A/N: I own nothing but my mistakes as always...Hopefully, you are ready for this journey to end. Three more chapters to go.

62

I'm the type of person whose sense of humor could be described

as extremely inappropriate with a chance of ruining family meals.

—JOURNAL ENTRY: REGINA PORTER

Cedes and Sam answered Gina's questions for well over an hour as they waited for her grandparents to get home. She asked everything from the first time they met to what went through Cedes' mind when the memories started coming back.

They were sitting on the sofa, Gina in the middle with her head on Cedes' shoulder as she asked yet another question. Sam got up to use the bathroom, so Cedes took the opportunity to do a wellness check.

"Are you okay with all of this, ladybug? Really?"

Gina nodded then asked, "Do you think that's weird? I mean, should I be mad at him for not telling us sooner?"

"No one can tell you what you should and should not feel. Feelings are intrinsically our own."

"Are you mad at him?"

"Quite often," she said with a grin. "But today? No, I'm not."

"Okay, good. Me neither. But I do have one favor to ask."'

"Anything," Sam said, sitting beside them again.

"Can we keep this to ourselves for a while?"

A look of surprise flashed across Sam's face, but he hid it quickly. "Of course. You take all the time you need."

"No, it's not that. It's just, Ricky lost his dad, and I just got one and somehow none of this seems fair."

"It's not, ladybug. What happened to Ricky will never be fair."

"Do you think it's okay to tell him?"

"If Ricky is the man I think he is," Sam said, "he'll be thrilled for you."

She sank back into her mother's arms. "I hope so."

When the front door opened, Cedes drew in a deep breath and whispered to Sam, "You know we're going to have to repeat everything all over again."

"I'm good with that. As long as your dad doesn't shoot me."

"We should hide his guns. Just in case."

"Agreed."

She looked at Gina, then back at him. "Are we ready?"

"No," he said, making Gina giggle.

Cedes winced. "Me neither. Here goes nothing."

They stood together as her parents walked in, her mother chittering about a candy dish April had. She hung up her purse and walked to the kitchen. "Okay to come in?"

"Yes," Cedes said, waving them forward and gesturing toward the small kitchen table. "Mom, Dad, can you guys sit down a minute?"

"Oh," her mom said, tossing a grin over her shoulder at her father. "This must be serious."

"It is," Gina said, bouncing from one foot to another.

Cedes didn't miss the fact that Sam took Gina's hand into his. She squeezed it to her chest as they waited for the Joneses to settle, and the look he gave her held so much love Cedes thought her heart would burst. Or possibly a blood vessel in her brain. It would be just like her to have an aneurysm when she was so close to having everything she'd dreamed of since puberty.

They gathered around the table, Gina taking the seat between Sam and her grandmother while Cedes took the one separating him from her father, disappointed they didn't have time to round up the firearms in the house. For now, she'd be the buffer between the two. She could be buff when she needed to be.

"Well?" her mother asked, rubbing her hands together.

"Sam's going to be my dad!" Gina shouted, unable to contain herself any longer.

Cedes' lungs turned to concrete, and she and Sam sat stock still, waiting for their reaction.

Her mom covered her mouth with both hands and looked between them. Her dad waited for more intel before making a decision.

"Are you two getting married?" her mom asked, hope glittering in her eyes.

"Yes!" Gina shouted again, and that time Sam chuckled.

Minnie Jones jumped up to hug them, but Cedes formed a T with her hands, signaling a time-out.

Her mom put on a pretty pout and sat back down. "Isn't this a good thing?"

"Yes, Mom, it is, but there's a little more to the story."

"Ah. Well, we're all ears."

Her dad nodded, though he seemed a bit more concerned.

Sam took the lead before Gina could say anything else. "Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I'm actually Gina's biological father."

Her mom blinked at them like the lightbulb was on but no one was home.

"I have been her whole life," he added, as though unsure about what else to say.

Her mom looked between them. "You were right," she said to her husband. "They didn't know."

"That appears to be the case," he said.

"You mean, you've known all this time?"

"Frankly, darling, we thought you did, too."

"No, Mother, I did not."

Sam looked at them, his expression as horrified as Cedes's. "Did you … did you think I abducted her?" he asked, almost unable to get the words out.

"What?" It was her mother's turn to be horrified. "No, Sam. Honey, look at the hospital surveillance tape. It's clearly a boy. A boy who loves the girl he's brought in."

"We've known for years you were the one who saved her, son," her dad said. "It just took us a few more to figure out the father part, but it became clear to us around Gina's ninth birthday."

"What happened on my ninth birthday?"

"Gina got a moped," her mother said.

"A moped nobody in the entire town admitted to getting her," her dad added.

Gina looked at Sam. "That was you? All those anonymous presents?"

"Mom and dad," Cedes said, everything clicking into place, "I always thought it was you getting her those things, and you didn't want me to force you to take them back, so you denied getting them."

They both shook their heads.

"If I had known, I would've investigated."

"Which is exactly what we did," her mother said. "Once it became clear Gina had a secret admirer, we did a little investigating of our own."

Sam scowled. "Rory ratted me out, didn't he?"

"Like a two-dollar whore," her dad said.

"Dad!" Cedes chastised him with her best glare, but Gina was too busy beaming at … at her father to notice. Her father. The concept was going to take a while for Cedes to wrap her head around completely. But for now, she unleashed her admonishment on Sam. "You got a nine-year-old a moped?"

"And that's why I didn't tell you," he said, lying through his teeth. "She wanted a dirt bike. I figured this was safer."

"Oh, good thinking. Wait, how did you know what she wanted?"

"I asked her."

"You did?" Gina asked.

"When we went for ice cream that summer you fell off your bike."

"Oh, yeah. My knee was bleeding and you cleaned it up and bought me ice cream."

Cedes crossed her arms. "Do you tell your secrets to any strange man who buys you ice cream?"

"Duh. Ice cream."

She shook her head and turned to her mom. "Why didn't you guys tell me? Why would you keep this from me all these years?"

"First off," her mother said, "it took us a while to figure out why some strange man was buying our granddaughter gifts."

"But once it clicked into place, everything made sense." Her dad gave Sam a sympathetic nod.

"And you weren't ready, dear."

That got Cedes' attention. "What do you mean I wasn't ready?"

"You weren't here. You were still running, and we worried that telling you would send you even farther away from us. Farther away from Sam. We wanted you to figure it out on your own."

"But I didn't," she said, her voice cracking.

Her mom gave her a hug. "It took you a little while, but you got there in the end."

"With a lot of help," she argued.

"We all need help sometimes, Mercedes."

Cedes sat stunned.

After staying up far too late, Cedes insisted Gina go to bed. She stayed with her grandparents so Cedes and Sam could have some quality time.

And boy was it. Cedes lay in Sam's arms, soaking in the warmth wafting off him, and played with his hands.

"I can't believe I didn't know anything about the presents you were giving Gina all these years. I suck as an investigator.

"No, you don't. Your parents intentionally kept it from you. There was no way you could know."

"Yeah, but they normally can't keep anything from me. How did I not know about us for so long?"

"Because all the good was wrapped up with all the bad, and your mind couldn't separate it. It's hardly your fault. Even the most intuitive people can't see their own destinies. It's a forest-for-the-trees thing."

She propped her head up on an elbow and ran those same fingers over the outline of his full mouth. "You're much deeper than you appear."

"Thanks?"

She laughed softly and looked over at the nightstand. "You didn't drink your wine."

"Yeah, I don't drink."

"Since when?"

"For some time now."

"When you say you don't drink, you mean, other than for work?"

He shook his head. "Not even then."

"But you own a distillery. Your family owns a bar and grill."

"So, surely I drink the inventory?"

"Well, no. But the distillery?"

"That's where my cousin Joshua comes in. You'd never know it by looking at him, but that man has a very sophisticated palate."

"I never thought I'd hear his name and sophisticated in the same sentence."

"I rinse."

"You don't swallow?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't ask me that."

She reached over him and took his glass of wine. "I don't want to interfere with your sobriety."

"It's not about sobriety. There was just never anyone else I wanted to share a drink with."

"Else?"

"If you'll remember, we almost hooked up at the lake when you were a freshman."

"How could I forget that? You were drunk on your family's moonshine, and you made out with me."

"I wasn't that drunk."

"You're saying you always wanted to kiss me?"

"I wanted to do a lot more than kiss you but you were a baby."

"It wasn't a baby. I just thought it was the booze talking when you ignored me the next day at school."

"It wasn't the booze, and I ignored you because I thought you left me for Hunter. For a long time, I thought he was your boyfriend."

"Eww gross. He has always been like a brother to me."

"Well, I didn't know it at the time, all I can remember is someone asking if he belonged to you, and you said he did. It broke my heart, and I acted like a jerk afterwards to guard my heart against you."

"Really."

"Really, I treated that man horribly for years after that."

"Well, you had no need. I only ever had eyes for you."

"And I only had eyes for you, too. You have been and will always be my first and only love. I love you so much Em."

"And I love you Sam, always have and always will.

She fell asleep in his arms. When she woke up she thought about everything. How Gina would really be affected by their relationship. How they would be able to make it work after all these years of no communication and miscommunication.

Fortunately, they had all summer to figure it out. They might have to actually do that camping thing for some alone time with their daughter to become the family that they were destined to be.

But for now Sam Menkins was finally hers. And that was enough.

She slept approximately twelve seconds before waking up to the call of nature. She lay curled up with an arm wrapped around her. Sam's mouth rested at her ear, his deep breaths fanning across her cheek.

She untangled their limbs and slid under his arms. He protested and pulled her back against him, so she waited until his breathing was even and tried again with success.

As a career law enforcement officer, when Cedes walked to the bathroom wearing a Tupac T-shirt and nothing else, she really should have noticed the man sitting in her living room. More to the point, she should have noticed the man standing in her kitchen holding a gun.

"Dad?" she said, forgetting she had nothing on below her T-shirt. Fortunately, it was long enough to disguise that fact. She opened the refrigerator door and bathed him in light. "What are you doin'?"

He stood lounging against her sink, arms crossed, 9 mm at the ready. He gestured toward her living room with a nod.

Her catlike reflexes kicking in—as they were wont to do—she spun around and saw yet another man sitting in her living room. Same chair. Different guy. This intruder was blonder than the one she'd had the night before.

She stepped around the island to glare at the escaped convict who'd invaded her sanctum sanctorum. Sam's uncle Bryan Ryan sat staring at her, a charming grin lifting one corner of his mouth. It was odd how he looked nothing like his nephew, but he was just as handsome in a hardened criminal, shot caller kind of way. He wore plain clothes—a T-shirt and jeans—and had a baseball cap resting on one knee. Part of his brilliant disguise, she was sure.

"What is it with you Menkins men? Do any of you just knock?"

"I would have, but you and my nephew looked pretty chummy. I thought I'd give you guys some time to catch up."

"So, you just let yourself in?"

"I could hardly hang around outside. Not with half the cops in the state looking for me."

"Yeah, thanks a lot. The US marshal assigned to the case is about ninety percent certain I helped, since I was at the hospital when it happened."

"I saw you. In my defense, I had no idea you'd be there."

"Who was your accomplice?"

"Come on, chocolate drop. You know I can't tell you that."

"You've looked better."

"I've felt better. But you look amazing."

"I'm not wearing pants," she said the second it hit her.

"You won't hear me complaining."

"Excuse me." Not wanting to bring Sam into it just yet, she hurried to the bathroom and threw on her robe.

"Dad, you want to sit down?"

"I'm fine, Mercy Love."

She figured as much. He could keep a better eye on the intruder from his current position.

"What are you doing here?"

"We need to coordinate our efforts."

"What efforts?"

"I told you when you came to see me, I needed two weeks to see to Cooter."

"You said you needed two weeks to get the evidence to bring him down. Not that you were going to escape from prison."

"Yeah, well, that wasn't going as well as I'd hoped, so I improvised."

"By purposely inducing a heart attack?"

He confirmed by lifting a shoulder.

"Bryan Ryan, I have to take you in."

"Sorry, chocolate drop. No can do."

"Then, why are you here?"

"I told you, we need to coordinate our efforts. And I knew you'd never let me see her."

Cedes froze, doing everything in her power to show no reaction.

"The girl," he added in case she didn't understand.

She most definitely understood. "You can't see her."

He pressed his mouth together. "We had a deal."

"That was before you became an escaped convict."

"So you would've brought her to the prison to see me like we agreed?"

"No. I wouldn't have."

"There you go. Not that I can blame you, chocolate drop. Maybe when she's older?"

"Maybe. Bryan Ryan, I have to ask again, why would you risk an arrest to come here?"

"I have new infor—" He stopped mid-sentence, and Cedes followed his gaze to Sam standing at the bedroom door.

He stood barefoot with a half-fastened pair of jeans and a smirk stolen from an archangel. He walked over to Bryan Ryan as the escaped convict struggled to his feet, and Cedes realized Bryan Ryan was in much worse shape than she'd imagined. He straightened and put a hand on the side of Sam's face, taking in every aspect of him, his gaze as loving as a father's.

Cedes understood. She did the same thing quite often.

"You've grown up," he said.

"I've gotten older."

Bryan Ryan laughed softly. "You were born old. I could see it in your eyes, that old soul you kept safe no matter how hard my brother tried to beat it out of you."

Cedes stifled her surprise at his words, struggling to keep her poker face intact. Not that she would put child abuse past Sam's father, but to say it out loud made it more real.

Sam let his gaze slide to her dad, who lounged against her sink like he hadn't a care in the world. "Malcolm," he said warily.

Her dad nodded. "Sam."

"So, what's going on?"

"Your uncle thought it would be a good idea to come for a visit in the middle of his manhunt, because no law enforcement agent in the world would think to look for relatives who might harbor a fugitive."

"No, I meant why are you in a robe?"

"Oh." She tugged the lapels together. "It was either this or a towel."

Bryan Ryan laughed and pulled Sam into hug. After the hugging session he said, "I take it you two have finally worked out your issues?"

Sam laughed. "We're getting there. But you didn't risk a stopover to see how my love life was going."

"I didn't. I can't say how I got this information, but whatever Cooter is doing, he's doing it soon. And if I had to take an educated guess, his plan is to kill you."

"That's what we thought all along," Cedes said. "So why now? Why the hurry?"

"Because Cooter suspects he had something to do with Sander's death."

"Why should he care after all these years?" she asked.

"No, he doesn't see Sam as family, so he sees it as his responsibility to retaliate because Sander was his blood."

"Fine. But again, why now?" Cedes asked.

"Because today would have been Sander's birthday. From my understanding, he wants to make a big show of it. Let the higher-ups know he can take care of business and make them money in the process."

"Where are you getting your info?"

"I can't tell you."

"I don't suppose you have any proof? Something I can use to bring him in on?"

"Not a thing, and I wouldn't reveal my source either way. Just arrest the man already."

"I can't just arrest him without evidence. I need something."

Bryan Ryan nodded as though expecting her to say that very thing. "It's worse than all that, chocolate drop."

She stopped and turned toward him.

He bit down and said softly, "Cooter knows who Gina is."

Cedes' breath caught as she stared at him in absolute disbelief.

He looked at Sam. "He knows the girl is yours, son. He knows you left her a third of everything, and you know he can't let that happen."

Gina tossed and turned more than a roller coaster at full speed. She'd been trying to go to sleep. Trying and failing. All of a sudden, her heart was too big for her chest, her stomach was flooded with butterflies in every color of the rainbow, and her skin tingled with exhilaration. Sam Menkins. Her dad. A real dad she could talk to and hug. Not the pretend one she'd never met.

She made a mental list of all the questions she wanted to ask him, mostly about the fact that she and Stevie were technically cousins. She'd never had a cousin before. And she had an aunt, now, too. But what would she call her? What would she call Sam? Dad just seemed so … personal. So perfect. But would he want her to call him that?

Even with her head swimming as it was, she felt the pull of sleep at last when she saw a light go on at her house. She scrambled onto her knees and looked out the window. Someone was in their kitchen. A man, but it wasn't Sam. She squinted and realized it was Big Poppa. But why would her grandpa be in their kitchen at—she looked at her alarm clock—5:30 in the morning?

She sank back onto the bed and tried once again to go to sleep, but her curiosity got the better of her. She threw on her shoes and went out the back door. She should have just gone into her house, but there were people in there. Like, a lot. So she snuck to the window to peep inside instead.

Her grandpa was standing at the sink. Just hanging. Her mom and Sam were in the living room with another man. As tall as Sam. She leaned in closer to see her mom pacing. Then her mom stopped. Stunned. She argued. She sank onto the couch. She argued some more. It was like watching a silent movie, and just as dramatic when everyone stopped what they were doing and all eyes turned to the window. The same one she was looking in from.

Now she had a decision to make. Run, pretend like she was sleepwalking, or go inside and tell them she woke up and was going to get ready for school.

When her mom crooked a finger at her, she had no choice. She stepped inside but stopped short by the front door. "What's going on?"

Big Poppa put his hands behind his back, and no one said anything for a really long time, but Gina's attention had been captured by the man standing by her dad. Her dad! He was staring at her like he'd never seen a girl before. The man. Not her dad.

"Gina, this is Sam's uncle Bryan Ryan."

"Oh, nice to meet you," she said, reveling in the fact that she had an uncle that wasn't Cooter. Because gross to the millionth power.

He took her hand and held it. "My God in heaven," he said, his gaze boring into her soul. Which was not awkward at all. "You really do look like your grandmother."

"You know my grandma? Wait, aren't you in jail?"

"I … got out," he said after tossing a questioning gaze to her mom.

She pulled her hand back. "Well, good for you. Happy … release day?"

"Thank you, Gina. I've wanted to meet you for a long time."

"You weren't in prison for kiddie porn, were you?"

He laughed, as did Sam, but her mom just stood there like she was in shock. And Big Poppa had yet to come out of the kitchen. The dark kitchen casting him in shadows.

"I most definitely was not in prison for kiddie porn. It's just, I knew you'd look like her."

"I don't look like my grandmother."

"You look like your father's mom."

Gina gaped at her mom. "He knows? How does he know and I'm just finding out?"

"Oops," he said to her mom. "Sorry, chocolate drop."

"We just told Gina about Sam tonight." Cedes pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her.

"At least I didn't let the cat out of the bag, right?"

"Gina, why don't you go get ready for school. You have that field trip today."

"It's still early. I was thinking coffee and a croissant."

"Fine. Have your grandma get you one."

"Mom, are you okay?"

She forced a smile. "Of course, ladybug. Go stay with your grandma, now."

"All right already. Geez. Could you try to get rid of me any harder?" When Bryan Ryan breathed a soft laugh, she asked, "Will you still be here when I get back?"

"I hope to be around for a long time."

"Good. Because I want the lowdown on my dad. All the juicy bits." She giggled at Sam as she turned and walked out. This week just got better and better.

Frustration and astonishment bubbled and boiled inside Cedes as she watched her daughter bounce out of the house. The wetness pooling between her lashes was just the tip of the iceberg. The edges of her vision darkened and nausea pushed bile up to sting the back of her throat.

"We need to keep her home from school," Sam said.

"He won't touch her," Bryan Ryan said. "Not yet. Not until he's taken care of you, Sam. He is the worst kind of coward, son. Always was. She's safe as long as we keep you alive."

"I don't want her to know anything is wrong," Cedes said. "We have to act normal."

Her dad stepped closer then, the gun back in plain sight. "I'll go on the field trip with her, today, Mercy. Just as a precaution."

She nodded. "Thanks, Dad. I'll call Mr. Rashad to make sure it happens. In the meantime, I'm going to have to take you into custody, Bryan Ryan."

"Well, you could, but I think I'll stay out just a little longer."

"Sorry. I can't allow that."

"But Sam can," he argued. "And so can your dad."

"Why would I do that?" her dad asked.

"I told you. He knows who Gina is."

Cedes protested. "You just said he won't make a move until—"

"And he won't," Bryan Ryan said, holding up a hand to stop her. "But how long do you want to wait for that day? Unable to breathe, worried with each phone call you'll hear that your daughter was killed in a hit-and-run? Or a break-in? Or a drug overdose?"

"Stop," Cedes whispered, her stomach somersaulting.

"You see to Schuester, chocolate drop, and leave Cooter to me."

"Schuester?" Sam asked.

"I don't know why or how, but Cooter has some pretty big plans for this town, and Schuester is somehow involved."

"How do you propose I see to him?" she asked.

"Just keep an eye on him. If everything goes as planned, we'll know more by the end of the day. Then you can take me in. I swear."

"Fine, what's your plan?"

"Chocolate drop, there are some people on this planet who just don't deserve to live on it. Cooter happens to be one of them. I plan to see that he leaves it."

She studied him as his meaning sank in. "You're going to kill him?"

"After I extract some information, of course."

Cedes laughed and sank onto the sofa. She may not have her duty weapon, but her dad was armed, and Sam could take him should it come to that.

"And you think you can get past all three of us?"

"Nope. Just you." He looked at Sam. "You have to let me go. He'll kill her."

"I'll go with you."

"What?" She jumped up. "Sam, what the hell?"

"We're going, Em."

Her dad stepped closer and clicked the safety off the gun. "I can't let you do that, son."

Sam dropped his gaze. "I'm sorry, sir. You'll have to shoot me, and I don't think you'll do that."

"No, I won't, but I will shoot him." He gestured toward Bryan Ryan.

Sam took a step to block his line of sight. "Sir, my one goal in life at the moment is to keep your granddaughter alive."

"I thought you might say that." He put the safety back on the gun and handed it to Bryan Ryan. "You might need this. It's untraceable."

"Dad!" she said, stunned. Not only about his betrayal but about the fact that he had an untraceable gun in his possession.

"What about you, Sheriff?" Sam said, turning to her. "Are you going to shoot me?"

"Sam, don't do this. I have to take him in."

"And I have to make sure my daughter lives a long and healthy life."

Her dad walked around the sofa and stepped between her and Sam. "You go on, Sam. Finish this."

"Dad," she whispered.

Sam nodded and ran to the bedroom for the rest of his attire.

When she started to follow him, her dad took hold of her arm. She looked at the large hand encircling her biceps, then lifted her gaze to her father's resigned face. "You realize I could take you if I really wanted to," she said, praying she wouldn't have to prove it.

"You could try."

He was way more confident about his chances than she would've imagined.

"Chocolate drop," Bryan Ryan said, gesturing goodbye with a nod.

She could only watch as he left with Sam, who didn't even spare her another glance. Then she turned to the traitor in disbelief. "You are the worst backup ever."