My eyes squinted open, feeling as refreshed as ever, and searched the room around me. I swivelled my head to the right, beaming like the sunlight as my eyes focused on Daisy and Hope. Fast asleep, both cuddled into my chest, they looked so peaceful.

I couldn't believe how lucky I was. My girls. Maybe even a little boy. God, my heart soared at that reminder. We were having a baby. I still couldn't get over that. They were both back, a baby growing inside her, and last night was the best sex of my life. I chuckled silently at the latter, but it really was. Five times. Five times we made love, and we only couldn't make it a sixth because Hope had tiptoed her way into the bedroom with her plush unicorn, crying for a cuddle from 'Nate and mommy'. She actually wanted me to give her a cuddle as well. She wasn't my child, but I considered her as much as one as the one growing inside Daisy. She deserves a father, and I'm willing to be that.

So last night was perfect. Every bit of it.

As I stroked a delicate hand through Daisy's hair, Hope shuffled closer between us. Her tiny hands came up on my chest, squeezing the thin cotton T-shirt I was wearing. It was then I noticed Daisy's head rise slightly. Her hair was perfectly tousled, sexy as ever, from sleep, and her eyes were blinking at the extreme amount of sunlight shining through the room.

"Morning beautiful" I whispered, trying to lean down for a kiss without affecting Hope.

"Morning"

Her voice was groggy with sleep, but she was still sexy as hell. She'd threw a night shirt on last night, it was blue and white striped, and it looked amazing on her. Her boobs were almost spilling out the top, and I know for certain that it moulded to her pretty little ass perfectly. Her body wasn't important, but that didn't mean I didn't ache for it and appreciate it.

"Look at you, Daddy" she teased, her mouth glued to mine in seconds for a sweet, innocent kiss. "I know exactly what I want from you later" she carried on kissing me, trying not to take it further when Hope was lying between us.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening, she broke away and flew off the bed to the bathroom. Her sweet smile flashed back at me as she whipped her head around the door to me, turning into something else as she stared directly at me and Hope.

"What? Do you want me to move her off me?" I wasn't sure what was wrong with her face, I was worried she thought it wasn't good for her to get too attached to me.

"No, silly" she shook her head. "I'm just so lucky. She's so lucky. This baby is so lucky" she held her tummy, and I saw a lone tear drop down her face.

"Hey, shh. Don't cry" I went to lift Hope off my chest, but she walked over to us.

She settled herself beside me. "I'm fine, they're happy tears. And probably because I'm hormonal. But happy tears babe" She cradled my face as she toyed with Hopes hair. "I love you Nathanial"

"How did you know that was my name?" I growled.

She laughed. Full blown belly laugh, tears falling, and struggling to breathe, as she held her hand over her mouth to keep quiet. "I'm sorry" she tried to say, but continued laughing.

It wasn't that I hated the name, it's just my mother only really calls it me if she angry or telling me something. I try to leave it only at that, and nothing else.

She was about to reply when a buzzing noise came from under my pillow.

"Nate speaking" I hadn't bothered to pay attention to the number on the screen, just picked it up and answered.

"Nate? I'm sorry, it's detective Furrow here"

My stomach roiled with unease when I heard his voice. His declaration confirming it.

"Everything okay detective?"

My questions spiked interest in Daisy's eyes. They widened, and she tugged my hand to stop the tremors that had escalated just from that one word. She knew this was serious, and I hated the way it was making her feel. Bastard Robert wasn't getting away with this.

"I need to see you both. It's urgent, about the case with Robert."

"Okay. We'll be there right away"

"No, I'll come to you. I'm downstairs actually"

"Oh. Right. Come on up"

I was taken back by his confession of already being downstairs. I expected him to want us to go to him, obviously I was wrong.

"He's here?" Daisy asked, trembling even more. She had no time to prepare herself for whatever this was.

"Yeah baby, don't worry I'm here. Everything will be okay" I gently lay Hope on the bed beside us, then rested my hands on her cheeks. They were pale from how frightened she was.

"I don't think I'm ready to here anymore bad news Nate" she began to cry. All that happiness she felt and portrayed two minutes ago had disappeared. Completely vanished, replaced with erratic body tremors and fear. I could feel her shaking still.

"Baby, please take some deep breaths. If you want, I can talk to him and tell you on my own. It might not even be anything bad" I tried to convince her, calm her down, but despite the automatic nod of her head and the way she forced her tears to dry away, she was still in fear.

"I want to be in there. I need to be"

Wiping her tears, she shot up and within seconds the shower was spraying steaming hot water as steam filtered into the bedroom.

Sighing, I chucked on a pair of comfy black shorts and ventured towards the door.

As I was about to unlock and open it to see if he was here yet, a formal but loud knock echoed through the room.

"Detective" I greeted, shaking his hand as the door swung open.

He was wearing his normal attire: smart shirt, smart trousers, smart shoes, and a black trench coat. His expression screamed 'hey there!' But his words were the complete opposite.

"Is daisy available? I'd like to speak to both of you"

We walked on through to the lounge. I decided a sofa would be more comfortable for her if it was bad news.

"Yes, she's just in the-"

"I'm here" she skipped into the room, a positive energy dripping from each step. I knew her too well to be fooled, the detective, albeit, did not.

"Great. Let's start" he sat before continuing. "Firstly, I'm sorry it's so early. I was in the neighbourhood and I wanted to speak to your receptionists first about if they had seen Robert at all."

We nodded, gesturing for him to carry on.

"Right, well, there no easy way to say this but all leads on Robert have come to a dead end"

I felt Daisy tense the second he finished. I didn't need to look at her to know her face was most likely white, tears brimming, and her breathing erratic. I could hear the latter too.

I squeezed her hands as he continued.

"The summer house is empty, and his parents do not seem to be anywhere in sight either. According to form they didn't go away on holiday so that leaves them being involved in Roberts disappearance - possibly yours and Hopes kidnapping. I'm very sorry for all this information at once Daisy, but I need to make you aware. There's more"

"Oh god" she said, dropping her head as she sniffled.

The anger was boiling inside me. I was fuming. Not at the detective, but at everything else. Robert. His parents. Why did they all have to be such evil bastards?

"We found a body not long ago, my team have verified identity and we believe it to be Amanda, that's your cousin right?" He waited for her nod to continue. "She's currently in ITU. She suffered an extreme head injury. -"

Daisy's sudden burst to the bathroom told me she wasn't taking this well. But she didn't need to run away to show me that. Amanda meant everything to her. If only I'd insisted on her staying here longer, then maybe she would be okay. I jumped up with her, about to follow her when the detective continued.

"I'm really sorry. So far it looks accidental - a fall - but we're not so sure after everything that's happened. I may need to question you later on. I'm so sorry for all this. I'll leave you both for now, I am truly sorry"

He walked away, and I went the opposite direction to find Daisy. She needed me. Right now I wasn't concerned about making sure the detective got away okay, I just wanted to make sure Daisy and our baby was okay.

"Daisy?"

I slipped into the bathroom to see her cradled on the floor in tears.

"Baby!" I rushed over, pulling her into my chest.

"It's okay, everything is okay. I'm here" she ignored my words, screaming and crying further into my chest. "Daisy please talk to me" I begged to hear her sweet voice. Anything but tears. I wanted anything but this.

"I-I can't. It's my fault. All my fault. She could die. It's all my fault" she sobbed, holding on tighter until she launched towards the toilet.

I was aware of morning sickness, but I'm not sure if this was that, stress, or both in one.

I pulled her hair gently into my hands, and rubbed her back. "Shh it's okay. I've got you"

"I know, thank you. I'm sorry" she rested back on me, and continued crying.

"Why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for"

"Because I'm such a mess. My whole life is a mess, I don't know how you can love me"

She kept crying as I pulled her face towards mine. There was no way I was allowing her to feel like that. I loved her because she was perfect, she was not a mess, and as for her life being one, it wasn't.

"Look at me. You are so perfect it hurts. Unexplainably beautiful. I am irrevocably in love with you because you are so amazing. What's happening right now is not your fault. Don't ever say that again" I crushed my lips onto hers, sparking an flame inside me. She was too precious. How could she feel that way about her self?

"I love you" she bit my lip, while still crying, albeit, the tears had calmed down a lot.

"We need to see Amanda"

"Yes we do"

I carried her into the bedroom, and dropped her gently onto the bed beside Hope.

"First, we're having a little nap. Even if we did just get up, you need it"

She nodded, knowing not to disagree with me, and dropped her head to the pillow.

I watched as they both slept, finally being able to grieve for Amanda and Daisy. My heart clenched tighter, making my chest seize, as I rewinded to less than ten minutes ago. Those words were terrifying. He was out there, and he'd hurt Amanda.

We needed to catch this bastard, and quick.