CHAPTER EIGHT

Not A Little Girl Anymore

She flopped down onto the couch in the den of her father's house, popcorn in hand. Sonny walked in and sat down, looked at her a few moments. She could just kind of tell that a serious talk was coming, just by the look on his face. So she sighed and said "Okay, dad, let's hear it."

"Are you sure it's a good idea? I mean, letting Diego come by and check on you? I thought you had a good time the other night at the movies.. Also, as your dad, I'm just not sure it's a good idea you get mixed up with this Nathan guy just yet.. Not until I've.." Sonny stopped, looking at his daughter who was shaking her head, her eyes just a little angry, a tight scowl on her face. He knew the look well.. It was her mother's "not even" look, and in some ways, it made his heart hurt for Ana's not really knowing her mom, only having him and the way she'd had to live as his daughter, all the precautions, all the rules. Yeah, he was always strict with his kids, but he was doing what he could, all things considered, to keep them all safe and alive.

He'd lost enough people he loved in his life already. He didn't want to bury his children before he had to. He worried about Ana lately, her situation with this Vincent guy, her being pregnant and determined to be strong and independent just like she always had. He knew she'd been through hell and as a father, he worried that all the stress she faced was going to cause problems for her.

Or she'd make a decision in haste and she'd regret it. Just like she had when she left to go to California for school. Against his wishes, basically. But she'd always been a free spirit and independent. They'd fought a lot when she was younger, especially when she was a teenager and at her most stubborn. In some ways, she and her brother Morgan were the most alike.

"Seriously, Dad? You're gonna start this again? Look, I told you.. I'm just friends with Diego. We have a past, yeah, but I'm not going to just up and jump into his arms. There's too much there. I'm just not sure I love him in that way anymore. And as far as Nathan goes, Dad.. I thought you learned by now, doing this crap only winds up causing more hell than it's worth? I'm not a baby anymore.. And don't get me wrong, Dad, I love you to death for loving me so much that you have to be overprotective, and I'm glad you do it.. But it's starting to drive me nuts. Not every person I meet is out to get me. If I sit around thinking that I'll never get over what Vincent put me through, will I?"

"No, but.. I mean the guy shows up out of nowhere.. From NYPD. I have to be careful, Ana, you know that. He could be trying to use you to get to me. He knows that I'd do anything for my kids. If he wanted to bring me down, if anybody wanted to bring me down, Ana, we've been over this a thousand times before.. Because it would really kill me if anything happened to any of you.. Even when you're lurking around here making me nuts." Sonny insisted as Ana sighed and said quietly, "Just do this for me, Dad.. Don't get Sean to check up on him. I'd really rather not know.. Because, dad, for your information, I'm not going to just up and jump in his arms either. This last relationship? Pretty much finished me off where the male species was concerned."

"Right, sis.. And you were just drooling over one of those MMA guys why?" Morgan asked with a teasing tone as he walked into the room and said quietly, "Dad's just worried. And he is right.. Nathan did show up out of nowhere."

"Because he came to town to do some cold case.. As far as I know, it's got everything to do with Dr. Clay and absolutely nothing to do with our father, Morgan. I'm just friends with the guy, shit you two." Ana said as she shoveled popcorn into her mouth and growled a little, pretending to snap at her brother's fingers when he reached into her bowl and said "We gonna sit here all night or are we gonna start the Corinthos family tradition again?"

"Sports and junk food sounds amazing right now. Today was hell." Morgan grumbled as Sonny stiffened in his seat. He knew what Morgan was getting at and he knew that the only reason Morgan was being civil right now was because of Ana being here. Otherwise, Morgan probably would've been at Dante's with Dante and Lulu just to avoid having to see him right now.

And it killed him, it really did. Especially knowing he'd been the one who caused his son that much pain. It had been a mistake, and it had been one that he'd go to his grave regretting, most likely. But Morgan didn't understand that this was probably a good thing, the best thing really, for him.. Now he could find a girl worth the hassle of getting to know and leave women like Ava and Kiki alone.

Ana looked from her father to her brother and crossed her arms, turned off the tv. "Okay, you two are doing it.. Again.. Pregnancy means no stress, remember? Look, I appreciate you two trying to act like things are okay for my sake.. But if you don't work whatever the hell this whole thing is out.. Then I'm gonna have to go and stay with Dante and Lulu.. And I really don't want to intrude on them, not with what they've had to go through since they got married. They need and deserve this time to themselves. So out with it."

Sonny and Morgan looked at one another and Morgan said quietly, "Nothing's wrong, Ana.. And just because you were all puffy cheeked and bossy and too damn cute to not cave in to when we were little doesn't mean that being bossy about stuff now is gonna fix anything?"

"Family, Morgan, is pretty much the only thing we're ever gonna have. And we're supposed to be close. So what the hell is going on..." Ana asked as Sonny said quietly, "Nothing.. It's better not being talked about." Ana huffed a moment and then stood and said "Fine.. You two idiots sit here and glare at each other in silence.. I'm gonna go for a walk through the garden. It's nice out and I can't take the tension in here.. Just so both of you know.. I'm not a baby anymore.. You don't have to hide problems and stuff from me. I love both of you despite all of your annoying quirks."

"You have to, remember sis? You're stuck with us." Morgan joked as Ana sighed and walked out the door. The second she was out of the room Morgan turned to his father and said quietly, "I'm not forgiving you. But she's right. We are family." as he stood and looked at his father. Sonny nodded and said quietly, "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go for a walk too.. Somebody's gotta make sure that Diego isn't hiding in the garden waiting to try and seduce Ana right back into his arms. Hello, I am her brother and I do give a shit." Morgan said as he sighed a little and walked out the door and into the gardens, catching up to Ana, who was fuming by the looks of it. He caught up to her and said calmly, "He's just doing that because he loves you."

"I know, Morgan, but he keeps forgetting, I'm not a baby anymore and I'm gonna get hurt either way it goes. It doesn't matter what he might do to try and stop that from happening, shit happens. Life isn't always gonna be rainbows and sunshine. Case in point, my current situation. What is going on with you and Dad?' she asked, looking up at her younger brother who shrugged and said "I'd rather not talk about it. It's between me and Dad, okay?"

"I'm your big sister. I thought you could tell me anything, Morgie."

"I can.. Just don't want to tell you this.. I know how you are about Dad, how close you two have always been. I don't wanna mess that up. And trust me, it just might. Besides, sis.. You don't need the stress right now."

"I know, I know, damn it. I just.. I feel like I left and I came back now my entire family's practically imploded or something." Ana said quietly as she shuffled her feet and said "It bothered me more than I thought it would, his saying he wanted to check around and dig things up about Nathan.. What do you think about him?"

"Personally, sis? I think that if he makes you happy, I can deal with him. And at least I won't be worried about you getting with Diego or Johnny, those bastards and getting right back into the life you went to California to get away from." Morgan said as Ana nodded and said thoughtfully, "I wanna get to know him.. But at the same time, I'm scared to death.. I mean what if he does turn out to be a monster?"

"That's when me and Michael and Dante will kick his ass. Just go slow, okay? You're thing is that you like to rush like me.. And I'm learning that sometimes rushing isn't the best answer." Morgan said quietly as Ana nodded and then said "It feels good out here."

"It does." Morgan said as they walked around the garden, both lost in their own thoughts, problems and worries.