Tammy shuddered when she heard the panel at the door opening.

"Are you hungry?" the voice asked.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"I told you already. That baby of yours is important to me."

"Please let me go," Tammy begged. "People will know I'm missing."

"It's been days and no one has even called your phone. What does that tell you?" The voice laughed, a menacing sound, "It tells me no one is looking for you. No one."

"Please," Tammy hiccuped between sobs.

"Don't cry. After all, your life isn't worthless. You're bringing life to this child. This child that will be a miracle to my family."

--------

Hours later, four eyes were watching as Detective Jax Michaels entered King's Diner.

"He's brave. I'll give him that," Dolores patted her gray hair as she nodded towards the young detective.

"Maybe he's a masochist," Donovan whispered. They were both standing beside the swinging doors to the kitchen observing Dani with Jax.

"Five bucks she punches him again," Oliver tittered, causing both Donovan and Dolores to jump.

"You came out of nowhere Oliver. As for Dani, she wouldn't do that twice," Dolores said. "I've told her time and time again a woman has to be mysterious and unpredictable. I bet she throws a drink at him."

"And waste some Pepsi? I hope she punches him," Donovan said.

Oliver looked back at the handsome blonde man and frowned, "Are you interested in Dani too?"

Donovan looked at Dolores who was slightly shaking her head encouraging him to say no. Donovan was quick to pick up what Dolores meant and shook his head, "Not at all sir. I just think that detective guy isn't for her."

"Why do you say that?" Oliver Lee asked.

"Because...because he only orders the chicken strip platter," Donovan said weakly. "Real men eat beef?"

Oliver pointed to the kitchen, "Get back to work and stop thinking about Dani. Co-workers can't date."

Donovan gave a wry smile before heading back into the kitchen, leaving Dolores and Oliver alone.

"You sure are playing the overprotective boss card today. Not that I don't enjoy seeing a possessive man in action, but what gives Oliver?" Dolores asked.

"Dani deserves someone good. Her mother would've wanted that."

"Dani's mother? How would you know that? Did you know her Oliver?"

Oliver sighed, "I did. She was a very special woman. Just like Dani."

Dolores' mouth dropped open, "You've never mentioned this before! Does Dani know you knew her mother?"

"No. And I don't want her to find out either."

"Why not?"

"It's better for her...for us both if she doesn't ask questions," Oliver shared. "Besides, it never came up."

"And now that it's come up?" Dolores quipped.

"It hasn't. Not with Dani. I want it to stay that way. For her mother."

"Oliver, you can't keep this a secret. Dani has a right to know."

Oliver crossed his arms, "It would only hurt her. I just want the best for her. This detective seems okay but I won't like him if he's pestering Dani."

Dolores wanted to argue with Oliver but decided not to. She learned long ago that fighting with a stubborn man was like talking to the wall. Pointless.

They both turned back to Dani and Jax.

-----------

"Hey Dani," Jax raised a hand in greeting.

"I see you've returned," Dani said evenly. "I don't suppose you want some fries to go with that knuckle sandwich from earlier? Or maybe you just want seconds?"

"No thanks," Jax raised both hands in front of him. "I come in peace. I just wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Dani asked nonchalantly.

So she was going to drag it out of him? Jax sat in a booth, "Can we talk for a moment?"

It was twenty minutes until her shift was over but there weren't any other customers in the diner. She looked back at Oliver, her boss, who was standing next to Dolores...watching her. He nodded as if giving her permission to slack off.

"I'll give you five minutes," Dani said as she slid into the booth across Jax.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a dumbass earlier. I shouldn't have asked you to marry me as a joke. But in my defense it kind of just popped out. This mouth moves faster than my brain sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Okay," Jax relented. "Most times."

"Engaged men don't ask other women to marry them. It's just...rude."

"I'm not engaged, Dani. You knew that."

"Then why did you introduce that Sally lady to me?"

"I don't know. Another dumbass move on my part, I guess. She's another detective that was going to help me on an undercover case. We were supposed to be husband and wife attending some orientation at a fertility camp called Majestic Waters. Without going into any details, we think it might lead us to a woman's murderer. After that allergic reaction, she won't be able to be a part of the case. You sound upset. Were you jealous?"

"No way! I told you-"

"Yeah...yeah, you don't want a face to the name of the woman you'll feel sorry for. But explain to me why you got so upset and punched me? It was just a joke Dani."

"Jokes are supposed to be funny."

"Talk to me here Dani. Why did you get upset?"

Dani played with the sugar packets on the table, "I don't know. I think maybe I was upset because you came waltzing in here with your girlfriend but I didn't know anything about it. And I thought you and I were...you know."

"You and I were...?" Jax let his sentence drag on hoping she'd finish it.

"Friends."

Jax was surprised at the twinge of disappointment he felt when she answered.

"Aren't we friends, Jax?" Dani asked.

Roberto's words rang in Jax's mind. You're going to handle her with kid-gloves. Roberto was right. Maybe Dani thought of him as a friend because she didn't realize how she felt?  You always refer to her as a friend. Why would she think any differently? Jax wanted to kick himself for automatically assuming that Dani liked him.

"Of course we are."

"Then why didn't you tell me? Why did you make me think she really was your fiancee?"

Honesty was always the best policy, so Jax told the truth, "I don't know. I thought it would be funny if you became jealous. I wanted to see how you'd react."

"Why?"

"You're making this awkward Panda Eyes."

"How so?"

"Trust me, you're not ready to know. Do you forgive me?"

Dani looked down at the sugar packets she had played with and began reorganizing them. A few beats of silence had passed before she spoke, "Fine. I forgive you."

Jax felt his body relax, "Thank you."

Before Dani could stand up, Jax grabbed her hands, "Dani, before you get back to work, I need to ask you a favor."

"If you're going to ask me to marry you again, Jax Michaels...I swear I'll kick you in the ba-"

"Wait! I believe you," Jax smiled. "This is important. Please sit down." After she sat, he continued, "Dani, you remember me mentioning Vivian, right?"

"Of course. How could I forget?" Dani asked softly. "She was the love of your life."

"She was," Jax said, feeling Dani remove her hands from his. "The thing is...Vivian was everything. She was beautiful, smart, sexy as Hell, and-"

"Perfect," Dani said dryly.

Jax ignored the sarcasm from her, "Exactly. She was perfect. I always knew that she was my ideal. I trusted her and couldn't imagine caring for any other woman besides her. I thought that no woman would ever come close to her and if I did end up getting married to someone else...it'd be because I was settling."

An uneasiness settled in Dani's chest after hearing Jax's words, "I'm sorry Jax. The idea of pretending to be married to someone else must've been difficult for you."

"Let me finish Dani. I have to get this out."

Dani gave a terse nod and waited.

"When I was asked to pretend to be married to Sally for work, it didn't really hit me. It didn't bother me because it was for work. It was meaningless. It wasn't until I asked you to marry me that I realized something."

"What?"

"That I was wrong."

"I don't understand," Dani whispered.

"Somewhere in between my joke of a proposal, you clocking me one, and Roberto chastising my ass, I realized something. I realized that although Vivian was ideal...there are other women out there. Other women I can trust. Other women I can care about. To be specific...there's you."

"What are you saying?" Dani felt a rumbling of emotions she couldn't quite identify barging through her heart.

"I'm saying that I care about you Dani Deleon. And you can take that any way you want to. Any way you're ready to. However, while you're pondering the meaning of my words...I want to ask you a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Dani was relieved that he was changing the subject. She wasn't ready for the onslaught of emotions his words had triggered in her.

"I still need to visit Majestic Waters. I can't do it on my own. I would like you to be my fiancee and go with me."

"You want me to pretend to be married to you for an undercover operation? Isn't that illegal?"

Jax chuckled, "We're not technically going for work. We'll pose as ourselves. I'm asking you for a huge favor here. I want you to be my fiancee while I try to get some leads for Roberto. We're pulling at straws here trying to find a lead to this murder."

"So you want me to pretend to be your fiancee for an undercover operation that we're pretending isn't an undercover operation? Do I have that right?"

Jax nodded, "I think so."

"And I'd be your pretend fiancee except we're pretending it's not pretend."

"Right."

"This is so confusing," Dani muttered.

"Say you'll help me. It'll be fun, Dani. Panda Eyes and Apple Jax back in action."

Dani couldn't help but laugh at the earnest look on Jax's face. She wanted to help him and not just because he admitted that he cared about her. She wanted to help him because it made her feel stronger to do so. When they had been working on trying to figure out who The Maestro was, she felt important. Like she was more than just a waitress with a freaky gift to see someone's nightmares.

"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this but fine, I'll help you."

Jax gave a full smile, "If you're going to be my pretend fiancee, we should do this right."

Before Dani realized what he was doing, Jax got down on bended knee and pulled out a light blue box. He opened the box to reveal a yellow diamond engagement ring, "Dani Deleon. Panda Eyes...will you do me the honor of becoming my fiancee?" He leaned forward and whispered, "And please don't punch me again or kick me in the ba-"

A cheering sound from Dolores interrupted the moment and in a span of ten minutes, Dani was wearing the engagement ring Jax had bought an hour earlier and drinking champagne with Oliver, Dolores, and Jax.

Later that night, Dani, while on her bed, unexpectedly thought of Tammy Owens. No one had heard from her since she had quit the diner. She stared at the ring that Jax had given her. It looked expensive. As Jax was dropping Dani off, she had asked him, "Why a yellow diamond?"

His answer had made her feel a bit bubbly, "A unique woman deserves a unique ring."

She tried not to think of what Jax had said before proposing. Was he admitting to liking her more than a friend? She picked up the pamphlets she had been reading about Majestic Waters and placed them on the nightstand next to her bed before letting sleep take over.

A baby was crying, its high-pitched wail hurting her ears. There was blood everywhere. Where was it coming from?

"You did it! You gave us our child!"

She was still wearing her waitress uniform, now too big against her flat stomach. She reached out for her baby but a dark shadow held it.

"Please...give me my baby!"

"Oh no...I can't do that. Don't you remember. This child is mine. This child will be a miracle to my family."

"Then what about me? He's my child! What about me?"

The low voice ignored her and hummed to the child.

"Give me my baby!"

The child suddenly disappeared and the dark shadow grabbed her neck, squeezing until it ached, "It's time for you to go. Don't worry about the child. We'll take good care of him. He's the miracle to my family. The miracle to my family."

She tried to protest but only a muffled gurgle came out.

Dani awoke grabbing at her neck, taking deep breaths to keep from coughing. Why was Tammy still having nightmares?  Was Tammy really okay? Was she really with her family?

"This can't be right. It can't be," Dani muttered to herself.

She rubbed her palms against her face before reaching out to one of the pamphlets for Majestic Waters. Her hand shook as she read the pamphlet.

MAJESTIC WATERS

Where we help create the child that will be the miracle to your family.