Frank stared at Joe in shocked disbelief. He's lying! Frank thought. No, he can't be lying. He couldn't know. Beside him, Gertrude was experiencing similar thoughts.

"You...you look so much like her," Fenton was saying when Frank tuned back in.

"You know my mom?" Joe asked, his eyes crinkling in confusion, revealing even more laugh lines around his eyes.

Fenton nodded. "We're old friends," he told the sixteen-year-old boy.

"Well, in that case, why don't you three just come on home with me?" Joe offered. "I'm sure mom would love to see you and we have plenty of room," he added, his face returning to it's former, open, friendly expression.

"Your dad might not like having an old male friend of your mom's drop in without at least a phone call," Frank suggested. He knew Joe was his half-brother. He had known it without a doubt once he had heard his name. But maybe, Laura was married now and Joe had a step-father. Maybe, this trip should never have been made.

Joe shook his head. "No worries on that count," he assured him, looking at Fenton. "I don't have a dad."

"I'm sorry," Frank said. "How did he die?" he asked, wondering what his mom had told him about his father.

Fenton waited with baited breath for Joe's answer. Had Laura lied to Joe and told him he was dead? Had she told him that his father had taken off and never looked back? Had she told him, his father didn't care about him? No, Laura wouldn't do that, Fenton thought. No matter what he had done, Laura was a wonderful woman and would never hurt a child, especially her own.

"I don't think he's dead," Joe replied. "He left before I was born."

"Why?" Frank pushed, and received a sharp elbow in his ribs from his aunt.

Joe looked Frank in the eyes when he answered. "My dad had amnesia," Joe told him. "When he remembered who he was, he returned to his family."

"Leaving you?" Frank asked, and instantly received the expected jab from his aunt.

"He didn't know mom was pregnant," Joe answered somberly. "He did remember he had a pregnant wife where he came from."

"Your mom told you that?" Fenton asked.

"Mom and I don't lie to each other," Joe responded. "Come on, let's get going. It's been a long time since we've had company from out of town."

The group climbed back into the van and they went on their way. Fenton found it impossible to take his eyes off of Joe. He wondered what Joe would say; how he would feel and react when he found out he was Joe's father. Would he hate him for not returning sooner? Would he hate him for leaving in the first place? Would he hate him for coming at all? Would Joe let him have anything to do with him? And Laura. And Laura! Why hadn't she told him? She had know who he was when he left. Why hadn't she told him he was going to be a father?

Joe pulled the van onto a long drive which led up to a two-story house with an attached garage. The house was a nice white with light grey shutters and grey accents. The yard was large and well trimmed with a flower bed heading out from each direction of the porch, giving one the impression that it coninued all around the house. The walkway from the drive to the front porch was surrounded by snowball bushes and yellow jackets and bumblebees could be seen suckling the delicate blooms. There was a tall oak tree in the front yard with a rope swing attached and just visible at the corner of the house were two ten-speed bicycles.

When Joe stopped the van, he hurried around to the back and opened the door so Gertrude could alight. She did so, followed by Frank. Fenton, by this time, had already exited his seat and shut the door. "Come on in," Joe told them, leading the way to the porch. He climbed the steps, past the porch swing which was rocking gently in the late afternoon breeze, and pulled out his house key.

Inserting it into the lock, he pushed the door open. "Mom, I'm home!" he called out as he went inside followed by their guests. "I've got a surprise for you!" he added, a mischievieous look crossing his features for an instant. It was there and gone so fast that Frank thought he must have imagined it.

"What is it, honey?" Laura asked, coming into the foyer. She stopped and gasped in surprise, her face losing some of it's color. "What..." she whispered, unable to finish her question as her gaze locked on Fenton's angry one.

"Their car is in the shop," Joe explained. "And Mr. Hardy said he was an old friend of yours so I invited him, his son, and sister to stay with us tonight and have dinner. That is okay?" he asked, biting his bottom lip thoughtfully, as if he just realized he should have asked his mom before issuing the invitation.

'Tha...that's fine," Laura responded, her blue eyes never leaving Fenton's brown ones. "Where's your wife?" she asked Fenton. "Joe did say you were his sister?" she asked Gertrude.

"That's right," Gertrude said. "I'm Gertrude and this is Fenton's son, Frank."

"It's very nice to meet you," Laura said, looking at Frank curiously. He looks almost exactly like Fenton did so many years ago, she thought.

"My wife died eight years ago," Fenton told her. "She had cancer."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Laura apologized.

"We need to talk," Fenton said, unable to continue this charade any longer. They had to talk before he burst.

Laura nodded and gave Joe a wan smile. "Why don't you and Frank go out back play some basketball?" she suggested.

Joe shrugged. "Want to shoot some hoops?" he asked Frank, looking over at him.

"Um, yeah, sure," Frank agreed, well aware that neither adult wanted Joe around while they talked.

"Joe mentioned dinner," Gertrude said after the boys had exited. "If you will point me in the direction of the kitchen, I would be more than happy to make it while you two, er, become reaquainted."

Laura looked at the woman and could tell she knew about Joe. She nodded. "Down the hall and to the right," she said. "Thank you."

Gertrude gave the two an encouraging smile and left the room. Although she had just met the woman, Gertrude liked her. And Joe....well, now she had another nephew and it was time to fatten him up a bit. He looked a bit thin for her tastes. She shook her head as she made her way to the kitchen. Fenton needs a wife, and Laura would be perfect. After all, they already had a child together. You can't have much more in common than that!

"Why didn't you let me know?" Fenton burst out angrily after Gertrude had left them alone.

Laura turned away from Fenton and led the way into the living room. She stood staring out at the flowers in the yard. "What was the point?" she asked him wearily. "You were happily married with a son on the way."

"I had a right to know," he insisted. "And you...you needed me."

Laura closed her eyes and fought back tears. "Yes, I did," she admitted in a thick voice. "But so did your wife and she had you first. What we did... it should never have happened."

"We didn't know," Fenton said, going over and taking her shoulders in his strong hands.

Laura almost fell when he touched her. She had wanted to feel his hands on her for so long and now, it was like a dream come true. But this dream had demons waiting to pounce. "We didn't know," she agreed. "Which is why we never should have."

"But we did and you got pregnant," Fenton said. "Why didn't you try and contact me?" he pushed, gently now. Touching her had brought back a flood of emotions. He wanted her now. How had he ever stopped wanting her? "You knew who I was. Where I lived."

"But you didn't remember," she said, turning to face him. "I was supposed to tell you that you were going to have another baby by a different woman?" She shook her head. "You would have thought me stark-raving mad or a trouble maker."

Laura looked up into his eyes. "Why did you come here? Why, after all this time?"

"Sarah is dead," Fenton began only to be interrupted.

"Eight years ago, you said," Laura said. "Why didn't you come sooner? Why wait until now?"

"I didn't know," Fenton admitted, anguish threaded through his voice. He told her about his last case and being wounded.

She reached up and touched the small bandage on his forehead which was still covering the three stitches. "And you came as soon as you remembered?" she asked. "Even though you were hurt?"

"I had to see you," Fenton confessed. "I had to make sure you were alright. That you didn't hate me."

"I could never hate you," Laura whispered, her blue eyes bright with unshed tears. Fenton leaned down and kissed her lips, softly at first but the desire took control and the gentle meeting became deeper. When they pulled apart, neither was breathing normally.

"Laura," Fenton gasped, his face buried in her hair as he pulled her to him and held her close. "I..I should apologize, but I can't. I love you."

"Oh, Fenton," Laura whispered, her palm caressing his free cheek. "I never stopped loving you."

"Would you...would you mind if we started over?" he asked her. Laura seemed a bit hesitant. "I won't rush you," he quickly promised her. "But please, give us another chance?"

"Joe.." she said, worried about what he would say.

"About Joe," Fenton said. "Frank and Gertrude know," he admitted. "When Joe told us his name..it was the name I went by when I was with you, they knew. I knew. I would have known sooner had he taken off those sunglasses. He looks so much like you... but he's got my chin," he added with a silly grin.

"Your stubbornness too," she added with a little laugh. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"I don't know," Fenton admitted. "How do you think he'll take it?"

Laura shook her head. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "But you're right. Joe has to know."

"I have to know what?" Joe asked, walking into the room with Frank.