Hey, guys. Thank you for your reviews of the last chapter. I really was scared that it'd get me in trouble cuz it was graphical and not Jane and Maura. To be honest, it scared the shit out of me when I published me. I am also really happy that you like this story even though it's more about Adam Laverty and Elizabeth Rizzoli. I promise that there will be more of Jane and Maura, cross my heart.

Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I hope you'll like this update as much as I enjoyed it writing. And as always, you're welcome to share your thoughts.

Have fun,

T73.

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Liz took a deep breath before she pushed the door to the Butchers Arms open and glared at the bartender as soon as he opened his mouth to say something but shut it again the moment he saw Adam following her. She quirked a brow at the reaction and walked in the direction of a booth in the back of the pub.

A young man with black hair and brown eyes looked up at her and groaned annoyed, "Oh, come on."

She tilted her head and smiled down at him. "Is that your way to welcome me, Steve?"

He took a swig from his beer bottle but didn't look at her. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk about Acosta and his cousin."

"And why are you coming to me with this?"

She didn't hesitate and sat down across from him, placing her elbows on the table and looking long at him. "Because I know that deep down you are not such a bad person than you pretend to be."

Chung huffed and ordered another beer for himself. "That doesn't get me my job back, does it?"

She looked long at him and pressed her lips together. "Probably not."

"Because of you, I lost everything I worked for." Chung hissed and leaned forward. "Because of you, my fiancée left me."

"Sorry, buddy," Adam said, and the other man glared at him. "but that was you and only you who got you in that situation. Liz was only doing her job."

Chung furled his brows. "And who the hell are you?"

"Adam Laverty, Boston PD."

Chung nodded slowly. "Danielson warned me about you."

Adam pursed his lips the second Liz looked at him. "And Liz told me that you are only Acosta's tag-along. That you actually wouldn't hurt a woman, and yet you did. You hit the door in Liz' head the night Acosta wanted to … rape her."

Liz closed her eyes for a moment but didn't interfere.

Chung leaned back and furrowed his brows. "And who are you? The bodyguard that came here with her in case she's wrong about me?"

Adam placed his hands on the table and linked them. "No, her husband who's ripping you a new one in case you look askant at her. And I stay true to my word."

Chung scoffed and emptied his bottle. "It's hard to believe that Liz found someone who gets married to her in a blink of an eye."

"Actually," she said, and Chung's eyes found hers. "Detective Laverty and I are married for almost ten years."

Adam nodded at her. "She's the mother of my son."

Something in Chung's eyes changed when he looked at the brunette. "You have a child," he asked, and she closed her eyes in a positive response without using words. "You never mentioned a son."

"Because I was trying to protect my family. Someone was threatening them. Still is, and I am sure that this person is William Hanley."

Chung was silent for a moment and sipped his new beer. "Hanley is a sick son of a bitch, just like Acosta, and a cop killer. But Acosta is worse, he thinks that he's above the law, that he is the law." He stopped and shook his head. "I had no idea what he had in mind the evening he … attacked you, Rizzoli."

"So why you'd helped him and hit the door in my head."

"I was … drunk and acting on instinct." He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. "He was mad at you because you were looking into his finances. The night before he invited to join us, he was sitting here and said that you'd need a pasting and that he'd be the one you get it from. I swear to God, I was not involved in his drug business."

She nodded slowly. "I know that, Steve. I know that you had nothing to do with his business."

Adam looked at her in surprise and frowned. Seriously? You know that Acosta is a drug lord but tell Chung that he's no member of his … What? Gang?

"And why did you check out my finances, too."

"Because you were close to Dan, his best friend."

"That doesn't mean that I am dirty, too."

"How did he got to know who Detective Rizzoli was the one who was checking his background," Adam finally asked and held Chung's gaze. "I asked for her support while she was still working in Boston."

Chung rolled the bottle between his hands and scoffed. "Ruiz told Acosta that Eddie Winters was about to check Acosta's connection to James Waterston and that she asked for the help of Detective Elizabeth Rizzoli, the new partner of Waterston. Acosta was in Boston that weekend to visit his cousin Will and told him about the internal investigation and that Rizzoli was helping her."

"Ruiz told Dan about my investigation?" Liz gasped.

"What do you think, Liz? Why did Waterston want to meet you the evening you arrived in Boston?"

Adam felt sick but kept a straight face. "What's Hanley's roll in all of this?"

"He's the head of all of this. Without Hanley, Acosta wouldn't embezzle drug money, or even run a drug ring. Hanley asked Dan for a new lawyer who could convict a jury that he was framed with the murders of the cops in Boston. Hanley still holds a grudge against Liz because she left him and because her mother arrested him, and Liz' boyfriend." Chung paused and glanced long at the blond man. "I guess that's you."

"You guessed right," Adam growled and clenched his jaw. "No jury in this world would find him innocent. The evidence is back-breaking."

Chung scoffed again. "Hanley also still have friends at BPD. You don't think that Acosta is that kind of criminal mastermind, do you? He wouldn't get the idea to hire Benjamin Payton, the ex-husband of the former Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth Massachusetts, who happened to be a former DA. Hanley knew how to get rid of Liz, at any cost. He knew that she would leave Boston when Payton indeed get him out of prison and that she'd be an unprotected game. Hanley wants her dead, literally. He hates her from the bottom of his heart for leaving him for another man. And he inculcated his hate for Liz in Dan." He paused and took a swig from the bottle. "And he's using Payton's hate for Dr. Isles. They have a lot in common, don't you think?"

Liz was chewing on the inside of her cheek and furrowed her brows. "But … my mom left Ben Payton long before I was born. Why is he bearing a grudge against me?"

Adam leaned back and ran a hand over his beard. "Because you remember him on Jane. Just by your look." He sighed heavily and glanced at the woman beside him. "Jane is the reason why your mom left him."

"Bingo!" Chung laughed and wiggled his brows.

"But it's not my fault that my mother fell out of love with him." Her eyes snapped up when Adam cleared his throat and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. I know, I know. Mom probably never really loved this guy, but Ma. That he probably was just a rebound guy who fell hard for Mom, but she couldn't return his feelings. I mean, Mom only once cheated … on him … with Ma! But I can't tell that Chung. "Who are Will's contacts in Boston."

Chung looked long at her and shrugged. "Rizzoli, I really don't know that. I only know that some of the cops in BPD think that your boyfriend, sorry, now husband, and mothers set him up because he started to strike them."

"That's some bullshit," Adam growled and furled his brows the moment the other two looked at him. "I wasn't in dire need of setting Hanley up to get rid of him."

Liz closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Steve, we stay in touch."

Chung nodded slowly and ordered another beer. "Sure."

Adam knocked the table with his knuckles and got up slowly. "Chin-chin."

Chung only smirked.

Liz followed her husband and frowned at him. "Really? Chin-chin?"

Adam smirked and shrugged. "Just getting up and leaving would have been rude."

She grinned but rolled her eyes while she made her way out of the pub. "A simple bye would have done it. Chin-chin, I can't believe that."

"I am no simple person."

"You are predictable. That's why my parents know that we are reconnecting again."

"Really," he asked with a high-pitched voice and scratched the back of his head. "I thought they knew because your parents' room is next to ours and you were screaming my name on top of your lungs last night while I was -"

Liz turned to him and thrust roughly her index finger into his chest, growling low, "Don't you dare finishing that sentence." Her face was serious, but her eyes smiled at the memory. "Don't."

"Adam, oh, please." Adam aped her with a high-pitched voice and grunted when he felt her elbow in his stomach.

She smirked. "I was thinking of someone else."

He rubbed his belly with a frown. "Really? How many men named Adam do you know?" He tugged his chin in as soon as he saw her smirk. "Don't answer that."

The brunette turned her head to him. "Okay."

"Seriously, how many men with the name Adam do you know," he asked and blinked a couple of times, then he shook his head. "No, don't answer that."

Liz stopped walking and turned to him, stepping into his personal space. "The only thing that matters is that you are the only Adam I truly care about. That's what you heard the very first time I slept with you, and what you heard last night."

Adam looked down at her but didn't move. "You love me." He said, and she started to walk again. "Say it, say, Adam, I love you."

"Don't push your luck." She laughed but didn't mind that he shoved his hand into the back pocket of her jeans. "Otherwise, I ask for a divorce."

"You mean like you planned to the last five years?" He held his hands up and laughed when she scowled at him. "Okay, I shut my mouth."

She shook her head, but a laugh escaped from her throat. Oh, how she missed this man and the bantering between them like the used to before they got married, pregnant and before she had to leave. Yes, I never stopped to love you. She wrapped her arm around his waist and took a deep breath. "Do you think we'd have survived if I'd stayed in Boston?" She saw his puzzled look. "I mean, our relationship."

He wiggled his brows and kissed the top of her head. He was surprised that she let that happen and that she actually wrapped her arm around his waist in the middle of the street. In the past, he got used to the fact that she wasn't a person who showed her affection in public and he kinda liked it because the less she showed it in front of other people, the more she showed it to him when they were alone. He stopped walking and turned her to him, pulling her close. He remembered that they had a fight the evening before she left for good. That was the reason why he went to bed before her and ignored the sounds of packing. He was thinking that she packed some things and stayed at her mothers' place until either of them cooled down again. He was mad because he knew that she was keeping something from him, even accused her to be unfaithful. Adam had no idea why that thought crossed his mind. Because she was working late and went into the home office instead of coming to bed with you. But then she was gone. He sighed heavily. "I know we had a rough time before you left. And that I said some things to you I shouldn't have. That I should have to trust you instead of accusing you of being unfaithful, and I wish I could take it back. Take back every single word I said to you the night before you left."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You had every right to think I would cheat on you after the things I put you through before we got married."

"True." He agreed and took a deep breath. "I had some hard time since I know you." He lowered his head and kissed her gently. "But each of it was worth it." He saw the uncertainty in her eyes and frowned. "Do you regret that you got married to me?"

Liz tilted her head to the side and frowned a little as soon as she realized that he meant the question seriously, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Not for a single second, Adam." Because you are the love of my life.

He seemed to read her mind and nodded with a frown. "No more running from me."

She stood on the tip of her toes and kissed him. Glad that he didn't say the word out loud even though she was craving for them. "No more running from you. Big promise." She whispered against his lips and looked him straight in the eye. She was surprised that his look still made her heart jump and ran her fingers through his hair. "I missed you."

Adam could see that she wouldn't run from him again even though she was scared for him. And relief washed over him. "I … missed you, too."

She knew exactly what he was about to but then a deep frown appeared on his forehead. "You are only standing to me like that because that guy is following us."

Liz looked over his shoulder and recognized that the man who was following them was a patrol officer who graduated just last year and who was buddy-buddy with Acosta as well. She looked back at her husband and raised her eyebrows.

"Unbelievable," he laughed and gave her a peck. "You are impossible, that's why I love you."

Liz's smile dropped as soon as those words left his mouth, but she still looked into his eyes, only to see that he meant what he just said.

Adam's heart skipped a beat and he tightened his grip on her hips to make sure that she wouldn't get the chance to run from him. "I mean … I … uh … Well, that's why I do not dislike you. I … like you … Very much." He wanted to slap himself and made a face.

Liz had to smile and kissed him one more time. "I love you, too." She murmured and pulled away before he could get all cheesy.

He frowned but followed her lively. "Was that so hard? You know, you can say it out loud. You can yell to the world I love -" He trailed off when she glared at her and furled his brows. "Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, lasagna, pizza with salami topping, bacon cheeseburgers … chili cheese fries."

Liz ignored him but laughed.

"Fish sticks, chicken wings. Is there something you don't like?"

"Shut up!"

"Shut up I never tried but it doesn't sound very tasty. Is that a local specialty? Waiter, bring me a portion of Shut up. Is that chicken, cow, pig?"

"Seriously, Adam?" She laughed and bit her lower lip.

"No, I never heard about the species Seriously Adam." He laughed when she glared at him.

She unlocked the rental with the key fob and heaved a dramatic sigh. "Get in the damn car."

Adam saluted and opened the passenger's door. "Get us to the hotel in one piece."

"Adam -"

"I know, somethings will never change. Like your driving skills."

"I swear to God -" she growled and got into the car, laughing.

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Jane was beyond pissed, and she couldn't suppress the growl. "Ruiz told Acosta that you were checking his background?"

Adam's face was serious as well and he opened a bottle of water. "That's what Chung told us while he got drunk. Ruiz is a part of this … conspiracy." He frowned when he saw the looks of Maura and Liz. "I don't have another name for that."

"Me neither," the former detective said and crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe revenge."

"For leaving two men," Maura asked and frowned.

Liz added, "One of them is mentally sick and responsible of cop murders."

"And Ben didn't take your divorce so easily as well."

"Jane, he's a DA."

"Even worse." The Italian replied and for up to her feet. "Ben knows how the system is working."

"He knows how to cast doubt," Adam added and chewed on his bottom lip, a habit he adopted from Liz. "And if his plan works put, Hanley is a free man. And we are the bad guys because we put him behind bars in first place. Who set him up."

"Which you didn't," Maura said louder and held her breath the moment Jane and Adam exchanged a look. "You didn't set him up, did you?"

Jane finally broke the eye contact and furrowed her brows. "Of course, we didn't. You should know that I liked Adam, but not that much that I'd set Hanley up just, so Laverty could marry our daughter. Hanley -" She trailed off and looked at her daughter. "I never had a good feeling about him."

Liz cleared her throat and looked at Adam, shoving her hands into the back pocket of her jeans. "I happened not to know the great and famous Adam Laverty the time I was in a relationship with a serial killer who knew how to handle a marksman's rifle. And for the record, I didn't know that he could handle that."

"Or as going to shoot any police officers after he chucked out on law enforcements ear after almost beating a man to death," Adam added and furled his brows the moment three women glared at him. "Don't look at me that I am the one who's breaking that news."

She took a deep breath and frowned of his statement. "No, Will did it himself the moment you guys brought him in and by yelling at me that those dead cops were on me. That really made my day."

"It's not your fault, Liz."

"Somehow it is. I should have known that something is wrong with William Hanley."

"How so?"

"He was a little … clingy."

"I am faithful, too."

Liz blinked a couple of times and cleared her throat. "You being faithful is something different."

"Because I am not going postal even though you left me," he asked and winced the moment she punched his shoulder at no notice. "What? It's true."

"But it's not funny at all." She hissed through clenched teeth and heaved a sigh. "It's scary, though."

"What?"

"That you haven't been with someone else all these years."

Adam shrugged and stepped closer, brushing lightly her shoulder with his arm. "I already told you that I didn't have time to even think about dating a woman."

"You sure that you are a male being?"

"And why are you asking that? Didn't I convince you about that the last night, and this morning, and -"

"Okay, you don't have to list it up, I was there, too." She cut him off with a deep blush what made him smirk.

Adam was silent for a moment and then he looked down at her. "If you were, why are you asking if I am indeed a man?"

Liz didn't answer right away and shrugged herself. "Everybody has needs, Adam."

He nodded and took his distance again. "True, but you should know that I am very capable to control them."

"For more than five years," she asked, and he clenched his jaw and looked anywhere but at her, and somehow, she knew what answer he was trying to avoid. She swallowed hard and nodded slowly. "Oh."

Adam slowed his steps and furled his brows. "No matter what you're thinking right now, I'm sure it's wrong." He paused and took a deep breath. "Sure, I have been with a woman and it was nice, but I wasn't looking for something serious. She on the other hand -"

"It didn't end well."

He blinked a couple of times and smiled shortly at the memory. "Let's say that she was the equivalent to Hanley. Not as cuckoo as he is, but she gave me a hard time until I made her understand that I am not interested in a relationship with her. After that, her brother paid me a visit at home."

"Don't tell me that he beat you up there."

"He wanted to until he indeed understood that I was a cop. And the fact that I stood head and shoulders above him." He smirked when he heard a snort that came from the brunette.

"Many people are cowed by that fact." Liz chuckled and looked up at the blonde. "Well, the members of my family were not. I don't know why. Maybe because they are a little … crazy."

Jane was the one who cleared her throat now and the couple blinked at her. "You may want to discuss these things in private. In your own room?"

Adam pressed his lips together to hide his smile and looked down at his feet.

The younger brunette opened and closed her mouth again for a couple of times before she mumbled, "Sorry."

Maura smirked and placed a hand on her wife's shoulder so Jane would stop to glare at her daughter. "Are you planning on coming with us back to Boston?"

The former detective crossed her arms over her chest and furrowed her brows. "That is a very good question."

"It is." Adam agreed and took a sip from his water.

Liz started to chew on the inside of her cheek with a frown. "I'm going to talk to Will."

With that, the room became deadly quiet and Adam stepped automatically closer to her, his jaw set.

Jane blinked a couple of times and worry was mirrored in her eyes. "Liz -"

"Are you sure that it's such a good idea," Maura asked before the former detective got the chance to finish the sentence.

Liz hesitated and took a deep breath. "Sure? No, Mom, I am not sure, but I was for more than five years on the run. Now it's time to finish this so I can come back home and be with you for the rest of the time we have together."

"She makes it sound like we're about to die in a year or so," Jane stated, and a deep frown crawled upon her forehead. "We aren't going to die, are we?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch in their room. "I am not going to answer that."

Liz ran the fingers of her left hand over her eye, so she wouldn't roll them as well. "We can depart after I talked to Ruiz."

"No," Jane replied harshly and pointed at her daughter. "No, you're not going to talk to Ruiz. If you do so, who knows what kind of welcome we get. I do like very much being alive, I want to keep it that way."

Adam stepped into Liz' personal space and lowered his voice. "Jane is right, Liz. If you tell Ruiz that you know that he's involved, you give him the chance to warn Hanely's people in Boston. And we all know what those people capable to do."

Liz took a moment before she nodded approvingly, and Jane's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She thought that it would take a hell of an effort to convince her daughter not to go to her former captain and to confront him with the things Liz got to know about him. Jane wondered if there was only one single cop at SDPD that wasn't dirty and worked for the man who made Liz' life a living hell and tried to frame her with a murder of another cop just because she had Adam chosen over him. She understood that Liz was beyond pissed, neither of them would get back the last years. Liz wouldn't get back the years she had missed with her very own family. She watched her daughter who let herself be pulled into a hug of Adam meekly and who clung to his shirt like it'd be the last time she got the chance to do so. She clenched her jaw when Liz closed her eyes, but the pain was still to see in her face. I'm going to kill Ben and Will for all they put her through, she thought to herself and flinched the second she felt a hand on her arm. She had noticed Maura standing next to her again and frowned when she looked into hazel eyes.

"Are you okay," Maura asked worriedly.

The Italian nodded slowly. "I will be." She paused and heaved a sigh, adding. "When this is over."

Maura looked in the same direction and a sigh slipped from her lips. She knew exactly what her wife was thinking at this moment and sadness was filling her heart. "You're not about to do something stupid, are you."

Jane looked in disbelief at her wife and furrowed her brows. "You should know me better."

Maura's eyes found Jane's again, and she frowned. "Yes, Jane. This is the reason why I'm asking."

The other woman smirked wryly and shook her head. "No, I'm not about to something stupid, Maura."

The former ME studied the brunette extensively and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes this time. Jane glanced at her and grinned.

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Adam rolled his eyes because it was the third attempt to get his sleepy son out of the bed that stood next to his godson Damian, but the little boy disagreed with a whine and with kicking around tossing the second Zane laid eyes on Liz, who was standing in the door frame. "Zane, this is not funny." He growled low and seemed to lose his patience at any moment.

The family took a flight back to Boston that afternoon and headed straight to the precinct to brief Frankie and Newman. Neither of them thought that it would them took so long and Adam had to call Leslie to tell her that it'd get late and even though the redhead had offered to keep Zane for another night, he thanked her and declined. Now he wished that he'd agreed and spent the time with Liz instead. The second the thought crossed his mind, he felt terrible.

Liz pushed off the door frame and entered Damian's room, who kept his parents on their toes downstairs and pushed the detective to the side. "You had your chance, Daddy. Let me."

Adam threw his hands up and stepped aside. "Good luck, you gonna need it."

She snorted and sat down on the edge of the small bed, looking long at her son who calmed down immediately.

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Liz wanted to smirk at him but kept a straight face as she glanced at her son like they were having a silent conversation, telepathically. She took a deep breath and ran her hand carefully over his leg. "Don't you wanna go home," she asked and frowned a little when Zane's bottom lip started to quiver. "Are you going home if I tuck you in?"

Zane held her gaze but nodded carefully without answering her question.

"Okay," she whispered and scooped him up in her arms before she carefully got up to her feet. "We can do that, sweetheart." She looked at Adam, nodding in the direction of Zane's bag that held his stuff. "Would you get his things?"

Adam blinked a couple of times and did as she asked. "Yes, Ma'am."

Leslie was about to tell Damian something but turned her head as soon as she heard steps coming from the stairs and quirked an eyebrow when she saw Liz and Adam rounding the corner. "Are you coming back later," she asked the moment when she saw that Zane was in the arms of the brunette and Chaz turned his head.

Liz swallowed hard and glanced briefly at Adam. "Um -"

"Don't wait up for her." The detective replied and stepped closer to Liz, noticing the skeptical look of the redhead. "She'll be okay."

"Oh," Leslie commentated with a wry smile. "I bet she will."

Liz rolled her eyes and started to walk towards the front door. "You're impossible."

"I wanna hear about everything that happened in San Diego." Her friend replied and opened the door. "Every single detail."

Adam was the first who was out of the door and almost at his car, and the redhead raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, no, not gonna happen," Liz stated the second her friend opened her mouth and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Thanks for watching this little guy." She furled her brows and looked down at Zane. "Who's weighing a ton."

Zane seemed to protest with a heavy sigh and nestled his nose in the crook of her neck.

Leslie smiled broadly and ran a hand down his back. "It's strange, isn't it?"

"What's strange?"

"That he's so comfortable with you."

Liz looked down at him and a smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah, it's strange. I can't thank you enough for what you've done for him for the last five years, neither of you."

"Don't run away again," Leslie replied and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "That's thanking us enough."

Liz smiled honestly at the redhead and nodded before she headed in the direction of Adam's car.

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Liz heaved a heavy sigh the second she entered the kitchen and made big eyes.

Adam chuckled and shoved a beer over the counter toward her and wiggled his brows when she smiled at him. "It'll get better … in one or two years."

She choked on her beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "He has a lot to catch up."

He straightened up and rounded carefully the kitchen counter. He was careful and clenched his jaw like she was about to step back. "Just like me." He placed a hand on her hip and pulled her a little closer. "You can't be in my house and expect me to keep my hands to myself."

Liz didn't flinch or even blink, but a small smile tugged on her lips. "No, I didn't expect that."

He looked her directly in the eyes and took a deep breath. "You are staying, right?"

"I had no other plans for tonight."

"I mean, you are staying, you are not going back to Leslie's house." He furled his brows when he saw the uncertainty in her brown eyes. "I … I can get your stuff tomorrow in the … morning before you are up. It … can't be that much."

Liz kept his glance and ran a hand over his shoulder with a heavy sigh. "Adam -"

"I know that you are going to say that it's way too soon you moving back in." Adam cut her off and swallowed hard the second her body relaxed. "But it's obvious that Zane needs you. He will throw fusses every time you're not around, and I … can't effort to show every day up bleary-eyed." He pulled her even closer and her eyes fluttered shut the moment he lowered his mouth to her ear. "And I have to admit that the nights in San Diego had been the best since years. And I don't mean it saucy, Liz. It means that I was able to sleep for real because I didn't have to worry if you are okay or even wonder if you're still alive. I actually came to rest when you were laying next to me, also the nights we didn't try to bring our relationship back into use like it once was. And to be honest, Leslie told me about your nightmares you had when you moved in with them. You didn't have any in San Diego, did you?"

She kept her eyes closed when he nestled his nose against her neck and bit her bottom lip, wrapping her arms around his body and holding him close. She had to admit that she liked having him around 24/7 and in the same time panic rose in her because of the thought that William Hanley was after her and didn't even stop when it came to cops. You're such an idiot, Liz. He didn't even stop there in the past, that's why he's in a super-max. And be true to yourself, you need this, you need your son, you need Adam. You've been on your own for the last couple of years. Isn't it the real reason why you stopped by in Boston? Meeting up with Chaz and then you'd have stopped down the street here and stared at the house once you called home. You would have hoped to catch a glimpse of Adam and it would have broken your heart when you turned the car and drove away without talking to him. And it would have killed you that you couldn't have seen your son. This absolutely amazing little boy who refused to go to sleep until you snuggled with him for thirty minutes until he fell asleep again. The little guy who doesn't know you the slightest bit but leaves you from the bottom of his heart. Now, stop argue with yourself and say yes.

It seemed like Adam could feel her inner struggle and turned his head to her ear, so he could whisper. "I know we're not in San Diego anymore, Elizabeth. I can set the guest room for you up if this makes it any easier for you. You don't have to make any commitments in Boston for now."

She searched his eyes when he pulled away a little and knew that he knew every single word he just said to her. He meant that he was willed to set the guest room up for her only to have her around for their son's sake, and maybe a little for his own sake. That she wouldn't have to make any commitments in Boston. She knew that he wasn't expecting anything because they were back in Boston and it broke her heart. "No," she whispered, and she literally heard his own heart break.

He blinked fast and frowned, obviously looking for the right words. "Um, okay. No, … you … you don't want me to set the guest room up or no, … you … you don't come back home because you still need some space to get ad … adjusted to some things?"

The brunette held him in place the moment he wanted to step back and frowned lightly. "No, I don't need you to set the guest room up for me." She answered and wiggled her brows the moment when he dawned to Adam that she didn't say no to coming back home. Then she kissed him, hard.

Adam needed another second before he lifted her off her feet with ease and onto the counter, not caring that there was a small child upstairs that moment

"Wait, wait, wait." Liz hushed with a smile on her lips when she looked into his eyes but tugging his shirt out of his jeans. "There is a little boy up the stairs. We'd had to pay for therapy for the rest of his life if he'd walk in on us."

Adam pondered his words which were gone again the moment she ran her hands underneath his shirt, biting her bottom lip with a seductive smile. He still stood between her legs and braced himself on her thighs. "Yeah, he'd be traumatized for the rest of his life because my bed hadn't been in use in that meaning for quite some time." He regretted his words immediately when Liz opened her mouth, he silenced her with another kiss and shook his head. "No. No questions about that right now, no thinking about it because that would be a run off. And that would be … that would be … that would be the end of me."

She wiggled her brows again, with a knowing smile. "I know. No more talking or talking."

"Agree," he replied and lifted her off the counter again, and Liz suppressed a surprised squeal. "Sssh," he chuckled and stumbled the second she pressed her lips to his, passionately.

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Adam tried to move and furled his brows as soon as he realized that he was laying on the edge of the mattress and that he wasn't alone in the room anymore. And then he realized with whom he spent the last night and his eyes shot open, his heart speeding up. In the same moment, he was beyond glad that he demanded on getting at least a little dressed because he knew his son and his abilities to sneak into the bedroom in the middle of the night only to be brought back into his bed after falling back to sleep. He tried to turn onto his right sight only to be greeted by a pair of brown eyes and a smile he still knew by heart. He looked in between of him and Liz only to find a sleeping Zane snuggled up against her chest. "When did he slip in here?"

"An hour ago," Liz whispered back, and her smile grew bigger when Adam started to caress her cheek. "He wondered what I am doing in here, but then he stated that the guest room is stuffed full of things and that I needed to sleep somewhere."

Now Adam ran his hand through his son's hair and sighed. "He's a smart kid." He paused for a moment. "I told you that it'd be wise to get dressed."

"He is," she whispered back and furrowed her brows. "Do you wanna tell me about the stuffed guest room?"

"Nope." Adam replied with a groan and stretched his arms over his head, turning onto his back without waking Zane."

"Adam!"

"That's my name. You said it plenty of times last night." He laughed lightly and pointed down at the moving boy between them when he noticed that Liz was about to slap his bare chest.

Liz looked at her son and a small sigh escaped from her lips. "Zane used to do that a lot when he was still a baby."

"Moving?"

"Snuggling into my chest."

"Yeah, he tried it with mine a couple of times, but it seemed like he noticed that I don't have your … boobs." He stifled a laugh when he caught her warning glare. "What? It's true. After half a year he stopped snuggling into my chest but used it as his mattress, included the drooling on me."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Sometimes you are such an idiot."

"An idiot that you love."

"You can't choose the one you love."

"You know that this actually makes no sense, right?" He replied, and she smiled broadly at him. He, on the other hand, turned serious again. "What are your plans for today?"

Liz took a deep breath but didn't move. "First of all, we should get this little guy some breakfast after he woke up, then I should get back to Leslie's and have a shower and some fresh clothes. And then -"

"You could take a shower right here." Adam suddenly said when she trailed off.

"Then I'd smell like you because my body wash and shampoo are at Leslie's."

"What's wrong with my smell? I always thought you like my smell." He raised his brows high and smirked. "Oh, it'd distract you." He chuckled low when she rolled her eyes. "You're thinking about paying Hanley a visit, aren't you?"

"I want to get this done, Adam." She replied and ran a hand through Zane's hair who was stirring. "I want my life back, Adam. I am so sick and tired of this hide-and-seek. I know that he wants me dead, and somehow, he killed me by taking away from me everything I love dearly, and I let him. Now it's time to show him that I won't go down so easily and not without a fight."

Adam let the words sink in and nodded slowly. "Do you think you can spare some time before you go and see him?"

She watched her son cracking one eye open and yawning against her chest. "I guess Will can wait another day."

The little boy suddenly looked with a frown at both of his parents.

"What's the matter, buddy," Adam asked and prepared himself for a fuss because he wasn't the only person in this bed.

"Hungry." Zane answered uncommunicatively and furrowed his brows as soon as Liz chuckled.

Adam swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and heaved himself out of the bed like he did every morning when Zane woke him like this. "Then let's get you some Cheerios before you're starving to death, or me facing a boy who's throwing a tantrum until his grandmas arrive.

Liz didn't get the chance to react so fast was Zane out of the bed and 2 in the hallway. She leaned onto her elbow and glanced at the detective reproachfully. "Seriously? Cheerios?"

He scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "What can I say? I just came back from San Diego, I didn't have the time to go to the grocery and get -" He trailed off and squinted up at the ceiling. "Healthy stuff like -" He made a face and shuddered. "Kale."

Liz didn't need to think twice and threw to his head. "I never had kale for breakfast."

"Or wild berries." He shot back and threw the pillow back to her. "Fancy Greek yogurt or pineapple."

She rolled her eyes and dropped the topic. "Why did you ask me if I can spare time?"

He smiled mischievously at her. "You'll see."

"I am not in the mood for having spare ribs for lunch." She said louder, and he raised his hand, rounding the corner.

"You'll see, Elizabeth. And you'll like it. It's about time to get you back on track, Elizabeth."

"Are you keep calling me that?"

"It's your name, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but just because I didn't have a say in it."

"Well, lucky me."

"What does that suppose to mean?" She listened carefully and scoffed when she only heard Adam starting to whistle.

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Adam looked long at her and took a deep breath. "For how long you haven't used one of these things?"

Liz didn't look at him and pressed her lips together before she answered, "To be honest, the last time was shortly before I came back to Boston."

He furled his brows and cleared his throat. "That's almost six months ago."

"You can't forget how to do this, right?"

Adam stood close behind her and licked his lips, frowning a little. "Well, this … this is a little more complicated than biking or riding a horse. At least you remember how to stand right for this."

Liz' shoulders slumped, and she looked over her shoulder. "I haven't practiced for some time, Adam, I'm not having Alzheimer."

"You sure because you forgot … you forgot how to make a call. And someone hit the back of your head hard with probably a two-by-four, you could have significant brain damage."

The brunette furled her brows. "That is almost six months ago, we'd know if I'd have brain damage by now. When exactly did you start stammering?"

Adam cleared his throat and ran his hands over her shoulders. "Standing so close to you is making me nervous."

"And you are the one who is concerned?"

He released his breath which he was holding and nodded once. "You're right, you were always the one who could handle this better than anyone else." He paused and ran his hand over his beard. "Are you thinking about coming back when all of this is over?"

"I am not planning to leave Boston again."

"No, I mean … um … coming back to BPD."

Liz frowned and turned around to him. "Could you trust someone who asked for a new partner out of the blue and then left in the middle of the night without a note or explanation only to turn up as a murder suspect years later?"

Adam didn't need to think twice and nodded. "Absolutely, yeah. I mean, you thought you had no other choice, Liz. You didn't leave because you are a lousy cop and I would partner up with you in a blink of an eye because I trust you, cuz I know you have my back, and I have yours. I don't care what others would think of you returning to BPD, and there are a bunch of people who are still missing you and your big mouth. Frankie, for example."

"Yeah, but he's family."

"Trent Newman, Chaz, Leslie, Sammy, Michael, Henry."

"Okay, okay." The brunette laughed and turned her back to him again. "I got it, you just making it up."

"I would never, you made quite a dent ever since you started as a uniformed at BPD, Liz." He stated and took a deep breath.

"I actually thought about coming back to BPD, back in San Diego when everything got out of control. But then I thought that you guys wouldn't want me back there and I was already alone there, I didn't need that in Boston, too."

"And now you know that you won't be alone?"

"I don't know, Adam. It's already hard enough to that one parent is working for the law enforcement."

"You are a cop through and through."

"So are you."

"I wouldn't mind being a stay-at-home dad for some time."

Liz' eyes went huge and she turned to him again, looking dumbfounded at him. "I could never ask that of you, you love your job as much as I … do. And you already had to be a single dad because of me. How should I live with myself if I ask even more of you?"

Adam looked long at her and blinked a couple of times glancing over her head then. "um, okay, let's fight about that later over a beer. Now, let's just focus on -" He trailed off, stepped behind her again, took her hands in his and raised them.

She rolled her eyes and growled through clenched teeth. "If you won't stop that, I'll point the frigging gun at you instead of the target."

He released her hands and raised his high, stepping back.

Liz was beyond surprised when he texted her after lunch to meet him in front of BPD and was even more surprised when he led them to the shooting range. She had noticed that not much had changed since the say she left the building in pretense that she'd be back the next day even though she'd get home and away when everyone would be fast asleep. She was also surprised that some of her former colleagues greeted her with a real smile after they stared at her like she'd be a walking dead, other huffed and turned their back to her which didn't hurt as much as she thought. She asked the detective a couple of times if she's supposedly on the shooting range until Adam told her to shut up and handed her a gun. She had to swallow hard the first moment and weighed it before she checked the clip and cocked the gun. She licked her lips and inhaled deeply before she pointed the gun at the target and pulled the triggered for the first time after almost six months. She worried her bottom lip and tilted her head, not looking so sure about the outcome.

Adam tilted his head as well and furled his brows skeptically. "Well, at least you made sure that this guy doesn't beget any offspring. That's better than nothing." He pressed his lips together, but the smile was still visible.

Liz clenched her jaw and turned her attention back at the target, pointing the gun at it, too. Then she emptied the clip with anger boiling in the pit of her stomach. She waited a second and then a proud smile appeared on her lips when she realized that she hit the target in the center.

He clapped impressed his hands and stepped closer to her. "Well, look at that. Now you made sure that your pretty face was the last thing this son of a bitch has seen. But I doubt that he perceived your face as pretty the moment he got shot by you."

Liz turned to him and smiled broadly at him. "You think I have a pretty face?"

The detective blinked several times and furrowed his brows. "Seriously? You just shot a guy in the balls and then killed him and all you can think of is if I think you have a pretty face? That's creepy."

Liz laughed heartily and shrugged. "I killed someone purely hypothetical. I'm sure his paper friends are going to forgive me. In real life, I thought nothing the moment I had to pull the trigger. Nothing but that it was done or die. And I had a partner I had to watch out for. You look familiar to him, but he had a less hairy face than you have."

"You like my beard."

She chuckled in response.

"How does it feel? Being back."

Liz sighed in relief and leaned with her back against his chest. "I can get used to this feeling. It feels like I'm back in control. That I become my old self." She looked at him and smiled broadly. "Thanks for bringing me here, Adam."

Adam nodded more to himself but didn't touch her. "It's my part to watch out for my partner. And it's not that unselfishly than you might think." He shrugged when she glanced up at him. "Don't get me wrong, Newman is great. But he's … Newman.

"Calm reasoned -"

"He reminds me of my father. It isn't so much fun to prank him. Every time I wanted to play a prank on him I got a queasy conscience and told him about it."

"So, it's more fun to fool me?"

"Yes, because then I knew that we would end up in the bedroom, you spanking me." He furled his brows the moment his wife did his same. "Not … literally. The spanking part. I guess I started stammering because I said things like that to him."

"You did not." Liz laughed out loud and turned to him but stepped a little back. She realized that he meant it because he shrugged with a shy smile. "Oh, my God, you did."

"You know that I have a big mouth, too, and I didn't get used to the fact that you aren't my partner anymore so quickly."

"I'm sorry, baby." She said, stood on her toes and gave him a peck.

He raised his brows with a smile. "Now pet names, some things do change."

"I called you baby every now and then."

He considered his words and shook his head. "Nah, not at work."

"It's not my working place." She replied with a smirk.

"Not yet, and people in here do know you since the day you started working here."

"Some changes aren't always that bad," Liz replied and started to walk towards the counter near the exit.

He watched her walking and started to beam broadly. "She's coming back." He said to himself but suddenly stopped at a young officer's booth who was staring at his wife's butt. "Hey, eyes on that price. Bub. Otherwise, I put you down there and practice shooting."

The color drained from the young man's face and his body went stiff. "Yes, Sir."

Adam swallowed a growl and kept on walking. "And she's going to be the death of me, some way or the other."