Declan sat in the office, his hands shackled to the table the guard told him nothing just marched him into the small office. His wrist already raw from the handcuffs, his body ached he'd been attacked in the yard, the self appointed body guard nowhere to be found.

They got him as he stepped on the grass, a few guys causing a distraction while the others beat him, he was bruised all over his chest and back, his face had been bloodied.

"Your attorney's here" a guard poked his head in and announced, "just getting cleared, he will be in any minute"

"Ok" Declan answered, he knew a hearing was coming up and he was hopeful, he didn't think he could last six more months, he knew damn well he wouldn't last the six years left in his sentence.

The door opened again and his attorney stepped in mumbling something under his breath, shaking his head he closed the door.

"How are you kid?" He asked as he opened his briefcase, as soon as he laid on eyes on Declan he knew the answer, "Ouch! Did you go to the infirmary?"

"I'm fine" He had refused medical attention and wouldn't roll on who had done it to him, "what are the odds of me getting out of here?" He ran his free hand over his head, he would never get used to the crew cut.

"Excellent" he sat down smiling ear to ear, "you've got friends in high places kid" he slid a document over to him, "read it"

He quickly scanned it, "Wait a second" he looked up from the document, "how?"

The attorney laughed, "I don't have a clue, it arrived at my office yesterday and I just had it verified with the judge"

"This is insane, when?" Declan asked.

The guard returned keys in hand, "Looks like you've been praying to the right people" he muttered as he took the handcuffs off Declan, "Burgess, you aren't like the people here, you're a good kid who made a horrible choice. Don't make another one, I don't want to see your scrawny ass back here"

Declan smiled, "Trust me, you won't" he rubbed his wrists, "Can we go?"

"Yea, let's go"

"Can you step out of the vehicle" she asked her, "what are you doing here?"

Katrina slowly opened the door, "I'm going to get my id from my purse, I work here" she told the officer, "I came in early to get some work done before the children arrive"

The officer took the ID and went back to the patrol car, Katrina leaned against her car her thoughts drifting to Tanner the fight they had this morning was ugly she needed to put distance between them.

"Alright Ms.Cameron, you're good" the officer returned the ID to her, "have a good day"

"You too, Officer" she gathered her things from the trunk and went inside.

"You probably should drink that instead of staring at it" Adam told Kim her hands gripping the mug, "he isn't up yet?" He kissed her cheek.

"Huh?"Kim asked, she had been unable to sleep Anthony's words still ringing in her ears.

"I said you should probably drink that" he pulled a chair alongside her, "C'mon, it's okay" he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, "he still sleeping?"

She nodded getting up from the table and pouring the coffee down the sink, "He's not going to school today Adam" she didn't think she could send him back to that woman, "why would she tell him?"

Adam leaned against the counter, "I don't know"

Harper came in from the living room, "Daddy, I want cookie!" She smiled, knowing Adam would give her one.

"Here baby" Kim said handing over a chocolate chip cookie, "I don't have the strength to fight with her, Adam, I'm worried about Anthony"

Anthony pulled the picture from the jeans pocket tossing the jeans on the floor and stuck the picture under his pillow and went into the living room.

"Hey Buddy" Adam greeted him, "how are you"

Anthony sat down on the couch and changed the channel on the television, cartoons replacing the morning news.

Kim went behind Adam, "Will you talk to him, I'm going to get his laundry together" she made herself scarce.

"What are you watching?" Adam asked sitting next to him.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Anthony replied his eyes glued to the screen.

"We need to talk" Adam told him, "what you said last night, why did you say that?" He was careful as to not put words in his mouth or lead him in any direction.

"I don't know" his shoulders slumped, his thumb going to his mouth.

Adam pulled his thumb out, "You're a big boy, don't suck your thumb, and you do know why you said it. It hurt your mom's feelings, and mine too"

"Are you my real dad? Or a pretend one?" Anthony asked, "because she's my pretend mommy" he pointed to a picture of Kim, his eyes searching Adam's for answers.

"What do you mean?" Adam turned the television off, "who told you that?"

"No one. I just knows it" he lied, "Did Harper grow in her belly?"

Kim filled the hamper with the dirty clothes and started pulling the sheets off when she noticed the picture fall to the floor. She picked it up, and was shocked to see a smiling Wendy and who she recognized as Katrina Cameron. If there was any doubt at all who had told Anthony it was erased.

"Yes Harper grew in her belly" Adam told his son, "but it doesn't matter whose belly you  grew in, she loves you"

Anthony folded his arms across his chest, "I don't want her" his bottom lip jutting out, "I don't want a pretend mommy, I want a real mommy"

Kim stopped dead in her tracks, "Adam?" She held the picture out, "look"

He took the picture from her hand, "where was this?"

"On his bed, she must've given it to him" Kim whispered.

Adam went back to Anthony, "Who gave this to you?"

Anthony snatched it out of his hand, "She's my mommy, not her!" He yelled pointing at Kim, "I want this mommy" his finger on Wendy's face, "She's Harper's mommy not mine" Anthony ran from the couch the door to his bedroom slamming shut.

"Alright, time for art" Katrina announced, helping the kids line up, "Ms.Reynolds, will you walk the children? I'd like to see about Anthony, it's unusual for him to miss school"

"Of course" Ms.Reynolds said, "you know that stomach bug is making the rounds again"

Katrina waited until the class was gone before calling down to the office to see if anyone knew where Anthony was.

"You aren't going to work?" Kim asked Adam.

"No, not with everything that's going on" he told her, "our son is confused, he needs us both to help him understand this"

"What are you going to tell him?" Kim sat beside him on the couch, Harper out cold at the other end of the couch, "he's just a little boy, why would she hurt him like this?"

Adam sighed, "We will tell him the truth" he kissed her, "I'm going to be calling the school, I will have that woman's job"

"Thanks for taking her Annie" Kim smiled as she handed Harper over they wanted to be able to talk to Anthony without any distractions and it was obvious Harper was one.

"He's gonna be okay Kim, he loves you he's just confused. Please tell me my brother is going to talk to that bitch"

Kim folded her arms, "She's the least of our concerns right now, Anthony is hurt"

"Why can't I go to school? It's PE day today!" Anthony stomped his foot, "why do I have to stay home?"

Adam kneeled in front of him, "We need to talk about some thing, you need to understand what happened"

"About my real mommy?" His hands on his hips, "will you tell me about her?"

Adam groaned, "Anthony, you have a real mom, and she's the best"

"Ms. Cameron said-" he stopped mid-sentence.

"What?" Adam said, "what did Ms.Cameron say?"

Anthony played with the car, Adam slammed his hand on the table "Damn it! What did she say!"

Kim came running in, "Adam, don't yell at him!" she scooped him up in her arms, "don't yell at him"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Adam said rubbing his son's back, Anthony's face buried in Kim's neck, "you just need to tell us what she said little man"

Anthony lifted his head, "but she said it was a secret"

"Thanks for bringing me clothes" Declan said as he changed, "my mom, she doesn't know right?"

"Nope, I didn't want to mention it, I thought you may enjoy just showing up at the house"

Declan smiled, "Yeah, I think I will" he climbed in the car, thankful to be in a car again and in clothes that fit.

They sat in the living room Anthony on Adam's lap, "Anthony, we want to tell you about your biological mom" Adam started, "biological means, she helped to make you" he was struggling to explain it.

"What your daddy is saying is you grew in her belly, and you are a part of her" Kim told him, knowing that was all he needed to know at this point, she wasn't ready to give her five year old a biology lesson and Adam was headed down that path.

"Okay" Anthony said, "you're my biologic daddy?" He asked Adam struggling to say the word.

"Yes, I am" Adam replied, taking Kim's hand in his.

"Ms.Cameron said my mommy was in a car crash and went to heaven" Anthony finally admitted, "she gave me the picture of her and mommy"

Kim felt her heart shatter every time he referred to Wendy as 'mommy'.

"She was Anthony, so was your dad. It was a really bad accident, and your mommy" her voice cracking just the tiniest bit, not going unnoticed by Adam, "well, she hurt her head and the doctors tried but they couldn't fix it, but you know what?"

"What?"

"The doctors, they saved you. Your mommy kept you safe in her belly long enough for the doctors to save you" she smiled through the tears, "Your daddy was so happy that they saved you, I was too" she told him.

"You knew me when I was in her belly?" He asked climbing out of Adam's lap.

"Well, sort of I knew your mommy a little bit, and I worked with daddy" she explained.

"That's right, you used to be a police officer too" he smiled, "but you had to take care of me, so you stopped"

"I did, and taking care of you is the best job I've ever had" she held his hand, "I love you Anthony with all of my heart, you know that, right?"

He nodded, "but I'm not from your belly, like Harper" he said sadly, "you didn't make me" he climbed in her lap.

"You're right, I didn't make you but that doesn't mean I don't love you" she embraced him, "I know it's confusing and maybe even sad, but your mommy loved you"

He climbed out of her lap, "Can I go play?"

Adam smiled, "yes, of course." He waited until Anthony was in his room, "come here" he held his arms open for Kim, "are you alright?"

She leaned into him her head on his chest, "No, but I will be. Do you think he understands?"

"I don't know, it's a lot to process. He sat with you though, he knows you love him. Honestly I think he may be a little envious of Harper" he ran his hand through her hair.

"Do you think he's old enough to take to the cemetery?" She asked wiping her eyes, "I think he'd like to bring her flowers"

Adam pulled her close, kissing her "Do you realize how amazing you are?" He whispered short of breath, his face just inches from her's "he's the luckiest little boy having you in his life"

She laughed, "I don't know about that"

"I do" he told her, "and I think taking him to the cemetery is a great idea" he stood up, "I'm gonna go get him"

"How's Charlie?" Trey asked, he had a few hours between classes, "she still moping around?"

Helen glared at him, "She just misses her brothers, first you left and now Declan" she mumbled as she went through the bills, "maybe you could take her to a movie or something, life her spirits"

"Yea, I can swing that" he smiled, "you sure I can't help with some of these" he asked picking up a handful of bills.

"Save your money" the doorbell ringing, "but you can answer the door" she smiled.

"Am I going to school?" Anthony asked, "I don't want to go" he told them from the backseat.

"No, you aren't going to school. We're taking you somewhere special" Kim told him, "then maybe we will go get lunch, sound good?"

"Buffalo Wild Wings?"

"If that's what you want, pal" Adam told him.

Adam held Anthony as they made their way to Wendy's grave, "whats that?" Anthony asked when they finally arrived, Adam setting Anthony down.

"This is your mommy's grave, this is where you can come to visit her" Adam explained, "all you have to do is ask and we will bring you"

Anthony sat on the ground, his hands tracing the letters on the tombstone, he looked over his shoulder at Kim, "but you're my mommy still, right?" He sounded insecure, his voice wavering.

"Of course, Anthony, I will always be your mommy. I love you" she sat beside him, "you've got two Mommies, one who kept you safe in her belly and helped you grow and me, I will help keep you safe now and help you grow and love you always, is that okay?"

He climbed in her lap wrapping his arms around her neck, "I love you mommy" he smiled at her, "can I get chicken nuggets and double French fries?"

Kim laughed, "ah, there's my little boy, always hungry!"

Adam helped Kim up off the ground, "Let's go get some grub!"

Trey nearly fell over when he opened the door, "uh, hey Ma!" He yelled, "it's for you"

Helen rounded the corner, "Declan?"

"Hey Mom" he smiled stepping inside, "I'm home" he caught her as she raced into his arms, "I don't know how, but they reduced my sentence to time served"

"Are you okay?" She gave him a once over, "you're skinny, come eat" she wiped the tears away, "what do you want?"

She hurried off into the kitchen, "Hey Decs?" Trey said.

"Yea?"

"Welcome home" he hugged him.

"Thanks!"