A/N: I'm so sorry for delay people, but I've had a pretty troublesome few weeks, so thank you for sticking with me! To my latest followers/favourites, thank you & welcome aboard! And to my reviewers, thank you! Reading your comments keeps me inspired to write!

To my guest reviewer, Jane: thank you so much! So glad you're enjoying my writing, it's reviews like yours that keeps me writing this 'verse!

To my guest reviewer, Guest: Thank you so much! So glad you're enjoying this story & it's prequel/alternates. There are some family trees on my facebook page, I'm just having difficulties accessing them at the moment to update, but there are some up already for viewing, you'll find the links on my profile page.

To my guest reviewer, Momcat: Thanks for your thoughts, there's certainly a lot of people that need to talk & get to know amongst everyone. Everyone need to connect, but the first priority is getting everyone well.. or on the road to recovery at least!

Now, let's get back to the family!

Shannon sat by her son's bed as she stroked his head, her heart was aching for how badly he was hurt. He'd passed out again, and while she didn't want him in pain she wanted her boy to wake back up so she could make sure he was ok. She was glad though that he was out at this exact moment as the doctors were doing his stitching, in fact there were 2 doctors currently doing his stitches, each were tackling a different part of his body & it was ripping her apart how badly he was hurt.

She held her tongue for as long as she could but she couldn't hold it much longer "how is he?"

Mabel finished the stitches she had been working on before turning "he's doing ok, relatively speaking. The stitching will help secure the tear's and start the healing process. I want the stitches to settle before we move him, and that should give us time for the bed to arrive from the airport, which should be in an about 45 minutes."

Shannon let out a breath, she was about to say something when she felt her son stir below her hand "Phoenix darling?"

Nix groaned again "mummm"

"I'm here darling, I'm here" Shannon soothed as she stroked his cheek.

"We're right here son" Gibbs added, as he too caressed his son's head, he saw his son turn towards him "I'm right here Phoenix, not leaving your side, not for anything" he assured his boy, as he kept a hold of his girl.

Nix nodded into his dad's hold, he just couldn't help but keep looking at his dad, he just couldn't say anything.

"I know son, I know" Gibbs soothed "it's ok… it's ok, I'm right here son, we're all right here, me, mum, Kells, you. We're all here together & we're not leaving your side, we're not going to be separated, we're together, I'm not going to let us get separated again son" he finished as he leaned forward to give him a kiss to his forehead.

Nix took a breath & coughed from the effort.

"Take it easy darling" Shannon soothed

"Easy son" Gibbs soothed, but he looked towards the doctor.

"Until his ribs start to heal, he will find breathing a tad difficult" Mabel conceded, but she turned back to Nix "Phoenix, do you remember me from before?"

Nix coughed before speaking again "you helped me tape my ribs up….. didn't you?"

"Yes I did" Mabel smiled kindly "I just want to check a few things, I know it might hurt, but can you take a breath, as deep as you can" she asked as pulled on her stethoscope.

Kelly watched as her brother did his best to take the breaths, and each time he coughed a little. She was really struggling to watch her brother lying there so injured. The only other time she'd known him to be injured was that day when Quinn's men did a number on him, as a warning to her. But even on that day he wasn't even close to being as bad as he was now.

Kelly knew her dad was holding onto her, but she still pushed herself further into his side, wanting to feel that security his hold always had with her. She also took a firmer hold of her brother's hand, she wanted, no needed to make sure he knew she was there for him.

Mabel drew back & looked between all of the family members "Phoenix is doing ok considering everything. He can now rest until everything's ready for us to head to the airport. I'll come back when we're ready to get him for transport."

Gibbs nodded in thanks before he turned his attention back to his son "just lie back son, rest"

"Where we going?" Nix asked quietly.

"Home son, as soon as Marcus has got the plane ready, we're heading home" Gibbs responded.

Kelly saw confusion on his "Mike's brother Nix, Marcus, he & Myles were nearby & came to us when…." she just didn't know how to finish it.

"They came to help us out, we flew to get you on Marcus's Air Force plane, and we'll go home on it too" Gibbs finished the sentence for his girl.

"Where are we? Wait… Mike! Is he ok?" Nix asked concerned, trying to sit up.

"Darling lie back down please" Shannon pleaded quietly as she helped him back down "Take it easy, we're in England, but will be heading home soon. Mike, he's… he's being taken care of back home in Naples, so don't you worry about him for the moment, ok?"

"Ok" Nix nodded, he turned though "Myles & Marcus are here? And are Harry & Ted here too?" he asked, his recollections were starting to come back to him.

Gibbs smiled "they are pal, they're both here, so's Mike Franks, Tobias & Vance, they all came to help us find you & bring you home."

"Myles' has already said he wants a jersey from you" Kelly added, she wanted to try to bring a smile to her brother's face.

Nix wanted to smile but he couldn't "what's the point? I know my injuries.. I'm not going to be able to play again" he mumbled looking to the ceiling.

Gibbs eyes widened, as did his wife's, he leaned forward & took hold of his son's face "now you listen to me son, look at me, Phoenix Leroy, you look at me right now…. son, look at dad" he only continued when he had his son's attention "I don't want hear that kind of talk you hear me? We're going home, we're going to get you sorted, you'll rest & heal, and you'll get better and play again. You didn't work your socks off to give up now. You're going to play again son, you hear me?"

Nix swallowed as he nodded to his dad, though he still wasn't too sure about it himself.

"Dad's right darling, you'll get better & then be back playing, you'll get back on the pitch, I know it, so don't think you won't" Shannon added, it had devasted her to even hear son think he wouldn't play again.

"Too right you're going to play again!" Kelly added "I didn't become obsessed with a game, and spend hours & hours sitting around watching you for you to give up now! I want my shopping trip in Milan!" she finished with a smirk.

"Thanks Kells" Nix conceded with a small smile as he looked at his sister. He was sharing a look with his sister as they connected, so he missed the smile his parents were sharing with each other.

Kelly leaned herself forward & gave her brother a gentle hug.

Gibbs had helped her place herself into a gentle hug with her brother as he shared a smile with his wife, both were glad to see the pair embrace, it would help them both. What he knew though was that they were both equally worried about their son's comments about playing, or rather his thought that he'd not play again.

Nix put his head back on his pillow after the hug with his sister, closing his eyes he tried to let his body relax back into his pillow, he just laid there trying desperately to clear his mind. He was trying to sort out his memories of it all, the faces, the situation, all of it, so many things just weren't making sense..

Shannon had watched her son, he had laid back down, she just kept stroking his head trying to help comfort & sooth him, she was glad he'd closed his eyes to try to rest, but soon enough he'd opened his eyes & was looking at her "what's wrong darling?"

"Alexander" Nix murmured.

Shannon's eyes widened, she took a breath trying to compose herself "what do you remember?"

"Ahhh" Nix thought about it "he was there in that basement place with that kid… Jake, I think his name was, when I woke up." He took a moment as he did his best to think it all through, it took a few moments, but it all came back to him. "He protected us from those maniacs! he got me out of there! He…. told me… a lot of things, he told me…. he's my grandfather, your dad, is he?" he managed to get out looking at his mum, he had a tear run down his cheek.

Shannon brushed her figure across his cheek to take the tear away "yes he is darling" she really couldn't deny it any longer, and she had no idea how to cope with that.

Nix swallowed "he… said… "

"Darling, don't worry yourself about it right now" Shannon soothed "you just rest darling, ok, just rest." She didn't want him to work himself up.

"Is he ok?" Nix asked "he.. he.. helped me secure my leg from bleeding out….. and he….. he…. got into a big fight with some of those guys to help us get out of there. He took on like 3 of them just so me & Jake had a chance to get out of there, he saved us! I just want to know if he's ok" he almost pleaded.

"He's being looked at now darling" Shannon soothed "they've promised me an update as soon as they have one" she just didn't know what to make of her son's feelings, and remarks.

Gibbs swallowed, he really didn't know what to make of his son's comments, but from the little he'd heard, it sounded like the man had not only stood up in the protection of his son but helped prevent his health from declining. He wasn't sure how to process that, heck, he'd barely processed much of anything himself, so he had no idea how his wife was doing.

"Go find out" Nix coughed "please mum, go see if he's ok, he…. he feels so bad, but…. I just…. I just want to know he's ok, pleeeeasse" he cried.

Shannon felt torn, she wasn't sure she could bring herself to see him just yet, but her son, her boy was begging her to. The man had kept her son safe, the man had helped keep her son alive, could she do it? She did always say she'd do anything for him, but could she do this? She looked at down her boy, he was pleading at her with teary eyes, she realised that he really needed this, and she'd always give him what he needed "ok darling, ok" she soothed "I'll go, dad & Kells will stay right here with you."

Nix just nodded as he turned in towards his mum.

Shannon leaned down & gave him a kiss to his forehead, "you're ok darling, just rest here with dad & Kells, I'll be back"

Gibbs looked at his wife as he put his hand back onto his son's head in assurance for him, didn't she want him to go with her? "Shan?" he didn't think she'd be speaking to him so soon, but he wanted to make sure she had support.

"Stay here Jethro" Shannon responded, whilst she'd have loved for him to go with her, it was more important that he stayed with their son, they couldn't leave him alone. She'd have to do this herself, somehow, but looking into her husband's eyes she knew she could, she was a Gibbs, she was strong!

Gibbs nodded to her, he knew that they couldn't leave their son alone, nor did he really want to leave their girl alone either. He just hated that she'd have to do this alone, he projected as much strength towards her he could muster.

Harry saw Shannon leave the cubical where Nix was & head in the direction of where he'd seen Alexander be wheeled into, his eyes widened in surprise, she was going to see him? Wow! He shared a look though with Myles as he shifted position to provide cover for her new location, but trying to maintain enough distance to give her privacy.

Angela shared a look with Niall as the bed got rolled in, here goes nothing! What would she say to her brother? She took a deep breath as she caught sight of him, they'd cleaned him up at least! He had some cuts & bruises that she could see, his wrist was bandaged as was one of his legs, looked like something was wrong with his calf.

She waited for the nurses to settle the bed into place, hook up the IV, she watched as they left before returning her gaze to Alex "ahhh hello"

Alex leaned back into the bed, he let out a breath as he sighed, he turned towards 2 people he'd missed beyond anything "Angela, Niall"

"Alexander" Niall greeted hesitantly, he took a moment to try to work out what to say.. "I… really don't know where to start"

"That makes two of us" Angela sighed.

It was hard for Alex to deny that statement, but "What about the condition of grandson?"

"Which one exactly?" Niall asked back "your biological grandson, who's the son of a woman we met when she was five, and then thought you'd died. Or the son of a woman you adopted some years later, that turned out to be our niece? Which grandson are you talking about exactly?"

Alex let out a breath "both… I guess"

Niall shared a look with his sister before he let her speak.

"Jacob has already received top ups of his medication and from what we hear, he's resting now to let it all work. Phoenix on the other hand…"

"Is my son" Shannon remarked standing at the foot of the bed having just opened the curtain to his cubical.

Niall's eyes widened in shock at her appearance, he saw that Angela was just as surprised, but there was one thing he knew "we'll just give you two a moment"

Angela made her way out of the cubical as quickly & quietly as she could, she followed her brother into the main area of the ER. She was struggling to deal with seeing her brother, she had no idea how the young woman was doing.

Alex swallowed the lump in his throat as his siblings made their way out of the room, he just stared at his daughter. There was so much that he regretted, so much he hated himself for, he missed out of her entire life, he'd brought her so much heartache, he would never forgive himself for any of it. He'd be lying though if he said that right now all he wanted was to give her hug, and promise to try to make it up to her, somehow.

Shannon let the pair leave, whilst she took a further step into the cubical, she didn't sit down nor go very close to bed, well closer. She just stared at the man, she hadn't seen him since… well, it had been a while, a very long time!

Alex could feel her gaze not really wavering, his heart was aching and yearning at the same time for the woman before him. He took a breath, there was one thing she deserved more than anything "I'm sorry"

Shannon took a breath of her own "for what exactly?" she asked curiously.

"For everything" Alex remarked "I don't know how much you know about it all, but I'm sorry for everything, so terribly sorry"

"and when you say everything?" Shannon asked.

"Everything" Alex repeated "I'm sorry for leaving you & your mother, I'm sorry for making you both feel the pain of thinking I'd died. I'm sorry for the way that MacDonald treated you both, and how he then treated your husband. I'm sorry for watching him make you & Kelly believe & suffer the hurt of thinking your husband had died & for your son to grow up without a father, and then get treated poorly at the man's hand." He took a breath "I'm sorry for all the hurt that MacDonald, and his man Quinn brought to your family. I'm sorry that you went through what you did, I'm sorry that your son is now injured because of me. I'm sorry that you lost your mother before you even had the chance to reconnect. I know I am responsible for all of the hurt you & your family suffered" he finished allowing a tear to run down his cheek.

Shannon did her best not to start crying, but she could tell he was getting teary.

Alex swallowed the tears so he could continue "But most importantly, I'm so very sorry that I wasn't there for you in your life. You deserved me by your side for every moment, and I wasn't, and I hate myself for it. I'm so very very sorry Shanny" he finished in a whisper.

Shannon swallowed, she really tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow. She'd not heard that nickname in… forever.

"I never, ever, stopped loving you or your mother, never" Alex got out as he finally let a few tears to fall down his cheek.

"So why did you leave us in the first place? Why did you run out on your family after the accident?" Shannon asked, she really wanted to know why he left them in the first place.

Alex sighed, he was so ashamed "because they threatened your life, your mother's life. They were so angry after the accident, they were making serious threats against you. As soon as we could travel I got us out of the UK & back to the states, I wanted to put distance between us & them in the hope that it calmed them down." He took a breath, this would be hard "I got us back home & I hoped that it would be enough, but they were relentless, and the threats against you & your mum escalated. I did my best to push back, but then….. well, one day I got to your school to collect you & you'd already been picked up by a supposed friend, a friend named Johnathan Lancert. I was beside myself with worry, if they were willing to kidnap you, they were willing to do anything. I looked everywhere, but couldn't find you anywhere."

Shannon couldn't help but be surprised, she'd been abducted?

Alex wanted to close his eyes, he'd never spoken about this before, ever! But he couldn't break eye contact with his daughter "An hour later I got a call from the university, someone called to say you'd been dropped off at my office. I raced back there, and there you were sitting at my desk. You were fine, I'd never been so relieved in my life" he took a breath before he continued "I scooped you up so tight you complained" he couldn't help but let a smile at the memory.

Shannon wasn't remembering any of this..

"When I asked you who had taken you, you said it was a man who claimed to be a friend of mine, and that he was going to bring you to me as I was running late. He stopped to get you ice cream before driving you to the university." Alex explained.

Shannon was really struggling to remember any of this "I am going to be honest, I don't remember that, I don't really remember much from back then"

"I'm sorry" Alex swallowed as he let out a sigh of regret. He took another breath "you seemed fine, but as I went to pick up your backpack so we could go home, I noticed a piece of paper in the front pocket. It was a warning, that the next time would be, well, more than just a trip to the ice cream store. I got the message loud & clear, I hated the thought of leaving you, leaving your mother. It tore my heart into pieces just thinking about it, but I couldn't let anything happen to you, I needed to protect you, I just couldn't let anything happen to you."

Alex closed his eyes momentarily to try to hold back to tears, opening them again he could see his daughter was struggling to hold the tears at back "I hate that I had to leave you and your mother, whom I loved so very much! I've hated myself every single day since for the hurt that I brought to you, to your mother, to your family."

Shannon was really struggling to keep her tears at bay, listening to it all was pretty hard to cope with. Sitting here with him, with her father, she was getting flashes to him back when she was little. She really had no idea how she was supposed to react, but this man was her dad.

"I hate every fibre of my being for having to give you up. I hate that I missed all of your special moments, and I know I have no right to even ask, but if there's even a small chance that you'd even consider giving me a chance again.. I would be beyond grateful" Alex had struggled to ask this, he was scared about the answer, but he had to try! He'd missed his girl beyond anything.

Shannon swallowed, the lump in her throat, she was really struggling to keep it together, she really didn't know what to say, what to do, or even to think! "I….."

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to" Alex commented "just know, that I've always loved you Shanny, I've never stopped, and I never will stop loving you" his heart was yearning to reach out for her, but he wasn't sure if she was open to that.

Shannon could feel her walls breaking, she still wasn't sure what to think or what to do, but at the end of the day, this was her dad, a man she'd missed beyond anything!

Alex open his arms as he reached out, he could that as much as she was hesitant there was a part of her that wanted to. He just hoped he was reading her right "Shanny, my fiery angel" he whispered as he stretched his fingers towards her.

Shannon swallowed…. Could she let herself do what her heart was yearning beyond anything for?

A/N: I think I'll leave it there... sorry! ;) Father & daughter do need some privacy.

More to come, so please stay tuned! And I love to hear your thoughts/comments, so review away!