The sun was bright and played with the tree near the porch and caused the shadows to do a quiet dance. He looked up to the second floor and let his eyes focus on the open window. He heard Cheri out back and he walked around the house to find her showing Hallie how to plant flowers. The two had hit it off great, but he knew Hallie wanted the woman upstairs much more. When he walked around front, a car pulled up and a tall, lanky man stepped out.

The driver closed his door and asked "Is Cheri here?"

He shrugged and said "She's out back.

The man nodded and said "Thank you."

@#$%

The touch was gentle but hinted at a fire of passion behind it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let herself drown in him. When she shuddered from the cold, they stopped and he wrapped his spare jacket around her. He kissed her again and she let it last until she knew it had to stop. He brushed the tear away and she took a deep breath.

"Why?"

He looked softly at her and said "What you saw was a mistake. I don't know what you really saw, but she doesn't mean anything to me."

She desperately wanted to believe but instead she said "That look you two shared wasn't a look I could misinterpret. Go back to her."

He shook his head and said "I'm not going to leave you. I hurt you once before and I'd die before I repeated myself."

Now she was convinced and she asked "Why do you want me so much now?"

"I don't know really. I just know that it's all been a lie these past years without seeing you."

She couldn't help but smile and said "This doesn't change anything. Nothing can happen."

He looked unconvinced and said "Something already has."

Her hair fell as she shook her head and she said "I live in Texas with Hallie. You live here. We have two separate lives and two good jobs."

He rolled his eyes and said "My job is changeable."

Then he lifted her chin up and said "To know what we have at the tip of our hands and throw it away would only drive me more crazy."

She let his words swallow her whole and then she was lost in him again. He held her closely to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck. When it deepened, he ran kisses down her neck and she let out a soft moan.

@#$%

"Is Cheri home?"

Her eyes instantly opened at that voice and she bolted from bed. When she found some clean clothes she slipped them on and quickly bound her hair back.S he left her room and ran down the stairs to the backyard. The instant she stepped onto the back patio, Hallie smiled and ran over to her. She picked her up instantly and Cheri looked at her with a little concern.

Before she could get a word out they heard "I'm home."

Her gaze drifted to the man and she heard "Why are you here? I thought I made it clear I didn't want you back here anymore."

He chuckled and said You know I only went crazy because I didn't know how to handle your daughter back then. Since she is gone, I've gotten help and I'm better."

Cherii frowned and said "The way you talk about her shows you're not. It shows you still can't accept her."

When he stepped in front of her Hallie asked, "Mommy, who is that man?"

Jared looked at the two and asked "Who do we have here?"

She stiffed instantly and held Hallie tightly as he approached the two of them. When he stood mere inches from them, she looked at her mother and saw her running around the house to get Daniels. Jared tilted his head and looked at her with some concentration. His eyes widened and she knew that he had figured her out.

he laughed and said "Well, well. The brat has herself a little girl. Please, is the dad still around or did he ditch you after he found out how pathetic you really are?"

Hallie frowned and said "Don't talk to my mom like that!"

He looked at her and said "You don't need to worry. She's use to this."

Hallie slipped out of her grasp and stood next to her while saying "Take that back!"

Jared laughed coldy and said, "She's as stubborn as you. However, since she doesn't have a dad she can't be as annoying as you."

She took a deep breath and said "You have no right to talk around her like that. She is a mere child, Jared."

His eyes narrowed and he asked "Are you giving me orders?"

She met his gaze and said "Yes I am."

He raised his hand to strike but someone shouted "Hey! Back off!"

Jared spun around and they saw Daniels and Cheri approaching them. Hallie wrapped her arms around her leg and she looked at Jared knowing he hated being interrupted. He turned his back to them and looked straight at her again. When Daniels whirled him around to look at only him, Jared shoved him back and she had Hallie go to her mom. She took a deep breath and pulled Jared's attention from Daniels.

He sneered at her attempt to keep the fight between them and said "At least you don't have mystery boy protecting you this time."

Her eyes narrowed and she said "Leave him out of this. You were the fool to think you could do that when I had him there."

Jared laughed and sai, "Well, he's long gone and now I can finish the job."

She looked away and Cheri yelled "Don't you dare touch her!"

The first strike came and when she met his gaze, he sent her back to the steps and she fell onto them. When she looked at him he went to strike but Daniels knocked him away. Jared stepped back and took off while Hallie broke free from Cheri. She wrapped herself around her and whimpered while she rocked her back and forth. They heard his car disappear and when Daniels looked at her, she got to her feet.

Cheri stepped over to her and asked "Are you okay now?"

She sighed and said "I will be once we are going back to Texas."

The woman nodded and she continued "Come with us."

Her words startled both adults and Cheri said "I can't. You have a roommate and I have to stay here. Besides, he doesn't come by normally."

She nodded and said "I just want to make sure he doesn't hurt you while I'm not here. I don't like that fact that he's loose and wish I could make sure you were safe."

Cheri nodded and said "Sun and Stef are normally here and if he happened to show, they took care of him."

"I need to go get cleaned up. Hallie, why don't you and Daniels go start packing for our trip to the beach."

Hallie smiled and asked "We're still going?"

She nodded and said "Of course we are."

The girl hugged her tightly and said "Thank you."

She jumped down to the ground and Daniels followed her into the house. When they were gone, she let out a sigh and saw her mom still watching her.

She looked at her and asked "What is it?"

Cheri smiled and asked "How was last night? I didn't get to ask you anything. You kind of came in and went straight to your room."

A slight blush colored her face and she said "It was a night I'll never forget."

Then she got to her feet and made her way back into the house. When she reached her room, she slipped into her bathroom and started cleaning up. As she examined her injuries, she found one bruise starting to form and she cursed. She considered applying foundation, but she knew that it would only make it more noticeable. With everything else finished, she sighed and stepped back into her bedroom.

She sat on her bed and tried to figure out how less than twenty-four hours could go from being wonderful to the old life she once dreaded. The entire night she had slept with some peace she had never experienced before, but now it was gone. Now she was going to have to run back into hiding even if it killed her again. With Jared still hurting her, she knew she couldn't come back home until he was finally dealt with. When someone knocked on her door, she came back to reality and grabbed her stuff for the beach.

She opened her door without a sound and saw Hallie watching her with her bag sitting on the floor next to her. She smiled and the two walked out to the waiting jeep. Hallie sat in the back with Daniels and Cheri drove them down to the beach. When they reached the parking lot, she hopped out and helped Hallie down while Daniels and Cheri unloaded their lunch and sittings. They walked down the steps and started looking for a place to set everything.

After a few minutes, they had their stuff sitting on a beach blanket and Hallie asked "Can we go swim now?"

She nodded and said "Of course."

The two walked over to the water edge and Hallie ran on in while she looked down the beach for anything out of place. When Hallie yelled for her, she turned to her and walked in after her. As Hallie splashed her with water, Daniels watched them like a predator until he noticed Cheri watching him.

She shook her head and said "You might as well forget about it. She won't give you a chance even if she did like you."

He nodded and said "I know. I'm more worried about Hallie. There's something we don't know about her."

Cheri sighed and asked "Are you talking about the man that tried to take her away when you three got here?"

Again he nodded and said "It was all too fast for us to do a thing. Then he showed up and got her back."

A smile appeared on her face and she said "He's always been there when we need him."

His eyes turned dangerous and he asked "What did he do to her when she still lived here?"

She sighed and said "Broke her heart."

He looked at her and asked "Then why is she giving him the time of day to be with her?"

Cheri shrugged and said "I've never understood it, but it all started that summer she came back home from school."

His gaze returned to the two in the water and he asked "What happened? Did he apologize and they made up?"

She chuckled and said "Far from it. After she was out of the hospital the last time, she returned to Texas and Stef kept me informed on her whereabouts, but that was all. Then two years later he went missing and we all knew he was looking for her."

He sighed and said "It just doesn't make any sense on her part. I've known her for these last three years and the way you're talking doesn't make sense."

"Come on slowpokes!"

They looked up and saw Hallie waving at them to come join them, and Cheri passed while he shed his shirt and walked into the water. When he reached them, he noticed that the bruise on her face was getting rather dark and he sighed. Hallie splashed him and he splashed her back until she hid behind her protector. He looked at her with somewhat of a childish look, but she only rolled her eyes. A wave knocked him down and when he came back up, he heard Hallie laughing at him.

PGS