A/N: Thank you for the follows/favorites. Here is the next chapter.

Title: A Love Worth Fighting For

Chapter 6

(Thomas goes to Steffy's house so he can clear the air with her. He loved his sister, but they needed to get a few things straight when it came to his relationship with Hope. He knocks on the front door and Steffy answers)

Steffy: "Hey, Thomas. What can I do for you?"

Thomas: "Hey, Steffy. Is Finn around?"

Steffy: "No, he took the kids to the beach. Will not be home for a while. Why? Is everything okay?"

Thomas: "I just wanted to chat with you alone. No interruptions. Hope that is okay."

Steffy: "Yeah, come on in."

Thomas: "Thank you."

(They go sit on the couch after Steffy closes the front door)

Steffy: "So, what's this about?"

Thomas: "Hope and I."

Steffy: (sighs) "I really wish she would just be honest about how she feels about you."

(Thomas shakes his head and waves his hand in response)

Thomas: "Steffy, please don't do that."

Steffy: (shrugs) "Don't do what? Help Hope realize whether she loves you or not? Thomas, she needs to figure it out. If she does not love you, she needs to let you go before she hurts you."

(Thomas raises his hands to his sides and smiles a bit)

Thomas: "See, that is the thing, sis. I know Hope loves me, even if she has not officially said the words yet. She shows me every time we are together. Whether it be talking about our feelings, or in the bedroom."

(Steffy raises her hand and has a grossed-out face)

Steffy: "Eww, Thomas. Please spare me the details of your love life."

Thomas: "I'm just trying to explain, sis, that Hope shows or tells me in other ways how she really feels."

(Steffy raises her eyebrows as she spoke)

Steffy: "But she still hasn't said the actual words?"

Thomas: (rolls his eyes) "Okay, no, she has not. But, at the cabin, she said 'I love you for that'." (sighs) "Steffy, I know how Hope truly feels in the way she acts. You are not there, so you do not know. I know you want me to be happy. Hope makes me happy. PLEASE do not undermine that. It will work out. I have faith."

Steffy: (nods) "I can see you do. I worry about you."

Thomas: "Don't be." (smiles) "I'm really okay."

(The brother and sister share a hug before Thomas leaves)

(Meanwhile, at Hope's cabin, Hope is eating supper with Douglas and Beth)

Hope: "How was school for both of you today?"

Beth: (nods) "Good. I have a bit of homework."

Hope: "I will help you with it if it becomes too difficult."

Beth: "Thanks, mom."

Douglas: "Fun. I finished my homework. Is it okay if I call dad later?"

Hope: "You never have to ask me if you can call your father. Even when you are here with me, he is always there for you."

Douglas: "I have a question, mom."

Hope: "Go ahead, honey."

Douglas: "Is Liam still my stepdad? I have not seen him in a while here."

(Hope is hesitant on how to answer that question because Beth is right there by Douglas. However, Beth speaks)

Beth: "I have not seen daddy here in a while. Does he still live here, mommy?"

Hope: (shakes her head) "No, baby, daddy no longer lives here with us. He lives with grandpa Bill right now. However, he is always there for you and loves you more than anything in the world." (to Douglas) "To answer your question, sweetie…no, Liam is no longer your stepdad. Yes, he is Beth's daddy. If you want to, you can technically call Liam your stepdad. But, him and I divorced a little while ago."

Beth: (sadly) "So, you and daddy are no longer married?"

Hope: "No, baby. We tried to make it work. Sometimes, no matter how much a couple tries to, they just cannot make it work."

Beth: (nods) "I remember you and daddy telling me this before." (shrugs) "I guess I was just hoping that you worked it out."

Hope: "Unfortunately, we didn't."

Beth: "Is that why I see Thomas around a lot? Is he going to be my new daddy?"

(Hope, again, was not 100% sure how to answer that. So, she just answered it to the best of her ability)

Hope: "I am with Thomas, yes. We are dating. Is he going to be your stepdad? Not right now. Not anytime soon. Him and I are still getting to know each other. I would never be serious about someone and not tell you, sweetie."

(Hope faces Douglas, who looks down sadly. Hope knew that Douglas wanted her and Thomas together so they could all be a family forever. However, Thomas and Hope have gently told their son that Hope is not ready to make that level of commitment yet. She could not help but love her son for wanting his parents together, though)

Hope: "When the time comes and I am serious about someone…Beth and Douglas…I will let you both know."

(Beth gets up from her seat, hugs her mother and brings her empty supper plate to the kitchen. Douglas uses this opportunity to talk to his mother)

Douglas: "I know you don't love dad yet, mom." (smiles) "But, the way you two have acted around me, I feel like it is only a matter of time."

Hope: (laughs) "Oh, really?"

Douglas: (shrugs) "I just love you both so much."

(Douglas looks behind to make sure Beth is not coming back yet and slightly whispers)

Douglas: "I got the impression that Liam did not fully love me in the end. Because I wanted you and dad together."

(Hope looks at her son sadly. She hoped to God that was not true. If it was, she would have words with Liam. She gives Douglas a big hug and he said he is going to call dad after putting his plate away)

Hope: "Here, sweetie. Use my phone. Have fun."

(Hope gives her son her phone and he walks away. Beth gets her homework ready to work on. Hope looks straight ahead with a serious expression)

Hope: "You better not be treating my kid wrong, Liam. Otherwise, we WILL have words."

Chapter 6 Done