"He'll be here any second, Mum!"

Hayley sounded as if she was about to have a nervous breakdown.

Three weeks after Jaxson ended up in the hospital, she was about to meet her father for the first time in her life. She had talked to him on the phone a few times over the course of the last two weeks, while he was still in hospital, but we had agreed that it would be better for both of them if they saw each other for the first time in a place where Hayley felt at home, meaning my house, not in the stark cold light of a hospital.

"I don't know why I am so nervous. It feels as if we've known each other for ages." Hayley smiled.

"You're not the only one," I answered, showing her my trembling hands. "But we'll have plenty of time getting to know him, while he is staying here, recuperating in your old bed."

Hayley had agreed to let her father have her old room until he was better. The hospital was ready to release the man, but not to live in the hotel room on the outskirts of Blue Church that he was currently staying in. The doctor was adamant. Jaxson was not able to look after himself on his own. His leg was still in rough shape and would be for a while but at least the bloody MS had not made any significant reappearance, thanks to a whole new medication plan Jax had been given. So far, it was working.

"I'll be here at least every weekend, I promise. I will come down during the week as well, as often as possible. I can sleep on the settee. Ja... Dad needs a bed more than I do!"

Hayley gave me a quick kiss. The two of us had also gone through hours of difficult conversations. She had been upset with me, felt betrayed, but also elated that she would finally find some answers about her paternal heritage.

I had taken her nasty outbursts and the accusations she hurled at me because they were justified. I had dried her tears because I loved her. I had answered all her questions because it was the only way to get back her trust and gain her understanding.

She was devastated when she heard about her cousin Amy, but also grateful that she had had a loving and supporting family around her from the day she was born. She professed to hate her paternal grandfather posthumously, but accepted that her father's relation to granddad's group of people did not extend past the purely biological. Finally, she had hugged me back and whispered the words that meant everything to me. "I love you, Mum! And I forgive you!"

Now, Ben was on his way to pick Jaxson up from the Army hospital that he had been transferred to, which made it difficult for me to visit him because it was so far away. We talked on the phone every day, though.

It took everything out of me to convince the stubborn man that I was not bearing a grudge because he had not been there for Hayley and me.

"You didn't know, Jax. How is that your fault?"

"I had my way with you, then pushed you away and up and left without leaving a forwarding address. Jesus!"

"You couldn't have known, and your mind was occupied with other things. Speaking of which, have you heard anything about your brother?"

I tried to keep my voice calm and smooth, but Jax could see right through me. "The bastard will live and is expected to make a full recovery. It was never your fault, but you can let it go now!" He paused. "In my weaker moments I regret that he didn't die. But I certainly don't regret that I didn't kill him in cold blood. I have to admit that, when I wrote that letter to you, I was about eighty per cent certain that I would not live to see the end of that day. I know that you know that; and I am sorry that I wasn't absolutely truthful when you called me on it. I was so terrified of a future in a ruined body." I heard a faint sob through the phone and a swallow. "All this is behind me now, Tess. I'm so grateful that I have a chance at a life with you now, and Hayley."

"I still thank the Lord that the door was locked that day! Did you do it?"

Jax had collected himself again and was laughing. "I knew Simon would be extremely security-conscious, like our father. His door was bound to be sturdy enough to gain us at least a few seconds so I turned the key Simon had carelessly left on the inside of the door, while I was leaning against the doorframe. Big Bro had no idea that his security measures had come back to bite him in the arse."

I smiled. So that was that mystery solved.

"Your sister?" I was unsure how Jaxson felt about her.

"Sorry for using a cliché, but she made her bed. Now she's got to lie in it. If she ever wanted to change, I'd be there for her, though."

I made noises of agreement, then asked, "How are you feeling? And be honest, please!"

"Good, Tess. The rib is healing nicely and the new meds seem to be keeping the MS at bay. Emotionally, I've never been better. I've got you, and I love talking to Hayley. I can't wait to meet her."

"I can't wait to see you, either!"

Now it would only be another few minutes before Ben would drop Jax off here. We had prepared the place so that Jaxson could navigate the rooms easily enough with his crutches. Of course, he had protested that none of that was necessary. He had been on crutches for months after the accident and professed to be an all-terrains expert on them.

Janie had called earlier with an update on Simon and Amy. The shitstorm caused by our new blockbuster "The terrorists of Blue Church" - and yes, I know I'm not using the word terrorist in a strictly scientific sense here, but those arseholes had been terrorising the good people in this little town for years– forced the local government to get involved. Thankfully, the police, under the scrutiny of the general public, had found the surveillance tape from the camera Simon had installed in his living room because my recording could not be used as a confession in a court-of-law.

I did not understand all the legal ramifications behind it, but it didn't matter so much right now because the tape was enough to get Simon sent to prison and our testimonies enough to get a real investigation started on Peinelt's shady business dealings and Peinelt himself. If nothing else, Simon's power and reputation had been destroyed, and he was not on Peinelt's bonus list anymore, while Peinelt himself knew that he couldn't harm us now because any misfortune to befall us would have had the press come running in droves and the police unable to cover his actions up.

Amy had been placed in foster care, far away from Blue Church, in a loving family with a lot of experience in fostering, Janie assured me.

I had just taken the roast out of the oven, and Hayley had just fluffed up the huge cushion we had purchased and placed on the settee for Jaxson's leg, when a car pulled up. I watched Jaxson climb out of Ben's car, getting his crutches from the back seat and making his way to my front door much faster than I had thought possible. Ben overtook him, though, then dropped Jaxson's bag off at the door, giving me a thumbs-up through the window pane before disappearing back into the car. A boulder dropped off my shoulders. Ben's gesture meant that Jaxson was doing well, all things considered. It might not have stopped me from worrying, but it was a good sign anyway.

I felt someone's breath on my neck. "My father!" Hayley whispered, awe in her voice.

I squeezed her shoulder, then rushed to open the door, Hayley on my heels.

Jaxson smiled at me, then took a shaky step into the hall, looking unsure of what he was supposed to do. My lips twitched. This was a side of Jaxson I hadn't seen so far. Of course, he had never been a parent before and had no idea how to treat me in front of this stranger that was his adult daughter.

I picked up his bag and gave him a big kiss on the mouth, to put him out of his misery and welcome him into his new temporary home.

"So, Hayley, this is your father. Jaxson, this is your daughter." Official introduction done, I stepped to the side to give the two most important people in my world the chance to have their moment.

They looked at each other, then smiled.

"Holy caloney, I'm looking straight into my own eyes, just on a muuuuch prettier face!" Jax exclaimed, making Hayley burst into nervous laughter.

"Dad!" Her tongue tried out Jaxson's new title quietly.

Jaxson's jaw dropped, and he wobbled. Hayley ran to him and grabbed his elbow to steady him.

"We best get you to sit down. Mum made dinner. A roast. I hope you like sprouts." She babbled, while guiding him to his seat, then taking his crutches and making sure he put his leg onto the cushion despite his protestations that this was not necessary at all.

"The doctor said you need to keep it elevated and not to put any weight on it for a few weeks. You also need to take your new MS meds regularly, he said. Mum and I have promised the doc to make sure you will do as you're told. You don't want to make liars out of us, do you?" She smiled at him and put the pills on the table next to the glass of water she had prepared, within easy reach for him. "It's all there." She gestured to the items with trembling arms, then gave him a shy look.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked, her hands still unsteady.

"Hayley, please, sit down. I'm good. No need to fuss." Then he grinned at her twitching arms. "And leave the shakes to me, sweetheart. I'm much better at them than you!"

"Dad!" This time it came out loud and clear, stretching Jax's smile all the way to his earlobes. "You can't say things like that."

Jax just laughed. "I can. And you can, too. Don't tiptoe around me! Same goes for you." For the first time, Jaxson focussed on me. "Took me a while to get it, but neither the leg nor the MS are the end of the world. I've got you two in my life now. That's what matters. I wouldn't trade this for anything, okay?" He took a deep breath. "Things will not always be easy, I know, but I promise to let you know when things are tough for me, so you don't need to worry unnecessarily about me. But you need to promise to treat me just like anyone else in the meantime. And don't fuss! I'm not used to that, and I have no idea how to deal with that."

The realisation that Jaxson had never had anyone taking care of him hit me hard. I blinked back tears, then walked up to the two most important people in my life, grabbed my daughter and pulled her down with me onto the settee next to the man I had loved for more than twenty years despite the fact that I had spent less than a month total with him actually being in my life. It was crazy, but it was true. Jaxson had been my soulmate from the minute I met him a world away.

I pulled him into my arms, too. "Let us fuss over you for a few days, Jax! Please. We need to make sure that you're okay first before we can relax. We need to see with our own eyes that you are doing what the doctors told you to do because it's not smart not to do so. And Hayley and I have no idea whether you are smart at all." I gave Jaxson my most wicked grin. "Then we'll put you to work here, don't worry!" I joked, praying it would make him agree to being pampered a little. His body needed it. And possibly his soul, too.

He groaned dramatically, turning to his daughter with a grin on his face. "I take everything back. I bet your mother is a slave driver, isn't she?"

Hayley glanced at me.

"I can't say one way or the other without a lawyer present," she laughed.

At dinner, Jaxson seemed to genuinely enjoy the food, apart from the sprouts, but he ate much less than I thought he would.

"Best food I've had in a long time, Tess. Thank you!" His eyes had pleaded with me not to take this issue up. I complied. The doctor had already told me that Jaxson had lost an enormous amount of weight following his accident and diagnosis and that it would take time for him to develop a healthy appetite again.

After dinner, Hayley and I insisted in putting Jax to bed. He insisted that he was okay but he looked like he had run three marathons in a row. Hayley helped him up and steered him towards her old room, where he was to spend his nights at least until he was better, a condition for his release from the hospital.

I knew he hated the attention, but he didn't protest, instinctively knowing that Hayley needed to do this. The two of them still had a long way to go before they were actually father and daughter, but both were willing to walk that path, crutches notwithstanding. I knew they would get there in the end.

A few hours later, with a glass of red wine warming my body, I peeked through the door to check on Jaxson, but before I was able to shut it again, Jaxson's head popped up.

"Come here, baby!" he said.

"Why aren't you asleep, Jax? Do you want me to call the doctor?" I felt my pulse spike.

"Don't be silly, Tess! Just come here. I have something to show you. But if you laugh, I will kill you with my crutches."

He fumbled with his phone again. A very familiar tune reached my ears. But the singing voice was different. It sounded much like the man I was determined to spend the rest of my life with.

"I remember all my life

Loneliness as cold as ice

Walking with crutches

Disability around the corner

Waking up to pain

Please not another day again

Suddenly, I see her smiling

Her touch beautiful and healing

Looking in her eyes

I see a memory

I always realised

How happy you made me oh Tessa

Well you came and you gave without taking

And I'll cherish you forever oh Tessa

Well you kissed me and stopped me from shaking

And I can't live without you oh Tessa."

My jaw dropped.

"You look a bit like a goldfish there, Tess. I know it's awful singing and awfully cheesy. I shouldn't have..."

"Is that your voice?" I interrupted.

"Horrible, I know, babes. Forget about it, please! I have no idea what possessed me to do something embarrassing like this, much less why I thought it was a good idea to play it to you."

"It's amazing!" I ignored Jaxson's comment. "I feel even more embarrassed for my 18-year-old drunken self now that belched out the words to this song in front of you like I was trying to chase off all festival goers with my less than crystal clear voice. Or so I have been told, anyway. Memory isn't crystal clear, either."

Jaxson laughed, but he didn't look at me.

"The song is amazing, too, Jax!" I whispered. I was speechless. No one had ever done anything like this for me. Yes, it was cheesy, but then again, I loved cheese.

I crawled into the bed next to him, mindful of his leg and his other still healing injuries.

"I love you, Jax. It sounds silly, but I do. I loved the boy you were, and I love the man you have become." Then I put a huge grin on my face. "And I love the brilliantly cheesy song you sang for me. Send it to me. Please! I will listen to it 24 hours a day. Wait till I show Hayley."

"Jesus, no!" Jaxson mock-moaned. "I will not let you show Hayley. My daughter will never be able to look me in the eye with a straight face anymore. You are undermining my authority."

"You squandered all authority already when you told her you didn't want any sprouts. She loves, loves, loves sprouts! She used to nick them from the pot while I was peeling them."

I grinned at the look of horror on Jaxson's face.

"My own flesh and blood eats the bloody things raw?"

I chuckled and snuggled up to Jax, thanking God that the man I loved hadn't killed his brother, or his father for that matter, even if he had wanted to at more than one stage in his life. He had gone through hell, but he had come out the other side. He might be a little worse for wear, but I was confident we would seize the chance at a life together this time, and we'd be able to overcome any obstacles in our way.

"She does. And she'll love the song, babe!" I purred, holding his phone up, from which I had just sent his song to our daughter.