Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.
A/N: I want to thank everyone who read the first chapter. Since I switched my original story Coming Home from which this sequel is based on of Chicago category, it has given it a new life and I'm glad everyone is liking it. Enjoy this one.
Haley woke up first, still curled into Adam's side. His arm was still wrapped around her shoulder, their legs still intertwined. She sighed contently and pulled herself away from him as quietly as she could, wanting to let him sleep some more. The nice thing about having grown kids was that it was easier to let him sleep post UC and she was thankful for that. She slipped on some clothes and her robe and padded downstairs towards the kitchen. She smiled at the sight in front of her. Her two boys were busy in the kitchen, making breakfast.
"What do I owe this to?" She hugged Evan, not having seen him in more than a few days before she moved onto Shawn and playfully ruffled his hair.
"After Shawn finished being grossed out from finding you and dad in bed together last night." She swore she could feel her body getting a thousand degrees hotter. "I figured that he could go for a good meal, and you too, specially after what happened last shift." Haley looked behind her to make sure Adam wasn't in hearing distance only to be face to face with Adam.
"What about last shift?"
"Nothing, last shift was fine." She turned around and glared at her oldest who gave her a sheepish look.
"No, the two of you can't hide anything from me." He put his hands on her hips and spun her around to face him again. "What happened last shift? He looked his wife dead in the eye but she remained mum. "Fine, Evan will tell me." He challenged her.
"Just tell him mom." There wasn't much he could do for his mother at this point.
"Something with an elevator, really not a big deal Adam." She downplayed it.
"Not a big deal mom?" Shawn finally blurted out. "You almost got squished."
"What the hell Hales? Why didn't you tell me this when I got home yesterday?"
"Because I'm fine and I was too busy being happy you were back in one piece."
"I think I need to have a talk with Matt."
"Don't bring Matt into it." She rolled her eyes, frustrating her husband even more.
"He better have a damn good reason for putting my wife, his best friend, in harms way." Evan coughed behind us, gaining his dad's attention. "But let me guess, he had nothing to do with it and ripped you a new one already for being reckless." He didn't need to look at her for a confirmation. "Well then you can tell me all about that near death experience of yours later." She hung her head, not really wanting to get into it. The boys went back to making the food when Adam released his hold on Haley. He kissed the top of her head and let her move around the kitchen, setting the table and making a fresh pot of coffee.
Adam watched her as she moved, trying to figure out if that elevator rescue had done any real physical damage but apart from a small cut above her brow, she seemed intact. She handed him a cup of coffee with a smile as the boys put the food on the table.
"Everyone to chow." Evan declared and the family of four sat and ate in comfortable conversation. Adam couldn't keep from looking at Haley. Even in her forties, she still managed to take his breath away. Evan talked about what was going on in his training, Adam butting in with his own stories, everyone up for a good laugh.
"Thanks for breakfast boys, it was really good." She stood to get the table emptied but Adam stopped her by taking a hold of the plates she held in her hands.
"You don't need to take care of those. Go fill up the tub and go soak in it for a bit, you've earned it." He leaned down to kiss her.
"I know what you're trying to do." She scowled at him.
"Go on." He gave a light tug to the plates for her to relinquish control. She kissed both boys on the cheek, taking Evan in her arms.
"I'm happy that you stopped by, I've missed you son."
"I missed you too mom." He had grown taller then her at around fifteen so now he could press a kiss to the top of her head.
"Thanks for breakfast."
"What about me?" Shawn was almost pouty, Haley seeing a glimpse of the little boy he used to be.
"Thanks to you too bud." She went to him and pulled her into her arms, the two an even size, hisy eyes mirroring her own. "And before he asks, I'm fine and you guys have nothing to worry about."
Adam gave her a hum in response and waited for her to be gone before he turned towards the two boys.
"What the hell happened?" He hissed, knowing she wouldn't be forthcoming with him.
"Not one hundred percent sure but something about being stuck under an elevator cart and the power being turned off at the last possible second." Evan looked towards the stairs where his mom had disappeared to.
"I can't fucking believe her." He turned on his heels and went up the stairs two at a time. He could hear the water running in their en-suite so he slowly made it there. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms against his chest and just watched her as the tub filled with bubbles, a towel under her neck. He noticed a bruise he hadn't seen the previous night on her shoulder and scrapes behind her left ear and he couldn't stop the sigh that escaped his lips. "What happened babe?" He said softly, not wanting to scare her.
"It's nothing Adam, really." She sighed.
"At least be honest Hales." He took a few steps inside and sat down on the edge of the tub.
"I was a bit reckless yesterday." She sat up in the bath and played around with the bubbles, turning the tap off as she was satisfied with it. "We got called for a rescue in a fancy building, an employee stuck under the elevator cart. He was injured and Kelly was assessing the situation and I kind of removed my coat and slid down the shaft to help."
"And Kelly didn't stop you? Some friend." The more she told him the more his anger was flaring up.
"If you need to lay blame Adam, lay it on me. Don't bring the guys into this." She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They were just as mad at me as you are right now."
"Where is that coming from? Is it my UC gig? I thought we were past this after all these years?"
"There might have been a little bit of frustration from my part." She looked down sheepishly.
"Why?"
"Casey asked me to lead more and let the younger ones step up on the calls."
"And what's wrong with that?" It just didn't make sense to him.
"Don't you get it Adam?" Anger rose in her chest. "He asks me to hang back means he doesn't trust me anymore."
"Come on Hales, that's not true. Have you talked to Matt about it?"
"Let's just say I didn't stick around after he chewed my head off in front of the rest of the house." She rolled her eyes and laid her head down against the back of the tub, closing her eyes and breathing out deeply. "I should have talked to him." She finally said after giving it a bit more thought.
"Would have been a better idea that storming out." He chuckled. "Come on Hales, where is this coming from?"
"I really don't know." She sighed, putting her face in her hands and stifling a groan.
"Just soak in here and don't think about any of this, try to relax." He turned the hot water tap on so it was barely flowing. He knew she always liked her baths hot.
"What are you going to do?"
"Spend some time with the boys, maybe go throw the football around in the yard." He leaned down and kissed her. "You, relax, that's an order."
"Will do detective." She winked at him as he left the en-suite.
He came back down to a quiet house so he made his way to the back, surely finding both his sons there. Shawn was leaning against the balcony railing and Evan was sitting in the stairs next to his brother.
"Everything ok with mom?" Evan asked without even making eye contact with his dad.
"Yeah, it's all just a big misunderstanding." He came to sit next to him.
"A misunderstanding?!" He couldn't believe his ears. "Mixing up ice creams is a misunderstanding. "The two of you buying the same cake is a misunderstanding dad." Clearly Evan had gotten his explosive temper from his father. Shawn was simply waiting for the explanation.
"Yeah Evan, a misunderstanding. Your mom just needs to have a talk with uncle Matt and uncle Kelly and things will go back to normal."
"Do you think she'll do something stupid like that again?" Shawn finally came to sit next to his dad.
"Probably will." He chuckled, taking his youngest in a head lock. "I'm not the only one Evan takes his recklessness from." He chuckled, releasing Shawn.
"So I'm the bad example now?" Evan acted shocked.
"Does that make me the better child?" Shawn snickered, Evan throwing the football his way, Shawn barely dodging it, the three Ruzek boys getting some laughs in.
"Enough of this girly stuff, let's play." Adam pulled the football out of Shawn's hands and ran to the back of the yard, it was dad vs sons.
Haley stepped out of the tub after the water ran cold. She pulled a towel around her waist and went to change into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She found her three boys in the yard throwing the football around and leaned against the patio door, looking at them play, a smile on her lips. She was the happiest when they were carefree like this and that she didn't have to worry about their safety. All she was missing now was for Shawn to make a decision about his future. The first couple of years, he had ridden off his football scholarship, his grades flirting with an overall A+ and although she was proud of him, he had yet to find his true calling. Evan on the other hand had known he wanted to be a police detective just like his daddy and although it scared her to have the two on the force, she knew that the 21st was just as much a family as was 51.
"What you thinking about?" She got pulled out of her thoughts by Adam's voice.
"How grateful I am to have such a wonderful family, I'm proud of them." She smiled at him as he pulled her closer to him, her hands on her waist.
"We're proud of you too Captain." Although it was true, just the mention of her title at the CFD from his lips made her blush.
"Stop it." She hit him playfully on the chest.
"I love it when I make you blush." He kissed her neck, her breathing now laboured.
"Adam." Her hand came to rest on his hip as his came to rest on her cheek, leaving a trail of open mouth kisses.
"AWWW GROSS!" Adam couldn't help but snicker at his youngest son's attempt to embarrass them.
"Just you wait Shawn Ruzek. Your time will come and when you've found the right girl for yourself, trust me you won't stand a chance." Shawn was all Haley except for his eyes, the same chocolate brown ones staring back at him.
"I don't have all that much time for girls dad." He had barely seen Chloe in the month his dad had been out of town for his UC gig.
"What do you have time for then?" He countered. "Because it's not picking out something to do out of your life." He released Haley from his arms and faced his youngest son, his arms crossed over his chest, anger evident on his features.
"Give it a rest dad." He marched past his father and into the house.
"He's killing me Hales." He growled.
"Stop riding him so hard babe, it's not going to help." She patted his arm and made her way into the house as Evan had come to join them.
She leaned against the wall and knocked softly. "Shawn, sweetie, it's mom. Can I come in?" When she didn't get an answer, she slowly pushed the door open to find him laying on his back with both hands behind his head.
"What do you want?" He grumbled, still ignoring her.
"I just want to talk." She sat down on the bed next to him. "You're dad loves you, he just wants what's best for you."
"He doesn't really care, he got his golden boy Evan walking in his footsteps." He talked, still not looking at her.
"I'm going to stop you right there." Her voice was firm. "There is no golden boy and never will there be one." She was starting to grow impatient with him. "Look at me when I talk to you son." She took his chin in her hand and made him look at her. "Your father and I are proud of you equally and we just want you to pick something you love to do with your life."
"Even if it's not the CFD or the CPD?" He finally rolled on his side and propped himself up on his elbow.
"No matter what you pick we're proud of you."
"I dropped out of Chicago U." He finally admitted.
A/N: Uh oh...How did Shawn manage to hide this from his parents? I hope you guys liked it and please take a few seconds t review before you go, your thoughts mean everything to me. - Sarra
