Merry Christmas! How did you spend yours? I worked, that's all I remember lol

Haley: "Hi, nice to meet you."
Felix: "Girl, you are totally fine."
Haley: "Dude I'm totally married."
Felix: "Really? Who's the father?"
Nathan: "Little close aren't you?"
Felix: "Oh, guess it's you."

- One tree hill

Last time on 234's lifelines;

E finds out through Reid ()who came by one of the Vanderbilt labs to look into the pill and get an antidote)that Lexis has been drugged. Conflicted he approaches his cousin Susan for help. She let's him know she's forgiven Lexis and while she can't tell him what to do, she hopes he'll do right by Hera and ket go of any revenge. His mother Hannah arrives and agrees to help him after making sure letting go of Hera will give him peace and make him happy. She details how helping Lexis is equal to helping Hera. E decides to give Lexis the antidote and makes the call to have it made.

Song: Let me go(Personal collection)-  Hailee Steinfeld, Alesso ft Florida George Line, watt

***

"E? Shakespeare E?" Lexis asks as realization dawns on him.

"My reputation it seems preceded me," Ethan, E, replies.

Lexis quickly breaks into full fledged laughter earning confused and concerned looks from the trio of Maeve, Hera and E.

He places his thumb against his cheek and uses his index finger to trace his lips smiling as he shakes his head.

"The reputation in which you wanted to be Shakespeare's father but Hera said you couldn't? Yes It definitely preceded you," Lexis says raising his head to glance at E with a huge grin as he notices a change in E's expression that's quickly masked by a smile.

A ringtone cuts through the tension.

Lexis glances at Maeve who answers the call.

"Yes, got it,"

She walks up to Lexis and whispers in his ears.

"Your...Nathan is causing a fit at the office demanding to see you. The press are also there,"

Lexis shuts his eyes letting out a heavy sigh he opens his eyes and releases Hera's hands.

"Maeve tell Zayne I said he should drop the case,"

"What?" Maeve says as Hera looks up at him in shock, disbelief and confusion.

"Tell Zayne to withdraw the case and meet me outside," He says turning to leave.

E smiles and walks forward placing his hands on Hera's shoulder.

"Hera," He calls out pulling Hera out of her state of shock.

"Did he...did he just drop the case?" Hera asks unsure.

"Yes he did," E answers.

"Why?" She asks perplexed. E turns to glance at Lexis who was currently walking away.

"I can make my guesses..." He starts but Hera breaks out of his hold, running after Lexis.

"Lexis," She calls out seeing him, but he keeps walking.

"Lexis!" She calls again but he makes a turn still walking.

She quickly makes the turn and screams.

"Alexander Black you Evil Queen stop right there!" She says in anger to which he finally stops and breaks into a grin his back to Hera.

"What do you mean you drop the case?" She asks.

Lexis wipes the grin off his face and turns to face her.

"Surely your brain cells didn't die with the arrival of your husband did it?"

Hera balls her hands into fists not sure if she was mad at him for the insult or hurting for him due to the revelation he just got about her being married.

"Why are you dropping the case?" She asks again refusing to be distracted.

"Would you rather I don't and take her from you?" He asks.

"No!" She quickly answers.

"I mean..." She pauses drawing in her lips with her teeth and releasing it. An action that doesn't pass Lexis eyes that suddenly has a glint in it.

"Are you...are you giving up on Shakespeare?" She asks voice dripping with fear and worry from it's instability. Something that doesn't pass Lexis' attention.

"Which?" He asks.

"Huh?"

"Which Shakespeare?" He asks again causing Hera to frown before realizing he meant her daughter or her.

"I...your...your daughter," She answers.

"Oh so she's my daughter now?" Lexis says mockingly.

"I don't....I'm sorry," Hera says.

"For what?" He asks taking a step towards her with each word.

"Leaving me five years ago?"

"Not trusting me, not trusting us," He says voice getting cold and a pitch higher.

"Lying about knowing me?"

"Lying about my child?"

"Leaving me in the hands of Karen, in the den of my father?"

"Trying to stop me from being a father to my daughter?"

"Giving the rights another?"

"Or marrying someone else? What exactly are you sorry for Hera? Because from where I stand, you have a lot to be sorry for," He says stopping directly in front of her.

Hera lips tremble as she tightens her fist , nails digging into her palms.

"I didn't...I'm not..."She pauses. If she told him she wasn't married to E would he believe her? She herself wasn't sure of the details anymore.

Or would he keep the case going and take Shakespeare away from her? If she keeps Shakespeare she could at least promise Lexis time with his daughter but if he got custody she wasn't sure she'd be granted that.

Maeve approaches them.

Not sure of what to say Hera draws in her lower lip with her teeth.

Lexis eyes thin as he glances at her action.

He takes a step towards her and leans in as Hera freezes at the proximity.

Lexis eyes trail down to her drawn in lips an action that causes Hera to immediately let go of her lips and take a step back quickly.

He chuckles and stands straight.

"Don't tempt me Hera. I wouldn't want to steal another mans wife,"

"Another man?"

"Surely you didn't forget you're married?" He asks mockingly.

"I...No," She says taking a step back.

"Do you have anything else to say to me?" He asks.

"If you want...if you want to see Shakespeare you can," Hera finally says.

"She wants you in her life...I...she loves you," Hera says to which Lexis grins.

"Of course she does," He says turning to leave.

Maeve glances at Hera before quickly walking out with Lexis.

Hera stays rooted to the spot watching the empty hallway. A couple of minutes later, Zayne steps out and leaves while E approaches Hera and places his hand on her shoulder squeezing it.

Hera immediately turns to face him.

"E why are we married?" She asks forehead furrowed.

"Because you agreed to marry me?" He says feigning ignorance.

"You know what I mean. Also how did you know about this case? James?" She asks.

"I'll answer all your questions but we can't talk here. They're too many eyes and ears. Let's leave and then talk," He says to which she lets out a heavy sigh and nods following him out.

As soon as they step out she notices Jess's car still in the driveway.

"I need to speak with her," Hera says to which E nods and signals for his body guards to escort her through the throng of reporters that way shoving questions and mics in her face.

Getting to the passenger door of Jess' car she knocks on the window.

Jess raises her head from the steering wheel and glares at Hera but unlocks the door.

Hera gets in.

"He dropped the case," Hera says.

"I know," Jess replies.

"Jess, can we talk?"

Jess stays quiet in thought but finally nods.

Hera turns to face E winding down the window.

"I need to speak with her," Hera says to which E nods in understanding.

"I'll follow behind you," E says to which Hera nods and shuts the door driving off with Jess.

Throughout the ride they both stay silent till they arrive at Jess' home.

They don't stop to pick Shakespeare up and Hera doesn't mind as she wanted to have a private conversation with Jess.

Once they get into her apartment Jess removes her coat, flings it on the couch and turns around to look at Hera.

"Start talking, and I want the truth and nothing but the truth," Jess says to which Hera nods raising her hands.

"I promise," She says.

Jess sits on the handle of the couch and motions for Hera to seat down.

"I'm not sure where to start,"

"From the beginning. Leaving out no single detail,"

Hera goes on to tell her everything, how she moved to Nigeria, lost her son. Went to Togo and then ended up getting married. To how she finally came back.

"Five months ago, he suddenly got on my case about returning here. Saying how Shakespeare needed to know about her father as she'd gotten quite demanding with the questions on her father. E was convinced I needed to face everything that had happened to move on. That I was strong enough to face it. My number one fear of returning was the Blacks but he assured me they were in England and I was safe adding that I had him to help me out should I be faced with any problems."

"Finally, two months ago he showed up at my door with a ticket,"

"Hera it's non refundable, if you don't go I'll be wasting over four thousand dollars,"

"I never asked you to get me a ticket, I never even agreed to this!"

"Yes, but if I didn't take this drastic step you'd never face it and keep running. You can't lie to the kid forever. She's not dumb. It's better she hears the truth from you than from someone else,"

"After a long fight and argument that ended with slamming of doors. I locked myself in my room the rest of the night refusing to come out. That time allowed me to think. E knew the type of person I was, I could never allow money go to waste. And so I accepted the tickets and decided to return,"

She says recalling that day at the airport when she was waiting for her flight.

"Hera here," E says handing a manila envelope over to her.

"What's this?"

"I want to start a real marriage with you but I know the chances of that happening are close to none. When you arrive California, a week after arriving, open this up. If you decide that you want me as a husband then shred this and return to me in two weeks. But if you decide you can't spend a lifetime with me after three weeks of opening this, have it sent back to me. I'll understand your choice,"

"E..."Hera starts shocked by his words but he holds unto her hands and smiles.

"You may not realize it, you might choose to ignore it but I truly would love to spend a lifetime with you as my wife not just on paper. I'd love to be a father in every sense to Shakespeare, to have your family as mine and mine as yours. To be one with you. Don't give me an answer now. You don't even have to call me when you arrive till after one week of your opening this and having the two weeks or three to think,"

"But Hera," He says squeezing her hands.

"No matter what you decide. I will always protect you and Shakespeare. I made a promise to you years back that I will never let any Black take Shakespeare from you. I intend to keep that promise should the Blacks try to do so,"

"What was in it?" Jess asks inquisitively.

"Divorce papers," Hera answers.

***

How have you all been doing?

We're close to the end of the book and I've never been happier lmao Don't ask how many chapters. I don't know, plans change.