Emilia didn't actually believe her mom when she texted that Lin was going to pick her up until she saw the Escalade pull up near the closed station. She also didn't think she'd ever get over seeing Lin-Manuel Miranda in his car where she'd be joining him, and not just on her phone screen doing an interview.

"I don't think I've ever met someone who lives in New York who drives so much," Lia joked as she got into the passenger seat.

Lin laughed as he turned down the volume on his radio, "It gets me where I need to go," he started driving once she was buckled in, "And it saved you from walking two miles."

"Touché. So, you were just in the neighborhood?"

"Yeah. I also figured your mom wouldn't have asked if she wasn't really desperate."

Lia couldn't help but laugh, "You're probably right."

"She hasn't changed much since we were younger; always the workaholic." He laughed fondly as he thought back to the many date nights that would turn into writing and study sessions, "What type of law does she practice?"

"She does a lot of personal injury, employee discrimination, stuff like that. She always says everyone should have access to good legal advice, not just people who've been charged with crimes."

Lin had always found Vanessa's passion to be one of the most attractive qualities about her. She had always been great at expressing it, in more ways than one.

"That sounds a lot like her."

"Yeah," Lia's face held a look of admiration. She didn't think she'd want to be a lawyer, but she was proud of all the people her mom helped, "The money sucks, but she does do a lot of good." She paused for a beat before letting out a groan, "And she'd killed me if she knew I was talking about money so,"

"Your secret's safe with me," Lin finished off her sentence, finishing it off with a genuine smile. Although he had only been around the young girl less than a handful of times, he could tell how close she was to her mother. Most teenagers didn't care about their parents' feelings, whereas, Emilia seemed to have a great respect for Vanessa.

They drove in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, only the beats of 90s rap playing throughout the car. "So, your mom said you stayed after for tutoring?"

"Of course she did," Lin held in a laugh at the change of her tone of voice. Afterall, even the most respectful of teenagers were, still, teenagers.

"Come on, what's so bad about tutoring?"

The look on Lia's face, along with her raised eyebrows, left her feelings about the topic pretty apparent, "Let's see: I'm being tutored in history and talking to someone who wrote an entire musical about history."

"I wasn't always the guy who wrote musicals about history!" Lin countered, "And it's a collaborative effort. Sure, I'd say I know more about Alexander Hamilton then the next guy, but there's no way in hell you'll find me writing a musical about geometry."

Lia couldn't help but laugh. She noticed more whenever she was Lin, he had a natural tendency to alleviate situations. "But that's not the same."

"It is. I just play to more strengths and learn to strengthen my weaknesses. Alright, what's your favorite class in school?"

"English."

The former English teacher grinned wide, pushing his sunglasses up into his hair. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. Are you still in trouble?"

Lia gave him a confused look, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question,"

"Yeah, but I can probably talk my mom into letting me off early depending on what it's for."

Damn, she really was a miniature Vanessa. "Okay. Are you still learning about different time periods and cultures?" He waited for her to nod before continuing, "One day this week, write from the perspective of a teenage girl living in whatever time period and country you're focusing on, using whatever information you've learned in class."

"What?" Lia's face was a mix of disbelief and shock, not having expected that to be Lin's suggestion.

"I'm serious. Write at least a paragraph and see if it helps you understand the context differently. If you do it, there will be a surprise for you next weekend."

"It involves you going somewhere, so just don't get into any more trouble between now and then."

"Okay..." Lia said cautiously, taking her seatbelt off, "This is the weirdest assignment I've gotten from a non-teacher."

Lin chuckled, "Just try it and see what you think. You're smart, that's obvious, and Hunter is a hard school." Even someone, like him, who had gone to the school his entire childhood and adolescence remembered how difficult it would get at times, "Sometimes just looking at things through a new lens where you're not solely focused on your grades helps."

Lia smiled, a bit in shock that she was getting school advice from a Tony-award winner. She looked at the clock, noticing how close to show time it was.

"Wait. How were you in the neighborhood if you live on the complete opposite end of here and still have to get back to Manhattan?"

Lin grinned, amused that she had caught on to the fact. The red light they were approaching turned to green so he moved his foot to the gas. As they strolled through the intersection Emilia gasped just as a large object entered Lin's peripheral. He heard her scream as a large truck pummeled into the passenger door.

Lin got his bearings a few moments later. His head hurt but otherwise he felt okay. His concern was with the young girl next to him. He looked at Lia and saw her eyes closed and blood on her arm and head. Lin unbuckled his seat belt and reached for her.

"Emilia!" He gently slapped at her cheek to rouse her. "Lia! Lia, wake up!"

He heard sirens approaching and everything became a blur. What had he done?

____

Vanessa stormed into the hospital, terrified out of her mind. She'd just gotten the worst phone call any parent could imagine. Her daughter had been in an accident and had been taken to the hospital.

The receptionist had directed her to the fifth floor. She took the elevator and hurried down the hall. She saw Lin sitting on a chair, an ice pack to his bandaged head.

"Where is she?" she asked, on the verge of tears. Lin stood up and his hand on her arm. Seeing her made him feel even more guilty. It killed him to see her so distraught. And he was the cause of it.

"She's resting," he told her. "She has a broken arm and a concussion and..."

Her concern turned to rage at the man who had been driving. "How the hell did this happen, Lin?" She demanded, her eyes intense.

Lin felt like he'd been stabbed. "I..." he stammered. "He ran a red light and-"

He was cut off by the livid mother. "Did you not look? Are you not a careful driver? That was my daughter in the car! In the passenger seat!"

"Of course I looked!" He defended himself. "He came out of nowhere."

"Nowhere, right," she said sarcastically. "Where is she?"

"She's sleeping," he reported, looking around, hoping they weren't causing a scene. Vanessa looked into the window and finally saw her daughter.

"Oh God! Emilia!"

Lin placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her but she shrugged him off. "Try not to disturb her. She needs her rest."

That just ticked Vanessa off more. He'd gotten her daughter into a car wreck and now he was telling her how to act around her? "Back off Lin. You've done enough."

Lin took his cue and stood back. He watched Vanessa rush to her daughter, taking in the sight of her scratched face. She looked much better now that she'd been cleaned up a bit. Still, it was hard to see her laying in the bed, helpless.

Vanessa gently rubbed at her daughter's good arm, talking softly to her. She was crying now. Lin slowly approached, wanting to comfort her. Carefully, he reached out and rubbed at her back. She didn't push him away.

After watching her child sleep peacefully for a few minutes, not in pain, she walked back into the hallway, Lin following behind. He tucked his hands into his jeans pockets. He watched her pace for a few moments, not knowing what to do.

"Do you have any questions for me?" He asked gently.

"I think you've done enough," she growled at him, apparently still ticked off at him.

"V, I-"

"Don't call me that!" She snapped, glaring at him.

Lin held up his hands in surrender. He knew he needed to just keep quiet. Vanessa wasn't finished.

"Do you have any idea what kind of hell I've been through today?" She asked, and he knew not to answer. "The worst phone call I could have imagined. I don't know what I'd do if she..."

She continued to pace and he stayed silent, watching her. It was stabbing Lin in the heart and he started to tear up. She saw him.

"Why are you crying?" She demanded. "You've known her for less than a month, Lin!"

Lin tried to compose himself, not wanting to upset Vanessa any more. He wasn't sure why he felt so attached to the teenager. Maybe just because she was V's and he liked her. He hated to see her hurting.

"Sorry, it's just - I feel attached to her already," he explained gently. "We hit it off right away and she's your kid."

"God," she said painfully, feeling a guilt in her heart. She'd been keeping an awful secret for years and it had been so long that telling the truth seemed even more awful than keeping the secret.

Lin got the sense there was something else. He studied her, trying to get in her brain. That had always been impossible. She was so hard to read.

"V, what is it?" He asked, approaching her carefully. She looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"Lin, she..." she swallowed and closed her eyes for a few moments. Was she really going to say it? "She's yours."

She dared to look at him, bracing for his reaction.

"Excuse me?" He asked, having trouble processing what she said.

"Emilia is your daughter," she clarified. "I got pregnant with her back in 2000 when we were dating and I-"

"She...she's mine?" He stumbled, his heart pounding. Vanessa nodded silently, watching him closely. She wasn't sure if it felt good or bad to have it out in the open. Lin turned and looked through the window at the sleeping teenager.

Vanessa's twin practically, but now her eyes made sense. She had his eyes. Lin silently walked into the hospital room and stood by Emilia's bed. After a few moments her eyes fluttered open.

"Lin?" She croaked. Vanessa quickly stood next to him, slightly jealous that she had woken up for him. Hadn't she sensed her mother there with her not five minutes ago?

"Hi, sweetheart," he said gently as he put his hand on her arm. So sweet and gentle. Vanessa felt the weight of fourteen years of guilt slam down on her. Fourteen years she had denied Lin his child. Had denied Emilia her father; this tenderness.

Emilia looked to her mother. "Mami?" She switched to Spanish like she did when she was upset.

"Hi, baby," Vanessa sniffled. "I'm here. You're okay."

Lin stepped aside, as the kid definitely wanted her mother. Of course she didn't want him right now. She'd known him for two weeks. But apparently she should have known him for fourteen years.

He slowly stepped back towards the door as Vanessa talked quietly to her daughter. Their daughter. The realization started to hit him. This woman has kept his paternity a secret for fourteen years. Fifteen years, really. He could have been with her from birth. Held her, comforted her, taught her to ride a bike. He'd gotten none of it.

He felt sick inside, his mind reeling with so many thoughts. How could she? What right did she have? How...how COULD she?!

Before he gave it another thought, he turned and rushed towards the stairway. He pushed at the door and ran down the steps. When he finally reached the sidewalk, his body caught up with his mind. He vomited in the alley.