A/N: Have your tissues handy for this.

Oh and...a surprise guest star will be in this chapter!

Chapter 11

Once Dean left Claire pulled up her cover and Seth crawled under it.

"I am glad you are okay." Seth told her without really touching her.

"Yeah I will be fine. The leg will heal. Thank you Seth for everything."

"I love you Claire, I would do anything for you. And I will not leave your side. You can push all you want or accept it and save the energy. I know you will need time to process everything and I will give you that time. You should go and talk to a specialist. It helped Dean. And then I want you to give us a fair chance. You know I love you and you love me. Don't let Rusev win in the end. Fight for us Claire."

Claire brushed some tears away. "I don't want to lose you either. You are such a good man Seth and I love you so much. I will work on me and us I promise. Give me time."

"I will. All the time in the world. And then we need to take care of Roman and Josh. The next couple of month will be hard. I thought I would never say this but I am glad that Dean is stable and that he and Lilly are fine, because they will have to carry us all for a while."

"And they will. But I want to carry myself. I thought about something. It felt good getting revenge by shooting Lana even though I know that the measure was drastic. I want to help women get some control back after such a thing or not even getting into such a situation. I want to teach self-defense classes. Maybe rent a room and do some courses. Maybe you could help?"

"That sounds like a plan and we will get to that. It is an excellent idea. You have a good heart Claire I am proud of you."

"Dean gave me that idea. To do something good out of something bad."

Seth stroked his hurting chin. "Who would have thought that he is so wise? Rest now Claire. I am here. I may be beaten but nothing will get past me tonight, I promise."

Claire closed her eyes. Suddenly she felt tired and Seth beside her gave her the safety she needed right now.

Dean and Roman sat silently in the office. Roman had his shot of whiskey emptied already, Dean was staring into his full glass thoughtfully.

"I am glad we were good in the end." Dean mused and Roman lifted his head.

"You could have stopped the hatred years ago! She could have been a part of the group. Instead I had to put her in her office, away from you, alone!"

Dean looked up. His formerly sympathizing eyes turned cold. He would let Roman rant he understood the need to lash out but he wouldn't listen to it smiling.

"All your childish bickering's. Look where that got her! She is dead!"

Thank God Roman didn't say because of you.

He ranted some more, shot some more low blows and at some point became silent again.

"You done? Because it isn't just my fault. It was both our fault. And she wasn't alone, we had a man in the front and she sneaked out. They wanted her and they got her. That she got shot was an accident. It was no one's fault Joe. Stuff happens. I feel for you and your son, I will let you talk bullshit to me, but in the end you have to accept that it was an accident. It happened. We can't turn back the time."

Romans grey eyes were fixed on Dean.

"What big guy? Want to brawl? We can do that. But Claire will be pissed when we wreck your office. Or do you want me to tell you that it is your fault because you attacked Rusev and his shot was fired uncontrolled?"

Roman sat in his office chair at one second at the next he grabbed Dean who was sitting on the corner of his desk, around the waist and both men landed on the ground. Roman landed a couple of punches until Dean had enough and fought back, connecting his fist multiple times with Romans left kidney. At some point the pain must have recognized because Roman rolled down from Dean. He lay on his stomach, heavily breathing, his head resting on his arm.

Dean tried to catch his breath as well and he glanced over.

"Are you crying?" he whispered and Roman laughed a little.

"Asshole. Yes." he whispered back.

Dean rolled on his side and extended his left arm, resting it on the elbow. Roman took the offered hand and they lay there for a while. Roman shedding some more tears, Dean ignoring it, just holding Romans hand.

"If you ever tell anyone about this I kick your ass." Roman said finally and got up, holding his left side.

"I won't. Trust me. I am still not a touchy person. You can't imagine the length I go through for you guys. My girl is the only one that is allowed to touch me without having to fear my wrath. So this one was free. Next one isn't."

Roman nodded and walked up to Dean hugging him fiercely despite his words.

"Thank you brother. I needed that. Now I know why I put up with you all those years."

"Because of my good looks and funny jokes?"

Roman rolled his eyes.

"Because you are an asshole, but you are our asshole and we wouldn't want to trade you in for no one else. Plus, no one would want you. So we are stuck with each other. And yeah, because for tonight. Thanks."

Dean nodded awkwardly rubbing his neck. "You are drunk pal. Come we need to get to the airport. And stop rubbing your side, the blows were not that hard."

"If I pee blood I will send you the invoice from my urologist!"

"Pussy." Dean mumbled and left, Roman following him.

The two Shield owners had talked about how to handle things at the airport. Dean would take Lilly and leave, and Roman would talk to his son alone.

That was the hardest part and one that made Roman almost puke and he had really seen it all in his time in the military. But having to tell his son that his mother was dead was more than hard.

The plane landed and a couple minutes later Josh and Lilly walked out. To Romans surprise his cousin Dwayne was with them. The ex football star was built like a bull and still in good shape.

"What are you doing here Dwayne?" Roman asked and the bald man who had the nickname The Rock back in his NFL nodded at Lilly.

"That cute doll said she would feel better with me around for safety. And I couldn't believe that she is together with that freak."

He glanced at Dean.

"Listen Rock, I think..." Dean started but Dwayne interrupted him.

"It doesn't matter what you think. Let me tell you something. You hurt this beautiful woman, I will come, open a can of whoop-ass and shove it down really far up your rear end. Understood?"

Dean eyed the man and when he didn't answer Dwayne raised one eyebrow.

"I have no intention to do that. Take care of your family Dwayne. Josh, glad you are home." He ruffled the kids hair and held out his hand to Lilly. She took it and smiled sweetly at The Rock.

"And The Rock thought he had seen it all." he mumbled and watched them leave. After they were out of sight he glanced at his cousin.

"You good Joe?"

"Yeah. Let's go. Thank you for accompanying my son. Hey Josh."

"Hey dad. Where is mom?" his boy asked.

"She couldn't make it." Roman replied vaguely. He didn't want to do this at the airport. But his boy hadn't smiled since walking up to them. He was a bright child and he had probably picked up on something in Lilly's behavior or he caught up something from a conversation. Roman was sure Dwayne knew what happened and that's why he tagged along. Of course it sounded good to say it was for protection but Josh was no fool.

"Listen kiddo...let's get in the car okay?" Roman pleaded and Josh nodded.

Once all three men sat in the SUV Josh broke the silence.

"Lilly tried but she can't lie really good." Josh mumbled.

Roman pulled his son over from the passenger seat. "I am sorry Josh. You mother...got hit by a stray bullet. We tried everything we could but she died. Your mother is dead Joshua. I am so sorry."

Josh pulled away. "I knew I shouldn't have left. I could have protected her!" he screamed.

"I had a trained soldier with her Josh. There would have been nothing you could have done except getting hurt yourself and that was the last thing she wanted."

"But you could have done something!" Josh screamed again and the Rock got between them.

"Kid you are angry and sad. But your father did his best. I know that because that is who he is. He always gives his best and tries his hardest to keep his family safe. You know that. It was an accident kid. An accident."

Josh shut down, sat back in his seat, crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked out of the window. Roman sighed. It broke his heart anew to see his child in such pain.

"For what it's worth Josh. I miss her, too." Roman whispered and drove off.

Dean loaded Lilly's suitcase in the trunk, helped her into the car and sat down on the driver's seat.

Lilly reached out her hand but he held his up. "Don't." When the look in her eyes turned to hurt he swore softly and turned to her.

"Not right now. If you touch me now I break down and I would prefer to be home first." He explained with pleading eyes.

"Sure. Get us home Dean." Lilly nodded and leaned back. It still hurt but she tried to understand her boyfriend.

"Fuck this." Dean growled and grabbed Lilly by the hair and pulled her over to kiss her. "Please understand Lil. It's not that I love you less. I am still trying to figure all of this out and my emotions are running high. I held Dani while she slowly bled out and I held Roman's hand when he cried for her. I…can't deal at the moment."

Lilly brushed away some tears. "I understand. I am sorry. Sorry Jon. Just, drive home, alright? Get us home."

Jon gulped and nodded, driving the car back to Lilly's apartment.