He was balancing between awake and still asleep, a sense he was being watched. Really it was more then a sense, he could feel someone leaning near his head, breath rolling across his forehead. The presence didn't feel threatening and that had Evan keeping his eyes closed. A whisper bringing a breath of more hot air into his face changed his mind.

Evan opened his eyes and instantly jerked his head back an inch as he was met with the dark brown eyes of a little girl. He instantly knew who she was from the constant photos in his sister's letters. Elizabeth looked just like her mother.

"Hi," the two year old whispered again, closing the inch of space Evan had just created.

"Hi." Evan answered back.

"Hi."

Evan smiled, "Hi."

The little girl giggled, the sound making Evan's smile bigger. "Hi."

Evan went to open his mouth to return the greeting once again when Maddie's voice floated over to him from behind where he laid on the couch.

"She'll stop if you stop saying it back to her."

Evan chuckled as the little girl squealed and ran around the couch. With a yawn, Evan slowly sat up, stretching his aching muscles as he did so. Taking a second to look around, his eyes fell upon the carrier on the coffee table in front of him. The empty carrier.

His breath hitched and his heart stopped as he sprung to his feet. Where was Lily?

"Evan, relax." Maddie came around the couch, Lily in her arms.

Evan looked down at the little girl and could breath again. With a mumbled sorry, Evan took his daughter into his arms as Maddie handed her over.

Maddie hummed. "She got fussy and you were still sleeping. She's been changed and fed."

Evan cradled Lily in his arms, almost like he would break her but Maddie watched as suddenly he softened and looked up at her.

"Thanks."

"Of course." Maddie smiled. "Family takes care of each other."

A flash of sadness darkened Evan's eyes before he shook his head. He understood what his sister was telling him. It's why he had finally made his way to Los Angeles after the last two months wandering the states between Massachusetts and California. After he had first left Boston, had left Doug, he had been too afraid to show up on his sister's doorstep right away.

He knew Doug would think that's where his first stop would be when leaving. He didn't want the man to find him and Lily, but he didn't want to put his sister and her family in danger either. It had taken him two months to finally talk himself into showing up. Four years without contact with his sister hurt worse then the bruises and broken bones from his husband.

He was just glad his sister never stopped sending her letters. It was the only thing Doug never stopped him from having, though he would open them and burn the envelope with Maddie's address, he'd let him keep the letters and photos, even if he couldn't write back.

And then one day a year ago Doug was gone on a doctor's conference, or so he said he was, and a letter from Maddie came in the mail early. Evan was able to write down her address and tuck it into one of the older letters and lock it away for safe keeping. It took him a year before he had the courage to pull that address out and put it into his GPS.

Evan was brought out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. He jumped at the touch but he saw Maddie pretend to not notice as she smiled at him.

"Are you hungry?"

It was at that moment Evan's stomach growled loudly. The siblings both laughed as Evan followed Maddie around the couch and back into the kitchen. Elizabeth was playing with some large Lego blocks on the floor between the kitchen and main living room. One had slamming a block into another, the other holding a bottle to her mouth as she sucked down the milk with relish.

It was then he noticed a baby swing under the window that separated kitchen and living room. He looked back at his sister and she nodded.

"Howie brought it up from the basement last night." Maddie shrugged. "Couldn't bring myself to throw anything out after Beth was too big for any of it."

Evan chuckled as he stepped up to the swing and buckled Lily into it, turning it on to rock lightly. He took a moment to just watch his daughter. He still couldn't believe he had a daughter. When Grace had first approached the topic with him the year before he had initially said no. He didn't think he could bring a child into this world knowing there were people like his husband that could, and would, pray on them as they got older.

When Grace had returned a few days later and asked again, he made her promise that she would leave Boston. It hurt. After he had moved to Boston with Doug and was suddenly isolated from his family, from everyone he knew, all he wanted was one person on his side, by his side.

And that had been Grace. Less then a month after moving to Boston she was knocking on his front door. She had up and packed her whole life in Pennsylvania and moved to Boston to be by her best friend's side.

After all, she was the only one who knew about the truth of his marriage.

Sure Evan had assumptions his parents knew since he saw them many times a week when he still lived in Hershey for the first year after marrying Doug. The abuse didn't start until Evan was tied to the man as his husband. He had been played, sweet talked into believing Doug loved him. Maybe deep down the older man did, but it wasn't the type of Love Evan wanted.

Then Grace died and Evan was the father of a little girl who needed him to be safe in order to keep her safe. So once he was out of hospital Evan showed up at the hotel where Grace's parents were staying, caring for their granddaughter. He told them everything.

It was a testament for how much Rick and Lesley Tilsley cared for the boy who stole their daughter's platonic heart.

Evan had wanted to leave Lily with them, felt safe leaving her with them. Until they disagreed. They told him as much as they missed Grace, and fuck so did he, and they couldn't fathom parting from their only grandchild, they had to. Because if she was left with them, Doug would use them, and her, to bring Evan back.

They both needed to disappear.

Not forever, they had promised. They promised one day he would be able to return to his real family with his little girl and he'd be able to move on with his life. He'd be able to raise his daughter, find someone new who would love and treat him the right way. Evan never believed that last part, but he was hopeful for the rest.

So he ran. A single bag of clothes for the both of them, a playpen and diaper bag for Lily... and a lockbox full of the most precious items he owned that was not his newborn daughter. The Jeep had been a present from Maddie when he had graduated from high school. When he had moved to Boston he left it in Grace's possession and her parents returned it to him.

"So how is Howard?" Evan asked as he sat down at the table with Maddie.

His sister had already made him a plate of pancakes with bacon, setting the strawberry jelly on the table next to his plate. He smiled as his sister remembered he didn't like syrup with his pancakes but jelly instead. The food wasn't exactly hot anymore but after living on gas station food and lunchables, and god how had he even liked those things as a kid?, for two months, it was heavenly.

"He's good. He came home this morning, surprised to see you sleeping on our couch." Maddie placed her arms on the table as she leaned forward, wrapping her hands around her glass of water. "More surprised by the presence of the baby."

Evan eyed his sister with his head ducked. Swallowing the bite of bacon in his mouth he asked, "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing about Doug. Just about Grace, and Lily, and that you needed to get away for a while to collect your thoughts."

With a sigh, Evan nodded and continuing eating.

"It's not my place to tell the other side of the story." Maddie continued. "But I do have to ask."

"Why it took so long for me to reach out?" Evan sat back as he dropped his fork to the plate with a clatter. Maddie nodded. "He wasn't always like that."

If that wasn't what his sister was expecting him to say, she hid her shock well. Evan scrubbed a hand over his face. He was still so tired. Two months literally on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder sucked for his sleep.

"It didn't start until a few weeks after we got married. I dropped a plate, something that had belonged to his great grandmother." Evan closed his eyes. "Before I could even move, could apologize, he backhanded me."

A sharp intake to his left had him opening his eyes, but he wasn't looking at anything. His eyes unfocused as he continued. "It didn't happen often. If he was in a bad mood after work, lost a patient or just anything, was usually what set him off. Then it was my inability to have dinner for him, even if he was coming off a 24-hour shift at three in the morning when I'm already asleep."

He took another deep breath. "And then we moved to Boston and suddenly it was weekly, then daily. He found any excuse. And I..." He swallowed, looking down at his half finished plate of food and shrugged. "And I made up every excuse not to leave."

"Momma."

The little voice broke through both siblings' horrible thoughts. Both looked down at the little girl patting Maddie's leg to get her attention. Maddie shook her head, wiped her eyes and smiled.

"What's up baby girl?" Maddie picked her daughter up and sat her in her lap, Elizabeth's back to her chest. Maddie kissed the top of her dead.

"So where's Howard now?" Evan changed the subject, "And your other little one?"

Maddie nodded, allowing the change of subject. "Howie took Olivia to school. He should be back soon. I was suppose to, he just got off a 24-hour shift at the firehouse but since you were here we both thought it would be better if you woke to me here and not him."

Evan frowned, "I'm sorry."

Maddie shook her head, her hand snaking across the table to rest near where Evan had placed his own a moment ago, but not touching. Now fully knowing what her brother had been through, she wanted him to be the first to initiate the contact. Even if she did want to just wrap him up in her arms and never let go.

Evan's eyes were watery but he refused to let more tears fall. He had done enough of that over the last five years, over the last two months, hell last night curled in his sister's arms, finally, finally, until he had fallen into the first restful sleep he'd had in years.

"Okay, so," Maddie cleared her throat as Evan's pinky taped hers on the table. "We've got four years to make up for. What have you been doing?"

Evan laughed and it made Maddie so happy to hear.

His hand not on the table came up to rub the back of his neck. "I uh, I actually joined the fire department."

"What!?"

"Yeah," Evan nodded. "After your wedding. Talking with Howard about what he did, what he does. I started thinking and I liked the idea of being able to help others... since I couldn't help myself." Evan looked to his sister. "Yet."

"Are you going to stick with that?" Maddie asked, "Being a firefighter?"

Evan shrugged. "I haven't thought about it. It's been almost three months since I've actually worked."

They fell silent for a moment until Maddie asked, very quietly. "Are you staying in town, or are you going to keep running?"

"No," Evan shook his head and took a deep breath. "I don't want to run anymore."

"Good!" Maddie stood up with Elizabeth on her hip. "Because I already told Howie we're cleaning up the basement for you. There's a bedroom and bathroom down there."

"Maddie, what.."

"Well if you're staying, you're staying here." Maddie looked down at her brother. "As long as you need. As long as you want."

Evan fought back the tears and nodded through a smile. His sister beamed down at him, planted a kiss on his head like she use to when he was younger and turned towards the living room. It was then he heard the front door open. For a second he panicked but then he heard his brother-in-law's voice and he relaxed again.

He didn't know if he would ever get to the point of not fearing that any moment Doug would show up, but he knew here and now, for this moment, he was safe and loved in his sister's home.

Evan stood as Howard came into view from the living room.

"Hey, Evan." Howard took a step forward to hug Evan, "It's good to see you. I'm sorry about Grace."

Howard had only met Grace once at Evan's wedding to Doug all those years ago but he had spent hours the day before the wedding hearing all sorts of childhood stories about the two best friends, so he felt like he knew her.

Evan only hesitated for a second before he wrapped his arms around Howard and hugged back. "Thanks, and it's good to see you too." He pulled away a little quickly and Howard eyed him for a second before turning back to Maddie behind him.

"Alright, I'm going to shower and get some sleep before Lulu's off school." He kissed his wife and headed for the stairs.

Maddie nodded and turned back to Evan. "You can leave Lily up here since that swing put her to sleep, I've got the monitor. Or you can bring her downstairs with us. There is a playpen she can sleep in."

Evan chewed on his lower lip for a second before going over to the swing and unbuckling his daughter, carefully lifting her up. She whimpered at the movement and opened her eyes. A wail soon followed. Evan bounced her carefully as he turned around.

Maddie was already grabbing the diaper bag for him. She pulled the formula and a bottle out. Evan went to grab them as he held Lily in the nook of one arm but Maddie waved him off as she sat Elizabeth on the counter, pointing a finger and telling the toddler to stay. Elizabeth giggled but scooted further on the counter, her head coming to rest on the upper cabinet.

Maddie was quick to make the bottle and hand it over to Evan. Lily's cries had lessoned but she latched onto the nipple of the bottle the second her daddy placed it against her lips.

Maddie smiled as she picked Elizabeth back up from the counter. "You're a natural."

Evan didn't say anything but he didn't need too. As he fed his daughter, he followed his sister through the door by the kitchen table, the one he thought was either a pantry or stairs. He had been correct as they descended into a large basement.

To his right was the largest open space. A flat screen television sat sunken into the wall, two closet doors on either side. A large black leather L-shaped couch took up a decent portion of the open space in front of the television. Behind the couch was a play area for his nieces, sectioned off by a toddler fence. To his right was an open door and when he looked inside he noticed it was a bedroom, but there were boxes stacked everywhere.

Turning back to his sister he followed her further into the basement. Maddie sat Elizabeth into the play area just as she pointed Evan towards the smaller playpen sat against the wall around the corner from the stairs. Evan let Lily finish her bottle first before checking her diaper. It was dry but he knew that wouldn't last long now that she had eaten again. He placed her on her back in the empty playpen and stood up straight.

"So, we just need to move the boxes from the room there," Maddie pointed towards the room where Evan had seen the bed as they entered the basement. "It had all been shifted out six months ago when Howard's brother Albert showed up. He moved out to his own place last month and everything was moved back."

Together the siblings worked effortlessly. They chattered about what each had been up to the last four years since they're last real interaction together. Topics purposely stayed away from Doug. By noon they had finished moving all the boxes from the basement into the garage. Lily had woken twice to be changed.

Howard joined them back in the kitchen for lunch. The siblings had worked together once again effortlessly as they made sandwiches, Maddie making sure to keep the mustard away from her brother as he was allergic. Once lunch was done and cleared away, Howard returned upstairs for a few more hours sleep before he had to go and pick his daughter up from school.

Maddie and Evan settled into the living room. Elizabeth was down for her nap upstairs, and Lily was nuzzled into Maddie's arms as she sat with her back to the arm rest in order to face her brother, her legs crossed in front of her. Evan sat at the opposite side of the couch in a similar position, one leg bent in front of him, the other with his foot flat on the ground.

He had finally removed his jacket and shoes.

Two hours later Howard left to pick Olivia up from her school and take her out for ice cream and the park. The only time Maddie or Evan left the couch, stopped talking, was when Lily or Elizabeth needed something.

Once Elizabeth was up from her nap she was ready to play with the new person in the house. She constantly brought him toys from the wooden chest in the corner of the living room. By the time Maddie had told her to stop a good sized pile of toys had accumulated on the couch next to Evan. He helped his niece return them all to the toy box.

As five o'clock had rolled around Maddie had pulled her phone from her pocket asking what Evan would like for dinner. She was going to order as Howard and Olivia should be home by the time the food arrive.

They had settled on Chinese takeout which Maddie knew she had to cook up some hot dogs for the girls. The only thing they would eat when Maddie and Howard ordered from a Chinese restaurant was the rice. They weren't exactly picky eaters, but they didn't like the breading on most of the chicken or pork items, and hated shrimp.

Maddie had been correct. Just as she was thanking the delivery driver, Howard came around the corner with a skipping Olivia in front of him.

"Hi, Mom!" Olivia came to a stop on the porch right in front of her mother and smiled up at her.

"Hey, baby. You have fun with your dad?"

"Uh huh," the little girl nodded enthusiastically as she followed her mother into the house. Howard was right behind him.

The three of them headed into the kitchen, passing where Lily was sound asleep in the baby rocker again. Maddie placed the food on the island counter. Elizabeth was already in her high chair at the table eating a cut up hot dog and some grapes. Evan was placing the last plate on the table and looked up to see his second niece and brother-in-law, a smile on his face.

Olivia turned when she saw him and stopped, backing into her dad's legs. Howard placed his hand on his daughters head and looked down at her.

"It's okay, Sweetie." Howard spoke to his daughter. "This is your uncle Evan. He's mommy's brother."

Olivia looked up at her father. "Like Uncle Aly is yours?"

"Exactly."

Olivia looked back at Evan and tilted her head like she was contemplating something. Then with a shrug she dislodged her dad's hand from her head and bounced over to her uncle. Evan crouched down to be level with her as she stopped right in front of him.

"Hi." Evan smiled at her.

"Hello!" And she stuck her hand out to him.

Evan laughed as he took her hand gentle in his and shook it. "I've actually met you before."

Olivia's head tilted to the right, "When?"

"You were only a few months old, younger then your sister so you wouldn't remember."

Her nose crinkled and looked over at her sister. Maddie came over and crouched down next to her daughter, placing her hand on the small of her back.

"Lulu do you remember when we told you, you were named after someone very special to mommy?"

Olivia nodded and Maddie continued. "Your uncle Evan's middle name is Oliver. That's the boy version of your name."

"Oh!" Olivia looked at Evan with bright eyes, "We match!"

The adults all laughed. Evan nodded his head, "Yeah, we do."

After that Maddie helped Olivia wash her hands while Howard and Evan piled food onto plates. As they were all starting to settle down at the table to eat dinner, Olivia insisted she sit next to her favorite uncle.

Of course Howard was not going to be telling Albert about that.