Hello, everyone. Yeah, here we are again with a new story just for you. Again, we are addicted to reviews, so please let us know what you think of this one. We would love to hear your comments and suggestions...So, without any more ado, we give you "Paths to Destiny" Chapter One.

Yours,

butterflyswest and Erin Allen

1

"Sitting in a bowling alley on my day off is not my idea of a party," Brett said dryly.

Ray glanced at his friend and winced as another shrill scream pierced his head. He resisted the urge to stick his fingers in his ears to block some of the noise and stepped back as three more six year olds raced past him, the one in front nearly knocking over the punch table. He sighed and looked back at Brett.

"It's not my idea of a good time either, but this is the 'in' thing to do in kindergarten this year. What was I gonna tell her? No?"

Brett shot him a look that said "Uh…yeah" before he turned back to the sea of children that swarmed around the lanes in screaming waves.

"I know she's only six, Ray, but damn. I think you take the 'daddy's little girl' thing too far."

Ray shrugged, his eyes searching the room for one little dark head.

"She's my world, Brett. If you'd ever get off your ass and have one of your own, you'd understand." He shook his head, his mood suddenly pensive. "Besides, she's all I have left of her mother."

Ray ignored the annoyed snort that Brett gave out. It had been four years since Lilly's death, and Ray had yet to move on. The cancer had taken her quickly, leaving him floundering. They had dated for a year, marrying in the same whirlwind fashion in which they had dated. When Molly was born a year after that, Ray had believed that he couldn't possibly be any happier than he was at that moment. But at the height of his joy, his sorrow had brought him even lower. A year after Molly had come into their lives, Lilly had gotten ill, the cancer already terminal at that point. There had been nothing the doctors could do that would have prolonged her life. Ray closed his eyes for a moment, the noise in the alley fading to nothing as he remembered his beautiful wife. She'd held on as long as she could, shaming him with her inner strength even as her body failed. He couldn't count the number of times he'd simply broken down, unable to bear the unfairness of it all. Then, one morning, she was simply gone. Just like that, he was left alone with his barely two year old daughter.

He'd done nothing since but care for his little girl.

"Maybe one of these days you'll start dating again. Give the kid a little brother or sister to beat on instead of Uncle Brett."

Ray shook himself from his reverie and scowled at Brett's oft-repeated words.

"Brett…" he said in warning.

"I'm serious, man. This is ridiculous. It's been four years. You're still passable in the looks department if what my girlfriend says is true…"

"Well, thanks, I think."

Brett rolled his eyes and snatched a cup of punch from the table. He grimaced as he drank it in one swallow, muttering under his breath.

"You know what I mean," he admonished. "You need to get back out there. Meet someone."

"Maybe," Ray said noncommittally, still scanning the room. "I just don't have time for that anymore. Between work and Molly I just don't think about it. We're supposed to be getting a new attending this week, and I'm not really looking forward to it. It's supposed to be someone who used to work there, but it would be my luck to get friggin Weaver back. I don't need dating crap on top of work crap."

Brett gave him a look that said he thought Ray was a liar.

"You're a guy, and you have a pulse. I doubt that you don't think about it."

Ray shook his head. He wasn't getting into this discussion for the millionth time. Especially not with Brett, who was just as bad as he was when it came to Molly. Brett would drop everything, even a girlfriend to take care of that child. And he spoiled her more than Ray ever thought about doing.

"The right woman will come along again, and you'll know when it's time," Brett was saying now. "You won't know what hit you."

Ray scowled, giving up on finding Molly in the madhouse. He turned to face Brett, hoping that the man would take the hint.

"I really don't want to talk about this right now," he said tightly.

"You never want to talk about this."

"There's a reason, Brett! I've only ever loved two people in my life…three counting Molly, and something bad always happens. I think for now, that Molly is enough."

Ray turned away, hoping that was the end of the subject. He didn't want to talk about the past right now. The distant past, the recent past or anything that didn't have to do with finding his daughter in the shrieking mass of six year olds that had taken over the party like some Lord of the Flies preschool.

"Can I ask you a question?" Brett said right on cue. Ray had known it was coming, but was hoping that it wouldn't.

"No," he said, attempting to weave away from his friend. He stopped short when another group of children milled past, each trying to beat the other to…wherever it was that these kids wanted to go. Ray was almost afraid to try and stop them as hyped up on birthday cake as they were.

"You ever hear from…you know…after she just split like that?" Brett asked.

Ray sighed and shook his head.

"No, I haven't." He was just as tired of this subject as he was of the dating subject. "After her husband died, she was just gone. Disappeared. Abby doesn't even know where she went, and they were best friends."

Brett whistled low.

"Damn. It was like she didn't want to be found then."

Ray nodded, wishing that Brett just had a friggin off switch. Maybe then, they wouldn't go round and round about the same thing time and again.

"I guess not," he said in a bored voice. "Can we please just drop it?" he asked sharply.

Brett raised his eyebrows in a wide-eyed look of innocence.

"Sure, man. I understand."

Ray felt his temper rise to the fore. That was another phrase that Brett had mastered over the years. Somehow, though, in Brett's mind, 'I understand' meant 'I know you're getting pissed so I'll drop it until next time'. Ray had had enough.

"I don't think you do understand or you wouldn't go over the same shit over and over," he snapped. "Every woman I've ever loved has either left or died, leaving me alone. All I have is my daughter, and that is how I want to keep it. Molly's all I need. Do you understand now?"

Brett searched his eyes for a moment before holding up his hands in a defensive gesture.

"Alright, then. I'll drop it."

Ray was turning away when he caught the "Until next time" that his friend muttered under his breath. But then he didn't have time to do anything about it because four feet of little girl hurled herself into his arms.

"Daddy!"

Ray struggled to get the breath back into him as he held his daughter close.

"You all right, squirt?" he asked with concern. The way she'd come running, he would have guessed that someone had just hurt her. But when he looked down into her face, she was grinning from ear to ear, bouncing up and down in his arms. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and her blue-green eyes were sparkling with happiness.

"He's here, Daddy! He came to my party!"

"Who's here?" Brett asked, turning his body away from the pair of them. The little girl was known to kick out when she was overly excited, and he'd been hit in tender areas too many times to be incautious.

"Who are you talking about, baby?" Ray asked, setting her down so he could retie one of the ribbons in her ponytails. He could never seem to get them tied so they would stay.

"Raymond's here, Daddy! He really came."

When Ray simply stared at her blankly, she let out an irritated sigh of pure annoyance. He suppressed a sad smile, recognizing Lilly in the gesture. She'd given him that look often enough in their short marriage.

"That's you, dude. You're already here. What's…"

Ray shook his head and shot Brett a grin.

"Not me, moron. There's some new kid in her class. He just moved here about a week or two ago, and he's all she talks about." He rolled his eyes. "That's all I hear from the minute she wakes up to the second she falls asleep. It's 'Raymond this' and 'Raymond that' constantly."

"Oh. I get it." Brett grinned and nudged Ray with his elbow. "Looks like the little Barnett is falling in love. At least one of you has some sense."

"Shut up, you ass. She's six."

"Daddy! You said a bad word!" Molly's shocked voice broke in, and Ray blew out a frustrated breath.

"Sorry, baby, but Uncle Brett is being a pain."

She nodded knowingly and stuck her tongue out at 'Uncle' Brett, to which he responded by sticking his own out at her.

"Good God, you're as bad as she is. Now I know where she gets that crap."

"Now what about this Raymond character? We aren't going to have to rough up a six year old are we?"

"This boy is just really nice to her. He hit a kid that pulled her hair and made her cry…"

"I like him already," Brett muttered. "But then again, you know that whole knight in shining armor thing. We've tried that often enough. I think we need to meet this Raymond."

Ray snorted, glancing at the ceiling for patience. Brett took Molly's hand.

"Show me where this kid is, girly."

"You won't be mean, will you Uncle Brett?" she asked seriously. Brett glanced down at her and couldn't help but smile. He could see well why Ray was reluctant to get back out there into the market. If he had a rug rat like this one, he wouldn't want to leave her either.

"I'll be nice. I promise," he said, crossing his heart with one finger just for good measure. "Now where is he?"

Molly scanned the bowling alley for a moment before she smiled and pointed.

"He's right there," she said in an exaggerated stage whisper. "Standing with his mommy."

"Where, Molly-honey?" he asked, kneeling down so he could better see where she pointed.

"Over there by the door, Uncle Brett," she said in exasperation.

Brett felt the smile freeze on his face as he caught sight of the little boy and his mother.

"Okay, I see them now," he said, hoping that his voice sounded normal.

"Yeah. Isn't his mommy pretty?"

Brett nodded mechanically and tore his eyes away from the door.

"Oh, yeah. She's pretty all right. Where's your dad, honey?"

She turned to look behind her.

"He's coming out of the bathroom. What's the matter?"

Brett smiled and shook his head. Everything, he thought.

"Nothing, squirt. Why don't you run off and get in trouble for a minute. I gotta talk to your dad."

She giggled and did as she was told. If there was one thing he'd taught her, it was how to get into trouble. Brett watched her for a moment before his eyes darted back to the kid and his mother at the door. Quickly, he scooted away, hoping that he blended in with the other parents that were standing around before she spotted him. He met Ray at the bathroom door and blocked his way.

"Ray! Gotta talk to ya, man. Like now."

"What is it?"

Brett grinned, unable to help himself. This was too much fun.

"You know that 'Raymond' kid?"

Ray frowned, trying to edge past him. When Brett moved to block his way, he scowled.

"Will you knock it off? She's six, not sixteen."

"No, man. It's not like that. He's here with his mom."

Ray rolled his eyes and tried to go the other way, but Brett blocked his way again.

"You are really starting to piss me off, Brett," he hissed. "You're acting nuts."

"What's new? But seriously, man. You should see this kid's mom."

"Oh, Christ, not that again. Let it go…"

"No, man. You really need to see his mom. I'm not kidding, Barnett. It'll be worth it, I swear."

Ray ground his teeth.

"I'm not…"

"She's over by the door."

Involuntarily, Ray glanced in the direction Brett indicated just as his friend moved out of the way. The crowd in the alley suddenly parted revealing the woman and her little boy by the entrance. Ray felt his heart skitter in his chest only to thud against his ribcage with bruising force. It couldn't be. Not now. Not after all this time. He swallowed hard, unable to look away. Not even when she raised her eyes from his daughter to look at him could he tear his eyes away from her.

"Neela," he whispered.