Micheal let go her arms, stumbling back, his head shaking from side to side.

"I don't believe you, your lying....your fucking lying.", Micheal said, his voice low, dangerous.

Katie was now crying hysterically. " She's yours Micheal, and we're in trouble, she's in an unsafe situation, I need your help".

Micheal tried to gain some composure back, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His mind was racing and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. She wasn't lying, he could feel she wasn't.

"How? I mean it's well known that Defiant and Perfected can not have children together, it's impossible. It's like two different species trying to mate."

"I'm not a complete Perfected, I'm a hybred. This is not something I was keeping from you, I simply didn't know until recently. My Father was cleaning out his study and had asked me to carry some old books to the attic for him. When I went to set them down a few of the books fell out of the pile and as I was picking them up, one caught my eye, it was different from the rest. I hid it down the back of my jeans and slipped it into my room. Later that night after I had gotten Abby to sleep I began to read. He had bought my Mother from a black market lab, she was a Defiant. He wanted to have children with her so he began experimenting on her. After months of experiments and tests she finally concieved, whether this was by natural process or by implant I'm not sure, he didn't say in his log. Shortly after I was born, he became obsessed with using her as a guinea pig. He wanted to learn the source of her ability, he done horrible things to her....after a couple of years she could take no more of his torture and she passed, he killed her."

Micheal watched her for a long time, listened as she tried to stifle the small sounds she made as a flood of tears graced her face.

"I want DNA testing."

Katie nodded, wiping her face with her sleeve. "I'm not opposed to any testing you want done, but believe me, when you see her you will know."

She couldn't help but smile a little. Abby looked for the world like Micheal, acted just like him too. She looked up to find Micheal staring at her as if he was expecting her to answer a question.

"I'm sorry....."

Micheal took her arm, forcing her to look at him.

"Sorry isn't enough Katie, what danger is she in?"

Katie took a deep breath, this wasn't going to be easy. Micheal would probably lose it but it couldn't be helped. She was tired of trying to hide things and could no longer carry this burden alone.

"I never told my Father Abby was yours. I made up a story about meeting some guy at a casino and having a one night stand with him. Of course he called me a no good whore just like my mother but he never questioned me further until after she was born. I think he knew as soon as he saw her face that she was yours. He even mentioned a resemblance a time or two
but I ignored him and went on. I know my Father is not the kindest man, but I never imagined he would try hurting Abby, he seemed to have genuine affection for her. He has a partner now, a geneticist named Mark Lowe. For the past couple of months Mark had been asking me all sorts of questions about Abby, from her favorite color to what activities she seems to like the most.

At first I didn't think anything about it then I had came home early from work one evening, I hadn't been feeling well, and I over heard a phone conversation that I could hardly believe. My Father had apparently felt I was too old for him to try and impregnate me,he also felt I was too old to start his 'therapies' but felt like Abby was the perfect age to start on hormone therapy and some other 'therapies' he had developed over the years.

He is obsessed with the Defiant and the abilities they have, he has always especially been intrigued by yours and since Abby shares part of your genes she was a natural subject for him. He was planning on by the time she turned 18 she would be fertile to him and able to carry children for him and Mark, largely impart to this therapy regimen, they were going to be sure it worked first using Abby then patten the process so that they could begin selling it to some of the shadier Labs...I"

Micheal watched as Katie crumbled. She began a cry that seemed to rip from her very soul. Her shoulders shook and she struggled for breath. Micheal went to her, taking her in his arms. He was angry and numb, mostly in disbelief, but he was also human. He stroked her back and mumbled comforting words to her, letting her get it all out. Some time later, when
she had calmed a bit, he tilted her face towards him and smiled.

"How old is she two, three?"

Katie nodded, "Yes, she just is three."

Micheal felt a tightening in his chest and had to swallow back threats of his own tears.

"I won't pretend not to be angry with you. You've taken three years of my childs' life away from me, that will be hard to forgive. You may stay or go, I don't care either way, but my child, if she is my child, will stay with me from this day forth, and if that crazy bastard that calls himself your Father should ever come around my home or my daughter I will kill him, no
questions asked, is that understood?"

Katie again could do nothing but agree with him. She knew that every ounce of whatever he slung at her she pretty much had coming. She doubted she would ever make him understand she was only trying to protect him.

Micheal pushed her gently back. "Where is she?"

"She is just outside in the waiting area playing. I didn't want to bring her in to a yelling match."

Micheals' heart skipped a beat. He bowed his head trying to calm his nerves.

"I want to see her", he managed to say in an uncertain voice.

Katie nodded to him and disappeared out the door.

Micheal could not make himself look away from the door, waiting for it to move, for the handle to move, anything. He began taking deep breaths, he certainly didn't want to frighten her on their first meeting. Katie seemed to be gone forever, to the point where Micheal was ready to go hunting for her when he finally heard the door knob rattle, then the door slowly
open.He first saw Katie, then he saw her.

He could do nothing but stare in awe into the sleepy, little face of the most beautiful child he had ever seen. Instinctively he held his arms out to her and was genuinely surprised when she held her arms out back to him. A bit unsure, he stepped forward and placed his hands carefully underneath her arms, lifting her from her Mother. He put one arm around
the backs of her legs and the other on her back. She put her small hand on his cheek and he kissed it. At that moment he knew he would die a thousand deaths over for her, for his Abby.