Declan picked up another crushed can, part of his release was many hours of community service, he got stuck cleaning garbage up of the highways. He'd been out of jail for a month now, Adam never admitting to having a part in his sudden release. He was struggling to get back into a 'normal' routine though he knew it wouldn't come easy.

"Alright, Burgess, you're done" the driver called out from the van, "let's go"

Declan sighed, "Alright"

"Ya gotta quit moping" he told him, "you're out, try and enjoy it"

Except his life would never be the same, he was 17 and should be a senior in high school but he was tried as an adult and expelled from The Lawton Academy, he ended up getting his GED while on the inside. Now? He had nothing going for him, his mornings spent picking garbage up off the road and the rest of the day spent in his bedroom.

Trey had attempted to reach out to him but as much as Trey would like to think he understood what he had been through, it wasn't even close.

Pulling up in front of his house pulled him from his thoughts, "Thanks"

"See you tomorrow?"

Declan looked over his shoulder, "yep" he then retreated into the house.

"Hey Boss, city development is here" Paul called out to Tanner, "they look pissed"

Tanner set his coffee on the tailgate, "finish moving the sheet rock, looks like rain and I don't want to eat all that rock" he set the blueprints in the cab of his truck, "where are they?"

"Suits, by the port-a-john" he pointed in the direction of the two men.

"Can I help you?" Tanner asked adjusting his hard hat.

The taller of the two men responded, "You the foreman?"

Tanner smiled, "Owner, actually. You are?"

"I'm with city development, seems your permits are expired. You're shut down" he handed him the paperwork.

Tanner was blown away, "What the hell? I've filed everything correctly, this is bullshit!" He could envision the money he'd lose this because of this, reading the cease and desist order, "I gotta shut down now?"

"Yes, and clear out"

He kicked at the gravel, "Can I appeal this? Resubmit the paperwork?" He asked, this was the biggest job he'd had since they moved to Chicago.

"You can try" he mumbled as they left the site.

Tanner stood in complete and utter shock, "Shut it down fellas" he yelled to his crew, he had no fucking clue what he was going to tell his client.

Adam hated that he was getting home again after the kids had gone to bed, he just hoped Kim was up.

The case they had just wrapped hit way too close to home for the members of the intelligence unit, any case that involved children did. This one was different the kids never stood a chance, their own parents pimping them out, it made him want to throw up.

The door to their bedroom closed, a light streaming from the bottom of the door, he carefully opened it. He could hear muffled cries coming from their bathroom, "Hey, baby" he went to sit beside her on the edge of the tub, "what's wrong?" He asked rubbing her back, she pointed to the floor.

"All of them negative" she gestured to the empty boxes, "I really thought this time I was pregnant" she whimpered.

"Ah, come on. Don't cry" he kissed her forehead, "Just means we have to keep trying" he smirked.

She removed herself from his arms, "it's not funny Adam" she went into the bedroom.

He followed her, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to make you smile" he sat on the bed, pulling his shirt over his head. "How's was Anthony's day?" He needed to change the subject.

"He's still miserable, says his new teacher is mean" she wiped at her eyes, "He keeps asking to be in her class again"

Adam shook his head, "why they still have her working there I will never understand" he put his gun in the safe, "how's Harper?"

"She's good" Kim said as she turned on her side, "I'm exhausted" she turned the light off, "good night Adam"

He sighed, "good night" he didn't know how to comfort her, they'd been trying for months to get pregnant and he was beginning to think that it would never happen.

"I'm sick!" Anthony declared at the breakfast table, "my head hurts and so does my tummy"

Adam put the iPad down, "You know it's Saturday, right?"

Anthony cocked his head to the side, "it is?"

"Yes, it is. Do you still feel sick?" Adam asked him, a smile spreading across his face.

"No" he said softly, "Why can't Ms.Cameron be my teacher again? She was nice, Ms. Capuano is mean" he folded his arms, "I want Ms.Cameron, she's my mommy's friend"

Adam tried to stifle the anger he felt, "You can't, end of discussion, Son" he said as he dumped his mug into the sink. 

"But-" Anthony whined.

"Son, that's it"  Adam told him once more, Kim entering the kitchen with a freshly bathed Harper.

She set Harper in Adam's lap, "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing" Adam responded, tickling Harper's chin. "Who is up for the park today?"

Kim smiled softly, "You should take the kids, I want to meet up with Erin"

Adam knew she was miserable, and he didn't think being around Ellie Halstead would help her current mood, "You should come, we could make a day out of it"

"Maybe next time" she needed to confide in Erin what she had set in motion, she almost feared her inability to get pregnant may be the universe's way of letting her know she was in the wrong, karma if you will.

---NOTE---

Forgive any typos!

Thanks!