"I don't understand..." Gerald said, breaking down a little.

Nathan approached Kai and watched Gerald hold onto his head. I could see Nathan's bloodshot eyes... his jaw tightened.

"Is there an immediate relative with type B or O negative?" the Doctor asked, changing the topic.

"I do..." Nathan said and Gerald looked up at him from underneath his covered eyes... he turned to him again, this time a little suspiciously.

Everyone stared at Nathan for a moment before the Doctor took charge again and asked him to follow after him to donate some of his blood.

I stood up a little distraught... watching the life drain out from Nathan's eyes... and then seeing Gerald, in complete shock, sit down on the other side. Kai stared out at Nathan sternly and then turned to Gerald once more...

*

Later that day, after a successful operation, I got a few drinks at one of the vending machines...

I'm sure this could be written off as a coincidence?

But... something told me it just couldn't because of the science behind the way we inherit blood types. I wasn't a scientist but the look in Kai's eyes made me realize he understood immediately.

I sat down near Mackenzie's room, thinking about what would happen next. Since Gerald was silent most of the evening, Nathan ventured off to another part of the hospital... it had been eerily quiet.

"How are you feeling?" I looked up and saw that Kai had sat next to me. He took a hold of one of the drinks, opened it, and took a few sips.

"Did you know?" he asked me and I paused.

"I found out not too long ago..." there was a silence between us.

"As long as she's safe..." Kai said, while closing his eyes and leaning against his seat.

The both of us eventually got up together and walked over to Kenz's room. She was still sleeping...

When we got there Gerald was outside of the room shouting into the phone. We didn't hear anything except for "how could you?!" before he hung up. He held the bridge of his nose...

Kai walked over and tried to reason with him, but Gerald wasn't having any of it. He had lost his patience...

I walked by them and entered Kenz's room. Charlie was sitting beside her... I walked over to touch the top of her hand, quietly encouraging her...

"Be strong, kid..." I whispered.

*

Later that night Kai insisted Charlie go home and rest so when James arrived, he asked him to take him home first. I also agreed to stay with Gerald...and while we waited for Kenz to wake up... he walked over to her and held onto her hand so preciously, as though he were desperately trying to will her to wake up... it was devastating to watch so I left the room... letting them be together for some time...

While I was walking around the hospital, I spotted Nathan in one of the lobbies sitting down with a cup of coffee by his side. He seemed to be deeply contemplating something... I was sure he was incredibly hurt right now.

I slowly walked over to be by his side and I sat down next to him. The both of us stared at the aquarium ahead.

"Nathan... you should go and see Mackenzie..." Nathan sighed and looked down.

"It's not my place."

"It is. You're her father..."

"Gerald raised her. He's more of a father to her than me..."

"Is that how you really feel?"

Since I knew the details of his own past, I couldn't help but think about how terrible this situation must be for everyone involved... but the fact that he was her father would never change. Gerald was her father, of course... but so was he.

"It's never too late to be in someone's life..." I reached out to touch the top of Nathan's hand. 

We sat there quietly together... after some time, Nathan replied.

"I don't think I should... it's better this way... as someone who has been her uncle, I know my place..." he then stood up and my hand fell from his.

"What happened that night between Cassandra and I was a mistake. We were both drunk and impulsive. I met her one night at a bar... without knowing she was together with Gerald... and then when she showed up weeks later as his fiance... can you imagine how I felt?... at that time it was the anniversary of my mother's death and that night I just didn't want to be alone..."

"Nathan..." I turned to him so he would face me. "Mackenzie wasn't a mistake...and it's no one's fault..." he looked at me with a frazzled expression. I hadn't seen him like this ever... it looked like someone had ripped his heart out.

"You don't have to beat yourself up over this... Kenz can have two fathers who love her very much..." he sighed, while looking down.

"It's not fair to uproot her life like that..."

"But you don't know..." I watched Nathan's sad expression slowly change to resolve. He looked up at me and gently smiled again.

"I think I need to head out soon..."

"Do you think this is the right decision, Nathan?" Kai said and we both turned around and watched Kai walking over to us. 

"So you think that Mackenzie can continue to grow up without knowing the truth?"

"Kai..." I said, and he stepped in-between us.

"Nathan...things will get complicated from here on out. You can't avoid that..." I looked away... I couldn't bear to see Nathan's expression right now.

"I'll think it over... can you two please look after her?" there was another moment of silence before Nathan left...

While Kai stood by my side, I reached over to hold his hand.

No, more than ever... we would need to be stronger than before.