Dave let himself wander the halls, he glanced at the map on the hospital's wall; but he knew the gift shop was closed. He meandered down the hall, letting his feet lead the way. Before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of the hospital chapel. glancing down at his patent leather shoes, planted on the sensible carpet. Familiar, icy fingers slipped down his spine. He'd been here before.

Praying, head bowed, alone in a pew.

Begging.

Pleading his casewith any deity that would listen, Erin would be restored to him, in perfect physical and mental health and praying that she would forgive him. If he were lucky, then she would still love him after this.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Father Jimmy's genteel tone rang out through the silent hospital chapel. He sat beside Dave and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Can I help?"

After a beat, Dave lifted his head and made the sign of the cross across his chest, before meeting Jimmy's gaze. "I don't know, Jimmy. Can you?" Was there something a priest had the power to do that a normal man couldn't? Could Jimmy truly intercede on his behalf and if he could, would that be enough?

"I can try," Jimmy offered.

"I need a miracle, Jim." Dave swiped the back of his hand across his face. "Answers… a plan… something to point me in the right direction." He knew where he wanted to be, but how to get there was another issue.

Jimmy edged himself to the floor, kneeling at the pew. "Who are we praying for?"

Dave blew out a breath, focusing on the pulpit in front of him, through glassy eyes. "Erin, I just…" he swallowed tightly. His voice was high and cracking, his face twisted in emotion. "How is she going to forgive me? She's hurt, our son was in danger, her children-" his voice halted as his head dropped in his hands and his shoulders trembled.

"What?" Jimmy stared at him, eyes wide, pulling his childhood friend into a hug. "Tell me what happened, David."

A few minutes later, once he had composed himself, Dave went on to fill the priest in on all the sordid details.

"Wow," Jimmy nodded, once he'd heard the whole story. "I guess this is what I miss when we forget to keep in touch. Between the serial killers and…" he waved his hand. "All this, it's no wonder I haven't heard from you."

"Cut me a break?" Dave asked, glancing down at his hands.

"Of course, Davie," they'd been friends long enough that time between phone calls didn't matter.

"If you're busy ministering to the sick and the wounded, which one am I?" Dave ran his hand over his face.

"The exhausted one." Jimmy quipped, offering a kind smile. "You seem like you've been here awhile."

"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here, Why I'm so…" He couldn't find the words. "Hung up?"

Jimmy shook his head, "I don't have to, I know the look you have when you're in love; I haven't seen it since you married Carolyn and I was starting to wonder if I would see it again. You love Erin, Davie. If you didn't, you wouldn't care so much."

"Of course, I do, but do you think it's that simple?" Dave asked, truly seeking answers. "Do you really think that's enough?"

Jimmy folded his hands on the pew in front of him and rested his chin on his knuckles. "Love is never as simple as it sounds, but it is a powerful motivator."

"But-" Dave looked up to meet Jimmy's eyes. "How do I know that I love her enough?" He'd been married three times; each relationship was messier and more damaging than the last. "What if I can't love her the way she needs me to? I never have before-"

Father Jimmy dropped his shoulders, unsure how to answer the question. "This is all coming from a guy who gave up that right… but this is Erin Strauss, we're talking about?"

Dave nodded, she'd been the main topic of his yearly confessions for 3 years straight, before he plucked up the courage to ask her out.

Jimmy nodded, "The woman who in your words, 'takes an almost perverse delight in deflating your ego?'"

The corners of Dave's lips turned up and his eyes brightened. "I think she enjoys it."

Jimmy chuckled; a boyish twinkle lit his eyes. "Someone needs to keep you on your toes. She sounds like a smart woman."

"Oh, she is." His smile widened and a touch of pride laced his tone.

"Then go talk with her, give her a chance to forgive you, before you make such a hasty decision."

"You're right," he blew out a breath, swiping his hands against his jeans, before standing up. "I think- I think I will. Thanks Jim."

"Go on," Father Jimmy gestured towards the door that would lead him back towards the hospital, made the sign of the cross, then gestured towards the ceiling. "I'll be praying for you."

~~~0~~~

"I didn't expect you to come-" Dave said, eyeing J.J., the Target bags and the go-bags from his car, she was holding. "I uh-I thought I texted Hotch." He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his texts…

"Hotch called and said you guys needed stuff. He needed to go home- and…I-I wanted to," J.J. shrugged. "I wanted to-" she couldn't find the words. She shifted the bags in her arms, ready to hand them to him, when he was ready. "Rossi, I'm sorry." She'd left her team a man down, maybe all of this could have been prevented. "How is she?" J.J. padded towards him, the plastic bags rustled as she walked. "What about the baby?"

"They would have been better off being beaten by a thug on the corner, but why do you care?" He snapped, letting his temper ooze out. J.J. stopped in her tracks. "You left." He hissed, mindful of the way their voices carried in the deserted hallway outside of Erin's room.

"Rossi, that's not fair-"

"How so?" He reached for his wallet, shifting from foot to foot. "Let me pay you back- what did all this set you back?" He pulled out the wallet and withdrew some bills.

"Rossi, come on- I'm not taking your money-"

"No-no- I insist-" there was a hard edge to his voice. He took the bags and offered the bills. "What was it? $60? $70?"

"Rossi," She smiled slightly, in disbelief, with a stressed edge in her voice. There was no way she and Rossi were having this conversation. "Please, just take it."

"I don't want it," he argued, "You made it clear that you have a problem with Erin. Fine," he dropped his shoulders, "I don't get it, but you're entitled to your opinion-"

"It's not her!" J.J. finally exploded, dropping her eyes to the floor. "I mean, it's not her fault-"

"Then what is it?" He held his arms wide, glaring at her, "what exactly did Erin do to you, other than her job? She transferred you out of the BAU- big fucking deal!" Erin didn't deserve any of this. Blake punished her, Richard betrayed her and J.J. blamed her for something else and it was absolute bullshit. "That's the problem with young agents." He didn't bother to take a breath in between tirades. "You're expecting a different kind of loyalty. This is a job. Jennifer, a job. We say we're a family, we try to be there for each other, but at the end of the day, I'm going to work then coming home to my family. You're expecting some kind of loyalty from her, just because you didn't want to leave-" he should have shut his mouth. All of this was getting out of hand, and he knew it. "You proved it was just a job when you walked out."

The words hit their mark, "Then why don't you marry her and get it over with?" J.J. hissed, "Don't talk to me about loyalty, David Rossi. You fucked your boss and turned your back on your team!"

"How?" He bit out, "I didn't turn my back on anyone, I fell in love with her. Jennifer and if you and everyone else would forget about your jobs and your pride for longer than five minutes, you might understand why."

"She's a low-level bureaucrat who couldn't care less about her agents!"

"Stop it!" Dave demanded, as the security guard eyed him from the end of the hall. He brought his voice back to a reasonable level, but the anger didn't leave his tone. "Just because she doesn't share every last detail with us, doesn't mean she doesn't care about her agents."

"Bullshit." J.J. rolled her eyes, "that's garbage and you would know that if you would think with your head instead of your-"

"That's enough!" He hissed, anger and frustration bubbled in his veins. His heartbeat thumped painfully against his breastbone. "You said Hotch told you what happened at the BAU today. What he probably didn't mention is how Erin saved her assistant. She put herself in danger to single-handedly drag her assistant's unconscious body out of the building so that EMTs would get to her faster."

He paused, for J.J. to absorb that piece of information, before sinking his teeth in further. "Being pregnant would have been the perfect excuse for her to cut bait and run. Leave the twenty-year old kid for someone else to find. Who cares if she makes it? To be honest, I would have preferred that! But no, she put her personal shit aside and remembered the oath she took. So," he paused again, growing calmer. His chest filling with air, "Let's be honest. You left because you don't like Erin and you don't approve of our relationship. You walked out on your team, during a critical case, because you have a grudge against the victim. Now, take your money and get out of here."

He turned on his heel, with his hand on the doorknob. He couldn't take any more of this, he had to focus on taking care of Erin and Carlo. Later, when life settled down, he could revisit this situation with J.J. but for now, he'd had enough of her accusations.

"They didn't send me to a desk job at the State Department." Her quiet voice rang out, filling the hallway. He turned slightly and dropped his hand from the doorknob.

"Well, then start talking." He demanded, dropping his hand, "you've got about three minutes for all of this to start making sense-"

"They sent us both to Afghanistan," J.J. dropped into a chair that stood against the wall on the side of the hallway. "It's not her fault- she gave an order, and I went over her head-"

"Then, why?" He sat down in a chair beside her, physically and emotionally spent. "What's the issue?"

"It's not your fault either…" Her gaze dropped to her lap, saying it out loud was harder than she thought. "You're bringing a baby home and I'm not…" she paused to look up at him, "I had a miscarriage in Afghanistan. A year ago, because Strauss told me not to do something and I went over her head." She shrugged, "see? It's not her fault, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"I'm sorry?" Dave swallowed tightly, stunned at this new piece of information.

"It's not even you guys," embarrassment washed over her. "It's me. I'm bitter because Will and I have been trying for a year. I couldn't get over myself long enough to work the case." She waited for him to speak, maybe he would understand, maybe he would tell her to get lost. She wouldn't blame him either way. "You're having a baby." She gave another offhanded shrug. "That's great, he's a lucky kid; but I'm not and that sucks."

"I'm sorry," he meant it. "I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sorry things are hard; J.J-"

"I just…" She stood up, pulling keys from her pocket. "It's not a good reason. Here," She held them out to him, "Will followed me up here."

"Thanks," he took his keys back, and let her hand over the bags. "Thanks for caring enough to come up here."

"We're on the same team, Rossi-" she meant it and the look in his eyes, the smile tugging at his lips told her that he caught the double meaning. "Yeah," He smiled and reached for the doorknob of Erin's room. "We are. Goodnight, J.J."

She offered a small smile that reached her eyes. "Goodnight, Dave."

He turned, listening to her footsteps echo further and further down the hallway. Before sauntering into the room, closing the door behind him. "Hey, Beautiful. How are you feeling?"

"Sore." Erin shifted, just enough to look at him. "Thanks for standing up for me." She gave a flippant gesture towards the door. "Out there, with Agent Jareau-"

"So, you heard that?" He sat the bags in the chair beside the bed and rifled through them, finding clothes and wash cloths.

"Half the state heard that," she said, laughing slightly. Then her tone turned soft, "I'm sure it wasn't easy."

"It wasn't hard." He pulled clean clothes from their duffle bags and bottles of soap and shampoo from the Target bags. "Come on," he lowered the bedrail and offered her his hand. "A hot shower might help you feel better."

She nodded; a shower wasn't going to make her feel any worse. She forced herself to sit up, groaning against the dull ache in her bones. A nurse came in while he was gone and removed the monitors. "I'm glad you worked it out with her-"

"We don't need to worry about that, right now." He said, helping her stand up.

Pausing, she gripped his forearm for dear life, as the world spun beneath her feet. Taking a breath, she let go of him and crossed the room, then stopped dead in her tracks at the darkened doorway. The sudden fear that slipped down her spine and swept through her chest, locking her feet in place. "I can't go in there-"

"Something wrong?" He threw clean towels from his duffle bag over his shoulder and went to her.

His voice sounded a million miles away. Glancing down at her hands, the dirt underneath her fingernails. The smell and stickiness of the alcohol on her skin… she wanted to move. To run, but her feet wouldn't listen.

"Erin?" She reached around the door frame, searching for the light switch. Her fingers frantically scrambled along the wall, "I can't-" her words came out in a strangled rush. "It's too dark in there. I can't-"

"Erin?" He tried again, more forcefully. "It's alright," he reached around her and found the switch plate. The small room suddenly flooded with light. "See?" He gestured to the doorway, "it's all good."

"O-okay…" her knees trembled as she walked closer to the doorway.

"There's no one in there," Dave encouraged in his best calm, hostage-negotiator tone. "Just you, me, soap and hot water."

"It was-" her bare feet touched the tile floor. She cleared her throat, forcing her voice not to shake. As another chill tingled down her spine. "It was so dark in the warehouse."

"I know," his hand wrapped around hers. Lending her his strength, "you're okay, Bella." She was, and he knew it. Still, it didn't stop his heart from cracking. She didn't deserve this, and he'd do everything in his power to make sure the people responsible paid for their crimes.

"Will you-" her voice went tight again; she could do it on her own; she just didn't want to. She realized then that she was at her lowest point. Beaten, dirty and reeking of the one thing that ruined her life. If he didn't run now, she knew he never would. She lifted her eyes to meet him, genuine compassion shone in his eyes, and she knew then that he would move Heaven and Earth, if she asked. "Will you help me?"

Without a word, his arm settled gently around her waist, and he led them to the shower. Erin averted her eyes, avoiding the mirror. Physically seeing her marred reflection, would surely send her over the edge. Instead, she turned on the walk-in shower and waited for the steam to fill the small space.

Dave clenched his hands to stop them from shaking as he hung their towels on the rack.

"Are you alright?" Erin asked, stalling in front of the shower, with her hand under the stream, waiting for the water to come up to temperature.

"Uh huh," His voice was tense; but he nodded, without taking his eyes off her while his mind ran in circles. It would have taken him 20 extra minutes to drive her home, less time than an episode of their favorite show, could have prevented all of this. "Erin-" His voice choked with emotion. "I should have taken you home."

"No-" she held up her hand, coming towards him. "David, don't go there."

His voice hitched, "Erin, this is the second time-"

Her head tilted, the way it did when she gave him her full attention; a soft smile graced her lips. "Don't do this to yourself." She said, with more tenderness in her voice than he'd ever heard. As her fingers brushed against his arm. "All that would have done is postpone the inevitable… you know that."

"I know," he nodded, pushing back his emotions, his voice cracked. "I won't let it happen a third time." Who knew if he would get a third chance? It wasn't worth the risk. "I promise, Erin." His hands shook as he reached around her, untying the flimsy ties of the hospital gown. "I swear."

"I don't blame you-" She whispered, holding the gown against her chest as she walked back to the shower.

"I'm proud of you," he toed off his boots and stripped down to his shorts before stepping into the shower, taking the handheld showerhead off the wall. "Have a seat," he gestured to the shower chair, the metal shower rod squeaked as he yanked the cheap, plastic shower curtain closed.

"I wouldn't go that far," she blew out an exhausted breath. Her knees wobbled like wet spaghetti as she sat.

He slid a bar of soap from the carton; building up a lather on a washcloth, then handed her the bar. "I would." He stood behind her, gently brushing her hair to one side, as he swiped the cloth across her neck and down her back. Every stroke of the cloth revealed just how much she had been through that day.

"I knew something wasn't right," she admitted, working the soap down her body. She sighed with pleasure as his warm hands slipped down her back. "Dave… I'm sorry." She'd promised to protect Carlo… nothing she could do would fix this. Just when she thought she had a handle on her life, she lost her sobriety twice.

"Shh…" He leaned forward, dropping the sound against the shell of her ear. Her skin prickled with goosebumps. "We don't have to do this now. Just relax."

"The last time we did this-" She shifted, to look at him. The memory sparked warmth radiating through her chest.

"We were home, in the jacuzzi tub." He finished the thought, with a saucy smile, running the shower head over her hair. Dark, murky water circled towards the drain as he dropped the shower head, letting it dangle beside him as he added a healthy amount of shampoo to his hands.

"I love that tub," she said, her blonde hair hanging limply down her back.

"It's as good as my massage therapist." He said, the corners of his mouth turned upwards. As he tenderly worked the shampoo through her hair.

She couldn't take her eyes off the shower floor, sucking in a breath as the dirty water pooled at her feet. "It's disgusting."

"Don't look at it!" He demanded, rinsing her hair. Then his tone turned gentle as he circled to the other side of the chair and knelt in front of her. His voice turned soft as he rested one hand on her knee, just below the bandage on her thigh. "Don't go back there, Erin."

"I'm trying," She cleared her throat, forcing down her emotions. Her fingers picked at the medical tape covering the cuts on her thigh.

"Just be here," he encouraged, gently lifting the dirty bandage off her leg. "Let's clean up and then I'll get us something to eat." He folded the gauze and tossed it to the other end of the shower.

"Thanks," her hand lifted, rubbing the gash on her collarbone. Everywhere she looked, there was something else. Another ache or pain, another reminder.

"I'm just happy to have you here," he lifted her hand, intertwining their fingers. The way her pulse beat in his hand was the most precious feeling to him. "I love you," he rasped, planting featherlight kisses above the cut on her collarbone, his goatee scratched gently against her skin as he spoke. He knew her better than she knew herself, words of affirmation weren't enough, but he knew how to show her just what he meant. "I'm proud of you; and please," He covered her abdomen with his hand, peeling off the dirty gauze. "Don't fight me on that. What happened today… "He stood, cradling her face between his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. "It wasn't your fault."

"I fought," she nodded quickly. "David, I didn't make it easy-"

"I'm sure you didn't," he grinned wolfishly. "Hotch said that Blake's face is pretty well rearranged. Which is impressive considering how I found you."

A strange, perverse sense of pride filled her. She savored that feeling, letting it bubble up and fill her. Her voice took a self-indulgent tone. "I scratched her eyes out-"

"That's my girl!"

She stood and her mouth captured his in a searing embrace, tongues swept the hot caverns of each other's mouths. She let her hands wander down the firm panes of his chest, her fingers scratching his chest hair. As the shower beat down around them. She brushed his knees apart with her own, already his dick bobbed against her leg. A predatory gleam lit her eyes as she assaulted his mouth with hers.

"Erin?" He pulled away, backing against the shower wall, with a hundred questions in his wide eyes. His voice went tight with surprise and arousal. "What is this?" There was a thin line between making love after a traumatic event and taking advantage of her headspace. He needed to know where they stood before going further.

"When I walk past the mirror, I don't want to see what happened in that warehouse-"

"What do you want to see?" His voice turned deep and husky with desire as he drank her in.

Her voice, breathy with wanton need, she stared at him with lust in her eyes. "David, I want to see your fingerprints." Her eyes glowed with arousal and grit. "I'm taking my power back, right now."

Suddenly, the bruises covering her body didn't feel like a reminder of his failure to protect her or the by-products of human viciousness. They were paint blotches, turning her pale body into an artist's rendering, a pillar of strength and determination. Michelangelo, eat your heart out.

"You're sure?" He reached up and hung the shower head back on the hook.

Her tone deepened, hands roved over his body, relishing the way his pulse picked up under her fingers. "Yes." She needed to remember what it felt like to be loved by him. It was the only way to counteract the hatred brewing under skin for her attackers and herself. She should have fought harder, screamed, jumped out of the car…anything else.

Her breath hitched as he captured her nipple with his teeth, palming her ass, shoving those thoughts from her mind. His hot lips trailed down her body, locking her in place. Tasting him, following the path of water droplets across his neck with her tongue. Following the natural curves of his body, sending lightning bolts of attraction through his groin. His throbbing dick bobbed against her warm, slick core.

Her knees wobbled as his warm hand cupped her, slipping two fingers inside her, bringing her closer to the edge. "David-" Her voice was strained, her eyes darkened with desire.

"Just feel it, Bella." Her chest heaved and brow knotted as she inched closer to the edge. After the day they'd had, he never imagined they would be here again. He took her mouth in his, swallowing her moans, her eyes closed in erotic pleasure. He held her stiff form against his body, keeping her steady as she trembled against him. "Sit down."

The shower chair squeaked against the wet floor as she sat, with her hips on the edge of the seat.

His eyes gleamed with mischief and desire; a smirk danced on the corners of his mouth. As he slowly withdrew his fingers, savoring the heat emanating from her core. "Feel better?" He asked, licking his fingers, one by one with a cheshire-cat grin.

Lust still burned in her eyes as her chest heaved against the shower's spray. "We're not done." She said, pulling him closer, pressing her back to the wall. Taking his lips in hers, tasting herself on his tongue.

He knew how to please her and didn't hesitate in taking the lead. "I got you," He rasped, slowly filling her to the hilt. Her thighs burned in the best way, as he set the pace. His hands spread across her ass, holding her dripping thighs apart, sending heat through her core.

Every coherent thought left her head as wave after wave of orgasmic bliss washed over her. She loved David Rossi, fucking him, feuding with him and everything that happened in between. He knew her and loved her anyway, better than that, he understood her. She would be an idiot to give that up.

"Erin?" He gasped her name, looking at her with stars in his eyes. "How're we doing?"

Her mouth opened, ready to tell him all the things that lingered on her heart. When the bathroom door opened, "Ms. Strauss?" The timid voice of the night shift nurse rang out in the small bathroom.

Erin colored, blush creeped up her neck, Dave covered his mouth with his hand, biting down on his palm to keep from laughing.

"The two of you just do whatever you want, without telling anyone." Vera's tone dripped with ice. "Would it have killed you to have a little consideration-" Vera shucked off her blazer, dropping it and her handbag into the chair beside the bed. "I swear to God, Erin. Worrying about you has taken a solid decade off my life."

"Mother-" Erin huffed, tossing her compact into her duffle bag.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure it has." Dave bit out, chewing his cheek. "She's fine, by the way. The baby too."

"I was getting to that-"

"Sure, you were," Dave said, fixing his future mother-in-law with a glare. Wondering exactly which essential oil he could throw on her to tame her specific brand of crazy.

"Wipe that look off your face," Vera demanded.

"When you lower your voice-"

"Will the two of you knock it off!" Erin hissed, shooting daggers at both of them. "Mother, you didn't have to come." Erin said, crossing her arms over her chest, jutting out her chin.

Of course, I did," Vera argued, making herself comfortable on the foot of the bed. "Who else was going to drive you home?"

"David's driving me home-" Erin said, wincing as her mother patted her leg affectionately.

"I'm cooking a family-dinner at my place," he chimed in, glancing into the hallway. "Speaking of family-"

"Mom!" Allison jogged into the room, reaching for her mother.

"There are my babies!" Erin said, as Cassie stepped inside the room at a calmer pace.

"Allie!" Vera's strident voice rang out, "What have I said about running?"

"Mother-" Erin reached for Allison as she scrambled onto the bed, then fixed her mother with a glare, putting a protective arm around Allison. "Don't yell at her like that."

"Well?" Vera countered, crossing her arms. "She needs to learn-"

"I haven't seen her in two days, how is she supposed to act?" Erin asked, glancing around the room. "Come here, Cass," she patted the mattress beside her. "Where's your brother?"

A second later, Paul appeared at the doorway, rooted to the spot. His eyes wide as he took in the scene in front of him.

"Come here," Erin said softly, making room beside her. "Paul, come here."

Paul said nothing, his robust complexion paled. His feet wouldn't move, he swiped his hands against his jeans, wishing a hole would open in the floor so he could jump in it.

"Paul?" Erin called, putting her feet on the floor. "Get in here-"

"Listen to your mother!" Vera said sternly. "My God, get in here."

"Hang on-" Dave grabbed his duffle bag and the two bags from Target on the floor. "Come on, Son. Help me load the car." He passed the bags to the boy and closed the door behind them.

~~~0~~~

Paul kept his eyes on his shoes as he walked, with Dave's eyes burned into his back. "You know, I'm not your son." Paul stopped at the elevator, jabbing the button impatiently.

"Yup." Dave popped the 'p' on the end. Keeping a neutral tone with the boy, there was something in the way Paul carried himself in the hospital that Dave recognized, even if he couldn't put his finger on it. "You're her son and she missed you. You hurt your mom's feelings when you ignore her."

Ding.

The elevator slid open, people spilled into the hallway, before Paul could respond. He chewed his lip, weighing his options. "Well," the boy cleared his throat, their footsteps echoed through the parking garage. "I don't know what she expected from me," Paul said, head held high, his eyes narrowed with false-teenage bravado.

"For starters, she expected a 'hello,'" Dave said, opening the trunk of the Cadillac. He laid the bags inside and opened the cooler that he'd left back there from cleaning out the rental car from his and Erin's weekend in New Jersey. "Here." He pulled out two cans of Sprite, shaking off the melted ice and closed the trunk.

Paul took the can, and popped the tab. "What's this?"

"It's the closest thing to a beer you're going to get."

"No caffeine, huh?" Paul took a sip, resting his hip against the car.

"Not my choice," Dave said, wincing at the taste. "Pretty sure water has more taste. Your mom likes it."

"Depends on the water," Paul took another sip, for something to do with his hands. He studied the oil stains on the concrete in front of his feet.

"What's going on with you?" Dave asked, with one arm on the trunk of the car. He studied the boy in front of him, hunched over, avoiding eye contact.

"Nothing," Paul bit out, his soda can bent in his hand.

"You and your mom are so close… why wouldn't you see her?"

The oil stains blurred into an ugly kaleidoscope pattern in front of him. "Because" he drank, letting the sweet liquid drip down his throat, his chest heaved. He blinked quickly, to clear his vision.

"Why?" Dave's genuine curiosity seeped through, "what is it, Paul?"

"Because!" The soda can cracked against the concrete, rolling down the aisles of parked cars, spilling hot sugary Sprite onto the pavement. "I hate her!" His voice cracked and rang through the silent garage. He swiped one hand across his face, "Dave, I hate her."

"That's not true," Dave argued, stepping closer to Paul.

"It is true! I hate her, for whatever she did to make someone do that to her!" Paul cried, his chest heaved, tears dripped down his face. "They put her in the hospital, someone beat her up."

"It's okay," Dave grabbed him, holding the boy in a bear hug. Paul's smaller arms wrapped around Dave, anchoring himself to him. "It's okay, Son." Dave mumbled, "just breathe."

"I don't hate her," Paul's voice shook.

"I know that."

"I think," Paul took a trembling breath against Dave's shoulder. "I think she needs me. Ya know," he pulled back some. "With the baby coming, she needs me to take out the trash and stuff."

"She does," Dave agreed. "Babies make a lot of trash…"

"I think…" Paul took another deep breath. "I think I'm gonna move back in with her."

"She'll like that," Dave smiled proudly. "You're a good son, Paul."

~~~000~~~

"You're just in time," Vera called out. As the door swung closed on Dave and Paul. "The doctor brought the discharge papers."

"My boys!" Erin called out, opening her arms. "There you are." She pulled Paul into a side-hug. "Did you have a nice talk?"

"Just…" Dave kissed her forehead, "guy stuff."

"I see," Erin said, lowering herself off the bed. "Who's ready to go home?"

"Everyone," Dave clasped his hands together. "Family dinner at my house, there's…" he paused, looking around the room. He knew what he needed to do. "Well… I just want us to all be together and my place is bigger."

"When you like a flower, you pluck it. When you love a flower, you water it daily."

The Buddha