"Wow. Now, I thought my story was good, but you just took the home the award, no contest," Nick said.

"So, after I realized how much he was playing me, I gave him back his ring for the third time and left. Because I'm gone, he lost custody of his son, which his ex-girlfriend . This time, I will not listen to him. I will not be played again," she said.

"Wow. That's…wow."

"I know. I mean, why did I stay with him for six years? It was insane! But I've never felt freer. No remorse, no heartbreak, no even regret for wasting 6 years of my life. Just freedom," she said.

After the bar had closed, the two of them had started walking around the streets, heedless of where they were going, just enjoying spilling their souls out to someone. And now, it was almost morning and they had reached Nick's hotel.

He had told her a lot. He felt free speaking to her, she was such a good listener. But even though he felt that he could trust her completely, he had held back on a lot of his inner secrets, things that only one other person had known…Lilia.

"Uh, can I walk you home? I don't just want to leave-"

"A girl, at night, in the city, all by herself. Okay, sir, you are on," she said, and walked through the door.

"You're staying here?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't live in New York, god forbid. I live in Naples, Florida. I have a convention type-thing, which is why I'm here," she explained.

"Well, I hope to see you again soon," Nick said as the elevator reached her floor.

"Call me sometime," she said, handing him a slip of paper with her digits on it. He took it and said goodbye. When the elevator reached his floor, he was met with Brian and AJ.

"Ooh, Carter, out all night?" AJ asked as Nick stepped off the elevator.

"AJ, word of advice. Mature," Nick said as he met the scrutiny of his band mates.

"Come on, give me some information about it, I need to know something," he pleaded.

"We talked. That's all AJ. Nothing terribly fascinating for your record book, man. Sorry to disappoint," he responded.

"Did you get her number? Tell me you got her number?" AJ scoffed.

"So what if I did? Don't mean a thing," Nick said, enjoying torturing him.

"Use some grammar, Nick. Does not and why doesn't what matter?" asked Howie as he entered the hall.

"You guys are horribly nosey, it's your most annoying trait!"

"But we are so good at it. So could this be the One?" Brian asked.

"Who will make all my sorrow anon? Be more creative with your dialogue, B. I don't know, I just met her. But serious friendship possibilities are lingering around. I'm not ready to start all over again, so quit pushing and we'll get along fine," Nick ordered grumpily, not having slept at all that night. They all agreed and allowed Nick to pass. He entered his room and flopped on the bed, eager to grab some sleep before their concert that night, unobservant to the fact that it was the first time in three months that he hadn't thought of Lilia during every waking second.

* * * *

"Betty, I met him. I met my father," Lilia said. As soon as she had recovered from her shock over the confrontation, she had locked up Genuine and headed over to her aunt's house.

"You met Daniel? He told me he was going to see you. What did he say to you?" her aunt asked, brushing off sleep in the excitement of the news.

"You knew he was here? That he was going to talk to me? Why didn't you tell me?" Lilia yelled.

"Lilia, I knew how you'd react. That you wouldn't even let him in to Genuine if you knew he was coming. I figured if it came as a surprise, you'd at least let him talk to you. The two of you have a lot of talking to do," Betty said.

"He didn't tell me his name. He just knew who I was. He told me he was my father. I spit in his face and kicked him out," Lilia informed her aunt, pacing around agitatedly around the room.

"Lilia, why did you do that? You didn't even let him have a chance to speak to you? Don't you want to know who you are?" Betty asked.

"I know who I am. I'm Rose's child, Betty's niece. That's all I've ever needed to be. Just because he wants back in my life, doesn't mean that I have to be his daughter. Because I don't. I want nothing to do with him. I don't need someone who didn't want me 20 years ago who suddenly wants back in to tell me who I am!" she exploded.

"You have to let him tell his side of the story. Because all I know is what Rose told me, when she came to me. I remember meeting him once, he was a decent man," Betty said.

"Decent enough to abandon his dying, pregnant girlfriend. Sure, I need him in my life," she shouted.

"It wasn't like that. I've explained it to you what she told me, but I've always suspected that there was more to it. If you'll see him again, talk to him and listen," her aunt pleaded.

"Why? What right does he have to be listened to? Why should I?" Lilia raged.

"All you've know for all of your life is what I've been able to tell you. Which isn't that much. Don't you want to know why?" Betty exploded. It was the first time her aunt had ever raised her voice to her.

"Okay. I'll speak to him. Once. After that, I never want anything else to do with him," she agreed reluctantly.