Austin was coming home from spending time with Andy and the baby when he noticed Shiloh sitting on the steps of his home. When he pulled up, she stood up, holding onto a teddy bear and it seemed like she had been crying.
"Shiloh, what are you doing here?"
"We need to talk."
He knew there was a lot that he needed to explain to her and one of those things was why he did what he did.
"Let's go inside."
Shiloh followed him into the house and she automatically looked around, looking for pictures and then there it was.
"You married her?"
Austin sighed.
She went towards the picture and picked it up, looking down at it. The first thing she noticed was the way they looked at each other, this made Shiloh put it back.
"Coffee or Tea?"
"Neither, I just want to talk."
"Alright."
He took her over to the living room and they sat down.
"What would you like to know?"
"How is she?"
"Better, we named the baby today and she was able to hold her."
Shiloh nodded her head as she looked at the teddy bear and then looked up at him, handing it over to him.
"This is for the baby."
"Madison Raylene or Mady Rae for short."
"That's a beautiful name."
"Thanks."
Shiloh didn't say anything for a second or two before she looked back at the teddy bear.
"Do you still love her?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to try to get her back?"
Austin didn't know what he was going to do.
"I don't know. Right now it's just about trying to get both Andy and the baby better. They said a couple more days and they should be able to get out together."
"Do you know if she's going home or staying here?"
"I don't know. Knowing Andy, she'll probably go back to get away from me."
"Would you let her?"
"I haven't really thought about it. Like I said my focus is on getting them better, but if she decided to go back then I'd let her."
"You would? You would just let her go and with your baby?"
"Would I have a choice? Andy hates me."
Shiloh didn't believe that, but she didn't know what her friend was thinking right now.
"I don't know Austin, you two have a baby now."
"We do, but that's not going to change anything unless Andy says it does."
"Tell me the truth, why spend time with me if you still loved her?"
"Just because I loved her didn't mean we were together. You were the first woman since Andy that I really saw myself starting over with."
"So if Andy never had the baby or you never found her, we'd still be together?"
"Yes, without a doubt. I wished Andy the best wherever she was and thanked god for giving me the opportunity to know her, but I wasn't really looking for her. I know what I did and do I regret it? Every day, but I really believed that Andy deserved better."
"What if she had an opportunity to have better, would you let her go?"
"What do you mean?"
Shiloh got up, twisting her hands in front of her.
"Well you know how my dad and I joked about Andy being his girlfriend?"
Austin got up then.
"Your dad?"
"Well it's not like he's that old and before you well I really thought he would be good for her."
"Shiloh are you saying that Andy was with your dad?"
"No, I'm just saying that what if dad could give her a life, a real home, a stable place, would you let her go?"
"What are you asking me to do?"
"I want you to think. I love you Austin and I really think that it's best that you let Andy be happy with someone else. You tried and it failed, many times actually, but you and I, well..."
"You would do that to Andy?"
"You've been the first man I've felt like this about and I'm not ready to give you up. I promise you, I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't believe in what I could be for you."
"I don't know Shiloh. Andy is your best friend and she's the mother of my child."
"I know, but I'm willing to risk it for you, for us. I'm not asking you to give up on your daughter, I'm just asking you to think about it, like seriously think about it and find the best option for you and Andy."
"I've already hurt Andy enough. Choosing you would be like rubbing the womb and I don't know if I want to keep hurting her like that. I've already done enough shit."
"I understand, but like I said I'm willing to risk it if you are. I'm just asking for you to think about it. I'm going back to California so just call me when you're ready."
She went up to him and gave him a kiss.
"Think about it, alright?"
All Austin could do was nod his head as she walked away.
Andy was ready to go home, but not before someone else had a say so in it.
"Andy."
Andy looked up from changing her daughter to find Victor.
"I thought I..."
"I'm not going anywhere Andy."
"I told you already that I didn't want anything."
"Yet I'm not giving up. I'm not going to leave you alone, not when I know you'll eventually talk to me, like you are now."
Andy shook her head, going back to her daughter.
"We're fine, so please just go."
"I didn't do anything wrong Andy and I don't deserve you treating me like this."
She looked back at him.
"You're right I'm sorry. I just... I just don't want to talk to anyone right now. I don't want to talk about anything, I just want to go back home, start my life with my daughter and learn to live for my daughter."
"So you're going back to California?"
"As much as I don't want to, yes. It's the only place I've felt safe and know that I'll be safe."
"Safe from what?"
Andy didn't even want to think about it. She knew the time was approaching and the more time she stood in Texas the more chances she would have to clean up her trail.
"Nothing, forget it just another piece of my life."
"Andy please let me help you?"
"Please Victor..."
Victor was desperate, he didn't want to lose her, so he did the only logical thing that popped into his head. He went up to her and he kissed her.
Austin walked in just then and froze as he watched them. He felt the sting in his heart, but he swallowed it down and did the only thing he knew what to do when he was hurt.
Clearing his throat, Andy pulled away with a gasp and looked at Austin looking at her.
"Didn't mean to interrupt your love fest, but I would appreciate it if you two didn't do it in front of my daughter."
Andy looked away, ashamed of herself for allowing Victor to kiss her.
"Victor was just..."
"I don't care Andy, you do what you want with your life, but when it comes to my daughter I expect you to leave that side of your life away from her."
Andy's heart went straight to her throat, but she pushed it back down. Victor laughed, shaking his head.
"Wow you really do have a way of treating Andy a certain way don't you? Explains why she's always been very closed off about you. That's no way to talk to a woman, especially the mother of your child, which by the way, that's not what your daughter should be seeing."
Austin laughed and Andy knew that laugh. She ran before Austin got to Victor.
"Austin stop, this is not the place."
He looked at her and she knew he was hurt.
"Please."
"I'm filing for full custody of my daughter, don't leave the state."
Then he walked away as Andy stood there frozen. Her biggest fear had just come true.
"A..."
Andy pulled away from him.
"Just leave me alone."
"He can't do that to you, you have rights. I'll get you a..."
"Just get out! God, you don't fucken get it!"
Andy grabbed her daughter, their things and looked up at him.
"Just leave us alone."
She was about to walk away when Austin's grandfather walked in.
"Good you're still here, we need to talk."
"If you're here to threaten me or warn me, Austin already beat you to it."
Without a flinch he looked her right in the eye.
"This isn't about Austin, it's about you and my great grandchild."
"Sir, please I just want to go home."
"Precisely why I'm here. If you're ready to go we can talk on our way."
"Way where?"
"Like I said if you're ready."
Victor glared at his friend. It seemed both men knew how to use their power to make Andy do whatever they wanted.
"Andy you don't have to go, I'll take you wherever you need to go."
Andy saw Grandfather smile.
"Victor I understand your concern for her, as all of us are, but I can assure you she'll be safe."
"It's not her safety I'm concerned about. Andy isn't alone anymore and she shouldn't have to be bullied into going anywhere or doing anything she's not comfortable with. You're grandson has already made it very clear what he plans on doing and I'm not going to let him. She's already endured enough and it's time you all left her alone."
"Funny wasn't she just telling you to leave her alone?"
Andy couldn't hear anymore and walked away, almost running until she got to the elevator.
Austin was fuming as he paced the front of the hospital and that's how Shiloh found him.
"Hey, you alright?"
Austin stopped and looked at Shiloh.
"What are you doing here?"
"You haven't called and I don't know I just..."
"Wanted to make sure I wasn't with her?"
She looked down and nodded.
"I'm not and I don't plan to be, I've made up my mind."
Shiloh looked up at him.
"And what is that?"
Austin swallowed his anger and went up to her, wrapping one around her waist and the other around her neck. Then looking into her eyes, he smiled.
"I choose you; you're the one for me."
Shiloh smiled, kissing him just as Andy walked out.
Andy just didn't think her day could get any worse, but she should have known better. She watched as they kissed and then how they smiled at each other.
"Hey."
Andy looked back to see Vincent.
"Let's get you out of here, ha?"
Andy nodded and walked away, thankful for her friend. Her helped her with her things then helped her into his car.
"Does Leo know you're out?"
"No, he's on a business trip and Vivian went with him."
"Do you have the key to the house?"
Andy shook her head.
"My keys are with my car and it's at Austin's house."
"Well let's go he's not home."
Andy didn't care anymore, she just wanted to forget about to day, but knowing how things worked in her life that's never going to happen.
Arriving at the farm she had Vincent go over to the ranch hand's house to see if Nate could get it for her, but Austin was there with Shiloh, probably introducing her to everyone.
"I can't believe him."
Andy was over it at that point and got out.
"Meet me over at his house, I'll be right there."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
She got out of the car and Nate ran down to her.
"Hey, you're out!"
"Yeah, do you have the keys to my car?"
"Yeah, wanna come in?"
"No I'll wait outside."
"Okay give me a second."
"Thanks."
She caught Austin's eyes on her, but she just turned around and let out a breath. She could feel them looking at her, but she just tried to ignore it and kept her cool like all those other times she had to.
Nate was coming down when Austin stopped him.
"Give me the keys."
Nate looked at him, but shook his head.
"Sorry man, but not anymore."
He walked away from him and ran over to where Andy was waiting for him.
"Here you go and I thought you would want this back too."
She looked down at his hands and saw the small box she had left with him to give to Austin.
"Thanks."
She took both and sighed.
"Thank you for everything."
"Are you leaving again?"
"No, Austin filed for full custody of Mady; I have no choice but to stay."
"He didn't."
Andy shrugged, looking up at him with a sigh.
"Did he actually give you paperwork?"
Andy shook her head.
"Then you can do whatever you want. You have physical custody of your daughter; there is nothing he can do until you've been served, so get out of here, file your own paperwork in your state and he won't be able to remove the child out of state until a judge says so."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, I'm not a total idiot."
"I never said you were."
Nate pulled her into his arms.
"Go on get out of here and do as I say. Live your life and be happy."
Andy hugged him back, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Someday I'll re-pay you for everything, I promise."
"Godfather would be good."
Andy laughed, squeezing him.
"You got it."
He then let her go and Andy ran towards Austin's house with hope.
As soon as Austin saw Andy run, he was out of the door.
"Why is she running?"
Nate laughed, turning around.
"She's going home."
Austin panicked and ran down, but Nate stopped him.
"Careful you wouldn't want your new girlfriend to get any ideas."
He then walked away, leaving Austin to watch as Andy ran back. Shiloh went up to him, turning him around.
"Don't worry, Andy is just hurt, but she'll come around, she always does and she won't go far, she doesn't have very much money."
Austin frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"Andy doesn't have the means to take care of a baby, she'll be back."
Is that true, does she not have any money? He had to find out and if so, maybe she'll be forced to ask him for help, but then again there are plenty of people who would help her. He had to find out a way or he knew he would lose his daughter for good.