Every Rose Has Its Thorn :: Nathan

"Fine. We'll take care of it. But you need to stop getting yourself in such messes, Nathan. It's sloppy. And don't think you'll be getting out of child support."

"I'll be there for the baby. I promise."

And he had kept his word. When the adoption was final, Nathan had bought everything for his new "little sister". Nobody knew the truth. Nobody, that is, except for his parents and best friend. The only people in the world he trusted with the truth. Because the truth was, she wasn't just a random baby that his parents adopted during a mid-life crisis. She was his daughter. His wonderful, blond-haired, blue-eyed baby. Nathan had fallen in love with her from the first time he held her when his parents had a party to introduce her. Of course, he couldn't let on that she was really his. Not when he had a tiny baby of his own, a two year old, and a four year old.

He tried to be her friend. As she grew up, Nathan wanted nothing more than to be her friend, so she would look up to him. He never expected this, though. He never expected for his mother to lose her mind. Not so soon after his dad's death. God, poor kid. She had to go somewhere. Vivian Forrester was being placed in a home. Nathan jumped and volunteered. He wouldn't let anyone else take her. Not Gracie.

When he showed up to get her, his stomach was in knots. He went upstairs, knowing she would probably be in her room, and started to knock. Instead, he went up to her and pulled her into a bear hug. "Hey, pretty lady," he spoke endearingly. "Let it out. Come on." He knew she couldn't be perfectly fine. Everything was changing. The people who raised her were virtually gone. There was no way she was fine. And, she needed to have a good cry.

If it was up to Nathan, Gracie would have found out from day one, even when she was too tiny to understand a word they were saying, who her real father was. He wanted her to know, and to know that he loved her and if circumstances were different, he would be the one raising her. But one of the conditions to his parents taking her in and adopting her were that he never tell her. He didn't get why. And he didn't like it. But his father was not one to be argued with, so he simply said yes, sir. He did tell her once, when she was sick and asleep. Nathan had been caring for her while his parents were away. And she was asleep, her head in his lap, a small girl of age seven. He stroked her hair, and while she slept, he told her that he was her daddy and that he loved her. Of course, she never knew. But at least he got to say it.

And now? How could he tell her? It had been so long. If he did tell her, she might hate him. He couldn't take that. All he ever wanted was for her to live a happy life, with him in it. If he told her now, it would be turning her world even more upside down than it already was. No, he couldn't do that. But that didn't make him any less her father, either. And it didn't mean that he didn't love her. He did, he really did. And seeing her like this--it broke his heart. "You don't have to be strong all the time, you know," he informed her. And it was true. Because, he was right there to pick up the pieces for her.

He heard her ask the question and looked at her. With a sigh, he shook his head. "Movers will handle that. Grab what you wanna keep with you. I have a surprise for you." They weren't going home. Not yet. Not while she was obviously upset. Not that he blamed her. He shared those feelings with her. After all, he too had lost a father not long before this ,and now his mom was sick. And he loved both of his parents. Nathan was dealing with heartbreak as well. But he wasn't showing it, because he wanted to be there for Gracie.