Chapter Twelve

Chelsea was pacing the floor when her parents arrived. "I thought you'd never get here!" Chelsea said to Billie and Bo.

"Why? What's going on?" Billie asked in concern.

"Early this morning, my little sister showed up here. She walked all the way across town!" Chelsea gasped.

"Ohh my God! Where is she? Where's Ciara?" Bo asked.

"She's lying down in my bed. Poor little thing was crying her eyes out. I held her and comforted her and she went to sleep. She said she'd been up all night, crying."

"Why did Ciara leave Julie's and run away, coming here?" Bo asked. "What has her so upset?"

"You, Dad," Chelsea said. "This is all YOUR fault!"

"Chelsea, don't talk to your dad that way..." Billie said.

"No, Billie, let her speak. Why is this MY fault?"

"Because you brought that woman Carly Manning into your house to live with you, Hope, and Ciara. That little girl is so confused...and sadly,she thinks you don't love her anymore."

"Of course I love her; she's my daughter.'

"You have a piss-poor way of showing it," Chelsea said with anger. "You need to spend quality time with her, Dad. She's just a little girl... and very confused little girl. You need to make up your mind, Dad. Which woman do you want ... Hope or Carly?"

"None of the above," Bo said to Chelsea's surprise. "I am getting back together with your mother."

Bo wrapped an arm around Billie. "In fact, we're already back together."

Chelsea was speechless. She never expected that turn of events. She was about to ask Billie a dozen questions when Bo said, "I need to talk to Ciara. I have to reassure her that I love her and everything's going to be okay."

"What about Hope? Is anyone gonna call her and let her know that her little girl is alright?" Billie asked.

"Sure, you take care of that, Billie. I am going to talk to Ciara," said Bo.

Xooxoo

"I have absolutely no clue where Ciara might have gone," Hope said to Justin. "I just know we need to find her quickly."

"We'll find her," Justin said as he gave Hope a comforting hug.

The police were talking to Julie, asking her more questions when Hope's cell phone rang. She recognized the number as a look of fury came over her face. "It's Billie Reed," Hope said to Justin.

"Hello," Hope said with animosity.

"Hope, Bo and I are over at Chelsea's. We just wanted you to know; Ciara's here... and she's safe."

"What?!" Hope gasped in surprise. "She's at Chelsea's? Are you sure she's alright? Why didn't Bo call me?"

"Right now, he's talking to Ciara, trying to comfort her. She's upset and confused."

"Yeah, I bet she is, because her father is a jerk who spends more time with his exes than his wife!"

"I just thought you'd like to know that Ciara is safe," Billie said before ending the call.

Hope rolled her eyes as she tried her best to control her anger. "I can't believe Ciara ran away... and ended up at Chelsea's," she said to Justin and Julie. "This is all Bo's fault."

"Ohhh honey, I am so glad Ciara was found and she's going to be alright," said Julie as she gave Hope a loving hug.

Justin too was trying to help Hope remain calm as her temper flared. "I know you're angry and you have every right to be, but this only goes to show that Ciara belongs with you," Justin said.

"You're right. Let's go get my little girl. She'll be so excited to find out that we're going to be living with her Grandpa Victor."

Justin and Hope said their goodbyes to Julie, then left to go pick up Ciara.

Xooxoo

Meanwhile, Bo was talking to his little girl. "Daddy, I ran away, cuz I thought you didn't love me and Mommy anymore. You love Carly," said little Ciara as tears gathered in her eyes.

Bo wrapped his daughter in his embrace. "That's not true, Doodle-bug. I could never stop loving you. You're my daughter; my little princess. You mean everything to me."

"Then why did you let Carly move into our house and then Mommy got so mad? Why did you and Mommy yell and have a fight? Are you and Mommy getting a... a divorce?"

"Listen, honey, your mom and I are having troubles, but that has nothing to do with you. We've decided to split up, but you'll always be my little girl, no matter what happens with me and your mom," Bo stated. "I don't love Carly; we're just friends. It's Billie that I love."

"Billie?" Ciara asked in surprise. "Why do you love Chelsea's mommy?"

Chelsea and Billie were standing in the doorway watching the tender scene unfold with Bo and his youngest daughter. "I've loved Billie a long time, but I also loved your mommy, too. It was really hard for me being apart from Billie because I loved her so much. I know it's hard for you to understand, but I want to be with Billie. Your mom and I; we just don't see eye to eye anymore. I am sorry, Ciara. I never meant for you to be hurt."

"You won't stop loving me, Daddy?" Ciara asked as her little voice broke.

"There is nothing on this earth that could EVER make me stop loving you," Bo said as he cradled Ciara close and kissed her tenderly.

"But if you live with Billie, you won't live with me and Mommy anymore. I will miss you."

"I'll see you all the time- as much as I can," Bo promised. "Don't worry, sweetie. I will talk to your mom and we'll get all of this worked out."

Just then, all heads turned when they heard frantic rapping upon the door. "That must be your mommy now," Bo said as he took a deep breath and got geared up to deal with Hope.

Xooxoo

Carly was pleased that Lawrence's color was coming back. He was no longer ashen and on the brink of death. Some of his liveliness had returned, but he still had a great deal of healing to do before he could be up and about on his feet.

"Katerina, I hate to have to tell you this, but I think nature is calling," he said, looking uncomfortable.

"Hmmm.. I don't know how you can stand to take care of that right now. You'll have to let me... help..."

Her words trailed off as she realized how awkward it was going to be. "You're a doctor," he reminded. "And you've seen it all before."

Carly actually blushed. Her hands were trembling as she reached for a plastic container with a lid which would be suitable for Lawrence to relieve himself. "Here, I think this will help," she said as she brought the container over toward the bed.

"I am afraid I am too weak. I can't lift the blankets off my lower body so I can..."

"Lawrence, are you asking me to reach into your pants and...?"

"Would you? Please?" he asked.

She realized there was no other choice. She pulled the covers away and helped him with his trousers, so that it would be possible for him to take care of his dire need. With her help, he managed to get some much needed relief.

"Thank you," he said as she tucked the blankets around him again. "I am so lucky; having such a beautiful doctor to take care of me."

"I want you to get better, Lawrence, so we can sort all this out... and be reunited with our son."

"And our daughter?"

Carly sighed. "We don't know if Melanie is Daniel's child... or yours."

"I hope she's mine, Katerina. I've always wanted a daughter with you."

Painful tears filled her eyes. After they had gone to Paris, they had tried for years without success to have another child. Life had been cruel - when she had finally gotten pregnant, she had believed that the baby was Daniel's. Now, after hearing about Vivian's evil scheme, she wasn't so sure. There was a possibility she had been pregnant with Lawrence's child before her one night stand with Daniel.

"You're right. A DNA test needs to be done. We need to know," she said softly.

He smiled, laying his head back upon the pillows. "I hope I heal quickly then. In the meantime, it will give us a chance to get reacquainted. How I've missed you, Katerina."

"I missed you, too," she said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I thought I had killed you... and it was tearing me apart. You'll never know how much I loved you and how much it hurt to drive that knife into your flesh. But I HAD to do it. I had to protect Melanie."

"But that wasn't me. You never hurt me. I am alive... and we have a second chance."

He reached out and took her hand. He raised it to his lips and gently kissed it. "I'll never be apart from you again. I swear it."

"I don't believe in fairytales anymore, Lawrence. Not after all that we've been through."

"Then I'll just have to make you believe it again. I could never give up on you... on us."

His determination was strong and unwavering. "Some things never change," she said with a little smile. "Right now I am seeing the man I remember... and I love."

"I am back, Katerina," he said. "I came back for you."