Loved reading your opinions on the last chapter. But just so you know, If you're team Shakespeare you're definitely team Hexis . After reading your thoughts I'm now team Hexis they both suffered lol. It's not a competition of who suffered more it's that they both suffered.

Lol Favorite LexisandHera tweet because...Rihanna lol

Lexis is so ready to make every1 pay for their lies in the worst possible way and the wedding will be so dramatic IM READY 

"Sometimes I wonder if anything is absolute anymore. Is there still right and wrong? Good and bad? Truth and lies? Or is everything negotiable, left to interpretation, gray? Sometimes we're forced to bend the truth, to transform it because we are faced with things that are not of our own making. And sometimes, things simply catch up with us." Lucas Scott One Tree Hill.

Song: Against all odds - Mariah Carey ft Westlife 

***

Hera stays glued to the spot as Zane drives off after Lexis leaving her alone.

"Shakespeare," She says fear gripping her as the thought of Lexis taking her away fills her mind causing her to immediately call Jess.

"Jess where are you?" She asks voice shaky.

"At work, why?" Jess asks worried bye the sound of her voice.

"You're closer, please hurry home and make sure to keep Shakespeare with you, don't let anyone take her, Jess please don't let anyone take my daughter," Hera says through tears as she runs towards the road to look for a cab.

"Wait who's trying to take her away? Peter?"Jess asks.

"No, Lexis is," Hera replies.

"Why would he do that?" Jess asks.

"Because his memories are back Jess, Lexis got back his memories and he's suing me for custody," Hera says.

"Fuck!" Jess exclaims seating up in her office.

"I'm leaving now, don't worry I'll keep her safe, I promise," Jess says standing up and cutting the call. She hurries out of the office and runs back in. Opening a cabinet she searches for a file she'd gotten from Hera two days back. Finding it, she hurries out of the office.

A few minutes later while waiting for the cab she called, Hera gets a call form Jess.

"Hera, stay where you are. I fear his seeing you might just worsen things, let me speak to him first and gauge things,"

"But my daughter, Shakespeare," Hera argues.

"Lexis won't hurt her, regardless of how much he hates you right now, he won't hurt her, trust me to keep her safe. Stay where you are. I'll call you," Jess says taking off.

                 "Lexis," Maeve says opening the car door once he arrives at the house.

"Where's she?" He asks.

"With Lucas, I'll lead you," Maeve says leading him upstairs to Jess's apartment.

Once they get close to the door Lexis halts.

Maeve turns to look at him.

"Lexis?" She calls out.

"Open it,"He says.

She nods and opens the door.

Lexis shuts his eyes letting out a heavy breath. Opening his eyes, he walks in.

"Uncle Look-cars when did you say my daddy was coming?"Shakespeare asks.

"Soon," Lucas replies a smile on his face.

"Are you sure you know my daddy?" Shakespeare asks doubtfully.

"Very well," Lucas replies.

He raises his eyes and notices Lexis standing by the side.

"Your dad's here," Lucas says to Shakespeare who turns quickly, excited to finally meet her father but frowns once she sees Lexis. 

"Uncle Look-cars that's Mr airport not my daddy," Shakespeare says disappointed.

Lucas glances at Lexis who has a look of hurt across his eyes.

"Shakespeare what makes you think he isn't your daddy?" Lucas asks.

"That's what mummy said," Shakespeare answers. 

Lexis scoffs balling his hands into fists.

"Mummy lied," Lexis says quietly but loud enough for the little girl to pick up.

"Mummy doesn't lie," Shakespeare says.

Lexis chuckles.

"Then you don't know your mother,"

"I do ,"Shakespeare says frowning as she folds her arms across her chest.

"You don't," Lexis replies.

"Do too," Shakespeare replies. 

 Lucas looks at the two of them arguing like kids. The only thing being one was an actual kid and the other wasn't, at least not age wise.

Lucas hurries over.

"Shakespeare,"He says kneeling down in front of her.

"You know how your mum told you your dad was asleep and needed a kiss to wake up?" Lucas asks.

She nods vigorously.

"He has woken up, because he ate the apple, he didn't know he was your dad but now that he has been kissed he remembers everything," Lucas explains.

"But mummy said he's not my daddy. Did she also eat the apple and forget him?" Shakespeare asks confused.

"Yes she did, a bag of lies," Lexis says.

"Lexis!" Lucas chastises.

"What? I told no lies," Lexis says.

"Shakes wait for me here okay?" Lucas says  getting up from his knees and pulling Lexis out.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lucas asks once they're in the hallway.

"Trying to reunite with my daughter," Lexis answers.

"No, you're trying to ruin her image of the person she trusts the most, shatter her belief in the world which revolves around her mother and doing that will only cause her to hate you not love you," Lucas says.

"You're being too forceful. Goodness Lexis, everyone may have wronged you but not the kid, don't let your emotions rub off negatively on her," Lucas says.

"I wasn't thinking straight,"Lexis states.

"Damn right you weren't. You brought me here because I'm a child psychologist and you didn't want your daughter to be negatively affected by this revelation and what will happen the upcoming days, then trust me to do my job well and stop trying to ruin it by shutting up," Lucas says.

Lexis stays quiet.

"What she needs from you is a feeling of safety, not this mess," 

"Get yourself together lest you lose her before ever reuniting with her," Lucas says turning around and returning to the room.

Lexis seats down on the ground placing his head in his interlocked palms.

"Idiot," Jess  who'd watched the last few minutes of the scene says standing by the side.

Lexis smirks. He didn't need to raise his head to figure out who it was. There was only one person whose greeting to him was the word idiot.

"The fact that you actually became an idiot five years later amazes me," She says walking towards him.

"The feeling is mutual," He says finally raising his head.

Jess glances at his disheveled state, running her hands through her hair she sighs and walks over.

She seats down next to him.

"You can't take Shakespeare away from her," Jess says.

"Why? She didn't have any issues taking Shakespeare away from me," Lexis replies.

"Seriously?" Jess says.

"You know Hera better than that," Jess states.

"I thought I did, I'm not so sure anymore," Lexis says adding,

"I'm not sure I know anyone anymore," 

"What makes you think it's any different for her?" Jess asks.

Lexis raises his eyebrow.

"You said it yourself, you're unsure whether you should trust her because of all that's has happened this five years. You're not sure if you really know her," She says.

"And your point is?" He asks.

"What makes you think it wasn't the same for her?"Jess replies.

"She thought you were dead, we all did, well with the exception of the evil twins but every one of us believed you were dead, suddenly you appear in front of her one day five years later, alive and well but with no recollection of who she is. Can you even begin to imagine the pain? The hurt? The feeling of betrayal she felt by your lack of recognition?" She asks.

"Remember I was also betrayed and a victim of everyones amnesia to whom I really was,"

"Yes but the difference Lexis is you knew she was lying that day when Hera called you. I know you must have deduced something went down with your dad, even I deduced that and I'm no genius,"

"That's no excuse,"

"Of course it isn't but Lexis she didn't know Peter was lying. Everyday she remembered the lies, the pain, the death, her life was a living memory of it, each second, each minute. You remembered your pain five years later and you'll get your revenge in a few days and move on but Hera died for five years and will never live again if you take away Shakespeare form her,"Jess says.

"You speak as if I lived a perfect life," Lexis says annoyed.

Jess smiles.

"That's the difference," She says,

"Can't you see? Lexis, you may have lived a lie for five years but at least you lived. Hera never had that chance. She died every day for five years and you'll be closing the lid on her coffin, taking her last breath by taking away the only thing keeping her moving and sane, being a mother,"Jess says.

Lexis shuts his eyes and gnashes his teeth.

"When you appeared in front of her," Jess continues.

"The lexis she knew was truly dead, for real this time. Because you had no memories of your past and you were a changed man, you were your fathers carbon copy. Knowing who you were and had become would you the Lexis prior to your memory loss have wanted your daughter to grow up in such an environment? With how much the Lexis prior to amnesia hated his dad, how miserable and dead his life was, would Pre-amnesia Lexis have wanted his daughter to live under such conditions? To go through what he did?" She asks.

Lexis stays silent.

"You wouldn't, we both know that," Jess ays shaking her head.

Lexis lets out a heavy sigh.

"Hera's choices may have been stupid but Lexis don't think she had it any easier. Do you know why that fool named her daughter Shakespeare Alexandria?" Jess asks.

Lexis raises an eyebrow in question.

"Because each time she hears the name it reminds her of her mistakes, her wrong choice, of how she's responsible for your death, of how because of you the child has no dad, it's a punishment, a dagger that presses into her heart each day killing her slowly and bringing her one step closer to deaths door. You feel wronged? Then what about Hera? You'll get your revenge and justice but who will give Hera justice for all she's been through and will go through if you win this case?" Jess asks.

Lexis lets out a heavy sigh.

"You lost five years of your life, Hera lost her love, she lost you, she lost her mum, her dad, her family.... fuck Hera lost your son...."Jess says getting emotionally charged.

"Wait... hold up, what son?" Lexis asks turning sharply to look at her.

"Shakespeare was a twin Lexis," Jess says.

Lexis eyes squint.

"She lost him at birth," Jess says.

Lexis searches her eyes.

"She was depressed, a mess mentally and physically. Lexis, Hera almost lost her mind after losing you and hence didn't take care of herself well during her pregnancy leading to complications during the birth and ultimately the death of your son,"Jess says.

Lexis gasps, eyes twitching as he searches her eyes for lies hoping to see a sign but finding none.

"You're...you're..." He says struggling to find the words.

Jess nods.

"It's true," She says tears falling down her eyes.

His lips quiver as his eyes fill with tears. He balls his hands into fists.

"Hera has blamed herself everyday, every second for his death but if we are to go by your theory on blame does that mean you killed your own son? Considering your fake death was the reason she didn't take care of herself well thereby leading to his death?" Jess asks wiping the tears from her eyes.

Lexis balls his hands into fists as his chest tightens.

"Lexis just as you're not to blame for the child's death, Hera is not to blame for what you've been through. She didn't force them to lie to you, that was their choice. Yes she lied to you but what started the lies, the foundation of it was this," Jess says dropping a piece of paper on his thighs.

"That there is the agreement she signed to save you, to give you a new start, the real reason she left you five years ago was to see to that being achieved. Peter showed up and told her a tale, a tale I'll leave Hera to tell you should she decide to one day but nevertheless a tale that made her vulnerable, thereby making that choice but at the end of the day Lexis it was for you. You say she was scared? Yes she was scared of your becoming your father, of your becoming her father and if you keep going this route you'll truly be like those people,"

"So Lexis, the worlds biggest idiot, smarten up fast and fight for your love, your family because if you don't you just might lose her for good," 

The door to the apartment opens up revealing Shakespeare and Lucas.

"Aunty JJ," Shakespeare says happy to see a familiar face.

"Hey sweetheart,"Jess says getting up and walking over to her. She ruffles her hair.

"Aunty JJ, is it true he's my daddy?"Shakespeare asks looking at Lexis.

Jess looks at the disheveled, broken looking Lexis with glistened, anguished eyes and nods.

"He is,"Jess says.

"Are you weally my daddy?"Shakespeare asks Lexis who nods the tears in his eyes falling down with the movement.

"Pinky pwomise?"She asks putting out her pinky.

"Pinky..."Lexis says getting choked up by the revelation of his sons death.

"... promise," He says putting out his pinky with quivering hands.

Shakespeare slowly walks over and interlocks their pinkies. She notices his tears and wipes it.

Stroking his hair, she wraps her arms around him.

"I'll hug you, don't cwy," Shakespeare says sadly. 

"Daddy, don't cwy,"Shakespeare says causing Lexis to immediately break down at the word Daddy. Hugging her tightly in his arms he cries for all the years lost, the love stolen, the betrayals, the pain and most importantly the son he never had the chance to meet.

                                                                 ***

         Later that day, after he'd regained his composure, hung out with Shakespeare for a bit and Jess had called Hera to tell her Shakespeare was safely in her arms. Lexis leaves Shakespeare with Lucas and Maeve walking over to Jess.

"I'm sorry" He says seating down next to her.

"For what?" Jess asks.

"Your sister," He replies.

She smiles sadly but remains silent.

"You know if I was there, I'd have..." Lexis starts.

"I know," Jess says cutting him off. Understanding, without his needing to say it. He'd have never stopped paying for her care.

"Save your family Lexis, you can never get them back once they're gone. I know, I lost mine," Jess says.

"I won't lose her," He says.

"So you'll drop the suit?" She asks to which he shakes his head.

"Now why would I do that?"Lexis asks.

"Excuse me?"Jess says believing she'd misheard.

"If I drop the suit I'll really lose her,"Lexis explains.

"I'm not following," Jess replies.

"You think what Hera wants is for me to forgive her and tell her it's not her fault so we can go back to how things were?" Lexis asks.

"Yes?" Jess replies.

Lexis shakes his head.

"Then you don't really know Hera,"He replies.

"And you do?"Jess asks.

He shrugs.

"Just a few minutes back you were ranting about how you didn't,"Jess says.

"I wasn't thinking straight," Lexis says.

"And you are now?"She asks to which he nods.

"Haven't you ever wondered why even with your numerous advice and words she never once budged or heeded it?"

"Because of Peter?" Jess answers.

"That's the excuse but not the main reason,"Lexis says. 

"What's the real reason?"Jess asks.

"I'll tell you on one condition," Lexis says.

"And that is?"

"You make sure I win the upcoming trial,"

"The hell I will,"Jess says getting up.

"Jess, you should know me better. If I want to win this case it won't be at a loss,"

"I'm a business man, I believe in making profits not losses. Why buy one, when I can buy one and get one free ?" He asks smirking as he takes a sip of his glass of water.

 ***

Lets do a q&a ask me whatever except for updates lol. I'll answer in between updates.

-A