Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction, not for profit, purely for fun, story. I do not own these characters, just borrowing them from Lewis.

One lie can change your whole world.

Robbie's daughter had some unexpected visitors bearing incredible news, opening old wounds and sending her into a tailspin of emotion. "But Lyn, I never lied to you about anything else!" This part of the conversation reverberated in her brain until she couldn't take it anymore and ran out of the house. Lyn ran three blocks before she realized her feet were bare. Too numb to feel her cold toes she sat down on the ground outside a coffee shop. Tears came as she hugged herself with her arms. After several minutes Lyn was awakened out of her misery by a kind voice, "Here pet, you look like you could use this," as a middle aged woman sat down next to her and handed her a coffee.

Lyn took a few sips and let the heat and the caffeine take effect. "Thanks", she managed to croak out in-between sobs.

The clouds above them were darkening and rain was imminent. The women hoped she could shelter Lyn from the storm.

"Is it a man, luv? Cause if it is, he's not worth it."

Lyn surprised herself by laughing, then she answered, "No, it's not a man, I have a wonderful partner, a darling son and my father..." Memories of her father caused the tears for herself to turn to concern for him. Finally he was in a good place emotionally, he was happy, and now this. Her eyes widened as she turned to her companion. "I have to tell Dad."

Laura Hobson had just finished a difficult day at work, a post mortem on a child killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, a preventable death. Pall bearers say the caskets of children are the heaviest to carry and pathologists do their share of the heavy lifting. Laura looked forward to going home for a quiet evening with a book, a glass of wine, and some music. Robbie was working late on a case which suited her fine as she really didn't feel like talking to anyone and he never knew what to say to her. She would be okay; she was used to getting through these things alone. While Laura could usually read his moods and knew what he needed the same could not always be said for Robbie, who would often leave his detective skills at the door when he came home.

Just as Laura's mind was cleared of her day's burden by the wine, Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor, and a new book, there came a loud rapping at the front door. Wondering why people couldn't at least use the doorbell chimes to interrupt her peace she took her time answering. The pounding continued as Laura peeked out to identify the intruder. Shocked by what she saw, Laura opened the door to admit a very distraught Lyn.

Lyn rushed into the house and threw herself at Laura. While Laura never thought of herself as a stepmother, she and Lyn had a friendly relationship and were genuinely fond of each other. They had never had a moment like this before. Laura was at a bit of a loss of what to do in Robbie's absence. Surely Lyn came to seek her father's help with whatever was bothering her.

She hugged her. "I'm sorry Lyn, your dad is not home."

Through muffled sobs she replied, "I have news."

Laura steered her into the house and over to the sofa. "Is something wrong with Jack or Susan?" Lyn shook her head. "Is it Tim?" Another shake of the head.

Laura breathed a sigh of relief that at least Lyn and her family were okay. She considered them her family too. She wrapped a blanket around Lyn and instructed her to slowly inhale and exhale, much like the breathing exercises she did when in labor with her children. "I'll make us a cup of tea."

When Laura returned with the tea, to which she added a generous dollop of whiskey, she found Lyn had calmed herself enough to be able to speak.

Lyn picked up a cup and took a fortifying sip. "I suppose it is a man after all."

"Sorry?"

"A kind woman saw me crying and offered me a coffee. She asked if I was crying over a man."

"And are you?"

Lyn gulped. "It's her, but it really comes down to a man, and then another man..." she put her cup down.

Laura took Lyn's hands and tried to make eye contact with her. "Why don't you start at the beginning."

Lyn finally connected with Laura, nodded and began a jumbled account of her news.

"One man was beyond evil..." Her voice trailed off as fear masked her face. "She didn't tell Dad and Ken made a terrible error in judgment. My brother came clean; it was his new partner Ryan who convinced him. Ken didn't want Dad to know."

Laura tried to process this initial information too quickly. "You don't think your Dad will like Ryan, that he doesn't approve? It wouldn't matter. Oh Lyn your father may be a dinosaur sometimes but he just wants you kids to be happy. He loves both of you." Robbie dutifully called Ken on Christmas and his birthday but other than that had little contact with his son. Even though he didn't talk about it Laura knew the estrangement with Ken bothered him."

"I know, it wouldn't matter to Dad. Before they blew the lid open on my world, I was enjoying getting to know Ryan on their surprise visit before...she..." Lyn heaved out a few more sobs. "Dad would like him too. Ryan is not the news." Lyn furrowed her brow much the same way her father did when confronted with adversity. "It's...lies. Dad and I have been in the dark for 15 years."

"Lies?" The darkest moments in Laura's life had been the result of lies. She was carried off by the memories. "Lies are truths that never happened", she whispered.

Lyn understood. "Yes, she and Ken..." she gurgled the next bit, "because of our Jack...and Susan, her namesake..."

"She?"

Lyn heaved a breath of finality. "Yes she and Ken have been keeping a secret from the rest of us. The evil man who started all this is dead and can't hurt us physically anymore. The fallout left behind is worse. My fondest wish has turned into a nightmare. I want to be happy about it but I just can't forget about all the years of hurt."

Laura shook her head with foreboding. Lies and a family secret could tear Lyn's world apart. Then her heart pounded as she realized that it wasn't just Lyn who was in for a bumpy ride. "This secret, does Robbie know?"

"Oh God no, and it's going to be even worse for him that it was for me, lies, betrayal, lack of trust. You are going to have to help me tell him," she wailed. Lyn stared at Laura as one more realization set in. "And you Laura, look what our family has done to you!" Lyn closed her eyes and threw her arms around Laura's neck.

"Me?" While Robbie was the detective in the household, Laura was the scientist. She too closed her eyes and processed the data presented so far, applying logic to assemble the facts into first a hypothesis, then a conclusion. Laura's eyes flew open. The secret, the lie, could only be one thing.

Valerie Susan Lewis was still alive.