Emma POV:

Ms. Adams had died in a car accident that weekend, her car had slid off the road on black ice and was cast into a twenty foot ditch. We were all pretty shocked because it was so sudden. What was going to happen? Was the project over? I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted it to be. I was pretty sure that I could stand to not have to deal with Devon and it would give me more time to focus on passing my classes but I would miss my baby girl like there was no tomorrow.

"Can I talk to you for a minute" a man’s voice disrupted me from my mental dispute. As I glanced up, I groaned. Devon. He had disappeared that night and hadn't returned since, but I had seen him at the park a few days later. Only in the distance but I was sure that it was him. He had taken to creeping around, he desperately wanted to be a part of the project but couldn't make himself for some reason.

"What?" I hadn't had much patience with him since that night, for a good reason I may add. After I dealing with a newborn on my own and trying to continue to pass my other classes, I was tired and not the most pleasant person to be around.

“We need to talk" I looked up at him and shot him a questioning glare, I held Alliyah closer to me and nodded to tell him to continue. He sighed, a sigh I had gotten used to, and sat down next to me. I shifted away without even realizing it and he winced. I shrugged an apology and waited for him to continue.

“You remember how I said I wanted a chance?” He asked and I immediately blushed. He smiled when I muttered “How could I forget” and I blushed even deeper. He cleared his throat and continued. “And then how I said forget it and left” the smile fell from my face and I nodded. He paused and I waited momentarily. It seemed as though he couldn’t find the words.

"What is your point from all this?" I asked and his eyes flew to mine. I mustered up some confidence that I didn't really feel and prepared myself for the harsh truth, whatever that may be.

"I want to be a part of Alliyah's life." he said quickly and then winced slightly as he looked at me. I stared back at him, he had a habit of reducing me to a shocked silence.

"Excuse me?" I asked when I finally found my words. What was going on? At the end of the project he just suddenly wants to be a part of my daughters life? She doesn’t even know him, she knows me. Only me. She is mine. The thought flew through my mind until I didn’t hear his words when he first said them, but then his words hit me fast and hard.

"Well since it was extended and all and the new teacher changed all the rules... I just thought that maybe I judged this project a bit too quickly and that maybe I would like to know Alliyah." he rambled on but I had stopped listening again.

"What did you just say?" slowly I shifted Alliyah up and held her close to my chest. How could they just replace a teacher so quickly? And how did they manage to convince the new teacher to continue the project.

"Well Ms. Adams died and all, you knew that. So they replaced her with some guy... like Mr. B- something and he decided to continue the baby project." he paused to take a breath and I had to stop myself from demanding that he continue faster.

"He decided that each 'couple' is going to be moved to a different city and we have to raise the baby as a family. That didn’t change much. But the difference is that its for a year." His eyes flashed in panic as he saw what I felt in my eyes, I was hyperventilating. I had to deal with him for an entire year? My stomach twisted into knots and head spun.

Suddenly he took Alliyah from my arms and I reached out for her again, angry. "What the heck give her back"

As the edges of my vision faded to black and I realized I was going to faint, I was grateful that he had realized what was happening before I had or I might have dropped her. I slowly melted to the floor and darkness enveloped me. Exhaustion took over and the last thing I heard him say was;

"Yeah I thought so... Alliyah wave bye bye to Mommy. We'll see her in a few hours, when we get home.”

I groaned and darkness fell upon me.

When I woke, It wasn't instant that I realized something was wrong. The sun was shining through the window with billowy white curtains blowing from a warm breeze. The sky was bright blue and I smiled in content. When I rolled over to try to go back to sleep I hit something. A wall. Of male skin.

"What the hell!" I yelled as I jumped from the bed. The very same bed that I had just realized, is not my bed. And room that was in, is not my room. The window and the curtains, not my window or my curtains! Heck. I dont even have curtains on my windows, I have blinds.

"Shh!" The man whom I had rolled into, turned to face me. Devon. I probably should have known. "You're going to wake the baby! Shut up will you!" he whisper shouted at me. Shocked at him I whipped around looking for what was mine, Alliyah.  Not finding her in the crib I stalked over to him, angrier than I had ever been before.

"Where is my baby?" I kept my voice menacing and low, I saw his eyes widen in fear but he quickly covered it up with a smug smile. He pointed to his side of the bed and I looked over him to see my tiny little girl, cuddled up next to him. Fast asleep with a tiny smile on her face. Internally, I melted. I let myself believe in all that is cliche'. That she loves her daddy and everything is going to work out in the next year and that maybe her mommy and daddy will end up together... wait. Where did that come from.

"Well she does love her daddy and the daddy loves the mommy so, it has the potential of working out in the next year... I guess it just depends on the mommy." Devon said nonchalantly as he picked the baby girl up gently and placed her in my arms. She shifted in her sleep and I took a moment to admire her adorableness.

"Umm... what did you just say?" My brain must not be working right from all of the sleep I just had... Because I'm sure that what just came out of his mouth could possibly be true. I hate him, he hates me, its a mutual hateationship.

"Ask Alliyah" he replied with a wink and walked out the door of the bedroom. I sighed, used to his confusing contradictions and kissed my sweet girl on her forehead. She smiled slightly and I just about melted. This baby was going to be so spoiled when she learned how to talk. Anything she asked me for was going to be hers, some way or another. It was hard to believe that she was now a month old. A month and two days to be exact. She sighed in her sleep and I tucked her into her crib, turning to head downstairs. I was going to have to talk to Devon about Co-Sleeping, I didn't like it and it wasn't safe.

As I walked past another doorway in the strange new house I had found myself in, I saw movement in the room. I slowed and then stopped, taking in the view. He was changing his shirt and I took a moment to, appreciate, his physique. I smiled to myself as he flexed the muscles in his back and lifted the navy blue shirt over his head. As he turned to the side, I got a nice view of his gorgeous abs that just about made my mouth water and I blushed slightly as I hid behind the doorway.

"Enjoying the show?" Laughter was evident in his voice as he turned to face me, a grin on his face. My face flushed as I turned away and ran down the hall, his laughter following me the whole way.