DIANA'S POV

I step out of the taxi and stand outside Marin General Hospital, my suitcase by my side as Aaron's sweatshirt lies on top of it, half sleeves shirt covering my body due to the sudden change in weather. The taxi driver drives away after I have paid him and take in a deep breath, my hands shaking as I pull out my phone and look at the blank screen.

Aaron called half an hour ago, to check up and I told him that I landed safely. He would have called again but I informed him that I'm going straight to the hospital. So, he asked me to contact him after I get free from here.

I feel like someone has thrown me back in time as soon as this town started greeting me with familiar sights. A shaky breath leaves my lips as I start walking inside, but the hospital is big enough for me to get lost, so I go straight to the reception.

"Hi, can you tell me in which room Viviana Rose is?" I ask, my voice almost feeble that I don't recognise it for a second as I clear my throat.

She nods, checking into the computer but then she gets distracted as another nurse call outs for her. I keep taking deep breaths, telling myself to keep my composure as I wait for her to get back.

When she does, she gives me an apologetic smile, "Sorry, can you repeat the patient's name again?" She asks.

"Sheriff's wife, I am looking for her. If that will help out." I tell her, trying to keep my voice in check.

Her eyes widen, as she nods, "Are you family?"

"Yeah, I am her daughter." I say, a weird feeling seeping in as I say that aloud.

"Mary, lead her in." She tells someone and the woman gives me a nod.

She motions her head as if asking me to follow her, so I do, carrying my bag along as I silently walk behind her. I try my best not to pay attention to the weeping relatives in the hallways. When she opens the door I read the board above and my breath hitches a little.

MARIN CANCER INSTITUTE

She gives me a look of pity as I try to wrap my head around what I just read. When we come outside a door, she halts and gives me a moment before she pushes open the door, giving me space to walk in. When I finally do enter, I leave my bag by the entrance and look at the bed in the middle of the room, my mother lying there with strands of a few white shining as I notice the wires attached to her hand.

Her eyes are shut closed, but it doesn't look like she's sleeping, in fact, she looks weak, really weak as her cheeks are hollow and I gulp, trying to keep my heart intact even though the sight is enough to make me want to fall down on my knees.

"Anna?" I hear my father's voice and turn to see him sitting on a couch.

He's wearing a polo t-shirt with black jeans, his hair are tousled and his eyes look heavy, as if they are carrying all the burden of the world with the dark circles underneath them. There are wrinkles on his face, wrinkles that I don't remember from four years ago.

"You came." He whispers, standing up, as if he doesn't really believe that I am here, much like I don't.

"Yeah." I nod, whispering.

"Anna? Is that you?" I hear a groggy voice behind me and turn to see my mother's eyes open.

I suck in a gasp as I nod, "Hey." I whisper, and she smiles, really smiles as she sits up.

"Come here." She gestures from her hands.

I close my eyes for a second, before nodding, as I walk towards her and sit on the chair besides her bed. She gestures to my hand and I give it to her as she lightly holds in her grasp, her touch bringing a familiar touch that I didn't know I have been missing from such a long time. I look into her eyes which are already glassy with tears.

"You're really here." She whispers and I nod.

"Yeah, Uncle Marcel called last night." I tell her and she smiles, as my hand reaches forward on instinct to wipe her tears.

Throughout my four hour flight, I calmed myself, telling myself that if I was going to do this, I was going to keep my resentment at bay. She asked for me, and if I decided to come, it wasn't just for myself, it was also because I knew my mother needed me.

"Did she come with you?" She asks, and I know she's referring to Emily.

I shake my head, "I came directly from Chicago."

"Chicago?" My father asks, and I look behind to see him.

I gulp, "Yeah, I was there to visit Aaron's family with him." I explain, and I know he wants to ask further, but he doesn't say anything, just nods.

"Will she be coming, though?" Mother asks, getting my attention back to her.

"Yeah, with Marcel and Shelly." I tell her and she smiles. "How are you?" I ask, and her hand moves to my cheek.

"Oh sweetheart, I am fine. I just missed you so much." She sobs out, breaking my heart with that sound as tears fill up in my eyes.

God, the images from four years ago flash in my mind as I begged her to stop her husband, to stop my father but I push them back, because I cannot let the past have such a strong hold on me.

"I'm here, Mother, I am here." I whisper and she pulls me to herself as I stand from the chair and sit by her bed.

She wraps her fragile arms around me and it takes a lot of effort to battle the struggle between my heart and my mind, but as my arms go around her, I know that my heart would always win when it comes to my family, I would always love them even though they have done wrong by me.

"I am so sorry, Anna, so sorry, honey. We were so wrong, I was so wrong." She cries and I rub a hand on her back, trying to keep in my own tears.

"Shh.. please, let's not do this." I whisper, my voice pleading because talking about the past right now when she's like this which is already breaking my heart enough.

I feel her nodding, as she parts away and lies down on the bed again. I give her a small smile as her hand goes to my hair, "I always liked your natural colour more." She smiles as she wipes her tears, reminding of my red hair phase.

"Yeah, me too." I tell her.

There's a knock on the door and my father goes to open it. I look curiously as Marcel stands on the other side, Emily in his arms with Shelly by his side. They aren't carrying bags with them, and the way they are dressed up, something tells me that they went to hotel first and then came here.

I immediately get up from my mother's side as I go to him, taking Emily in my arms and she wraps her tiny hands around my neck, her head coming to rest on my shoulder as I rub her back, "Oh, baby, I missed you so much." I tell her, kissing her hair and she sniffles a little.

My head tilts a little as I look at her welled up eyes and her lower lip butting out and quivering, "Em, I am here, why are you crying sweetheart?" I ask, wiping her tears.

"I miss you." She says and I smile.

"Right here, baby. I am not leaving you again." I kiss her and she keeps her hand on my cheeks, as she looks at my face, her other hand poking my face as if she's looking at it for the first time ever again, which makes me smile a little. I turn to Marcel, "I thought children aren't allowed in hospital?"

He nods, "They are when it's Sheriff's granddaughter." He looks at my father and gives him a brief nod.

I gulp, turning to him as he looks at me then turns to Emily as Shelly and Marcel go to sit by my mother's side. "Momma." Emily says, chewing on her thumb as she looks at her grandfather.

"Anna." My father starts as he looks at me, his eyes pained and his expression full of hurt, "I can't even begin to apologise because it wouldn't do you or her any justice but –"

I cut him off, "Not right now, Sir. Not in front of her." I whisper to him and he looks hesitant but nods nonetheless.

"Don't call me that, please." He begs, his voice constrained.

My eyes shoot up to meet his green ones, I get them from him, "What should I call you then?" I ask.

"Whatever you want, just not that. I would say call me Dad or Father, but that would be pushing it, I know." He breathes.

I turn to Emily, "Em, baby.." I start, catching her attention as she blinks at me, "This is your grandfather, he's my father, sweets." I tell her and her eyes widen.

"You have a father, momma?" She asks, her voice so excited and I nod, smiling a little.

"Can I call him Granpa? I call Gramps, Gramps." She says like it's the best explanation in the world which makes me laugh as I look at her then back at my father who has a smile playing on his lips. A smile I have missed over the years so much that it almost makes me cry.

"You'll have to ask him, baby." I tell her and she turns to him.

"Granpa?" She asks looking at him with her big eyes and he nods, his hand coming to stroke her cheek.

"Can I call you Millie?" He asks, my breath hitching in my throat because I just didn't name my kids that out of nowhere.

These are the names I always thought of giving them when I would grow up and have children. I mentioned them to my parents once, and that's exactly how he replied, 'If you name your kid Emily, I am calling her Millie whether or not you like it, kid.'

As if his words break me, tears break out, one spilling after another and I immediately look away, one of my hands coming up to wipe it. I wish Aaron was here with me, because he would make this situation so much bearable, whispering in my ear how strong he thinks I am. But I couldn't do that to him, I couldn't let him leave his family after so many fights he had gone through with his parents.

"Momma, are you crying?" Emily asks, her hand below my chin as she makes me look at her and I shake my head.

"No, Em, I just got something in my eye." I lie through my teeth but she scowls at me as if she doesn't buy my lie at all. My father gives me a look but I shake my head at him, before I sigh, "Well, answer him." I press Emily, distracting her and she looks at him with a smile on her face.

"You're Momma's father, you can call me anything, Granpa!" She claps her hands and I smile.

I look back at the rest of the people and notice that Marcel, Shelly and my mother are staring at me. Marcel gives me a knowing nod, a nod I know too well, it's him conveying that he's proud of me, that he's proud of the girl who's his daughter in every sense other than the direct relation. I give him a small smile because he has been a father to me, a father that I desperately needed by my side for all these years and he filled the role all too happily.

"Would you like to meet your Momma's mother?" I ask Emily and her eyes light up as she nods.

I walk over to the bed and Shelly stands up, giving me space to sit next to my mother as she smiles broadly at my daughter.

"Oh, Emily, hey." She says, her voice feeble as she looks at her.

"Baby, that's your grandmother." I whisper to her my hand rubbing her back and she looks at the wires at attached to my mother's arms.

"Granny." Emily whispers, getting out of my grasp as she sits by her side, her hand sticking forward as she rubs it across her cheeks, and then her hair, exactly like I do while I put her to sleep or when she's sick. "Hi." She smiles at her.

"How are you, Millie?" She asks, stroking her hair as well.

"Good, you?" My daughter smiles.

"I'm fine, baby. I have waited for so long to meet you." She sighs, her eyes drooping a little so I look at Emily.

"Let's Granny rest for a while now, alright?" I whisper to her and she looks at me, nodding.

"Where's Aaron?" She asks, pouting as she looks around, and she said it loud enough for everyone to hear it.

"He's not here, Em. He misses you though." I give her a small smile.

"Can I see him on phone?" She asks, referring to videocall.

"Later." I promise, because I miss him too, and I want to talk to him as well.

"Is he going back to New York soon, because someone needs to get back to their damn business." Marcel says, making me laugh as I shake my head at him.

"He has been working from Chicago, leave him alone." I push him lightly and he smirks at me.

"You guys take advantage of me too much."

"Marcel, don't say that in front of him. He already feels bad enough because he thinks he got the position because you know him personally." I tell him.

He shakes his head, "He deserves it, he's pretty good at what he does." He shrugs.

"Is he nice to you?" My father asks, making Marcel give me a smug smile, as if he knows something I don't.

"He is." I tell him.

"He loves her." Emily says, surprising us all and my mother gapes at her.

"Babe.." I smooth out her hair and she smiles at me.

"He does, Momma! He loves me too." She says, hugging me and I nod.

I look up to both of my parents and while my mother smiles at me, as if she's happy for me, my father looks conflicted but I shrug it away. I look at Shelly who has been awfully quiet this whole while because she has this sad expression on her face as she keeps blinking at my mother.

"Can you take her for a round or something?" I ask her and she nods, taking the hint as Marcel gets up too.

Shelly takes Emily from my arms and I kiss her hair, promising to see her in a while before they leave the room. I sigh, rubbing my temples as I turn to my parents. I sit on the chair by her side while my father comes to sit by the other side of her bed, taking her hand in his as he kisses it lightly, his eyes in so much pain as he looks at her.

"Are you guys going to tell me why you are in a hospital?" I ask, not being able to keep the question unanswered anymore.

"Anna, you already know which department this is, sweetheart." My mother speaks up, making me gulp as I stare at the two of them.

I try to clear my throat, making sure that my voice doesn't crack as I speak, "Yes, but I need to know everything, please." I almost beg and my father nods.

"A few months ago, she started getting a chest pain, at first we thought it was nothing, she took painkillers to ease it, but when they stopped working, we came here. She went through plenty of tests, but then.." His voice cracks, surprising me because in the seventeen years I spent in the same house as his, I had never ever seen him lose his composure like this.

"I have breast cancer, Anna. Last stage." My mother whispers, breaking my heart but I shake my head, denying it immediately as I look at her.

"No no, you're joking." I whisper, my voice finally breaking, "Tell me this is some evil plan to get me to talk to you both. Because I am, I'm here and–"

My father stands up from her side as he comes to sit on the armrest of my chair, carefully wrapping his arms around me as tears spill down that I have been holding in ever since I saw my mother like this in a hospital bed. I want to believe that it's a joke, I really do but the light behind her eyes is completely gone, her cheeks are so hollow and her body looks so fragile.

"I am so sorry, Anna." I feel wetness on my shoulder and know that he's crying too, "We are so sorry."

"No. Dad, please.." I beg, as if asking for someone to shut down the pain that has started to seep in my heart at the news. "How long?" I look up at my mother who's sobbing silently to herself as she looks at me.

"Doctors have stopped saying anything, Anna. The medicines aren't responding to my body." She explains and my eyes widen as I reach forward to hold her hand.

"Are you saying?" I gasp, looking at her and she nods.

"Any day, baby."

Those three words do it, they unleash all the emotions I have ever shut down deep in my heart, they bring out the pain of four years, but I forget about everything, I forget about the bad days as the memories of seventeen years start to come to my mind as more tears spill down my cheeks. I hold onto my father, sobbing as he cries with me. Somewhere during that, I shift to her bed, keeping my face by her shoulder as I cry out, my father's hand rubbing my back.

Regret. I feel so much regret for not responding to her good morning messages, for ignoring her calls, for not giving her another chance or being in contact while I still had the time. And now that I realise it all, it's only because life has once again twisted my fate in the cruellest manner.

Now that I want it all, she barely has any time left. The realisation hits me heart, managing to break my heart into two, as the feeling of bitterness towards death starts to seep inside my heart.

"I already lost my damn baby, I can't lose you." I sob, and she wipes my tears.

"What are you talking about, Anna?" My father asks.

"I had twins Dad, Emily had a brother." I sob out, and both of them look at me surprised. "I thought Marcel told you."

They shake their heads, "No, he told us everything else. Not this." He says and I nod as he wraps his arms around me, as if he's trying to protect me from the world.

"Well, look at this way, I would look over him, right? He wouldn't be alone anymore." My mother gives me a soft smile but I shake my head.

"But you wouldn't be here." I mumble out, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

She sighs, "Dave.." She looks at him, "Take me home, whatever time I have left, I want to spend it there." She tells him and he nods.

"Mom, this is better for your health." I protest and she shakes her head.

"Honey, doctors have given up. Whatever is required can be set up in my bedroom, I just need to lie down there." She says, her eyes drooping and I bite back a sob.

"She's right. I will get the arrangements done." He says, turning to me, "Where are you staying?" He asks.

"At hotel." I tell him.

"Home, she's coming home with us." My mother tells him, before she falls asleep.

A part of me never wants to step back into that house, but a huge part of me, the part which is so much in pain for my mother and is crying out in hurt wants to do whatever she asks for me. But that house holds so many memories for me, but it's all tainted with how I left it, or how I was made to leave.

"Anna.." My father starts, "I'll call Shelly to sit with her for a while. We need to talk." He tells me and I nod.

He makes a phone call after which he disappears, probably to get their bedroom set up with equipment for mother. Shelly comes back into the room after five minutes and when she sees me, she immediately gives me a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Dee." She whispers and I nod, hugging her back.

"Where's she?" I ask.

"Marcel took her back to the hotel and is checking out of it. David insisted that we stay at the house as well. He said that it would make Viviana feel better." She explains and I nod. "You should call, Aaron, sweetheart." She says but I shake my head.

"He's with his family, Shelly. I am not taking away his happiness because I am sad." I tell her and she gives me a small smile.

When my father comes back, he motions for me to follow him out just from the door and I sigh, standing up as I follow him outside. A few people immediately nod their head at him out of respect because he is the Sheriff of the town, but he ignores them as he takes me out of the hospital, silently walking by my side.

When we reach the open yard of the hospital, he sits down on the ground, and I do the same, looking ahead of me as I look at the sun shining, comparatively to the chilly weather of New York.

"Anna, what I did all those years back, I can never justify my actions because they were out of pure rage, which is something I never want to use as an excuse because it wouldn't be fair to you. I am the Chief Commissioner of two towns, and people rely on me to keep them safe but that day, not only did I fail at my duty, I failed to be a father to you." He says, and I don't say anything or correct him, because that would mean that what he did those years back was alright, but it was not.

He continues, "I picked up my phone so many times to call you, Diana. One time I did, but I forgot that you changed numbers when you went to New York. Your mother didn't talk to me for a month after that day, she wouldn't even nod at me and I don't think she would have until the day she found me crying in the bathroom

"But I don't want you to know that. What I want you to know is, that I failed, but it was never your mother's fault so don't blame her. She deserves your forgiveness while I have done enough shameful things that I can't even ask for it. So, I wouldn't. I wouldn't put you in a position where you feel like you have to forgive the wrong deed, because you don't.

"I know you would never want to step back into that house because of how you were made to leave, but don't do it for me. Do it for her, and you can leave as soon as she does." His voice breaks, a few tears spilling which he wipes, "I have been on a break from my duty for two weeks now because her health just worsened. I hate to be the one to say this, but she barely has few days left and if she wants to see you back in that house, then please come back. I would stay out of your way, and I wouldn't be around Millie if that's how you want to do it. But baby, please know how sorry I am, how much I regret everything and if I could, I would take that day back in a heartbeat."

As he finishes, I realise that I am crying too, but it's all from the pain of losing my mother and hearing an apology from my father that I never thought I would. But his words mend a part of me which was left broken by him four years ago. I don't say anything, but I just wrap my arms around him, hugging him because I'm already losing my mother, the thought of losing him again is too damn much for me.

"I'll come back home, Dad." I whisper and he nods, hugging me tighter, "Is there anything you need for her? I can run an errand." I tell him, because I want to get away from this hospital, far away.

"You just got back into the town, Anna. Just come back home." He tells me.

I nod, getting up, "I will, give me some time. Marcel will bring Emily there, I won't be gone for long." I promise him and he nods.

"I'll get her settled in till then." He says, standing up as well as his hands go into his pocket, "Here, take the car. It's a black SUV in the parking with the sheriff badge on the windshield."

He never gave me his car keys which is why this comes as a shock as I stare at him, "Are you serious?" I ask, my voice almost a gasp.

"You have a kid, Anna, I am pretty sure you can take care of my car." He tosses the keys at me and I take it.

When I find the car, I get in and sit in it for five minutes, looking at the difference in it because of all the tracking devices and connected wires. It makes me rolls my eyes as I start the car but my phone rings. I read Aaron's name and thinking of ignoring it, but then realise that he will only freak out more, so I pick it up.

"Hey." He says as I put the phone on speaker before driving out of the hospital parking and into the familiar streets of the town I grew up.

"Hi." I breathe, realising that I just saw him this morning but miss him incredibly.

"Have you been crying? Your voice sounds like that." He says and I roll my eyes.

Smartypants.

"A little, I saw them after a long time." I play it off, praying that he buys it.

"Oh, okay. How is she?" He asks and I wonder what he's doing.

He must be out with his siblings and Lily. "Don't worry about her, baby. Doctors have it covered up. Now, where are you?" I ask, changing the topic but I already know he wouldn't buy into that so easily.

"Diana." He pushes.

I sigh, "Aaron, I am driving, hun. Just keep the conversation going. And before you ask, yes, both the hands are on the wheel, eyes are on the road and you're on speaker phone." I smile a little.

"What are you even driving? Did you get a rental?" He asks.

"Nope, Father gave me his car." I tell him.

"Progress." I feel him smiling but then he sighs on the phone, "Baby, are you okay?"

I want to cry, and tell him everything that is wrong in my life but I have been way too selfish but this time, I wouldn't be. I am not asking him to come back here to me just because I have problems going on. He's finally with the people he has wanted to meet for so long and I would never take that away from him.

"I'm fine, Aaron." I tell him then gulp, "I'll talk to you later, alright? I am going to a drive-thru because I am hungry." I lie, because I have appetite for nothing with all this void in my heart.

"Okay, call me soon, though. I love you." He says, his words bringing a smile to my face.

"I love you more. Bye!" I hang up before parking the car in the familiar drive way of the house.

The house where I grew, the house where I took my first steps, spoke my first words and the house where I made thousands of memories with my parents before I was kicked out. I get out of the car, admiring the house from a distance before I turn around and start walking on the familiar path I walked down four years ago.

The path takes me the same park where I spent a night alone with myself before Marcel came to pick me up the next morning. A night that didn't have any nightmares in it, but was instead the source of many for the future. I stop in front of the same bench, which is empty so I sit down, looking at the children who are playing many of whom are the age of my daughter.

I look past them, my eyes fixing on a familiar face that has haunted me for so many years. The same face that I hoped to never see again because it belongs to the man who turned my life upside down. It's the face of the man whose blood runs through my daughter's, the one who took my virtue from me which was never his to take.

His grey eyes flicker to me and I stop breathing.

"Nate." A whisper leaves my mouth.

_______

Thoughts on the chapter? ;)