A/N: It has been a very long time since I've updated this. With it being the first day of 2019, I wanted to be able to complete this story that I worked so hard on so many years ago. This is the ending that I planned since the beginning. I hope that it was worth the wait for those who care to go back and finish it. I'm not expecting many views or reviews as it has been so long since this story has received an update. Completing this story was for me and the readers who wanted to read its conclusion. I apologize a head of time for any typos or grammatical goofs that may have been missed in what ended up being 20 pages long. The original plan was three chapters, but I decided to combined them into one. Any reviews would be be very appreciated. A BIG THANK YOU for all who took the time to read this story over the years!

Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.

Chapter Sixty-Five

Two months felt like two years. Paul's life was at a standstill with no momentum to push it forward. He had sought the refuge of his parents home; his house being abandoned on that fateful day that he left his life behind in Greenwich. Sleep was his escape from reality and it was what he spent most of his time doing.

Paul Sr. and Patricia were worried. They had obeyed their son's orders not to contact Stephanie, despite the fear that they might never see their granddaughter again. They felt helpless against the tidal wave of depression that had washed over their son. It was like he was drowning in a sea of despair, ignoring every life preserver they would try and throw to him.

"There must be something we can do to help him through this." Patricia told her husband while they sat together on their back deck.

"We've been over this. What can we do? He won't even take Shawn's calls. He spends most his time shut in his bedroom, completely closed off from us."

"You don't think he's contemplating hurting himself, do you? Maybe we should get him some professional hel-."

Paul Sr. cut his wife off before she could finish her sentence, "You know he won't be open to that."

"Well maybe we won't give him a choice."

The conversation quickly came to a halt when the sliding door opened and their son emerged. He stood there before them in an old t-shirt and shorts. The same pair he had been living in for the past week or so. A pungent odor filled the air causing his parents to change their posture in their seats. In addition to his hygiene, Paul had lost all interest in his hair care. His dirty blonde locks were straggly and in knots from his bedhead. His beard, once trimmed with precision, was burly, and much longer than it had ever been.

"We're out of O.J?" He muttered not looking at either of his parents, but out into the back yard.

His mother quickly responded, getting to her feet, "Yes, we are fresh out. Why don't you go get a shower, get dressed and go with your dad to the store. It might help you to get out of the house."

Paul's face remained unchanged as he parted his lips, "No, just forget it. I'm just going to go back to bed."

His parents looked at one another with a matching look of concern. It was when Paul Jr. retreated back into the house that his father spoke, "He can't go on like this."

Stephanie progressed through her morning routine before her nanny, Cathy, arrived right on schedule. This morning was set apart from all the other mornings that had come in recent time. Steph was going back to work at the office. She had taken a considerable amount of time off through the first trimester of her pregnancy to not only get her bearings but to help her daughter as well.

It had been hard for Aurora. While Paul had been physically gone from her life for the last two months, he had not left the child's thoughts. Questions about when Daddy was coming back to see her were a common occurrence. The truthful answer would have been 'never' but Stephanie had settled for 'we'll see' or 'daddy's busy with work'. She hated lying to her daughter but found it to be a better alternative then the harsh reality of the situation. Kurt had served as a wonderful distraction for the three year old; but he wasn't daddy, as Aurora had pointed out on a few occasions.

Catherine watched her boss grab her work satchel before commenting, "don't you worry, we'll be just fine. I'm sure your father will be happy to have you back."

Steph chuckled, "Are you kidding? He's the one who demanded I returned to the office. As much as I hate to leave my babies, it will be nice to get back to work."

"Oh, that sounds like your father."

Steph approached her two children who had both made their way into the kitchen. "Okay, Mommy's got to go. Be good for Cathy and I'll be home soon."

Stephanie's words compelled Aurora to lunge forward, grabbing hold of her mother's dress pants. Like a crab she clung on with both her arms and legs. "No! Don't go!"

The weight of Aurora on her leg caused Stephanie to stumble slightly as she shifted her work satchel and her shoulder. She placed her hand on her daughter's head, gently brushing her hair, "Sweetheart, Mommy has to go to work. I'll be back home before you know it."

The three year old's reaction in turn caused Andrew to begin to fuss as well, which the nanny headed off by scooping him up in her arms.

"But I need you!" The child whined as her grip on her mother's leg tightened.

Cathy moved to intervene and attempted to pull her from her mother. This action caused Aurora scream in objection. Steph instructions to her nanny followed:

"I got it, Cathy. Just get Andy settled in the living room."

Catherine did as instructed, leaving Aurora and Stephanie alone in the kitchen. Stephanie set her works satchel down, bending over so that she could remove her child from her leg, and force Aurora to look at her.

"Honey, I will only be gone for a few hours. When I come home we will do some fun things together. And guess what, Kurt is coming home tonight so two can play. We will have so much fun tonight but right now I need to go."

"No, don't! Don't weave! Stay here! Stay wif me!"

Stephanie sighed and she then brought her daughter into an embrace. Aurora wrapped her arms around her mother's neck like a death grip. She rubbed her daughter's back gently and spoke softly:

"Shhh, come on now. We talked about mommy going back to work. You're going to have fun with Cathy while Mommy will be stuck in meetings all day. I'll be back home with you before you know it."

It was becoming clear to Stephanie that no amount of persuasion was going to settle her child down. With that, she lifted her daughter off her feet and carried her into the living room. Cathy immediately attempted to get Aurora's attention her crayons and favorite coloring book.

"Go and color with Cathy. I love you, sweetheart." Steph said as she pried her daughter's arms from around her neck, placing the child on her feet.

Despite Aurora's protest, Stephanie quickly stood up and power walked out of the living room. The mother of two did her best trying to push her maternal instincts aside, trying her best to keep her head in work mode.

Her drive to headquarters took longer than expected. Traffic on the highway was dense thanks to Stephanie's late commute, which made the usual fifteen minute drive twice as long. She hurried into the office, taking the flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Her pace came to an abrupt halt when she found her father seated at her desk. Vince looked quite at home in his daughter's office. His feet propped on her desk. McMahon's eyes narrowed.

"You're late."

Stephanie let out a sigh and moved forward to deposit her things in their usual spot, "I had a rough morning. Aurora had a meltdown. She really hasn't been her self since everything happened with Paul."

Mention of her ex-husband prompted Mr. McMahon to drop his feet to the floor and rise from the office chair. His voice was full of venom when he spoke. "You can thank Levesque for that. I only wish I could have fired his ass before he walked out."

"Please, I'm not in the mood for this."

Vince ignored her plea and continued, "I don't care what you and your mother say, I'm going to sue his ass for breach of contract."

Hearing her father's threats caused Stephanie to close her eyes and let out a sigh. His booming voice caused a dull pain behind her eyes. She responded, "Please, Dad, don't make this any harder than it already is. Don't be a part of the problem."

Steph's words compelled him to storm across the room. His chest puffed out like a gaming rooster ready for a fight. He closed the space between himself and his daughter. They were almost nose to nose when he spoke again, "Paul is the problem!"

Her father's booming declaration lit a flame of anger that was ignited in her speech, "And he's gone now! So let's drop it! When is this going to end, huh? If anyone should have hatred for him, it should be me! And I'm tell you now, Dad! Drop it!"

Stephanie's assertiveness brought an abrupt end to Mr. McMahon's tirade. He gave the best disapproving look he could muster before retreating from her office. Maybe now she would finally be able to get some work done.

Paul Sr. stood by his wife, arms folded as he waited patiently for her to finish her phone conversation. He was relieved she had been able to get through to the caller. This was going to be their best shot to resurrect their son's motivation and will to continuing living.

When Patricia placed the cordless phone back into its receiver, her husband spoke, "Is he willing to come?"

She simply nodded. A hopeful smiling forming on her face that Paul Sr. then mirrored. Hope swelled in both of their hearts.

The visit would come later that evening, well after the sun went down. Paul Jr. had stayed sequestered in his bedroom for the entirety of the day. With the curtains drawn, he had lost track of all time, whether day or night. Levesque had slept another day away. His slumber disturbed with two quick knocks to his bedroom door.

The knob turned slowly, a cone of light from the hallway crept into the darkness of his boyhood room. His mother's voice broke the silence, "Honey? You have a visitor".

Paul let out a dull unintelligible mutter before he shifted, turning away from the light; turning his back on his mother. "I don't want to see anyone."

His growling admission triggered the door to open further. It squeaked on its hinges, more flooded in as footsteps followed. It was then that Paul heard a voice that he had not heard in years; like an echo from his past, it pulled him from the depths of his hibernation:

"What a sorry sight this is..."

The phrase compelled Paul to pop his head off the pillow and speak in a raspy voice. "Ted? What are you doing here?"

A flick of a light switch brought the room into focus. Ted Arcidi ventured farther into the room. He had been the man that was instrumental in Paul getting into body building, his strength coach. Ted took a seat on the edge of the bed which Paul's mother took as a cue to close the door, leaving the two men to talk. When they were alone, Arcidi replied:

"Your parents reached out. They are worried sick about you and now that I've laid eyes on you, I can see why. You look like you were shot at and missed, shit at and hit."

Levesque scoffed. He brushed back his tangled blonde hair from his face before lying back down. "You aren't exactly a sight for sore eyes. Why can't everyone just leave me the fuck alone? You're wasting your time coming out here."

Paul shifted, turning his back on his old mentor, beckoning a response, "Maybe I am. I know damn well the Paul Levesque that I trained would never just roll over and die like this. He had heart, passion. He never quit no matter how difficult shit got."

"I was a kid when you trained me. My whole life was in front of me..." Paul's voice stuttered to a halt. His thoughts focused on his earlier life and what got him here. He spoke again through tears. " I had a life and then I royally screwed it up, lost everything important to me. I have nothing now.."

Ted folded his arms and sighed before replying, "You call all this 'nothing'? Your parents, me? Yeah, your mom told me what happened with your ex wife and WWE. I get it, okay? You miss your kid, want what's best for her. But being curled up in a fetal position for the rest of your life isn't the answer. This 'woe is me' bullshit doesn't do you or your daughter any good. It's not going to get your back to where you were."

His mentor's words caused Paul to sit up. He was now looking directly at Arcidi, fury filled his voice as she spoke, "There is no getting back! Triple H is history! I'm history! My ex-wife wants nothing to do with me and I'm damn sure never going to see my child again!"

Levesque's display of anger seemed to satisfy his former mentor. This was the passion he was looking for. Paul definitely still had fight left in him. He was just lost at the moment, needing guidance to get back on track. Ted wanted to give that to him.

"You need to forget 'Triple H'. That's not who you are. You're the guy who from day one never stopped until he obtained every goal he set for himself, inside and outside the gym. You busted your ass to make your dreams reality. Now is no different."

Paul looked away for a moment. He let out a long sigh before his hazel eyes refocused back on Ted. He was allowing the words to resonate in his mind. It was a reminder that 'Triple H', Hunter Hearst Helmsley, was no more than a character that had been created in 1995. His life didn't start there. He had passion for life that predated his foray into wrestling.

Ted could see the wheels turning. He knew he was starting to get through to him. He continued on, not breaking his gaze as he spoke, "You get yourself back, then you get your daughter back."

The words elicited tears to collect at the rims of Paul's eyes before finally spilling over, trailing down his face. Levesque replied in a whisper, "I don't even know anymore that guy you're describing, Ted."

"I do, and I'm looking right at him." Arcidi quickly replied before continuing, "Get dressed, I want to show you something."

Stephanie had returned home much earlier than she had anticipated. A phone call from Cathy had pulled her out of a meeting. Aurora's misbehavior had continued from the morning. The nanny could handle the usual behavioral issues, but she had explained that this seemed different. It was Steph's decision to leave work prematurely.

Catherine greeted her boss in the kitchen. The nanny was seated at the table, a steeping cup of tea in front of her. "I'm so sorry to have bothered you at work. She has just been so upset, raging with anger that is seemingly out of nowhere."

Stephanie's eyebrows furrowed as she wore a look of concern. The description of her daughter was a far departure from how she was normally described. Steph noted the silence of the house and commented, "Don't worry about it. Where are the kids now?"

"Andrew is down for a nap. Aurora ran up to her bedroom about fifteen minutes ago and has refused to come out. She got herself so worked up and now she's withdrawing from everyone."

"I'm going to go up and see her."

Steph made her way up to the second floor. She stopped short at her daughter's bedroom door. Stephanie took a few deep breaths, attempting to prepare herself for whatever mood her little girl might be in. She was determined to be loving and supportive.

She opened the door slowly, and peered into the bedroom. Steph saw Aurora sitting on the bed looking at the photo album her father had given her. The child peered up at her mother, and immediately closed the album and hid it underneath her pillow.

"Hi, sweetheart"

Aurora threw herself face down onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow. Stephanie quickly approached, sitting on the bed next to the child.

"Aurora, what's going on? Cathy said you had a hard day. Do you want to talk about it?" Steph said in a soft voice while beginning to caress her little girl's back.

Silence followed, and Stephanie moved forward, pulling the photo album from her daughter's not so clever hiding spot. "You don't have to hide this. You can look at it anytime you want. You know you can talk to me, right, honey? I'm always here for you."

Aurora moved slowly, sitting up to face her mom. Her little eyes sparkled with fresh tears. She spoke in soft voice, "Why does Daddy no love me anymore? Cus I bad, Mommy?"

Stephanie let out a reflective gasp. Her heart was literally breaking because of her daughter's inquiry. Was that what Aurora thought? That she was the cause of her father no longer being in her life?

Steph quickly pulled her daughter into an embrace. "No, no, sweetheart. You are not bad. And and everyone loves you, including your dad. Remember what we talked about? Your daddy had to go away because he made bad decisions. He was very sad when he had to go, and it's okay that you are sad too."

Aurora continued to cry into her mother's chest, "I sad forever..."

Stephanie began to lose her composure. She began crying, slowly rocking her little girl in her arms. "It's going to be okay..."

She couldn't bear seeing her little girl in pain. To know that her decision to keep her father away from her was the direct cause of it. But she was doing this for her daughter's welfare. She kept telling herself that it would only be a matter of time before Aurora moved passed missing Levesque. Children were resilient and eventually Kurt would once again be the sole father figure that she desperately needed.

Ted Arcidi was able to get Paul out of his parents house. Furthermore, he was able to take him to so where it all started for them. The gym that Ted trained Paul in was not far from the family home in Nashua New Hampshire. When Levesque's eyes gazed upon it, it was just as he remembered. Stepping in side the building, he was flooded with familiarity. Sure there was a fresh coat of paint, updated equipment, but it was like no time had passed.

Lights illuminated the warehouse, and Ted watched his former student walk around, taking in the nostalgia. Paul's stride halted when he caught sight of a picture that was on the wall. In a frame was a younger version of himself staring back at him. He was smiling, his long blonde hair framing his face, clean shaven. Levesque's eyes shifted to the person who young Paul had his arm around. It was Joanie.

Joanie Laurer, Chyna, "The 9th Wonder of the World"; they had once been happy together. They had trained together with Ted. She had been with him in 1992, when he first started training to be a pro wrestler in IWF. His friend and lover, she had been there for him before he fell down the rabbit hole and became obsessed with capturing that top spot in WWE. With Paul's drive for WWE power, came affair with Stephanie. Levesque would never forget the look on Joanie's face when she confronted him with the love letters she had found. At that point, there was no going back. He left her for Stephanie. Laurer was soon then fired from the company. He knew she hated him now, hated what he became. It was now that Paul understood why. He had changed during his time in WWE, and not for the better.

Levesque was brought back into the present when he felt Ted's hand on his shoulder. It was like Arcidi read his mind when he spoke, "You're that same guy, Paul. Let go of the past and focus on what you love, everything else will fall into place from there."

Paul believed the words of his mentor. It was the first time in months that he could feel the veil of depression slowly lifting. He found himself back where he started: lying on a on the bench and pressing weights over his head as Ted counted his reps and sets. It felt cathartic. His breathing focused, he was at peace. It reminded him why he started body building all those years ago. He was finding his way back to himself.

Kurt was behind the wheel of his SUV. The white Cadillac Escalade had gotten off Highway 95 and was now traveling down on of the back roads that led to his family home. WWE's 'Be A STAR' Anti-bullying rallies were part of his community services that he had been ordered to complete after his DUI.

The past few days had seem to drag, as it always seemed to do when he was away from his wife and family. He was ready to be back with them. The issues with his ex-wife, Karen, were still hanging over his head.

An incoming call from his lawyer, brought the drama with Karen to the forefront of his mind. He paused for a moment, not wanting to even take the call. After a long sigh he did.

"What's the news, Mike?"

"The court date has been pushed back again. At this point it looks like it won't be until the end of the year that we will see in inside of the court room. I'm sorry."

Angle rolled his eyes. He would lying if he said he was surprised by his lawyer's news, "She's doing this on purpose, dragging it out. She's got no case against me and she knows it. I just want this legal shit to be done and over with. I want to see my kids."

It was when the SUV pulled into the garage that Kurt ended his conversation with his lawyer. He took a moment before exiting. He was doing his best to push his legal issues from his mind. Angle wanted his focus to be on his family who was inside waiting for him.

Stephanie smiled lovingly when she saw Kurt move toward her from the kitchen into the living room. She announced his presence, "Hey babe, welcome home."

Andrew had been seated on the floor with his toys littered beside him. His mother's greeting caused him to look up and see his father. "Dad-da."

"Hey, buddy. How's Daddy's little man?" Kurt was beaming as he stood and watched is son struggle a little to get to his feet.

Angle then bent down, his blue eyes followed his little boy as he toddled toward him. In one fluid motion, Kurt swept the one year old off his feet, lifting him over his head, causing the baby to let out a joyful squeal. He then brought the child to his chest, hugging him as the baby rested his face on his broad shoulder. Angle closed his eyes, savoring the moment. He was thankful to be with one of his three children. It was a reminder of how much he missed Kyra and Kody.

Stephanie rose to her feet from the sofa. She approached her husband and son and met them with an embrace. Kurt's lips found hers for a quick kiss. He spoke when their lips parted, "Missed you, Steph."

"We missed you too." Stephanie replied, she turned back to view her daughter who was still seated on the sofa. Little Aurora's eyes had been focused on her little brother with his father. It was then Steph realized that her daughter was on the outside looking in, left out from welcoming Kurt home. The old Aurora would have run to him as well, but instead she was withdrawn, probably thinking about her own father who she could not be with.

It was clear that her husband had picked up on this as well. He shifted his son in his arms, handing him over to Steph. He then made his way over to his stepdaughter. "Hey Princess, Oh my gosh, look how big you got since last week! Stand up, let me see how tall you are."

Kurt's enthusiasm caused Aurora Rose to grin. He took her by the hand and had her stand up on the couch. Angle knelt down on the carpet, making it so that the three year old was at his eye level. "Wow, you're as tall as me!"

Aurora burst out laughing, tapping her stepfather on his bald head causing Steph to chuckle. She had to hand it to her husband, he was great at turning her daughter's frown upside down.

Angle continued on with excitement, "Wait a minute, I think you're growing right before my eyes!"

Kurt picked up his stepdaughter and seated her on his shoulders. He stood back up, and the child howled with laughter. Steph was laughing as well. Seeing her daughter happy gave her hope that everything would turn out okay.

The rest of the evening went well. Family dinner was followed by bedtime. Despite the difficult day she had, Aurora went down easily. Steph kept close, reading her two of her favorite stories before she drifted off to sleep. Satisfied that both children were tucked in for the night, Stephanie retired to her master bedroom. Sleep had found her without issue.

It was Kurt who tossed and turned, his thoughts continuing to drift to his two oldest children and the impending court case. Angle had decided to avoid telling his wife about what he had learned from his lawyer on the way home. His homecoming had been so positive that he didn't want to put a damper on it. Nothing she could do or say would change the fact that the custody of his children was hanging in limbo.

The house's silence was abruptly broken by Aurora's screaming and crying. Immediately, Stephanie jolted upright. Her drowsiness fell away as the adrenaline of a concerned mother surged through her body and propelled her out of the bed to check on her child.

"Mommy! Mommy, don't leave me! Mommy!"

Steph found her daughter in the darkness. The child was inconsolable, seated upright in her bed. She threw her arms around her mother's neck, like a vice grip. Stephanie attempted to calm her, "Shhh, it's okay, baby. Mommy is right here. It's okay, it was just a bad dream. You're okay."

"You weaved me! You go away and I couldn't find you! Don't weave me, Mommy! Don't!"

Steph brought her three year old into her lap. She began to rock her, "No, no, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere ever. I would never leave you."

Aurora's crying began to subside while her mother softly rubbed her back. Steph could her her son crying in the nearby nursery. The disturbance had awaken him from his slumber. Kurt could handle it. She needed to stay with her daughter. She needed her.

Days became weeks, weeks turned to months. With the time passage, all seemed to stay the same, frozen in a holding pattern. Aurora Rose's acting out had continued on. It had worried Stephanie so much that she had sought professional help by way of a mental health counselor for her child. Weekly visits yielded the conclusion that the child needed time, support, and love. It had been everything that Stephanie was already doing.

Steph had been searching for that validation that she had done the right thing by keeping her daughter from Paul. The counselor was not willing to comment on whether or not keeping the child from her father was the right call, especially since the father was not at all involved in the treatment process. The information Stephanie had provided being 'hear say'.

Kurt had been stuck in place as well. The custody case for his two older children continued to drag on. It was not until now, in the month of December, that he was finally given his day in court. Steph was going to go with him to Tennessee for support. Aurora and Andrew were to be looked after their grandmother.

Linda had moved her schedule around to make herself available to watch the kids. She greeted them with hugs and kisses as her daughter gave her the rundown for their overnight visit:

"We should be back around noon tomorrow. Everything they need is in their overnight bags. Aurora has been having some accidents at night so I put a nighttime pull-up in her bag."

Mrs. McMahon gave her daughter a puzzled look. She had known her granddaughter had been potty trained with ease around the age of two. The regression in development was apparent. Linda did not comment on it. She knew how stressed the Angles were with going to court. It would be a conversation for another time.

When it was time for Kurt and Stephanie to depart, Aurora immediately started getting upset, "No, stay wif me, Mommy! Don't weave me!"

Steph had to pry daughter's hands from around her legs. She winced, feeling some back pain as she was now well into her pregnancy. Linda also stepped in and lifted the child off of her feet with her free arm so that she was now holding both children. Aurora began to whine causing her brother to do the same.

"I'm not leaving you. You and your brother are staying with Granny over night. Kurt and I will be back to get you tomorrow." Steph explained in a voice full of reassurance.

"I come wif you!"

"No, sweetheart. We are going to Tennessee and will in a meeting the whole time. It would be very boring. You and Granny are going to have so much fun!"

Linda also chimed in, "We are going to play in the snow, have hot chocolate, and watch all of your favorite movies. Mommy will be back before you know it."

It took a few minutes before Aurora was settled down enough so that the Angles could depart. Stephanie hated the fact that to go through this process ever time she had to be away from her child. It wasn't fair to either of them.

Paul's hazel eyes were fixed intently. He stood beside a young man who was pushing his way through a set of reps. Levesque counted with each completion, and gave encouragement. He spoke out with direction:

"Give me a full extension. You are cheating yourself when you don't see it through. That's it, all the way, hold it, and slowly bring yourself back to your neutral position, slowly. There, that's it. Do it again just like that."

The guy gave a grunt, feeling the burn of being put through his paces by Paul. He was paying for this training and was truly getting his money's worth.

Levesque had garnered quite a stellar reputation in the past few months as a trainer in Ted's gym. Sure, the fact that he was a former pro-wrestler did help, but it was also the variety of his workouts and his attention to detail that lent itself well to training. It had given himself something to focus on, something to get up in the morning and accomplish. Ted had even offered to make him his partner in both his gym and equipment line. Paul was slowly putting his life back together.

His focus was diverted when he heard a familiar voice calling his name from across the gym. When he turned, Paul saw Shawn Michaels making his way toward him. Paul turned back to his student and instructed him to go do a cool down.

Shawn was grinning when he approached his friend, "Paul, long time no see."

Levesque smirked and gave a nod. He had not seen or spoken to his friend since before all hell broke loose and he lost the right to see his daughter. "Shawn. What are you doing here?"

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for months. I was finally able to get your parents' number and they told me I'd find you here. You look great, man."

"Thanks, I feel great..."

Shawn could pick up on his friend's curt demeanor. He thought it best to clear the air, "Listen, I'm sorry if I cause more of a problem with your ex-wife. That was not my intention-"

"Shawn, forget it. I own the mistakes I made, alright? It's in the past. I'm moving forward. I know you always had my best interest at heart. You tried to tell me, but I wasn't willing to listen."

Michaels let out a sigh, a broad smile formed on his face again, "Yeah, it was tough to see you go through all that but it looks like you've come out on the other side of it. You know, I saw your daughter a couple of months ago. She's looking so much like you, growing like a weed."

Mention of his daughter caused Paul to look away. His mood visibly shifted. Levesque had missed months and months of time with her. No matter how well he was doing rebuilding himself as a person, he would always have that empty void inside of him because he was without her.

Shawn could see the reaction his comment garnered. He decided it best to switch topics and fast, "You're quite the trainer. Maybe it's tine you thought about setting up your own version of TWA on the East coast."

Shawn was referring to his wrestling school that he had set up in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. The suggestion brought Levesque's focus back to his friend. He let out a chuckle before responding, "Maybe, I have got a few things lined up, starting with a meeting in Orlando next week."

It was the day that Angle had been waiting for. He stood with his wife outside of the court house in Hendersonville Tennessee. Stephanie could see he was a bundle of nerves. She gave his hand a loving squeeze providing silent reassurance. It compelled him to look into her eyes.

Steph then brought her forehead to his and whispered, "It's going to be okay. I'm here, no matter what happens. You're a great dad, and the court is going to see that."

Her words were met with a soft peck on the lips. Angle's lawyer approached them to announce that the proceedings would begin soon.

Kurt hated having to be in the same room as his ex-wife. He could feel her eyes on him from where he sat at the defense table. She was glaring at him, whispering to her lawyer who simply nodded. Angle did his best to keep his eyes forward. He kept telling himself that after today, he was going to have consistent visitation. His mind not even willing to consider the possibility that he could lose Kyra and Kody forever.

The courtroom rose when the judge emerged from his chambers and made his way to the bench. Everyone was then seated by his Honor's order. The reason for this meeting was stated. Karen's lawyer was given the ability to make an opening statement:

"Your Honor, my client is here today to ensure the continued safety of her two children in light of Mr. Angle's blatant reckless behavior. Mr. Angle was arrested and charged with driving under the influence earlier this year."

"Objection: my client has cooperated to the fullest extent including over 1,500 hours of community services. He is in the process of having the charge expunged from his record. None of his children were in the automobile he was driving at the time of his arrest."

"Sustained."

It was so hard for Kurt to stay quiet. He had to trust that his lawyer would be successful in defending him until it was his turn to take the stand. Karen's lawyer had called Jeff Jarrett's oldest daughter to the stand. Upon being cross examined, the teenager accounted for the fact that neither Kyra or Kody ever ask to visit with Kurt, that they call Jeff Jarrett, "Daddy Jeff".

Kurt's lawyer was quick to object, "Objection, your Honor. I do not see the relevance of the testimony. Mrs. Jarrett moved the children over a thousand miles away from their father."

It was Karen who interjected this time, "He left them first when he moved to Connecticut to shack up with Stephanie McMahon! He chose her over his family!"

The judges gavel came down swiftly and the Jarrett's lawyer quickly told Karen to keep quiet. Angle fought the feeling, desperately wanting to shout back at her. His lawyer had warned him of this. 'Let her make your case for you if she runs of at the mouth', he had said. It felt like an eternity before he was finally able to take the stand.

He spoke to the court, "I love my kids. It is true that I made a lot of mistakes in the past, but no one can deny that I love Kyra and Kody. The issues I had at the time had nothing to do with them."

The prosecution responded, "Mr. Angle, would you agree that during the time of your marriage to my client that you were on the road working more than you were at home? During which time you engaged in not only infidelity but also the abuse of a number of substances. Is it not true that you were very much a stranger to Kyra and Kody?"

Angle's lawyer had attempted to object a few times while Karen's lawyer rattled off the accusations. Kurt had looked down at the podium in front of him before he responded, "Yes, that's accurate. I wasn't always the best father and husband when I was with Karen. I'm far from perfect, okay?"

Kurt's lawyer spoke up, adding to his client's defense, "Can we please stick to the present? Mr. Angle is now clean and sober. He has submitted drug screenings monthly over this past year. He is happily married now, with a son, and another child on the way. He just wants to have the right to see his children."

Stephanie was seated as a spectator behind her husband's defense table. Her eyes were full of tears and they were fixed on her husband. She could feel the pain that was radiating off of him as he was having all of his past mistakes thrown in his face. She listened intently as Angle spoke out again to the court room:

"People change... I'm not the same man I was when I was with Karen. The mistakes I made motivated me to change who I was. Please do not make my children have to pay for what I did in my past. It's not fair to them. They are the ones who will be hurt the most."

Stephanie's mouth parted. Tears began to spill over the lower brims of her eyes. Her husband's words resonated with her. Her mind suddenly shifted to her daughter and her father. What if it was Paul on that very stand. He would be pleading the same case as Angle. Stephanie had witnessed the pain her daughter had been going through these months away from Levesque. Was all of this worth it? Was she inflicting even more damage on her child now?

The court proceedings continued a bit longer before the judge had heard enough and was ready to render his verdict.

"I have listened to both sides in this case. And it is my ruling that there is not sufficient evidence presented by the prosecution that proves that Mr. Angle would in any way be a danger to his children. In fact, keeping these children from their father may do more harm to them. It is because of this that I am granting Mr. Angle joint custody, mandating a set visitation schedule. Mrs. Jarrett will continue as the children's primary custodial parent."

The gavel was brought down bring the session to a close. Angle's lawyer patted him on the back, as Kurt brought his hands to his face. It was finally over. Karen had not succeeded in taking his children from him.

Steph had not left her seat. Her thoughts were still very much on her own daughter. If she continued to keep Paul out of her life then the courts were eventually going to get involved. Did she really want to put her child through that? She had made up her mind. Stephanie needed to act now.

Paul had traveled south to Orlando Florida. The escape from New England's ice and snow was a welcome change. He had toured what was called the 'Impact Zone' and was now sitting down with Dixie Carter and a few of her associates. It was clear to Levesque that TNA Wrestling was doing everything they could to impress them, despite being quite small time compared to the behemoth that was World Wrestling Entertainment.

Paul was honest with his thoughts, "I really like the small crowd feel that you've guys have got going on here. You can feel the energy."

Dixie glanced at the others who were seated beside before looking back at Paul and responding, "I'm glad you do. I understand that the persona of "Triple H" is under owned by WWE. However, you are no longer under any contract with them. We want to offer you a full time contract. You would have full control of your character, a lengthy title run, whatever you want, we would do our best to make it happen."

Levesque couldn't help but smile as he shifted in his chair. He thought back to his career in WWE. Everything that Dixie Carter was now saying had been what he fought so hard for. His own self promotion within the company consumed him. What a fool he had been.

"That's not really what I've got in mind."

His response obviously threw the owner of TNA Wrestling. She had thought she was playing into what he desired most. She and her associates had done their homework and knew what Paul had pushed for during his tenure with WWE.

Levesque continued, "I've got an idea for a developmental promotion that would be a training ground for the superstars of tomorrow. The Impact Zone has just the right feel for what I want to achieve. I'd recruit, train, and develop guys and girls in a performance center that I own and operate. They go out and perform in front of the smaller crowds, learn and hone their crafts. I call the program, NXT: the next stars for the future of the business. Then they graduate to the main roster, your main roster. I saw that you guys have started taking your show on the road. Bigger arenas mean bigger crowds, more exposure."

Paul's pitch caused others at the table to sit up straight. It was Dixie who spoke out, "That sounds very ambitious. Maybe too much for us. We do not have that kind of capital to invest in something like this."

Levesque was quick to respond, "I'm backing this myself. I have the majority of the capital already in place, I'm just looking for a partnership. It's no secret that I left WWE on bad terms. I want to revamp my legacy, and at the same time secure the future of his business. I want you guys to play a part in this."

When the meeting had drawn to a close. Paul was invited to hang out in the studio for as long as he wanted. He took the time to meet a number of the young talents that had made their way to TNA Wrestling from Ring of Honor. A few of the wrestlers avoided him, the majority of them being former disgruntled WWE superstars. None of that fazed Paul. He saw this business opportunity for what is was. It was going to take him some time to change the boys in the business' perception of him.

He made his way out into the parking lot to get his ride back to the airport. It was then that his eyes caught sight of a gorgeous custom bike that was parked a few feet away. He asked his driver to wait and made his way over to get a better look at the motorcycle.

Levesque listed off all the bike specs in his head as he brought his hand to it's shiny chrome. He wondered who the owner was of this beauty. A moment later his question was answered when a familiar red head approached him.

"I take it you like what you see?" She commented with her hands on her hips.

Paul looked up to see that it was Christy Hemme who was standing beside him. His mouth naturally pulled taunt into a smile.

"It's a real beauty. How are you doing, Christy, it's been a while."

When Paul spoke she was a bit surprised, "Paul? I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. You look way different from the last time I saw you. Your hair has gone from your head and is now on your face. I'm doing well, thanks. What are you doing here? Are you coming to work with us?"

Her words elicited a hearty laugh from him. He turned his attention back tot he bike, "Maybe, I'm in negotiations. This is a really nice custom build. It reminds me of the one I had."

"Do you want to take it for a spin with me? I'm just about finished up for the day."

Her offer hung in the air for a few seconds before Levesque responded, "No, thanks. I've got a flight back home. Maybe some other time. You wrestling here?"

"Not much anymore. They have me doing some ring announcing, nothing too exciting. I'm actually thinking about retiring soon. I'm kind of getting to that point where I'm ready to settle down. You know, have a normal life for a change."

"Yeah, I get it, all too well. It was good seeing you again. Take good care of this bike." He replied, moving his gaze back to Christy.

Their eyes locked for a moment before both of them looked away and she responded, "Will do. It was great seeing you too. I hope things work out with the negotiations. TNA is a great place to work. There's a lot more opportunity for creative freedom here. Take care, Paul."

Hemme watched as he retreated back to his awaiting car. She would never forget the circumstances that had led to her departure from World Wresting Entertainment. Publicly, she had announced that she had been let go because of budget cuts. The real reason had been because of Stephanie McMahon-Levesque's jealousy. Christy had often traveled with Dave Bautista and Paul on numerous occasions around 2005. Rumors ran rampant when co-workers witnessed Levesque and her being friendly. Who knows how the exaggerated stories got back to Stephanie, but they had, and because of them, Christy Hemme had found herself out of a job.

Paul had made his flight back home to New Hampshire. It was when he landed that he received a text from his mother stating that a letter had arrived addressed to him at the house. Levesque didn't seem to care much about this until his mother told him that the return address was from Greenwich Connecticut. His heart had skipped a beat at the news. The possibility of being contacted by his ex-wife made him think how wonderful it would be to have contact with his little girl.

Patricia had left the unopened letter in her son's childhood bedroom. When he arrived, he had found it sitting on his bedspread. Upon picking it up, it immediately recognized his ex-wife's handwriting on the envelope. This was definitely from her. He deep breath. Paul knew that this would bring up a lot of memories and feelings that he had not felt in months. At the same time, he was anxious to find out what his former wife was sending him. Without wasting any more time, he opened the envelope and pulled out a folded paper. It was a letter written by Steph:

Dear Paul,

You cannot imagine how many drafts of this letter I have been through before I finally found the words that I needed to say to you. I am contacting you on behalf of our daughter. She has not been fairing well these past months. My once happy and vibrant little girl is so often melancholy and reserved. I fear that if I do not advocate for her, she will be emotionally scarred by the decision I made to remove you from her life.

I need to talk to you face to face about all of this. I am willing to come to New Hampshire to meet with you. I hope that you are willing to see me. I know that we did not end things on good terms the last time we saw each other. If we can put our turbulent past aside, perhaps we can mend the broken heart of our baby girl.

Sincerely,

Stephanie

Levesque read the letter over and over again. It was taking a few moments for everything his ex wife had written to sink in. He then grabbed his phone and immediately sent her a text message:

Of course I will meet with you. Where and when?

Steph had set out alone for Nashua. The weather had made what was normally a three hour car ride a bit longer. The cross over's built in navigation system had guided her to the parking lot of a gym. Other than Paul's Hummer, the lot was empty. A blanket of newly fallen snow covered the asphalt. She parked next to him. Stephanie took care stepping out of her Porsche Cayenne. Her hand rested on her growing belly as she cautiously made her way to the gym entrance. The door was unlocked, allowing her to leave the wintry cold behind for the warmth of the warehouse.

There were no staff members at the front counter. Stephanie peered around at her surroundings. She was looking for her former husband. Movement in her peripheral caught her attention. Her eyes focused. They widened when they saw Paul walking toward her. Steph's mouth gaped slightly at his appearance. His long blonde locks of hair were no more and had been replaced with somewhat of a buzz cut. On his face was a burly beard, much longer than she had ever seen him wear.

He too had taken note of her appearance. Her winter coat did not hide her pregnancy. Still, she looked the same to him. It had felt like a life time ago since the last time he had laid eyes on her. And now, she was only a few feet away from him. A part of him wonder if she was a mirage that was going to disappear when he finally approached her.

"Hi Paul." She finally said aloud when he reached her.

"Hey Steph. You look well."

He felt a bit awkward as she nodded with a polite smile before she replied to him, "Thanks, you too."

"How's Aurora? What's going on with her?" He then asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

Steph's eyes closed for a moment before they fluttered open. She reached into her handbag and withdrew a piece of construction paper that had been folded in half. Paul looked a bit confused when she handed it to him. He inspected what looked like a child's elementary drawing.

Stephanie went on to explain, "She made this when she was with my mom. When she asked her what she drew for her Christmas list, she said 'bring my daddy back'. Stephanie's words caused Paul to inhale sharply. He realized that the drawing was of him and his daughter. He was fighting back the tears now, his eyes still focusing on the paper.

"She misses you terribly, Paul." Steph whispered, she was also getting emotional, quickly wiping a falling tear from his face.

"I miss her terribly. A piece of my heart has been missing since I had to say goodbye to her on your back deck." He admitted, trailing off as he started to lose his composure. He took a moment and a few deep breaths before continuing, "It's my fault that things went down the way they did. The shit I did and said, there was no excuse. I'd give anything to take it all back."

Stephanie nodded silently. She inhaled, sniffing back congestion. "We all did and said things that were a mistake...So where do we go from here?"

There was a moment of silence between them before responded, "I just want to be able to see my baby girl again. It can be on your terms, whenever. I don't care what I have to do. I'll rearrange my schedule."

His words caused a smile on Stephanie's face. "That's what I want too."

Levesque's eyes peered as his former wife. As he looked at her, he couldn't help but think about their past together. There had been a lot of heartbreak and tragedy, but there had also been good times. In all of the turmoil that had been left in the wake of their divorce, he had never gotten to say the things he needed to.

He broke the moment of silence between them. "I wanted to talk to you about something else. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about us."

His words caused Stephanie to narrow her eyes slightly. She looked away from his gaze and let out a long sigh before responding, "Paul, I don't think that we should go there, it's done-"

"Steph, this isn't about me wanting to bash your marriage to Kurt, or tell you that we need to salvage what you had together. I'm passed that as are you. I need to have this conversation with you as closure. I need to be able to move on with my life. There are things I never got to say that I want to say now."

She looked a bit surprised by his admission. He had never spoken to her in these terms before. His voice was full of sincerity. She immediately knew that he meant what he was saying. He was truly trying to move forward, just as she was.

"Okay..."

Paul offered Stephanie a seat in the nearby sitting area of the vestibule. She obliged, letting out a sigh when she was off of her feet. He sat down next to her. He had waited for this opportunity for what felt like a lifetime. When everything had come crashing down, Stephanie had verbally berated him. She had not heard or cared to listen to his words. Maybe now, after months of space and growth, she was willing to listen. He took a few deep breaths before speaking.

"I was an immature asshole when we were together. I selfishly wanted the title, wanted all your attention, and had no idea how to be a father. I should have come to you. We should have gotten counseling or something before I stepped out on you."

Steph was looking away, she simply nodded as he continued on:

"The affair set everything else into motion. I lost everything, you, Aurora..."

He paused for a moment and eyed her pregnancy bump and continued on, "An unborn baby.."

Mention of her miscarriage caused Stephanie to tear up again. Instinctively, she brought her hand to her abdomen. She had not been as far along in that pregnancy but that unborn baby had been very real. His losses had been hers as well.

"I did that. And I drove you into Angle's arms. He was there for you, gave you everything I didn't. I hated him for that, but I should have hated myself for not giving you what you needed during our marriage."

Stephanie brought her gaze back to him before she responded in a soft, raspy voice, "It wasn't only for fault our marriage failed."

Her comment caught Paul off guard. This was the first time she attempting to take any responsibility for the ending of the relationship. He allowed her to continue on.

"As soon as I found out you cheated, I wanted you gone. I didn't want to know why you did it, or how I could fix what was wrong in our marriage. I initially went to Kurt to hurt you for hurting me. I didn't expect to fall for him, that was the last thing I had on my mind. And then I got pregnant with Andrew, I kept his paternity from you. I let you think we were starting over. I lied to you."

Mention of her and Kurt Angle's son caused Paul to think back to how his feelings for the child had evolved.

"He's a great kid, Steph. If things didn't happen the way they did then you wouldn't be where you are now. I can tell you're happy. You have another baby on the way, another new beginning. I've started building a new life for myself. These past months made me realize that I had lost sight of who I really was. I've changed and I would like the opportunity to prove that to you and our daughter."

Stephanie smiled through her tears. The conversation was the epitome of catharsis for the both of them. Things were said that had never been said. A load had been lifted from their hearts. Perhaps they could now more forward for their daughter.

Christmas morning had come for the Angle household. Stephanie and Kurt and planned everything for Aurora. Allowing her to sleep in to mid morning had given them the time to make her Christmas wish come true. Stephanie stood at the bottom of her grand staircase. She was watching her daughter make her way down to the first floor.

"Come on, sweetheart! Come see the surprises that Santa Clause left you!"

Kurt was standing nearby with Andrew in one arm, a recording device in the other. The three year old did her best to race down the staircase, without losing her balance. When she reached the bottom, she hopped off the last step, and made a dash toward the great room where the Christmas tree was set up. An array of wrapped gifts littered the floor.

Stephanie slowly approached the tree, she looked to the other side of the room where an archway connected to the dining area. It was where she had sent her ex-husband to hide. Aurora had gravitated to a ride-on hot pink H2. It looked like her daddy's truck.

"Santa got this, Mommy?" She asked pulling on the white shiny bow that was stuck on the side of the vehicle.

It was then that Paul took his cue and stepped into the family room. He was the one who answered his daughter, "No, Daddy did."

Aurora immediately whipped around and caught the sight of her father standing only a foot away from her. Her face lit up with excitement as she blurted out, "Daddy! You here! Where's your hair! It all gone! Did Santa taked it?"

Stephanie let out a hearty laugh as she then watched her daughter run full force to Paul. Levesque was almost knocked back slightly with the force that his three year old came into his arms. He lifted her off of her feet and hugged her tight. Her little arms wrapped around his neck. A part of him never thought he would be holding her ever again. He stroked his daughter's brown locks of hair as he spoke to her.

"Merry Christmas, baby. I missed you so much, honey. I love you with all of my heart."

His words caused Aurora to let go of her embrace, she looked at him, bringing her little hands to his bearded face as she spoke the truth that had been validated for her, "You didn't forgetted me."

Tears escaped Paul's eyes her cupped her angel face with one of his hands, "Never."

They hugged again, and this time he looked over at Stephanie who had been spectating the father-daughter moment while Kurt filmed it. She flashed Paul a smile and he responded by mouthing a 'Thank You' to her.

Stephanie wiped away her tears of joy and then made the announcement to her daughter, "Your daddy is going to take you for the rest of the day. From now on, you and your daddy are going to spend time together every week."

"Every week, Daddy! Every week! We play!" Aurora shouted, she was overjoyed that daddy had not only come back on Christmas, but she was going to get to spend time with him on a weekly basis.

Angle set his son down on the carpet floor before he called out to his stepdaughter, "Hey princess, you still have a bunch of presents to open. Maybe your daddy can help you open all of them."

Levesque set his daughter back on her feet so that she could open her other gifts. Him and Angle made eye contact for a moment. Kurt gave him a nod, which Paul mirrored back. An unspoken sign of peace. There would be no way that these two would ever be best friends, but at this point, on Christmas, they were willing to come together for the little girl that they both loved.

Six months later...

It was a beautiful June day in Greenwich's Binney Park. Kurt and Stephanie had arrived with all three of the children. Four year old Aurora was quite impatient as she was told to wait for her mother and stepfather to get her two younger brother's from the back of the Escalade.

She whined impatiently, "Come on, Mommy! Daddy's waiting for us!"

Steph ignored the child's imploring and shifted the baby carrier as she watched her husband grab Andrew and the picnic basket from the car. As they finally left the car and made their way into the park, Aurora continued to run ahead of them. She knew her daddy would be there at their favorite spot next to the duck pond.

"Daddy!" She yelled with excitement as she ran toward him.

Paul had been sitting on a blanket with his girlfriend awaiting his daughter's arrival. He quickly got to his feet. "Hey sweetie, I missed you! Daddy hates when he has to go away on business! I miss you the most!"

Christy Hemme sat on the blanket smiling up at her boyfriend and his children. "Hi Aurora, Gosh you are getting so big!"

"Hi Christy!" The four year old replied. When her father sat her down on her feet, she made her way over to the red head and gave her a hug.

Stephanie and Kurt were approaching now. Smile and pleasantries followed. Stephanie placed the baby carrier on the blanket, which made Christy comment.

"Look at him, so cute and tiny." She gushed as Stephanie gave her a kind smile while she lifted the infant from the carrier.

Aurora was quick to approach her mom when she sat down on the blanket. She gently placed a kiss on top of her new brother's head. "I love you, baby Brandon."

"What a good big sister you are, Aurora." Christy commented as she looked over at Paul who had sat back down next to her.

Steph nodded in agreement, "She is, she likes Brandon because he's not getting into any of her toys like Andrew does."

Paul chuckled, "Well that will be happening before you know it. These kids grow so fast. I can't believe how fast this year is going by."

It was Kurt who responded to his comment. "I bet it has for you. You've got that new business down in Florida. It's a wrestling school, or promotion, right?"

"NXT, yeah, it's a bit of both. We converted that Impact Zone into the developmental arena, stream the shows online. I'm in the middle of negotiating a TV deal now. It's going to be a companion show with TNA Wrestling's Impact."

Mention of his latest business venture compelled Stephanie to comment, "Dad was livid when he got the news. I think he's pissed he didn't think of it first. You will never hear that from him though."

Levesque laughed, "No, of course not. Hey, thanks for making my day. I only wish I could have seen his reaction myself."

Everyone chuckled as the mental picture of Vince McMahon throwing one of his hissy fits was easy to imagine. It had become easier for everyone to co-exist for family gatherings. Paul had began bringing Christy around Aurora a few months ago after clearing it with Stephanie.

Kurt left the blanket when he saw Andrew begin to run for the nearby pond. Stephanie tended to the baby as Aurora sat between her daddy and Christy. Paul was letting his daughter take the lead as to what they were going to do together first.

"Daddy, let's go feed all the ducks over there!"

Aurora had already grasped a handful of doughy bread from one of the picnic bags. Levesque got to his feet, he took his daughter by the hand and the ventured off together. Steph sat by watching them. It was her and Christy that were left seated on the picnic blanket. The red head spoke, cutting through the silence.

"He couldn't wait for today. When he's not with her, she's all he talks about. Thank you for agreeing to let her come back with us to Florida for a week."

Stephanie was now looking down at her infant son who she had covered in the shade of a blanket as she fed him. "She's excited to go. She'll love Disney world. With the new baby, she could use extra one on one time with her father."

"I hope you don't think Paul is going to move down there. He made it very clear that he wants to stay close to his daughter." Christy explained, her eyes were still watching her boyfriend with his child.

"Where does that leave you guys? You live in Florida, don't you?"

Christy grinned, she looked over at Stephanie and brought her left hand up in front of her, showing off a diamond ring. Steph's lips parted, her eyebrows raised, and she then flashed a polite smile.

"Wow, congratulations."

"Thanks, I'm sorry, I thought you already knew about it. We hadn't planned on making that big of a commitment this early into the relationship, but things happen and plans get moved up. I'm not even sure when he's planning on telling Aurora about all of it."

Steph nodded her eyes focusing intently on her while she spoke. She picked up on the fact that Hemme's left hand was now resting on her abdomen. The reason for Paul's quick engagement now seemed clear.

"Yeah, we will have to sit down together and figure out how we tell her about all these changes. More family members to love." Sighed Stephanie, she watched Aurora and Paul both toss bread to the ducks in the pond.

Paul had definitely proved himself in the past six months. He had not only been a consistently great father, but he had also been respectful of Stephanie and the growing family she had with Kurt. The conversation with Christy made it clear that he had finally moved on from their marriage. He was starting a new life with Christy. The best news was that he still wanted to live close to his daughter. It gave Steph hope that Aurora would be a part of his future. Stephanie was happy for him; his life had finally gotten back to good.