Chapter 1

Ana Carter - nee Ana Summers - smiled politely at everyone who came by to thank her for her husband's service. She never wanted to come to this fundraiser, fair, ceremony - whatever it was that her brother had called it - never wanted to play the grieving, young widow. Don't start assuming the worse of her. She did grieve for her husband. However, towards that part of their marriage she wouldn't have labelled what they had as a loving relationship.

Ana had met her husband while she was very young.

Eric Carter had been older, more experienced and had done the right thing by her when she had gotten pregnant with his child. He worked as an undercover police officer - something he had been doing for years before he met her, and he had no intention of stopping. That meant that there were days, weeks, even months that would go by where he wasn't home. She knew that he had slept with other women while on the job - it was part of the job, she told herself. She made herself numb to it. They were more like friends than husband and wife.

He had admitted to her that he didn't want a family, didn't want a wife and kids. But he wasn't going to leave her empty-handed. So, they got married when she told him that she was pregnant. And from what Ana learned in the weeks that followed her husband's death was that the department took good care of the families of so-called 'fallen heroes'.

"Is Daddy here today," her three-year-old son, Jonah, asked with big eyes.

The question caught her off guard for a moment. It was so innocent, she knew it. Her son was only three, after all.

"Sweetheart, you know that Daddy's in heaven," she took Jonah's hand in hers.

Jonah looked up at her, nodding as if he understood. He looked so cute in his little police officer costume, that she couldn't deny his innocence. "Uncle Josh said that Daddy keeps bad guys out of heaven, puts them in hell."

Ana sucked in a breath. "You don't say that word, understand," she gripped his little hand in hers as he nodded and kicked the grass around him.

"Okay Mama."

Ana sighed and looked towards where her brother was standing - joking around with a few other officers from his precinct. She'd have to talk to him about using foul language in front of her son.

"Daddy said that he'd come home after catching the bad guys," Jonah looked up and around at the various officers who were present. "He always came home."

Ana was at a loss. She had explained to Jonah that Eric wasn't coming home this time, that he was in heaven now. That's where he was looking down on him, protecting him. It never occurred to her that heaven in his mind meant just another undercover operation that he was assigned to. She was just about to respond when he looked back up at her.

"Can I get a churro," Jonah pointed in the direction of the churros stand.

Ana was thankful for the distraction.

"Of course," she answered, tugging on his hand as she led him towards that part of the field. While they waited in line, Jonah held her leg and gazed out at the various activities they had.

Jonah had already ridden the horses, thrown darts and competed in the three-legged race with her brother.

Ana was glad for her younger brother. She was glad for all her brothers. However, Josh had lived the closest and would often stay with her when she felt afraid and scared. Her twin-brother, Jensen was the second closest, visiting almost once every week. Jordan would often call and once a month, he'd take a drive out to her place and visit. Jack would do the same. Their eldest brother, Jonathan, did neither. But he would call and bully her into something - especially when her other brothers couldn't do it.

There were cheers and laughs in the distance as Ana spotted the dunk tank nearby. She knew her brother was one of the officers assigned to go in sometime soon. That's when she knew that Jonah would want to play that game.

"We'd like to thank our officers for volunteering of their time," the announcer said over the speaker. "And we'd especially like to thank Sergeant Eric Coulter for being the first of many to volunteer."

She had just grabbed the churro and turned to face Jonah when he released his hold on her leg and excitedly moved forward.

"Mommy," Jonah screamed with glee, "it's Daddy! He's here!"

"Sweetheart, Daddy's not here," Ana responded, attempting to get him to quiet down.

"They called his name!"

"There are a lot of police officers named Eric, sweetheart," she tried to soothe her son, but he took off through the crowd. "Jonah!"

Ana looked over to see that it was her brother's precinct up next. Jonah took off towards the dunk tank as Ana rushed hurriedly behind him. She spotted her brother's Sergeant up on deck, sitting on the bench, encouraging the young children to aim higher or lower - depending on how they threw. His dark blonde hair with the slight curls at the end certainly looked a little like her husband. She quickly shook her head and returned to looking for Jonah.

There he was standing in line.

"Jonah!"

He wouldn't hear her. She pushed through the crowd, whispering 'excuse me' and 'sorry' every so often until she was able to grab his hand.

"Jonah, that isn't Daddy," she pulled him out of the line.

"Yes, it is," he said as his bottom lip began to tremble.

"Look there is Uncle Josh's department. He's up soon," she tried to distract him from focusing on the guy at the dunk tank. "When Uncle Josh is up then you can have your turn."

"But I want to hit Daddy in the water," he pouted.

"Jonah Carter, stop it this instant."

Before he could respond, she heard the crowd cheer. Both Jonah and Ana turned to look, and she saw Sergeant Eric Coulter under the water. He surfaced and whipped his head around, splashing a few people who continued to cheer. His smile and eyes lit the same way as her husband's, but there was a difference. She saw it. This man was different.

"Daddy," Jonah shouted as he tore from her hold and ran towards the front.

Ana saw this Eric being pulled out and slapped on the back by a few of the officers, including her brother. She had met a couple of the officers he worked with - who like the rest had thanked her for her husband's service. However, she hadn't met his Sergeant, yet.

And neither are you planning on it, right? She asked in her head.

She had to leave. The moment she got a hold of Jonah, she was going to take him and have a long talk with him about death. His father was dead and never coming back. She'd make him understand.

"Daddy!"

She saw Jonah waving his hands at the man named Eric Coulter.

Eric Carter.

Eric Coulter.

They were so different, but the similarities were there and that was what mattered to her son. "Jonah," she called out to him.

The man named Eric ignored her son as he walked pass and went towards the parking lot. Ana noticed Jonah's shoulders slump in disappointment at not being recognized and her heart broke in two for her son.

Then again, why would this man turn towards her son? Jonah was probably some strange little kid in this man's mind. However, she underestimated her son's determination.

Jonah took in a deep breath and started to run after the man.

"Jonah," Ana ran after him.

The man walked into the parking lot, wiping his hair with a towel and reached in the back of what she could only assume was his truck to grab a bag. Jonah bolted pass the sidewalk and into the parking lot after him.

At that same moment, a large SUV turned the corner. Her son was so little, they wouldn't see his head over the hood of their vehicle.

Her heart beating so quickly, she dropped the churro and started to scream. "Jonah!"

"Daddy," Jonah happily waved that he tripped over his shoe lace and fell onto the pavement.

"No!" She couldn't believe what was happening.

Her screams were so panicked that the people around her began to stop. The announcer and several others began to shout. A few others ran ahead of her.


Eric looked up when he heard the screams. Immediately he spotted a little boy fall at the same time a car came speeding around the corner. Eric didn't have to think any further. He pushed off his feet and launched between the little boy and the car, grabbing the boy in his arms and rolling to the side.

Just as he protectively curled around the boy, the front of the SUV hit Eric's head and back. He immediately felt the sharp pain as he heard the SUV screech to a halt.

Eric shook his head, scrambling away from the SUV's front, allowing his officers to handle the situation as he took the boy away from the parking lot and towards the safety of park.

"Thank you," a young woman's breathless voice rushed to his side.

People pressed in around them, obviously concerned about the young boy and wanting to know that he was alright.

Adrenaline pumped through Eric as he carried the young boy. Pain continued to shoot from the back of his head down his back, but he kept his death grip on the little boy who'd fallen on the road.

"Daddy," the young boy sobbed, his little arms wrapped tightly around Eric's neck.

He sounded thoroughly upset but otherwise unharmed. Eric was confident that the boy hadn't been hurt. He flexed his shoulder, knowing that he had taken the brunt of the impact. Whether he did or not, he still wanted someone to look the boy over.

"Jonah," the young woman he heard earlier, touched the young boy's back. "Mommy's here, sweetheart. Oh my God," she sobbed. "Thank you, thank you so much. I didn't even," she paused and shook her head.

Enough of the crowd had been moved to give them some air, as Eric caught a glimpse of the woman in front of him.

Eric looked over to see strands of her brown hair stuck to her wet face as tears poured out of those chocolate, beautiful eyes. It was then he realized that she had no makeup on, but her long lashes, framing those beautiful eyes made him breathless for a moment. And no woman had done that since he had met Tris. And even he had to admit, that the breathlessness he got with Tris wasn't as instant as it was with this young woman.

Her face was slightly pale, probably still in fear for her son, as she tried to gather him from Eric's arms. Eric tried to hand the boy over, knowing he needed his mother's comfort. Eric still did - and he was thirty years old! However, the boy wouldn't let go. He held on tighter to Eric's neck.

"Daddy," he cried out.

Eric looked over at the woman who gave him an apologetic look.

"He's confused. He knows you're a police officer," she answered.

That response didn't make any sense to Eric. He touched the little boy's back. "Don't you want to go to your mom?"

"No, Daddy," the boy held onto Eric. "Don't go!"

"Jonah," the woman's tone was tense and irritated.

Eric couldn't figure out what was happening here. Perhaps the boy had gotten hurt - maybe from the fall. Or perhaps he had covered or landed on the boy in a way that had knocked the wind out of him. Whatever it was, he knew that the young woman did not need to get short with her son. He could have been in an accident.

A few people parted as the paramedics came by to check on the little boy. Eric decided that he'd carry the young boy over to the medical tent where an ambulance had been on site for the event, just in case. Eric explained to the woman and to the little boy that they were going to go to the tent as a few officers got the crowd to push back away from him. The young woman nodded and followed with her arms wrapped around herself, as Eric carried the young boy to the tent.

"Are you his mother," one of the paramedics asked her.

"Yes," she let out a shaky breath. "My name is Ana Carter. This is my son, Jonah," she gestured to the little boy, resting on Eric's shoulder.

"Jonah," the paramedic began. "I'm Will. I'm a doctor, one of the good guys. Is it okay if I make sure that you're okay?"

Jonah clung to Eric.

"Jonah, you need to let go."

"No," Jonah moaned, his face hid against Eric's chest. "Please don't go, Daddy!"

There was something in the boy's voice that made Eric's heart ache, like he wanted to protect him. He knew it was only temporary and that Jonah would realize his mistake sooner or later, when his father did come into the medical tent, looking for him.

He watched Ana step forward and touch Jonah's back. "Jonah, you need to let go so that the doctors can look at you."

Jonah shook his head.

Ana looked up at Eric and gave him an apologetic smile. "He's confused."

Will stepped forward and started to examine Jonah the best that he could, as he clung to Eric. He asked Jonah to breath in and out deeply as he listened with a stethoscope on Jonah's back. He pressed his hand on Jonah's arms and legs, asking if anything hurt. Jonah simply shook his head.

"Can I see your eyes for a moment," Will asked. "Just turn your head. Your daddy doesn't have to put you down."

Jonah did as was asked.

Eric moved between watching Jonah and staring at his mother. After Will had started calling Eric Jonah's father, Eric looked back at Ana. "Perhaps you could call his father. It might be easier on him if he were here," he offered.

He watched a sad, pained expression fall on Ana's face before she shook her head and looked down. Her non-verbal answer was enough. How could Eric have been so insensitive?

They were at an appreciation fair, a memorial ceremony of sorts for the police officers who died in the explosion of the Carmichael building. Forty-six police officers, SWAT and other agents lost their lives as David Carmichael committed suicide, blowing up the building along with everyone who was in it. That had happened a year ago. Today, he had thanked a few widows, widowers, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers of those who had gave their lives to take down the biggest weapon and drugs smuggler.

He just didn't think that Ana might have been one of them.

"He was a police officer," Eric stated simply. And now that he knew of Ana's name, he was able to put a few things together.

"Lieutenant Eric Carter." Ana nodded before sniffing a little. She looked up at him with a soft smile. "You look a little like him. Jonah was only two when," she shrugged and put on a brave smile.

"I need to rinse his eyes out, wipe his face down, things like that," Will interrupted them.

Ana gave him a nod and went to take Jonah in her arms. Eric couldn't bring himself to burst Jonah's bubble just yet, especially after what the little boy had gone through. So, instead he shook his head at Ana and rubbed Jonah's back.

"Hey, buddy," Eric spoke to Jonah. "I'm going to have to put you down for now, okay?" Jonah held onto Eric's shoulders. "I'll stay right here next to you. But the medic needs to wash your face and eyes. You know," Eric shifted and slowly eased Jonah out of his arms, sitting him down on the table instead. "I fell down on the pavement a few times before. But we need to put medicine on or take some sort of syrup. It may feel weird but afterwards, you'll feel better. I know I always did," he explained as Jonah's eyes blinked opened slowly.

There was obviously dirt, possibly a small rock or something. But as Eric looked at Jonah's face, he felt a constriction on his heart.

"Is it okay to get it cleaned out?"

He saw Jonah's little chest puff out slightly and he nodded with a determined frown. "Yes, sir."

Eric couldn't help but smile as Jonah held onto his hand. "You're very brave, Jonah."

"And what about you," he felt Ana touch his shoulder. He tried to ignore the comforting warmth he felt from it. Instead he looked over his shoulder and gave her a small smile. "You must be hurting too," Ana added with a softness to her voice that Eric tried to ignore.

"I'm fine."

"You did just get hit by an eleven-thousand-pound SUV," Will reminded him.

"I'm good," he turned his attention to the medic. "Just make sure that the boy is alright, first."

Eric couldn't help but be impressed with the brave face that Jonah displayed. He squirmed in annoyance as they rinsed out his eyes, but other than that he smiled with pride as the little boy handled the situation courageously. No doubt, it was some attempt to impress Eric - whom he believed was his father.

The other medic asked Eric to take off his shirt and as Eric moved his arm, he realized how stiff his shoulder felt. Ana moved forward and without asking permission, assisted in pulling his dirty, damp shirt over his head. He tried his best not to focus on how her soft hands caressed him or how close he felt her ticklish breathing. It was intoxicating and arousing - and fucking confusing all at the same time.

No, he shook his head as their gazes met. She's a widow. She lost her husband.

Her eyes flitted over him in both appreciation and awe. Don't, he wanted to yell.

A gasp left Ana's mouth, her parted pink lips. Fuck you, Coulter. What are you doing checking her out?

He shook his head and felt her hand touch his shoulder. A sharp pain shot through him. "You're hurt," her voice sounded strained.

"Daddy's hurt," Jonah asked from behind them.

"Daddy?"

All three of them turned to the front of the tent. He spotted one of his officers - Joshua Summers - as he walked inside. Joshua's eyes met his before resting on Ana.

"I'm so sorry, Ana," he immediately walked towards her, wrapping her in a warm embrace.

Calm down, Coulter. Eric did his best to urge the protective - albeit somewhat possessive - beast that suddenly emerged from seeing one of his officers hugging this beautiful woman.

"I didn't even know it was Jonah. When I couldn't find you, I put one and one together. I never," he pulled back and shook his head at his sister. "Dammit, I'm so sorry, I wasn't there. Is everything okay?"

"Jonah's getting checked out now," Ana nodded towards the table. "Eric jumped in front of the SUV and got to Jonah in time."

Joshua turned to face Eric, holding out his hand. Eric shook it immediately. "Thanks, Sarge," he responded. "Thank you so much."

"It was nothing," Eric replied before looking towards Ana. "I just wanted to keep Jonah safe. And you are," he gazed back at Joshua, narrowing his eyes.

"Josh is my brother," Ana answered.

Why did he feel so relieved? Eric shouldn't have, but a part of him did. He didn't realize it but having Jonah call him 'Daddy' and seeing the concern this young woman held in her eyes and touches for him had been something he had been craving for, for a very long time - ever since he and Tris had started planning a family.

"Alright, Sarge," Will interrupted them again. "Your son is good to go. Now why don't we finish looking at your injuries?"

"Son," Joshua repeated in the same tone he did when he said 'Daddy'. "What's going on here?"

What was going on, indeed.