Random Ideas V.3

Slowly, Daphne leaned back contently in her seat. Her food was only half eaten, but she didn't have much of an appetite anyway. Wiping the grease off of her fingers, she attempted to imagine Maya or Gabriel working out, and she just couldn't see either of them surviving. Maya had an abundance of energy; however, her coordination was definitely not its best. "I doubt that would end well," she commented; a soft laugh escaped her as she tried to imagine it once more. It would definitely not end well; though, it would be rather amusing. Rolling off the couch, Maya grabbed the now empty box the sour patch kids had come in and chunked them in the garbage. "Maybe so. But I don't think that is usually how it works," she commented as she brushed the rest of the sticky residue from the candy off on the knees of her pants.

A soft sigh escaped Maya's lips; however, she decided not to fight it. "Whatever you say," she murmured. Once they reached the shade, she settled into the chair, paying extra attention to her booted leg as she rested it out before her. Her eyes took in the area; the sun was masked from the foliage hanging from the tree. A shadow cast out before her lightly. She took the glass between her palms; the cool sweat from the glass dampened her hands slightly. "Yes, I like it," she murmured as she tugged him down for a quick kiss.

By that time, Blake was nearly done with all of his food. He was a rather fast water, especially when he liked the food that he was eating, and he nearly inhaled it when he loved the food. He chuckled a bit to himself as she imagined her friends trying to do the crossfit. "That's what I thought right before Willow did it. I was hoping and praying she wouldn't sue me after it," he said jokingly before leaning back in his seat much like her until the bill came. He quickly paid and gave the lady a nice tip. If you asked him, he thought the lunch went rather well. He was hoping the same could be said for Elaine. Jamie chuckled when he heard her, and he rolled his eyes. "Don't we all wish that's how it worked," he said to himself. He did know a way to make himself happy, though. He stood from his place on the couch, grabbing his keys. "Come on, we are going on an adventure," he said, a devilish smirk on his face.

Jamie smiled bright when she said that she liked the tea. He had made it himself after watching her mother do it a million times. It was harder than he thought. He was just glad he didn't get it too sweet or too bitter. He stopped himself from toppling over her when she tugged him down, and he kissed her back. He didn't want to work at all now. He just wanted to kiss her. He returned her kiss, but he knew he sadly had work to do. He pulled away after another before moment and made his way to the barn. It was time to work.

Shaking her head, Daphne hid a hesitant smile. She couldn't imagine Willow doing crossfit either, and there was a slim chance that Maya would ever agree to it, considering her athletic qualities were lacking. She scooted out of the booth and glanced at her food, which wasn't finished. "Do we need a to-go box?" she inquired, glancing to her father uncertainly. She didn't know how they felt about leftovers, but she definitely wasn't planning on saving it for later. Maya was already fishing through the cabinets to find another box of sour patch kids that she might have missed when Jamie spoke. She nudged the cabinets closed and glanced back at him, a brow arched. "An adventure?" she repeated uncertainly; she wasn't sure how that one would end.

A smile tugged at the edges of Maya's lips as she slowly pulled away; she knew work, at the moment, was perhaps more important than her, which was fine. She took another quick sip of her tea before placing it on the quaint white table that sat before her. She leaned back just enough to have an appropriate view of Jamie while he worked. Though, she had to urge to get up; she was restless from sitting around all the time - she hurt her leg...she wasn't helpless.

Blake smirked a bit, and he looked over at his daughter. "You know, if you ever have a really bad waiter, all you have to do is this," he said. He grabbed his glass of water and a small plate, putting the plate over the water and turning it over, setting it on the table. "Then write on a napkin that their tip is under the plate. How bad their service is determines the amount of the tip," he said with a smirk on his face, winking jokingly, "or if there even is one." As she asked about a to-go box, he shrugged. "If you want that for later, go ahead, but if not I don't mind you leaving it here," he said. Jamie smirked, and he rolled his eyes. "Your lack of faith in me really hurts," he said, placing a hand over his heart and acting wounded. He chuckled a bit before heading outside to his motorcycle. He put on his slick, black helmet before handing the white one to Maya. "And you get the goofy lookin' one," he said, winking.

Jamie spent a while looking for the seeds Apollo wanted planted there. Corn was what the time was right for. He found the seeds, and he quickly went back outside. Why did it have to be so hot? He sighed, starting to plant the seeds and cover up the exposed ground as he went along. Then he would have to water the, and fence up the garden so no 'varmints' would get in and eat the crop. Who said varmints anyway? And Apollo said northerners were bad!

Arching a brow, Daphne watched as her father perform the small act; she had never witnessed a grown man act so much like a teenager and not an actual man. She had to stifle a small laugh when Elaine slapped him upside the head. "I wouldn't count that service as terrible," she pointed out as she brushed a hand lightly through her hair, loosening her ponytail ever so slightly. As her gaze shifted to the food left over, she shook her head and commented, "I won't eat it. We can leave it." She did, however, pick up the cool glass and took one last, long sip of the shake; it wasn't nearly as bad as she had assumed. The chocolate sent a sweet sensation through her. Instead of responding, Maya merely rolled her eyes as she hopped off the porch. "Knowing you, we will end up at an abandoned warehouse where you might try to force me to write profanity on brick walls...no thank you," she commented, shaking her head. Her short hair bounced lightly as she did so. As Jamie handed off the helmet, she glared in his direction. "It won't look goofy on me," she muttered before she tugged it onto her head; she didn't even want to consider the helmet hair that she would have afterwards. She grumbled after another long moment, "I don't believe I should trust you and a motorcycle."

As Jamie worked, Maya shifted in the lawn chair; the plastic felt uncomfortable against her soft skin. She held her glass of tea instead of placing it on the white lawn table. She was using it as an ice pack, rather than drinking from the drink. Her gaze shifted to the bright sun, shimmering through the foliage. Truthfully, she had missed the sweltering heat. It brought a sense of home, and though it was scorching, it sent a warm trill through her. The north was sometimes much too cold for her tastes.

Blake winced a bit as he felt Elaine slap the back of his head, and he rolled his eyes in reply. "I know. that's why I'm gonna do this," he said, and he carefully slid the plate to the edge to where he could pick it up, and he removed it from the glass. "If science in high school taught me anything, it was that and that sodium mixed with water blows things up," he said, laughing a bit more. He placed a tip on the table before getting up. "Honestly, that was the only reason why I took chemistry, and let m tell you, it was pretty awesome." He moved his eyes, looking at he time after a moment. He turned his directions toward Daphne. "Would you like us to take you home? Or do you have something else in mind that you would like it do?" he asked her curiously. Jamie smirked a bit watching her as she went on and on and said, "Everyone looks goofy in it." He put the helmet on, adjusting the strap at the bottom. A smirk came to his lips. "Well, I guess you're right. You look pretty dang cute," he said. As she went on and on about where he would take her, he rolled his eyes. "I am much more classy than that, my dear," he said, getting on the motorcycle and starting it. Slowly, he grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his waste for her and said in a loud voice over the motor, "Don't let go!" Before he even got much of a reply, he took off.

Jamie took in a deep breath as he finished planting the seeds. The heating was beginning to be a little bit much for him, so he pulled off his shirt, setting it to the side. The war had made him muscular. He went back into the bar, grabbing the supplies that would be needed to make the fence. "You know, you look right pretty under that shade tree," he said, trying his attempt at a southern accent. Nope. He still couldn't seem to do it. It just had something about it that he would never be able to master.

With fluid motions, Blake seemed to have replaced the contents without spilling anything, which was quite impressive considering the way her father seemed to eat. Crossing her arms over her chest, Daphne pursed her lips at her father's words. "I honestly don't think I should trust you and chemistry. Maybe you should leave that to Mrs. Davenport," she pointed out; Daphne had never felt comfortable referring to Maya's mother as "Willow," and the fact she knew of her heritage did not change that simple quality. She would continue calling her Mrs. Davenport until the day she died, or the day her and Apollo divorced...which didn't seem likely. "No, I don't believe I know of anything else," she answered after a moment of consideration. Rolling her eyes, Maya decided not to protest; as she wound her arms around his waist, she uncertainly glanced towards the ground. "You know, I would much rather prefer a-" she began, but her words were cut off by the wind pounding in her mouth and distorting the remaining words. It took everything in her not to close her eyes and will the motorcycle to a stop.

Swirling the glass of tea, Maya arched a brow as Jamie spoke up. The contents in the glass clinked against the sides lightly in a light tapping around. It brought forth a light smile on her lips. "No matter how hard you try, you won't master the accent," she commented, shaking her head as she did so. A tilted grin appeared on her lips, nevertheless. She hid it by taking a long sip from her drink. Her eyes were still alight with amusement as she studied his body - the curves of his muscles, the tan of his skin despite him never being in the south before.

Blake couldn't stop his laughing when he heard her. "You wouldn't be the first to not trust me with chemistry. To be honest, I forgot most of it, so that is probably a smart decision. Besides, Mrs. Davenport knows a ton more than I would ever want to know," he said, making sure that they had everything together. "Alright," he said, and he grabbed the keys to his car. he didn't want to take her home just yet, but they had nothing else to do, and he wouldn't be surprised if Daphne was really sick of them. Jamie smirked as her words were cut off. She seemed to be gripping him even tighter the more the ride went along. "Maya, this has been my transportation ever since I could drive. I'm not going to wreck us," he said loudly. Soon, he parked the motorcycle. It was treehouse time.

Jamie chuckled as she spoke. He walked over to her, and he poured himself his own little glass of tea. "No, I never will, sort of like how you will never be able to master the northern accent," he said with a wink. Having the diversity between them was one of the best parts of the relationship. He went back to the garden, stated to put up the rest of the posts. How was Apollo still doing this work at his age? He was going to end up really hurting himself. He didn't understand how hard farmers worked until now.

"I wonder why she never went into that professional field," Daphne mused more to herself as she tucked her phone into her back pocket. After a moment or so of pure silence, she turned and headed for the door. She was ready to get a move on. She didn't necessarily want to go back home to face Maria, but she wasn't sure how sticking around with her actual parents would help things either. As Elaine eyed Daphne before she disappeared right out the door, she took Blake's hand lightly in her own, trailing patterns on the back of it. "Baby steps. We have to get her time," she whispered with an obviously forced smile. Maya shook her head and squinted her eyes closed against the rushing currents of wind that blew across of face and whipped her hair across her back madly. "That doesn't mean it is safe," she grumbled in response; though, she was certain he couldn't hear her over the coursing air.

Lying back against the lawn chair, Maya rested her hands on her stomach, folding them together as she did so. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, lying against one side of her shoulder - luckily to, for the heat was almost too great for her to manage. "I bet I could master the northern accent before you could master the southern," she muttered in response, rolling her eyes as she did so. The likelihood that either of them could do so, however, wasn't exactly the greatest.

Blake looked down at his hand when he felt his wife, and he managed a small smile to come to his face. "I know. I just feel like at this rate we will never be able to really connect with her," he said sadly, and he went to the car. "Love," he said after a moment. "Love is why Mrs. Davenport never went into the professional field of science. She was too happy with her job with Apollo It meant they could spend more time together. Sure, eh could have made more money, but Apollo meant more to her than some paycheck. I guess it's the same for us. I didn't go to collage like I had planned. I was going to quit being a tattoo artist to study law actually, but I met your mother, and I realized she meant more to me than a job I wanted," he said quietly. He never told Elaine that. He knew she would get mad at him for choosing her, but he didn't mind. He liked his decision. Jamie rolled his eyes at he heard her. "You say that like I've had a wreck before," he said before taking off his helmet. After a while, he perfected the art of taking off his helmet just the right way so his hair didn't mess up. He helped her take off hers, and he smiled before taking her hand, leading her to the backyard and to their old treehouse.

Jamie laughed, shaking his head all the while. She just wished that she could master the northern accent. There was no way she could do it if she couldn't get the southern accent. Soon, he finished making the fencing, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Your father...I didn't realize how much of a hardworking man he is until now. I can see why you look up to him so much now," he said in a quiet voice.

Leaning forward, Elaine pressed a brief kiss to Blake's cheek. "If you give up now, there will be no possible chance that she will trust us," she whispered in response before she climbed in as well, buckling her seat belt as she did so. As he described the reason of why, Daphne tilted her head up to stare at the car ceiling. "Sometimes I don't believe in love," she mumbled in response. Love scared her, truthfully. She saw what it did to Maya, Jamie, and many others. It could make a person go crazy. Slowly, Elaine turned towards Blake and frowned slightly. "Why did you never tell me that? Why didn't you go?" she whispered, letting out a long sigh. Did Blake regret it? Had his decision been the wrong choice? Would their kids have different...better lives if he had went to college instead of being with her? Was this actually all her fault? All the these coursed through her head, but she didn't voice any of them. Blindly, Maya followed Jamie's guidance, shaking her unruly hair out of her eyes. "Remind me to never ride with you again," she mumbled as she raked her free hand through her hair to tame some of the wild locks. "Why are we going here?" she inquired, arching a brow. "My grandparents aren't even home."

Lifting her gaze from the clouds floating along the sky, Maya managed a light smile. "He might not have saved anyone's life, and he may have not went to fight in the war, but he is still my hero," she stated as she kicked her legs over the edge of the lawn chair to pull herself to her feet. Though she was unsteady at first, she managed to regain her balance as she shifted to glance to Jamie. "He is getting old though...sometimes I hate to even think about that."

lake looked down at his daughter, and he shook his head. "Don't be scared of love. If anything, you need to be scared of the people you love. Examine them carefully and see if they are the ones you really should be spending your time with," he told her, starting to drive. He heard Elaine, and he took a deep breath. "When I met you, I knew you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It was just that feeling. Once in a lifetime you come across that person that you don't have to question. That's when you know that everything you do for that person will pay off. It was either go to collage and spend the rest of my life on the other side of the country or keep my low paying job and be with the girl that was inimitable. I believe I made the right choice. Let's be honest too. I would have never finished law school, and I would have never paid off my student loans either," he said. Jamie smiled brightly, and he rolled his eyes. "Exactly the reason why we came here," he said, and he climbed up into the treehouse. The ladder was a bit wobbly, but he didn't mind fixing it. He could fix a lot of things if he just set his mind to it.

Jamie nodded in agreement, sighing to himself. I thought he was giving me the backbreaking work because he hated me, but he is doing that so he won't hurt himself. He's trying to keep this farm running for as long as he can," he said, thinking for a moment. What would he do if he were in his shoes? Probably the exact same thing. He knew Apollo would never admit it, but they were very much alike. Maybe that was why Maya liked him.

The advice was easier said than done. If she were truthful, the mere concept of love terrified her to bits. She had always wanted to feel something that was special, to grow old with the person that she truly cared about; yet, she didn't think that that was likely. "What if they lie? What if you can't detect their motives?" she whispered quietly as she stared out the window. Her thoughts were immediately drawn towards Gabriel; did he truly like her, or was their friendship based on nothing more than a lie. As Blake explained his reasoning behind staying, Elaine let out a long sigh, trailing her thumb over the back of his hand lightly. "I jut sometimes feel like I held you back from your dream," she murmured quietly. She had made plenty of mistakes, and she didn't want to feel as if Blake had made a mistake choosing her over his lawyer path. Furrowing her brows in confusion, Maya trailed after him, hanging onto the edge of the ladder for dear life. "Uh, Jamie, I think that is a reason that we shouldn't come here," she commented as she inched up the ladder after him.

Slowly, Maya began to limp her way towards Jamie. She had to work with her broken leg so that it would cooperate; however, for the most part, she was mobile; she could manage it, or so she hoped. Eventually, she reached Jamie's side, and she took his hand between hers. "Sometimes I wish that I wasn't reminded of how old he is getting. It only seems to make matters worse," she murmured, staring up at the blue in the sky, watching the clouds graze easily along the sky.

Blake was trying to think his best of what to tell her. He had never been in the position where the entire relationship was a lie. Sure, he dated girls that he didn't really love, but he never did tell them that he loved them. "I guess you just have to work with the person to see their true motives. You are still young, Daph. Your mother and I didn't meet until we were into adulthood. Give yourself time," he told her. He didn't want her to stress over the little things in love. When he heard his wife, he started shaking his head. "Elaine, being a lawyer was something my mother wanted me to do so I wouldn't have to work like a dog for my simple necessities like she did. It was just her looking out for me. No dream at all," he said with a soft smile. She didn't have to worry about him. Jamie rolled his eyes, and he helped her up the ladder. He would admit, it was getting pretty shady. In a couple of years, he wouldn't go on it. "Remember all the adventures we had up here as kids?" he asked her in a soft voice, wrapping an arm around her.

Jamie held Maya in his arms, kissing her head. He knew how she felt about her father. Whenever his time came, she would be devastated, the same would go for her mother. He knew it wouldn't be good to bring something like that up. "He's done an amazing job so far, though," he said, smiling to himself.

Time. There never seemed to be time. At the rate she was going, she wouldn't make it to adulthood. Daphne always pushed the envelope, went on crazy adventures that could potentially kill her. She was reckless; she drank, smoked, and would sneak out...often. If anything, it would be a miracle if she could even make it to twenty. "Sometimes waiting is not the best option," was all she whispered before she shifted her gaze out the window; she had to squint around the rain, which had started to fall. It seemed to be matching her mood. Elaine let out a long sigh, shaking her head as she let this mull over in her head. "If it wasn't your dream, Blake, what was?" she whispered. He couldn't have possibly imagined his life as a tattoo artist; she just couldn't see it, and she hated to think that, perhaps, she had been the one holding him back. As Maya settled in the treehouse, she flinched as the first crackles of thunder resounded. "Yeah," she began with a half smile. "I remember," she stated as the memories flashed seemingly before her eyes. That was when life was easy. Now, it was just one big mess.

Leaning her head into his chest, Maya let out a long sigh. Her parents were her only source of family; if she lost them, she would have no one. At least, that was how it felt. "Yeah, he has," she agreed with a weak smile. Her father had quite the strength; she didn't know what she would do without him in her life.

Blake smiled a little bit at his daughter. He wished so much that they would have just kept her. Maybe they could have prevented so much from happening, but then again, maybe it was all destined to happen. "A very smart girl," he said. He made a quick glance at his wife when he heard her, and a soft sigh came from his lips. "I guess my dream then was to live until twenty," he muttered. He could see so many resemblances in himself and his daughter. She was so much like him that it honestly scared him. He sighed as they soon came to Maria;s house. "Would you like us to walk you in?" he asked. Jamie took a deep breath, taking a chance. He could either ruin their relationship or make it everything he wanted it to be. Slowly, carefully, he took her hand. "You know, life can be like it used to," he whispered in a soft tone.

Jamie took a few more sips of tea before smiling. "Let me put this equipment up and then we can walk to the house. Like I promised before, I won't carry you, Ms. Independent," he said jokingly. She was a rather independent woman coming from the south. From what he had heard, they were all stuck in the antebellum era and needed a man to save them. Not Maya, though.

The moment they reached her house, Daphne lifted her head and suppressed a small sigh. There were so many paths she could go, and she couldn't seem to find the right one.Of course, she was still young, about to turn fifteen. Perhaps time would tell; though, she wouldn't exactly bet on it. "No, it's fine," she whispered as she nudged the door open. Just as she was about to head inside, she paused at Blake's window and bent to say, "My birthday is Friday...if you even remember." She tried to mask the bitter edge in her voice to no avail. "You guys are invited...I guess," she added on before simply nodding and heading inside without another word. The simple gesture was enough to make Maya flinch; nevertheless, she didn't pull her hand away. Instead, she stared at the wood flooring of the treehouse. "It will never been like it used to, Jamie," she whispered, an exasperated sigh leaving her lips. She could only hope that it would, but it would not be fruitful.

Merely shrugging, Maya held back a smirk as she commented, "I won't get better if I keep letting others carry the burden." She wasn't weak, or at least she truly tried not to be. She wanted to be strong, like both of her parents. In order to do so, she had to pick up the slack and work for it - one step at a time. Slowly, she pushed herself off of the chair and shifted to face Jamie. There was still an uncomfortable numbing sensation creeping down her leg; however, she would be able to bear it.

Blake tried his best not to look dismayed when she said that she didn't want him to walk her up. Well, she had her reasons. He couldn't really blame her. He looked up when he heard her words, and he smiled a bit. "How could I forget? We'll see you there," he said before she made her way inside the house. "Baby steps...baby steps," he said, partly to himself and partly to Elaine. He needed those slow, deep breaths. Jamie smiled a little as he held her hand. "I believe you are right, but it can get close. We may not have the carefree lives we had as little kids, but we can repair what we have ruined of ours. I mean, I may have a little trouble, but with some help I figure I can get there," he said quietly.

Jamie walked to the barn, putting everything he had gotten back in its rightful place. He came back outside, carrying the chair and the tea. "I would say I would race you considering I'm holding everything, but I would rather not injure you more," he said with a small laugh, kissing her cheek before he started to walk to the house. He couldn't even start to explain what Maya was to him. The best thing he could do was say that she was the light that lit his darkened life.

As her daughter disappeared into the house, Elaine let out a long sigh. She just wasn't sure how to mend the relationship. Years of heartache couldn't be fixed in one night, that much she knew for sure. "Just give it time," she whispered; though, she needed to listen to her own words. She was impatient, wanting nothing more than for her daughter to trust her. Unfortunately, destiny wasn't in any hurry to mend anything. Folding her hands together on her knees, Maya pressed her lips into a thin line as she let this sink in. "We are both so different now, Jamie," she whispered, shaking her head and raking her fingers through her hair. Over the course of the past few weeks, she had grown up - much too quickly. Sometimes, she felt older than fourteen. "It would be a miracle if we could fix things."

Beside him, Maya half-waddled, half-walked to the house. She was going the speed equivalent to a turtle, but it was progress - at least she could walk. "Not funny," she muttered, rolling her eyes at Jamie lightly. Nevertheless, a half smile peeked on her lips. She let out a sigh of relief once she reached the porch steps. Though she was winded, she had made it on her own, which was an accomplishment enough for her.

Blake looked down at his wife, placing a soft kiss to the top of her head. The two of them wold have to go through a lot to get their daughter back, but he didn't mind having to do a lot. He just wanted his little girl to wrap her arms around him and say she loved him. He wanted the same for his son as well, but he didn't seem to be wanting in the family. He wasn't quiet sure what to do with Jamie. Jamie closed his eyes as he listened to her, and he smiled a little. "Yeah, we are rather different, but the thing is, we have each other. We haven't realized that for so long, and I think that now is the best time that we can embrace it. You can help me with my drugs and everything while I help you with all your problems," he said. It seemed like a fair enough trade if it would even work. Hopefully Maya would accept him.

Jamie chuckled at her expression. Oh, she just looked so adorable when she got aggravated. He sort of found their relationship like her parent's. Sure, they weren't to that level, but they mimicked each other. Maybe he was the kind of guy that Maya had been looking for her whole life. After all, she did save him from himself. "I thought it was pretty funny," he said jokingly, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head before walking inside, holding the door open for her.

An exasperated sigh left Elaine's lips as she slowly leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. Lately, she had been feeling so weak and tired. Her children definitely weren't making things easier on her. At this rate, her hair would start turning grey from all the stress that had been piling on. "Sometimes I wish that we could go back in time," she whispered quietly, her eyelids drifting closed as she mumbled the words. There it was; the option was laid out on the table, and all Maya had to do was take it. Yet, this wasn't like poker, where you could detect when someone was bluffing and when they actually had a flush. This was real life, and she didn't know if she could gamble with it much longer. Nevertheless, she whispered, "Maybe." The answer wasn't definite, but neither was life. Things could change, and she had to prepare herself for that.

Blake sighed a bit, nodding in agreement. He couldn't even contain some of this feelings. Not with Elaine at least. He used to be good at hiding everything he thought form her,. but the more he got to know her, the more he started to break down. Now she could tell just what he was thinking. He took a deep breath before replying to her, "I know, but now we have to work with what we have made. Maybe everything will turn out well." He hoped that it would. It was all they could ask. Jamie bit his lip for a moment. He knew that they were going through a rather rough patch in the road, especially as of recently, but they could make it through if they just worked together. He took a deep breath before he looked into her eyes, gripping her hand a little tighter. "Maya, I know I have not been the best to you, but I can promise you this now, I will never leave you. I've come to realize that I need you in my life. If I didn't have you, I don't know where I would be."

Apollo had just gotten off from a long day of work. It was rather stressful, so he was hoping that when he got home, he could go and rest up on the couch. Dinner could wait until Willow got home. He was sure that she wouldn't want to cook or anything, so they could probably make a small cut from their budget to get dinner out. Willow was a saint for making him make one. He would be so disorganized without it. Well...he was pretty disorganized already, but that wasn't the point. It was rather late at night, and it was dark. As he made it to the door steps, he rumbled for his house keys, but of course they weren't there. He probably left them at work on his desk! Oh, this was not good. Wait, they never left the basement window locked. He could get in through there! He made his way to the side of the house, and opened it, starting to crawl in. He had no idea that his neighbors had called the cops, thinking he was some robber. And Dayton just happened to be on duty.

"I guess we just have to keep hoping," Elaine agreed, casting her gaze to the ceiling of the car. Everything seemed to be blowing up into many different proportions, and it seemed that no matter what path she took, things could not possibly end well. She just wanted her kids to love her and understand that she adored them. That, however, was all just a dream in disguise. One that would, perhaps, never happen. "What if she never trust us?" she whispered more to herself than to him. At this point, it seemed like the outcome. Jamie's words were quite comforting, but she just didn't know if she could completely trust them. It was a possibility that Jamie was lying right through his teeth. Yet, if she didn't open up, would she ever really trust anyone? "Okay...I suppose we can try," she mumbled after a moment. No promises could be made, because a promise was almost as terrible as the lie itself. If it didn't pan out, then things could go completely downhill.

His shift was just about to end, and he was hoping for a pleasant evening at home...no issues at all. Perhaps grab a beer or of the like. However, at last minute there was call about B&E. He probably wouldn't have went if it weren't for Willow's address. Being that Willow was in danger, however, there was no way he could pass it up. So with that, Dayton began to head towards the address. He also made a call to Willow, who unfortunately for the life of her answer her stupid phone. Either she was scared out of her wits or she had already been attacked, either way he had to book it.

Blake nodded in agreement as he listened to his wife. Hope was about the only thing they could do. He closed his eyes for a moment. They should probably leave before they seemed a little creepy for staying in the drive way for a while. He backed out, starting the drive back home. He knew that the process would take a while, but maybe after a while they would finally be able to be a happy family. Happiness was all he ever wanted for his family after all. When Elaine spoke again, he wanted to stop the car right then. "Don't say that, baby...she will. In due time. Just...I don't know," he said quietly, the tears starting to stream down his cheek. Blake Dameron was not a man who cried, but his family made him turn into water works. "Everything will turn out to be in our side," he said sadly. He hoped. Jamie could see how hesitant Maya was, and he couldn't really blame her. He had hurt her so much. She had every right to hate his guts and never want to see him again. He did manage a smile when she finally agreed, though. "You won't regret it," he said, pulling her into a tight hug. He knew that it was a great leap for Maya, but he knew that she would be glad that she took it. Jamie would help her turn her life around. He swore on his life he would. Maybe then his father would finally look at him in a different light. For once he could be something more than the failing druggie.

Apollo fell as he tried to climb in the basement, but luckily he didn't break anything. It hurt, though. It hurt more than he would like it to. He grimaced a bit before getting up, stretching. "Man, we really need to fix the lighting down here," he muttered to himself as he tried and failed to turn the lights to the basement on. He turned on the flashlight from his phone, hoping that would work. He managed to find the stairs and walked up them to the living room. Maybe he could get a snack before dinner too! Oh, a beer sounded nice. He glanced out the window when he heard sirens. "I wonder why they are coming around here," he muttered to himself as he proceeded to munch on some brownies that Willow had made the day before. Oh, thank goodness he had her. If he didn't, he would be able to eat. She was such a good cook, and he...he couldn't melt ice without burning down the house.

All the racing thoughts that coursed through her mind were taunting her, reminding her of the inevitable. Her daughter would, perhaps, not trust her for an increasing amount of time. This mere fact haunted Elaine's thoughts, and she wanted nothing more than to rid of them all. "Time? What time do we have left?" she whispered, choking back the tears. She had missed fourteen, no practically fifteen, years of her daughter's life. Years that she would never get back. Her gaze shifted to Blake as she noticed the tears filing down his cheeks. Effortlessly, she leaned over to wipe them away with the pad of her thumb. "Please don't cry," she whispered, her words coming out in a hoarse mumble. In all honesty, Maya hoped that Jamie was right. She wasn't quite certain if she could handle more issues at the moment. She was already a wreck as it was. It would only get worse if his words turned out to be a sickening lie. When he pulled her into a bone crushing hug, it was a challenge to even suck in a breath. "Uh Jamie...a little tight bud," she mumbled as she tried to wiggle out of his arms. Though Maya was uncertain of her feelings when regarding Jamie, the prospect of love terrified her. Love was for the fairytales. Love was meant for her parents. Love was power and magic and beauty. Love was not meant for a fourteen year old...right?

The entire ride towards Willow's house, Dayton was a grumbling mess. He had tried calling Willow once more and then Elaine; yet, it seemed women had a problem with picking up the blasted phone. Luckily, he veered off the road and climbed out, pistol ready, as he rushed towards the door. It only took a second to break down the door - he could repay Willow later for the damages - and scoured the house for the culprit...only to find Apollo reclining on the couch.