I was woken up by a repeated and annoying tapping of keys. My eyes fluttered open and immediately landed on my brothers peacefully sleeping figure. I sat up slowly as my neck and back protested in pain. That's what I got for passing out on a small sofa next to Henry. Speaking of the said nerd I glared at him as he continued tapping away seated on the chair next to Charlie's bed oblivious that I was already awake. His laptop was on his lap and his eyes were darting all over the screen as he tapped his foot in concentration. The sun was just starting to rise as it was half past six in the morning.

"What are you doing?"I groaned getting up to stretch.

Henry must not have heard me wake up because he got surprised when I spoke up.

"You startled me! Why are you up so early?"He asked composing himself.

"Maybe because someone won't stop tapping his foot or typing on his laptop."I replied with a pointed look.

"Sorry I was just looking for something."Henry mumbled.

"Did you find it?"I asked.

"Almost."Henry answered before going back to his annoying tapping.

I rolled my eyes and let him be as I went to Charlie's bathroom to freshen up. I did my business, brushed my teeth and did my best to tame my unruly curls. My neck was sore, I was still very tired but I had to be strong for Charlie. He needed me more than ever.

"Willow come out here. I found him."Henry yelled from the other room.

I quickly rushed out wondering what he was on about.

"Found who?"I asked seeing as he was alone in the room and Charlie was still asleep.

Henry turned his laptop around to show me the unmistakable face of my biological father grinning back at me.

"Yes Google tends to have images of everyone saved up especially rich dickheads so?"I asked irritated. "Why are you searching for my dad anyway?"I rambled on.

"It's too early for your sarcasm and I didn't Google him. I hacked into his private computer and read his itinerary so I know where he will be today."Henry grinned looking very proud of himself.

"And I ask again. Why would you do that and how did you do it?"I exclaimed.

"I'll not bore you with the mechanics of hacking just know that I found him. To answer your first question I did it so that you can have the signature you need for Charlie's surgery. You told me that your mom put him in your birth certificates and named him your legal guardian incase anything ever happened to her."Henry explained.

I took a seat because everything Henry was telling me was a tad bit too much and I needed a few minutes to process.

"What makes you think that he will help me out let alone see us?"I asked.

"He has to. We'll find a way."Henry assured me.

"His headquarters are in New York. That's a whole days drive. Well never make it there and back in time for Charlie's surgery."I commented sadly.

"He's not in New York. He's actually right here in Arkansas. He's in Little Rock for business. That's a two hour drive. Well be there and back by lunch if we leave now."Henry explained.

"What a coincidence?"I commented with an eye roll.

I'd never met my dad in real life. Sure I'd seen his face on TV, online and in magazines but I'd never actually been in his presence. When he and my mom had conceived Charlie she had locked me in the closet with a pair of headphones. He left soon after he was done with my mom and I only knew that it was him because they argued after doing the deed when he refused to meet me. My mom had been so angry she left me locked in that hotel closet for a whole day. She found out she was pregnant with Charlie a month later and when she called Colton he denied the pregnancy. She almost got rid of it but had a reckoning and carried Charlie to full term. She probably thought she could use us to get Colton to marry her or at least give her part of his wealth but even after sending him DNA to prove we were his, he never reached out.

"We'll find another way. I don't want to see him ever in my life."I gritted out.

"Then how do you plan on getting the signature?"Henry asked.

"I'll get a judge to grant me temporary custody and if that doesn't work and worse comes to worst, I'll forge my mom's signature."I argued.

"You could get in trouble for forging a signature if you are caught so I'm saying no to that. It's also on Sunday you will also never find a judge to sign your petition today. You will have to wait until tomorrow and by then it will be too late."Henry reasoned.

I hated to admit it but he was right. My options were limited and even if I didn't want to do it, it seemed like my only option was face Colton.

"Call Jack and ask him to come watch Charlie. Looks like we're going to Little Rock."I sighed lying back on the couch.

"I know this will be hard but I will be with you every step of the way."Henry promised patting my leg comfortingly.

He called Jack who said he'd be coming in less than an hour.

"When did the doctor say Charlie will be waking up?"Henry asked.

"They're sedating him because of the pain he will be in if he's awake so he probably won't wake up until after the surgery."I replied.

I hated the useless feeling in my chest because all I had ever wanted in life was to see Charlie safe and happy. Seeing him lying on that bed was a painful reminder that I had failed him.

"Whatever you're thinking please stop. Charlie is strong and he will be okay. You just have to be strong for him."Henry consoled pulling me into a hug.

I buried my face in his neck and held back the tears threatening to fall. Henry made one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through easier to bare and for that I would forever be grateful.

"I'll go get us some breakfast so we can eat something before the drive."Henry whispered.

I reluctantly nodded and let him go.

He left and came back twenty minutes later with Jack, coffee and donuts. I wasn't in the mood to eat much and Henry had probably deduced that by bringing the most minimalistic breakfast.

"How are you holding up?"Jack asked burying me in a huge hug.

"Hanging in there."I replied sadly.

Jack nodded before taking a seat on the chair he had been occupying the previous night.

"Willow and I have to go deal with something. We'll fill you in as soon as we're back but for now stay with Charlie."Henry requested Jack.

"Of course. Ill be here reading comics to him."Jack declared pulling a stack of comic books from his jacket.

Charlie and I were really lucky to have someone like Jack looking out for us. He had been more a dad to us than our biological one ever had in the few months we had known him.

Henry and I quickly finished our breakfast and half an hour later after saying our goodbyes to Charlie we were on the way to Little Rock. The drive was silent and gloomy, the only sound being that of the somber music playing on the radio. I leaned my head on the cold car window as Henry drove trying to think positive thoughts. Charlie was my angel and I would be lost without him. I never never wanted to imagine a life without him in it so even if it was the last thing I wanted, I would face Colton for him.

I looked at the consent forms on the dashboard and cussed hospital laws. I should be the one who signed those papers. I had been looking after Charlie ever since he was born and but when it all came down to it his life lay in the hands of a man who didn't even care if we lived or died. I was only tormenting myself with those thoughts so I willed myself to relax and sleep. I felt guilty leaving Henry all on his own but I knew he understood.

I was woken up sometime later by someone shaking me awake. My eyes fluttered open and I was met with the smiling face of my handsome boyfriend.

"Welcome to Little Rock."Henry said.

I sat up to get a good view of our surroundings. We were parked outside a five star hotel that screamed luxury and wealth.

"Ready for this?"Henry asked.

"No but let's get over with before I change my mind. We need to get back to Charlie as soon as possible."I answered.

"Just remember, I'm right here."Henry assured me.

"Thank you babe. I would not have been able to do this without you."I said leaning in to kiss his lips.

It was short, sweet and exactly what I needed to get me going. We got out of the car and a valet handed us a ticket as he took the keys from Henry. Instead of heading to the reception, Henry led me directly to the elevators.

"How do we know which room he's in?"I asked as I watched Henry press the button for the top floor.

"When I hacked him, I kind of found out everything there is to know about him like how much he's worth . Even the kind of porn he watches."Henry replied.

"Ewh, TMI Henry."I lamented making him laugh.

Henry wrapped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me to his side. I was scared out of my wits facing my father for the first time but with Henry by my side I had all the courage I needed.

The elevator stopped on the top floor and got out of the elevator. The hallway was long with six doors on it and Henry led me to the door at the furthest corner on the right.

"Are you sure this is the right one?"I asked Henry.

"Yes I double checked before we left the hospital."He replied.

"How certain are we than he's even in there?"I whispered.

"The only thing on his itinerary today is a dinner with some other big shot tycoon. He's definitely in there."Henry assured me.

Having ran out of questions to delay the inevitable, I took a deep breath, hugged the consent forms to my chest and with my free right hand I knocked on the door. I waited for a minute and when there was no reply I knocked again. I was about to knock a third time and scold Henry for getting the details wrong when the door opened revealing the one and only Colton Reeves, my sperm donor or better yet known as my father.

A part of me had hoped that he would at least recognize me but I was met with a blank pair of blue eyes that resembled Charlie's. The similarity between the two was uncanny and were it not for the fact that Charlie had a caramel skin tone while our father was white, Charlie would have been his exact carbon copy.

"I didn't order any room service and you aren't even dressed like the staff. Excuse me but who are you?"Colton asked looking at the both of us.

I wanted to talk and reply but for some reason my voice would not work. I had thought about the day I would meet my father so many times but never had I ever imagined the meeting would turn out as it was. I had so many questions for him. Like why was he such a dick? Why had he abandoned us? Why did he never look for us? Why did Charlie and I have to suffer while he lived such a prestigious life? All those questions were irrelevant at the moment because all I needed from him was a signature and I would be well on my way.

"Is she mute? Do you need a donation or something?"Colton asked looking at the clipboard in my arms.

Henry didn't reply, just put his hand on my lower back assuring me that he was with me. It was the push I needed to finally find my voice.

"Are you Colton Reeves?"I asked even if I already knew who he was.

I just wanted to take him down a peg or two from his high horse. His eyes widened when he realized that not everyone idolized and knew him.

"Yes I am, who's asking."He replied after getting over his shock.

"My name is Willow Cooper, I'm your daughter and I need you to sign these forms."I demanded shoving the clipboard into his chest.

There was no need beating around the bush. I just wanted to get the signatures and leave. His eyes nearly fell out of their sockets in surprise as he quickly caught the clipboard before it fell.

"Don't worry I'm not here to blackmail you, those are consent forms to get your son, Charlie a surgery that he needs before he becomes maimed forever."I struck again without giving him the chance to recover from the first blow.

"Daughter? Son?"He mumbled and it was his turn to become speechless.

"If you could please sign those quickly, we have a long drive ahead of us and not all of us can afford a private jet."I requested.

"What happened to your mother? Shouldn't she be the one to sign these."He asked finally finding his voice.

"Pamela is just as useless as you and refused to. Apparently being on a booze cruise is more important than her sons life."I explained having no idea why I told him yet I owed him no explanation at all.

"You really are my daughter."Colton mumbled looking at the papers in hand.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise. You are a vile man and I don't want to be in your presence any longer than I have to."I replied.

Colton didn't reply just read over the document in hand, his eyes darting fast across the paper. It took everything in me to hold my tongue and lash out at him for all those years of neglect. He deserved my wrath but he didn't need to know how his absence had hurt and affected me. I would not look weak in front of him.

"Charlie has Congenital Scoliosis?"He asked looking up at me.

"Since birth. Now can you please sign those papers so we can get going, like I said, long drive ahead."I reminded him.

Colton looked at me with a defeated look in his eyes that had me reeling back. The bastard had no right to feel sorry. He didn't deserve to feel anything. I didn't want him to feel anything. I didn't need his pity looks or sad eyes. I had bigger problems than his realization of the mistakes he had done.

"Look here Mr Reeves. You are a despicable man for leaving your children to suffer in the hands of the most horrible woman. You can take comfort in the fact that I turned out great and so did Charlie thanks to me. I raised myself and my baby brother. If it were upto me I would not be here but since the world is not fair here I am. After today you never have to see me again so please do one decent thing for the children you've never given a crap about and sign those papers."I requested in the calmest voice I could muster.

"Okay, please come in and I'll sign them."He replied looking defeated.

"No thanks, we'll wait here."I answered.

He sighed before getting back into the room.

I sagged against Henry and he wrapped his arms around my waist kissing my hair.

"You are doing great babe. Just a few more minutes and well be out of here."Henry whispered in my ear.

I nodded and enjoyed his embrace for a few minutes. I straightened up when I heard Colton's footsteps approaching us.

He handed me the clipboard and I nodded when I saw that he had signed in all the required places.

"See you never Mr Reeves."I said with a mock salute having nothing else to say to him now that I'd gotten what I wanted.

Charlie was going to get the surgery and he would be okay.

We turned to leave but stopped when Colton spoke up.

"I really am sorry Willow, there's much to say and I wish you'd stay so we can talk"He begged.

"The time to talk was eighteen years ago. I've got nothing to say to you now. Let's go babe."I said taking Henry's hand.

The hurt look in Colton's eyes did nothing to ease the burden in my heart.

"But I have something to say."Henry said addressing Colton directly.

I had no idea what he was going to say and before I could stop him, he was already talking.

"Mr Reeves. Willow and Charlie are incredible and I feel sorry for you that you missed out on the chance to be a dad to the two greatest human beings I know. I used to idolize you but after learning the kind of man you really are that's gone now and I know that doesn't mean much to an important man like yourself. Just know that you are a disappointment and I hope to never become like you. Goodbye Mr Reeves that is all."Henry said and before we could hear Colton's reply Henry led me the elevators.

Before we stepped in I glanced one last time at Colton who was looking at us with a longing gaze in his eyes. I tried to feel sorry for him but after all he had put us through, I felt nothing but contempt. Henry and I got into the elevator and I hugged him after pressing the ground floor button.

"Thank you for standing up for me and saying all those nice things about me and Charlie."I mumbled against Henry's chest.

"All I did was say the truth."Henry replied.

"You know what would be fun?"He asked after a few seconds of silence.

"What?"I inquired.

"Getting into one of those rooms, ordering enough room service to make us sick, trashing the room and charging it to your dad's account."Henry suggested.

I laughed at Henry's idea"Yeah that would be fun but we need to get back to Charlie and I honestly want nothing to do with that man ever again."

"You truly are remarkable Willow Cooper." Henry declared kissing my hair.

"Thank you Henry. You aren't so bad yourself."I said leaning up to kiss his lips softly.

I had what I'd gone to see Colton for which was one step closer to Charlie getting better. I didn't feel any less hurt about Colton than I had before we saw him which meant that his nonexistence in our lives still hurt. Charlie and I would be okay though. We had gone all our lives without him and would continue in that same spirit.