan rolled his eyes. Didn't they know better by now than to underestimate his genius? "Oh ye, of little faith," He murmured, queuing his laptop on the coffee table. "I sedated him and set him free, but I also made sure if he found his way back, I'd find him first." He reversed it in his palms to display the screen clearly tracking a moving object identified by a red dot. Nolan's mouth curled proudly. "See, I developed a tracker you can hide anywhere... including a glass of water, which I gave to the desperately parched victim before he fled."

"Impressive," Aiden cheekily commended, clasping his hands neatly behind his back.

"There's more." Nolan sighed, setting his laptop down. "I hacked into the police station's computer system, and it seems David's other attacker hanged himself last night." Emily's eyes narrowed, finding it a strange turn of events.

"Those guys were thugs for hire, not true believers," Aiden insisted, also puzzled.

"So someone must have gotten to him before he could talk," Emily presumed, calculating the logical possibilities. She wet her lips, sighing as well. "It doesn't matter that you didn't get information out of that guy anyway, Aiden... My dad finally came clean earlier."

Nolan perked at this. "What did he say?"

"That the man who held him prisoner is named Malcolm Black... and that he's more dangerous than Conrad ever thought of being... which reminds me - " She heaved another breath, burdened. "I'm going to have to tell Daniel all of this."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Nolan uneasily qualified, causing Emily to shoot a perturbed glance his way.

"I promised Daniel complete honesty this time around."

"Well, now's your chance," Aiden muttered, catching a glimpse of her intended entering the front door. Though time had helped Aiden accept Emily's decision to part ways, it roused emotional conflict to see her again, especially given her present condition, only further wounding his pride.

"Em, I'm home," Daniel absently announced from the foyer, preoccupied with the day's mail in hand. Not until he reached the living room, did he realize they had company, and he nearly paled at the sight of Aiden. Sensing the understandable tension, Nolan readily excused himself from the premises while Emily awaited Daniel's reaction in wary silence. Clearly defensive, his entire expression crumpled in confusion at his former rival. "Aiden, what're you doing here?"

Aiden cleared his throat with a false smile. "Emily called for me."

"And why would she do that?" Daniel questioned, looking pointedly at her for an explanation.

"Because... I needed someone who could protect my dad in my absence."

"I'm still not following why you called Aiden for the job?"

"What Emily is trying to say," Aiden interjected before she could answer, "Is that I possess a certain skill-set required for the task... one honed under Takeda."

"Takeda?" Daniel repeated, startled by the thought.

Emily lowered her chin, regretful he was finding out the truth this way. Calling Aiden was the right course of action as far as her father was concerned, but she should have paid better credence to its potential impact on her recovering relationship with Daniel. "He trained both of us," She softly confessed as Daniel stared incredulously at her.

"I do hope you'll one day have an opportunity to see her in action," Aiden arrogantly added, unable to resist capitalizing on his current advantage. "It's... quite magnificent."

"That's enough, Aiden," Emily warned under her breath, temporarily silencing him. "Takeda was my mentor, Daniel. He helped me channel my reckless anger into controlled determination for revenge," She elaborated, hoping her words were resonating.

Daniel seemed surprised more than anything, though she could see the underlying hurt reflecting in his eyes as he attempted to process this latest revelation figuratively slapping him across the face. Speechless, he stared at the co-conspirators in slight dismay – Emily looking remorseful and Aiden rather smug. Unable to muster much of a reply, Daniel began shaking his head from side to side in short motions before turning on his heels to walk away.

Emily called after him, but he only kept making determined strides until he reached the front door.

She shut her eyes at the reverberating sound of it slamming behind him, wishing she could rewind the conversation and begin again. But of course, she could not; nor could she erase her mistakes any more than Daniel could his own.

"Yes, being completely honest with him is obviously working out splendidly," Aiden sarcastically quipped, reminding Emily he remained at her side.

"How did you expect him to react when it's two against one?" Emily scowled, rotating to face him. "Daniel and I have enough to work through without your arrogant innuendos confusing the situation. I want you to leave."

"I had left," Aiden retorted, following her as she advanced towards the curved stairwell. "You're the one who called me."

Emily stopped short at the bottom of the stairs, briefly frozen by his words. "I know," She relented a moment later with a sigh, housing guilt for breaking Aiden's heart when she ended their relationship. "And I appreciate you coming so quickly and saving my dad, but your work here is done."

"I don't believe that any more than you do," Aiden argued, gently grabbing her wrist when she ascended the first step. He sighed as well then, feeling his own share of guilt for exhibiting such immature behavior. "Look, I'm sorry for making things worse with Daniel just now... I... I just want to help you. From now on, we'll do it your way."

Pausing to contemplate whether or not she could trust Aiden to keep his word, Emily hastily decided it was a risk she would have to take. Because like it or not, she needed the kind of assistance only he could offer at the moment.

"Good," Emily resolved without emotion and continued to climb the stairwell. "Stay at Nolan's," She instructed, her voice being carried downward by gravity to where Aiden stood at the bottom wearing a smirk at her familiarly brisk nature. "I'm going to need both of you."

"Club soda, please," Emily requested as she took a seat at the refined bar of the beach club in hopes of having a private conversation with Nolan. Wearing a sympathetic smile for her limiting condition, the bartender politely passed her the highball glass of bubbling water. "Thank you," She absently mumbled, glancing around for her best friend. "Is Nolan in his office?"

"I haven't seen him, but I did hear him say earlier he would be back by last call to sign payroll."

Emily accepted the young man's reply with a cordial smile before he disappeared into the back, leaving her to ponder her burdened thoughts – thoughts which were quickly interrupted by a man's suite jacket swishing past her peripheral into a heap on the counter. She glanced upwards in reflex to find the familiar perpetrator leaning his weight on the back of the neighboring bar stool. "Daniel," Emily furrowed her brow in honest surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, well I thought I would attempt to dilute my frustrations." He slowly swirled the brandy in hand, studying the potent liquid. "Seemed like the sensible thing to do at the time."

At first, Emily thought he might be drunk and paused in further assessment, but soon surmised Daniel was simply deflated, and she really could not judge his need for temporary self-pity. "I'd do the same thing, if I were able," She lightly joked.

Daniel looked over to Emily at this, catching a faint smirk wafting across her lips as she now focused on the glass encircled by her hands. His eyes settled on the defined features of her profile, thinking to himself how incredibly lovely she was, even heavily pregnant. If anything, her current condition only magnified her glowing beauty in his eyes. It often took Daniel's breath as to how overpowering his attraction to Emily could be, and he nearly shook his head now, marveling at the affect she had on him despite his anger.

Setting his glass down, he pulled out the bar stool to slip onto the cushion, continuing to observe her somberly poised form for a moment. "You know... I've never asked you how you felt when you found out you were pregnant?" He had not given it much thought until now, not because it wasn't important to him, but mainly because it had been understandably overshadowed by more pressing matters.

It was a fair question, but one that caught Emily completely off guard. She supposed the events of the afternoon had awakened all manner of questioning in Daniel's mind and sensed she best brace herself for more to follow. Drawing a breath, she lifted her brow in wistful recollection. "I was... a little shocked at first."

Emily nodded to herself, the vivid image coming to mind of the positive pregnancy test staring at her while she stood aghast within the safe confines of her hideaway. "And then I cried," She quietly continued, finding the memory bittersweet. "First, because I was happy... and then... because I realized I had a choice to make about you." Her eyes returned to Daniel with conviction. "And I made the wrong one."

Daniel swallowed purposefully, taking in Emily's honest words against his own measure of convictions. This wrong choice she was referencing, was undoubtedly the decision to keep her pregnancy a secret – a decision which remained hurtful to him, though he had since managed to make peace with it. "But luckily, I got a second a chance." Emily forced a hint of a smile at the inference of their reconciliation.

He returned it in kind, unable to avoid the fondness he felt of their recent time together. "I've been doing a lot of thinking," Daniel began after silence lapsed between them, causing Emily to lift her chin in expectation.

"Come to any conclusions?"

Daniel bobbed his head, bringing the rim of the glass to his lips. "A few." Emily waited unassumingly as he took a meaningful swallow before shifting on the bar stool towards her. "I'd like to read the journals, if your offer still stands?"

In the heat of revealing her identity to him, Daniel had angrily declined the opportunity to read David Clarke's journals, and Emily had understood he was not ready then, no more than Charlotte had been when she found out the truth. Viewing the fact Daniel wanted to read them now as another step in the right direction, Emily's mouth curved upwards graciously. "Of course. I'd like that."

"And I need you to tell me the truth about everything, Emily – the whole story." Daniel noted the immediate hesitancy flickering in her eyes, the way she uncomfortably dropped them to her untouched drink. Somehow, he could not help desiring to reassure her, though the roles should have rightfully been reversed. "I can handle it, I promise," Daniel earnestly insisted, the fervor weighting his brow. "What I can't handle are more surprises – like being blind-sided today by Aiden."

Emily nodded regretfully. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away that I called him. It's a bad habit of mine to try to control the situation all on my own."

Bad habits were something Daniel was quite familiar with and felt he could afford her grace. After all, he had several of his own he was trying to break. But there was a bigger issue lingering in his mind, one he could not ignore or pretend did not exist. "Were you in love with him?" Daniel solemnly questioned.

"Yes."

Daniel inhaled deeply, bracing himself. "Are you still in love with him?"

"No." Emily lifted her eyes with certainty. "I'm in love with you, Daniel."

He shook his head as jealously crept up and threatened to consume him yet again. Of course, Daniel was already well aware Emily kept innumerable secrets in the past, but the thought of her colluding with Aiden struck a new nerve. "I just can't help feeling like you two were laughing behind my back the entire time we were together."

"It wasn't like that," Emily whispered, her eyes sincerely apologetic. "I swear."

Daniel averted his gaze, unable to look at her considering what he was about to ask. But Victoria's admonitions replayed in his head like an evil force trying permeate every crevice with doubt. "When's the last time you two were together?"

The underlying question of paternity was obvious, and slightly stung, Emily shut her eyes. "Before you and I married," She honestly answered. "It's been over for a long time. I chose you."

"I've heard that before."

Emily inwardly winced at the distant memory of their fight on the beach which was also precipitated by Aiden. "It's true this time," She promised. "I know I've not given you a lot of reasons to believe me, but I am telling you the truth now."

Emily slipped her hand around his own, the tender gesture softening Daniel's already weakening resolve and causing his eyes to meet her calling gaze. "This baby is yours, Daniel. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

The endearing sentiment warmed his heart, compelling him to believe her in spite of the past. Rationalizing he could now decipher the difference between Emily's feigned and authentic sincerity, it somehow resonating deep within his core, Daniel felt the final remnants of anger dissipating. "I know," He eventually whispered, giving her cheek a sweet stroke. "I'm sorry."

"I'm the one who's sorry." Emily shook her head, looking downward again. "One of these days, I'm gonna get this right."

Daniel consolingly slid his palm across her shoulder blades, rubbing it against the soft fabric of her shirt. "I just want to know and understand every part of you, Em... Please let me."

His touch was relaxing to her tense posture, and though letting Daniel in remained a new concept, it felt good – felt right. Emily also recognized she had enough to handle as it was without worrying about them being at odds. Wetting her lips, she leveled her gaze forward, staring blankly at the stocked bar.

"Malcolm Black," She bravely stated the dangerous name, turning to Daniel afterward in punctuation. "He's the reason behind my father's ten year disappearance. And he's coming after him again... which is why Aiden has to stay for now." Daniel listened intently to her explanation as she released a heavy breath. "As much as I want to act like I can handle it all... I can't, Daniel. I know I can't put myself at risk like that."

Now enlightened to the graveness of the circumstances, Daniel instantly chose to swallow his pride for the moment rather than focus on how much he did not like the prospect of Aiden's continued presence. He leaned forward, concerned. "What can I do to help?"

"Just be patient with me – keep an open mind," Emily quietly requested, appreciative of his willingness. "I know I don't have any right to ask for that, but... I really need you to be by my side... I'm scared for my father. I'm scared that I'm going to lose him again," She admitted and then paused, feeling unusually vulnerable. "And I'm scared because we're going to have a baby in a few weeks, and I'm nowhere near ready."

Grateful for her atypical openness, Daniel lovingly braced the back of her head, drawing it towards his lips in a tender motion. "I'm right here, okay?" He assured into her hair before kissing her temple. Emily nodded, her expression strained.

Something significant dawned on Daniel then, a personal paradigm shift of sorts. Emily actually needed him. Maybe not in the same way she did during her bought with amnesia, or the way she needed Aiden to protect her dad now, but Daniel was the one she was relying on emotionally – to share her most intimate thoughts and fears, to partner with in life. And that suddenly meant far more to him than anything else.

"I hacked all of Kate Taylor's personnel review files in the FBI mainframe," Nolan reported to his audience of Emily, Daniel and Aiden the following afternoon. Perched at his technology hub in the converted pool house of Grayson Manor, he'd been relentlessly researching the would-be dirty agent for hours at Emily's request. "After reading this, I want to write her a letter of recommendation myself – top of her class at Quantico, proficiency medals in hand to hand combat and firearms. I even checked her finances. She's clean... and well diversified, I might add."

"It just means she's as good as I am at hiding her secrets," Emily concluded, unimpressed by Kate's stellar resume. She cast a sideways glance to Daniel, knowing she was treading on sensitive territory. Calculating, he cut his eyes to her from where he stood a few feet away listening to the transpiring conversation. This was new for him, and admittedly, he felt somewhat out of place among the revenging trio. However, he certainly preferred being included as part of the inner-circle.

"Or maybe it means, she's not dirty," Nolan apprehensively countered, interrupting their gaze. "I'm not willing to make a mistake when it comes to a federal agent. They hold grudges... and arrest warrants."

"I trust my instincts, Nolan," Emily confidently insisted. "Kate had access to the prisoner who was murdered at the police station. I think she was tying up loose ends."

Nolan sat back in his chair. "For our faceless crime boss, Malcom Black, who I can't even find a picture of, by the way." He rose then, advancing warily towards Aiden who had yet to utter a word. Instead, he was focused on skillfully weaving his hands in chopped motions against the tower of uneven wooden pegs Emily often used for training. Nolan stopped at his side, wincing as Aiden hacked away with precision. "Rumor has it that he operates out of a secure compound, but nobody knows where."

Finishing with a punch, the wooden tour wobbled slightly at the impact of Aiden's balled fist as he turned to them. "The tracking device you planted on his thug didn't lead anywhere?" He asked without pause.

"Uh yeah, it did... straight to a morgue in Detroit," Nolan replied with trepidation. "Eliminating loose ends seems to be Malcom's "go to" move."

Meanwhile, Emily paused only momentarily, her mind quickly processing the new information and rendering one viable option. Her eyes rose in determination to meet that of her three counterparts. "Then Kate Taylor really is our only way to find him."

"Hey," Emily lowly greeted Daniel as she entered the master suite the same evening. After having been gone all afternoon, she was pleased to see the bedroom furniture had arrived in her absence.

He looked up responsively from the open book he held in his hand where he sat engrossed on the edge of the bed. "Hey. How did it go with Jack?"

Emily released a heavy breath, hating that she once again was the bearer of bad news to her childhood friend. Though in the very early stages, Jack was enjoying the flirtatious visits Kate Taylor had paid to the Stowaway. "He wasn't happy about what I had to say, but he's agreed to help us... and to watch his own back." She slowly took a seat beside Daniel, fatigued from the day.

He nodded in acceptance. "That's good." Ironically, Daniel felt far less jealously when it came to Jack in light of discovering Emily's ties to Aiden, and given the situation, even found himself feeling badly for the guy.

"What's all this?" Emily asked of the various boxes at their feet, interrupting his quickly drifting thoughts.

Daniel tilted his head to meet her inquisitive eyes. "I brought them up from storage. I'd forgotten about some of this stuff." He palmed the book by its binding, elevating it in further explanation. "This is the book that made me want to be a writer."

Emily smiled softly at the sentiment as he set the work of William Blake aside. "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite," She eloquently recited by heart, receiving a pleasantly surprised expression from Daniel in return.

"You've read the book?"

"A boy I knew told me about it once." The tender glimmer reflecting in Emily's eyes told Daniel the boy she was referencing was him, but rather than question her further about it at the moment, he decided to instead, take comfort in the prospect of Emily knowing him long before he knew her. Strange as it might seem, it somehow cemented the depth of what she claimed to feel for him now. "Maybe you could read to us later," Emily suggested, hopeful her latest confession was accepted without guard, despite how subtle it was in nature.

Daniel caught her intentionally plural inclusion with a warm smile and affectionately placed his hand to her leg. "I'd like that. Start him out the right way."

"Exactly." She released a breathy laugh through her modest smile as he gently kissed her. Emily inhaled his heated breath longingly, feeling her burdens slipping away with each stroke of his tongue in her mouth and the way his fingers threaded in her hair with passionate angst.

With a groan, Daniel forced himself to retract while he still had the willpower to do so. "I have a surprise for you," He lightly taunted before her eyes even reopened, and when they did, Emily was immediately disarmed by the smile dancing in his own as he swiftly leaned over to reach in the nightstand drawer. "And before I show it to you, I'm going to need you to put this on."

"A blindfold?" Emily curiously questioned of the narrow piece of black fabric dangling before her. "Are you planning to propose again?" She joked, her innocent jab genuinely surprising him.

Daniel's grin faded at the thought of the special moment shared between them amidst of a pool of lies. "Actually, no." Quickly recovering, he jovially added, "But I will, if you want me to?"

"No," Emily chuckled, giving her head a shake before complying with his request. Once the blindfold was secured, Daniel carefully led her down the hallway to the intended nursery, and after positioning her in the center of the room, released the blindfold to reveal it was fully furnished. "Oh my God," Emily breathed in wonderment, taking in her surroundings.

Sensing her approval, Daniel grinned proudly over her shoulder. "I know I went a little overboard, and I know this was probably something you wanted to do, but with everything going on, I just -"

"This is perfect," Emily whispered before he could finish. Daniel smiled to himself in relief as she turned to face him, the evidence of gratitude filling her chocolate pools. " How did you manage to do all this in one afternoon?"

"Money helps... a lot."

"Thank you," She whispered, wrapping her arms gratefully around him. She felt loved, cherished even, in Daniel's embrace, two things she'd convinced herself she did not need or want. But he was still willing to give them freely despite her transgressions. "You know... I hadn't even thought about us remarrying until a few minutes ago," Emily commented in realization. Pulling back slightly, she brought her hands to frame face, thinking of how Daniel was probably unaware it had become her very favorite. "I meant what I said about not wanting you to propose... Because it's my turn." Slightly puzzled, Daniel narrowed his brow as she took hold of his hands. "After all, you've asked me twice." Her lips pursed, almost bashfully. "Will you marry me again?"

"Em -"

"Before you say anything," Emily anxiously interjected, biting her lower lip in thought. "Do you want to know why I've fought so hard for us to have another chance?" Daniel nodded expectantly, often wondering that very thought himself. "Because the only time I've been truly happy since I was nine – years old, was the time I spent with you." She paused, watching the impact of unprecedented profession resonate.

"I miss being married to you, Daniel... I know that marriage is supposed to be built on trust, and that you probably have a long way to go before you feel you can trust me completely, but I won't let you down this time," Emily softly committed, drawing a breath. It felt strangely right to pour her heart out to him, to open herself up to the possibilities. "So what do you say?"

He treasured her words more than she could know, but they did not change the answer he'd instantly intended to give. Daniel's eyes fell as his mouth formed a smile. "I never wanted to get divorced in the first place, remember?"

Another A/N: My sincere thanks to anyone who continues to follow this story and took the time to provide feedback on the previous chapter! I would also sincerely appreciate and welcome any feedback your willing to share on this latest installment. I'm hoping the end of the chapter did not border to much on the cheesy. I contemplated whether or not I wanted to include it, and decided to end with lots of Demily feels. I also wanted to take a moment to address whether or not they would wed again since it had yet to be discussed. More drama is ahead though because after all, this is Revenge... :)