Family Bonds: Book 2 of Sista

by Blackstar1979

Family Bonds the sequel to Sista. The the Superstars and Sistas have been through a lot that have carved out bonds where there were none. Will the past rip apart the bonds that have been forged or make them stronger? Reviews are welcomed as always.

24. Chapter 24 Please Don't Leave Me

Chapter 24

Please Don't Leave Me

Hours later Mark and his family arrive at Ivey Mansion. Mark's suspicion was piqued when their truck's plate was manually logged again, and Frank looked in the truck instead of just waving them in as he had done for the past 11 months. "You guys updating your system?" Frank says he was just following orders from Mr. Ivey and Mr. Davenport since Mrs. Davenport is home alone. "No problem are we clear, I don't need four flat tires." Frank nods and waves them in the gate. Mark watches as Frank hit the button so fast that damn gate almost hit the back of his truck. Mark parked in what was usually Joshua's spot. He was heading to his school for a few hours so he wouldn't be parked there long. Paula and Janet get out they each grab a twin and head up to the front door. Mark gets out and takes the overnight bags pressing his card to the sensor the door opens and they walk in. Angel comes out of the kitchen and greets them. "Hey there little one you feeling okay?" She looked tired and she was sweating. Angel tells him when Frank called her she was up in her bedroom so she'd just came down the back stairs. Janet asked why she didn't just come down the stairs in this room. Angel tells them all about the railings being so far apart on the center staircase. She then sits on the sofa and asked were they staying until the first. Paula says yes and Janet asked was Nikki coming over. One of her usual questions. Mark noticed the brief look that crosses his cousin's face before she said she didn't know. Angel's shirt com rings she jumped and then answers it. Mark meets Paula's gaze she'd seen it too. Angel tells security to let them in. She looks over at Mark and says she'd explain it and not to tell anyone else that information. When she turns the mic off and takes out the earbud Mark asks "Angel what's going on?"

"Candy is on her way in Glenny and Nikki are here." Janet asks back or front. The back door Alarm beeps and read off Candy's name and says access granted. Candy comes in proceeded by Glenny and Nikki who both see Janet and flock to her and Rosa. Nikki asks Paula can she hold Katie Paula hands her over both the girls were really good with the twins. As the kids leave the room. Mark mentions the new system. Angel tells them it's not new. "Yesterday one of the newer security team members almost opened the gate because the person didn't stop close enough to the censor. He was following protocol if the person wasn't listed on the barred list. Frank recognized the person in the car and cut power to the booth, preventing the guard from opening the gate. No one was home so Frank sent someone to make sure the person didn't go around back. Chase and Joshua wanted everyone's information reloaded since some of the active cards no longer match just one vehicle." Mark mentions that Frank said she was here alone. "I've told the guard at the back gate but Frank should know better. The three of you have all access keycards but it's still no one's business who is here and when." Mark agrees and says that's why he told her. "Thanks Big guy I'll talk to Frank. He'd rather I say something to him than Josh or Sophie right now." Mark nods and says he has to get going up to his school. Paula says she'd walk him out to the truck.

The minute Mark and Paula walks out of the door Candy says to Angel "So Megan just pulled up and someone almost let her in?" Angel asks her how she knew who the person was. "For one you just confirmed it, two Joshua told me last night when I called he didn't say the bitch had tried to get in." Angel says they found that tidbit out this morning. "I came in through the back because of the Cassandra shit. Has she remembered anything?" Angel shrugs and turns to the door when Paula comes back in.

Angel still looked uncomfortable. Paula says she just wanted to know if coming here was such a hot idea. Angel says the person wouldn't be too quick to mess with her or Mark. "Who was it Angel? They can't be that damn bright wanting to fuck with you or anyone in this house." When Angel tells her Paula's mouth drops open. Angel tells her about the text message from Glenn to Logan and how Logan told Joshua. "I should have known Glenn was a part of it. That girl isn't right in the head." Angel asks could they please change the subject because she dealt with this shit yesterday and would like to put the craziness behind her. "No problem girl, so where is Joshua anyway?" Angel says that he was at the hospital with Cass and he said he would be at the Davenport later to set up for the party. "So what happened to Cassandra?" Angel tells her. Candy clearly wanting to change the subject asks is Paula holding a New Year's Eve party at Last Ride. "Yeah my girl Tracy has really got the hang of running a club for an event. Where's Sophie she usually does her Read in at the Last Word Book Cafe next door? Does she have any authors coming? I went last year." Paula watches as Angel's whole demeanor changes as she speaks about her sister's plans.

Angel was happy for the change in topic, finally something that had nothing to do with drama, and everything to do with how happy she was for her sister and Luke. "Sophie's doing the Read In and promoting the newly established authors that are now with Ivey publishing after Dad bought out Corrigan. That's tonight, then tomorrow night, Luke and she have a party to go to. Luke told her he'd go to Last Word with her if she would go to his Network's end of the year party. I think now that he has someone to go with him they're not so intimidating to him. Luke's first date with Sophie going to the medical convention, was the first time anyone had seen him in the medical community outside of his staff since his graduation. For fundraisers he sent a check but stayed away." Paula says so that was the phantom of the hospital reference made at the engagement party by his father. "I wouldn't say that, he dated but the women he dated chose not to see through his social awkwardness and his demanding career." Candy says they saw his looks, his ride, and thought jackpot, and didn't care until they found out that doctor isn't just a job to him. Right then Luke's name is read by the system, he walks in the girls go silent. He looks at them and asks what is wrong? The girls say nothing almost in unison. Luke looks at Angel as she tries to hold in a mirthful smile and asks "what would make you think something is wrong?"

"Oh I don't know maybe because all three of you look like the cats that swallowed the canaries. I know you girls were talking about me and those looks just prove it." Angel says he caught them but to have no fear it wasn't anything bad. Paula and Candy agrees. "Has Sophie got here yet? I really didn't know what to wear for a Bookstore Party." Paula tells him he was kind of overdressed. "Thanks I don't want to stick out, not my scene." He chuckles then excuses himself and jogs up the center stairs in the direction of Sophie's room.

Logan wakes and sits up man, today was a lot of in-a-long-times. It had been a long time since he'd camped out in a vehicle alone. It had been a long time, since he'd pulled and all-nighter. Looking at his watch it had also been a long time, since he'd purposely disabled a vehicle. Yarning he unlocks the door and gets out. Looking up at the sky it reflected the torrent of his mood. He could hear the thunder in the distance and smelled the ozone that said rain was coming. He tries Megan's doctor again and gets no answer. After leaving another message he walks into the house. "Red?" Megan was sitting in the kitchen crying. Logan felt like a major heel for not staying in the house with her, but it just was too fresh the cheating, finding out she wasn't on her meds. She looks up at him.

"Logan where were you? I was worried about you? Did you take a ride where's your bike? I didn't here you ride up. Oh no did it stop on you?" He says he slept in his truck. Saying he just couldn't face sleeping in their bed. "Oh. I'm sorry. How about we take little steps. I want us to work. Please don't leave me. I'll get us a new bed I'll paint the room, or maybe we can take Janet's old room, and we'll still get a new bed. Glenny could move into our old room, and he'll have all the room in the world for his toys and everything. Logan please say something, give me something."

"Red there's a lot I can deal with but no more cheating. You said a lot of shit last night both on the phone and on the way here. I had thought before Christmas that we were doing better. Then I walk in on you fucking a person that you claim is like family to you. I have to know when you were all up in Angel's face about Glenn, was it the big sister role really or were you mad that someone might get him but you." Megan says she'd honesty thought Angel was trying to mess up Glen's marriage. Logan didn't want to even go too far down that road again. "If this is going to have any chance of working. There is a few things that have to be done. I don't want that man over here ever again. You have to get in to therapy, and back on your meds. We can move the bedrooms around and all that shit, but Red this is it. No more going off halfcocked to Grandville South anytime you're not pleased, threatening people that have nothing to do with the reason you're mad. I'm not going to say fix it, because there is no fix for that situation. Babe, you could have got yourself killed last night." She looks doubtful saying Angel wasn't going to do shit to her. "If we are going to work, you need to calm down on this Angel shit. Ever since you girls met, you have been like oil and water. We all get it you don't like her, fine just leave her the hell alone. She's not exactly itching to be in your presence, any time soon anyway. Hello, she got a restraining order against you." Megan smiles and says that because Angel is scared of her. "So you like scaring people? Like you scared the shit out me last night. When I thought you were coming there to your uncle's home to hurt his daughter and possibly his first and only grandson. Angel wouldn't have done anything, she wouldn't have had to lift a finger. Chase her stepfather, had armed security on the property. Is it really that important to you to have someone's fear? In the grand scheme of things, what has she ever done to you? After you almost ran her ass over speeding. Instead of apologizing you beat her ass and accused her of trying to insurance fraud you. Mark talks to you, and tries to set the shit straight. As great as it was, that night Janet escaped from Rachel you still found time to challenge Angel in her own damn house, which ended up upsetting Janet. I thought you had chilled out. You apologized and she forgave you. That should have been the end of it." Megan says if Angel hadn't of gave her that damn baby shower invite she wouldn't have snapped on her. "Wrong, because when we walked in Mark's house if she had of not gave you the invite you would have been pissed that she left you out since you girls were cool." Megan says he's all pissed at her because she won't back down and keeps Angel in her place. Logan rubs his eyes. "Angel isn't the only one that you seem to get some sick pleasure in physically intimidating. For as important as you like to make family seem, you scare the hell out of Glenny you know that little boy's triggers, if you ever want him to be comfortable with you, you're going to have to stop yanking him up by the back of his collar or by the front of his shirt. A family member of mine, brought my attention to a mark on his neck. I knew about the shirt front thing and I have told you about that, by the time my relative found it they say it's mostly healed but they knew what it looked like and asked me had I been rough housing with him. Don't do it again Red. Whenever you grabbed him by the back of the collar you did it hard enough to leave a mark right here." He puts his finger at the base of his own Adam's apple. "Yes you are stronger than a three old, but no you don't have grab him up like fucking luggage."

Megan says "I wasn't going to pull him backwards anymore anyway. I noticed the bruise the day after I did it on the 19th, but Glenny coughed so hard that night I thought I had hurt him. I was afraid to call you because you were finishing up the LEGNA project." He tells her not to lie to him, and says the real reason she didn't call him was because if he saw it he would have flipped. "No I didn't dare call you because the last time I called you about him you came and took him with you." Logan was turning red this conversation was pissing him off. He says if she hadn't called and lied to him when he was hours away, making him rush here like a crazy person, he would not have taken Glenny to the hotel the night of Joshua's bachelor party. She could tell that Glenny was a landmine topic with him. "Logan, I want my son, where is he?" Logan says he's safe. "He's safe with me, I won't yank on him anymore, your right I was being too rough with him. He's a good boy. Where is he, I want to do right by my son?" Logan says when they get her back on her meds then Glenny can come home. That pissed her off he was keeping Glenny away from her. "One more question then I'll leave it alone. Is he with my Uncle John's daughter or her family?" Logan says no, but he will call and she can talk to Glenny. He walks away from her he doesn't ask for anyone he just asks to speak to his son. He was being so cloak and dagger about Glenny's whereabouts. A thought stuck her and she smiled when Logan turned back around and hands her the phone. "Hi Glenny I know you're a good boy. Are you having fun? That's great who is that you're with?" Logan snatches the phone glaring at her. Megan could have sworn she heard that Candy bitch. They were all in on it, Megan bet the farm that the bitch about broke her neck to tell Angel who she had. "I just wanted to know who he was playing with he said he was having fun." Logan tells Glenny to go eat his lunch and he'll call him later. Megan says "well as long as he's safe and happy that's all that is important, and you know where he is even if you won't tell me. I'm sure you wouldn't send him to Jonathon's daughter or her friends knowing how I feel about that female right?" He just says he's not going to do this anymore. When he turns to walk back out the house. She runs after him and says "Okay Logan I give no more talk about Glenny. Let's do the rooms or something or do you want me to cook us brunch?"

Logan knew she was at least trying to work with him. He would keep trying her doctor but he didn't want her out of his sight. "Okay Red if you stop fishing for where Glenny is, I'll stay and we can do something to restore some kind of order to our lives here." She offers to cook again. "How about I take you to a nice lunch then we can stop by the depot and grab some paint, sound good to you?" She mentions her car and their van won't start. "We can ride in my truck that way you won't have to worry with driving the highway, and I'll take a look at the other vehicles when we get back." She smiles up at him and says it will be like a date. "Exactly let me grab a shower and change clothes" Logan heads into Glenny's shower and locks the door putting his truck keys in his boot, he takes off the work clothes he had on since yesterday and hops in the shower. If they were going to workout he would have to trust her and right now he just didn't dare. He had his own paranoia about her illness, she'd did some cruel shit all in the name of family or trying to fix something.

Megan walks into their bedroom she'd showered and put on clothes after she hadn't been able to find him. He was hiding from you. Her inner voice taunted. Make you feel good to know you have gained even Logan's fear. You are going to lose him like you lost Mark and Janet, do you still want his fear? Better make it up to him. Get him drunk or something then you can take the truck you know where your son is or at least in which direction. All you have to do is prove to him that you are a good mother just like Rosa Angela was to you. Megan looks in the mirror and nods to herself. Logan walks in their room with a towel wrapped around his trim waist and grabs clothing out of his drawer. She watched him move around and caught the firming of his mouth when he would turn towards their bed. Megan wished she could throw the damn bed out the window right now, so she could take the hurt look in his eyes away. You hurt him so he's hurt and afraid of you you're a bad bitch "I Know" His gaze snaps to hers as he asks her she knows what? She hadn't wanted to speak out loud to the voice in her head. In front of him. "Fuck I was just thinking aloud. Please stop looking at me like I'm going to grow black wings out of my ears or something." They soon get in his truck and he drives them to lunch.

6pm Paula went to the club after getting a call from Tracy about something she had broken. Sophie and Luke were at Last Word promoting the new authors. Glenny had eaten and laid down with his stuffed crocodile in the bed Mark and Paula usually shared next to the travel crib Paula had set up for the twins before she left. Angel had cleaned up JC's room and really didn't want it touched until she brought JC home, she was glad Paula understood and brought the travel crib to set up in the room with them. Angel and Candy are up in her room with the girls. She had some more clothing she wanted to give to Janet. Since Angel didn't buy maternity clothing the larger sizes would fit Janet's taller frame well. Nikki was about Angel's height and wore her size before pregnancy and with Angel's breast getting bigger she had a few pieces in mind for Nikki too. Nikki asks for the third time while holding up an outfit was she sure. Angel smiles at the girl and says "Nicole I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sure. Ask Candy I don't get super attached to clothing, well, not regular clothing, if you asked for my wedding dress I would have to say no." Angel laughs. Janet chimes in and says that it also gives her poor cousin Joshua some closet space, until Angel goes shopping again. Candy pokes Janet and says for her not to pretend she wouldn't be the first one in the backseat saying let's go."

Janet grabs another shirt looking at it, she puts it on over her tank top and asks Candy was it too short. Candy said it was a shirt not a tunic if that what she was asking. Nikki frowns and mouths we talk later. Janet shrugs and takes off the shirt. She really hadn't been worried about it but her dad had really wigged when she wore the shorts outfit. She didn't want him to be mad at her over an outfit. That reminded her too much of her Aunt Megan coming in and trashing her clothes, at the end of each school year even clothes her dad bought her during the year, that she hadn't outgrown or at least she hadn't thought she had. It was great being home, and even if she had to get rid of something, to Janet it was much nicer to donate it, or see if Nikki wanted to try it on, not just throw her stuff in the trash. Nikki picks up an outfit from what Angel used to wear on stage. The black netting with the red skulls was really cool looking on Nikki. Janet says "Hey Angel I have a poster with you in this outfit." Nikki says the name of the tour and Angel confirms it. "Of course you would know." Janet says with a smile and pokes her friend. Nikki poked her back and they went back to Angel's closet. Nikki had Angelic Impression CDs that Janet didn't even have but she also went to the beach concerts in CA with her almost grown neighbor, while her mom was away and her dad was in jail. It was sometimes hard to believe that her best friend was only a year older than her. Nikki had did some really cool stuff, with the neighbor girl, Janet was happy that someone had taken care of her friend since she had been afraid to tell Candy what was really going on for fear of the crap her dad had told her about if the state got involved. Though they hadn't known each other long Janet couldn't imagine not being with Nikki.

She was glad that Nikki had texted her that night and Janet was doubly glad that her friend had did what she had picked calling Candy instead of just going ghost. Janet had told Nikki to hide until her dad frazzled himself out then slip out and she would run away with her or she could call Candy. Nikki went all big sister on her butt and told her she better not run away and said that she was calling Candy. Nikki had made her promise not to try to run away and find her if she had go ghost on her dad. Janet had crossed her fingers it was hard to both lie to her girl and text with her fingers crossed. Hours later Nikki called saying she was sorry she didn't just text but her hand was hurting her pretty bad. Janet was glad Nikki was at Ivey Mansion that night, the minute Nikki called her she'd jumped out of bed and ran to the room her girl was in. Nikki had told her that she just knew if she vanished she would have to worry that Janet would try to run away and find her. Janet admitted to her crossed fingers and Nikki pointed out that Janet, a champion speller, also misspelled promise. That night her girl had made her promise "in person" that she would not try to follow her if she had to get gone saying if something happened to Janet, Paula, and Mark would hate her forever and she'd hate herself because she liked them all. Janet had promised but was glad her girl hadn't run off. Now Amy was getting treatment and when she got back from treatment her girl would be just down the street. When she got her glass of what her momma called a non-alcoholic mixed drink to hold when the clock struck 12 to end the year and begin a new one she was glad that she would be with her BFF.

Paula walks in to her club and wonders why Tracy seemed so upset on the phone. She walks behind the bar and looks at the damaged lever for one of the draft dispensers. What the hell had happened? Tracy came down the stairs in front of the window from her apartment. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she had on sweats her usual look for cleaning the bar before it opened for the night. One look at the blood shot eyes and the side of Tracy's face and she was across the room in a shot. "Tracy what happened to your face?" Tracy had deep scratches on the side of her face that wasn't covered by her curtain of dark hair. The girl releases her pony tail covering up the scratch pattern saying she had got into a fight with… then she just stopped talking putting her hands up to her face. "With who?" Paula knew her employee had a temper but usually she kept herself in check. "Look, if you got pissed at Frank for flirting with you again he just likes you. Turn him down if you really not interested. I don't see him doing that to your face though. Was it one of the new wait staff?" Tracy wipes her eyes and shakes her head. She starts apologizing then starts sobbing. Paula didn't like the fact that the girl was losing what color she did have. "Tracy sit down and calm down nothing is that bad. I saw the handle Bubba can fix it."

Tracy had cried last night and this morning until she didn't think she had anymore tears, but every time she thought of her son sick and possibly dying a new wave of emotion would knock free more tears. Now she had to tell Paula, the only person that gave a shit about her and helped her that she had caused a scene in her bar with none other than Megan and had ended up breaking one of the handles to one of the taps. She hadn't even felt the handle dig into her side as she cleared the bar to beat on Megan. When the adrenaline stop turning her vision red the pain hit her and she couldn't believe she hadn't felt shit. Not Megan's fight back attempts not the handle, nothing. She couldn't tell Paula who she had in this club Paula would fire her ass, then she would be back at square one. She didn't think she could start over alone again. "I fought a customer. I jumped the bar and broke the handle." Paula narrowed her eyes and gave her a talking to about the reputation of the club and her professional image as a manager. When Paula told her maybe she should take some time off Tracy just nodded her head firming her lips so she wouldn't lose it again. "I'll replace the handle I swear." Paula tells her come back on the 5th. "Yes ma'am" At least she wasn't fired this was going to be the longest 4 days in the world. Two of them she would have been off anyway. Paula wasn't pissed she was disappointed and that was even worse. After Paula dismissed her she hit the stairs to her apartment standing in the bathroom Tracy took off her metal name tag that marked her as the Manager. Her new life was falling apart just like her old one had, taking off the name badge was like peeling off a layer of skin. She needed to get out of her head, grabbing her keys she dashed back down the stairs and high tailed it to the liquor store. When she returned with her bag of liquid warmth, she looked at the window of Last Ride for a time Paula would be here tonight. Tracy headed back up to her home. The card that Megan had ripped to shit, Tracy picked up all the pieces and tried to put it back together but it was in way too many pieces. She still had the picture she had left it upstairs yesterday. The vodka wasn't working, another wave of tears wracked her. She wasn't shitfaced but she wasn't driving anywhere soon. She drops her keys in the vase that sat on her table. She gets up she needed air and food. There was a thing happening next door at the Last Word maybe she could go and buy one of Sophie's chocolate double fudge muffins and sit on her stairs. She heads down the stairs, shit everyone was dressed up, she saw Sophie in her long stylish dress complete with heels that had to cost more than Tracy pulled in, in a month. The Doctor was in the house, he made anything look great, Tracy believed Luke was so hot he could make rags look chic not to say that the Egyptian cotton button-down and the expensive slacks he was rocking were anywhere near rags. Looking down at her sweats she walks back up the stairs but stops and runs back and into the bookstore. Fuck it, who was she trying to impress? Moving to the café she orders her muffin and sits on the stool she knew people were staring at her but she didn't care. When she felt disconnected from the real world she used to be able to call up Meg Pie and they would drive all the gas out of the car refuel, and head in another direction, until she had got whatever was eating her alive off her chest. Now Megan was the fucking cause of what was giving her head and heart a pounding. Fuck if she hadn't of drunk that whole bottle of vodka she would be willing to drive herself somewhere she could get out of her head. The muffin wouldn't be trying to make a reappearance either. It was coming, she lurches to the bathroom just in time to give the muffin back to the toilet gods.

Back up to her home she went. Tracy lay on her bed staring at the ceiling she wondered for the millionth time what she had did to someone in another life to get the whammy life had dealt her. She looked at the tats on her inner wrists 2 inches above each palm. Logan went with her when she got them, before she moved here. On her left wrist she bore her son's name Anthony Matthew Jr. with his birthdate in a fancy script under his name. Her other wrist the words Always Loved never Forgotten blurred before her eyes. If he died before her. She got up and put on her shoes she wouldn't, she couldn't let her son leave this earth before her. Stepping out on the stairs looking up at the moon she remembered a talk she had with her son about how everyone could see the same moon as like a connection kind of thing. She wondered if he saw this big moon tonight the same one she saw. She knew what she had to do. She wasn't going to see him anymore without the surgery. She didn't know what to do but she had to do something. She was a chicken shit when it came to killing herself what if she fucked up and missed a vain, she also didn't want to mess up her tats she believed in bad luck and if she messed up the art about her son what if something else happened to him because of her fucking with something that was her symbols of him. She got an idea if it worked fine if not she would have to deal with it. She couldn't out run this pain somewhere in Texas her child needed her and her chance to help was ripped to shreds on her living room table.

Tracy: Yeah you got me back for trying to talk some sense into you. I got a few days off so why don't we just finish this. You've already dangled my son in my face and then sealed his fate because you're mad at me. So for once don't be a punk bitch and come at me bitch.

Meg Pie: Tracy is that you for real

Tracy: Who else could it be Meg Pie

Meg Pie: Bitch your crazy don't text me no more

Tracy: What you scared of me. I know I'm not pregnant or a child but hey what if I tie my hands behind my back maybe your weak ass can do something all I ask is don't mess up my tats.

Meg Pie: look bitch I said leave me alone just because you are down don't mean you're really going to let me swing on you I'm not stupid

Tracy: You were so worried about Angel why don't you give me a try again unless you've gone soft. Maybe I knocked the bad bitch out of you. Now you're just talk. Maybe you are just a plaything now. A little pathetic bitch. You are going to lose it all Logan and that little boy. Maybe I'll steal Logan from you and I can raise your son. Have you looked in the mirror?

Meg Pie: If my car was working I'd come there and rip out your fucking tongue bitch

Tracy: Where do you want to do this I'll even come as far as your front door?

Meg Pie: If you come to my house I'll put you in the ground this my turf and I will defend it against bitches like you.

Tracy: Deal

Megan stood in her old bedroom lunch was so nice and Logan had helped paint the walls and they had put Iron Man decals on the ceiling because this was going to be Glenny's room. They glowed in the dark so her baby boy wouldn't be scared with his favorite super hero up there protecting him. Logan asked her who was texting her on her day off. She told him because Tracy didn't even sound like her in their round of text fighting, and Megan didn't know what to expect if she actually showed up. Logan looked angry. "I know babe the nerve of her after attacking me now she wants to fight me again. All I did was end our friendship and she flipped out." Logan asks to see the text messages saying if she was threatening bodily harm he'd get his family involved. Megan felt all warm and protected and gave him her phone. He scrolls up and she for the life of her couldn't remember the first message then it hit her when he looks up at her. With anger written all of his face. The harsh tone he used to demand that Megan start talking or he would walk, made her spill it, everything, the fight, the card everything. He sat in silence. "Logan say something, babe please."

"I can't do this shit no more. You knew where her son was and had secured her a number to call, and possibly save her son's life, now you want to play the fucking victim. If you wanted to break the only female that has had your back since fucking high school, I think you've succeeded. Great Job CPS worker of the year." Megan slaps him hard enough to turn his head. He pins her to the wall by the wrist and growls "If you have the number anywhere else, give it to her, no matter whether she ever talks to you again, this isn't a GAME. Give her the number, give her a chance to save her son. It won't fix your friendship, but you could possibly save a child's life do YOUR FUCKING JOB. If you don't and I swear on our marriage, I'll do it. I'll report you myself." She says he's hurting her. Logan closes his eyes and takes a breath he releases her wrists, and pulls her off the wall, the back of her was covered in blue paint. Logan left his hands up in case she tried to swing on him again. Swallowing hard he says just above a whisper "This you can fix. Fix it Megan for the life of that little boy fix it. This isn't about you, or even Tracy this about giving a little guy not even that much older than Glenny, or hell he would be the same age as Janet a second chance at life. FIX it please."

Megan wasn't angry even when he squished her up against the wall, it was the longest he'd made contact with her since before Christmas night. He hadn't really hurt her she just wanted him to get out of her face before he did. "I have the number but if she comes here she is going to want to fight not hear anything I have to say. Did you see the text about her stealing you and Glenny?" He sighs and tells her he wears a ring but he is not a piece of jewelry that can just be stolen. "She's crazy I tell her if she comes I'll kill her ass and she says deal." Logan laid down a stream of logic that made all the pieces click into place. He points out the texts about the tats and tells her about Tracy's depression that she had hid very well, he recounts when he'd suggested she get the tats because he was tired of seeing her slice herself. "Fuck so all this weak bitch shit was to get me fired up enough to take her out? I thought she meant she was coming with weapon or some shit." Megan rubs some of the blue paint off her hands. "Let me grab a shower I can fix this and I want you present. So you can know I at the very least did my fucking job."

Logan watched as his wife took the paint covered clothing off, and threw it in the trash. The only voice he heard was his own and how could he argue with himself he could have really hurt her. The woman he married and the woman that had just went to wash off his abuse weren't the same person. But that was a lie they were the same person he'd slammed her into the fucking wall. She was playing games and fucking over kids it pissed him off, but he had no right to lay his fucking hands on her in violence. That's not what he was taught. He sits on the bed he was losing it. He was losing himself. After she walks out of the bathroom he apologized to her. She tells him he didn't hurt her, and to kiss her. He gets up and walks over to his wife and kisses her as they stand in the half painted room. She calls Tracy's son's adoptive parents and has it so Tracy's son could call his mom. "She may not thank you, but I Thank you Red"

Back in Grandville upstairs in Tracy's apartment she had drunk the other bottle of vodka so she wouldn't feel shit that Megan did to her. Her head felt like a balloon. She grabs for the keys in the glass vase and her world goes black, she hit the floor so hard the vibration from her impact knocked over the vase it rolled off the table and landed on the floor where it broke in two.

Minutes before Tracy's crash and burn routine downstairs Paula sat in her office she hoped she wasn't too hard on her manger. Paula had been over that bar at a customer a time or2. She wanted to see for herself what the hell happened. If she could prove to herself that it was some asshole being an ass and not something to farfetched she would lift the forced vacation. Either way she wasn't putting any kind of disciplinary note in Tracy's file at the end of the day Tracy was a hard worker that had a fuck up. The handle had blood on it but Bubba had replaced it before the first customers came in. Tracy had ordered the replacement last night had it overnighted not on the club account but on her own card. Paula entered the camera system and pushed the time frame back until she caught a frame of Tracy in midair like the girl could fly. She moved the camera over and her mouth dropped open. Narrowing her eyes she pushed back the time frame a little before Tracy went air born and hit play. Watching when Megan first came in until the head of security bounced her ass, Paula felt horrible that Megan would play games with that girl like that, so that's what drove her from Houston everyone had a story. Megan was busy yesterday with terrorizing Angel and giving Tracy hope and ripping it up in her face. Paula wouldn't have just beat Megan's ass Mark would have been bailing her ass out of jail. She sped up the camera and watched as Tracy just couldn't stop breaking down until one of the bar tenders suggested she go home she just nodded like she had today with that blank look in her eyes. Suddenly she hears a loud ass thump from upstairs. What the hell was she doing up there. She called and got no answer. Her office was right under what used to be her kitchen. Paula was going to lift the forced vacation. If Tracy wanted to work and stay active she'd let her, if she wanted to stay on vacation that was fine too. Paula gets up and goes up stairs she knocks on the door she knew Tracy was here her damn car was here. Her girl had looked so wrecked. "Tracy open this door I saw who you were jumping on and honey I can't blame you." Paula turns the knob and the door opened that was not a usual Tracy locked her door just go to her car. Tracy? Baby girl. Damn girl it smells like you brought the bar home with y…" Paula walks into the kitchen and stops in her tracks Tracy was on the floor and her damn lips were turning blue. She tried tap and shout and couldn't rouse her girl, she called the police and told them where she was. Tracy was breathing but it was like the breaths were slowing down. "Tracy don't you dare die on me." Sirens could be heard Luke comes running up the stairs with the med crew. Paula gets out of the way as they shout medical shit at each other. Luke asks how long she had been out. "I don't know I heard something a few minutes ago and then I came up here to check on her. Her door was unlocked that struck me as odd. I came in and found her like that I called 911." Luke turned back to the activity before him when he said Tracy was crashing, Paula knew what that meant and fear froze her in place it was like time stopped until the one of the med crew said they had a pulse. They transferred Tracy's limp pale form onto the gurney and carried her out of the apartment. After giving the cops her statement she dashes down the stairs stopped by the bar, told one of the bartenders to hold down the fort and that Tracy was in a bad way. Paula ran out the club just in time to see the ambulance dart down the street with sirens blaring. She didn't feel like waiting on an Ivey transit vehicle Mark was closer.

Paula: Mark can you come and get me from the club Tracy just went in one of Luke's med vehicles to the hospital and she's already flat-lined once.

Mark: On my way darlin

Paula went upstairs to lock Tracy's door hoping that her girl would be back home soon. She grabbed Tracy's phone when it rang. The number was unknown and had called her like a dozen times. It stopped ringing. Tracy didn't have family or a man Paula was her emergency contact so whoever was calling would have to wait. Mark pulled into the parking lot and she ran to the truck. On the way Paula tells Mark about Megan fucking with Tracy. They get to the hospital and Paula fills out her girl's paper work. She leaned on Mark after the paper work was done. He rubbed her back as she replayed her words to Tracy. Tracy's phone rang with the name Meg Pie running across the screen. Paula couldn't deal with Megan right now. Luke didn't look very confident up in Tracy's house. Paula shuddered Mark hugged her tighter up against him. Minutes later a text message from Meg Pie made Paula want to scream.

Two and a half hours had passed and Megan paced the floor of her living room. The little Anthony boy had called her back and asked was she sure it was the right number to his real mom. Megan told him yes. The little boy said he would try some more then. Logan's words now was starting to freak her out, what if Tracy had got over her fear that if she did herself in then she wouldn't see her son in heaven. What if Logan's getting her to get the tats on her wrists hadn't stopped her from slicing right through them? What the hell had she done, she'd been in the heat of the moment just like when she slapped Logan. She called Tracy and left a message marking it urgent. Or maybe Tracy was still on her way.

Meg Pie: Answer YOUR FUCKING PHONE YOUR SON IS TRYING TO CALL YOU

Another hour dragged by Tracy wasn't coming and she hadn't answered Anthony Jr's call.

Meg Pie: DAMN IT OK I'm SORRY YOU KNOW I WOULD HAVE COOLED DOWN I have the number I even called and gave him your number.

The kid kept calling her. Logan kept walking out of the room he'd painted their old room. Painted their new room. He went from apologizing to her to not looking at her. Gone was the anger in his gaze when he pinned her to the wall, now he just looked sad. Logan walks back through the house, she grabs his hand and puts her phone in it. "I've been trying to get her to text me back or answer her son's call. She won't respond to me and he keeps calling me back because she won't answer his call either. Can you call her please Logan? She wouldn't be mad at you. What's so crazy is that I would have cooled down and gave her the number. I fly off the handle sometimes. She wasn't being a really good friend so I punished her with the only thing I could think of. She hurt my feelings I hurt hers back."

Logan Conner: Tracy call me I'm kind of worried about you. I saw your text messages. Your son is calling you from a Houston number I made Megan give him your number. Call me when you get this message please.

Logan taps his phone against his palm after sending the text. Putting his phone in his back pocket he tells Megan he'd call her if Tracy calls him but he needed to get some air. She asked where he was going. "Out on the front porch I think we should have opened more windows my head is hurting, are you okay?" She says she's fine and asks did he want an aspirin. "No I think I'll try fresh air first." He walks out into the night air and sits on the porch swing. All this shit about children made him want to call his son but it was 10pm and he wasn't about freak out Candy. He pulls his phone and swipes open his photos looking at Glenny riding his bike with Janet in the background running behind him the smile on Glenny's face made his own lips turn up. His phone rings in his hand Paula's face dances across his screen. "Hello, yeah I texted Tracy's phone. Have you seen her?" Paula tells him that Tracy got a really foul mind fuck that involves her kid from his wife. "I know. I'm worried about Tracy can I speak to her? I convinced Megan to get Tracy's son to call her but to my knowledge she hasn't answered his call yet." When Paula tells him why Tracy didn't answer his or her son's call it was good Logan was sitting down or he would have fell over. "She has to make it. Please keep me informed." After Paula just couldn't speak anymore she ends the call. Logan sat back and prayed that Paula had found his friend in time to save her life. He had to go, there wasn't a part of him that wanted to stay here right now. He walks in to the house Megan asks him who he was out there talking to. "Paula saw the message I sent to Tracy's phone and called me." He puts on his jacket. She asks was his head clear and where was he going. "I'm going to check on Tracy her…"

Megan cuts him off. "As afraid of getting fired by Paula as Tracy is I don't see why she would tell Paula about any of this." He tells her what Paula told him. "Tracy doesn't drink are you sure she didn't put Paula up to this?" Logan walks away from her. "Logan I'm coming with you." He turns on her and says as the hell she is and hadn't she done enough? "I didn't tell her to drink a drop you will not blame me."

"Megan that's where you're wrong, because if you hadn't of went there using something as personally tragic to her as a tool to regain her friendship and then using the same information to punish her. None of this would have happened. You gave her hope then snatched it away and ripped it up in her face. When that family contacted you that is when you should have done your job. I shouldn't have to threaten to report you for you to do your job. So, you bet your ass, that if Tracy Mathew dies I blame you. I got to go." He turns away from her and walks out through the garage. She screams he's not leaving her. Suddenly he is struck with a shockwave of pain that puts out his lights.

Megan's mind had been singing the he'll levee you chorus when he turned to towards the garage. She couldn't let him leave her, he may never return. She walks over and surveys the damage. She didn't know she could throw that hard. She'd thrown the can of paint remover at him. She hadn't meant to hit him in his head she was aiming for his back. She watched it twirl though the air with a morbid curiosity and smack him into his truck. His handsome face had bounced off the door's window and he crumpled to the ground with a moan. A plan formed in her head. She drags his heavy ass back in the house. Holy shit he was heavy. He moaned again she froze, when he didn't moan again she drags him into Glenny's room he'd attached meatal railings in Glenny's shower so he would have something to grab on when getting out of his tub. She runs to her bedroom one of his cop cousins had gave them real handcuffs as a gift. They weren't into shit like that. Logan could drive her over the moon without toys. She wouldn't be able to get him in the tub but she could cuff him to the railing. When she took his wrist she looked at his wedding ring then cuffed him to Glenny's railing. She drops the key in her bra made sure he was sitting up against the tub and the wall and walks out of the bathroom. He's going to be so mad at you. Now that no one was listening she could talk to the voice in her head. "Not if I get Glenny and then we can live happily ever after." Megan goes back out to the carport his phone was under the tire. She checks his call log he'd called Candy she knew it. She needed his keys and she could get their son they had to be on him. Walking back in the house she saw the blood from where he was leaking. His face hadn't even fully healed from when Glenn hit him, now he would have a lump on his head. The keys must have fallen when she stopped dragging him because they were on the landing where she had stopped when he moaned because she'd thought he was waking up before she could get him in Glenny's bathroom. This is wrong, you stopped dragging him because you know this isn't what he would want. "Shut Up will you? I got this." She checks on him grabbing a cold towel she puts it on his neck his eyes flutter open, meets hers then closes again. "I'll be back baby." She says in a soft tone as she runs her hand down his cheek.

Paula was coming back from the bathroom when she sees Frank the guard from Ivey Mansion walking down towards the waiting room. He nodded a hello and walked into the waiting room. "Frank, who are you here for?"

Frank took his uniform hat off and held it in his hands. "Same as you I reckon, Tracy wasn't at Last Ride Bubba said she collapsed up in her apartment and was at this here hospital." Mark pulls his wife back over on his side of the row of chairs. As Frank points at him and says. "I was there last night. That sister of yours has pure hell in her." Mark opens his mouth and then closes it. Franks turns back to Paula "Tracy may never see me as more than a patron of your club but I just couldn't go home until I found out how she is doing." Frank looks down at his polished to a shine shoes.

Luke comes out the back Paula, Frank, and Mark walk over. He tells them "Tracy has alcohol poisoning I finally got her stable enough to move her into a room but she's not out of the woods yet. I really don't like that she hasn't woke up yet. I gave her a medicine that will continue to pull the alcohol out of her blood stream. I have her on fluids and oxygen." They ask to see her. "Paula that's up to you you're her medical contact with no other person listed in her file at least in this network that makes you her medical liaison when she can't make decisions for herself." Paula says that she gives permission for Frank and Mark to visit her. "Okay follow me." they head towards a different wing of the hospital Paula takes Mark's hand he squeezes it. After her ordeal hospitals no matter what the rating weren't her favorite place.

Logan Conner: Coming to get Glenny

Candy R: I'm headed home and Happy New Year's Eve to you too lol

Logan Conner: LOL on my Way

Candy R: Okay see you soon

Pulling onto the shoulder of the highway Megan couldn't believe her luck, she was driving Logan's truck. He had the little bitch's address in his onboard system she sets navigation there were two addresses listed. She wiggles into Logan's jacket and puts one of his Connor Construction baseball caps on. Getting back in the truck she looks at the glove compartment. Smiling she knew what Logan kept in there. She pats the dash and gets back on the road singing "On the Road Again". Someone was texting Logan.

Paula Callaway: Hey Logan she isn't out the woods yet, but YOU can come see her if you want. I just feel horrible. I have been over that bar my damn self. After I saw the footage I wanted nothing but to go up there and offer her days back. Now I wish I hadn't ripped into her at all she was clearly upset. I just can't get over the fact that I contributed to this.

Paula sat in Tracy's room and watched as the machines monitored her girl and pushed air and fluid into her. Mark held her hand rubbing it with his thumb. He'd told her that she had went off of what Tracy had told her. Tracy neglected to tell her who or for what all she said was she fought a customer. No it wasn't right but Megan didn't pay for the drink that ended up on the floor so she was just an asshole not a customer.

Houston police chief Brian aka Butch Connor Logan's father heads to his son's house. He and Megan had their little tiffs but as long as his son was happy Brian kept a professional smile on his face when dealing with her. Logan was a twin but Loyal his twin sister didn't survive birth. When Logan found out that Megan was infertile it was a real blow to his son's heart. The fates had let him help out Mark his brother in law by letting his little girl Janet live there for a time. Now Logan was an adoptive parent to a little boy named Glenn, Glenny was what the family called him or short stuff. To be so young that little guy seemed older than his three years. He promised his niece Beth Kincaid that he would go up to the house and check on short stuff saying Logan wouldn't tell her what was up but he just looked off when he came to get Short Stuff. When she said the little guy had fading bruises on his neck that she had brought Logan's attention to. Butch wanted to go and talk to his son and see his grandson for himself. His shift had run long with all the bureaucratic hand holding he did with the Mayor it was midnight but Logan's home symbol was still green so that meant someone was still up in that house. Logan was a creature of habit. Though law enforcement wasn't in his blood he protected what was his and religiously set his alarm before bed. Butch pulled his big black Escalade on to the clean paved driveway of his son's home. Getting out, the hairs at his nape stood up.

Logan's head hurt like when he got knocked on his ass by Glenn. Opening his eyes was a fight within itself. What the hell had happened, he had to get up. He was in Glenny's bathroom on the floor he didn't remember coming up here. Had the day caught up with him, had he passed out? He put his hand to his face but he couldn't when he heard the metal on metal he slowly looked down at his hand. His eyes bugged as he saw the handcuff around his wrist. It was real not one of Glenny's toy plastic ones. Looking at his wrist brought a thought crashing into his mind. Tracy, he was on his way to check on Tracy. "Red?" his voice sounded like shit to his own ears. She didn't answer had they been robbed? Paula was robbed last Christmas at her bar. He hears the beep of his front door. They were back. His breathing picked up he was trapped in his son's bathroom, his wife was missing, someone was in his house. He feels his pants pocket for his utility knife, if he had it he could try to take the screws out of the wall, he'd still be wearing the damn cuff but the handrail would have to do as a weapon something was better than nothing, unless they had guns. He moved his free hand and pain shot up his back into his head with enough force to make him see spots before his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he tried to move again. How long had he been down here on this hard ass floor, the spots where getting bigger. "Have to get free." By sheer will he inches his free hand into his pocket the knife wasn't there. His body was screaming it was like something had set all his nerve endings on fire. There was something on his neck an image of Red looking down at him flashed through his mind and took his consciousness with it.

Candy had intended on being home by now. When Paula called and told Angel about Tracy, Candy stayed and she talked with Angel about the Davenport's New Year's Eve Party tonight. She knew her girl really didn't want to be in the house with no other adults there, so when Joshua came home she headed out. Candy puts Glenny in his booster seat with his stuffed crocodile. Since it would be quicker she drives down the hill to jump on the highway. Looking at her home she sees Logan's truck in her driveway. He'd parked on her bush just as she was about to slow down she sees that It's not Logan beating and kicking on her door. She keeps driving fighting the erg to floor it. She turns the corner then hits the trail to the back gate of Ivey Mansion. She picks up Glenny and walks back in the house through the back door.

Joshua had just sat down to eat, Angel had cooked and he hadn't ate anything since going up to the hospital this afternoon so he was hungry. Candy's name is said through the system and the words access granted as she must have used her key. He looks up when she carries a sleeping Glenny back in the house. "Did you forget some..." Candy tells him in a rush that Megan was at her house and she was using Logan's truck saying the only reason she was going home was to grab some clothing and let Logan pick up Glenny. Joshua gets up and she took the words right out of his mouth if Megan was driving Logan's truck where the hell was Logan.

Logan Conner: I'm here open the door

Logan Conner: Send him to the car NOW

Candy gets a text from Logan's phone after laying Glenny back in the bedroom she usually picked when she was spending the night. She comes back in the kitchen. Telling Joshua that she thinks Megan not only was driving Logan's truck but that she had his phone as well and shows him the messages. Joshua reads the next message and says that Logan would have called by now. He says he thought of calling Logan's work number but they were both cell phones so Megan could have both. That still made him wonder what was going on where was Logan.

Megan gets back in Logan's truck she had to get Glenny. Well maybe she was at the wrong house. Putting the other address on the screen she pulled down the hill and headed towards the other house Candy was staying in while Logan was fixing this house. She soon pulls up to the only other address listed for Candy. She had to be here. Megan had to get Glenny back then she could go home and show Logan that she could be a good wife and mother. You left him after knocking him out and then dragged him up the stairs so he wouldn't go away. You're going to have to let him free. "But I'll have Glenny and will prove that I can do right by my son and him." Logan asked you to give him the prescription so he could get it filled. You lied to him that script is in your purse.

Logan Conner: hey I am here Send out Glenny.

Logan Conner: Hey Candy I'm not playing around give me my kid

Megan sits in the truck Candy hadn't answered any of her Logan text since the heading home response. Then a smile lights her face she had Logan's phone.

Logan Conner: Angel have you heard from Candy she said she was heading home that was almost 2 hours ago. She won't answer my text.

Angel turns over at the sound of her phone's text tone for Logan. She hadn't turned off her phone for the night incase Sophie called. Candy had waited until Joshua got home. After telling him what was for dinner she came up here and went to sleep. Where was her girl? It only took about 10 minutes to get from here to Deon's place. She'd said she was going to meet up with Logan then grab her outfit for the party and come back.

Angela Davenport: Candy didn't leave here until Josh got home then her and Glenny left.

Logan Conner: I have been to both homes so she is not where she said she would be. All I want is my son. Could she still be over at your place?

Angela Davenport: Logan maybe you texted her while she was driving that's the only reason I can see her not answering by text. I'm kind of worried now because she usually hits the highway and is home in minutes.

Logan Conner: Angel all I asked was had you seen her and my son you as usual have been a lot of help NOT.

Angela Davenport: Logan no need to be rude. I understand your upset but taking it out on me isn't going to get Glenny to you any faster.

Megan was pissed. The hell if she would wait until Queen Angel deemed her fit to take her Glenny. She calls Angel from Logan's phone. Angel picks up and Logan was all she got out before Megan went off. "You said taking it out on you won't get Glenny to me any faster I beg to differ. You have always been in my way since I met you." Angel asks her where was Logan if she had his phone. "My husband is not of your concern I knew it, you want him too." Angel's voice pitched as she says she didn't want Logan that she's happily married to someone that has nothing to do with Megan or Glenn or even Mark for that matter. "First Mark then poor Glenn I will not let you take my husband." Angel says she never wanted Logan and unlike Megan she is faithful to her husband. "It's bad enough that you have them all fooled. I'm going to finish what we started in that parking lot. I should have ran your ass over. You are ruining my life, but by tonight you won't be a problem anymore think I can't get in to your palace queen Grandville think again. When I was at my brother's reception and went in search of you after you kicked Glenn in the nuts. I found out how to get in. You and Mark have the same set up just in different sizes by your house being bigger, it just gives me more points of entry." Angel stammers out that the police would get a copy of this call recording because she pushed record when Megan started speaking and reminds her that the order said No Communication. Megan giggles she was freaking the bitch out "Oh no I might as well just go home and let you continue ruining my life then huh. You might want to say your last goodbyes because you're on borrowed time this ends tonight bitch." Megan hangs up and speeds back towards the highway back to Ivey Mansion.

In Houston Chief Brian Butch Connor walks into Logan's house and didn't even need his key. This wasn't right all his instincts told him that someone was here. Palming his pistil, he checks the rooms on the main floor. No one, no Logan, No Megan, no Short Stuff, No one. He moved to the stairs and climbed them there was what looked like blood on the carpet coming from the garage up the stairs. He got the ringing in his ears that said someone else was in the house. He trusted his body, he was a good cop with good instincts. He texted and told his dispatch to be on standby. He hoped all the signs were wrong that his training and gut feeling was having some kind of short circuit. He moved close to Logan's bedroom door it was ajar he bumped the door open and went in low with gun drawn he looks around they painted that was the lingering smell he couldn't place. Visually cataloging the scene open dresser drawer, bed in parts stacked in the middle of the room. He'd heard about a team of robbers that used a moving truck. But that was in Dallas not here. He eases back out into the hall next was Short stuff's bedroom. His ears were ringing along with the alarm bells in his head. Another smear of the blood like substance was on the corner of the door frame. He was afraid to walk into this room, too many scenes he'd walked into where the whole family was dead. He couldn't take if someone had taken out his son or his family they would answer to him and the entire Houston police force. He opens the door goes in low and visually followed the smears into Short stuff's bathroom. His phone buzzed it would be dispatch asking if the standby had expired. Whoever was on the other side of that door may need help. His ears were ringing like The Sistine Chapel at noon so whoever was on the other side of this bathroom door was still alive. It was a different feeling if he was just in the house with the dead. Checking the bedroom and the closet it was clear, he moves over to the bathroom door. He shoulders the door open and on the floor head down, cuffed to the fucking tub was his son. "Logan?" His voice came out in a rush along with his breath. Fuck this was where the blood had come from there was blood smeared on his boy's face down his cheek, in his hair and on his neck. Looking around seeing no one else in the small bathroom. He holsters his gun and went down on his knees in front of his son. Pulling his master key, he makes quick work of getting the police issued handcuffs off his son's wrist. He checks his pulse it was there giving him confirmation that his son lives. Head wounds bled like a son of bitch. Logan had a deep contusion on the back of his lowered head. "Logan?" His son jerks his hand free of his grasp. "Logan, it's your father come on son wake up." Butch wanted his son checked out so he sent for a med crew. Putting his phone back in his shirt pocket. He watches as his son lifts his head.

Logan was floating "Dad?" was he really hearing his dad's voice or was he still out of it. His body checked in when he lifts his head shit his whole damn body hurt. Gritting his teeth he tries to pull away from the pressure on his wrist. The handcuff no longer held him to his son's bath rail. A groan escaped him. His father's voice sounded strained as he asked him to open his eyes. Shit this was going to hurt, and it did holy shit it was like a bomb went off in his head the minute he opened his eyes light seemed to sear into his brain. Seeing his father's worried expression through the spots in his vision. His father tells him a med crew is coming. He had to close his eyes or he was going to pass out. In his mind's eye he sees Megan looking down at him. She knew he was here like this and left him here.

Logan had broken out into a sweat. Butch didn't have to be an EMT to know that his boy was concussed. That still didn't explain how it happed and who would do this to his boy. "Logan what the hell happened? Were you robbed?" Though Butch saw lots of things that would point to no, he was having trouble wrapping his head around what he was seeing. Someone had clearly attacked his son in his own home. He'd noticed they only had the bikes and the cars here Logan's truck was gone but so was Megan. When his son speaks Butch gets closer, Logan was slurring and his eyes weren't all that focused. What Logan said made Butch's own eyes narrow. He kept his son talking. Trying his best to keep him still. "I'm getting you help son. Your system is on Green I'll check and see if the cameras picked up anything. Since I have called the police to this location, the images won't dump until you erase them." Logan says before he watches the footage he wanted to warn his dad, that he'd put his hands on his wife, and that she had cheated on him. Butch would talk to his son about the putting his hands on a female later, hearing that she had cheated on him was a shock, because he knew his son loved her. Had they had an all-out fight? Questions ran a race through Butch's head. Logan is soon taken to the hospital. Butch was going to get to the bottom of this. As he sits in the waiting room he pulls up Logan's home on his phone. Reviewing the video, he saw Logan pin Megan to the wall. It was more of a restrain position, than anything after she'd slapped him. Butch sees the conflicted look that crossed his son's face. So that is what he was talking about, Megan was inches away from the wall that six inches or so he'd pushed her back didn't hurt her. He pinned her wrists to stop her for striking him again, and got in her face. Her saying he was hurting her in that tone was a dead giveaway she was toying with him. Fast-forwarding Butch watches in horror as Megan slams his son into his truck face first with a paint can in the back of his head. She screamed that he wasn't leaving and threw the paint can. She watched his decent after it hit him and there was no remorse on that girl's face. Seeing his son hit the ground so hard made Butch wince. He watches her drag his son up the stairs like a bag of dirty clothes. He had to ease off on grinding his own teeth before he had none left in his mouth. She'd left him there hurt in that damn bathroom after she secured him there with real hand cuffs. His son had lost a lot of blood. He watches as she then gets in Logan's work truck and pulls off. That bitch was going to be wearing her very own set of cuffs if he had his way. Putting in Logan's plate number he reported the truck stolen and also put out an APB with Megan's description. He was sending her ass to the psych ward, because if he saw Megan right now, he would be tempted to send her to hell for hurting his only living child. She was clearly in need of a Psychiatric 72 hold she displayed lots of warning signs through her actions and words both to Logan and herself that reality wasn't her best friend right now. He calls his wife and tells her what is going down. She tells him when Logan is released to bring her son home. It's wasn't a request it was an order. Butch's wife Penelope Conner was very protective of Logan. The doctor soon comes out the back and Logan isn't released. Butch walks in his son's room. "They are going to keep you here for observation so your mother is on her way."

Logan didn't want his mom to see him like this. Hell he was having trouble with his father seeing him. "No… dad, I need to find my phone, if Megan has it and my truck she could hurt someone." His father's tone darkens as he says what he saw on the video. Logan explains his very real fear that Megan went to go get Glenny from Candy. " If Candy thinks I'm texting her to get little man back, she would tell me where she was. If not that both of Candy's address are logged in my truck GPS." His father makes a sound in his throat and reveals that he saw Megan pick up his white phone from where it left his hand after she cracked him in his damn head with the paint can. Logan heard the undertone of anger in his father's voice. Butch hands his son his black work phone and asks why Megan would leave one if she took the other. "It was the phone I called Glenny on. Thanks dad." He put the phone closer to his face the doctor said his eyes would be very sore from the impact to the back of his head. "I don't want anyone hurt."

"Logan, I get that you love her, but she could have killed you tonight. When I saw you on the floor…" Logan says he should have not told Megan she couldn't come but he just couldn't stay there anymore. Butch could tell that his son was hurting and not just from the physical pain done to his body. Betrayal cut real deep when it was someone you cared for. "Logan does Candy know Megan?" Logan says yes and says that they really don't click well. "I'm sure that she wouldn't just give your son to Megan. Does Glenny still have the friction burn on his neck?" Logan casts his gaze beyond his phone screen to the bed sheet and says yeah. "I don't think you would let him be with anyone you thought for a second would willingly just hand him over. Even if Megan told the girl via text to send him out to the truck its early morning on a holiday she wouldn't let his little butt just toddle to the truck in the middle of the night would she?" Logan says no but Megan also knew where he kept his gun. "Logan listen to me, Megan knocked you out, and held you captive." Logan tells him about Megan's Manic Bipolar Disorder and her unhealthily obsession with trying to hurt a member of her family. "So I had an APB put out on her, and instructions for her to be taken to a mental health institution. That's as fair as I make this. After seeing you and seeing that video my first instinct was to just hunt her ass."

After Megan's call Angel franticly called Candy. Finding out that Candy and Glenny were safe took away some of the panic. Within minutes of speaking to Candy who turned out to be downstairs, Joshua was up the stairs in their room with her. When he asked for the phone she hands it to him. She watches as he listens to the conversation his blue usually hooded gaze turns to blue fire. He sits with her "I spoke to security this afternoon." Angel felt chilly and rubs her arms. Joshua offers her his hoodie. Angel accepts it and puts it on over her silk pajamas and sits on the couch. She texted Sophie and Sophie called her back and said she was on her way back home. Angel told her to be careful. Sophie tells her sister that she's driving Luke's tank, Luke mumbles in the background that it is a Hummer. Angel tells Sophie that Megan is driving Logan's truck. Sophie told her to go ahead and send the recording to Joy Wildflower. Angel says Joshua had already done that after he heard the recording.

Angel's phone rings and Joshua looks at the screen. "I'm taking this in the hall if the bitch thinks she can keep calling you to scare you she got another thing coming." Candy was coming up to the room. Joshua closes the door behind his best friend and answers Angel's phone. "Hello. Man where are you? Megan just called my wife from your phone and threatened her life again. I just sent the recording to the police via Joy." Joshua recounts what Megan said to Angel. Logan tells him what Megan did to him. "She did what? Are you okay? So that explains the Conner Construction phone number. No I thought you were Megan trying for round two. She isn't supposed to contact Angel in anyway. Like I said Megan told Angel she found a way onto our property. You damn right Megan is sick and she is freaking out my wife who though she tries to hide it, Angel is stressed out over the fact that JC hasn't come yet. I'm worried about her." Logan tells him about his father's APB "I pray it works. No, I'm serious I don't want Megan's blood on my hands but I will not let her harm my wife and child."

In Angel's bedroom she sits on the couch and rubs her belly under Joshua's The Davenport manager's hoodie. Candy speaks to her girl Angel was wigged it showed and it pissed Candy off to no end. She says this was what Megan wanted to freak her out. Anger flashed in Angel's green gaze as she said "Well fucking mission accomplished. I don't know why Megan is so hell bent on trying to hurt me. I haven't done anything to her, she said I was in her way. Since the baby shower invite thing, I have tried my best to stay away from her. What if she really did scout out how to get in, when she was here for Mark's reception? For a long period of time I wasn't anywhere near her. I don't want to leave, but I'm afraid to stay." Sophie opens the door partially and asks is she invited Angel says "Yeah"

Angel wipes her eyes but the emotion refused to be rubbed away. Candy hands her a tissue then asked "How many people got on this property without a pass card or some type of key?" She hated the hunted looked that crossed her girl's face when she said three her ex, her cousin, and a fan, a few years ago. "Okay your ex is dead. Your cousin was he the one Joshua tackled? That gate was fixed" Angel nods "and the fan I remember reading about that shit. That guy is in jail. Angel what I'm saying is that. Even if by some slim ass chance Megan made it onto the grounds." Angel shivered and sunk further into Joshua's sweater. Candy keeps speaking "she wouldn't be able to get into this house." Angel says her ex got in.

Sophie says "Angel I don't see Megan trying to go that route, the security is expecting her, the night Braden came in after knocking out Frank it was just Frank and the guard at the back gate. Megan isn't going to be able to knock out the seven armed people patrolling the front of this house, or the teams that are running the rest of the areas. This system has been updated twice since Mark's wedding. Jonathon, Joshua, Candy and I have warned Megan about messing with you. Especially after she put her hands on you at the baby shower. Bottom line, sis if Megan comes to this house tonight, anyone of us would put her out of her misery if she tried to get anywhere near you. The bitch may think she's bad, but she's not immortal. Logan kept talking about he didn't want her hurt, then he should have kept her in Houston."

Megan was sure her baby was at that bitch's house, if Angel didn't know where he was she wouldn't have said being rude to her wasn't going to get Glenny to him any faster, when she thought she was texting Logan. If that old ass guard was the best she had Megan had something for that fucker. She pulls at the glove compartment it was locked. If she had to she would shoot her way onto the property. Logan is a great shot with the 9mm Beretta but since he'd been driving Glenny around he would have the damn glove compartment locked. He called it gun safety. She'd fussed at him about having it on him. When his dad gave it to him after he got his license to carry. He didn't start carrying it until he was almost robbed when he was doing some work in a bad area of Dallas. If he carried it the way you would have liked, you or Glenn could have caught six shots when he walked in on your cheating ass on Christmas night. "He loves me too much. Glenn may have been shot but Logan loves me." She slows down and takes the access road that would put her the closest to Grandville South. Seeing a parking lot, she pulls across three lanes cutting off a small sedan and almost hitting a Biker. Logan and his motor club would be pissed but she didn't see the guy over there when she looked. The biker pointed at her then did some kind of hand gesture that she didn't understand. He rode up next to the truck. Megan unclips the key from the ring in the ignition leans over and opens the glove compartment. When the guy was getting off the bike she pulled Logan's gun and pointed at him with a smile while letting the window down. The guy backed up. "That's right buddy, get back on your hog, and get away from me before I put a hole in your plans of long life." He made some sound but it wasn't words as he backed away signing at her looking angry. He was using ASL fuck, she'd almost hit a deaf biker. She wouldn't have been in this area if Candy had of been home with Glenny. You know Logan would have brought Glenny home faster than you could. That bunch trusts him they don't trust you. "Hey not my problem he is my son and I will get him BACK." Glenn Jr. her Glenny she puts the gun on the passenger seat when the guy got back on his hog and sped away. The car she cut in front of pulls in behind her. She goes to palm the gun again the guy had come back around she dropped the gun on the seat when she sees the car flashes it red and blue lights on the top, it was the police the flood light came on, and pointed at her window. She was glad she hadn't pointed the gun or they would have shot her ass. The officer tells her through his megaphone to turn off the truck. She does and waits for him to come to the window. Through Logan, her family were the police, the names Kinkaid and Connor meant something in Texas. She also had saved a lot of kids with her job.

Texas State policeman Kevin Kinkaid was Beth's husband. He recognized the writing on the big truck's back window before his own cousin had cut him off. He runs the plate but knew his cousin. The running joke among the family was that Logan was so clean he squeaked when he walked, not wasting his time waiting for the results, he gets out of the patrol car and walks up to mess with Logan. He wanted to talk to the guy alone anyway about Short Stuff's friction burn on his neck. Beth said she'd brought his attention to it and he'd looked surprised then kind of closed himself off, Logan did that, he was just not into sharing, but had said he didn't roughhouse with his son. Beth admitted that it wasn't like it was on his face and the kid spent most of his time looking at the ground for one reason or another. Kevin knew that Glenny had a fear of being picked up so they only did it when putting him and their son Adam in the car. He looked up at her asking for more tacos one night and that's when Beth saw it. Walking to the window he noticed it wasn't Logan but his wife. "Megan it's not nice to cut off family especially when he has a badge. Where were you on your way to in such a hurry?" She was wearing Logan's jacket and his hat the stuff was too big on her but hey he knew some couples did that kind of thing. Pointing his flashlight at something he noticed her facial bruising it was healing but he was a nosey SOB and had accepted this about himself. "Who gave you the shiner and the busted lip?" She smiles and said a friend, and as far as where she was going, she was heading to pick up her son. "Okay you mind on not speeding, I know you work with the state too but honey be glad it was me and I knew the truck or you would have a ticket by now." Kevin's shirt com squawked at him. "Hold on a minute" he walks back to his car and his screen was flashing. He reads the report that was sent from the desk of Chief Butch Connor in Houston. The truck was marked as stolen. There was an order to get her off the street, and to the mental hospital for an evaluation and hold. Reading the report his eyes narrowed. He walks back over to the truck "Megan step out of the truck please."

Megan opens the door and gets out hopping down in front of her cousin. All the levity was gone from his voice as he started reading her rights and reaching for his cuffs. "Whoa there cuz, the most I was doing and this was your own words is I cut you off and I was speeding that shouldn't warrant jail time. What gives, you're really going to take me in on speeding?" If he takes you in who would be able to bail you out? Mark isn't talking to you and you handcuffed a knocked out Logan in Glenny's bathroom. Better start talking. Tracy not that she would now anyway but she would have if you were still friends, wouldn't and right now couldn't help you. He puts her hands behind her back. Megan starts shaking her head no and asked "What's the charge I'm not drunk and all I was doing was a bit over the speed limit. Ouch, those are too tight loosen them or I'll tell Logan and the next time you're off duty he'll beat your ass." He growls in her ear asking her was she really threatening him. Great plan, piss him off more maybe he'll mace your stupid ass. This was all Angel's fault if she hadn't of answered Logan's call trying to talk to her husband she wouldn't have been on this street heading to the bitch's house. You told him you were heading to get you son. Use that as your advantage, his son is the same age as Glenny. He tells her the charges and her blood runs cold. How had Logan called the police and why would he call them on her? "You know the truck isn't stolen, It was in my driveway it belongs to my husband and I drove it. No theft, as for the battery and kidnapping charges Logan was at home when I went to pick up Glenny, and do you really think I could beat him in a fight? Come on use your head he's mad because I went to go get Glenny without him, that's all this is about. Are you really going to get in the middle of a marriage spat? He asked did Logan do that to her face. Don't lie on him not to his own family. Well it would serve him right for getting you arrested then you and he would be even because just like Mark and that side of your family isn't speaking to you Logan's family will shun him too for beating on a poor defenseless female. Then all he'll have is you to depend on. Megan turns on the water works and says "He's been under a lot of stress I'm sure he didn't mean to. I have to get our son, Logan brought him here for his side piece to watch, and I found out and went off. She told me she wasn't going to give me my son. I'm sure my little boy is terrified because he hasn't seen me in days, and he worries about me. They are holding him hostage." Kev asked where. Megan could see it was working. "Ivey fucking Mansion" and that's when she lost him. He calmly asks which one of the engaged or married females that resided there had her son. He didn't believe her. It showed in his tone. When he turned her with her hands cuffed behind her back her jacket was open and he was staring at her chest. He trains the flashlight right at the juncture of her breast.

That was a lot of blood holy shit the report was true. She attacked his cousin, holy shit. Now she even had the nerve to accuse him of beating on her. Oh yeah Logan married a real piece of work. His Uncle Butch had put out the CODE ANN. 573.011: APPLICATION FOR EMERGENCY DETENTION. This bitch was clearly not wrapped too tight. After her lie about Logan jumping on her, the idea of rushing up to Ivey Mansion and accusing any of those people of a damn thing, had career suicide written all over it. Chase Ivey even though he didn't own the massive estate anymore, he was their father and he was the advisor to the state treasure. Kevin wasn't trying to get DarthVadered by that powerful SOB, nope not willing to put his badge on the desk, not over a lying crazy bitch. He puts Megan in the back seat of his car and texted his cousin.

Kevin K: Hey Logan is Short Stuff with you? Your wife talking out of the side of her head.

His cousin's ringtone for him played in the truck she had his phone was wearing his clothing, and had more than likely his blood all over her own clothing under his jacket. That wasn't good, none of this was good. He looked in the truck Logan's phone, but more importantly his gun was on the passenger seat. After he got this bitch situated in the nut house, he was heading home to Houston to check on his family. He called a tow truck to tow the stolen truck back to Logan's place. It was Ivey towing, nope fuck with that house, he would not. Though none of the Ivey family were elected officials, they had money and power and ran this state. Kevin was up for retirement in 5 years and he wanted all his shit. Not to be known as the dumbass that got fired and fined for messing with the Ivey family. After the Truck was attached to the long shaft of metal and raised onto the back of the Simi, Kevin got in his car Megan screamed that he was making a big mistake. "Look I'm not fucking with the Ivey family, you have been read your rights remember that one about the right to remain silent, you should really take that one seriously right now." She calls him a chicken shit and tells him that Angela Davenport has her son and won't give him back. He had something else on his screen after reading about her breaking a part of a restraining order, at a stop light he wanted this bitch out of his car as soon as possible he hits the siren and speeds the rest of the way to the nut house. Having her processed dealt with calling the Local department. He reports that Megan had been placed on a 72 hour hold, and that charges would be pending. He finishes his paperwork and though he was going to head over and check on Logan, Beth had called him and told him what was going down, and that her cousin was in the hospital but would be released later today barring no new development with his health.

Paula hated to leave Tracy but she had only pumped enough milk for the twins for a few hours, yeah there was formula for emergencies but she was only a few miles away and the last time she gave Rosa the formula it had upset her tummy. Luke suggested a different brand and it fared better but nothing fared as well as her milk. Angel had just called her and asked did she want her to fix them some of the formula. Paula had told her no, and that she was on her way. Paula gets up and leans over her girl and whispers in her ear "You keep fighting little girl and wake up so you can speak to that son of yours, that keeps calling his mama." Paula left Tracy's phone with the RN that was Candy's half-sister Diamond Rabinenvitch. The young lady was real careful with Tracy even though Tracy was in a coma Diamond was still very gentle when she took blood samples or gave Tracy medicine to flush the alcohol toxin out of her blood. "You'll call us If… when she wakes right?" Diamond says yes. She looked like Candy would if Candy didn't look like her professions as a club owner and band member didn't influence her look. Paula knew that some of the outward changes in Candy had a lot to do with what she had been through and the fact that her father was found in her home. Facial structure didn't change it could be covered in layers of make-up and you could dye the shit out of your hair, but after the dye faded and the make-up was wiped off you were still you. When Candy was in a room like this in a medically induced coma with no make-up and her darker blond roots showing she looked like Diamond.

They head back to Ivey Mansion Paula looks over at her husband, Mark had stayed up there with her, with Tracy, she loved him so much. Hospitals weren't either of their favorite place, but he'd stayed with her. Frank had been called back to Ivey Mansion a few hours ago it was 3 in the morning. Usually the twins slept through the night but she knew it was her fault she hadn't given Janet or Angel her sweater or something with her scent on it. If you laid something with her or Mark's scent on it in the crib the girls slept better. They drive up to the gate and Frank looks in the truck again before Mark can ask Frank tells him that Megan Connor had called and threatened Mrs. Davenport's life and the grounds were on lockdown. Paula knew that meant if Mark and she weren't on the all access list they would have been turned away. "Not again." Mark eyes her and she tells him about yesterday's events as they drive through the gate watching the guards patrol the grounds. Usually you didn't see them they were dressed in lawn care clothing or blended in with the cleaning crew. Even the one that was a pool boy had on his gear. This was the first time she'd seen Frank wearing his gear, he usually wore his blue jean jacket that you knew he may have had a gun under there, but tonight he was dressed in his full uniform complete with reflective name tag so no one would mistake him for anything but what it read Security Coordinator. Guns were strapped to his back on his waist and one was on his thigh. Mark said he hoped Megan stayed away from here because if she came within feet of this house her ass was going to get shot a lot. Paula had no doubt about that. "Maybe that's why everyone is still up."

They walk in and hear the last of Mark's name being logged in the system from using his key. In a lockdown the key cards wouldn't work on the house locks you had to have one of the keys that Angel or Sophie or Joshua gave you. They walk in and no one was in the Atrium, living room, Dining room, the den, or even the kitchen. Mark pulls his phone and texted Joshua.

Mark: Joshua where is everyone.

Joshua: We are in our room with Rosa and Glenny he woke her up. Janet, Katie, and Nikki are in your room. Glenny had a bad dream and woke up crying and that woke Rosa.

Mark: Was he in the crib too he's too big for that thing, especially with both the twins in there.

Joshua: No Glenny was sleeping in your bed until you guys got back.

Mark and Paula walk to the door Joshua opens it like he'd timed them coming up the stairs. Mark looks over Candy, Sophie, and Angel were sitting on the couch. Glenny was laying on Candy and Rosa was being held by Angel. Paula walks over and picks up Rosa. Angel tells them about Glenny waking her saying she wouldn't have disturbed them if the milk hadn't of ran out. Paula waves off the latter part of her cousin's statement, and says it was no problem she hadn't intended to be gone this long anyway. Glenny's eyes were still red as he lay on Candy looks up at Paula then back at the floor. As if she had radar Janet comes in rubbing her eyes and greets her parents. Mark hugs his big girl and says "Hey there darlin why are you girls still up?"

"Nikki and I were asleep I woke up when I felt Angel bump into the bed getting Rosa. Candy came in took Glenny then I couldn't get back to sleep. Nikki is still in there you want me to wake her?" Mark says he'd do it. "Daddy I don't think that's such a hot idea unless you want her to freak out like she did when she spent the night with us in Pittsburg. She's not on the bed, she camped out on the floor. She claims Glenny kicks in his sleep."

Mark thought about it, Nikki had about jumped out of her skin when he'd come in and shook her telling her it was time to get up. As for Nikki choosing to sleep on the floor to avoid Glenny's Kung Fu skills, Mark knew it was so she didn't strike out in her sleep and hurt him. Nicole was a heavy sleeper but sudden movement or if you make contact you had better duck. "Yeah maybe best if you wake her. Not trying to send that girl under the bed screaming again." Janet walks back out and they soon see her and Nikki head down the hall to the bedrooms they usually picked two rooms with an adjoining bathroom. Paula yarns and walks out saying she was heading to bed after she fed her greedy little one. Mark said he'd be in there in a few. He asks Joshua out in the hall for a spell.

Joshua walks out there with him. Mark asks what was going on saying he knew about the lock down but he wasn't told about yesterday. Joshua was pissed, Mark could tell when the kid started pacing and talking with his hands. When he was done Mark just shook his head. Megan was in rare asshole form today and yesterday. When Joshua told him what Megan did to Logan and who found him Mark worried that if one of the Connors or the Kinkaid's caught her the Ivey grounds men wouldn't have to worry, because she may already look like Swiss cheese. Joshua asks Mark did he know about Megan's illness and the fact Logan said she hadn't taken her script in almost 7 months. Mark hadn't known his sister was clinically committable. He saw where Joshua was coming from because if someone threatened his wife he would be ready to bring hell up to meet them. Joshua gets a call and some of the tension faded out of his stance as whoever spoke to him. He merges a call and Adds Sophie telling her to put her phone on speakerphone because Angel was going to want to hear this. "Hear what?" Joshua asks the person to repeat what she had just said. Mark hears the voice of Bobby's girlfriend say that Megan had been placed in a mental institution on a 72 hour hold. To protect her from harming anyone or herself in the process of harming someone. She goes onto say that charges and the recording of her violation of the restraining order and a list of other charges would keep her in the system for a time and even beyond that when the trials started. Mark heard a collective sigh over the line. Joshua thanks Joy. Joy tells him he's welcome and says she was glad the state officer got to Megan before a certain hot tempered Bobby Ivey got a hold of her.

Soon the house calms down and everyone goes back to their prospective rooms. Deon comes after the lockdown was lifted and went in the room with Candy and Glenny. It was now 5am in 5 hours the day and the year would almost be gone. Joshua lay in his bed with his wife Angel wasn't asleep but his nearness and the fact that once again Megan was caged had the tension and jittery movements slowing down. She turns over and their eyes met his wife and child were safe. She asked him something that she never had to ask more than once of him. She asked him to make love to her. It started with a kiss on the lips then he kissed her all over making her grab him by the hair when his tongue teased her between her legs. After fully satisfying his mate he let himself go over the cliff of bliss with her. They soon lay sated and sleepily with him wrapped around her. She lay on her back instead of her side as she rubbed her tummy and he follows her motions with his own hand. "I get what he's waiting for now, I thought it was Christmas dinner but I was wrong." Angel smirks and says what. "He's waiting to be born next year December is crowded." She pulled the fine hair on his hand making him jerk with the sudden sensation. "Hey what I tell you about bruising the merchandise." Angel says he'll be fine. "Well in less than 18 hours he'll be a New Year's baby." Angel says as long as he comes out healthy she'd be happy whenever he comes out. "I agree babe now let's try to get some sleep."

Joshua waits until she drifts off and watches her face relax. He thinks about all the changes that had gone on this year. She'd moved back to Texas she'd come back to him, neither of them knew at the time, but the writing was on the wall somewhere. Around the time his mate had come back home for what was supposed to be a visit, he'd been thinking of moving he didn't know where, but that was a lie his searches on his phone for Manhattan apartments were a dead giveaway. Yeah he had Candy, the band, and the club, but he'd felt alone in a sea full of people, for a long time. His songs and his string playing skills improved days after Angel came to the club. He'd been getting frustrated, and it came out in his music simple shit he'd fucked up on, with the guitar and the violin. He'd honestly thought he'd lost the gift. Candy had cheerleadered his ass, but his sound was fucked and they both knew it. Angel evened him out, and he hoped he did the same for her. Finding out he was going to be a father freaked him out, but when he saw the sheen of tears in his Angel's eyes his fear sat on the back burner, to reassure his mate that they knew at the very least what parenting model not to follow. Both of their birth mothers were just women that popped out a kid, and treated them as such, like shit. He knew that on some level Angel still had lingering fears of making any of the same mistakes Sophia did. Him not so much, because she was right when she said he got a chance at the reset button when it came to parents. His birth parents were a pair of drug abusing, drinking, crazy fuckers that liked to beat on him. He didn't drink heavily and drugs where never his thing, and the thought of laying into a child or his Angel made him sick. Sally and Michael saved him in so many ways. Angel had Chase, and Jonathon, and they were decent males, once Jonathon stopped trying to take him out. Now he not only had Sally and Michael, the only parents he'd claimed, but he also has Chase, and Jonathon too, they are his fathers and make him feel a part of the family he'd married into. If he needed to ask them something, he knew either one of them would give him sound advice. Angel was nothing like Sophia at her core. His wife was a loving lighthearted soul. Sophia was the Cruella Deville of Grandville South, wrapped in a lot of "Mommie Dearest". The real change was his relationship with his siblings Cass and Brad were turning out to be okay people as older adults. For once all the arrows pointed upward in his life. He yarns and says to his sleeping mate and his unborn child "My New Year's resolution is to be the best husband and father that I possibly can to both of you." Sleep soon comes and sends him under.

Authors Note: Please refrain from thinking I've lost my mind I just write crazy really well. I also want to thank my beta-reader S W for the information about the 72-hour hold: end Note