I walked out without hesitation, and sat down next to him, pulling my legs up and wrapping my arms around them.

"I grew up not too far from here, the mountains behind the old house my favorite place to play. One of the reasons I love bringing you guys up here during the winter, was because I honestly wanted you to experience some of the fun that I did as a kid." He paused and wiped his head again. "My best friend lived next door, and we did everything together. I mean from the time we could walk to slapping each other in the face with our diplomas. He meant everything to me."

Sickness rolled through me. I'd come out to talk about Finn, but something told me that we were talking about his father.

"So things went on as they always did until we got to college. We both went to the University of Colorado, because we loved to snowboard and there was no damn way we were splitting up." A smile brushed across my father's face as he got a faraway look in his eyes. "We were there three years and I fell in love with this beautiful brunette in my history class. She was so damn funny, and left me feeling alive, like really alive."

"Dad. You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to." I reached out and touched his arm, not sure why I was giving him grace, but I was.

"No, it's good. I need to get it out." He glanced over at me and continued. "The problem was, that my best friend decided to snatch her up before I could get to her, even though he knew that I'd had my eye on her for the last year. I was just waiting for the right time."

I didn't want to hear anymore. My father hadn't been at fault from what I could tell, and yet I had pinned him as the villain without even considering that Clark might have started the whole thing.

"So he starts dating her, and as you can imagine, the riff between our friendship, our brotherhood, was deep and wide. I hated his ass, and without thinking too much about it, I got her drunk and made love to her on a night that I knew he would show up." He turned to me. "He stabbed me in the chest, and instead of trying to work it out, or even walking away, I cleaned off the dagger and I drove it deep into his heart."

Tears filled my father's eyes and I couldn't fight back the ones in mine too. There was so much hurt in his face. I reached out and wrapped my hands around his thick arm before pressing my cheek to his shoulder.

If I had been in love with Seth, and then Jessie had taken him, I wasn't too sure I wouldn't have stabbed her back too.

"So you see, it's not just about seeing Clark that twists that dagger around in that old womb, but his boy is a product of the relationship that was supposed to be mine." He sniffled and wiped at his nose. "I think the only thing that healed me was finding your mother. All those years we were together, none of this mattered, and honestly, it doesn't now either, but when she died, it came crashing back in. I don't want him near you, and I don't want Clark near me."

"Dad...it was thirty years ago and you both hurt each other." I moved from the hood of the car to look at him. "You can't put that one incident on me and Finn. I'm in love with him, and I want my life to be here in Aspen with you, Parker and Finn, but if you think you're going to disallow that..."

He lifted his hand, and I stopped.

"I don't want you with Finn, Chloe, but I've lost too much in my life already. I don't want to lose you too." He paused and pursed his lips again. "The night I had to come get Parker from the hospital, I got to see Clark for a minute, and the fear and agony on his face left me breathless. I'm still hurt over our old shit, which is ridiculous...I know, but I can't let it affect you and Parker."

I moved closer to him and slid my hands over his shoulders. "Then stop pushing me away. I'm just like you, and if you would just bend a little, that can be a good thing."

"I know, pumpkin. You just have to give me a little bit of space, though. Okay?" He reached up and touched the side of my face.

I moved into his arms, hugging him tightly and praying that this was a turning point for us. I needed my father back as someone who would be on my side.

"I love you, Dad." I kissed the side of his cheek and moved out of his hold.

"I love you too, and hey...I got you something pretty nontraditional for Christmas."

"Parker told me." I smiled.

His smile faded as his eyes widened and anger brushed along his features. "What? He wasn't supposed to say anything. It was supposed to be a surprise."

"No, Dad. He just said that you got me something pretty cool, but that he couldn't tell me what it was." I put my hands on my hips.

"Oh. Good. I thought he told you what it was."

"No, but you can tell me if you want." I gave him a shit-eating grin.

He chuckled. "I'm not saying anything other than this...it's a gift, but it's a project too, so if you don't want it when you get it, it will not hurt my feelings if you want to give it back."

"Give it back? Are you crazy? You might be a huge pain in my butt, but you give the best gifts ever." I winked and walked to the house. "I'm helping Finn get settled in tonight, but I'll be in later. You want to watch a movie with me and Parker?"

"A western?" He asked and picked up his hand-towel.

"How about the Grinch?"

"Count me out." He rolled his eyes.

I laughed. "Too close to home?"

"Watch it, Missy, and be careful on the roads."

* * * *

I drove to Finn's with a lightness about me that felt so good. I couldn't wait to tell him the story about our Dad's, which in all honesty was heartbreaking.

His truck was back out front, as was his father's large pick-up. I parked beside Finn's and got out, pulling out a bag of treats I'd worked on for the last day or so to keep him in a holiday spirit.

I knocked on the door, not wanting to use my key in case his father wasn't aware that I had one.

"Come in!" Finn called out, and I walked in, smiling at both of them as they sat on the couch.

Finn's foot was propped up on several pillows on the coffee table, and he was wrapped in blankets with a beer in his hand.

"Hey guys." I sat the treats on the counter, and moved to sit beside Clark on the couch. "Everything go okay with getting out of the hospital?"

"Yeah. He's got to be careful with those crutches in the snow and no getting that cast wet, but other than that, he's doing good." Clark reached over and squeezed my hand gingerly.

"And the concussion?" I looked over at Finn, chuckling at the look on his face.

"You're not my mother, you're my girlfriend. Get over here and give me a kiss, dammit." Finn leaned forward and took my hand, tugging at me.

I got up and moved to his side of the couch, sitting down and giving him a quick kiss.

"Dad. Time for you to go. Nice of you to visit. Don't be a stranger." Finn leaned forward and sat his beer on the coffee-table.

Clark laughed and stood up as I shoved Finn's shoulder.

"Don't be rude. Your Dad can stay and watch a movie with us or something." I winked at Clark.

He acted like he was going to sit back down. "Yeah, sure. Why not."

"Get out!" Finn pushed at his Dad and we both laughed.

"Alright. Call if you need me. I'll see you tomorrow, Finn."

"Thanks for everything, Dad."

I got up and walked to the kitchen with Finn's Dad. "I made some cookies and fudge. You want to take some back to the office so you and Milly can try it out?"