Jay had kept Sophia behind him out of view of the gun, he held his hands up in defense, he had to play this out very carefully because he wasn't explaining anything to Adam, Hank or Bob.

"Ryan is it, look why don't you put the gun down. You're scaring Sophia. See she's scared. '' Jay said calmly.

Ryan looked to see Sophia clinging to Jay's leg trembling. "It's ok Soph, I'm not gonna hurt you, sweetie". He says to her.

"Ryan listen to me, just give me the gun and you can walk out as if this never happened". Jay told him calmly with his hands raised.

"Not happening! Give me my kid and give her to me now!"

Sophia was getting more scared and anxious, her breathing began to pick up. While the two men were distracted she had run off trying to control her breathing, she was running as fast as she could and ran into Antonio.

"Soph, sweetie what is it? What's wrong? Where's Jay?" Antonio asked.

"H-he...came...back...Ryan...he's back". Sophia gasped.

"Come with me, sweetheart".

Adam laid in his bed when Hank had said Ryan's name he tensed up as a look of anger was on his face.

"What about that son of a bitch?" Adam asked coldly.

"Adam have you looked into this guy at all?"

"I haven't had a chance, I've been meaning to why".

"You are to keep Sophia away from him, I'll work on getting his parental rights terminated".

"Boss, what aren't you telling me?" Adam's voice held fear in it.

Before Hank could answer Antonio rushed in with the seven year old and she was in a full blown panic attack. As much pain as Adam was in when he moved he felt a lot more pain and it was worse.

"Soph, Soph, baby look at me. Come on sweetie look at me". Adam says softly.

The terrified seven-year-old looked at her uncle as big tears fell from her eyes.

"I-I'm scared...Uncle Adam...I don't want...him to take … me away. '' She cried, gasping for breath.

"He's not going to sweetie, I promise. Grandpa Hank is gonna get him I promise. Can you take some deep breaths for me?"

As Adam was working on getting his niece calm Hank went with his senior detective out of the room.

"Where is he?" Hank asked deadly and dangerously.

"I don't know I saw her and Jay wasn't with her, my guess is Jay's with him".

"He's mine".

Hank stormed away going to find the bastard. Jay was still with Parker, the guy still had his gun raised to him. The young detective's hands were still raised.

"Ryan, I understand you want Sophia. You're her father and you have every right to see her but think about this man. You're scaring her like this. You don't want to scare her do you? As a father you're supposed to protect your children, make sure they're safe, not scare them". Jay says calmly, hoping Ryan will drop the gun.

"I just want her back. She's my little girl".

Jay had to lie to gain his trust he was almost close into getting him to drop the gun.

"I understand man, I do. Someone had kept me from my son at one point, I'd have done whatever it took to get him back. Because that was my little boy, it was my job to protect him, keep him safe. I wouldn't wanna scare him like you're doing, just hand me the gun".

Kevin and the others were slowly and quietly creeping up on them, Ryan slowly lowered his arm with the gun and passed it to Jay just when Kevin and Antonio went and grabbed him.

"You bastard! You set me up!" Ryan yelled.

"You shot my partner and went after his niece, be lucky I don't drop you right here and right now.'' Kevin said in a threatening voice.

Antonio saw his boss coming their way. "You may not have to Kev because he's about to answer to Hank".

Without a word Hank roughly grabbed Parker by his head and pulled him out of the hospital while he was cuffed. Everyone went to see Adam. By this point Sophia was asleep after her panic attack, Adam kept his niece by him as he held a protective arm around her with his good arm. She sucked her thumb a little, just as everyone came in the room.

"There' s the man of the hour, how ya feeling man". Kevin says to his friend.

"I hurt like hell but I'll be ok". He looked at his niece and gently brushed some of her hair back. He gently leaned his forehead against hers and gently kissed her head. "I'll always protect you peanut, always and forever".

He then looked at Jay. "Thank you, for protecting her when I couldn't"

"No problem, she's family now. We protect our own, no matter what".

"If he had hurt her…"

"I wouldn't have let that happen Adam, not on my life". Jay assured him, gently patting his shoulder.

"She's my life, my world".

"And we'll help you protect her like Jay said, she's family and we protect our own.'' Kevin told his partner.

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it.'' Adam says to his team with a smile.

Meanwhile

Hank had taken Parker to the silos he went around to the trunk and opened it then roughly grabbed him by his hair yanking him out of the car.

"Let me go! Get off me!" Ryan snapped at Hank.

The older man threw him to the ground and pulled his gun out. "Give me one reason I shouldn't put a bullet in your head" He then held the gun to Parker's temple.

"I wanted to see my kid! You have NO RIGHT keeping her from me!"

Hank dug the gun deeper into the man's temple. "As I said before you're not Sophia's father, you're just another criminal who has no rights over that little girl. You're NOTHING to her.

He removed the gun from his temple and shoved it in Ryan's mouth forcing it down his throat a little, an evil dark look in his eyes. "If you EVER go after my granddaughter, my detective, or my friend, you'll experience something far worse than death. I'm what nightmares are made of. Get the hell out of my city and if I ever hear or catch you in my city or around my detective's family. I'll finish you. You understand me. '' His voice was dark and deadly, he didn't even sound like himself.

Ryan simply nodded in fear as the gun was still in his mouth. Before Hank left he took something from his car, it was a crow bar and he beat Ryan with it for a few minutes. About 4 of his ribs were probably broken at that time. The younger man was struggling to breath with his broken ribs, after using the crow bar Hank grabbed an ice pick and stabbed him a couple of times. The stabs were non fatal and non threatening just enough to get his point across. Just to make sure he had gotten his point across Hank had shot him in his left shoulder and his right knee cap.

"Come back around them and I end you, you understand me". Hank's voice, still deadly and dangerous.

"Y-y-yes". Ryan whimpered in a lot of pain.

"Good. Get the hell out of my city and stay out otherwise the next bullet goes in your head".

"D-duly...noted".

Before going he kicked him a couple times where his broken ribs were, he then left Ryan there gasping for breath and bleeding. He headed back to the hospital. Once back there he went to see Adam, the team had gone home for the night. Bob was fast asleep in a chair nearby his son, Sophia was asleep curled into her uncle's good side without hurting him. Adam couldn't sleep for many reasons, pain, stress, the fact that his niece's no good bastard father was around and he was laid up. He hadn't noticed his boss in the room yet.

"How ya feeling kid?" Hank asked quietly, careful not to wake the other two.

Adam jumped a bit and got hit by a hell of a lot of pain, Sophia tossed a bit he hushed her back to sleep ignoring all the pain in his body.

"Easy Ruzek easy kid, try not to move too fast. You don't wanna go back to surgery".

"Sorry boss, I guess I got scared". Adam replies, pulling his niece closer.

"I got Parker handled, you don't have to worry about him".

"You didn't do what I think you did".

"He got roughed up a bit, let's leave it at that. How are you?"

"I hurt like hell, it sorta feels like I got hit by a truck, but for this little one. I'd do it all over again".

"You're on medical leave until the doc clears you, you need to rest, heal, and recover. Not working. Your desk will still be there when you come back".

"Sarge, I'd rather work and go catch the bastard who shot me and almost killed Sophia".

"Adam, let us handle that. You worry about getting better and worry about that little girl".

"Alright. I won't work.

"Ruzek, I mean it".

"Yes Sarge".

After a few days in the hospital, Adam was going home. His father was gonna stay with him and Sophia while he was recovering. The team was working on finding the guys on shot Adam.

Early one afternoon Adam came down from his room to see his father making lunch while Sophia was coloring at the table. Smiling, the young detective went over and kissed his niece's head. Sophia looked up from her picture and kissed her uncle's cheek.

"Hi Uncle Adam". Sophia said cheery.

"Whatcha doing sweet girl". Adam replies, taking a seat beside her.

"Coloring a princess unicorn".

"It's very beautiful honey".

"Lunch is served". Bob said, setting two plates in front of them.

"Thanks Pop, but I was coming to make lunch for us". Adam told his father.

"You're supposed to be resting. I don't mind helping out for a few days, I love spending time with you two". He gently patted his shoulder and ruffled his granddaughter's hair.

Adam smiled and glanced over at his niece. "Sweetheart why don't you go watch cartoons while Grandpa and I talk".

She nodded and took her plate of lasagna into the living room and put the tv on cartoons for her to watch. Once the seven-year-old was out of hearing and eyesight they started talking.

"Everything ok?" Bob asked his son.

"I wanna go back to work-" He was cut off.

"Adam no the doc or Hank hasn't cleared you yet".

"I won't go into the field, I can just hang back at the office and help find who shot me and Soph".

"Adam no. You need to rest and recover, let Hank and the others worry about that".

"Pop, I can't just let something like that go. I don't care if I was hurt, it happens on a daily basis for me but when Soph got in the middle that's where I drew the line".

Bob sighed sadly. "We just lost your sister, I can't lose you or Soph either".

Adam sighed sadly as well. "You won't lose us Pop, I promise".

"When Hank called and told me what happened… I thought I lost my other child and I'd have to tell Soph all over again. I'm sorry son, I don't want you working right now. You're still in a very vulnerable state of getting injured a lot worse. Just wait till the doc and Hank clears you".

"Pop that could be weeks if not longer, I can't be out of work that long".

Adam was planning to adopt his niece so her no good son of a bitch father can't take her, he had to prove that he can balance work and raising his niece. He didn't wanna have anything ruin that.

"I'm sorry Adam, that's how it has to be. I gotta head out, my shift is about to start. I'll see you two later. You got someone coming to keep an eye on you guys?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna see if Kevin can come over".

"I have my cell on me if you need me. Hank said if you need anything to call him".

"I will".

Bob grabbed the rest of his work stuff and patted his son on the shoulder gently. He then headed over to his young granddaughter.

"Alright sweetheart, I'm off to work keep an eye on your uncle for me". He said with a smile.

"I will Grandpa Bob". Sophia smiled at her grandfather.

"That's my girl". He kissed her head then left out.

Adam went to check on his niece, Sky was watching The Little Mermaid and was singing the musical parts.

"Whatcha watching darling". Adam says taking a seat beside her.

"The Little Mermaid".

He smiled that was his sister's favorite movie, she'd watch that all the time with Sophia. Adam pulled his niece closer as they watched the movie. The seven-year-old had fallen asleep curled into his side. Not being able to lift her up he left her on the couch he threw Emma's blanket over them, Sophia cuddled the blanket close as it had her mother's smell. Looking down at his niece he smiled and kissed her head.

About an hour later Kevin arrived, Adam quietly got up from the couch as Sophia slept. He opened the door to see his best friend.

"Hey man". Kevin says bro hugging him.

"Hey, shh the kiddo is fast asleep". Adam said. "Did you bring the stuff?"

Kevin walked inside and opened his jacket pulling out case files. "These are only copies, I didn't want Voight to get suspicious if the original files got out and he'd know you somehow got them".

"Let me see what you guys found out".

They headed to the kitchen so they wouldn't disturb the sleeping seven-year-old, Adam put on a pot of coffee then sat with his partner as they went over the files. They weren't getting anywhere and it was pissing Adam off but he hadn't lost his cool yet.

"Dammit none of this is helping. I'm gonna need to see the security footage from Soph's school"

"Adam, you know as well as I do Voight isn't gonna let you near this case. I got lucky making copies of these and sneaking them out. He probably won't let you near the District in your condition".

"I know, I just can't be on the sidelines like this. I need to know who shot me, who almost killed Soph, and why".

"You think Parker could have done it? Maybe to get custody of Sophia?"

"I had that exact same theory. I don't know what Emma ever saw in him. If I found out he did this Kev, he's dead".

"Ruzek, if anything happens to him you'll be the first suspect. You wanna go through all that? Put your dad and Soph through that?"

"No but-"

He stopped hearing his niece crying in her sleep, Adam went out to her.

"Soph, I'm here. I'm here baby girl. I gotcha munchkin"

He picked her up and rocked her and smoothed her hair back. He kissed her temple. The young detective rocked her gently.

"I….I want….Mommy" She sobbed.

"I know baby, I know. I gotcha"

He wiped her eyes and gave her a tissue so she could blow her nose.

"I miss momma, Uncle Adam" Sophia sniffed.

"I do to munchkin. I miss her very very much"

"Why did she have to die?"

"I don't know honey bear. I wish she had stayed with us"

"I think it was the bad man I told Grandpa Hank about".

Adam looked to Kevin and waved him in the room. Kevin didn't need to be told twice. He went into the room sitting down.

"What bad man Soph?"

"The man who said he was my daddy. He said his name was Ryan. Mommy didn't want me to see him, she said he was bad and dangerous. I heard them fighting a lot. He'd come over wanting to see me but mommy wouldn't let him, after the last time he told mommy she was gonna pay. A couple of days later we had the accident"

The two partners looked at each other, Adam gave Kevin a known look. Kevin's eyes said, 'Don't do anything stupid'

"We'll be sure to tell Grandpa Hank, why don't you go play upstairs"

She nodded and went to go play upstairs in her room. Once she was gone, Adam started seething. He was never one to show his anger around his niece.

"Ruzek, don't. I know what you're thinking" Kevin told his partner.

"I'm gonna kill him. He's dead Kev. He and Emma have a fight one night and two days later she has an accident. We need to look at her car and follow his footsteps from that day"

"Let us handle this Ruz, all you need to worry about is getting better and looking after that little girl upstairs"

"Fine. I'll let you guys handle it"

"I mean it Adam, no involvement"

"I heard ya Kev. While you're here I do wanna talk to you about something?"

"It's not gonna involve me helping you with a dead body is it?"

Adam chuckled. "No. I wanna work on adopting Soph. I was wondering, would you like to be her godfather if I'm able to?"

"I'd be honored"

Sonn Kevin had to head back to the district. Adam had kept the files and hid them so he could keep working. He went to get something from the fridge, he opened it to find it pretty much empty.

"Great" He sighed.

He went and called his niece. "Soph! Come on honey. We gotta go to the store grab your shoes and jacket"

The young detective quickly grabbed his shoes, when he bent down it hurt like hell as he winced in pain. After getting his shoes he grabbed his jacket, wallet and keys. Soon Sophia came down with her shoes and jacket on. He took her hand as they left. Little did they know Ryan was following them.

After a very eventful shopping trip and lots of begging and as Adam calls them the puppy dog eyes, the shopping trip was over and they loaded the car.

"Alrighty munchkin let's go home and start making dinner" Adam looked to his niece.

"Ok Uncle Adam" She nodded.

"Hello again Adam" Came a voice from behind them.

Adam turned and saw a seething Ryan there. He saw a gun in his waistband. Immediately the young detective reached for his on his hip but it wasn't there.

"Looking for this" He pulled out another gun. Adam's department issued gun. "Why don't we have a chat"