Sorry for the long wait.

His mind was still racing, even an hour after. His heart too, the drive home had been a strange form of torture. Still as he stepped into his own home he felt it ease a little; he knew it wouldn't stop until he held her. Lou had realized that the moment he laid eyes on the man.

Prison had not treated Ray Langston well, but it had allowed a side of him to emerge; probably for survival. It was not that it ruffled him as much as it was that he saw the man's hands; hands that had threatened his wife's life. Something inside him had clicked and a strange mix of anger and peace came rushing back.

A cold though had settled into him even as his mind and heart raced; as he walked through his own home. It was a feeling he couldn't quite shake even as he ditched his coat, shoes and keys in the entry way. It squeezed in as he took the stairs and pressed around his heart as he checked the kids before going to his room.

For the first time in a very long he hesitated. His wife was already asleep, clad only in an oversized t shirt that had at one point been his. Catherine had kicked the covers off as she slept, she looked so comfortable. He didn't want to disturb her and yet he needed to.

Slowly he approached the bed and shucked his shirt and pants, his focus still on her; she hadn't stirred. As his hands found her hips, sliding over soft skin he allowed his fingertips to close over that smooth jut of her hip bones. Those curves defined, a memory and motion he hadn't concerned since they dated. He felt guilty that he was going to wake her yet his curiosity got the better of him.

Pulling up he heard the groan as she woke; she twisted against his grip. He heard his name as she arched into the bed, one hand scrubbing across her face. Letting his grip slip back he pulled her up again, seeing that smile forming softly at her lips.

"You're home." Catherine murmured, he sighed as he let himself down onto the bed; and his wife.

" I'm home." Lou whispered into her hair, his hands sliding up and around her as his body settled over hers.

Long ago he had learned Catherine liked to be pressed between him and the bed ; and the feeling of her under him was not one he about to turn down. One hand came up to her hair, knotting into long red locks while the other slid around to a familiar land mark on the warm body.

"He got under your skin didn't he. Its okay Lou." Her gentle words for once did not hold the comfort he sought.

Lifting himself away from her his fingers journeyed the obvious scar that ran her body to the one that had never been visible. His finger found the dip of her bellybutton and slipped in, pulling up a little he felt the rough mark of a scar she hadn't known existed.

Closing his eyes for a second he could see the man's face again. Dark eyes taunted him with a memory, one he had unintentionally fed; refreshed. Now, as he opened his eyes he found blue ones; brighter and more alert now.

He sighed, his head falling to her chest; he did not want to go through it again; not now. Safe, warm and comfortable he was settling with her, he knew in all fairness he should tell her; he didn't want to. Sliding one knee between her legs he shifted to make himself comfortable; to enjoy her until he shut down. " In the morning?"

Lou lifted his head for a moment before nuzzling her neck to rest for awhile; hoping he could just think for awhile. He could hear her heartbeat, feel her chest moving against his body; her chin snuggled him closer.

"I will be right here, we will talk in the morning." Her voice rumbled through her throat as she spoke; he felt her arms lace around his back. Knotted hands over the base of his spine pulled his hips into her. He smiled, feeling her in a way he liked; Catherine got it.

She was there, physically allowing him to feel her life; his safety. Catherine just held him, he basked in it; his hand still trapped between them he slept.

He felt a gentle tickle of air against his neck. Turning deeper into his nest he tried to avoid it; until his mattress groaned. Lou woke with a start realizing he had fallen asleep on his wife, and slept straight through the night.

He started to lift himself away when she stopped him. Her arms wrapped around his back, just as they had been the night before she turned to meet his eyes. " You stay put, the kids are still asleep."

Lou nodded blearily, glancing over her to the clock; it was still early. Since they had both more or less made the switch from nights to days after many years working the dark of the grave yard shift they still woke well before they needed to get ready for shift.

" Will you tell me about your visit now?" He heard the barb in her question, it was more of an order; he completely understood. Espeically after how he acted last night.

" Mhm." He would , after his morning kiss; she rolled her eyes at him. Working his hand from between them he slid both up under her head; his thumbs pulling her hair back behind her ears. " I most certainly will, I have some new you need to hear especially."

" And what would that be?" She played along with him, blue eyes still serious. He understood that too, soon their children would wake and it would get busy between getting them and themselves ready to leave the house for the day.

" Gossip, from the guards. Prison hasn't treated him well, he has lost weight but his professional face is gone; he has retreated into his mind more; his fantasies too. I don't want you to see him before we go for his execution." He swallowed thinking of the man's first question upon seeing him; it had not been an innocent inquiry of his wife's well being. It unsettled him.

" That is years off, isn't it? And I have no desire to see him, it has finally more or less died off; other than an aniversary piece last month I haven't heard any whispers of him in a long time." She brushed it off, reassuring him; though he could see the flag being filed behind her eyes.

"Not necessarily, the mayor wants him put down, I think especially now that your new task force is taking off and growing. Guards are whispering it might happen in soon; near our anniversary. One guy I went through the academy with is on his rotation; says he gets lots of visits from Ecklie. You know about that?" He lifted some of his weight off her; knowing her breathing had been restricted all night.

" No I didn't but I'm not sure it is my business. I wouldn't put much in the gossip and if they do decide doing it near or on our anniversary is a good idea I do not want to attend." He saw her eyes heat, something triggered a reaction; he didn't like it.

" If you don't want to we don't have to. I just thought you might want to see it done, him I mean; so that you know he is gone."

" Lou I know he is gone. As far as I am concerned he was gone when you and Sara told me he was in custody back in the hospital. If the bosses push for it than I am certain it will happen; espeically with his confession." He felt he fingers lace through his hair.

" Its not so much him I am worried about but more the crazies who might, who could come out of the cracks. And what I felt when I talked to him, I just don't like it."

" I know, I know. Lou its okay, maybe when we get the date of the execution we should take off. Talking to him isn't going to help, he is sick; but not in a way that can be helped. I don't want to dwell on that, the past or the scars; any of it. We have to move on and we see enough death as it is; we don't need to see him die." Her hand smoothed over his neck and he sighed at her soft touch; Catherine was tough and he was glad of that right now.

" You never wanted to go did you?" Lou asked, a soft smile playing across his face as it dawned on him; she really didn't want to see it.

" No, at least not now. I did, at first when it was still fresh but anymore I really dont feel like it. And I want that door as firmly closed as possible for when we put Stephanie in school. But Lou shutting stuff back into a memory is how I deal with stuff; when it is in the past there isn't that sting." Intent blue eyes were asking him to understand.

He did, it was what had made it difficult for him to get to know her; at least at first. There were things that Catherine wouldn't talk about unless very specifically asked; but after learning some of them he understood that. He also respected it. " Maybe we cave and hire a babysitter to take a trip with us? Take our honey moon?"

Her face split into a warm smile. " I don't think we need a babysitter and I don't think anyone else would like that but it would be fun."

Lou grinned back, yes it would be; he could think of kinds of warm tropical places he would like to take Catherine. He knew she liked sun and sand, so did their kids; he had watched the three of them playing in the box in the back yard. That might be a better way to spend the time Lanston spent dying; it would be much nicer than a cold bench pressed in with a bunch of high collers watching out of their warped ideas of respect; more like morbid curiousity.

" We both have vacation on the books, at least some; they let you keep yours cuz you didn't fully transfer out of the lab. They were still scared you might do something that would make them look as bad as they are." Finally he rolled off of her, pulling her with him; it was her turn to be on top.

She gave him a cheeky grin as she balanced herself on his hips; tucking her elbows under her chin as she leaned on his chest.

"Meh, they're not bad. Just not, um, maybe the word is human. Its all politics to them, trying to be in the right places and be angry about the right stuff; throw their weight around to make the public think they are passionate. Its fake but isn't everything in Vegas?" She tilted her head and he felt he was looking back in time, to the woman who was still living a secret; but it wasn't her mask either.

It was precious in a way, one of those statements that said she understood how the victim felt but without letting on to the true how. It was how she had lived for years, silently, until someone had hurt the silent go between no one knew existed. Sometimes he still had to stop and think about those simple things she had done over the years; it was a personal ethic he had come to understand. It ran deep in her but it amazed him at how long she had let it be unnoticed; and even now how she ducked it whenever it came up.

" You always have to see that line don't you? Find the excuse for the jerk who hasn't proven himself a true ass yet." He teased, knowing it wasn't true.

" No, I know those guys are asses they just aren't personal asses; they like to talk and flaunt. If it came to a fight though they wouldn't hurt the innocent; intentionally. And you know that." She gave him a look he saw her give Stephanie and Adam before she lifted herself off him and slipped across the room into the bathroom.

Rolling back onto his stomach he groaned. He still had a whole day ahead of him before the weekend and the bed was soft. Catherine had interviews today and so would be holed up in her office with a bunch of the bosses all day. It would not put her in a great mood, he knew she would see it as losing valuable time.

For that reason he hoped it went well and she didn't lose any more days. Partially since on those days he couldn't hope she would come wandering into the squad room or catch a glimpse of her in the lab; there weren't even any excuses he could use to go visit her and vent on a tough case.

A small smile played at his lips as he dragged himself from the bed; he liked his life. He liked working with his wife but he didn't like when the higher ups isolated her for interviews and he knew she didn't either. She didn't consider it to be work, more of an irritation; but it was very necessary. Cath was way overworked even if she was making a difference and it made her happy.

Finding his own clothes and snagging the clothes Cath had hung on the closet door and stepped into the bathroom; knowing she was going to growl at him. And he was right, hanging their clothes on the towel bar he sidestepped the curtain and slid in behind his wife.

He knew a stray hand would get him a reprimand but it was very tempting to let one wander. Still he reached for his shampoo, around Catherine; he caught the dirty look intended for him. She slipped around the other side of the curtain; he understood.

They didn't have time in the mornings and it was easy to get distracted. Still it was also faster to share the bathroom and then dress the kids so they could all eat together; it was something Catherine was big on.

He finished his shower and dressed while she finished her makeup then he took his turn to shave. Her hand slipped in his back pocket, smoothing his shirt into his pants as she went; using the hand tucked in to pull it. Her voice was as soft as her body against his back. "The kids had bathes last night. I'll get Stephanie."

Nodding that he heard he felt her push off him and slip away. Setting his razor down he moved out of the room and down to Adam's nursery. Their son was wide awake, playing happily with his bear. Smiling he lifted the boy out of the crib and set about getting him ready for the day.

It was twenty minutes later that he was in the kitchen, setting Adam in his high chair before disentangling Stephanie from Catherine's legs. She was busy making eggs for the kids, something else that surprised him as they settled in together with two babies.

Catherine was big on having the kids eat table food, they ate eggs and mashed everything with almost every meal; but both babies were healthy and happy. It made it easier to take them out too, there was always something to give them.

He also learned that Catherine herself didn't like eggs all that much herself. Even though she made the eggs serveral times a week as soon as the kids had decided they liked them she stopped eating then. Still the kids did like them, and both seemed to know that it was eggs this morning; rather than their cereal.

Leaning on the breakfast bar he waited for the toast as Catherine let the food cool and the kids worked happily on their sippy cup and bottle. He couldn't help smiling when Stephanie offered Adam her sippy cup of milk, he poked Catherine who had been tucking ice packs in the lunch bags she had taken out of the fridge.

She smiled too, taking the bright little bags around the counter and table to set them beside her purse; back tracking to Stephanie's seat. " Is that good Stephanie? Do you want to share?"

" Mommy." The little girl stuck the sippy cup in Catherine's face, happily trying to share her milk with her mom now.

" No baby. Stephanie's." He watched her coo, dropping a kiss on her baby's head before coming back and reaching for the bowls of food. She was such a good mother, talking to her babies and playing for them while still caring for their needs came so naturally to her.

Joining them at the table he set a piece of toast and an orange in front of her. Taking turns eating and feeding the babies the meal passed quickly and they were loading the kids into Cath's truck. " Will you be done on shift today?"

He glanced through the vehicle, Adam was reaching happily for the glasses she had hung from her shirt; he liked the view. " Plan to be, I should be in an innterogation most of the day; and doing paper work. Drive together?"

" Sure, if you're late though I'm leaving you there." She shut her side and slipped into the driver's seat; nodding he climbed into the passenger seat.

" You have interviews right?" He grinned, over at her; earning a scowl.

" Its one of the out of state first. I guess it would be bad to say I don't want him. I'd rather work with someone, well I guess with a lot of what we handle I would fell better if it was a woman.

I know for some of it, and eventually it would be good to have a guy involved to give the male support to some kids who would respond better to a male figure." He nodded, she wasn't finished but he could tell she was considering her words.

" I guess I feel I would work better with another woman, I wouldn't feel as if I had to scan cases as carefully as if I was working with a guy. And you know its not that I have a problem working with guys, you know how it has always been at work; it is just the sensitivty we handle." She finished , clearly frustrated with her justification; but it was understandable.

" Like if one of the detective's or CSI's walk in and ask you to come out to see a scene and victims they haven't met yet. With a woman there is a much smaller chance that a victim will have a strong reaction to comfort. I get it and I think it is important.

And maybe you should say that, there are facts and cases already in what you have been doing that would support that. Hey at this rate, maybe you will have a whole department under you by the start of next year." He teased, trying to relax her; Catherine hated it if she seemed sexist.

As they rolled past a sign advertising a strip club, with a law enforcement them he glanced at her; the stripper was a red head. No where near Cath but still she had a smirk similar to Catherine's and stood provocativly leaned against her pole.

Cath had been there and walked away and yet that was a part of her; it had made her tough but it had also softened her. Catherine had layers no one saw. There were layers that he had left on her that were good but others he worried about; especially when it came to their father.

Jake had spent time with him and then gone his own way, not interested in either of his parents. It made him wonder when he watched Catherine and Lindsay, together but also apart. Every Sunday Lindsay came home for lunch and spent the afternoon on the couch with her little brother and sister wrapped around her and her mom sitting at the other end. He listened sometimes as they talked about everything knowing that when she lowered her voice he wasn't supposed to hear the young woman telling her role model about something.

He knew that was what Lindsay saw when she looked at her mom, there were the fights still but they were few and far between. When Lindsay needed support she was not afraid to turn to her mom, she was fully aware that he got full disclosure from Cath but that didn't worry her. He didn't know what it was like to have that kind of a relationship; with anyone but the redhead next to him.

Everyday Adam and Stephanie grew up a little more and the simple question were starting to come. The questions he had not got to hear before; Jamie had been able to handle the cute little boy. It had been the teenager she tossed off to him. The harder questions were going to be farther down the road. And some of them, he feared, were going to be harder than either of them could imagine if Stephanie had to come to terms with how she was intended to join their family.

He hoped that they could teach her that it had no bearing, the intention had fallen flat and she was a treasured gift. But he had seen enough angry teens in PD, scared and in serious trouble but not reaching out for their parents. Steph and Adam had to know they could count on him, no matter what.

Just like he wanted Catherine to, he hoped he was proving that to her; but some days he wondered. And today was one of them, he could not shake those eyes and she was the one who calmly guided him on. It was so much more personal for her and yet she seemed to let it go; how many other times in her past had she done the same?