Regan's POV

After growing out of the shock of sheer embarrassment of getting caught by Carlyn in the closet I had a feeling Prince and I would never hear the end of it. Just as the food came out to the table little Joey came down wiping the sleep from his little blue eyes and sat at his seat. He looked up at me and smiled big.

  "You look very pretty Miss Regan! Are you and dad going on a date?" He asked in a high pitched voice.

  "No Joey their gonna get married! Right dad?" Carly joked.

  "You two! I swear sometimes the ideas you kids come up with." Prince giggled.

"Well why not? You like her she likes you just do it already!" Carly said to her father as he stabbed at a piece of broccoli.

Prince was turning a bright pink in the face because deep his heart he knew she was right. I already knew he still had feelings for me from the moment I stepped inside Paisley Park. The way he looked at me was enough to make my heart jump from my body. Those hazel eyes piercing my very soul like it was the first time that I really looked at them. He may have looked older but he was still that young and vibrant kid next door that would always be hiding out in my treehouse. He must have felt me looking in his direction because he soon looked back at me and smiled. The kids must have noticed too because the sounds of 'awwwww' and kissy notices filled the room.

  "Very funny guys. Eat up and get outta here!" Prince said to them with a small laugh.

  "You really like her. Don't you dad?" Joey asked as he finished his last bite of veggie lasagna.

  "I know one thing you better let your dad be grown and stop worrying so much about my love life."

  "Or lack there of." Carly said before quickly stuffing her mouth full of food.

Prince turned to her faster than I could call him.

  "Skipper. Be nice. You know she gets that from you anyway." I said to him pointing my form towards him.

  "What!?!?! No way! My attitude was nothing like that at sixteen and you know it!" He chuckled.

  "You're right it was worse." I chuckled back.

Prince's mouth dropped to the floor as we all laughed.

  "So its like that huh?" He said as he stood from the table.

  "Awwww come on daddy don't be mad we were only playin'!" Carlyn giggled.

  "Yeah dad don't be a sour sport! This is fun!" Joey pipped up.

  "Yeah Prince come on you knew that was funny!" I replied.

  "Not as funny as this.....you guys get no dessert. Now! Laugh at that!" Prince giggled.

  "Daddy! No! Come on!" The kids groaned as Prince tainted them with slices of chocolate cake.

  "Nope! You laugh at your old man you get no cake that's the rule." He said as he continued to plate each slice of cake.

  "Prince. They're just kids. Cut them a break huh? For me?"

I gave him the doe eyes like he had always done to me whenever I was mad at him and just like I always would he caved and let them have cake.

  "You guys are lucky you have Regan here taking up for you. I still wouldn't have given it to you." Prince joked as he winked at his kids.

As I sat from the counter and watched the kids go to town on their dessert I felt a gentle tugging on my dress from behind me. I turned to find the red suited man standing behind me smiling.

  "Let's go somewhere and talk. Away from my little ears." He said putting his hand out.

I smiled and took his hand letting him lead the way. We walked out the back door of the kitchen and into the party room taking a seat on the stage. This room brings back so many memories. I sat down at the end of the stage with my legs hanging over the side.

  "That's where you wanna sit with that dress you have on?" Prince asked.

  "What's wrong with this? We used to sit here and talk all the time! We had fun back in those days."

  "Yeah we did didn't we. The last time we both sat together like this was right before I went on tour."

  "The night you decided to recreate my big graduation from college! Oh my gosh you still remember that night!"

  "Of course I do! I remember everything about us. About you."

The room fell silent as we locked eyes once more. I could feel my heart beating even harder and I thought the sound was so loud that he could hear it too. He smiled at me and ran his hand through my hair and taking my right hand into his left.

  "You're still very beautiful." He said to me in a deep voice.

  "So are you. Still can't go a day without that cat eye huh?" I joked.

  "Only when I'm asleep." He laughed back.

I let out a sign and looked around the room.

  "Hey! Remember that time you were gonna stab Marcus in his face?"

He looked over to that very spot where he hand Marcus pinned down to the floor.

  "Vaguely." Was all he said before shaking his head.

  "I thought a witness wasn't allowed to lie." I whispered in his ear before getting up from the stage and walking over to that very spot.

  "We're not! I just remember that he tried to hurt you and I lost it on him. What I do remember is the night we announced us being a couple. That I do remember."

  "Yeah and that was the same night I thought Andre was gonna beat the breaks off of you for taking me away from him."

  "He could have had Rene!"

  "Noooooo she wouldn't be able to deal with him."

We laughed as we continued our stroll down memory lane and talked about the good old days of coming to Paisley Park after it was completed. The longs nights alone in his studio as he worked on a song or two. All the times he and I would just enjoy each other for what little time I could get. Our summer together before going back to college and the crazy things that happened to us. Our life was a ride. The only thing that bothered me the most is that his kids don't know about any of that.

  "Skipper?" I called as I walked back toward the stage.

He didn't answer but he did look up at me.

"Why don't the kids know? We have a history that I think they should know about. Especially Carlyn. The three of us alone have a connection. Are you ashamed of what had happened all those years ago?"

  "No! Of course not! Regan you and I had great things happens for us when we were coming up. The times are different now and.....I don't wanna my daughter......I'm just trying to protect her."

  "But Prince hiding parts of who you are isn't gonna help if you don't tell her everything. She didn't even know that you helped with the search for her when she was kidnapped. I had to tell her. She barely knew about who I was. All she knew about me was from a picture in your photo book. Knowing her past is all she wants. She knows now what happened to her mother. Her real mother. All we have to do now is get her killer or the streets and Carly's kidnapper put away for the rest of their lives. That is how you protect her."

Prince and I stared at each other. He jumped down from the stage and sighed takin my hands.

  "And what about you. Leaving for Indianapolis wasn't the best idea to keep you safe either."

  "It's not about me anymore Skipper. This was never about me. This has all been for Carly. It was at one point about her and her mom. Now it's about her. I have to do right by my good friend to make sure that I did my job at protecting her. That battle has been won because by fate you found her."

  "More like she found me."

  "You guys found each other. Maya wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would I. Carly will always be yours Prince. But tell her. Tell her about you so she knows who her father really is. You have nothing to be ashamed of. The world knows you have no filter and Carly definitely doesn't have one either. Don't filter yourself in front of her. Or Joey. They need to really get to know their dad."

Prince gave me a small smile and nodded.

  "I'll do it as long as you'll stay." He said.

  "I'll stay as long as you stop stashing chocolate bars in your closet." I giggled.

I went in and kissed him on the cheek and pulled him back towards the back entrance.

  "Come on let's go eat cake!" I said as I pulled him along.

  "You know I can't run with these shoes on right?" He joked.

  "If I can do yet you can do it!" I said back.

I think I better stay. If things work out then Carly just might get her wish.