Chapter 208

Alex's eyes were still heavy with sleep and tiredness when she woke up seeing her husband look at her with a crying baby and she wordlessly understood what it meant. It took her some time to get comfortable and sit up against the pillows before she took the baby allowing him to nurse. She had new respect for mothers who had c-sections because it was by far painful and uncomfortable. And nursing this time around wasn't easy either as it felt that with each sucking action her freshly cut womb contracted. Yes it was painful and all but she is grateful that everything turned out to be okay, and they were going home today – a week in hospital was more than enough and she was looking forward to her own bed and home cooked food .

Theresa stopped in front of the FBI headquarters where her son and daughter in law worked, with Amorey and Simone in the car, neither of them willing to get out and face reality by accepting the fact that they do not know where their sister are. "Mom don't you think we should try the homeless shelters or something first?" Simone asked in stead of waking into the office and reporting their sister missing since they don't eve have an idea of where she might be.

"And where do you suppose we start looking?" Amorey asked.

"We start at one place and work our way down until we have covered all of them." She answered simply and Theresa started driving as her daughter directed her.

Luca was busy at home in the nursery putting some stuffed toys around the room and in the crib that Sita and Joey went out to go buy when they heard that Alex and the baby were coming home today. He planned a whole speech in his head on how he was going to tell his sister that he is about to move back to his apartment because as a family they might need the alone time they could get once the four of them settle in as a new family. Sita was standing around in the kitchen baking a celebratory cake as she called it when there was a knock on the door, and she walked over wiping her hands on the back of her jeans.

"Luuukiiieeeeee!" He heard his niece call him down the hallway as she looked into every room to try and find him. "Luukkkiieeee, mama's here!" She announced proudly when she finally caught hold of his hand and pulled him towards the front door. Alex walked into the house slowly but surely when Phoebe rushed towards her mother but was scooped up by Luca just in time.

"Careful, mama's tummy still hurts." Luca explained when the toddler couldn't understand that she can't be picked up by her mother.

"Let me just sit down first, then you can come sit with me okay?" Alex offered the alternative to her daughter who seemed to understand after her mother had spoken. Ryan was coming up in the driveway with the car seat in hand that held the baby boy. Stopped by the grandmother in the way, as she got Asher out of the car seat and walked over to the kitchen with her new grandson. "Welcome home Asher Logan." Sita smiled and kissed the little blonde hairs on his head. "I'm so happy that you are home, and I'm going to spoil you to the point of no return. Also your grandfather went to go get some ice cream for you."

Once Alex got comfortable and was propped up with pillows Phoebe made her way over to her mother but paused mid-way when she heard what her grandmother said. "Icy cweam! Papa Jo get icy cweam. Not eat foodies mama." The toddler decided.

"No you are still going to eat food before you can get ice cream." Alex said as Luca helped Phoebe onto the couch and she laid her head on her mother's lap. "Mama Ashie's room pwetty!" Phoebe started to explain with wild hand gestures hitting her mother in the face by accident.

"His room's not done yet because he came earlier than what we expected bub. So we'll have to finish it first."

"Noooooo Maaammmmaaaaa. Lukie made it pwetty!" Phoebe said more demanding this time because her mother does not believe what she said, and Alex looked up to her brother for an explanation and he shrugged.

"Me and Uncle Jo kinda went ahead and finished it. I hope you guys don't mind. You're welcome to rearrange any of the furniture to where you want it. I figured that would be the last thing on your mind when you get home." He said quickly.

"Luca Joseph Parrish. You num-nut, thank you." Alex smiled gratefully.

"But do not sit on the rocking chair just yet, it broke on the first try since he and Joey had no idea what they were doing." Sita laughed thinking back to that moment. Ryan walked over to him and high fived him walking down the hallway to check out wat it looks like. "Wait a me. I come wif." Phoebe said and got up from the couch running after her father and uncle.

Sita walked over to the couch still holding Asher. "How are you feeling?" She asked her daughter and Alex couldn't put up a brave face anymore.

"I cannot walk up and down a flight of stairs for the whole day, so I'll have to get comfortable on the couch for the rest of the day until it is time for bed. I am in so much pain and its so uncomfortable. I don't ever wanna be pregnant again."

"Hhhhhmmmmm we'll talk again in a year from now. Have you guys heard anything about Nadia yet?" Sita asked and Alex shook her head. "Ryan doesn't talk about it and I don't really wanna ask him either."

Sita was about to say something when the front door opened revealing Joey with two grocery bags in each hand. "Hello my beautiful family and latest grandchild." Joey smiled and walked over to Alex and hugged her before sitting down next to Sita to hold Asher. "Wow look at you big guy. Come on you've slept enough now, open your eyes man. Oh never mind you wanna keep your parents out of sleep tonight hey. I understand." Joey had the one sided conversation with his grandchild.

Sita got lunch ready and everyone gathered in the lounge to eat while Joey fed Phoebe ice cream because she refused to eat anything else. "Uhhhmmm, I have something to say." Luca started and looked around the faces in the room, everyone waiting on him to say what he has on his heart. "I want to move back to my apartment tonight." He said slowly looking at his sister and brother in law for their thoughts on this.

"Why? We love having you here." Alex said kind of sad and disappointed.

"I enjoyed every minute here and getting to know you guys. But you need your house back as just the four of you, and I need to get back to being on my own and being independent." He said honestly.

"Are you sure about this? We said you could stay as long as you need." Ryan said looking at his brother in law.

"I am. My bags are packed. And I promise to stay on the straight and narrow." He said honestly seeing the burning plea in his sisters eyes." Okay well if that's what you want then you can do that, but you are welcome back here anytime." She pointed a fork in his direction looking him dead in the eye and he nodded his head. As they continued their meal making small talk and laughing at Phoebe's entertainment while Asher slept through it peacefully. When Sita Joey and Luca left Alex was just about to go to sleep when there was a knock on the door and Natalie Shelby and Nimah stood there with smiling faces.

"We're sorry to bother but we snuck out for lunch and couldn't wait to see him." Natalie said walking over to the couch where Asher slept as Ryan walked upstairs giving them some time to catch up.

"Hello big guy." Natalie picked him up, and smiled when he opened his eyes and looked around. "Oooohhhh look at you blue eyed boy." Shelby chimed as it was her turn to hold him. "Does Ryann know what happened to his sister yet?" Shelby asked and Alex shook her head.

"Her mom and sister came into the office today to file a missing person's report. But there is some link between her and the company she is working for as her boss seems to be involved in some murder case. Or her boss was murdered by his son." Natalie said trying to get as much information out in as little time as they had.

"What does that mean?" Alex was genuinely confused but before they could answer her Maranda called and they knew it was time for them to get back. "We'll talk again soon – but it's not pretty." Nimah said as they saw themselves out leaving Alex still in confusion where she sat on the couch.

Once the day was over and nighttime began to fall on the new family of four, Alex made her way upstairs while she bathed Asher and fed him with Phoebe holding onto his foot. After he was burped Ryan walked her downstairs and put her to bed while Alex was staring at her sleeping son in her arms not ready to put him down just yet. He was about to check if all the doors were locked downstairs when there was a knock on the front door and he opened it, surprised by who was standing on the other side of the door. Her shirt torn in several places and her lip was bruised and she had a blue eye, with some gashes over the front of her arm.

"Nadia?" He asked just to make sure that it was actually his sister he was looking at.

"Ryan, I think I'm in trouble and I need help. I didn't know where else to go." Nadia said in a shaky voice looking up to her big brother.