Declan sat on the bus shackles on his ankles and handcuffs on his wrists, as soon as the sun rose the police picked him up, he didn't even get to see his uncle. The sun had been replaced by storm clouds, rain slamming on the road he was certain he wouldn't see the sun any time soon.

His mother scream's as they led him out of the hospital still ringing in his ears, he had left a note for Adam and he hoped he would see it.

"Please take it easy Adam" Kim begged him as he paced the small hospital room already out of the hospital gown and dressed still connected to the IV, "you're going to end up ripping your IV out"

"I need to know what's going on" Adam told her, his body still ached, he was surprised to learn he hadn't broken his ribs just nasty contusions and some lacerations "have you spoken to Helen?"

Kim nodded, "they've already transported Declan to Cook County" she had checked in on Declan when she first arrived saddened to see he was already gone, "Adam you couldn't have stopped it, he is in a lot of trouble"

Adam sat down on the bed, "I feel like I let him down, I should have seen the signs Kim" he ran his hand through his hair, "I'm sorry"

Kim put her hand on his shoulder, "Don't you dare Adam, you didn't fail him! You saved his life risking your own in the process. I love my nephew, but he made the choice to sell drugs, he made the choice to take those drugs. This isn't on you, it's on Declan"

He grabbed her waist, "I didn't think I was going to see you again, that they'd kill me" he said softly, he brought his hand to her cheek, "I don't ever want to lose you" he kissed her, her hands playing with his hair, "find a doctor, get me out of here" he said as she kissed his neck, "or some nurse might walk in on us in that bed"

Kim rested her forehead on his, "you know your sister and Derek stayed at our house, we won't be able to do what you want when we get home" she laughed.

"We live in a massive house, I'm sure we can manage to pull it off" he smiled tucking her hair behind her ear.

"C'mon Anthony, you need to eat" Annie begged him, Harper happily eating the muffins  she had baked earlier, "they're chocolate chip" she held one under his nose, "I used the big chips"

He folded his arms, jutting his bottom lip out, "No!" He jumped down from the table and ran into his bedroom, slamming the door.

Derek joined her in the kitchen, "Hey, he's just scared, he doesn't realize Adam's okay, he doesn't understand" he hugged her, "why don't you take Harper and Drew outside for a little while the fresh air will be good for them" he told her cleaning the mess up, "and I will talk to Anthony"

"You're the best, Kim's bringing Adam home in a little while so hopefully Anthony's mood will improve" she smiled.

Tyler was coloring when Jay came into the living room, cup of coffee in hand, "Watcha doing son?" He sat on the coffee table.

"Coloring" he told him, fishing a blue crayon out of box, "you wanna?" He held the blue crayon out for Jay.

"Yea, sure" he smiled. Jay watched Tyler out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but smile, the tip of Tyler's tongue sticking out of his mouth as he concentrated on coloring, just like Erin did anytime she was deep in thought.

"When is the baby gonna get here?" He put the crayon down, "mommy's belly is getting really big, like a balloon" he covered his mouth trying to hide his giggles, "it won't pop, right?" His eyes suddenly serious.

"Tyler Henry Halstead!" Erin shouted from the hallway, "My stomach will not pop" she told him, feeling horrible when he started to cry, "Oh, baby I wasn't mad at you, don't cry" she looked over at Jay, "help me out here?"

"Mommy won't pop pal" he grinned, "c'mon let's go get you some chocolate milk" he took Tyler's hand and led him in to the kitchen.

Anthony and Derek were playing basketball in the drive way, "Uncle Derek, you stink at basketball, just like my dad" he laughed as Derek tried to make a three point shot, "Uncle Kevin says you need to stick to football"

Derek laughed, "I bet he did"

The familiar BMW pulling in, "Annie! Your brother is home" Derek yelled in the front door, "just pulled up"

Annie quickly set a sleeping Drew in the pack and play and grabbed Harper meeting them outside.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Anthony yelled waiting for Adam to get out of the car, Derek lifting him in his arms in an effort to keep him from hurting Adam.

Kim supported his arm as he exited the car, "Anthony! Anthony!" Adam joked, "come here son"

"Adam, be careful" Kim told him, though she knew he needed to hold his children, he had cried in her arms last night about how he feared he would never see them again.

"Did a bad man do it?" Anthony asked.

"Don't worry about it, I'm okay" he kissed his cheek, "where's your sister?"

"Daddy" Harper screamed as she ran to him, "up! up!" She demanded.

Annie could feel her eyes well up with tears, "Don't cry little sister, I'm okay" Adam told her.

She wiped her eyes, "I know you are, I'm just relieved, that's all"

Derek extended his hand to Adam, "It's good to have you home and in one piece"

Adam sat on the couch, his watched as Kim interacted with the children. He could feel Annie's eyes on him, he turned to face her "What?"

She clutched a tissue in her hand, "It's silly"

He shook his head, "I don't think it is, not if it upset you. What's going on?" He grabbed a throw pillow holding it against his chest trying to ease the pain.

"You're hurting?"

"It's nothing, don't change the subject"

Annie moved closer to him, "I was just really scared yesterday, I've heard all the stories of you being hurt and I remember when you got shot last year" her voice trailed off, "I guess it's just gonna take some time to get over the fear"

He wrapped his arm around her, "I'm okay, just got my ass kicked. I'm fine" he kissed her forehead.

"This time" she whispered, "but what about the next time?"

Amy sat on the deck listening to the birds and they played in the bird bath, Bob at her side "He's going to be the death of me" she remarked, "he took at least five years off my life" a smile forming.

Bob chuckled, "that boy does keep us on our toes, always has hasn't he?"

Amy faced him, "Remember when we got him that skateboard, he was what thirteen?" She smiled at the memory "he wasn't on it an hour before he ended up breaking his leg trying to jump off that little wall at park"

"I do, he sent poor Billy Baker to the house" he laughed as he remembered how scared Billy was, "Adam likes to make things interesting"

Adam was lying in the bed, sleep had been difficult in the hospital, "Adam?" Kim asked trying to determine if he was sleeping, "you awake?"

He brought his arm down from his face, "I'm up, I was just resting" he sat up against the headboard, "where are the kids? It's pretty quiet"

Kim sat beside him on the bed, "Annie and Derek have them, they went to see your dad and Amy" she ran her fingers over the lacerations on his face, "what did they do to you?"

He took her hand, "I don't want to talk about it"

"Adam, please tell me" Kim asked, she needed to know for her own peace of mind "trust me, I'm sure what I'm imagining is far worse than what actually happened"

He brought his hand to her cheek, his eyes locked on hers, "Kim" he said softly before his lips landed on her's he pulled her on top of him, "I don't want to talk" his hands in her hair.

He noticed a tear slide down her cheek, he wiped it away, "what's wrong?" He asked trying to catch his breath.

Kim turned on her side, "I thought this was going to be the time you didn't come home" she broke down, "that your luck had finally run out"

"I'm always coming home to you, always"

---NOTE----

The next chapter will be Linstead based, I know many of you have been waiting for it and it's coming!!!

I'd love to bring Sean Roman back in this so I'm working on that too!