AN: Thanks for the support.

Chapter 9: Walking Away?

After a few hours of family time, where Kyle spent most of his attention to his younger siblings, which they understood, it was dinner time, and instead of the whole family in the kitchen to enjoy the meal together, Calleigh and Horatio had dinner out on the deck with their youngest kids so Kyle could spend time with his other siblings, girlfriend and best friend.

Eventually dinner time was winding down, and after multiple reminiscing stories ended, Nicole spoke after a sigh. "I have a paper that's due on Monday, and I haven't even started, so I better head out."

Kyle replied with a smirk. "My sister the slacker, who would have thought that college would change you so much."

They all chuckled as Nicole stood up with a smile. "Ha, ha very funny." Then she did a sigh as she continued. "I just wanted to make sure you got here ok."

He turned his wheelchair around so he could take his sister's hand before looking up at her with his blue eyes sparking. "I'm here, and I'm ok. Well, as ok as I can be under the circumstances. Don't delay what you need to do on my account, alright."

She nodded, trying not to cry. "Ok, but if you do need anything, call me."

"You know I will."

She nodded again as she leaned down to give him a hug, and he hugged her back as she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too."

As they pulled back and Nicole stood up straighter, Bryan spoke as he stood up from his seat. "And since I'm her driver, that's my cue."

They chuckled as Kyle held out his hand. "Ok man, we should hang out soon, make it a guys night."

Bryan nodded with a smile as he took his best friend's hand so they could do their one armed hug. "You got it, just let me know when."

Kyle nodded as they pulled back, then after they released hands, Bryan looked at Nicole with a smile. "You ready?"

She smiled with a nod in return. "Yeah, I just want to say goodbye to my parents."

He nodded, and once they did the other rounds of goodbye, they left the room, which as they did, the siblings saw that Bryan's hand was on the small of her back, making Kyle speak as he turned his wheelchair around so he was facing the table again. "Ok, is it just me, or are they back together?"

And his evidence wasn't only what he just witnessed, it was also their easy going attitude towards one another, and the happy looks they had on their faces when they looked at one another through out their evening.

Lindsey took that answer with a bright smile. "After what I walked in on the two of them doing two nights ago, I would have to say, yeah."

Nick replied to that as he stood up. "And that's my cue to leave the room, I don't want to know a thing about that."

Before Lindsey could continue, Nick was already out of the room, and she shook her head with a chuckle before looking at Kyle, who was giving her a queasy look, and she continued with the smile still on her face. "Not what I meant. They were fully clothed, on top of the blankets, just holding one another while they slept. They looked so peaceful, more peaceful than I've seen them in..." She paused for a second to think, then she blew out a breath and shook her head, almost not believing her own words. "Man, in over a year, is that right?"

Kyle nodded before he replied with a smile. "Well, I'm happy for them. I guess whatever was blocking them from being together was finally resolved, and do you know what that was, by any chance?"

"No, I don't, but as long as they are past whatever it was and are happy now, then I'm not even going to ask. They deserve this, they are where they are suppose to be."

Kyle smiled a little wider as he placed his hand on top of hers while whispering. "Just like us."

Lindsey gave him a smile with a nod before she cleared her throat and slipped her hand out of his. "I should get the dishes."

Kyle watched her stack the plates together and started walking towards the kitchen sink before he spoke after clearing his throat. "Linds, if you want out of this, just tell me now."

She nearly dropped the dishes after he said that, then turned around and said in a shocked. "Kyle, I..."

But he cuts her off as he turned his wheelchair around so he could look at her. "If I'm going to get through this, I need to know now if you already have one foot out the door."

Lindsey sets the plates down on the counter and walked over to him, shaking her head with tears in her eyes. "I don't, I promise." She took a moment to wipe her tears away before continuing. "I'm sorry, it's just seeing you, uh...seeing you in a..."

He cuts her off as he took her hand. "In a wheelchair, is surprising I know, something you need to get use to seeing.
If you need time to adjust to that, then you take as much as you want/need, but if you think that you won't ever be use to this, then I think we should end it." Now he had tears in his eyes as he finished. "It would hurt like hell, I'm not going to lie about that, but better now than six months down the road."

More tears were coming out of Lindsey's eyes as she bent down so she could cup his cheek while she spoke with emotion. "No, I'm not walking away from you, not now, not months, not years, down the road. I'll help you through this, I'll do whatever you want me to do, Ok?"

He nodded, sniffling now as she kept repeating 'ok', then he spoke again once he could. "You sure, then? Because I don't want to be holding you back for something be..."

This time he gets cut off by her lips, their first kiss since he's been back, and once they pulled back, she whispered while her forehead was against his. "Nobody is better than you, and I don't want anybody else." She pulled back, and placed her hand around the front of the necklace she wore and pulled it out from her shirt, so he could see his senior ring at the end of it, and she smiled.
"You see this, you're never getting it back, so you better have not been hoping for it."

He smiled while shaking his head. "I wouldn't dream of asking for it back, sweetheart."

This time she smirked as she stood up straight. "Good, because you're pretty much stuck with me, whether you like it or not, so don't ever forget that."

He took a breath before replying as he took her hand again and looked up at her. "I won't."

She wiped the rest of her tears off her cheeks with a nod, then she cleared her throat and slipped her hand out of his. "Now that we got that covered, I wasn't kidding about these dishes, we should help your parents out." Then she smirked again without thinking. "And don't think just because you are in a wheelchair you can't do your sh..." She trailed off and turned around to look at him with a shy/embarrassed look on her face. "I'm sorry."

After he had placed the rest of the dishes in his lap, he rolled over to her with a smile. "It's ok, you don't have to sensor yourself. I know you don't mean any harm with your words. Besides, it's not like what you said isn't the truth, it's just a reality we have to get use to now."

She held out her hand with a nod as she whispered. "Together."

He slipped his fingers through hers and replied in return. "Together."

Their moment together was interrupted when Nick's voice was heard as he was walking into the kitchen. "A couple of siblings wanted to say goodnight to their oldest brother."

Kyle handed the rest of the dishes to Lindsey before he turned his chair around and rolled up to Nick, who was holding Jenny, while Anthony was standing behind Nick's leg.

He smiled as he held out his arms for Jenny, and after she was placed in them, he smiled down at his youngest sister and whispered. "Good night, Angel. I love you." He bent down and kissed her forehead before lifting his head up to look at his youngest brother, who was still behind Nick's leg, knowing, like everybody else, he'll have to get use to seeing him in a wheelchair. "Hey little man, you know you can still give me a hug anytime that you want, you won't hurt me.
In fact they'll make me feel better." Anthony's eyes sparkled as he started to smile, and Kyle continued while holding out one of his arms as he held his sister in the other one. "Come here, and I'll tell you what, I'll give you a ride to the bottom of the stairs."

He shouted with a giggle as he rushed to his brother. "Ok!"

They all chuckled, then after Nick had place their brother on Kyle's lap and had taken Jenny form his arms, Anthony wrapped his arms softly around his neck before Kyle started rolling them out of the room.

When it was just Nick and Lindsey with Jenny in his arms, they look at one another, and he sighed with a smile. "It's good to have him back."

Lindsey nodded with a smile. "Yes it is."

Nick sighed again before turning and walking out of the room so he could put the kids down for bed time while Lindsey went back to doing the dishes.

Once the kids were inside, Calleigh stands up from the chair she had been sitting in and held out her hand with a smile. "Come on, let's go down to the beach."

He nodded as he took her hand and slipped his fingers through hers before she helped him up, then they headed towards and down the deck stairs, and after they reached about halfway, Calleigh looks at her husband and spoke softly. "Talk to me."

Knowing what she was asking, he nodded before taking a breath and speaking with emotion. "Man Cal, it was rough, especially those first two weeks. When he first woke up, he had so much pain and guilt that he survived and some of his friends didn't." Calleigh closed her eyes in pain for her son, having to go through that, then she opened her eyes as he continued. "Then it got worse when he found out his chances of ever walking again was very slim. He shut me out, I just couldn't get through to him."

She squeezed his hand lightly as she asked quietly. "He seems ok now, what happened? What changed?"

He turned his head to look at her. "Our family is what happened." Before she could ask, he explained. "One day I went to the restroom and I accidentally left my phone in his room, and when I came back, he was looking through the photos that I had on there and he was crying while telling me he wanted to go home and be with you guys, he wanted to fight to get better, he wanted us, and more importantly, Lindsey to see him as a man that we/she can still be proud of."

She smiled then smirked. "And when you said 'accidentally left my phone in his room', you didn't really do that by accident, did you?"

He slowly smiled and shook his head. "You got me." She chuckled a little before he sighed as he released her hand so he could slip his arm around her shoulders to bring her to him as he whispered. "But it worked, and that's all that matters, I just wanted my son back."

He closed his eyes, feeling the tears coming, and she brings him in her arms and hugged him as she ran a hand up and down his back for comfort. "He's here and alive, and we'll continue to help him out anyway that we can."

As he let out a few sobs after holding so much in this last month since he didn't have her near him, she just held him and whispered comforting words.

After Horatio and Calleigh walked inside and the younger kids were put to sleep, them, Lindsey, Nick and Kyle settled in the living room to watch a movie, then once it was done, Horatio yawned before looking over at his oldest son and asked. "You need help getting ready for bed?"

Before he could reply, Nick does. "I'll do it." He then looked at Kyle and asked. "If you want."

Knowing that his dad wouldn't always be around to help him, especially since he'll be going back to work, he might as well get use to getting help from his other supports, so he nodded as he looked at Nick. "Yeah, if you're sure."

Nick nodded with a smile. "I am."

Kyle then looked at his father with a smile. "I'll be ok."

Horatio nodded with a smile, and after both Calleigh and Horatio said goodnight to them with hugs and kisses, they headed upstairs to go to bed.

When the parents were out of the room, there was a somewhat awkward pause before Nick got up from the couch. "I'm uh, I'm going to go change, I'll be right back."

Lindsey and Kyle nodded before Nick headed upstairs, and after a moment, Kyle sighed and said. "Linds..."

But she cuts him off as she sat on the coffee table and reached for his hand. "I know you never liked asking for help, and now that you don't have a choice at the moment, I can only imagine how hard it is for you, even from your family, so I can also imagine how you feel when asking for my help." She finally took his hand when he was close enough and she finished with a smile and a light squeeze on his hand. "But when that time comes when you are ready, I don't care if you feel like it's too stupid, awkward, silly, or whatever else it might be, I'll be there no matter what, so don't ever be afraid to ask me for my help, ok?"

He sighed in relief before he nodded with a smile. "Ok, I'll eventually get there." She nodded with a smile of her own, then he asked after clearing his throat. "Are you going to the dorm tonight?"

"I can stay if you want me to, do you?"

No hesitation, he answered. "Please stay."

She smiled a little brighter as she squeezed his hand again. "Then I'll stay."

He nodded again with another smile on his face, happy to have his girlfriend with him tonight.

25 minutes later

Sitting up on Kyle's bed sideways so her back was against the wall, Lindsey was reading her book, when a refreshed Kyle rolled into the room while Nick was right behind him.

She looked up when she felt their presences and smiled. "Hi, you feel better?"

He nodded with a sigh. "Well, the best I can be."

Understanding, she nodded again before moving off the bed, then after kissing his cheek, she replied. "I'll be right back."

He nodded again before Lindsey took her bag, walked out of the room and headed for the bathroom so she could go through her routine for bed.

When she was out of the room, Nick moved so he was to the side of Kyle's wheelchair before placing one arm under his legs, and after Kyle wrapped his arms around Nick's shoulders, Nick wraps his other arm around his waist and lifted him up before carrying him the short distance to his bed.

Once he was settled and comfortable, Nick removed his arms from him and straightened up as Kyle cleared his throat before saying. "Thank you."

Nick raised an eyebrow as he asked. "For what?"

Kyle's face got a little red as he looked down at his hands. "For you know...everything, for acting like it's a normal thing to be doing."

Nick replied in a sincere tone. "It is normal." When Kyle looked up at him, he continued with a smile. "You're my brother, so wanting to help you out is a normal feeling. No matter what it is, no questions asked, I'm here for you."

He then held out his hand, and Kyle took it with a smile and nod. "And I appreciate it, man."

"No problem." As they release hands, he continued. "Is there anything else you need?"

Kyle shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"Ok, have a good night."

"You too."

Nick nodded before turning to walk out of the room, but before he walked out, he turned back around and replied softly. "I'm glad you're home, our family wouldn't have been the same without you, I hope you really know that."

Kyle nodded with tears in his eyes. "I do."

Nick gives him one more nod before he finally walked out of the room as Kyle closed his eyes, hearing Lindsey and Nick say goodnight to each other in the dinning room before Lindsey's voice was heard in his room. "Hey, you ok?"

He opened his eyes with a smile, seeing her in a tank top and sweatpants with her blond hair in a ponytail. "Better now."

She shyly smiled as she placed her bag on the floor before she walked to the bed, and after a brief hesitation, Kyle lifted the covers up as an invitation and she wasted no more time getting in, laying her head on his chest, both sighing in content as his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

After enjoying this moment in silence, Lindsey started to sob lightly, finally letting everything she had felt after hearing what had happened to him.

Kyle ran his hand up and down her back as he asked with worry. "What's wrong?"

She sniffled before replying. "I was so scared I lost you, I almost did."

Speaking softly, he continued to run his hand up and down her back. "But you didn't, I'm right here, and despite the situation, I'm ok."

She kissed his shirt covered chest and laid her head back down on it and whispered as she wrapped her arm around his waist. "Yeah you are, and I love you so much."

He closed his eyes as he whispered. "I love you too."

As they laid their holding one another, they eventually fell asleep, exhausted.

Calleigh was sitting up in bed, reading her book when her husband walked out of the bathroom with just his boxers on after taking his shower, and she smiled at him while asking. "You feel better?"

He nodded with a smile as he walked to his side of the bed, then while getting in, she placed her book on her nightstand before she moved closer to him so she could press her lips to his.

After a few soundly kisses, he sighed against her lips, and she pulled back while cupping his cheek. "Tired?"

"Yeah." Then he gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sor..."

But she cuts him off with her green eyes sparkling. "You have nothing to be sorry about, just having you home is good enough right now." Then she said sadly. "I've missed sleeping in your arms."

He placed his hand on top of hers that was still on his cheek. "I've missed that too. I love you."

"I love you too."

After a few more pecks on the lips, they removed their hands from one another before she laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and yawned before closing his eyes, but before he fell asleep, he asked. "Oh, I forgot to ask, but is there something going on between Bryan and Nicole again?"

He noticed they had looked pretty happy around each other, not to mention he did see Bryan's hand on the small of her back.

Calleigh smiled with her eyes closed. "I believe so."

He sighed before replying. "Well, I'm happy for them. But I hope they can make it work this time, I don't want to see her heartbroken again."

"I know, me neither." She yawned this time before snuggling closer to him. "Goodnight, handsome."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

After kissing the top of her head one more time, they slowly drifted off to sleep, very thankful to have their whole family back together again.

AN: A few more to come. Thanks for reading and please review.