Scott nodded slowly, tearing his eyes away from Daniel. "I didn't know you had a visitor." He said, looking at Anna. He suddenly frowned upon noticing what she was wearing. Some shorts and flimsy camisole? He didn't like the fact that she was dressed like that in front of his brother.

"I didn't know you see each other often." Daniel said, still looking at Scott.

Scott shook his head. "Not really. She spent the night at my pad so I came to return her bag." Scott revealed like it was a normal thing.

Daniel shifted his stare to Anna. "You did?" He frowned slightly.

Anna cleared her throat, slapping Scott's arm.

"Ow!" Scott sightly glared at Anna. "You're rough on bed and now you still manhandle me?"

"What?" Daniel raised a questioning brow at Scott.

Anna coughed nervously. "Don't pay attention to him." She told Daniel. "Daniel don't misinterpret."

Scott eyed Anna. "Misinterpret? We spent the night together, that's what happened." He spoke truthfully.

"Anna... What's going on?" Daniel stood up with a confused look.

"Absolutely nothing is going on. I blacked out, he took me to his pad and I passed the night at his place." Anna explained to him.

Scott laughed, turning to Daniel. "Hold on, what the hell did you think I was talking about?" He shook his head. "Nothing happened between Anna and I, I was only helping her after some douchebag drugged her." Scott cleared the air.

"You were drugged?" Daniel's eyes widened at Anna.

Anna bit the corner of her lip. "It was a mistake on my part." She said to Daniel.

"She's so stubborn and violent, she even imprinted her palm on my face." Scott pointed to his cheek which still had some faded red marks.

"Don't start with me, you deserved it." Anna faced him squarely. "I won't apologize for that."

Scott turned, facing her directly. "Okay, well don't. And you know what, maybe next time I won't help you. God knows what that bozo of a guy last night might have planned."

"I didn't need your help." Anna glared at him.

"I won't help next time." Scott scoffed at her.

"You both should stop." Daniel held his hand out. Anna and Scott turned to him. "Do you want me to leave so that you can continue?" He asked them.

"Yes!" Scott agreed immediately.

Anna frowned at Scott. "What? Of course not. If there's anyone leaving it's Mr Ontario here." Anna said, directing a thumb at Scott.

"Shit!" Daniel ran out of the living room to the kitchen having smelt something burning.

Scott gently grabbed Anna by the wrist when she tried to follow Daniel. "I'm staying. I want to see my daughter."

Anna turned to look at him. She simply nodded.

"One more thing, can you," Scott looked her up and down. "Not wear something as hot as this, I could smell Daniel's arousal from way over here." Scott frowned at her.

Anna gave him a deadly look. "Since when do you smell other men's arousal? Are you gay? Are you a werewolf? Stop your nonsense now and let go of my hand! Even to your own brother you're being a pervert. What's your problem?"

Scott narrowed his eyes at her. "I was just saying a figurative, not that I could actually smell it." He suddenly relaxed and smiled a little. "You can only dress like when we are the only ones around."

Anna pulled away from his grip in annoyance and hit his chest. "Disgusting idiot." Her eyes flashed angrily at him. She walked away with Scott chuckling behind her.

"Is everything okay?" She asked as soon as she entered the kitchen.

The kitchen was smoking. Anna helped Daniel dispose the burnt pizza.

"Good thing we have two extras." Anna smiled at him.

Daniel nodded slowly. "I'll set the table."

She frowned at Daniel. "Dee, I didn't know Scott would show up here. Nothing happened between he and I." Anna told him.

Daniel looked at her and then smiled. "You don't need to explain, I believe you." He told her.

"The look on your face tells me otherwise. The only reason I am tolerating him is because of the custody case, nothing else attached." Anna wanted Daniel to know that there was nothing going on.

Daniel pulled her into his arms. "I didn't say you can't talk to Scott. He is Isla's father, he is also my brother. You don't have to give any explanation to me. I just don't want you to get hurt." He told her, circling his arms around her waist.

Anna smiled back at him. "Yeah."

Scott walked into the kitchen with Isla in his arms. He looked at his brother and the mother of his child who were lost in each others eyes, unaware of his presence.

"It's smoking in here." Isla commented, waving off the smoke with her hand.

Anna and Daniel broke away.

"Isla, you're not a little girl anymore, you shouldn't be carried." Anna walked up to Scott.

"But Scott doesn't mind." She looked at Scott. "Right Scott?" Isla smiled at him.

"I don't." Scott smiled back at her.

"Mommy, when can I start going for my ballet classes. I miss it so much." Isla asked her mother.

"Well sweetie, I am still looking for one." Anna told her.

"I can help. I know just the best in DC." Scott kissed Isla's cheek making her giggle. He looked at Anna. "I can't believe you're still looking for one, when there are plenty around."

Anna scoffed at him. "Don't start with me."

"Mommy please let Scott help out. He's really really really nice." Isla gave Anna puppy eyes.

Scott smirked at Anna. "I am really nice."

"No and that's final." Anna said to Isla before turning back to meet Daniel.

"Mommy..." Isla pouted her lower lip. She was upset.

Scott whispered something into Isla's ear making her smile widely.

"Don't tell your mom okay?" Scott told her with a smile.

"Sure." Isla hugged Scott's neck. "Mommy, I want Scott to join us so we can have pizza together." She announced.

"No sweetie, Scott is leaving anyway, right Mr Ontario?" Anna raised a brow at him.

Scott smirked at her. "Actually I would be honored to stay. I don't really have any important thing doing."

"Awesome!" Isla cheered.
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Isla warmed up to Scott easily because he agreed to everything that she said. She had even sat on his lap and allowed him to feed her at the dinning where they all sat. Isla would tell him about Ireland, her friends, Aunt Syla, Naraya, she filled him in on almost everything happening in her life, she also talked about Daniel and how she started calling him Dee then everyone started calling him Dee.

Daniel and Anna kept looking at them exchanging conversations. Isla looked really happy and Scott didn't seem to pretend to laugh when she was being funny.

"And you know," Isla continued. "Dee likes mommy." She told Scott innocently.

Anna looked up at Isla. "Sweetie, you have said quite a lot." She gave Isla a small smile.

Isla grinned at her mother.

"Does your mommy like Dee?" Scott ignored Anna and asked his daughter.

"I don't know. Mommy, do you like Dee?" Isla asked her mother.

"Yes I like Dee." Anna eyed Scott.

"You know your mommy used to like me a lot when we were kids. I also used to like her too." Scott said to Isla but his eyes were on Anna. "But I made her upset."

"What happened?" Isla frowned at him.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Scott tickled her making her laugh.

"You should forgive yourselves." She turned to her mother. "Mommy, didn't you say we should always learn to forgive no matter how much we've been hurt? Just say sorry." Isla turned back to Scott. "Tell mommy sorry."

Scott looked up at Anna who looked away as she drink from her glass of orange juice. He studied her for a while before speaking. "Anna... I... I am sorry." He said sincerely.

"Mommy it's your turn. Tell Scott that you're sorry." Isla faced Anna.

Anna sighed, got up and walked out.

"Mommy's upset." Isla said, as she rested her head against Scott's chest.

Daniel who had been sitting in silence, got up, packed the dirty dishes and went out.

"Anna, are you okay?" Daniel asked as soon as he dumped the dishes into the sink.

"I'm not okay." Anna shook her head. "I have a feeling that Isla would choose Scott over me if she ever found out that he is her father." Her voice broke down like she was about to cry.

"She wouldn't do that, Isla loves you." Daniel rubbed her back.

"If that ever happens, I don't know what I'd do." Anna finally broke down in tears.

"My attorney is working on the custody case so you have nothing to worry about." Daniel assured her.

Anna hugged him tightly. "Oh Daniel, I don't want to lose my daughter." She whimpered softly.

"You won't lose our baby." Daniel told her while stroking her hair.
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"Oh man," Isla facepalmed herself. "You're leaving already?" She threw her head back, shaking it. "Please don't go, pleeeeeeese." Isla hugged him tightly around his neck.

"Pretty girl, I would have loved to stay but...." Scott hugged her, kissing her face.

"It's because of mommy, isn't it?" Isla pouted her lower lip.

Scott tsked, "It's not that my little princess."

"Then why do you have to go?" Isla rested her face on his shoulder. "Let me come with you." She whispered softly.

"God knows how much I want you to come with me, but Isabelle, you have to stay with your mom." Scott told her, stroking her hair. To be honest, he wanted to take her away and not care about Anna. Scott wanted his daughter and by the looks of it, Isla wanted him too. The zeal to win the his daughter's custody became stronger.

"I promise I'll be a good girl, just let me come with you... Daddy." Isla whispered, mumbling the last part out.

Scott froze automatically. He had heard her vaguely but he knew she had said the word daddy. "Is-Isabelle?" Scott pulled her away from his body and looked at her.

Isla looked down at the buttons on his buttondown, fidgeting with them.

"Isabelle, you said something, can you... Can you repeat it?" Scott said, looking at her with concern and eagerness.

"Don't tell mommy, I don't want her to get upset." Isla played with Scott's buttons.

"I won't. Baby girl you called me... You called me daddy." Scott wanted her to speak, he wanted to here it again.

"One time, I heard Naraya and mommy say you are my daddy." She looked at him. "You're my daddy, aren't you?" Isla asked looking hopeful.

Scott embraced his daughter tightly. He felt the urge to cry and shed tears. "Princess.... Princess I am so sorry. I should have looked for you sooner, I just didn't know, I didn't know." He felt an overwhelming feeling of guilt that he hugged Isla so tight. "Forgive me... Forgive your father. I am really sorry." He told her.

"I waited for you, I thought you weren't going to come for me." Isla said sadly.

"Baby I am sorry, daddy is very sorry." He planted emotional kisses on every part of her face before hugging her again.

"Please don't leave me and mommy again." She told him.

"I won't do that, ever. I love you so much Isabelle." Scott told her. He was happy. Understatement. He was over the moon.

"I love you too daddy." Isla kissed his cheek. "It'll be our secret. If mommy finds out, she'll get really upset. Why is she like that?" Isla asked him.

"Because I did something bad to her, that's why." Scott explained to her.

"I'll talk to her so that she can forgive you, and then we can all be together." Isla smiled at him. "You, me and mommy." She told him.

Scott nodded even though he knew that was never going to happen, ever.

"Isla, you should let him leave." Anna who had just entered the room, stayed by the door. "What's with you?" She raised a brow at Scott he seemed weird.

"Nothing." He kissed Isla on her cheek again before dropping her on her feet. "Hey, I've got to go right now okay?" He kissed the top of her head.

"When would we see again?" Isla grinned at him.

"Do you want me to drop by tomorrow?" Scott ruffled her hair.

"Uh-huh!" Isla nodded happily.

"Mr Ontario I really think that's unnecessary. Please don't come back here anymore." Anna told him plainly.

"But mommy..." Isla tried to object.

"Peaches no. You've had your way today, I won't change my mind." Anna wasn't about to let her daughter change her decision.

"It's okay, maybe another time then." Scott shrugged, turning to Anna.

"No. You won't get another time. You've spent a lot of time here, you really need to go." She told Scott.

Scott nodded, turning back to Isla. "Don't worry okay, we'll meet again soon." He smiled, patting the top of her head.

Scott walked out of the apartment while Anna walked along sides with him.

"I know what you're doing," Anna told him.

"That would be?" He placed his hands into his pants pockets as he strode along with Anna.

"Turning my daughter against me." She told him.

"I can't turn our little girl against you Anna, you're her mother. I can't compete with that." Scott told her.

"Then why are you doing this? To make me feel threatened? Isla and I were fine before you came, and now, she feels so secure around you. You're doing this on purpose." Anna said.

He gave a long sigh. "Believe what you want. It may seem hard to believe but I do love Isabelle." Scott said sincerely.

Anna stopped, waited for him to stop walking and turn to her before she started speaking. "You don't love anyone but yourself. How can you tell me that? I never wanted to tell you this but Isla has wanted a father for a long time, she longed for him to be there with her. I don't want to crush all her hopes because having you as a father would hurt her. Scott, you don't want to be a father, you don't know how to be a father. You're just going to waltz into her life and be caring and loving for awhile, then later, you get tired, soon you walk out. Isla isn't like me, she's fragile, I don't want my daughter to go through the same rejection I went through just because of one man, Scott Ontario." Anna spoke her mind out to Scott.

"Anna what would I do for you to know how serious I am about this. Taking Isla from you is not to punish you, I just want to prove to you that you're wrong about me not wanting to take full responsibility for our daughter. I know you're never going to forgive me for what I did to you years ago, I just hope you can entrust me with our daughter." Scott said, staring sadly at him. Memories of that faithful day when he had made a terrible mistake against Anna seven years ago always made him weak and his brain distorted.

"Let me make it up to you, both of you." He said calmly to her.

Anna stared at him knowing he was waiting for her to answer. "No. No Scott." She shook her head. "It's too late for that. You are the mistake I would always continue to regret. When I needed you the most, you weren't there. You rejected me, you insulted me, you... You disposed of me." Anna suddenly could feel the pain and bitterness she had for Scott seven years ago.

Scott's face fell. He knew Anna was never going to listen to whatever excuse he had... "Anna no I-"

"You're seven years late." She said, cutting him off. "I became like this because of what you did to me. You know what hurt the most back then? It was the fact that I loved you so much that I was willing to let everything go if you just came back to me. Scott I lost my mom, do you know how I felt? Then I discovered I had a child on the way and I felt like a total loser, there were times I just wanted all the pain to go away. You weren't there. You don't know the littlest or worst things I endured for my baby girl. Now you just show up one day and decide to take her from me? Fuck you. You'll have to drag me to hell first." Anna told him, feeling the same rage and anger she had felt for him before.

Scott closed his eyes, looking up to the sky. He was thinking of what to do. Finally he looked at Anna with pitiful eyes. "I care about you a lot Anna, that is never going to change. I hate seeing you hurting, I don't care if you believe it or not. I can't give up on Isabelle, she's given me a reason to change and make my life straight. I would give anything in the world for you, just ask. But you see Isabelle... I can't. She's my daughter, I just can't give in to your request and walk away from her. Isabelle is mine. Mine to love, mine to cherish, mine to protect. I am sorry." Scott said. His daughter came first. Scott was going to fight for her.

Anna took in a sharp breath. "Then this conversation is of no use. We'll see in court on Tuesday." She said curtly before walking out.

Up until now, Scott still didn't change in her eyes. Her heart hardened, she had to be prepared for the custody battle. She just couldn't lose her daughter to Scott.