They were all congregating in the main theater, and they had to fight against the crowds as they moved towards their goal. As they sat there and waited for the others while the theater emptied, there were a few people that nodded to Dana as they passed her, and this time Lizzy and Trisha caught the nods.

"How many people do you know here tonight?" Trisha watched as she nodded to another person.

"I don't know, a few." Dana felt her phone vibrate and ignored it, knowing it was her father, while she watched a buxom blond that was headed right towards her. It was one of Marcus's old girlfriends.

"Dana I was so sorry to hear about the divorce." Her voice sounded sincere, but the look on her face was not.

"I'm sure you were," Dana said, not encouraging the conversation. She could feel Trisha and Lizzy's curious eyes on her.

"I heard that you left him for another man. I'm sure that you got an excellent settlement out of it, especially if Bryce was your lawyer."

"Perhaps, but he still didn't want you back did he." Dana was ashamed as soon as she said it. She should never wish Marcus on anybody, but she thought that this woman might deserve him.

Not having a proper response the woman left.

"Well, who would have guessed that your classy exterior hid an alley cat personality?" Trisha teased.

"Is it possible for you to not make a joke about everything?" Dana spat.

Trisha was taken aback by her vehemence.

As usual with Dana as soon as the anger came, it left. "I'm sorry Trisha, I think I'll go back to the hotel. Will, you let everyone know please?" She didn't want to act happy and carefree while looking at Quinn and knowing that he had lost all interest in her after one night. After all, he had barely said two words to her all evening.

She moved into the aisle and was halfway up it when Mason stopped her.

"Dana!" She turned to see him leaping off the stage and hurrying towards her. He grabbed her in a bear hug and started dancing her back down the aisle. "I am thinking of dinner and dancing." He spun her and then dipped her. "Yowsers, look at those gams will you?" He said in his best 1940 gangster voice.

"Ladies, it is a pleasure to be with three such beautiful women." Mason had turned the charm meter up to high, and Dana could only shake her head. The man needed no encouragement, and Trisha and Lizzy felt the same as they rolled their eyes at him.

Unconcerned by the lack respect he turned back to Dana. "Now tell me, how is everything with you? How is shooting practice going?"

"It's not."

"That's a shame. Have you had a chance to see everyone this evening?" His searching gaze met hers. He wanted to know about Quinn.

"Dana," Cassie called as she led the way down the aisle with the rest of the family following behind her.

"Yes, I have Mason, ex-husband and all." Thankfully their appearance made an explanation impossible, but she knew someone would fill him in later.

"Did you enjoy the show?" Cassie hugged her close. "At least we weren't drunk this time," She whispered in her ear. She pulled back and looked at her closely "Are you alright?"

"Sure, I'm just tired. As much as I would love to spend time with you all, I think I need to go back to the hotel."

Dana watched as a concerned look passed amongst the Stevenses.

"Really, I'm fine. I'll party with you next time, I promise."

"Quinn, please take Dana back to the hotel," Elizabeth ordered.

"N, it's fine. I'll get a cab."

"No, I think it's a good idea if Quinn takes you back," Bryce agreed.

Dana gave up. "I hope you all have fun."

"Can I have my shawl Dana since you won't need it?" Trisha asked.

"Of course, sorry."

Dana took it off and held it out to her, having forgotten about the massive bruise on her upper arm.

"Dana?" Quinn asked taking her arm and looking at it.

"It's O.K., one of the auditorium doors hit me."

It was apparent that Quinn didn't believe her. He shot a look towards Bryce who just nodded.

Everyone else was silently looking at her.

"Let's go, Dana," Quinn said as he placed his hand on her back.

"We'll see you two tomorrow at breakfast." Mason grinned.

"Mason!" Elizabeth hissed.

"You're the one who's pimping out her son Mom."

"Mason!" Almost all the Stevens said at the same time. It seemed Mason could go too far even in his attempt at comic relief.

"Sorry Quinn, sorry Dana, I didn't mean to offend," He hollered up the aisle.

"I'll see you at breakfast Mason," Quinn said without turning around. That was Quinn's way of letting him know he wasn't offended.

"The babies you two would make," Mason gave a low whistle, apparently not one to leave well enough alone.

Dana's heart clenched at the thought of having Quinn's babies, and how even if she wanted too she never could. Dana couldn't help the gasp that had escaped her. Had he read that in the report, was that why he didn't want her? Did he know she couldn't give him children? She had always seen it as a blessing when she was married to Marcus, even possibly as a reason he might one day leave her, but knowing that she would never be able to give Quinn children was gut-wrenching.

Quinn stopped and turned to look at Mason. A look passed between the brothers that only they seemed to understand. "You first brother." Then he gently pushed Dana forward out of the auditorium.

He was silent as they made their way through the quiet lobby, and Dana couldn't help but wonder if he had been as affected by Mason's comment as she had? When they reached the street, he had hailed a cab, and they rode silently back to the hotel, leaving Dana to try and guess what he was thinking.

They made their way into the lobby of the hotel, and Quinn took her arm and led her towards the bar in the middle of the massive atrium-like setting. "Let's have a drink," Quinn suggested as he ordered her a white wine.

Dana felt suddenly very alone as she sat there nursing her drink. Quinn had gotten his one night of passion and was no longer interested. She wished she could figure out what had happened to change his mind. Was it that she couldn't have children or was it only a promise to be kept, and he was a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy? As soon as she had the thought, she dismissed it.

Her mind kept replaying her night with Quinn, trying to figure out if there was something she had said or done to make him not want her anymore. How long she pondered this over her glass of wine, she had no idea, but suddenly Quinn turned towards her. Her body would never let her down where he was concerned.

Quinn sat sideways on his stool, his long legs perched on the bottom rail. He had one of his knees in front of her and the other behind her, and he had her cornered. Dana didn't look up or dare move.

"So what happened?" he asked touching the bruise on her arm.

"Nothing, I was hit by a door." She insisted as she sipped her wine her hand shaking at his nearness and the feel of his touch.

"Dana..." he warned.

She knew he wouldn't give up until she told the truth.

"Marcus felt the need to say 'hi' during intermission. It seems he's upset that I never dressed this way for him. I told him it was his fault that he was the one that dressed me." She shrugged looking at her wine, too depressed to really care that Marcus had hurt her again.

"How did you know where I was staying?" she asked after a moment of tense silence, curious who had told him where to find her yesterday.

Quinn sipped his beer watching her. "Bryce told me."

Dana nodded, and Quinn remained silent as she tried to guess what he was thinking. She felt his eyes travel up her body, blazing a trail as they went. It was true she wouldn't have dressed this way for Marcus even if he had allowed her to pick out her own clothes. If she was honest, Quinn was the one for whom she had dressed. Secretly, deep down, she was hoping he would see her tonight, and that he would be so awed by her beauty, he would declare his undying love for her and sweep her off of her feet and back to the ranch in Texas.

And it seemed that he did, at least, appreciate her appearance if his heated glance was anything to go by as they sat in silence and the heat between them built.

"Ask me up, Dana." His voice was hoarse as if the request was pulled from deep within him.

Her heart soared, and she didn't even have to think about it. "Please come up Quinn.?

He nodded turning to pay for their drinks, and they were silent as they rode the elevator up to her floor. He hadn't touched her or kissed her yet, but her heart was racing just at the thought. When she pushed open her door, Quinn was right behind her, and they both stopped suddenly.

Dana gasped, she had not been expecting to see her father sitting, waiting, and she felt like she was sixteen all over again. She took a step back but Quinn was blocking her, and his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Daddy," Dana said, her voice sounding like a little girl's.

"So this is him? This is the man that you left your husband for?" He wasn't yelling, but the censure in his voice was evident.

"No, I didn't leave-,"

"Yes, you did. Marcus told me the whole story." Her father's eyes looked at her as if she was trash.

"Well, that's that then." Dana rubbed her forehead with a shaking hand.

"Look at you, how you're dressed. You look like a slut."

Dana who had thought she looked so pretty earlier suddenly felt ugly.

She felt every muscle in Quinn tense, and he was holding deathly still. It reminded her of a cat that was waiting for just the right moment to attack.

"Yes, Daddy." It was all she could think to say. Even with Quinn's broad back behind her, she didn't have the strength to fight her father.

"You dressed like that for him, didn't you?" He motioned to Quinn.

"Yes, Daddy."

Quinn stepped around her, but Dana put a gentle hand on his arm and looked into his eyes, pleading with him to back off.

"Young man, I want you to leave now. I need to talk to my daughter."

"No sir, I will not leave." Quinn's voice was quiet but firm as his eyes held hers.

"Dana." Her father looked at her, demanding that she tell him to leave.

Even if Dana had had the strength to stand up to her father, she didn't want to put Quinn in a position that put him at risk.

"It's fine Quinn. Please leave." He must have seen something in her eyes that convinced him. Neither she nor her father noticed Quinn pick up her key card as he left.

She moved towards the bench in front of the vanity and sunk onto it. She didn't bother to look at her father she just stared at her feet in, what she now viewed as, ridiculously high heels. Dana heard the door close behind Quinn and her heart sunk. She had told him to leave, what did she expect?

She barely heard her father as he laid into her. Calling her names and telling her she didn't deserve Marcus, and that she had been lucky to have a man like him willing to take her. It was the same as it had been when she was sixteen, right before he had locked her in her room.

All she could think to say was Yes Daddy, and you're right Daddy.

Where had all of her spunk and self-assurance that she had worked so hard to build gone. She thought of all of the Stevenses who had taken her in, kept her safe and defended her. What would Elizabeth, Lizzy, and Cassandra do in this situation?

A small smile came to her lips as she thought of Lizzy and Elizabeth teaching her to shoot a gun. She did not doubt that they would look at her father as if he was crazy then show him the door, and if they could do it so could she. After all, they had thought she was worth fighting for.

Dana rose towering over her father. Funny she had never realized that she was taller than her him. He was a very short man. She thought of her mother and tried to remember her, but all she could remember was a soft-spoken woman who only spoke when spoken to.

"What happen to Momma, Daddy?" Dana asked, wanting to know for the first time what had happened to her mother. She had been so young when she had died.

"What?" Her father's tirade came to an end, and he looked taken aback by the question.

"Did you hit her like you hit me? You never hit me when I was a little girl, but I always obeyed you as a little girl. You only hit me after I disobeyed you when you wanted me to marry Marcus." She watched her father turn red, and she was starting to find her power in her calmness as he grew flustered.

"You did hit her didn't you?"

"She deserved all of the reprimands that I gave her. She was just like you, thinking that she knew what was best when she had no clue."

"How did Momma die daddy?"

"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that she was weak and chose to die."

Dana nodded at this understanding a little bit better now. Her mother had been trapped like she had and there had been times when Dana had wished that she were dead. "There is one difference between Momma and me. I am not weak. Instead of choosing to die, I chose to live and even escape from my life." Dana smiled, realizing that it was true.

"And where did you run? Right into the arms of another man, several to hear Marcus tell it." He started to turn nasty again.

"You have no say in my life anymore. I will sleep with as many damn men as I choose, and there is nothing you can do about it."

She heard the crack as his hand as it connected with her face before she felt it. She couldn't decide if he hit her because of the smile or the comment.

"You should be congratulating Marcus on his narrow escape." Dana reached up to touch her cheek and busted lip. "That's the last time you'll hit me, and this is the last time you will see me. If you have anything to say to me, you can talk to my lawyer. I'm sure Marcus knows how to contact him." She reached for the phone behind her. "You can leave now on your own or I can call security, and I promise that if I call for security, there will be an official police report and a scene."

Her father's complexion paled then grew ruddy again as he picked up his coat. "This isn't finished."

"For me it is." Dana waited until her father had left then sunk to the bed trembling. She had never before talked to her father that way. She had tried when she was seventeen, but she had lacked the conviction then. Silently, she thanked the Stevens women for teaching her that women could be strong.

Eventually, the reality of what had just happened, and what could have happened, set in, and she was suddenly freezing so she kicked off her shoes and crawled under the covers, turning off the light above her and leaving only the bathroom light on for a little illumination.