Hank had taken Adam outside to talk away from everyone; he took him over to his car and they got in and closed the doors. The older Sergeant looked at him with a knowing look and Adam knew he couldn't get out of this.
"Ryan didn't do it, did he?" Hank asked.
"No. He's covering for me should things go bad" Adm replied.
"What happened Adam"
"I went to talk to Ryan before me and him took off, he had some ideas where Ian would go. We went to check all the places and we found one, he left Sophia behind. I told Ryan to stay with her while I went after Ian. I chased after him, we stopped in the alley he turned facing me he pulled a gun and I pulled mine. I warned him not to come at me, to put the gun down or I was going to shoot. He didn't listen. At some point Ryan left Soph behind and came to find me; he was determined to end this with Ian. Anway, Ian started to walk towards me after once again to tell him to drop the gun and stop. I knew he wouldn't so I had no choice. I shot him. Ryan found out and he said he'd take the fall in case things went south that way Soph wouldn't lose both of us that she'd still have me around. He was going to make the selfless and fatherly decision and take the wrap for me and let Sophia stay with me so she'd still have someone to look after her"
"Did anyone see you?"
"Not that I saw no"
"Whatever you and Ryan do, neither of you say a word. I'll handle it. You're main focus should be Sophia. She's going to need you both and Bob so for now, leave this alone. Let me handle it. Do you understand?"
"Understood Sarge"
"Go back to the little one"
The young officer got out of the car and went back inside and Hank followed after a few minutes, Ryan was pacing; he hadn't been able to see his daughter yet. He was worried but didn't want to show it; he wasn't sure if he deserved to show how he felt for the seven-year-old.
Hank had come back and gone to Ryan. "Let's go talk Ryan"
"I was hoping to see Sophia"
"You will, let's go talk"
The two men went out to Hank's car to talk, Ryan had a feeling he knew how this talk was going to go.
"I'm sorry for taking the fall for Adam but I knew if he went down Soph would lose him. I took the fall because I wanted her to still have some part of her family left" Ryan spoke.
"I know, Adam told me. That was very admiral"
"I don't care if she's mine or not I'm the only father she's ever known. I don't care if I'm her father or if Ian was. Sophia has been and always will be my little girl and I'll do anything and everything to protect her"
"You know what you sound like? A true parent. I can tell you want to be her father and are willing to do anything for her even if it means taking a wrap for something you didn't do just so that little girl can keep her family together"
"You sound as if you have kids"
"A son. And just like you I'd have done anything to protect him, I've crossed lines to do things to protect him. A love a parent has for their child is endless and unconditional. I believe you never stopped loving Sophia and you'll always love her and protect her. But Ryan I don't want you to do the things we do, don't cross the lines we have to because once you cross that line there ain't no coming back from it. I crossed a line for my son that I never came back from. I'm trying to teach and tell my team not to cross that line because it will eat you alive and you won't be able to live with it. You won't be able to live with the guilt that comes with it. The guilt will slowly eat at it till you crack. That's why you need to be the best parent you can be to Sophia. Live a clean, straight life. That's why I'm going to help you"
That had surprised the younger man. "You're going to help me?"
Hank nodded. "Adam told me about the deal you made. You kept your part by helping find Sophia and now you deserve to have a chance at being in her life. Adam and I will help you with anything you'll need. But if you screw up once or you do anything to that little girl. Adam and Bob are going to be the very least of your concerns because you'll be dealing with me. Understood"
"Understood"
"First thing's first. You have a house or an apartment?"
"I have a lead on a two bedroom, it's not far from where Adam lives. I want Sophia to be close to them if I'm able to see her and it's close by her school in case I have her and I can take her so Adam isn't late to work"
"What about work?"
"I don't have one. I lost it last year, work injury. I messed up my back and got addicted to my pain killers. I still haven't fully come off the pills. I use every so often"
"That has to come to a complete stop. Are you in a treatment program?"
He shook his head. "I never had the money to go. When I heard about Emma's accident I fell off the wagon hard that anger. I was high"
"If I get you into a program you have to stay and complete it if you want to be in Sophia's life. This is something you want to do. This has to be something only you can choose to do. You have to want this for yourself not just for Sophia. But this is going to be a good start at being the father she deserves"
"I just want her to have a father, something I didn't have. I want her to have her father the way Adam and Emma did. She's already going to be without Emma, she deserves to at least have her father"
"Those are the words of a good father. Just try not to try so hard. Take steps. Let her come to you, you don't want to force the relationship with her. You want to let it grow so start off small and just work at it. By starting is getting clean for her making sure you're off any and all drugs, you're not drinking heavily, you have a place for the two of you and you can provide for her. Like I said we will help you because you're a part of the family now"
Ryan was getting emotional; the only family he ever had was his brother and he was a backstabbing bastard who tried to kidnap his daughter and killed the woman he loved. His mother had died years ago. His father walked out on him as a child. For years he had always felt alone until he met Emma and then Sophia came and he finally had the family he's always wanted. But then his bastard brother killed the mother of his daughter. Now all he had was Sophia, Adam and Bob. And now Hank was accepting him into the family. His family.
"Thank you. I wanna ask. Why are you doing this? Out of all the things I've done you're giving me a second chance"
"Because everyone deserves a second chance. You deserve to have a second chance if you really wanna fight for it. You are fighting for it and you deserve to have the chance. We all have our sins and demons we wanna fight. I do and every day I fight through them. I've done a lot of unforgivable things but I managed to get past them. I had to work hard to gain people's trust and to earn their forgiveness. I fought to get my second chance and because of it I got to be a father and now a grandfather. You're fighting for you're chance to get clean, to have a better life not only for you but for Sophia and that's all any parent wants for their child is to have better than what they had"
"I want to do this more than anything. I want this more than anything"
"Then let's do this"
The two went back inside, Sophia was being discharged after she was cleared. She was physically and mentally exhausted Adam held her up in one of his arms, her small arms wrapped loosely around his neck. Hank and Ryan had walked back inside.
Ryan went to see his daughter who looked half asleep. He thought it was best if he kept his distance and let her sleep. Adam had seen Ryan standing with his boss and had a feeling they had been talking.
"Hey pop you mind taking Soph right quick so I can talk with Ryan and Voight?" Adam asked his father.
"Sure, come here munchkin" Bob says reaching for his granddaughter.
Adam passed the barely conscious seven-year-old to his father and the older man took her and walked away letting the three go talk. They had separated from the group.
"Everything alright?" Adam asked the two men.
Hank nodded and let Ryan speak before he went on. Ryan took a deep breath and hope he wasn't going to regret this.
"Hank and I were talking, there was a lot I left out because I felt if I had told you, you wouldn't let me see Sophia" He paused taking another breath. "Last year I lost my job, I fell and messed up my back badly, I got hooked to my pain killers. I've been trying to come off them when I heard about Emma's accident. I fell off the wagon hard, when I was going off on you guys. I was high. But this time I want to get clean, not only for Sophia but myself. I wanna prove that I can be a good father. This is my chance to actually do it. I want to be her father more than anything. I won't screw this up. I swear to you both, I will live a clean, straight, narrow path"
"You got my help and support anytime you need it" Adam told him. "Whatever you need I got your back brother"
"I'm going to get him into a program to start his treatment. He just wanted to tell you and see Sophia" Hank finally spoke.
The young officer kept his eye on Ryan. "You got my help and support with whatever you need. Just don't make me or us regret it"
"You have my word, I won't," Ryan assured him. "Is it alright if I see Soph before I go?"
"Absolutely"
Adam walked Ryan over to where his father was and the young officer took his niece from his father. She briefly woke up and rubbed her eyes.
"Hi Sophia" Ryan says softly with a smile.
"Hi," The young girl replied softly.
"Sweetheart, is it alright if Ryan talks to you for a quick minute?" Adam asked her.
She nodded, Adam passed her over and Ryan slightly hesitated but slowly carefully took his daughter in his arms and sat down with her. He looked at her small angelic face and couldn't help but think she looked so much like her mother.
"Are you alright?" Sophia asked her father.
"I'm just fine sweetheart, you just look so much like your mom" Ryan answered with a smile, putting some hair behind her ear. "Soph before I say what I have to I just want you to know I love you so much. I love you more than anything. The day you were born was the day I was reborn. I changed my entire life for you and I'm going to do it once again. I want to be your dad more than anything else in this world. And to be the best dad I can be for you, I have to go away and get help, it's not going to be forever just a little while but you're going to be in the best hands with your Uncle Adam, you're Grandpa Hank and Grandpa Bob and everyone else. I will be back for you I promise and when I come back I'll be the best dad I can be from here on out"
"You swear you'll be back?"
"I swear on my life. I'll come back better and stronger than ever"
She had wrapped her arms around him and squeezed letting a few tears fall from his eyes as one of his hands smoothed her hair down and he kissed her temple. He may have screwed up in the past but he vowed he was going to make the future brighter and better than ever.