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.

46. Chapter 46 Unbalanced

Chapter 46

Unbalanced

The next day had finally come. Joshua was excited his wife and he were finally going on their honeymoon. As he walks back into his home this morning from taking a swim, his phone rings with his mother's favorite song. Answering, something told him this wasn't going to be good, he was right. Sally was still pissed at him about his fucking making her wait to bug the shit out of Bradley after he woke. Joshua had experienced Sally in stressed freak-out mode firsthand when he was in the hospital after his abduction. He wasn't going to let his mother lose her shit on his brother. She was also angry at Bradley for not agreeing to go back to his childhood bedroom to recuperate. She was done speaking "It's fine mom I understand. No, we are still going whether you watch JC or not, if we have to, it will just be his first plane ride." Joshua tried for an upbeat tone, as he sags against the front door, though his mother could not see the defeatist action, they had agreed to do this weeks ago and now suddenly, she was throwing his lack of time with his son because of his already demanding job in his face? He could hear his father in the background yelling at his mother. Sally yells at Michael asking whose side was he on and to pick carefully before he is sleeping on the sofa. His dad yells he would watch his grandson and if she was going to be a fruit bat about it she could have the master bedroom all to herself that he and JC would sleep in the guest bedroom. "Enough, look mom I get it, you're still pissed at me about how I handled stuff at the hospital with Bradley. Dad doesn't need to be getting that worked up. Tell him he doesn't need to come pick-up Jonathon-Chase?" His mother says fine and hangs up. His father calls him back almost instantly and asks was he sure because he'd watch his grandson. "She doesn't want JC over there because she's still pissed off at me, I won't send my son anywhere that he's not welcomed." His dad says that Sally would change her tune the moment he brought JC back to the house.

Sophie was heading out when she heard Joshua speaking to someone, she stopped when he said something about her nephew not being welcomed somewhere. As soon as Joshua closed the call Sophie asked what was going on.

Joshua looked at his sister. After inviting her into the den he says. "So mere hours before my wife and I go on our honeymoon my mother doesn't want to watch my son because let her tell it I'm a shifty dad for working in two jobs that not only am I good at, running the club and being a musician are they only things I have been good at since high school and college." Joshua drives his hands through his hair. "She said lots of shit, my dad offered to keep him, but I know me, and if anything happened to my kid while he was over there I'd blame her. I won't send my son where he is not wanted."

When Joshua stopped pacing, and speaking and looked her way. The raw hurt frustration was coming off him in waves. Angel had told her what lead to Joshua picking this date right after he got moved from recovery. This last hospital stay had scared him almost as bad as it had her sister "Way to go Michael, but seriously Joshua, I get where you're coming from about not letting JC go where he's not wanted. I'll watch JC and you and my sister can finally go on your honeymoon." Joshua asks would she, then said she didn't have too. "Yes, I know I don't have to. I want to or I wouldn't have said it." Suddenly her super serious broody brother smiles a smile that reached his eyes then hugs her tightly. "Ok, hard to watch my nephew, if I can't breathe." Joshua lets her go and thanks her. "You're welcome now go get changed." Joshua darts out the den and Sophie watches him take the stairs two at a time.

Hours later Angel walks in, when she sees Sophie holding JC she asked why the Davenports hadn't come yet. Their limo to Chase's plane was due here any minute. Just then Joshua walked out of the kitchen with a bottle. Sophie excuses herself. "No Sophie, Josh what's going on? Are mom and dad ok?" Angel says as she takes JC.

Josh was not going to carry this shit to Chicago with them. Blowing out a breath he says on a shrug "Long story really short, Sally and dad are fine. Plans changed but, Sophie has agreed to watch Jonathon-Chase for us." he could see the confusion in his wife's gaze. "I do believe our limo just pulled up." Andrew walked in and confirms it as he takes their bags and puts them in the trunk of the Hummer limo parked at the edge of the steps.

Angel kisses JC and hands him back to Sophie. "I want to ask what the not so short of that is." Joshua opens his mouth. Angel continues whatever was behind that look on her husband's face wasn't for today. "But right now, I just want to go on our honeymoon. Thanks Sophie." Angel is then rewarded with that cocky smirk that always reminded her of why she fell in love with him in the first place. Her husband, her knight in Blue Bolt jeans takes her hand in his, and they walk out the door behind Andrew.

Since Rapture was in his last week of school before the mini break he would receive for Access and WrestleMania Cassandra heads over to her parent's house. She wanted to pick up JC and get him some more toys. Letting herself in, she hears her parents yelling at each other. That was odd, her dad was really heated, that worried her. "Mom? Daddy?" As she rounds the corner into the living room her parents were both clearly angry about something. "What's going on guys?" Her father who most of the time was the calmer of her parents, gave her a loud large amount of information overload that had to be wrong. Cassandra looks at her mother. "Mom is what dad just said true?" Her mother says it isn't as bad as her dad made it seem. Her dad gets up and says he was going for a drive. When he walked out of the door Cass honestly wanted to follow him, she could not believe her mother would say that shit to Joshua. "So, once again since you are mad at Joshua you decide to possibly threaten your relationship with him? Makes perfect sense mom." Sally raged the same shit she kept saying as Rap and she drove them home the day Bradley woke up. It was bonkers then and it just sounded like a sorry excuse to be pissed off now. "Stop, instead of trying to convince everyone how wronged you were by Joshua. How about saying thanks Joshua? Even after Bradley got out and you had days to calm down. Thank you wasn't even a thought huh? Did you say thanks Joshua for asking Chase to find Bradley in the first place? Or thanks son for making sure that Brad was getting the care that had to be approved? Joshua was just trying to help and protect his brother and keep his own mental shit in check. For you to on the day of his honeymoon call him up and try to blow his emotional high because you are mad, by not only bashing his parenting, but also you made him think that his son is not welcomed here anymore." Sally says Joshua is angry now, but he will calm down once he comes back from his honeymoon. She'll make it better. "I'm done, you don't want to listen fine do what you want. Just don't be surprised when you run out of chances to make it better. Joshua forgave you before, but don't think he forgot when your unconditional love seemed to have a condition until you weren't mad at him anymore. I'm out of here."

Mark walks into his school, Mick asks him to come see something. Mark tensed wondering what he would see. As they walk into Mick's office Mick turns on his monitor and Mark watches his number two pick The Rapture do his promo for an indie show the students were to put on at Access. Mark watches and listens for a time and smiles as the package closes out. "I told you he was good." Mick says he thinks The Rapture should be given the chance to earn the number one spot. "I have a number one pick but whoever wins will be boosted." Mick snorts with a laugh and says Mark's number one pick was not going to last very long. As Mark is about to tell Mick off Mick shows Mark a video that depicts his number one following Denary into a hotel in the middle of the day. Mick says before Mark loses it, that he shouldn't send the kid packing until he finds out why the kid thinks she is on his side. Mark says, "Do I want to know how or why you have this footage?" Mick says it was a fan that sent it here to the school, and he checked it against a supervisor program to make sure it hasn't been tampered with. "So, what I just saw is what I got". Mick says afraid so. "In five days, we will be at Access then Mania and that kid will not be with my school at my job to possibly embarrass me. Why else would he be willing to stay here if he was getting so much help from Strait?" Mark asks, "So where is my number one pick Mr. London Cobalt now?"

Mick noticed Mark's use of Damon Fire's factual name. "He was supposed to be here by now, but I don't have a check in for him yet." Mick wanted to see something so he says. "The number two pick Mr. Rapture Sloan is here and as of now has no competition. He's really worked hard, we had a few bumps along the way when he first came back, but he's much improved on the aspect of why you said you held him as number two. He sold a landing from a punch from Damon Fire so well" Mick saw Mark's emotionless stare waver at his mention of the copywritten name he'd given his number one pick. The look was guarded irritation. Mick goes on to finish what he was saying "I was ready to call for a med crew." Mark says Mick and Stone Cold is what The Rapture needed to make his fighting background and his mic skills appropriate to the work safe pro-wrestling motto. So, it was true what Stone Cold said, once Mark started calling his students by their birth name his wall was built. Mick hated to see real talent go to waste, but this wasn't his school, and though he only met Denary Strait briefly hearing some of the things she had done in the short time Mark was away, told Mick that to trust the meeting between Mark's chosen number one talent and herself would not end well for Mark if he just turned a blind eye to it. They speak of other talent and Mark lists Rapture to fight London tonight. "So, if Sloan wins he takes number one seat?" Mark nods and says it will be for one fall and Mick was to ref it, because if he did he might put his fists on Cobalt. Mick says. "Mark, even in a straight match I know he's improved but do you really think Sloan is ready?"

Mark doesn't answer the question asked, but says "If London doesn't show up in the next 10 minutes start charging his ass. I'm not playing with these guys. He lives the nearest to campus and gets here later and later. It's my fault I listed him as number one, I think it went to his head. Hell, Cass and Enzo live in fucking New Jersey and manage to be here on time every week they're scheduled, there's no excuse." Mick swiftly changes the direction of their talk and Mark ends it with "Tell Cobalt I want him in my office the second he steps foot on my grounds." Mark leaves Mick's office and walks into the training arena. He watched Big Cass and The Rapture lock up. Rap used one of his Irish whips with a splash and Big Cass sold the shock good but not great. Enzo climbed the ropes and says his line about helping Cass and jumps aiming to land on Rapture's back. Rap took the brunt of the body to body contact, and wobbled then hit the mat hard. The Rapture from a few weeks ago would have not made that look so damn real. Mark saw what Mick was talking about. One of the trainers, slides into the ring and starts yelling at Rapture that he was not supposed to go to the floor that hard. Mark walks to the ring and says, "Rapture, are you hurt?" Rap says no he's fine. The trainer turns around and says if Rap kept hitting the ground like that he wouldn't be. Mark nods and then says that he wanted to see what the kid had. Mark takes off his suit jacket, and shirt, gets in the ring and goes over a few moves with Rap. Mark punches Rapture. Rap propelled himself over the top rope landing on his feet then quickly sliding back in the ring to break the count. "Nice reentry, but it's too quick." They lock up again and Rapture non-verbally cues Mark on the move set that is coming. Mark ducks the take down and plants Rap on the floor via a choke slam. "I been doing this a long time, you don't have to telegraph your moves for me boy." Soon they finish and Mark was impressed by the extra strength Rapture had acquired to be able to lift Mark's big ass over his head and slam him in a controlled manner. When Mark was off the ground he knew what the move looked like, but feeling Rapture tense made him tense and still Rapture managed to plant him in a way that wouldn't hurt either of them. Mark sold being gassed, and let himself get pinned. The Rapture took a page out of Mark's book, as he was getting up, he asked Mark was he cool. Mark winked and Rapture got up and let the trainer lift his hand. As Mark gets to his feet Big Cass asked for a round. That started a chorus of students asking to fight him. Mark agreed to 7 of his top-ranking students, since this was also good training for his match at Mania. Enzo struck him and Mark took him down and told him to work on his jabs. Mark is soon alerted by the trainer that one Damon Fire was waiting for him in his office. Mark tells everyone good job and to take lunch.

The guys hit the showers and are getting dressed. They all talk about the fact that Mark still had it. Big Cass says he didn't think Mark would accept and wasn't ready. Rap says he did fine. Big Cass gets in Rapture's way and says "I don't need you to tell me I did fine. You can comment on my performance when you get a contract that doesn't say number 2 or if you are ever called up to WWE. You see how fast he dumped us to go lick London's boots?" Enzo comes over and tells Big Cass to chill. Big Cass walked out of the locker room and punched the wall. Enzo tries to say that Cass was just having a bad day. Rapture watches as his roommate storms down the hall. He looks back at Enzo, they knew what Rap had gone through with others here, if Big Cass wanted to join the team against him for whatever reason he wouldn't just let the big fucker get him in another condition like before or worse. "He gets in my face again, and I'll put him on his ass." Enzo nods and runs after his friend.

Inside Marks's office he walks in and skirts his desk. Looking at one of the best student's in his school was bitter sweet. On one hand, the guy had both ring ability and mic skills on the other hand his number one had let his place drive him to think he was untouchable. Mark just wanted to know what London's deal with Denary was. He asked and London turned red and says that he was just fucking her. Mark didn't believe him and it wasn't like he could do anything about it. An idea started forming in Mark's head. As the meeting went on. Mark then gets to the reason he wanted this meeting. "Cobalt, I have noticed that you have been later and later here showing up to practice and to public expeditions. I've informed Mick that from now on to start cutting your stipend by the five-minute mark. You didn't show to the expedition we had last Friday if I had of known that, you wouldn't be seated in my school right now."

Cobalt says "Taker, I get it loud and clear, be here be on time." Callaway tells him that he has a match tonight and he had better be ready by 7 because if he was late or didn't show up he'd be suspended. Sighing London smirks "so who gets the pleasure of me wiping the floor with them?" Callaway says that he may want to wipe the smile from his face, then tells him it will be a one-fall match. refereed by Mick Foley "Foley loves me. Okay seriously you and I know that no one in that locker room can touch me, not in a regular match. So who is it Enzo, he's not in my weight class but as usual I'll make it look good until I put him down. How much of the door am I getting since you already said you were docking my stipend?" The next words out of Taker's mouth pissed London off to the point he had to bite the inside of his lip hard not to yell at him. Taker says if he won he might get 25 percent if he lost he'd get 10. "Taker we didn't sell tickets for this showcase that's not right. You just come back off the road and dream up a showcase and expect what, that we are going to fill the house because Taker said so?" Mark tells him that they had already sold out the floor. "I'm number one pick, how is that possible I have ticket space in every showcase here and I don't remember selling any for tonight. Screw my ticketed personal fan club huh? You still haven't told me who I'm fighting." Mark leans forward and says his opponent is The Rapture, and a for the ticket spaces he fills personally there were front level two seating for his guests. "So, Rap's girl can come sit on the floor and watch me dust her old man." Mark's next words frightened London when he said it was un-predetermined. "SO Mick Foley is ref, and there isn't a winner predetermined? What are you doing I am undefeated? Either I win or I don't show. I make more money through my merchandise and my ticket sales than he does, your school needs me to win."

Mark gets up London rises to his full height the two men almost come eye to eye. London is 6'4 to Mark's 6'10 "Cobalt, I don't take kindly to my show being threatened. If you don't show up tonight don't come back, you are undefeated I don't want you to lose but I have talent that is willing to earn the spot I gave you. If you don't show you are not only tardy you miss out on important information like the fact that I called a meeting last night via video to announce this showcase. No, I didn't have this match on the card but you talk about your sales and how my school needs you like you're the bread and butter of this institution. You are part of this school not the head or the tail not even the center. You are talented but your attitude of maybe I won't show up, is disrespectful, because it not only impacts you, it impacts your opponent, it also impacts my showcase. If, I am forced to cut that match I won't be pleased, and since the reason for the match is to determine if you should remain number one, if you don't even come. I'll walk out to that ring and grant Rapture Sloan your remaining stipend, and the 25 per cent of the door, because if you don't come you lose automatically and you will no longer be a part of this institution. You're talented not irreplaceable, and that is something you had better learn quick in this business boy. You are dismissed." London stays for a second and then seems to come back to himself as he turns and leaves Mark's office.

Over at Ivey Enterprises, Luke gets out of his limo and heads in and pass keyed himself up to Sophie's office. She'd told him that she would be watching Jonathon-Chase. Before she went into any explanation for the why, Luke had stopped her and said that was great. She then told him why and Sally was a firecracker at the hospital and part of it maybe her inability to handle stress. Luke understood Joshua's apprehension about sending his son over to his parent's home. Luke had experienced just how unhinged Sally could get in a matter of seconds. If her words reminded Josh of that incident he could see Josh not wanting is father to possibly trigger his mother in to some unforgivable act concerning his son. Pulling his own thoughts away from the night he had to put her out of his medical center, Luke gets to his fiancée's office door, on the top floor he always remembered running around this office playing tag with Sophie and Angel or driving Chase's secretary nuts while their fathers talked. It was familiar but different because Sophie's decorator was a lot more modern. Luke opens the door and there she sat holding JC and all the days troubles or concerns in Luke just melted. This happened any time he saw what could be. They were actively trying to have a baby, which with their schedules was difficult, this last time was his fault he missed her fertility window by two days, the makeup sex was great, but the fact that had he not fucked up so royally by attacking Joshua, he could have given them a child still ate at him. Watching her interact with her nephew was just as magical as it was the first time she held him. Seeing her switch social roles from CEO to playful lighthearted auntie just made him want more than ever to make her a mom. She looked up at him. "Hey, may I hold him?" She hands JC to him and JC grabs his shirt, moving his little hand Luke takes off his shirt name plate so his soon to be nephew wouldn't stick himself. JC must have not liked the removal of the shiny thing he wanted to grab.

When JC starts to get fussy Sophie offers to take him back. Luke shakes head and says he's fine. Watching Luke transform from super serious doctor or even from his public mildly social awkward self into playful Luke gave her a snapshot of how he would interact with their own children one day. Luke makes a face at JC and talks gibberish. JC starts laughing instead of his lead up cry. Sophie went back to her desk when she figured JC wasn't going to scream his head off. When she came in this afternoon, lots of her office staff wanted to hold JC, that wasn't happening. She didn't want a lot of strangers holding her nephew, because if one of them got him sick, or even worse dropped him when he did his little bucking routine when he got happy, Sophie knew she would be ready to beat some staffer ass over her nephew.

Over at Logan's home, Bradley sits on the sofa Candy had offered to get him out of the house, and hanging with his friend was always something he could depend on to lift his mood. A knock sounds on the front door. "I'll get it man." Bradley opens the door and froze. Logan's cop cousin stood there. "I don't want any trouble." Kevin says it was good to see him on his feet. "Uh Logan, it's your cousin. I'll see you later." Logan comes out of the kitchen with the beers they were going to drink and says that Bradley didn't have to leave. "I'll see you around." Bradley walks out of the house and calls Candy to come pick him up. He couldn't wait until he was cleared to drive again. "Babe, I need you to come get me. Logan's cousin is here, yeah Kevin."

Bradley had said a lot of things and admitted some of his more concrete memories. Logan walked to the door past Kevin as if he wasn't standing there. As he is about to push the front door open he hears what Bradley says. Watching Bradley get in Candy's ride and leave set something off in Logan. Without moving his gaze from the now empty street he says, "You just can't stay away, can you?"

Kevin knew that it was time for him to try to mend his family back to what it once was. He woke this morning alone like for the past 5 days. It was time to get his life in order. He'd had his massive rage /pity party it was time to stop avoiding his problems or trying to drink them away. He figured he would start with Squeaky Clean they hadn't spoken since the jail courtyard when they watched his foremen get taken into the jail. "Squeaky Clean I can explain." Logan says that he could have answered the fucking phone when he called asking where his foreman was. "You are way too angry about an employee with a sordid past."

"That's not only my employee. Bradley is my friend. He is one of the only people along with my kid that kept me sane and moving, after Meg killed herself." Kevin looks everywhere but at Logan. "He has issues with total recall of that night but some things stick out. What he said about that night? Your name just keeps surfacing and as bad as I want to believe what uncle Homer said about you being undercover, it's harder and harder to trust you, because Homer wasn't there and Bradley remembers a lot of what happened. I get that some of his memories aren't as concrete as they could be, but that's kind of a side effect of nearly getting killed."

"Squeaky Clean I can explain."

"Just stop with the Squeaky-Clean bullshit. We're not kids anymore, and right now my thoughts about you aren't so pristine. You keep saying you can explain, explain what? Explain why everything that has went down your name is smack dab in the middle. You set me up. I trusted you. I had no freaking clue about schools and I listened to your rhetoric about Glenny socializing with children his own age. You knew that the woman that was trying to hurt my son was an investor of that school, yet you pushed for me to let my son join." Kevin looks shocked. "I can find out a lot when I ask the right people. You put my son in danger to close a case." Kevin says his son was there too and he hadn't cracked the case yet. Logan looked at him and had to walk away before he swung on Kevin. "You may not have noticed, but when I brought both the boys out, Adam wasn't prepackaged for a fucking kidnapping."

"As for Short Stuff, if I had of asked you to use him in a sting what would you have said?" Logan yells hell no, and says that Kevin taking a chance with his son's life even after knowing all the shit that was happening with his son was low and unforgivable. "Man, all I can say is that I'm sorry I can't go back and not do it. As for Bradley, I'm sorry your friend got hurt. I don't know what he remembers, but this is what happened, and you can believe me or don't but I won't have you thinking I was out to get your friend. I know that I shouldn't tell you this but…" Kevin quickly explains what happened that night from his point of view. His realization that Davenport had nothing to do with the case, and the fact that his own parts of his cover was what got him suspended. When he speaks of one the last things said by Ben to him before the bust, Logan told him to get out. "You must believe me, I was thinking of a way to get us both out of there safely from the time it started. Even though I'm off the case, I have been tracking your friend, because if I don't do something I'm afraid that whoever Ben is working for might."

"What's in that for you, and don't lie to me, there's always something in it for you. What are you hoping, that my friend leads you to some crack in your case? The bitch that is running this show is untouchable by you or even the feds. If it's the same Deon, now his girlfriend's ex is a part of this mob." Kevin tells him not to tell Davenport and that the reason he is shadowing Davenport, is because if he gets killed Kevin was assured he'd go down for it since the feds don't believe he was just undercover. "You expect me to keep a part of this shit show from someone that needs to know. You are stalking Bradley, call it what you want, you are following a civilian around while suspended for nothing but to watch." Kevin says that he is watching Davenport's back. and then follows up with telling Logan that Bradley was not to be told this. "Why not, you are stalking him and Deon along with a mob Don is possibly hunting him." Kevin says he is trusting that Logan won't tell Davenport. Bradley is still in danger, is the mantra that replayed in Logan's head. Logan wanted to leave and go find Bradley the things Kevin had told him, along with what Homer spoke to him about Kevin, just made Logan want Kevin away from him, his son and his friend. "Get out of my house." Kevin says he is trusting Squeaky Clean to keep this quiet. "Trust that I won't. Goodbye Kevin." They glare at each other and Kevin backs up and walks to the door. Glenny's bedroom door opens "Stay in your room Squirt" Logan says until Kevin walks out of the front door. Glenny says, he has to use it, after locking the door Logan says. "Go ahead, did you have a good nap?" Glenny says yeah and runs to the bathroom with Row on his heels. Logan pulls his phone from his belt clip and taps it on his hand in thought.

Inside The Davenport, Michael sits at the bar. Candy and Vash were covering tonight, there was a concert and ever since the Deon not showing up and the singer Lonnie getting killed, Joshua had pushed for more than just one owner on scene during concerts. They had agreed that it had nothing to do with his trust or lack thereof either of them. It was business Candy, Vash and Angel understood that. Candy would run the back office since Bradley seemed stuck to her like glue. and Vash would run the bar. Spotting Michael, Vash greets the man that had pulled his old butt out of lots of situations back in the day. Seeing him here this late at night was kind of alarming. Especially since Michael was drinking, in the years that he had worked for Michael he had never seen Michael drunk. "Wanna talk?"

Michael holds on to the glass of amber liquid as if it would disappear if he didn't grip it with both hands. He meets Vashon's eyes. "In the past 5 days, I found out things about my oldest son, that though I suspected, I can't say I'm surprised. On top of that, the same son nearly got killed. My youngest is once again on the receiving end of my wife's irrational anger." Vashon asks did Sally attack Josh again with alarm in his tone. "Not, physically no." Michael takes a drink and tells Vashon about Sally's actions at the hospital and Joshua's response he then explains about the phone call that he wished he could have pulled the fucking plug on. "It's times like that I wish there were still cords to unplug. The thing that gives me the most distress about the whole ordeal is that I don't know why she keeps doing this. Sally Lu has this delusion that everything will be fine, because Joshua forgave her before. What Sally does not see is, though Joshua forgave us, there is only so many times before the cons become greater than the pros and his well of forgiveness runs out. She refuses to see how close we came months ago from him totally pushing us all away."

Minutes earlier, Bradley was coming to tell Vash that Candy asked him to empty the rolling safe, when he saw and heard his father speaking. Closing his eyes, all this shit was his fault. Logan walked in and Bradley looked behind him, Logan says that he came alone. That exchange prompted his dad to turn around and see him standing mere feet from him. "Hey dad. I'm going to try to talk to mom, I mean I just had no clue that all of this would be so insane. I'm not going to stand here and lie to you and say that I am going to stay at the house like old times, or that I'll switch the liaison, that's not going to happen. There are parts of that contract that I wouldn't want mom or you to have to decide on my behalf. You are right about the Josh mom thing. He's had a lot of people including myself, disappoint him, and I don't want mom to get back on that list and stay, because for the ways that Joshua has grown there is some of that little boy in him. Just like Cass and I had to stop triggering our past behavior by call him Boy, mom is going to have to stop attacking him physically or verbally anytime she is pissed she must stop using him as some kind of stress relief toy to hit and yell at when she is mad at one of us. Once again, she's mad at me and taking it out on Josh. Since he still loves mom, retribution isn't his style but self-preservation is. He got really good and creative there for a long time avoiding all of us." Logan greets his father Bradley had almost forgot his friend had come. Something caught his eye and he looked to the right and there stood Kevin trying to blend into the 20 somethings jamming on the dance floor to the artist on stage. "Look, I just came out here to tell Vash about the safe. See you guys later." Bradley backs up and walks quickly back into the manager's hallway.

Logan looked in the direction his friend had and didn't see anything amiss. Whatever it was Bradley lost color and left. Then he spotted his cousin leaving the dance floor. Just like you couldn't mistake Larry for anything less than a bouncer. Tonight, the crowd seemed to want to give Kevin lots of space. This was why undercover was such a farfetched idea for Kevin because even without his badge, his appearance and his movements screamed cop. Logan headed towards the back he needed to talk to his friend. Suddenly Michael reached out and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Fighting the erg to pull away he turns to see Michael staring at him. "I was just going to go talk to him." Michael asks can he drive him home instead since he wasn't in the mood to call his wife. "You bet." They head out and get In Logan's truck. For most of the drive Michael was his usual quiet self. As they enter Pyramid, Michael says he knew that Logan cared about his son but he needed to just give Bradley some time.

That night at Mark's school, Cass and Janet, take their seats Cass didn't want to come alone. The last time she watched him even practice was right after her man got attacked. Janet asked if she wanted a drink or anything. "I should be asking you that thanks for sitting with me." Janet says she was meeting Nikki and Tony here tonight anyway so it was no problem. "Well thanks anyway." Mark comes down to the ring and welcomes everyone then announces the first match. Cassandra goes to grab food and drinks, as she is heading back to her seat she is stopped by a guy that looked familiar though she couldn't place why. He even called her by name.

"Cassandra your Rapture's girl, right?" She nods and asked who he is. "A roommate of Rap's I just can't keep his secret anymore." He had her, the look on her face told him he had her. She asked what secret. "Last night when I went into our room a female was in there with him alone." He was losing her; her look becomes guarded. He continues. "I asked him what the hell he was doing and he asked me what I thought. Look, I told him before when he asked me how old she was that she was here on a special wavier she's only 17 yes, she'll be 18 in a few months but she's too young for him." She asked why he was telling her instead of talking to Rap. "Thought maybe you could talk to him and get him to end it before he throws his career away."

"If you talking to him about it doesn't help him see, I don't see what me saying anything would do. Rapture is a lot of things. A yes man isn't one of them." Cass heads back to the seating area. She saw in her phone screen that the guy was watching her. She hoped she was right in not believing him. His story was sketchy at best. She had to believe her man wouldn't be willing to knowingly throw away a dream he fought so hard to make come true. Most of the middle of the card Cass barely paid attention to. The Rapture's music hit and she watched her honey walk out to a rock song and glare at the audience. The Champion Damon Fire walks out to a very wicked guitar only song and recognition dawned. Cass, Janet, Nikki and even Tony boos him.

One of the fans throws a drink at them yelling Damon Fire would send The Rapture back to the injured list. When the drink flew by Tony's head and hit Janet, Tony asks her was she ok she nods and says it's fine. Cass froze, Tony got up and ran up the bleachers with a fire in his dark eyes. Before he could confront the guy that threw the beer on his friend. Security grabbed the overly drunk dude. Relief surged though Tony, his anger had almost got him in trouble just like with his dad. That thought made him shudder, before the full onslaught of the memory of the last time he would see his father alive could shrink him in to a ball of immobilized panic, Janet called his name and brought him out of the reminiscence before it could fully take him down as it had so many times before. Turning around Janet with her high ponytail and her big green eyes she calls his name again. "I…I'm fine." His panic was calming to a manageable level. The bell sounded and they both look back to see Rapture looking gassed with his hand raised and his other holding his midsection. They look down at Cass who runs towards the ring, she is stopped by security. As they make their way back down they all watch in horror as the now former champion charges Rapture and starts beating on him with fist closed. Janet screams that's not right.

The guy had been tagging him all night and Rapture had managed to work through for real getting gut checked, for real getting kicked in his fucking back. For real having this asshole land on him with no hold back. No, this match wasn't predetermined but it also wasn't going to end in him giving in to the shit rattling around his head about how he wasn't anything special. Damon knew how to get inside his head and the trash talk and real contact had worn him down. He tricked the fucker into thinking he was done and at the last possible minute the fucker had jumped off the rope fully intending to clobber his ass and Rap had enough in him to move out of the way. He'd pined the dazed champ and won. As he stood with his hand raised he noted Cass trying to rush the ring. At first, he was pissed that they were blocking his mate, but that went out of the window and he was thankful the crew did their job because one minute he was sore and standing, and the next he was his speared onto his back. This wasn't supposed to happen. As he defended himself images of another fight played in his head. When the guy grabs Rap by his neck and tried to bare down on him something in Rap snapped and he started not just defending himself but he starts ground fighting, punching the fucker with all his might. He'd told Mark that he was not going to work safe if this bunch ever tried to take him out again. They are soon broken up. Medics flood the ring and Mark charges in yelling at the former champion then turns around yelling at Rapture. Rapture couldn't make out what Mark was yelling at him everything slowed down Mark sounded far away then his world faded to black.

Rapture came to, he was moving but not under his own power. He was strapped to a bed must be a stretcher. Opening his eyes, he sees his woman, she must have been walking with whoever was pushing him. She alerts whoever is pushing him that he is awake. She starts asking him how he felt and was he ok. They hit a bump and pain ran through his body like a freight train almost taking sweet lady consciousness with it. Cassy was holding his hand, he felt her and it gave him something to concentrate on. He remembers how angry Mark looked and though he couldn't remember what Taker had yelled at him, he could guess. Someone had taken his mask off, it was a partial to protect his nose from getting rebroken. One of the strikes the fucker and first landed was to his head. A straight punch he'd snapped his head back away for the strike, but Damon Fire had caught him in the ear and rung his bell. That was the middle of the match, Rap warned him when he lifted him for a choke slam that he had better stop tagging him reminding the champ that Mark was watching, not just Mick. That seemed to calm Fire down for a few move sets and then came the kick to his back. It had taken everything Rap had in him to keep getting back up. He'd do a move set and Fire would do one they had rehearsed before. When Fire slung him into the ropes Rap had followed the move set perfectly and slid out under the ropes and reentered the ring a few feet away. Remembering what Mark told about him about his speed Rap went for his move set, Fire gut checked him as he was about to release him. That instant pain made Rap keep ahold on Fire for a second longer, and he'd drove the dumb ass into the ring head first. Rapture had checked on Fire and asked him was he ok. That's when he received a leg sweep for his trouble. Rapture took the bump and that's the first time the fucker climbed the rope and landed on his ass. Instead of creating a small bridge between their bodies, the fucker had about knocked the wind out of him. Seeing the fucker climb the ropes again and knowing that he was going to try that shit again, Rap waited as long as he dared and rolled out of the way. Fire hit the mat so damn hard with such force that it must have shocked him. Rap took that as his cue to cover the champ, 1,2,3. Rapture had foolishly thought it was over. With there being no script in place there was no reason for the champ to attack him. He'd just made eye contact with Cass when out of nowhere the fucker speared him to the ground and started beating the shit out him yelling about money. They both were going to get paid he didn't get the anger until he no longer cared why the dude was mad. When the fucker put his hands, on Rap's neck. Rap lost it he'd admit it, all the work safe, and all the training, all the defense, all the pain from the previous match evaporated, and all that was left was his natural survival fighting instinct. As the staff pulled them apart the fucker got a lucky kick to the side of his head. That must have been what sent him out. They head back in the trainer's row and since he was lucid they asked him questions as they checked him out, and then after confirming that nothing was broken, and yeah, he had a mild concussion the trainer asked him did he want to go to the hospital. "No, I'm just ready to go home." He had two days after this match before he would have to return to travel with the school.

After sending his former number one packing and sending Rapture to the trainer's row. When he looked from the ring and hadn't seen Janet he had a flashback of that night his little girl was taken in a public place. With everyone leaving and moving around he could not visually track where his child was. Luckily Tony, the quietest and most non-attention seeking kid Mark had ever met, was the one that drew his eye to his little girl. Tony was hugging Janet and Nikki to him while moving towards the backstage area the lanky kid looked like a salmon swimming upstream. With everyone else heading to the exit, Mark had to give it to the boy he wasn't letting them girls get too far out of his reach. Mark got the children's attention and took them to his office.

Over in Chicago after getting settled in one of Chase's lake front properties, Angel and Joshua hit Chicago as they did as teens. They went to dinner and caught a concert, walked along the Magnificent Mile. Andrew was there but he and his agents kept out of their way. If you didn't know what you were looking for, as an outsider, you would not have noticed the close protection team. The next day after great morning sex and a good breakfast, the couple heads out to the marina and were going to board one of Chase's yachts to take a spin around the city's massive water way. As they were walking onto the platform Angel stopped. She remembers all to clearly the last time she was on a large boat it was their wedding. Though the wedding itself went off without a hitch their reception had been marred by so much. Having to wait to get back to shore with all that was going on, feeling the powerlessness until they got back to shore. "I don't think I can do this." Every step she took on the now moving platform became slower and smaller. "I keep trying to hold it together while my own mind attacks with scenarios and none of them are good. We are closer to my mother's side of the family here. They don't live very far outside of Chicago. If Patrick could get on that boat in Texas. I know that one of my uncles or even my aunt who have all their mental marbles could get on here." She was shaking, and looking around trying to make sure she remembered the names of the STOP team that had traveled with them and Chase's friend Cloe the Captain that would be piloting the ship.

In his planning, Joshua hadn't paid attention to the fact that Angel had not even be near another large body of water that she could not see the bottom of since their wedding. Joshua says in a calming tone while meeting her gaze, "Babe look at me. It is highly unlikely that Sophia's family even knows we are here, we didn't tell anyone other than close family and friends and our social media still is marked for home. This is about us, no one else, just us having some non-stressful fun If this is too much we'll just tell Cloe and then we will leave. There is always the Wrigley Field tour." Angel males a face. "I'm kidding about the baseball tour sort of." He smirks. "So, what is it that you want to do?"

Cloe, Chase's Navel Captain and friend that operated most of his larger sea vessels remembered Angela Ivey now Davenport. "Hey there Angel damn you've gotten taller since I last saw you." Angel's confused gaze made Cloe go on with what she was saying. "I couldn't help but overhear you two over here. I'm sorry that I couldn't operate your wedding vessel I was doing a run to the Caribbean, or I would have been there. Congrats to the both of you, I do hope that you'll let me take you guys around today. As for your worry that someone will get on my boat, I know it's Chase's boat, but when I'm operating it, it's mine, and I'm fully responsible for the people on it. You two, myself, and the hand full of agents are the only ones that will be on this vessel." When it looked like Angela was still going to say no, Cloe says, "Think of this as a practice for the wedding. I will be operating the boats to take you all to the island for Sophie's wedding." Ok the confusion on the young lady's face said, someone had not told Angela the new Itinerary. "We found out that though there is a landing strip it's not large enough so we will have to land on one of the larger islands and I'll be transporting you guys to the Sheldon Islands." Angel says so either way she will soon be on two boats or one. "Yeah it looks that way. I think your honey wouldn't mind you choosing land today, so he can get a look at that baseball diamond." The man that had called and set up this trip smirked at her. Angel asked her questions about safety measures on board. Cloe says, "You sound just like yo daddy." Joshua pretended to sneeze and says security nut. Angel elbowed him. He says something about damaging the merchandise. They were cute together. Cloe then answered the questions as she would for Chase. Angel says she'll do it, since if she waited to do this on the day of her sister's wedding and felt like she did now, she wouldn't be able to go, which would be bad since she is the matron of honor. "Welcome aboard the S.S. Sophie." Cloe says as Angel and Joshua follows her onto the large boat.

"Wow's this thing is even bigger than the one we got married on." Joshua says in awe of the spaciousness. Cloe quotes length and width stats at him as she made her way to the control area. They are soon away from the marina to where it looks like a thin red line. Angel relaxed after they had walked around and the same agents were the same ones from land. They all saw a breath-taking view of Chicago that can only be seen from Lake Michigan. Cloe had told them that they could ask her anything since she had done this as a tour for years. Angel pushes the button that would let her communicate with Cloe. "Is that how you met my dad?" Angel was always intrigued on how Chase met the people that worked with and for him over the years.

Cloe was surprised and a little relieved that Chase's child didn't remember her. His wife Sophia always called anyone that wasn't in their family the help. Cloe thought it hilarious, back then in her twenties her father had more money than Ivey and Corrigan put together. That wasn't true no more, you didn't lie to Chase W. Ivey, her daddy found that out the hard way. Cloe had been back for a holiday from the Navy and she, her mom and dad, and Sophia, Angela and Sophia's mother Madam something, and her girls and had all been on one of her father's boats. That day changed Cloe's life. She saw with her own eyes how evil Sophia's side was. One while, Sophia's mother was holding Angela and the next thing Cloe knew, she was jumping in after the child. She jumped in the water and Madam hadn't even budged just said she was just trying to teach her to swim. Cloe swam the little shivering girl back to shore. When Chase showed up from a meeting he'd been to and saw his wet little emotional red head he wanted answers. Chase asked Cloe she told him the truth. Chase stood up and took his girl to get dry clothes on. When Chase walked back down those stairs. He asked her dad. Cloe's dad lied, said the little one got spooked and fell overboard, Chase thankfully for Cloe, didn't believe it, you could see it in that Ivey stare. That lie was bad, and would come to end not only their working relationship, but also their friendship. He sent Sophia's family back to Chicago that night. Sophia not liking Chase dismissing her family had lied on Cloe, saying that she was holding Angela and the child got spooked and fell overboard. Chase and his wife yelled and screamed at each other for what seemed like hours. The little girl backed her story and said her Madam wanted her to swim. Cloe thought he was going to knock Sophia into the Mississippi, but he didn't the three left that night. By the next year her father's business had gone out of business. Her mother had divorced him because after that night, their Mississippi home was never the same nor were they. When Cloe finished her tour with the Navy, Chase offered her a job and she took it. Shaking the memory remembering the question she says, "No ma'am," Angela asked her to please just call her Angel. "Angel, Chase bought cruise ships from my dad and had them converted into his personal fleet. The one in Texas is the oldest one. When I came back after serving he hired me." Which wasn't a lie, some things just didn't need to be resurrected. if Angel didn't remember her, it was for the best. Time really flew Captain Cloe DeVos-Summers had worked for Chase about 10 years now. Angel asked her a few more questions about the city. As they were heading back to the marina Angel asked were converted cruisers the only thing she operated. Cloe heard Davenport say that was probably nosey. "No, she's just fine, just like Chase Ivey can fly anything that has wings, I can operate anything that floats from submarines to canoes." As they docked Cloe says, "Congrats again, and you guys have a great rest of your trip."

Back in Grandville South, Gloria had returned to work John still had not said anything else to her. She was giving him the space he'd asked for. He was busier with him taking on the sole responsibility of managing Personal Touch, something they had done together. Going to their home at night was different, they lived almost like roommates. He felt wronged by her, and rightfully so, and she nor he had a clue how to fix it. Her office phone rings "LEGNA Recording may I help you?"

Alex says in a rush "I know you probably don't want to hear from me right now but, I can't find Boy I mean Joshua I really need to talk to him. This shit has gone on too long." The blonde tells him she can no longer help him. "Look I know McBride was weird about me asking for help to set up a meeting but I have been doing what he first told me and went to my son's bar and guess what he wasn't there. I can't even get close to that house again without identifying myself and you can guess where that leads." From the sound of it the blonde was not on his side anymore. She suggested that maybe it was for the best. "What that I don't talk to my own kid ever again. I know I was a coward before, but I really need to talk to him. If you help me this one last time, I can help you find what you're looking for Gloria Fenny." The blonde asked him how he knew that name. "I know a lot about you. I also know that apart of the Fenny family knows where your son is." She says that's impossible her siblings were the only ones that remained, and though they hated her they could not hate her that much as to hide her child from her. "Are you certain of that or is that another one of your coping fairytales? You did have a hand in killing their mother." She hung up. He'd let her stew for a while, and if she didn't reach out and tell him where Boy was. He was going to reach out and make her. McBride was protected by his supplier not her.

The day after the fight night, Mark was back on the road. His travel liaison Stacy Bloke rode with him to the arena. It was more for safety and the fact that the STOP team in place could guard them better since John Cena and Nikki Bella were out on bail. Mark glanced at his travel manager they had not rode in the same car other than right before the hotel shit went down. She'd kept her distance and made sure he hit all his shows and signings. When Harold said he was to drive into his AZ house show with her he balked at the idea and Harold told him it wasn't just for something to do it was more to keep an eye on them both without having to split the team. Mark was carrying, something he hadn't done in years. He would not have that damn Cena draw down on him again. Randy had shown up the day after Mark returned after his birthday. Randy had been detained and questioned and copped to being there but not to threatening Mark in any way. He recounted how he tried to stop Mark from running into the street and the fight it caused with John. Randy was pissed to find out about the bet that was going to John Cena only if Taker lost to him. After Mania, Randy would be highly involved in some legal trouble of his own. He was seen by Harold and his team as an accomplice considering he dropped off the grid right before the first payment. The fact that Randy couldn't deny that he knew John was going to ask for payment from Mark made his case very shaky at best. They pull into the hotel underground parking. Stacy spoke, which surprised him considering other than quick clipped business reminders she hadn't spoken to him since she found out why there were men in cars with government plates watching her and her husband. She'd been pissed that Mark had not told her about John's threats. His response of he didn't want to worry her sounded lame even to his own ears. She asked was him keeping that information to himself, circular pay back for her not telling him what she thought was storyline that turned out to be an overheard plan in the works by John and Randy. Irritation licks his tone, as he'd told her that wasn't his style and that night he really had no way to contact her considering he only had her work issued phone number of which he'd thought she would not answer until they went back on the road which was her usual routine.

As much as Stacy wanted to rage at Mark for keeping her in the dark what he said was the truth. After she went home her work phone went off and she had tried to put all the bullshit with the hotel and the photos put out of her mind to keep a line drawn between her work and personal life. Her husband had been just as furious, untrusting, and nasty as Mark had been when they woke up fully clothed in his hotel bed. The first time they spotted the team following them her husband had taken a deliberate fools path around roundabouts and got behind one of the cars, that's when they saw the federal plates. She called Stephanie and she'd told her of the threats that were made on her and her husband's lives. If she was truthful with herself if Mark's number had of popped up on her phone had it been on, she would have trashed the call. The things he'd said still stung to this day. Yeah, she'd yelled back but that was instinct and anger, but him of all people thinking her a whore, or him thinking she had some anterior motive to gain access to him? Stacy would finish this assignment then when her 8-month contract was done she'd ask to be transferred to someone else. Most of the divas didn't make as much, so her pay would decrease but not by that much, at least then her husband wouldn't look at every call she made to her client with a watchfulness that screamed of mistrust. She'd also not have to look at Mark and wonder did he really think the shit that flew from his mouth, or was it just the shock of the situation?

Days pass and as Sally sits on her deck that Bradley and Logan had built on to their home, the deck was the only touch of renovation since it's construction. Bradley walks around the side of the house Sally looked for Candy. Bradley looked behind him as if he were about to be attacked. When he turned back around his whisky colored eyes looked wild then cleared just as fast. "I would ask what is wrong but I know you won't answer. Would you like something to drink, water, coffee, tea?" He says water is fine, walks up the now sturdy stairs and across the half octagon shaped deck to her. He picked a chair and sat with his back to the house. She almost told him not to come rearranging her furniture, but stopped herself and says instead, "Coming right up, I'll be right back." Sally heads in pass him to the kitchen and grabs water for him. She quickly moves to the front of the house when she hears voices in the den and that's when she discovered how her son that was not driving got home. Michael and Candy sat talking and watching some performance. Irritation licked her tone as she greeted the girl. "Hello Candy, nice of you to allow my son to visit."

Michael looked at the challenge in his wife's eyes and caught the movement of Candy getting to her feet. Putting out a hand he pleads with his eyes for Candy to remain. Turning to his wife he says "Sally Lu, stop it. Leave her be." His wife flinched at his tone. Candy says to tell Bradley that she would be back she needed to get some air. Sally says Candy didn't have to rush back she'd drive her son home herself. "If he will allow it, of which I doubt."

Sally's temper flooded her voice as she says in an icy broken English tone "I would ask you my dearest husband whose side you are on, but it would seem your answer is telling off on you in your words and actions. Don't you want our boy home where he is safe? He's no safer with this girl than he was with his ex." Sally saw when the insult hit its mark. Candy reddened and walked out of the house slamming the door behind her. "I treated her as one of my own since the day you hired her and she would slam my door? What were you two talking about in here anyway? Don't you get it Mike just like the other girl Candy was all glees and giggles when her and my boy revealed that they were an item. A girl I thought of as a daughter is fucking my son who has a very bad habit of choosing wrong women and situations to involve himself with. What they have done, is nothing short of spiritual incest. How you can defend her when all I wanted was some time with my son?"

Michael watched and listened as his wife shook with fury, yet he didn't see any of the reasons that she listed as a reason to be cruel to those that loved them. Turning back to the window he was about to speak when Bradley walked into the room he didn't even have to look he wondered how long his son had been standing in the dining room doorway.

Bradley had waited so long for his mother to come back from the kitchen with water he got up and walked in the house. Part of him would believe that, and the other deeper part of him felt kind of exposed as if he was being watched and the feeling creeped him out a bit. Yeah, he knew it sounded paranoid as fuck, he was in his parents fenced off backyard and safe, but feelings and instinct were all he held as truth now-a-days. Bradley's phone chimed at him and he read his screen as Sally turned to see him, when he finished reading his screen he looked up at his mother. Candy was leaving and he'd just heard why. His mother was losing her shit. He sent Candy a pleading text and she said she would wait for him but this wasn't her fight and she really didn't need to let loose on Sally because it would reveal too much of her own feelings. Instead of a fiery tone he leads with a calm one. "You asked dad whose side he was on and then accused Candy of being like the illusion of Jazz all glee and giggles the day of her birthday party in this very room when I kissed her in front of all of you she was nervous that we would be received as we were by Joshua he had reasons but he came around. That's what I trust he was upfront he didn't smile in our face give us his blessing at first and then weeks almost a month later accuse us of how did you put it, oh yeah, spiritual incest?" Sally opened her mouth and so did his father. "Wait please, mom you have been slinging lots of verbal arrows around. First off, Candy isn't anything like Jazz. She understands me better than even most of you do. It's no type of incest, considering we aren't related, and never even thought of each other as siblings. Thanks dad for defending Candy while I like a dumb ass stayed out in the back waiting on a conversation and some water with mom." Sally says the bit about how she has thought of Candy as a daughter of sort since Mike hired her. Bradley eyes turned cold the amber of his eyes chilled to a dark brown all the flecks of red faded. "I don't know what's wrong with you. You claim to be happy for us one minute and angry we got together the next. Sorry mom, that's not your deal. You will stop insulting and snipping at my girlfriend or Joshua won't be the only one giving you a wide birth." Sally says while he is standing here being angry at her and throwing Joshua in as fuel did he ever stop to think why she was so angry or was he like the rest of them only seeing Joshua's side. As Bradley was about to speak, Sally launched a verbal arrow that had Joshua been standing anywhere near her it would have slice him in half.

Sally asked, "once and for all Bradley, why did you choose Joshua over even your own blooded sister or over me your mother?" The shock of her own words and at the look on her son's face, she looked to her husband but found no comfort or understanding there. The anger had pushed a dark truth out and now it lay on the air thick as smoke. "I brought him into our home, and loved, and cared for him, but never did I think that I would be jealous of him. You poured fuel on a fire that I hadn't realized burned so harshly. When I saw his name as the first to make decisions for you I tried to hold it in. I was angry at you and wondered how you could replace me, just he did for years?"

"What are you talking about? How can you accuse Joshua of replacing you with you anyone? You are all he has as a mother. The only reason he came around at all was because even with Cass and I freaking him out he still felt love and accepted by you and dad. Angel's mother wouldn't have even been near them if she still lived. Have the years really been erased in your mind?" Sally speaks of the long stretches of time that Joshua stayed away from her especially after he turned 20 and they moved to Colorado. His father was about to speak but Bradley spoke first. "Once again, where you should be or are pissed at me, you transfer it to him so easily. Mom don't you get it, I'm the one that chased him away. I came up with the plan to possibly drop his ass out of that window up there. I'm the one that any time he came for the holiday I made sure that me and my follower Cass made him uncomfortable enough to leave. I'm the one that attacked dad. I'm the one that stole from you. I'm the one that was on drugs most of my adult hood but not anymore. Me, not Josh. You asked about your latest reason to rage at him not me. Truth is I picked Joshua because I trusted that since we aren't blood that he would be a little less messed up if he'd had to make the decision if I lived or died." Angel told Bradley the day after the party how Bradley missing and then being rescued had hit Josh. Bradley knew they were getting along but would have never thought Joshua would be messed up. Angel made him swear not to ever repeat it. Bradley still believed that he chose right he was standing here because of his little brother. His mother told him not to talk like that, and then said if Joshua had of let him die. Bradley's eyes flashed with more anger than he knew existed in him. "I would have been dead. Hell, he can't win with you, anyway right? I lived and you're still pissed at me, and taking it out on him." Bradley stopped before he went on and remembered a time not so long ago before his therapy all the irrational shit that he'd filled his own head with over the years. His mother just kept talking shit and his father started arguing with her. She said that she loved and cared for Joshua all those years ago and if he turned his back on her again it would not be her fault. "Look just because you were kind enough to help him out when he needed it doesn't mean he owes you a damn thing now." She says he's wrong. "Oh, what does he owe you mother? I get it why you rage at him instead of us he is less likely to punish you with anything other than his silence. Joshua may not scream at you like me or Cass but you know his song 'No More" it was written for the Smyth crew true enough, but the last line is really how his mind works." Sally says she doesn't get what a song about the ones that hurt him has anything to do this conversation. "The words are: No more time to fight, no more time to care, no more words will pass between us because I won't be there." Sally gears up to slash at him again. Bradley puts up a hand meeting her angry gaze and says, "Mom you need help, I've been where you are and it's not a good place."

Bradley leaves the house and gets in Candy's car. She stared straight ahead and asked him where he wanted to go next. "Look babe, I don't know all that was said before I got in the doorway but I'm sorry she feels the need to snipe at you. I just made myself look like a fanboy in her eyes quoting song lyrics at her." Candy asked with confusion in her gaze what song and why a song? "No More, only I'm not a fan, I know Josh and now that he has something to lose he'd shut down on her." Candy says Angel and JC. Bradley nods and says "You bet, he even said as much, and if Sally don't watch herself it may sting him to do it. but if Sally treated him or one of them like he was treated in anyway he'd cut her off. I can only do what I think is right and her railing at you all, just makes me crazy." Candy says for him to not give up on Sally, that she has been through a lot and it must be getting to her. "Yeah but why sling arrows at Josh he hasn't did shit to her?" Candy says because Joshua has his own coping issues and isn't like the rest of them, he retreats whether from the room or the conversation, but he won't go as far as to stay and fight with her because it was ingrained in him that, that had negative consequences. "She's not once, attacked or screamed at me for all the shit I did, she set me straight about a few things, but not once has she let it out on me. Sometimes, I wish she would, maybe if she got it off her chest she wouldn't be so angry at the wrong people. Between you and Joshua, Cass, Dad, and even Angel, for the first time I feel like I belong somewhere. I know sometimes I feel that I may not deserve it, but it's there in you all's action as well as your words."

Changing topics slightly Candy says "Sally thinks I'm no better than Jazz." Jazz's name on Candy's lips still burned her German blood." I get it that she wanted me to leave or something but sometimes I wonder if I should be doing more to help keep you safe. I don't know what it could be, but I do love you Bradley with all of me, I do. I don't know what your relationship with Jazz was like, I have heard lots of stuff but we aren't like the stuff I heard but only you can really say."

Bradley holds her chin in his fingers tilting her gaze to his as he leans in and kisses her. "I can say with a thousand percent certainty you are nothing like my ex. What I thought was love was her having control of me. Through drugs, I saw her as the person that could make the bad shit go away if just for as long as I was high and happy or numbed out. My therapist said back when we started I didn't love her either. I loved the drugs, the blanket she provided which was fucked of me to fuck her over like that." Candy says Jazz set him up. "This last long con that she spun my way, was hinged on her knowing I felt guilty. I keep trying to fix shit that I broke. When I was sending out the letters of apology during my program, I sent one to Joshua this was before I got out, so you know what happened." Candy asked did Joshua reply. "Of course, he didn't reply why the hell should he have? Back then it was just words with nothing behind it. With the belief that he'd strong armed my parents in to kicking us out and keeping him. Yeah, I know what it sounds like now, but I'm sure if he even opened it I know where it ended up. I figured I would try to sweeten the pot and sent Jazz's with money that I had got from Cass. Free life lesson, you can't buy forgiveness."

Candy pulls away and says, "No you can't, sometimes you just have let stuff go." Michael came out of the house and walked to the car. Letting down his window Bradley says he wasn't going back in there. Michael nodded and then asked had Joshua really taken JC with him. Candy smiled up at Michael and said, "No Sophie kept him, Joshua and Angel should be back by morning." Michael sighed and said he was glad that Angela's sister did what Joshua wouldn't allow him to do. Not wanting Michael feeling like Joshua's decision was an attack on him. Candy says as she reaches over and pats the older man's hand that rested on the door. "Michael, you know it wasn't personal, right?" Michael nods firming his lips into a thin line, he says he is going to push for Sally Lu to seek some form of treatment, because if she kept on this downward mind field rollercoaster he was afraid that he may one day awaken and not love his wife. Candy got out of the car and walked around it with two sets of eyes on her as she hugged Michael.

Michael hugged the little girl that he'd hired and watched grow up in to the woman that held his oldest son's love back. Though Sally accused this girl and his ex of being one in the same this girl was right for Bradley she didn't hold him on an invisible leash linked to substance or anything else. Bradley Albert's own want to be around her and her want to be close to him Michael thought of as a healthy amount. Bradley wasn't addicted to Candy he was in love with her and there is a big difference. "I try to see Lulu as I always have, but here as of late her spirit is different. I know I call her a fruit bat in jest, but I worry about her because I fell in love with all of her, spirit and body, but what's body without a sprit to animate it?" After one more hug, he excuses himself and walks down the sidewalk, he couldn't fight with Lulu all night, it just wasn't in him. The more she raged at him the more the landscape of their relationship was hit and he just needed peace right now.

Sally watched as Michael walked out of the front door with his hat on his head. The image of his retreating back made her sad. The fact that Candy was hugging her husband didn't give her jealousy she knew Mike loves her, it gave her sorrow. After a time, she watched as her oldest and the child that she had thought of as a segregate child of sorts for a decade and a half drove away. She was alone and lonely and had no one to blame but herself. It turned out that Mike was right Bradley would not have allowed her to drive him anywhere, he would have walked first, had she drove Candy away. Moving from the window, only after not being able to see Mike anymore she walked upstairs pass Cass's room with the same haunted feeling that moved over her skin like a sticky caress and sat in what used to be Joshua's room. She wondered had he really taken her grandbaby on a plane. As much as she told everyone that she could fix it again she worried that just like his childhood torment from Bradley and Cassandra flew so low on her radar until it was blindingly obvious. He forgave her. She attacked him while he was injured she'd seen the tiredness in his eyes and he'd forgave her. As much as she sniped at Angel, Vash had once told her if it wasn't for Angel, Joshua would have never come around again. Back then she thought it ridiculous now not so much. Had she pushed too far, this time? Had her words broke the backbone of his trust that she loved him? She had to know. She called her baby. There was no answer. In her mind's eye, he looked at his phone and drew his face into the same scowl that made him seem unapproachable to the world around him. She sent him text messages. She watched the little screen as it read delivered, seen, but he would not reply. Trying to hide the emotion in her throat she calls her mother. At one point, she shares her greatest fear "I'm losing them, and don't know how to stop it." Her mother in her quiet voice says something that when yelled just made her yell back, but after her call with her mom ended, tears swell in her eyes she makes another call. Three people now had suggested she needed help. Her doctor, her oldest, and just now her mother told her it was time. Sally called and made an appointment, and for the first time in a long while, she let hope surge through her and make her smile.

Joshua and Angel eat at a Brazilian steakhouse, this was the last night of their honeymoon. After dinner and checking on JC via vid chat with Sophie and Luke and having Sophie take a few pot shots at Joshua about having to stop inhaling her sister's face and come back to the real world made Angel smile. As they wave at JC on screen and close the call she looks over at her husband's playful look he'd held for their son that faded from his eyes the minute the call is closed. It was like a bad magic trick. She'd caught him staring off into space this morning. He'd looked at his phone and erased the feed as she'd joined him on the balcony. Whoever was texting him it was one-sided, he hadn't responded. Watching him now something was wrong. She would wholeheartedly admit that she sometimes had trouble reading people, but not Joshua, he was and is the one person that she did read well. Taking a sip of delicious wine, she watches him over the rim of her glass. "Wanna, talk?"

"Not right now, just eat and enjoy babe." Joshua moved his food around on his plate. He did miss his son, and had let himself have a great time. Tomorrow was the end of their honeymoon, the end of a magical time spent with his Angel. Time had proven him right in one of his thoughts about them. If you took a chance, sometimes you didn't fall on your face. He'd taken that chance and told her how he felt and proposed, and her telling him yes and how she felt about him still warmed him and made him feel like the luckiest man alive. Going back meant dealing with the stuff that he'd tried so desperately to leave in the review. He'd have to go back and deal with or not deal with his mother, among other things. Like the text message theater that he didn't or wouldn't dignify with a response. Alex was texting him and asked to meet up. He just kept it up talking about he was sorry he wasn't there and blah blah. Joshua just erased the messages there wasn't anything thing that man could say or do to have him meet with him. He'd sensed his mate before he even saw that she had come out on the patio this morning. She once more brought him out of his head. He'd been working on control of his facial expressions, since they were seated in a very posh place, but with Angel it's just like when they first met, she seemed to look right through his well-crafted bravado then and even now. Looking at his wife he looked down where her hand rubs the back of his hand and noticed for the first time that he's bent the dessert fork. Gazing at him with a polite controlled smirk on her face. She was getting better about her face and eyes not giving her away but he saw it. It was brief, but she was worried. "Fuck" he silently swore at himself. His phone rang with Sally's ringtone. He was thankful they were in a private room, having people stare at him because of his operatic song choice for her ringtone was funny at times right now he wasn't in the mood. He looked at it and hit ignore anyway, putting it back on his belt clip. He couldn't turn it off he'd be damned if he'd risk his wife's safety just to avoid his mother. They finish dessert, she finishes her wine, he wasn't drinking because he was driving, and they head back to the house on the lake.

Over at Luke's home, after taking Sophie and JC to a Disney on Ice performance, he'd asked if they could come back to his place. Sophie had thought that JC would be disruptive and had said he was too young at almost 3 months. Luke shared with her that his parents did this type of thing for him as an infant and he just wanted to see if it was still a good practice. Sophie accused him of trying to turn them all in to a case study. Luke says as he takes a seat on the sofa. "Life is happening whether you pay attention to it or not, I just prefer to pay attention and learn from the experience." JC had loved the bright colors and the music of the show piped into their private box made him smile and giggle. Those brief amusements of his soon to be nephew were contagious because with every enjoyment that JC experienced it was written all over Sophie's face as well mirrored his own joy at seeing her smile.

Outside Luke's home a car pulled up and sat watching, and waiting. The sister Sophie Ivey and her man had the kid, the driver knew that from the tabloid that had proudly posted the picture that was taken yesterday outside of Ivey Enterprises. The magazine was now under fire from one of Ivey's legal groups that said the picture of baby Jonathon-Chase Davenport would cost that magazine a lot more than it cost them to pay the photographer. Chase Ivey had set up the media block with threat of lawsuit if any image of his grandchild was published without the consent of the family from the time the kid was born. The magazine gave up its source very quickly and claimed that a member of the family had given permission. The driver wondered if his interest in the child would be seen in the same light. He had money but money could not prolong his life. A car pulls up behind him and flashes it red and blues at him. The driver starts his car and drives out of the housing development. He didn't have a lot of time, and fighting with feds wasn't in his best interest. Those weren't local cops that pulled behind him, that he knew. His passenger asked him lots of stupid questions and it was irritating the fuck out of him. But the kid came with great praise from his boss so he would have to deal with it.

Logan left Tracy's apartment and got into his truck. Leaving Glenny with his friend and her son had become a little easier it was necessity, he would not introduce his child to a woman that ached so much to be a mother again, no matter how he felt about her until he could trust that Mia would not lose her shit like Megan did to his child. Logan knew that Megan and Mia on the surface were different in many ways, but just like he stood there watching his wife lose touch with reality on that screen as she pulled a pregnant woman off her feet, or the video from their home where her replacement children as Megan had called Janet and his son, didn't do or act as she thought they should and she hurt them, she'd hurt them all in one way or another. The hard truth was the family just didn't know the lines to the script running in his wife's head that would have kept them all safe. The shock of those images would never let him forget just how fragile the psyche is. Mia had a child, her fertility wasn't an issue, but that child was God only knew where, and not with her. Tracy said that Mia didn't give her any warning bells and that it might be ok. Logan had clamped his mouth shut to not hurt his friend's feelings by telling her that Megan tricked them all for years so telling him that on a few double dates in the sunshine convinced her that a person she'd just met was ok didn't hold much weight. He'd spoke to Homer, not just about Kevin he'd asked a favor of him. Homer had told him he'd do what he could. Logan picked up Mia, greeting her with a dozen real white roses. They headed to dinner and danced to a live band at The Davenport.

Mia sat in a booth with Logan after their second time up on the dance floor. Where Logan looked lumbering in some dances he really could move in others. Slow dancing with him was her favorite part. She'd tuck her head under his chin, on his chest and they would move with the fluidity of water across the floor. Remembering that tonight was supposed to be another double date after the slow song ended, Mia looked up at him and says "did your friends not want to come out tonight?"

"My friend has had some stuff happen to him and he's really not in the mood to come out and party," Mia says she hoped his friend felt better whatever was going on and that maybe they'd meet up some other time. They speak of another date she invited him and his son up to her place with the promise of a home-cooked meal. Logan froze. He went with a partial truth. "Um he's a really picky eater, and I'd hate for you to go to all that trouble." She says on a laugh she could make homemade pizza, she knew it wasn't as romantic as fixing $200.00 steak dinner but kids loved her cooking. He would take a more direct approach. "Look, Mia, we have only been going out for a few weeks now. I'm just not ready for you to meet my son." They head back to their table.

They sit and she drinks, she wondered why he'd froze when she mentioned his son. Nothing in the brief research she uncovered revealed any disability visible or otherwise. His son was younger than her son. She heard the little boy in the background while they spoke on the phone many times and he didn't sound like words were a problem for him. She was now concerned. What stopped his movement when she asked? He was the first guy that she dated since her baby's father that she trusted. "Logan, can I ask you a question?" He sighs and says sure. "Are you hiding him because he has something like a disability or something I don't judge I just want to know ahead of time what to expect." Logan's eyes flashed with anger as color crept up his face, though his tone was calm as he told her that his son was fine and that they should leave this topic alone. "O..ok sure" Mia sat down her drink, she wanted to be clear-headed as possible. She'd never seen him this pissed off. Wasn't it the dark haired beautiful men that were passionate, you had to watch out for when they got riled at you? He was driving her home tonight, she did hope he calmed down before they left. She tried to think of something, anything else to say, but she had really stuck her foot in her mouth. He offered to take her home. She would not apologize that never helped in her past. She picked up her drink and took smaller sips. She was not getting in his truck with him until his color went back to some shade of normal. She launched into the only topic her mind would let come out of her mouth without stuttering. She hyped up her most polite smile and dived into a safe topic. "I got a chance to work on an 86 Corvette today." She would keep talking about work. Talking about them was scary right now because she didn't know what other trigger or catches there were and didn't want to find out a town away from home at night. After what seemed an eternity his color seemed to calm and he no longer sat at attention in his seat. The damn club was closing soon. They get in his truck and head towards Pyramid. He spoke of another date. It was her turn to freeze. She bites her bottom lip in worried thought. "Say something damn you" her mind screamed at her. If she didn't stop, she'd soon be missing lipstick and it didn't taste that great mixed with her Sherly Temple. "Of course." He asked her did she have any place that she wanted to go or see. Other than her home safely tonight she had nothing. Logan cut on the radio to drive out the silence that sat in the truck cab with them.

They pull to a red light and Logan looks over thinking that maybe Mia had fallen asleep. What he saw was worse she sat as still as stone watching him in the reflection of the passenger side window's glass. He knew she was watching him because Janet had pointed out that since the windows were so tented the reflection was clear on the inside with the dash lit up at night. He'd gauged Janet's mood a few times by looking but not looking. What did Mia see? He wondered. She slowly turns her head from the window when their eye met. She looks over at him and says green the light is green. Logan pulled through the light and over to the side of the road and asked, "are you, ok?" There came the smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Clearing her throat and looking around as the cars whipped past. She wished she hadn't said the light was green he would have figured it out sooner or later when the car behind him honked or something. "I'm fine just tired and have a lot on my mind." He says ok and pulls out and continues to drive. That was close, too close for her comfort. There was a worse scenario than being a town away in a bar, and that was being minutes away from home in a truck on the side of the road at night. He asked what was on her mind. She was out of shit to say. While waiting for him to calm down at the bar she'd prattled on for at least a half hour about work and gave a play by play of the tools needed for the job. The words were out before she could think of a different way to say it. "I'm just not ready to share that with you." The color drained from her own face as she realized what she had just said. Logan sped up. Holy fuck, fear punched her in the gut. She closed her eyes. "The speed limit is 25 because there are sharp curves." Opening her eyes when they didn't turn onto the path that would take her home she says, "Logan you missed my turn." He wasn't listening, she was so close to home and now she was moving farther away. Seeing him hit the signal for the opposite direction of her home ignited the words from her lips. Though she wanted to scream, it came out in a shaky high stage whisper "Stop the fucking truck." He pulled over and they were at the gas station near her house.

Looking at her pasty white complexion and her wild-eyed expression he asked "What's wrong with you? I was running out of gas and I was nowhere near the curvy road that takes you up to your place. I just sped up so I could get here before I ran out completely. My head has been in the clouds a lot lately with all the shit that has been going on. I'm sorry if I upset you. I'm going to go in here and buy some gas, did you want something, a soda maybe?" She shakes her head. Logan gets out the truck, and for some reason, he took his keys. That reason was realized when he got back to the truck he opened the door to throw his wallet in the center console, and Mia was gone. After he pumped his gas he got in his truck. His pride would not let him run after her like some idiot. He called Tracy. "Yeah, I'm on my way," Tracy asked what was wrong. Heat surged into his voice "Wrong, she flipped out and ran from me. I don't know, one while we are dancing and talking and… I'll call you back." Mia's last full sentence mirrored what he said about it not being time for her to meet Glenny. He'd got heated that she thought he was hiding Glenny because there was something wrong with him, and he told her that nothing was wrong with his son and they should drop the topic. He thought they had got past that. She'd said sure, which he assumed was an agreement to talk about something else. She'd been quiet for a minute, he'd asked her when she zoned out did she want him to take her home and she cut eye contact and her drink was the center of her world. She then seemed to reanimate herself and started talking about her job in detail. He hadn't yelled at her. Yeah, he'd been irritated but thought he'd masked it well. The fact that she took off in the middle of the night on foot said he didn't. Questions swirled in his head. He had to find her if for no other reason than to make sure she'd made it home safely.

Mia was almost home when she heard a siren beep at her. When she looked back it wasn't her that had caught the state cop's attention, it was Logan. She moved closer to the bush lined walkway that would take her up to her apartment complex door. When she saw Jerry get out of the car she hid in the bushes watching. If Jerry was the chief, why the fuck would he be alone driving a squad car near her house? Was this his not so subtle way of saying he was watching her again? Hell, had he even stopped? When Jerry drew his gun on Logan dread for Logan stole her breath as she stood frozen in the bushes. She could call the police, but what the fuck would she say? Hey, my ex the chief of the state police is holding my boyf… She'd ran from Logan, it was doubtful that they were still together. When Logan got out of the truck his eyes mirrored her fear. His dark hair cast an even bigger contrast with his now bone-white skin.

Logan watched the cop draw down on him. Turning off his truck and putting his hands in clear view on the wheel he says "Evening officer, or should I call you chief?" Jeromy was a good hundred pounds heavier than Logan and 5 inches taller. This was the guy that hurt Mia. The chief asked why he was here at night. "I was dropping by to see my girlfriend. She lives in an apartment around here." The chief says he noticed Logan had been drinking at the bar in Grandville South. So, the fucker had them tailed. "All I drank was Diet Coke. I must be on a piece of very expensive equipment tomorrow that deals with me being 15 feet in the air. Heights and hangovers don't mix well sir." The chief told him to step out of the truck. "All around viewing my voice only." The truck says in a female robotic voice, "Panic system engaged" The chief tells him to turn it off. "It's not a weapon sir, just a precaution." Jerry says that only the guilty are cautious. "No. You want me to get out of my vehicle which I will do. You also have had your firearm pointed at my head since you approached my turned off vehicle and have called for no back up. The only reason you would draw down on me is if you thought you were in danger of some kind. Am I under arrest sir?" The chief tells Logan not to play with him and to turn off the vehicle now. "The vehicle is turned off. The only thing running is the audio-visual system that is being streamed to Ivey Security. The keys are not even in the ignition sir and this isn't and auto start keyless vehicle." The chief pulls his door open tells him to get out. Logan gets out of the vehicle. With his gun still trained Jerry tells Logan he is under arrest. Logan asked, "what is the charge?" Logan's stomach clenched when the guy smiles at him and said since Logan looks shaky on his feet that he had reason to believe he was driving while intoxicated. The chief tells him to walk towards his squad car. Sweat pooled at the base of Logan's spine as he walked away from his truck. The chief told him to keep walking. The chief finally tells him to stop. Logan was at the back of the squad car. He would not be visible by his system back here, Is the mantra that ran though his head.

Jerry leans down and made sure Mia's new man felt the steel at his temple. "You see how easy it is for me to strip your power away boy? I warned you to turn off the system." Homer's nephew asked what he wanted. "You don't ask me questions you answer them." He then sees a vehicle approaching. "This isn't over."

Pyramid Officer Drew Morgan hated the panic system on cars, these days everyone thought everything was a reason to panic, as he drives up he sees why. Something wasn't right. Why was the plainclothes officer with chief tags was at the rear of the car holding the uncuffed suspect at gunpoint? He ran the plates on the big black truck and got out of the car after announcing his presence via flipping on his floodlights. "What seems to be the problem boys?" The chief puts his gun back on his belt and spins some tale about a drunk driver and says the guy had just passed a sobriety test. "Honest mistake I'm sure." The chief told the man he was free to go with a warning. Drew speaks to the man now identified as Logan Conner which matched the Connor Construction logo on the back of his windshield. "Son, when you renter your vehicle can you flip off your beacon, in a town this small you'll have the entire squad following you to the city limits." The man just nods as he walks back to his truck and pulls off. Turning back to the chief, Drew says "So you stopped him because you thought he was drunk, I must say holding him at gunpoint is some sobriety test. Glad to see he passed sir." Drew walked back to his car and got in, and stayed watching the state chief get back in his car and drive off in the opposite direction. Drew was on a task force that was tracking the dirty cop clan and he'd just met the head of it face to face. Drew hated dirty cops, they always made the news more than those that held the badge with respect.

After Logan gets back in his truck he turns off the panic beacon and drives towards the road that would take him up to Mia's apartment. For a time, he sat in the space marked for her floor's visitors. He'd got the Ivey Shield Panic system right after his entire crew got robbed in Houston a few years back. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he thinks of the fact that it had did its job, but not because a masked robber wanted his money and his tools, but because a cop wanted to at the very least intimidate him. The chief said this wasn't over. Looking at the time he'd wait and call his father tomorrow morning. He calls Tracy and asked was her keeping Glenny all night still on the table.

Tracy says "Yeah Tony and he are playing video games. Tony told me that hanging with Glenny gives him a legit reason to keep playing E rated games." Tracy smiled "Yon better watch out, the next time you play Glenny in Mario Kart he's getting quick. It's almost 10 so I get to be the party pooper soon and get them in bed. I missed so much of Tony's childhood and I'm just glad his adoptive parents are even willing to help me get him back." Logan says for her not to dwell, and that even if she didn't get back full custody which was doubtful, that she had the here and now with her child. "Is that what got you through the waiting process?" he just kind of grunted. They'd once been as close as siblings, but she'd nearly destroyed him when going after Megan because she'd told of Megan's abuse of them all and that had threatened Logan's side of the case. If the state had of taken Glenny from Logan, her friend would have never forgiven her. "Um Logan I better get off here we had sloppy joes and I want to make sure there's none on Glenny's clothing before putting him in the bed. See you in the morning."

Logan sighs and says, "Yeah, thanks Tracy." She asked was he alright. Logan says, "I'll talk to you when I come pick up Glenn Dale. Thanks again." As he is about to call Mia and see if she had got home safely his answer came before his finger hit her name on his phone. As she crossed to the door of her apartment building. She looked nervous as she slid her keycard in the slot. "Mia?" He didn't know what he expected her to do or say but it wasn't turning to his truck and asking him to please come up to her place. The words were out before he could stop them. "Are you sure?" She says surer about that, than she is hanging out down here on street level right now. That gave him yet another question to ask her, but if she was inviting him up to her home it could wait till they were both in the remote safety her secured apartment provided. He nods, gets out, locks his truck, sets the alarm, and walks into the building behind her. As the doors of the elevator closed he watched her watch him in the shiny finish of the interior of the cable car. As he was about to speak, she kissed him and for an instant he'd let go of all the questions and concerns and just lived in this moment kissing her back with the same avaricious need, smelling her scent, tasting her, listening to and savoring the little moans of pleasure she made. The door opens, and she pulls away. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket pulling it away from his person. He was harder than steel by the time they entered her apartment.

Authors Note: I will try to get another chapter up soon. With this being the holiday season, I got swamped with work and life as most of us do around this time of year. I want to thank my readers you guys and girls are the best. Story question: As for Mark, will his newest travel Manager stay, or will she go? Do you think Sally deserves another chance or should Joshua cut his loses? What will come of Logan and Mia will they be able to move on with their lives together? I would really love to hear your thoughts. Please read and review. :End Note