Pops had just opened when they pulled in and it smelled like heaven as everything warmed up. He greeted them warily at first, kids their age weren't up at this hour looking for food unless they were high. But at the sight of the car seat in the crook of the boy's elbow he smiled ushering them to a booth.

"Have you thought of what you're gonna do about school yet?" Sweet Pea asked as they sipped their coffee.

Lane shrugged running the top of her finger around the mug absentmindedly. "Nothing right now," she answered and his brows rose in clear surprise. "We were supposed to spend the summer working full time, saving up for this in whatever way we could, and finding a daycare. We did none of that. And I never finished junior year. At best when we're stable I'll work on my GED."

She'd been so focused on school, had such a clear picture of where her life was going and who she was going to be. He stared at her sadly knowing part of that was his fault. "You gonna go back to the shop?" It was the best option for both of them, they never replaced her position as office manager, and he knew Spyder had taken over the shop here in the north side too. There was plenty of work, and he'd need a job too.

Lane nodded shaking the rattling toy Daya was focused on hanging above her. "You know with this thing going on for a while and you out of school, if I started working right away it'd be the perfect opportunity for you to spend time with her."

He was quick to agree, he missed two months of that girl's life he wouldn't miss a second more. But his mind caught up to what she said, what she unknowingly admitted. "How do you know how long the quarantine's gonna go on?" he asked not sure he wanted the answer.

She knew he didn't. "You're not gonna like who I had be to get out of that. Who I'm going to be," she added so he was well aware it wasn't over.

"So we're not talking about this at all?" he asked, and by this he meant Hiram. And what the hell her plan was because there was no way she'd get this close without one.

There was that familiar rush of pure unadulterated rage. But Daya shrieked and she looked down feeling it leave her and she sighed. "I waited for you," she told him with such vulnerability it had him reaching for her hand. She pulled away. "Just make it through the day, get through the night, you can survive ten more seconds because he's coming." She stared at him with wet eyes full of betrayal. "Did you really think I'd come back and just start needing you again?"

In that moment, seeing what he let happen to her, he knew sorry would never be enough. "I earned that one," he agreed frowning into his mug. "So what now? Do I wait til you decide to call me? Do I get any kind of a say?" She was his daughter too, Lane couldn't take that away from him. And from the way she worked her jaw he knew she would if she could. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"I'm talking to Spyder later today I'll let you know when I start. And Hiram got us in for a doctors appointment in two days to make sure she's up to date on all her vaccines. It's at 9 if you wanna be there."

He stared at the side of her calm face in alarm. "Hiram?" He thought it'd be like last time, feeding him false information until she had something to force him to back off. This wasn't working together, this was amicable. "When the hell did that happen?"

Lane turned to him sharply. "When he started caring about us more than you did," she spit with more venom than she thought she really meant to. He sat back stung and outraged, but she beat him to any response he thought of making. "I told you you wouldn't like who I became to get us through that nightmare. And I don't plan on apologizing for it."

Daya was starting to get fussy which meant she was getting hungry and tired of the seat. Lane stood hooking the car seat to her elbow so she could take her to the car to nurse. "You can either shut up or leave. I'll be back in a minute."

The pregnancy had made her soft, needy, and it put him in the position of her protector. Motherhood made her vicious, she didn't need him anymore. She wasn't giving in this time. So when she came back holding Daya with her face set in stone he swallowed his pride and submitted with a quiet, "okay."

She blinked at him slowly sizing up his commitment to them, and when she was satisfied she slid into the booth beside him and set Daya in his arms. Making it clear if he wanted to be her father this was the way it was going to be.

.^.

In the following weeks Lane started at the shop. Sweet Pea got to the apartment at seven and Lane told him when to give Daya the bottles and to call if he couldn't handle it before Lane got back at five. It was rough at first but Sweet Pea settled into the routine quickly. He kept the SUV with the car seat and the serpents got to know their newest member. The toys and gifts appeared in the apartment and Lane would notice them as she came home and started dinner. Occasionally, on the harder days, she'd come home to him passed out on the couch with Daya in his arms. He'd wake in a panic at their sudden emptiness and he could only breathe when he found Lane snuggling her close saying such sweet things. And hearing him awake Lane would turn to look at him over her shoulder, and he'd see a glimmer of how soft she still was towards him. It was good. They were good.

They were in the last week of the quarantine, Sweet Pea only knew because Lane told him he needed to be ready to go back to school next week. He was milking every second, honestly considering dropping out at the thought of only getting to see Daya from three to eight. Until Lane's eyes had narrowed realizing where his thoughts had gone and she literally slapped him upside the head.

He just fed Daya a bottle and was burping her when his phone started buzzing. "Hey Lane, everything alright?" he asked immediately at seeing it was the shop.

"It's Spyder, tell Lane we got another order that needs to get past the quarantine. Don't how she talks the cops into letting it through. Tell her she can have tomorrow off if she comes back in."

Sweet Pea knew exactly how she did it, but that wasn't the part of that request he was stuck on. "What do you mean comes back in? Where is she?"

It was quiet on Spyder's end as he tried to catch up, and then as he considered whether to answer. "She asked for part time, Sweet Pea, she gets off at noon."

His knuckles were white as he held the phone to his ear, a scowl carved on his face. "Yeah I'll tell her," he seethed through clenched teeth. He looked down at his daughter held in the crook of his arm, and where Lane found peace he only found rage.

...

The door to the town car was opened and Hiram climbed out buttoning his jacket before turning with a hand held out in offering. There was a moments hesitation before Lane took his hand and let him help her out.

The second day she showed up in jeans he sent her with money and an order to dress appropriately. He was almost surprised to find today she'd worn a skirt instead of the trousers she'd been wearing. It was distinctly feminine, pretty, but she had the coldness of a corpse in her pale stare. As they walked to the restaurant for the meeting he arranged Lane paused feeling her phone buzzing in her purse. Seeing who it was Lane stepped away frowning.

"This is not a man to be kept waiting," Hiram warned her. He took a steadying breath as she turned her back to him and he entered the restaurant with a friendly smile as he greeted their guests.

"What happened, is she okay?" Lane asked immediately. Sweet Pea stopped calling as he got comfortable being alone with Daya, it'd been at least two weeks since he called during the day.

"Where are you?"

Lane heaved an annoyed sigh at the unnecessary interruption. "About to go into a meeting. We can talk about this later."

And by that he knew she'd shut him down the moment he started asking questions. "Spyder needs you at the shop," he said already knowing her answer.

"I'm busy, I'll see you when I get home." Before he could try making a point to show his unhappiness she hung up on him, and she took a breath steadying herself before she saw herself to the table Hiram had her reserve last week specifically for today's meeting.

"Glad you could join us," a handsome greying man said with a charming smile as he stood to help her into her seat.

Hiram's gaze was sharp as a knife as he watched her size the two up. "Was it the boyfriend?" he asked, testing her wit.

Lane smiled glancing at his wife, a thought crossing her mind. "Yes, he's alone with our daughter so when he calls I answer." She purposely didn't apologize, standing by her decision, giving herself an air of importance. Hiram hid a faint proud smile behind the glass he raised to his lips.

"I remember those days," the older woman said touching the locket she wore as she looked to her husband. "I'm Nora," she held out her hand to shake.

Lane noticed the extravagant ring and diamond bracelet. And she then turned to shake her husband's hand. "John," he told her, clasping her small hand in his to find her grip was firm. Like a man. "I knew your mother."

She was so used to hearing that about her father it took her a second too long to realize what he'd said. And he smiled at the way she blinked and shared a knowing look with Hiram.

It was a pleasant lunch, Nora and Lane talked about their children while Hiram and John discussed business. John could almost see Lane's ear perk up every so often, clearly listening to every word. He patted his wife's hand and looked to Hiram. "Why don't the two of you pick dessert, I'd like to talk to Lane alone." He waited as Hiram led Nora away with her hand in the crook of his elbow, and John turned back to Lane finding her waiting. "How'd you know to talk about your daughter?"

"The locket," Lane answered honestly as she sat back crossing her legs. "It's cheap which means you didn't give it her. And it's a heart, so it's from someone she loves enough to wear that instead of the diamond necklace that matches her bracelet."

He nodded appreciatively with a slight smile folding his hands on the table. "And going through my wife to get to me?" he asked, staring at her intently.

She knew the moment Hiram started coaching her in the car this was a test. And she sat with stoic regality as she stared across the table at his alight eyes. "Because she's the one who calls the shots." A proud smirk curled the corner of her mouth as he laughed cheerfully. "I know a powerful woman when I see one," she said with a twitch of her shoulder.

The other two returned to the table and he took his wife's hand kissing her knuckles. "You were right, dear, she's good."

Nora smiled pleased, her dark hair blown out, her skin white as pearls, eyes blue as cold water. "I knew the moment I laid eyes on you," she said sipping her Chardonnay. "Just like your mother."

Lane didn't know if she'd ever get used to hearing that, she always thought she was taking after her father. "I don't know much about her," Lane admitted and Nora nodded patting her hand.

"I'll tell you a few stories next time," she told the younger girl as John stood holding out his hand. "I look forward to working with you."

John squeezed Lane's shoulder as they left and she turned to Hiram curiously. "My father was a prosecutor," she told him, having planned originally to follow in his footsteps.

"Your mother wasn't," he responded helping her up and leading her back to the car. "And you think like a defense attorney."

"Like my mother and those two?"

He smiled as they sat in the backseat of the town car. "John was a prosecutor as well. Now the two of them run a very successful crisis and risk management team."

Lane sat with her shoulder against the door considering that and what she'd noticed about the elegant pair, and what she knew about herself. "I'm more risk management," she said knowing she was. Finding a problem before it started and nipping it in the bud. But there was a certain thrill that came with putting out fires, it's why she liked being with the serpents. Getting them out of jail, cleaning up their messes, the rush of power.

Something Hiram knew well. "She's hoping she can sway you. Two days a week starting Tuesday you'll be interning with her. The rest you'll be with me until you start college in spring."

She pondered that several long moments as the chauffeur, who doubled as Hiram's capo, drove them home. If she was going to have her GED to be able to start school in spring, and with two days a week and only until noon Monday Wednesday Friday, she'd have to replace working at the shop with classes. "I put the money you give me into savings for Daya, what I make at the shop's what we're surviving on now." And even then it was barely enough.

"Consider that your performance evaluation, and I've decided you deserve a raise." It would of course come with more work, but he liked the idea of having her dependent on him. It'd make her less likely to bite the hand feeding her when it also fed her daughter.

An idea Lane didn't like. She knew she was going too deep too fast, that he had to know she was looking for anything to use against him. So he was setting her up to fall with him should she ever turn on him. Taking a breath she turned to him calmly and said, "I'll let you know my decision tomorrow."

He smiled pleased knowing she'd take it. With a baby and no education this was the best, and possibly only, opportunity she would ever have. She was smart wrapping him around her finger, but he was smarter and she was now realizing she'd wrapped him around her throat.

When he had her where he wanted her, under the heavy weight of his thumb, he told her what Nora's firm was offering. It quieted her as she realized if she let him he would set her up for the rest of her life. Tied to him.