By the next day, Dani was already adjusted to the time difference and was up just as the sun started to rise. She had been a habitual early riser her entire life. Her dad used to laugh about how she'd take the comics out of his paper before he even got to the table in the morning.

When she got older, she started having coffee ready for him as she read the comics. She smiled softly at the memory. It took a long time, but she had finally gotten to the point of being able to think back fondly and not cry whenever she was reminded of the good days.

It was still just a little past six. Dani didn't figure Gavin would be up for nearly an hour or so. On the weekend, he was awake before her, but his whole routine was out of whack, and so was hers. The information sheets Rocco gave her said his bedtime was eight and that he was usually awake between seven and seven-thirty. This would be perfect for her. She'd be up about an hour before him that way.

After showering and dressing, she reviewed everything and put the folder away in her top drawer.

She figured she'd do as Rocco suggested and take the day off. She thought she could sightsee a little and then maybe go to the coffee shop and say hi to Breanna. She also wanted to try to call Kevin, and she was certain that Katherine had been blowing up her phone. She hadn't really taken the time to check it being so busy with Gavin.

She shoved it in her purse and headed upstairs. The house was still quiet; she supposed Rocco would sleep in since he'd taken the day off. She started a pot of coffee and wandered outside; she glanced around for a paper and didn't see one. She shook her head at herself, feeling somewhat foolish as she walked back inside.

"Morning?" Rocco gave her a curious look.

He was walking down the stairs to the living room as she walked back inside. He looked amazing as always, he was once again dressed casually in a pair of dark blue jeans and a button-up black shirt. It seemed to emphasize how tall and lean he was and hint at the muscle's underneath. His hair was still damp from his shower and little pieces of his wavy locks fell in front of his face. He still had razor stubble today across his chin and cheeks. He must not have shaved. It was incredibly sexy she gulped tearing her eyes away from him.

"Uh good morning," She somehow managed to find her voice.

"Did you need some air?" he asked, gesturing to the door.

"Oh um, no," she laughed a little. "You don't get a paper, do you?"

"No," he held up his blackberry and then set it in the counter. "It's on here. Getting this fixed today."

"Right." She sheepishly walking back into the kitchen. 

"I was just remembering my dad reading the papers in the mornings. I just stumbled outside." She added and then wished she hadn't he'd think she was crazy.

"Yeah, my dad used to get the paper too." He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

She walked and sat down across from him gingerly sipping from her own cup.

"He'd read the it and discuss certain events with my mom. Dante would read the comics and I'd listen to them talk," he mused.

"I was the comic reader. I'd read them out loud to my brother," Dani recalled fondly. "My aunt liked the variety and lifestyle sections. She used to read the dear Abby column out loud."

"You have a brother too, not Katherine's?"

So, neither Alyssa nor Katherine had told him anything about her. She felt a little miffed about that. She figured Alyssa was too selfish to care, but Katherine? Was she embarrassed of her? Most likely.

"Lys never really talks about her family much," Rocco explained hastily.

"Katherine was with my dad for a little while when Alyssa's dad broke things off with her. Tate Manning," Dani recalled, her dad had told her the story. "He went back to his wife, so she came back home to Oaktown, my dad took her in and took care of Alyssa. Then she got pregnant with me, but shortly after I was born Tate wanted her and Alyssa back."

"And not you?"

"Nope, he specifically said she could not bring me," she quipped. "From what I understand he did marry her, but they divorced a few years later."

"Yeah, and I guess he' s mad she kept his name," Rocco commented. "That part Alyssa was laughing about one night."

"Well anyway, my dad raised me with a ton of help from his sister. Eventually he met someone and had my brother, Kev, but she's, well, I have no idea where Justine is these days."

"...and your dad?"

"Long and complicated story."

"I happen to be an excellent listener."

"I'm sure you are, but..." she stopped when she heard a noise from the living room. "I think Gavin's up."

Gavin stumbled into the kitchen then holding his little Spider-Man blanket and rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Morning champ." Rocco knelt to greet him. "You're up early."

"Yeah," Gavin half whispered.

"Next time yell for daddy before you go down the stairs though, okay?" He said ruffling his hair.

"I can, I big!" Gavin said in a grumpy tone swatting his hand away.

He hurried over to Dani and held his hands up with a little crabby pout on his face. She had to bite back a smile because even all frowning and grumpy he was just so cute.

She picked him up and he curled up on her lap.

"I'm not mad Gavi. I know you're a big boy." Rocco walked over and knelt. She could smell his piney and very manly cologne. It smelled good, too good. She really needed him not to be this close to her.

"I just don't want you getting hurt."

Gavin leaned his head against Dani 's chest and stuck his thumb in his mouth.

"I think he's just tired." She softly stroked Gavin's hair as she spoke.

"Are you grumpy, Gavi?" Rocco made a face, and she looked down to see Gavin starting to smile.

"Didn't get your coffee yet?" Rocco continued.

Gavin giggled a little and shook his head.

"Better get him a cup of Joe." Rocco said and Dani couldn't help but giggle a little at the exchange which made Gavin start laughing harder.

"Daddy silly," Gavin said.

"I know, he sure is." Dani said squeezing him lightly.

He smiled then finally, his eyes shining and looking more alert. He sat up on her lap so he could put his little arms around her neck and squeeze her tight.

"Oh my, thank you Gavi." She hugged him stroking his little back softly. "Auntie Dani loves cuddles."

"Welcome Auntie Dani." He tightened his little arms around her.

She looked up and caught Rocco's eye he had stepped away and was standing near the kitchen counter. He was gazing at them softly. For a second everything seemed to go still. His eyes looked misty and kind of sad before the emotions seemed to flash away as if they hadn't been there at all.

"You're really good with him." He noted giving her an appreciative smile.

"Well, he's so sweet, it's pretty easy."

Gavin slid down her lap and she helped him down to the floor.

"I gotta go potty," he announced.

"I'll help ya." Rocco took his hand, and they marched out.

**

Rocco opted on a light breakfast after the heavy scrambled eggs they had over the last few days. He decided on oatmeal and cut up some oranges to go with it. Gavin followed him around the kitchen and watched him. He wasn't into helping much today. The weekend's hours and aversion from his routine took a toll on him.

He'd need a good long nap today. He decided yawning at the idea. Apparently, he needed one too.

Gavin wandered back over to the table and climbed up on his booster seat by himself again.

"I'm a big boy," he announced as he sat up at the table.

"I know you're climbing up there like a pro now." Rocco winked at him.

"No like a Gavi!" Gavin giggled.

"Or a Gavi tiger?" Dani smiled at him.

"Yeah, a Gavi tiger." He nodded. "Roar!"

"I heard tigers love oatmeal." Rocco brought the bowls and pot of oatmeal over he watched Dani get up and get the milk and glasses as well as the fruit plate he cut. He dished up the bowls and marveled at how cohesive they seemed to work together.

"No daddy they like eggs," he told him.

"I'm pretty sure they like oatmeal too." Dani said he caught her eye and she winked at him.

"Well if anyone would know it'd be Dani. Better listen to her," Rocco said. He took a few bites from his own bowl hoping to entice Gavin into eating.

"Okay." Gavin took a small bite from the bowl and then started eating all his orange slices. Once he finished the fruit, he went back to picking at the oatmeal again.

"Better eat that up or I will," Rocco warned him.

"Nu uh." Gavin pulled his bowl close to him.

"Oh yeah?" Rocco teased raising an eyebrow. He reached over and dipped his spoon into Gavin's bowl and took a big bite from it.

"Hey that's Gavi's!" Gavin exclaimed.

"I'm an oatmeal stealing lion," Rocco growled playfully.

He heard Dani stifle a giggle and bit back a smile; it was pretty easy to make Gavin laugh. When he made her laugh...he decided not to figure out why that felt so good. Instead, he went back to focusing on Gavin who was wolfing down his oatmeal now.

"No lion allowed." He stuck his tongue out at Rocco.

He took Gavin upstairs and got him bathed and dressed after breakfast. He found the kitchen already clean by the time he was done.

"Thank you." He gestured to the room where she looked up from the purse she was packing on the table.

"No prob."

"You mean welcome." Gavin corrected.

"You're welcome, Rocco." She corrected herself and Gavin beamed.

"You going out?" he asked as they made their way out of the kitchen and into the large living area.

"Yeah, for a few hours." She nodded. "Do you need anything while I'm out?

"Nope, go have fun, " He gestured for the door.

"Here I go then." She stuck her sunglasses on and started for the door.

"Stay out of the areas I told you to." He warned her as he followed her to the door.

"Yeah, yeah." He could sense her rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious."

"I'll be careful," she promised.

"Yeah Daddy." Gavin nodded, he walked over to her and held his hands up for her to pick him up.

'Uh oh he thinks he's going,' Rocco braced himself.

"Oh, buddy listen." She knelt gazing softly at him. "Auntie Dani's going out for a few hours. You're staying here with your daddy, okay?"

"I come with." He pouted, his lip quivering.

"Not this time," she said. "I have to go do some boring grown-up stuff. I'll bet you'll have way more fun here with your daddy."

"We can watch a movie," Rocco offered.

"Don't go Auntie Dani." Gavin ignored him, shaking his head.

"Just go now," Rocco whispered. "Once he starts you won't be able to."

Judging by the look in her worried and empathetic brown eyes he may have already succeeded.

"I'll be back I promise." She said quickly, she looked flustered but headed out the door.

Gavin howled the second it closed.

"Auntie Dani!" He wailed, he threw his body down and started kicking his words quickly becoming incoherent in the mist of the sobs.

"Gavin it's okay no need for the dramatics." Rocco sat down on the floor next to him. "She's coming back later."

"I want go!" He wailed.

"Auntie Dani has some grown up things to do okay?" Rocco started softly stroking his back his. Finally, after a few long minutes the wails died down to sobs and he stopped flailing around, but he was still crying.

"I like go with my Auntie Dani," he whimpered.

"I know Buddy but sometimes she has to go by herself. Just like Daddy does and Mommy does," Rocco said. He picked Gavin up and scooped him into his lap. He rocked him slightly back and forth until he finally stopped crying.

"We're going to have a fun day though," Rocco promised. "We can watch any movie you want."

"I want to watch the manimal show." Gavin said in a quiet voice.

"The animal show?" Rocco asked.

"Yeah, Auntie Dani put it on TV. I like. They have puppies and tigers and lots of manimals." Gavin said, his eyes wide and earnest.

"On TV, Animal planet?" He murmured out loud.

Gavin had got up and started racing for the kitchen.

"Hey... where you are going buddy?" It took him a few seconds to get up from the floor before he followed him into the kitchen. Gavin was already halfway down the stairs to his playroom in the basement.

"Remember what I said about stairs Gavi?" Rocco hurried after him.

"It's okay Daddy I big," Gavin told him. "Mommy let me."

"She does, does she?" Rocco bit back his anger, how the hell was he supposed to get Gavin to ever wait now? The basement stairs were a bigger concern than the third-floor stairs. At least those were carpeted. He couldn't put up baby gates again because it would just make Gavin mad now.

He wasn't ready to be going up and down without an adult right there watching him. How the hell couldn't Alyssa get that?

He was so angry he missed where Gavin was heading until he heard him open the bedroom door.

"Gavin don't go in Dani's..." He was too late, Gavin already walked in, he retrieved her koala bear from the bed and walked back out with a little grin.

"Kiki likes the manimal shows too."

"Okay, I'm going to guess she won't mind." Rocco ruffled his hair. "Let's go find a good animal show."

"Yay!" Gavin cheered holding up the bear.