Hate Love (for Nolee)

"She knows it's just how I behave," Lucas shrugged, "I've been like this ever since my wife left me and took our kids."

Cody frowned and nodded, showing he understood. "I still think you should try and see them..." He said softly.

"It's up to Dana if she will let me see the kids or not..." Lucas replied.

Cody nodded. "Still wouldn't hurt to ask...you have a right to see them too if they're yours." He said softly, gently stroking Lucas' cheek with one hand.

"Would you be willing to be a dad?" Lucas asked, looking at him and kissing the palm of his hand. "If I got custody that is."

"I um..." Cody said, a surprised look on his face. "I hadn't thought about that..." He looked as if he was going to say something else, but decided not to, curling closer to Lucas instead.

Lucas looked at him, "You're not ready for kids...are you?"

"It's not that..." Cody said, slowly shaking his head. "Just...past issues."

"You can tell me," Lucas smiled softly.

"It's...complicated." Cody said quietly, trying not to frown.

"Complicated?" asked Lucas, sitting up a bit. "Complicated how?"

"Everything involving Ted ends up complicated..." Cody shrugged, stalling while he tried to think of how to explain it.

"So it involves Ted?" asked Lucas softly.

"Yeah..." Cody said, sighing. "Most things involving my past do, unfortunately."

"Well what about this one," Lucas softly asked.

"Well..." Cody said, hesitating and sitting up before continuing, speaking quietly. "...Ted has a son."

"Ted has a son? How does that pertain to-" Lucas looked down at him, "by Ted has a son...you mean the two of you have a son, don't you?"

"Um...sort of?" Cody said quietly, leaning away slightly as if he expected Lucas to be angry, though it was more an old reflex from when he'd told Ted things in the past that he knew Ted wouldn't like hearing.

"I'm not angry," Lucas replied softly, "just shocked. How come I haven't met him yet?"

Cody frowned and looked away, though he relaxed again knowing Lucas wasn't angry. "Because like Nolee, I don't have him...only I don't actually know where he is." He said quietly.

"Ted took him from you? Oh Codes, I'm so sorry," Lucas replied softly.

"I'm not even sure why he did..." Cody sighed. "I just hope he's alright."

"We'll find him," Lucas swore, "he's your kid. I couldn't just sit by and watch you worry over a son you never met. I swear, even if I have to make DiBiase Sr tell us where your son is, we'll find him."

"I have met him," Cody said, a small smile on his face at what Lucas said. "Though I haven't seen him since he was only a few years old."

"Well we'll get him back," Lucas nodded, "my girls and your boy can grow up together."