Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Six

John pulled Claire onto his lap as they settled in for a movie, wrapping his hands around her hips and letting her lean back against his chest. "What're we watching tonight?" He asked, kissing Claire's neck as she adjusted against him.

Andy tossed a movie case at him. "Indiana Jones." He smiled as John caught the case, looping his arm around Allison as she yawned like a sleepy kitten and curled into his side.

"Sweet!" John cheered, lifting his arm up as Amelia and Pop Tart cuddled up to him. "Hey, fat cat." He smiled, scratching the kitten's head as she purred.

"Shut up! It's starting!" Jim laid on his stomach as he watched the intro to the film, jumping slightly when Kathrine stepped over him. "Mom, don't scare me like that."

She rolled her eyes, taking another bite of her chocolate chip cookie. "Watch your movie."

Kaylie pushed her new glasses up on her nose, pushing on Brian's thigh with her toes to get his attention. She grinned as he lifted his arm to let her snuggle with him, diving under the blanket he had and wrapping her hands around his chest.

Just before the movie reached the climax, there was a pounding on the front door, sending John rushing for the front entryway of their home. "What the fuck?" He caught Chad as he started to fall, struggling to get the older man's beaten body into the sitting room. "Mom, get some water and rubbing alcohol." He grabbed a knife from the coffee table, cutting away the bloodstained fabric of Chad's shirt while Brian and Kaylie pulled Amelia and Jessop from the room. "Shit…" He pressed his hand to a gaping wound on Chad's stomach, meeting the man's painfilled eyes. "What happened?" He asked, trying to keep him talking.

Chad groaned in pain as John pressed harder, able to feel a woman's hands on his head. "Borrowed… cash… wrong people…"

"Fuck." John dropped his gaze back to the task at hand, motioning to the sewing room. "Get a needle and some fishing line."

"John we should take him to a hospital he needs-"

"Not enough time. He'll bleed out if we don't stitch this up."

"Maybe if we just wrap it really well, and wait for Ryan to get home-"

"Get me the shit I asked for!" He shouted, his hands becoming slick with blood. "Now!"

Claire bolted for the sewing room, knowing better than to push John any farther. She listened to Chad scream in pain, knowing that John had poured the rubbing alcohol over the worst of the wounds. She cursed as she pricked her finger on a needle, ignoring the little bit of blood and rushing back to the sitting room. "Here."

John nodded his thanks, threading the needle and biting the thread off. "Keep him awake." He pushed the needle into Chad's body, sewing the wound closed with skilled fingers.