Increasing her speed Emma's feet thudded on the ground as she jogged forward following the path past the bushes and big trees, making her way through the thick fog she finally halted to a stop in a clearing. Leaning down she rested the palms of her hands on her knees and stared at the comforting green of the grass beneath her feet. Her chest rose and fell as she panted and gasped to catch her breath.

A bird whistled sweetly from a tree brunch right next to her reminding her that it was just dawn, the bird flapped it's wings and flew down to another branch relatively closer to the ground. Probably it was confused or curious about the woman who had just arrived sprinting like a mad woman at such early hour of this beautiful day.

The whole night Emma just tossed and turned in her warm bed only to stay wide awake because of the coldness gripping her insides. It was impossible to forget for her - that look in Brandan's eyes last night when...

At last she gave up on getting sleep and stumbled out of the warmth of her bed which should have been providing her comfort but the reality was the exact opposite of that. She got out of the house thinking that a run in the park would rescue her from this feeling of suffocation but unfortunately it wasn't working as planned.

Yes, once she had wanted to see him like this - she had wanted him to feel what she felt years ago. Let him know about the amount of hurt her heart endured by making him experiencing the same. Her revengeful thoughts demanded it all.

But then - why did it hurt so much now that she had seen the same hurt in his eyes? She was almost physically feeling pain just thinking about how sad he looked last night.

She wiped away the sweat covering her forehead with the back of her wrist and stood up in her full height.

She was about to start running again to a random direction but paused seeing a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. Turning her head she looked at the figure sitting stiff on a park bench - his back facing her. Her sight of him was blurry due to the fog though it was getting lighter and lighter as daylight was slowly spreading on to the face of the earth.

Before she knew it herself she was moving at the direction of the familiar figure as if she was hypnotized. Quitely she sat next to him, not looking at his face she just stared ahead of them with her arms crossed across her chest - copying him.

"You're panting." He figured out.

"You couldn't sleep." She said ignoring what he said. None of them still looking at one another.

"Looks like you couldn't as well." He said in a whisper slowly.

That was when Emma turned her head a little to look at him and what she saw made her want to grab the man beside her in a furious hug. She controlled herself at the end moment from acting out her heart, instead she sighed a breath and looked away and gazed at the lake in front of them but it was of no use - the dark circles around his eyes had already been encraved in her memory.

"Everything will be alright Brandan. They'll come around." She said in seriousness.

"Would they?"

He turned to face her and so did she as she heard the helplessness in his voice. The summer sun shone brightly at that moment - clearing all the hints of fog. Against her better judgement she placed her hand on top his which was now resting on his lap, she gave his hand a soft squeeze. Her action spoke in the absence of words.

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Sammy and Sarah stirred awake from their blissful sleep and innocent dreams as the sudden loud noises outside reached their ears. Both of them sat up on their beds and looked at each other through half opened eyes.

Kicking the comforter off her Sarah yawned and wiped at the wet spot on her cheek where she had been drooling all night.

"What that Sammy?"

Sammy stood up from his bed and slipped on his tiger printed slippers. "I'll check that out."

He stalked towards the balcony still a little dazed from sleepiness. Sarah followed suit as he gripped the railing, raising himself on his tiptoes Sammy looked downwards.

The siblings with wild bed hairs stayed with their mouths hanging open for the sight beneath them.

Emma looked at the kids in the balcony from the corner of her eyes, she carefully made a silent gesture to the others.

Brandan, Oliver and Elli nodded at her and with renewed enthusiasm dribbled the ball and passed it from one person to another.

Oliver suddenly hit the ball on Elli's back, "Elli you suck, you girls just suck at this game."

Elli rubbed her back and turned around to glare at Oliver.

"What do you mean by YOU GIRLS! We are playing better than you boys, if you still haven't noticed then lemme point it out to you that you boys are losing and cheating as well."

Brandan now joined in as planned, "No, we aren't."

Emma cut in. "Well you are."

They fake argued for a while and from the corner of their eyes watched the kids now run out of the house standing at the edge of the front yard beside a small bush of wild roses.

A few seconds passed when Emma acted like she seemed to notice the kids were there.

"Ohh... you guys have woken up. Let's go inside then, I'll make you breakfast. No need to play anymore, these boys are losers anyway." She said casually.

"I agree." Elli joined in.

Sammy shook her head at Emma and held her hand tugging her to a stop when she started at the direction of the house. "No, mommy. Boys never lose."

"But Steeve lose always, that's why he always stay angry." Sarah threw her little hands up in the air as she protested.

Sammy sneered at his sister. "He loses when he plays with me, Sarah, not with girls! Don't you know that girls can't play basketball?"

Oliver guffawed. "See, that's what I was talking about."

Rolling her eyes, Elli elbowed Oliver. "Now that's one of those stupid assumptions of your good for nothing mind."

Brandan spoke for the first time since the kids came down. "Now... why don't we rematch and decide it after seeing who wins - girls or boys."

Emma shrugged and looked at Elli who winked at her.

"Good with me." Emma said nonchalantly.

Oliver slapped on Brandan's shoulder while giving Elli a challenging look and said, "Good solution Brandan. They're gonna get it when we kick their a..."

He recoiled seeing Emma giving him the nasty eye and remembered that there were small children present. So he coughed and finished, "... I mean - kick their behinds with all respect."

Brandan stifled a laugh but then grew all serious while he turned to face the kids. He said as casually as possible with his shoulders tensed.

"So, why don't you guys join us. Sarah in Emma's team and Sammy in... mine."

He watched Sarah smiling dazzlingly while taking a step forward but Sammy gripped her hand and dragged her back. Sarah pouted cutely at her brother but Sammy just scowled and whispered at her ear.

"What're you doing Sarah? We can't play with HIM."

Brandan looked away, that felt like a strong blow. It stung just the same as last night. He whipped back his head to look at them again when Emma suddenly held Sammy's shoulders and turned the little boy around to face her.

Emma scolded not wanting to let the whole thing go south like last night. "Sammy! What did I teach you that day about not being rude?"

But Sammy wasn't at all ready to back down. He complained. "But he's a bad man, mommy!"

"He's your father." Emma said emphasizing on each word.

Sammy was about to protest but Emma didn't let him, "Honey..." She sighed standing before the stubborn little boy and kept a hand on his shoulder.

"What you guys saw that day... that was an argument between us Sammy, tell me both of you, haven't you ever fought... quarrelled and then cried... huh?"

Sarah and Sammy both pouted.

"But... mommyyy..." Sarah whined.

Emma said quietly looking at both the children. "Mommy just had a fight with your daddy, that's it... just like you and Sammy have fights sometimes."

"And then you whoop us or ground us or make us eat vesetables." Sammy sulked even more. That was one sulky child she got, Emma thought and shook her head.

He added crossing his little arms. "This is not fair. Mr. stranger should be punished too."

Now that's one interesting turn of this conversation.

All the while Brandan had a smile on his lips watching Emma talking to the children. He had no doubt that Emma was natural being a good mother and he felt pride swelling up in his chest at the fact that this wonderful woman was the mother of his children.

"You're right, Sammy." Brandan agreed with amusement.

All of their heads whipped around to look at his sudden intrusion.

Brandan continued, "I should be punished for making your mommy cry like that, for hurting her."

Emma didn't know why she was feeling like Brandan was not only just speaking about the argument they had that day. It was more than that...

"Why don't you hold your ears and apologize properly to her, buddy?" Oliver yelled from the background, apparently he was getting really excited about the turn of events.

Elli kicked at his ankle while grumbling something incoherent making Oliver curse under his breath.

The next second, Brandan was facing Emma who stared wide eyed at his actions. The kids too had the same expression.

However, Oliver and Elli were another case as they smirked at the scene displaying before them.

Making Emma gasp audibly, Brandan knelt down in front of her. He looked up at her with seriousness and held his ears... to the kids amazement.

"I've waited too damn long to say it... to say how sorry I'm for all the things I've said and done to you. But I'm saying it now Emma. I'm begging for your forgiveness and willing to take all the punishments you throw my way. And I promise I'll never hurt you again or make you cry, I'll make it up to you Emma, even if it takes my whole life to do so."

His genuineness in that apology kind of scared Emma as she was left speechless.

A long minute passed in silence and Emma finally noticed that everyone had their expectant gazes fixed on her face, apart from Sammy, clearly he was wishing for a more severe punishment. That boy was something.

Emma watched Brandan shift slightly on his knees, very much nervous now. Clasping her hands together she fidgeted with her fingers in awkwardness, understanding that she had no other way but to forgive the man on his knees now and it didn't help that this apology seemed like it was purposed for more than winning the children's hearts.

"Ummm... it's... it's okay Brandan. I forgive you."

She took a step back from him as if trying to escape the situation. Sarah clapped her hands while Sammy groaned and Oliver cheered teasingly as Brandan stood back up on his feet.

"Why did it seem like a proposal to me? You just had to add a 'Will you marry me' with a ring and it would have been a hit, man."

Brandan had this hint of a smile on his face mentally saying himself that soon - it would happen too. He looked at Emma to see her still fidgeting with her fingers. He internally smiled again. So she was nervous.

"It seemed like that, because you're lame that way Oliver." Elli's words seemed to snap both Emma and Brandan out of their thoughts.

Clearing her throat, Emma stated to the kids stuttering a little. "Uhh... So that's settled now. Your dad had held his ears and said sorry too and I forgave him. Now let's get back into the house because you little fellows haven't brushed your teeth yet. We'll come after breakfast and continue the game. Right guys?"

"Yeah!" The children replied together and Brandan smiled looking at his kids. Sarah seemed as cheerful as ever while Sammy seemed a bit unhappy still. But today was definitely a big step and he was determined to make everything right with his family. His family.

As the kids ran into the house and Emma strolled after them, Brandan called her name softly.

"Emma."

Brandan glanced over at Oliver and Elli who were engrossed with the ball as they began a private match between themselves.

He moved closer to Emma when she halted to a stop on the porch steps after hearing her name being called. He stood right behind her, his chest almost touching her tensed shoulders.

"I meant every word I said Emma." Brandan's voice was quiet and husky.

He was aware of how she held her breath before speaking. She looked over her shoulder and lifted her face up to meet his eyes. Involuntarily she shivered at the closeness between their bodies.

"Maybe I meant it too when I said I forgave you. But you know one thing?..."

Brandan just stayed silent and stared at her eyes looking for the first time directly into her soul and the sadness locked up in there. It broke his heart.

"... Forgiving doesn't mean the pain is gone."

And Brandan knew the moment when she closed up again, distancing herself away from him, so much, that it was nearly impossible to believe that he had just had a peek into her soul and all those emotions residing in there.

As she briskly turned around and left him behind to stand there and stare at her retreating back, Brandan mumbled to himself. "And apologizing to you doesn't mean that I've stopped feeling guilty, Emma."

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So dear readers, I had been receiving complains about how I write the dialogues in my story. So I've changed my dialogue writing style in this chapter. Please let me know, if you like it this way and if I'm going right with it all. And thanks to all those people - to all those lovely friends who've been so helpful and pointed out this error of mine. Thank you so much.

And thanks to all the sweet readers and friends for voting and commenting, following me, sharing this story with your friends and adding it to your reading lists. I love you all guys. You've made me so happy. And lemme remind you once again that each one of your precious vote counts. So please don't forget to vote and comment if you're enjoying reading this story.

Lot's of love.

- Lara.