She sat in the car a minute, trying to gather the courage to face him. She took a deep breath and made her way to the front door of the sprawling house, amazed at how well he was living now.

"Who is it Darlin', it's a bit late for visitors" Adam sat up his head pounding, "it's not a reporter, right?"

"Oh, no" she told him, "Worse" she couldn't believe her eyes, "it's your mother"

"This is a nightmare, except I'm not sleeping" Bob said as he read the latest news article written about Adam, "my boy is a good cop, he doesn't deserve this" he tossed the newspaper on the table, "have you spoken to him today?"

Amy nodded, "they were here for a little bit this afternoon, he's not very happy. He's more worried about Kim than he is about himself" it was typical of her stepson to not be concerned with how things would impact him, but how it would impact those he loved.

Adam jumped up from the couch, "what the hell?" he went to the front door, "she isn't stepping foot in this house" he opened the door, "stay here" he told Kim.

Linda saw him walking towards her, "Adam, please can we talk" she pleaded with him, "I saw the news and I just hate this for you" she told him, "I want to fix us"

He laughed, "Yea right, you don't care about me" he told her, "that was obvious the day you stole my infant daughter from the hospital just hours after she was born"

"It was a mistake Adam, I'm sorry" she told him.

"I'm not gonna tell you again, you need to leave. I'm not a little boy I don't need a mother" he was in her face, "I want nothing to do with you, stay away from my family and that includes the sister you tried to keep from me"

"Please Adam, just hear me out"

"No" he turned and went inside, leaving her standing on the steps to his porch.

Anthony bounced on the bed over a sleeping Adam, "Dad, it's time to get up!" He yelled, "mommy said so"

"I'm up buddy, what's going on?" Adam asked grabbing Anthony mid jump and wrapping his arms around him, kissing the little boy's neck.

"Uncle Al is here," he said between giggles, "Uncle Hank too, they said it's important" he told him, "so mommy said get up!"

Adam groaned, "alright, go tell mommy I will be right there" he sent Anthony on his way, and got dressed.

"Daddy's coming" Anthony told them as he climbed in Al's lap.

"Hey Boss" Adam shook Hank's hand, "Al"

"We came to bring you these" Hank said handing over Adam's gun and badge, "he dropped the lawsuit, and left town"

Adam took them "what happened?"

"Don't worry, just get your ass into work tomorrow" Hank said.

Anthony pointed at Hank, "oh! You said a bad word, you need to put dollars in the jar, right mommy"

"No baby, that's just Daddy, Uncle Hank doesn't have to" Kim laughed.

Hank pulled his wallet out, "here you go kid, sorry about that bad word" he smiled handing Anthony a ten dollar bill, "don't let your dad take it from you"

Adam sat on the couch, "Boss, whatever you did, thank you"

Hank smiled, "I don't know what you're talking about" he winked, "let's go O"

Annie put Drew's seat next to her feet while she sat on the bench, she hoped everyone would understand why she needed to do this.

"Annie!" She called out as she embraced her, "It's been too long"

Annie tensed in her arms, "I'm sorry Mom, can we not rush this" she still was angry, "I want to get back to what we used to be especially since I have Drew now, but it's going to take some time"

Linda nodded, "I get it, I'm just glad you're willing to give me a chance. Your brother wasn't so receptive, even told me to stay away from you, which I'm assuming means he doesn't know you reached out to me"

She was afraid of this, "I have yet to tell him, or my dad. I don't think either one will be happy, but they'll get over it"

Linda laughed, "I don't know, those Ruzek men can be stubborn" she glanced in Drew's direction, "can I hold him?"

Annie unbuckled him, "of course" she handed him to her.

Linda felt her heart jump, she sniffed his head "he's precious" memories of Anthony and Adam as babies rushing back to her, "he looks a lot like your brothers" she felt misty eyed.

"I wish I could have known Anthony" Annie said, "and Adam when I was younger, why did you keep me from my dad?"

Linda sighed, "I was selfish, it's the one thing I've learned. I'm sorry for that, I know it will never be enough nor will it make up for all the time you missed with your father and Adam but it's all I have"

"Mom, be patient with Adam, he will come around. He's a good man, and I know he will come around eventually"

"From your lips"

"Good to have you back Ruzek!" Jay told him as he made his way to his desk, "when's that cast coming off?"

"Two weeks, so I'm stuck at this desk but it's better than being suspended" he smiled, "how's it been?"

"Dead. Though we really shouldn't complain, right?" Jay said, "Erin wants to have you guys over for dinner this weekend, she wants Kim to call her"

"I will tell her"

"Desk duty sucks balls" Adam said as he undressed, "how was your day?" He asked as he locked his service weapon in the safe.

"It was good, it's nice to not have the media calling every five minutes" she pulled down the covers for him, "I missed you though"

He kissed her, "I missed you too" he laid his head on the pillow, "Jay said Erin wants us over for dinner the weekend, can we come up with some excuse?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, things have been so crazy lately I just like to lay low for a little bit" he told her, between the mess with the guy from the bar and his mother making an appearance he was emotionally drained, "I just want to shut the world out, and just be with you and the kids"

"That's a wonderful idea Adam, but we can't hide from the world" she told him, "Annie is coming for breakfast tomorrow, she said she needed to talk to you" she wasn't sure what was up.

"Did she say why?"

"Nope, but I think it's just her and the baby"

Adam groaned, "I swear if Derek did something, I will kill him"

"Relax Adam, I don't think it has anything to do with Derek" she told him, "it sounded important but she didn't seem upset"

Adam pulled her to him, "come here you, enough talking" he said as he kissed her.

"Where's Uncle Derek?" Anthony asked as he finished his cereal.

"He had to go to work buddy" Annie told him, her stomach a mess. She wished she would have waited until he got off she wasn't sure she could handle this alone.

"Adam should be right out, he was in the shower" Kim told her, "how's this guy doing?" She asked as she held him in her arms, "he's adorable, he reminds me of Anthony when he was a baby"

"He's great, such a happy little guy. Derek is amazing with him" she knew she was rambling.

"Hey sis" Adam said as he kissed the top of her head, "what brings you by?"

He fixed a cup of coffee before sitting down, "Where's Derek?"

"He's working" she told him, "Look, I need to tell you something and I hope you'll understand where I'm coming from" she told him wasting no time, "it's about our mother"

Adam put the mug down, "Not my favorite subject" he grumbled, "just tell me"

Annie expected this, "I've been seeing her, well it's just been the one time but I'm meeting her again in a few days, Derek too" she blurted out, "I hope you don't mind"

Adam stood up and went to the sink dumping the contents of his cup down the drain, "I gotta go" he said grabbing his keys and work bag and leaving with out another word.

Kim went after him, "Adam! Come back" she called out.

"Can't, I gotta go" he told her as he shut the door to his truck and drove off.