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.

50. Chapter 50 We all Fall Down

Chapter 50 We all Fall Down

Back at Ivey Mansion inside the bedroom Candy stayed in, Bradley is brought out of sleep by his work phone ringing with Logan's number. Candy rolls over in her sleep and hands him his phone. "Sorry, thanks babe." Looking at the screen it was 7 in the morning. "Hey Lo" Logan asked him if he could go to a site for him not to do anything he still was restricted from doing, but just to keep the crew moving. "What, oh ok. Everything ok?" Logan was not the kind of boss to not show up at work unless there was a major problem.

Logan walks out onto the patio of his home. Mia didn't feel safe in her apartment with her family knowing where she lived, and though she was able to bring Ethan home, the counseling officer warned her that he may try to run away back to the family he knows. Trust issues with her family had understandably doubled by the end of last night. Mia didn't want her mother or her sister seeing Ethan since they had given her such shit about her keeping this case open. Logan was relieved that he did have a support system that he could trust. He speaks to his foreman and friend. "Truthfully, I'd rather be on site knocking down a wall or building a house right now. I just got off the phone with Paula, and she let me know that Glenny is having night terrors. If Nikki wasn't off on break I don't know what the hell I'd do. Mia is here with her son. It's was rough at times yesterday. There was just so much done. Her ex was taken into custody because he was one of the people that helped Mia's stepfather with the sale of his own child. All that grand standing, accusing, and abusing her and he was part of the reason their child was taken. I was worried about her being sick like Megan if I introduced her to Glenny, and fuck man, Mia wasn't the unstable one. That fucker sold his own child then made it look like the reasons he beat up her step-father was because she told him of the abuse within their relationship. Come to find out he was just after more of the cut of the sale. He beat her up and threatened her life and made her feel guilty for trusting her own damn family. I swear that man has secured himself a low rent part of hell when he dies. But yeah, I just need to be here with her right now. Like I said Bradley, no heavy lifting and if I get wind of you on a ladder you are going to hear from me. Thanks man." They close the call and Logan heads back into his home. With the chief behind federal bars Logan's place was a better fit for the situation since the system would tell him if Ethan tried a window or door in the dead of night. Also, they could sleep knowing that if Jerry got word out to send someone to mess with them Homer had arranged for a few trusted cops to hold a driving pattern near his home just in case the alarm was tripped.

Over at Luke's condo, Sophie and he lay in bed. He'd awakened to the sight and feel of his lover laying on him. She liked playing with the little chest hair he had. Their joke was his face and head stole most of his body hair. He takes her hand guiding it down his body showing her what she already knew she was doing to him. He then slides his hand down between her legs under her purple hip length nightie that looked so good against her skin and starts pleasuring her with his fingers. Feeling her tremble at his touch and hearing her breath pick up as she grinds herself on his hand drives his own arousal higher. He soon has her on her back and replaces his hand with his mouth. He loved watching her come apart. She gripped his hair which was one of his kinks guiding him where she wanted his mouth next. He loved when she topped from the bottom. Before long she tugs signaling that she wanted him inside her, so they could both ride the wave of pleasure together. After a mutual mind-blowing climax, they lay spooned together talking. Nuzzling his face in the hollow of her neck he mumbles "The next time we see each other like this we will be married." She asks him to tell her where he was taking them on their honeymoon. Chuckling softly, he says "Nice try. So far, my planning of surprising you hasn't failed, trust me you'll love every moment of it."

Sophie thinks to herself, he has a point. He had been full of surprises. He'd picked her up from work, something that he loved doing but because of their sometimes-conflicting schedules didn't get a lot of chances to do. He'd flown her out to West Palm Beach, Florida for dinner and then here to his place to continue what they started on the private Ivey Transit jet on their way back. Sophie's phone rings with an unregistered ringtone. Someone not in her contact listing was calling her. Groaning she answers the call. It was Julius's mother. The woman invited her again out for lunch. "I'm going to have to respectfully decline." The woman goes on and tells her that Julius missed her. "The feeling isn't mutual." The woman says but it was once. "True but not anymore." Luke uncurls from around her and heads into the bathroom naked. The woman says her son is falling apart at the seams and it's all Sophie's fault. "No, it sounds to me like whoever he blew his breath on this morning even if it was just his pillow is who he should consult because I'm not the doctor and I'm not responsible for his mental health." The woman calls her rude and hangs up. Sophie had given Julius many chances and he'd gave her in return a lot of emotional pain and some real trust issues to work through in therapy. Sophie used to get so defensive when her therapist called her bond with Julius a unrequited worship instead of a relationship, when everything hit the fan about the wedding she had a lot of big cries, but it was for the time wasted, and believing in him, more than the loss of him. She is finally secure and happy because she knows that Luke loves her just as much if not more than she him. He didn't just tell her with words his actions matched. Where they perfect no. Did they have stuff to work on sure, but they were worth it. Getting up she padded to the bathroom door in search of her lover.

Over at Ivey Mansion before Nikki and Glenny gets ready Nikki asked Logan if it was ok for her to take Glenny to The Grandville South Museum of Art and Science he'd asked who else was going. "Tracy, Tony, Janet, and Frank" Logan being Logan told her sure, and to be careful. "Will do thanks." Glenny and Janet were going to be so excited. Glenny loved seeing the robotic dinosaurs they even let the little kids ride the things. Janet pokes her head in and says she thinks she ready. "Um. What do you mean you think?" Janet comes into the den and something was different. "Ok I like the shirt and the jeans are nice." Then it hit her what was different. "Um, you know he's seen you in like the last couple of days, right?" Janet's smile falters as she asks too much. "Yeah. I mean he's no rocket scientist, but he would have to be dumber than dirt to think you sprouted what is it that a DD in less than a week?" Janet starts ripping tissue out of her bra. Running her hands through her hair she says she just wants him to like her. "I get it but sis he came to Chase's place to hang with us instead of play basketball with his new guy friends that he hangs with here. That is major. I won't say he likes you, but I can't see him not liking you. Besides the last thing you want is Tracy to say something to you because if I noticed I'm sure she would too."

Over at Tracy's place Tony stands in the full-length mirror in the bathroom flexing like on the posters that lined his room walls back home at his adoptive parent's home. His adoptive father had taught him how to lift weights. He could lift 250 pounds in a dead lift. His adopted father had given him an activity that made him feel strong. He knew fighting wasn't his thing his last fight with his birth father still gave him nightmares. But lifting weights made him feel strong not weak and scared. Hearing that metal clank together in a rhythm calmed his doubtful inner demons that usually took on the voice of Anthony. His therapist called them traumatic auditory illusions and said they would fade over time. Tony hoped so. Changing the direction of his thoughts he thought about what he was doing and stood up straight and really looked at him while not crouched down in a pose. He was thin, with a little muscle, his hair was longish, and he'd started growing facial hair. It grew in small spots over his lip. He shaved it off. With hair on his face he looked like his birth father Anthony. His adoptive father had taught him how to shave. He was going to see Janet today. The thought brought a smile to his face, not a good thing to do while shaving. He nicked himself "Fuck!" His mother asked what was wrong. "Nothing sorry." She hated when he cursed. Frank knocked on the door and asked was he sure he was ok. Tony pulls the door open and points to the wad of tissue that was keep his blood in his face and not on his undershirt. "Um, sure just tried to cut off my lip is all." He says on a nervous laugh. He finishes and dabs at his lip. Frank tells him a method to not nick himself. Tony nods and walks passed him. He wasn't telling Frank that he did it correctly and thought of a girl that he wasn't even sure was in to him and about cut off his top lip. Frank hung around a lot, he was his mom's dude. That worried Tony because Frank was a big son of a bitch. Bigger even than Anthony. Frank had never done anything to him he just kind of made him feel uncomfortable. Frank would ask every so often did he want to go camping or fishing. Tony would tell his mom to say no, because he just didn't want to be away from civilization with probably no way to call for help should he need it. He never told her the fear part, just that he didn't want to go fishing or camping. When Tony was in town his mom slept in the living room and gave him the bedroom. He changed clothes more than he ever had. He'd sprayed almost an entire bottle of cologne on multiple shirts. He wanted to smell good. He'd used the body wash that went with the cologne. He opened his mother's window and just looked out over the bar and across Cherry Lake. He also wanted to let in fresh air. If his mom walked into his cologne fog she'd choke herself out it was stinging his eyes. He finally decided on a shirt and jeans. They were going as a group. He didn't want the adults wondering why he was acting strange. Taking one more look at himself he went to comb his hair into a ponytail and then thought better of it. Janet liked hugging him, but she hugged Nikki too so maybe that was just her thing. When she hugged him his body reacted? Most of the time it was quick, and he was glad for that he didn't want to creep her out. What if she was still in some kind of "dudes are gross stage"? A lot of his female friends were in that stage or had passed it but where not into him, and he wasn't into them either. He called his adoptive father and asked him lots of questions about what to do if he so happen to like someone. After getting off the phone he felt better. Maybe his adoptive father was right maybe he should cool it and just see what happens. He got so excited at the prospect of seeing Janet that he'd kind of been thinking of this as a date. Kind of hard to date someone that don't know you like them his adoptive father said.

At Grandville North Airport Adina and a somber looking Gregory steps off the private plane and head towards the sign with their name on it. "I think I'll stay in the hotel until it's time to head to the island." Adina wasn't having it. She tells him he is to go to Luke's party and try to have a good time. She asked would he really be a no show at his newest friend's party? "Adina my love please this isn't the time or the place." They get into the car that was sent for them. Rising the window to separate them from the driver Adina turns in her seat and tells him he is worrying for nothing. "What if it's true? Then what?" She says then they will deal with it. His tone drops as he lowers his head in thought. "I just can't turn him away. I owe him so much."

Adina had dated many men on three different continents, Gregory Frost was a tall proud man that demanded attention when he stepped into a room. Standing at 6'4 with that midnight black hair and those piercing green eyes was her kryptonite. She was a public speaker that mastered three languages by the time she finished high school, the fact that his gaze had stolen her words while on stage one year after high school as she delivered a piece of poetry to her fellow college freshman was an incredible feat. After finding out who he was she'd asked her newest friend, and flat mate Sophie to help her check him out. The night before Sophie was to leave for one of her photo shoots in Paris. Adina would always remember Sophie power walking into their flat and handing her a full page of data about one Gregory Frost. When Sophie's tour was over after hearing how much she liked Gregory, Sophie had introduced them at a party and the rest was history. Now 4 years into their marriage he finds out that not only was his mother not dead. There was also a chance that the man that raised him from as far back as he could remember wasn't his father. He'd received a letter at his office that stated that she thought all these years that he had perished in the flood which was what Conrad Frost had told the authorities though he could never produce a body. Yes, there was a flood In the London burrow Gregory once lived in of Greenwich. The night of the flood that man that he called father locked her in the closet and had set the house on fire to collect her life insurance. The flood had put out the fire, but she'd nearly drowned when the closet caved in. When she saw days later while in hospital that her son had perished her mental health took a turn for the worse. It wasn't until she allegedly Adina would think it until a blood test was done when they returned after her friend's wedding. The woman allegedly learned of Gregory via one of his mayoral adds for Baltimore. They weren't rich they were comfortable, she could not see this woman making the entire thing up but where did that leave them with Conrad? Gregory was afraid to believe any of it though there was proof. If what was sent to him was true he may have been raised not by his father but by a man that tried to kill them both for money. Now Conrad had made some poor decisions late in life and had been staying at their mansion for about 2 months. Adina didn't want him there. But Gregory believed that Conrad was his old quickly turning senile father. Yes, Conrad was old, but she didn't believe that he was losing as much of his mind as he wanted them to believe. She suggested putting him a senior community and when Greg had taken his "father" to a nice community to look at Conrad had hit him in the face and ran off like a little kid. That night after dinner Gregory had retired to their bedroom suite of rooms early. Not ready for bed Adina had went to her drawing room to read. Conrad had surprised her with his presence, he had not knocked, or anything just waltzed in and told her if she ever tried to separate him from his son again she would be sorry. She told Gregory and he said that Conrad was rough around the edges, but he would talk to his father. Conrad denied that he went into the drawing room. When Greg showed him, the footage taken from the camera Conrad said he didn't remember going in. Where the audio that night was not engaged because Adina didn't like hearing the thing start up as she was reading or if she took a call. She had started engaging audio in all rooms. Their house staff would be there while they were away. Conrad had wanted to come with them. Thankfully Gregory had put his foot down and refused, and Conrad had asked him why Adina didn't like him. Gregory smoothed that bit away by saying they had made the flight arrangement months ago and had only RSVP'd for two.

Patrick leaves an office after speaking with Boy's real father. He didn't care what the news was saying Boy was responsible for killing his parents. He'd worked with Alex before to find out where the baby was. Alex told him since he was on the run to stay away from Boy. Anytime he saw his brother he wanted to walk up and deck him. but that would go against him being a free man. Boy had new security now and none of them would date him, so he could use them like he had the other lady that let him play dress up and get himself on that huge boat Boy and Angel got married on. Alex said that he would take care of everything. Alex had even paid him some money to do a few things. It was like working for his dad but getting paid for it, but Alex wasn't his pop. Patrick needed money and he could move product and get paid to save up and leave the country. That was Alex's plan. Patrick wondered how much he would need to save. Without his parents he felt lost. The only family he had left was Boy and Boy had probably arranged for his parents to be killed so the only family he had left probably wouldn't even think too hard about having him killed if he came to close. Boy had even said it while he was punching him at the wedding. Then there was the big Irishman that had attacked him when he went to Boy's house to get his wife and the money.

Benjamin Valentin heads towards the next location on his list, that fucker Deon had him making rookie runs. His aunt had screwed him. All her promises that he would be in charge and now that she still ran the family from behind bars she had her latest puppy as a puppet. Ben had bills to pay, and Deon the new Don, was messing up things that it took Ben a lifetime to build. He still owed The Wolf or the local Den member that had got him the loan he needed when he got laid off for attacking Joshua and Bradley Davenport he still had to get his house redone or his wife would be up his ass. His lawyer was useless he was at the end of the case load which meant that his court date was soon. Unfortunately for Ben, Bradley remembered him, Brad was supposed to die that fucking night. The bitch Jazz, Ben had been using to make his case solid against Brad had fallen apart. Getting bumped back down to detective was a major blow after his stupid lawyer got bounced for taking Joshua Davenport and his police department on as a client at the same time. He had played the part of the coming around loyal to Deon part well, they'd smoked together. The kid wasn't ready to lead a family in any sense of the word, let alone a mob family. He was still pinning over some chick that he met when he landed here. Ben was no doctor, but he saw that Deon had a few issues one was his massive intake of drugs. Deon's first meeting with the mayor as acting Don was like a puppet show. Ben did all the talking and Deon sat there and nodded his head a lot. The mayor was one of their highest paying clients. He had some dirty work to complete for Mayor Jackson which led to why he was so pissed in having to take smaller jobs. If the mayor had not of asked for him specifically, there is no telling who Deon would have given such a job to. He got his crew to plan this thing they had one shot of getting Jackson's orders met.

Deon sat in Henriette's desk and did his usual drugs and gave orders. He had made up his mind. Candy would not be going to trial on him he had power now and he could not let these trials mess him up. He had connections he didn't need or have before now. With the other cop Tanner getting busted and blabbing to the feds about his wife the female don she wasn't going anywhere soon, which was a good thing because then he could stay in this mansion and do all the things that he couldn't before. Standing he walks out on the balcony and hears talking. He was well guarded just like Angel. His new estate wasn't as big as Ivey Mansion, but he could change that. He got an idea from an underling of his and it was a perfect plan. Once he proved to Ben that he was the don they got along now. A car pulls up to his front gate and stops. He is radioed and told who was in the car. He'd invited the wrestler here not to fight but to work with him. Deon heads down stairs via the elevator in his bedroom to the den of the first floor. As the doors open he sees that Roman is standing with a beautiful mixed-race female at his side. "I see you don't move slow in getting over your lovers." Roman Reigns steps towards him. His men points guns at Roman's head telling him to step back. "Oh no, you don't want to beat my ass. Even if you do get a "Superman Punch" in it would be your last. I want you to work for me. At the end you get Candy. I'm married now so I'm afraid I'm off the market." Roman asked why he would want to help the person that was going to be named in a trial against him. "Who said there is going to be a trial? You want your trial to go away and I want mine to vanish as well. So, if you help me I will make sure there won't be enough accusers left to have the trails. Last time you failed and at the time I would have been saddened if you had been successful in killing my mate." Roman says he was never trying to actively kill her. "That's not what she will tearfully say when she gets on that stand in front of that jury. Want to keep your career and keep out of prison? Join me and I can help you as you help me. I want this over with quickly. Do we have a deal?" Roman looks at his woman and then back at Deon and says they have a deal. "Great, care for a party favor?" Deon holds up a bag of weed. The couple shrugs, sits, and smokes with him. Roman asked why the change of heart towards Candy. "She hurt me and with this plan I aim to hurt her back before she can take what I have to lose now that I have something to lose." Deon says waving his hand around the massive den. "When my trial comes up I want her quieter than a corpse." Roman says he would only go after Candy the Ivey chick wasn't his business. Deon bits down on a pill from his pocket shakes his head violently and swallows. "Oh, I have a plan for her as well. She thought I hurt her when I slammed her into her office window. When all the cards of my plan hit the floor and the smoke clears Angela Ivey Davenport and her family will wish that she killed me that day in Candy's home. My ex manager will learn his place, he turned Candy against me, if he gets in the way he can go too."

After their outing Janet and Tony are hanging out in the backyard of Ivey Mansion watching Glenny as he plays on the playset. Nikki was outside too but she kept to the porch and let them be as alone as possible. At the museum after Janet hugged Tony and they were walking around he'd been kind of quiet. He'd asked was she one of those girls that still thought of guys as gross. She said some are and some aren't just like there were gross girls out there. Janet had been mad thinking he was going to say she was too young for him or something. Tony laughed at that. Seeing him smile and laugh just made her smile too and melted some of the heat from her tone. Seeing that the topic had made her defensive he'd apologized and explained that he liked her but not like he liked Nikki. He said he liked Nikki as a one of the guys type of girl someone to talk sports shit to. He said that Janet was different. Janet could hardly believe what Tony had said to her, he told he liked her and she told him that she liked him too. He seemed surprised by that. He'd asked her out on a real date if she could or if she couldn't date yet then they could just go on outings like the one today until she could date. Janet asked him if he would be mad if she told her parents. She didn't want to get into a situation like Nikki had with Fred, where no one really knew about him until everything hit the fan and her friend was in a lake. He said Nikki had told him about the Fred guy and he wouldn't ever ask her to sneak out of her place and pushing her into a large body of water wasn't something he'd do to someone he liked especially if he had no clue whether she could swim or not. He lost some color but said he'd want her to tell who ever she wanted, because if she said yes, he wouldn't want to try being sneaky because getting caught could cost him more than his teeth with her father or stall or stop the proceedings with his mother being his full-time guardian again. She said she would like to be his girlfriend. He says then he guessed she had herself a boyfriend. She asked him was he telling her or asking her. He says he was asking of course and finished with he wasn't a total dummy. They both laugh at that he then hugs her, and they talk about going to Sophie's wedding together. Suddenly Glenny runs up and throws a big clump of mud at him hitting him in the face. Wiping it off Tony turns to Glenny who is standing there ready with another mud ball and says, "Hey, don't throw. Why you do that Glenny I thought were friends?"

Glenny had been listening to his Janet and his friend Tony talk. Janet was his Janet not Tony's. If Tony took his Janet away, then he can't see her anymore like when Uncle Mark wouldn't let her come back to her bedroom and Aunt Megan had been mad and scary and gave him Janet's room. He didn't want her room, he had just wanted his Janet. Glenny says, "My Janet." Glenny then tries to pull his Janet away from his friend by the bottom her shirt. Janet doesn't move, she wipes some mud off her shirt, pulls it out of his hand, and tells him that he is being a bad boy. Hot tears fill his eyes as he froze. A voice in his little head repeated that he'd been a bad boy, but it wasn't Janet's voice it was Megan's, Janet was mad at him her had on her angry face. He backed up, then turned and ran crying "I sorry, I not be bad boy no more." Nikki took off down the stairs from the porch and ran after him. He looked back, and Janet, Tony, and Nikki were after him. He had to hide, he had to hide. He ran towards the treelined big gate he could get through, he was little. He just knew if they caught him they would hurt him. He was a bad boy. He tries to squeeze himself through the gate. It was harder than he thought. They were coming he tried one more time and slipped through the gate and took off down the hill.

Angel was pulling into the backyard when she suddenly slammed on the breaks at the sight of Glenny unattended running towards her truck. He wasn't in the yard this was a street not a heavily used one since it just led to the back gate, but the agents patrolled it in cars. Checking on JC who was still sleeping in his car seat she jumps out and picks up Glenny who had tripped over his own feet when she got out before she picked him up he'd tried to run from her. "Hey whoa Glenny what's wrong?" Thinking that something was going on at the house she asked again. He looks terrified. He said he was a bad boy and they were going to get him. Hearing the gate open and seeing that Andrew had pulled up behind her she looks on as she rubs Glenny's back trying to calm him down. Andrew closed his cellphone and said that Glenny had got past his back-gate guard. Janet, Tony, and Nikki come running towards them. When Janet approaches she says that she isn't mad and tells Glenny he shouldn't have run off like that. Janet takes him in her arms and walks back into the yard. Angel gets back in her truck waits on the kids to renter the yard and then pulls in. Taking a breath as she watched the gate close behind her, all the adrenaline that had been pumping in her system a few minutes ago from seeing Glenny running towards the front end of her truck, slamming on the breaks, making sure she hadn't disturbed JC, catching Glenny before he could run off was ebbing her energy fast. She gets JC and carries him in the house saying over her shoulder she wanted to talk to whoever was supposed to be watching Glenny.

After speaking with Janet and Nikki Angel tells the girls that if they were going to continue watching Glenny they would have to stay inside because what happened today could not happen again, and with them out of town that service road was going to be patrolled a lot tonight. Nikki says that she should have been closer to the him and that it would not happen again. Candy came in and headed to her room to grab her owner's vest. The girls said hi to her and she didn't even say hi back. Nikki asked Angel if maybe she done something to upset Candy. "Honey, I doubt she even heard you girls ok don't worry about it." Angel walks off and texts Candy telling her she didn't have to be rude to the girls.

Candy soon comes out of her room and says hi to Nikki and Janet and says she had to run or she would be late for her shift. Angel headed upstairs she didn't need any petty crap. Sophie was due home any minute for her bridal shower and Angel was glad Candy wouldn't be here when Sophie got home. Since her bridal shower worked so well in involving the girls Sophie had agreed to one as well. This also let Sophie's professional staff members that wanted to come out and celebrate with her have a place to do that since they were not invited to the party or the wedding. Those two celebrations were for close friends and family only. The bridal shower would be at the Last Ride Bar and Grill, both Angel and Sophie didn't want strangers in the house anymore for parties even with the added lockable doors barring visitors from being able to roam the house. Angel nor Sophie wanted a repeat of what had happened with Dave, Roman's man, or Joshua's birth father, crashing Mark's birthday party.

Sophie heads from her office towards home when Adina calls her telling her that they were on their way to the hotel and then would meet her at Ivey Mansion. "Great my staff is almost as excited for me as I am for my bridal shower. It's really happening A." Adina says yes, it is and for Sophie not to get to knackered at her bridal shower this afternoon because tonight they were going to simply be taking over Vegas." No, I promise I'll be ready to get to my party on tonight. It will be one step closer to my wedding." Sophie gets home when she enters her room there is a bright purple suitcase on her bed. From the elegant writing on the card that set atop it she already knew that Luke the Surprise had struck again. As she opens it she can't believe that he'd found the outfit that she'd been wanting since the designer advertised it. After sending him a thank you text he sends back that she was welcome and for her to have fun. The matching shoes were beautiful.

The girls head out to The Last Ride Bar and Grill for her bridal shower. Mrs. Sheldon revealed that she had thought this gathering would at first fit in The Last Word Book Cafe, but after Angel showed her that the guest list superseded the 500 capacity of the bookstore they had to move it to the bar. The bar was still at capacity. and the it held 200 more than the Café would have. Andrew had said he'd have to start turning people away soon. They play a few games. One of her head managers at her DC bookstore location makes a toast. Even members of the original headquarters wives showed up. Their cousin Deborah Naomi Cross came as well.

After the bridal shower, Janet and Nikki are taken back to Ivey Mansion along with Deborah who would not be old enough to get into any of the places lined up for the bachelorette party in Vegas. Sophie sat in the limo on the way to the airport looking around the interior of the car. She smiled at her sister, best friend, and mother -in-law to be. On the other side sat her father's mate, her leasing partners turned friends Paula and Tracy. In one year's time so much had changed. A month before Angel returned to Texas Sophie had been thinking about asking her to sale Ivey Mansion because it was just her in the huge estate with nothing but the house staff and all the things that dredged up memories of either her childhood or her relationship, and with all the crap that Sophia and Julius put her though she was ready, or thought she was ready to just move back to DC. She guessed she had more in common with her brother in law than she would ever admit. Months before Angel retuned, Joshua had been about to move to Manhattan to be closer to her even before they got together. Sophie had been thinking the same thing that DC wasn't that far away from Angel's condo. When Angel skipped Thanksgiving and Christmas the year before as Sophie sat at Ivey House in Florida with her mother and father and her mother lying about why her sister wasn't there just made Sophie want to avoid the holidays as well. Last year though hectic and drama filled at the very least she had her sister back. Now their house wasn't just a lonely museum of stuff. Their house was finally a home filled with their family that was ever growing. Angel and she had been updating the house room by room what once stood as a stage for her mother to impress the GSSEC now served as a brightly colored playroom for JC, and Paula's girls, and Glenny when they visited. One day her own children would join that growing list of kiddos at play time.

Adina watched her friend and says, "I take it you enjoyed your bridal shower?" Sophie spoke about seeing all her female business partners and staff come out in support of her getting married. She was surprised at how many people showed up. She goes on to speak about knowing that she is getting married this time, and how it had her glowing and almost speechless with elation. Sophie suddenly asks Adina to pinch her. "I will not, I spent hours waiting to get my nails done and on top of that you bruise too easily. Believe me sista it's real this time. I mean though I couldn't make it here in time the man threw you an engagement party." Angel says Luke also didn't run away when Adina went after him verbally. "He told you of that did he?" Angel suddenly becomes very interested in her phone screen.

Across town at The Davenport, Candy help set up the decorations for the guys first leg of Luke's party. Joshua had returned dressed to impress in his suit. "Wow, you look great." Joshua says thanks and heads into the sound booth in the private party room. Bradley walked in dressed up as well. Candy walks over and says that he looked yummy and kisses him. He returns the kiss. "Hey, you know you didn't have to dress up." Bradley says thanks for the complement and then goes on to say why wouldn't he dress up he was finally able to leave the state and party with his brother and friends. "Wait, you're not here to hang with me?"

"Ah, babe you were there when I opened the invite weeks ago." Candy says yeah but he'd said that he would hang with her. He points at her, "That's not fair, when you were going, I told you to have a good time. I never said that I didn't want to go. I wasn't sure I could. Then the stuff with Jazz and hell I'm still recovering from that ordeal. My probation is over. The new case was thrown out. If anything, I see this as not just a celebration for my friend but as a second chance." Candy says his probation was over when they let him out the first time. "No, it wasn't it was contingent on a few things one of them was no drug abuse. If this latest case had of went anywhere even though I stayed clean that doctor saying what she did about me overdosing, could have sent my ass right back to rehab or prison. In my original case the judge having a past with me got me out, but I'd still did the shit that I did to get sent in, so I was out on probation." Candy accused him of lying to everyone. "I didn't lie about shit. I was out on probation. Cassandra, mom, and dad knew and so did Joshua and Logan." Candy asked why he didn't tell her. "Thankfully my probation ended shortly after the Grammys. We weren't a couple then so why would I just spew that information at my brother's best friend? The only reason Sophie knew was because I called her to get the projected length of the boat trip for the wedding, so I could tell my PO. She asked why, and I told her. The uncertainty I felt asking my probation officer to allow me to be a part of my brother's wedding. or having to walk off my work site as the foreman just to get drug tested. I'm finally in every sense of the word a free man." Candy says, she doesn't want him to go but he was a grown free man and could do what he wanted. "So as long as it would have been you leaving for the plane to go to Vegas after your shift tonight you were fine with me going if I could. If I couldn't go and you could would you have left?" Her hesitation before she answered no just pissed him off more." Look if you are going to start lying to me, this conversation is over." She tells him she was concerned about him going not because she wasn't going but because trouble seemed to follow him so all she would say is for him to try to stay out of trouble this time and walks off. Bradley shakes his head there was so much the old Bradley would have told her including go fuck herself, but he wasn't going to let her pettiness spoil his mood.

Candy headed to the bar, mumbling to herself she looks up and Larry is standing there at the bar watching her. "Are you okay Miss R?" She says she is just batting a thousand in the friend and relationship department. "Oh well" Larry rubs his bald head and says, "Um if you were serious about giving me the rest of night off, I was going to leave now if that's still ok?" She says he could go. "Thanks ma'am."

It would just be Candy and Vash as the two owners tonight. He would be in soon after 11pm and would mostly be catering to Luke's party in the private room until they left at 2. An older guy that looks familiar, but Candy couldn't pin point where she knew the guy from. He orders his food and moves away to sit in the back of the bar at a booth alone. Candy sent his food and the waitress thanked her saying that the guy had paid for his food and asked to start a tab for his drinks and gave her a huge tip. She was one of the newest waitress that Candy had personally hired. She was a hard worker. She comes to the bar talking about how those doctors and business men in the private party tipped well and even better when she flirted with them. Candy asked her waitress did she recognize the gentleman sitting over at the back of the bar. The girl looks over and says it was the husband of that woman that got pitched from the wrestling school downtown councilman something or rather that was in the news. Candy looks back at the guy or where he'd been sitting the next thing she knew he was being tossed out the bar by a very angry Bobby. Bobby soon stalks to the bar and throws the access badge that the staff needed to enter Luke's party room on the bar. He then growls for her to keep tabs on her badges or he'd shut this fucking place down.

Inside the private party where Luke's coworkers would come to congratulate him and have a drink was going well. The after party as Joshua was calling it was in Vegas. This was the most public he would allow his staff and even partners to get to him in a non-medical setting. They would not be at his wedding. Luke had even hired more security he wasn't taking any chances on one of these fine guys following him to closely. He trusted a guy other than family for years and hadn't seen the writing on the wall. Hell, Sophie had pointed out his "friend's" knack for putting him down or trying to make him feel like shit for the success he's built within minutes of spending any length of time in Trent's presence. Shaking his head, Luke thinks of something other than Dr. Shelly's betrayal. He refocuses on the here and now most of his leader staff had shown up they played darts and cracked on him, and he got in a few jokes on his staff. His head of neuroscience for three locations showed up and teased him saying that he was finally getting married to someone that could make him take a day off occasionally. Luke shrugs, smirks, and says "When you right your right she can be very persuasive." Suddenly Luke is pulled backwards and into a hug it was his uncle Edmond. Edmond coming was a huge great surprise. Edmond tapped his face lightly and told him congratulations. A motion near the door caught Luke's eye as he turned his head Rapture was standing over talking to Joshua when some guy ran in and started shouting at Rapture. When he reached for his waist Bobby pinned him quickly to the floor then hauled him up and out of the room. Another agent walked out and soon Bobby retuned asked Rapture a few questions and then said something to one of his agent's the agent left. Luke moves over and asked "what the hell was that about?" Rapture sits with his back against the wall and said that was Denary's husband the councilman Clark. Luke asked how he got in here. Joshua angrily says he must have got a hold of a staff badge. He then storms out of the room. Bradley gets up and follows him.

Joshua marches to the bar and leans over waving at Candy. She walks over and says Bobby already let her know. She quickly explains that the guy snagged the waitress's access key when she gave him his massive order of food and that she didn't notice until the badge was thrown back on the bar by Bobby. Candy looks at Bradley and says she's sorry for any trouble that was caused. Bradley says nothing and walks back in the private room slamming the door behind him. Joshua looks from the door back at Candy. Trying to keep a lid on his own fuse, he knew that a lot of it had to do with what Bobby told him the guy's intention was. Joshua asked, "Did you send the guy in there by mistake?" He points to the list, that had all the check marks done except one. Candy looks offended, gets defensive and loud as she says no she didn't send anyone in to the party that wasn't supposed to be there. Joshua grips the bar and tells her "lower your voice because I wasn't screaming at you." She explains on how she had words with Bradley and didn't want him thinking the same shit that she had anything to do with whoever that guy was. "First off your issues with Bradley none of my business. Secondly, that guy was the husband of the woman that had Rapture beat to within an inch of his life and if it wasn't for Bobby being near the guy and being quicker than the asshole the dude could have started shooting in there." Candy looks surprised says she didn't see a gun. Joshua gives her a look of irritation. He then asked her "Can you see mine?" She shakes her head no. Joshua tells her that the party was nearly over in there and that they would be exiting through the private exit and asked her to try a little harder to keep the public out of their private rooms please. Candy curls her lips and says sure. Joshua leans further over the bar and says. "Pack up the attitude shove it back in your pocket If I can talk to you with respect, I expect the same."

Vash enters from the gated parking area to see Candy speaking to Joshua he waves at Joshua as he passes, Joshua stops thanks him for coming. "I know you wanted at least one owner here with you and Candy heading out of town me and Larry will handle this shift." Joshua looks at Candy. Candy speaks up and says she let Larry go home since she would not be leaving tonight. Joshua says he had to go but thanks them and turns around and heads back into the private hall that lead to the party room. Vash heads back to his office to sign in then returns asking Candy why some of the footage was missing. She explains about what went down just before he got here. Vash makes a face and says well then it was good that Bobby was there and left it at that. Hours later he goes to check on the party and see if the room was empty since the party was scheduled to end soon. Being in that limo with Candy telling Angel off still kind of rubbed him the wrong way, but he tried his best to keep his mind on his own damn business.

Over in Vegas Angel and the girls head to one of the popular clubs. Sophie plays a few games and wins some nice prizes. Adina seemed distracted. Sophie pulled her girl aside. "Hey are you okay? Don't tell me nothing's wrong I just saw you pass up a whisky sour." Adina says she didn't want to say anything right now, but she'd just got a call from the head of her house staff that Gregory's father had one of his "episodes" and she really wanted that man out of her home. "Okay, I'm confused, why is Gregory's father living with you again?" Adina tries to once more evade the question and tried a redirect that failed saying she didn't want to unload on one of Sophie's biggest days. Sophie smiles at her friend, she'd did her share of unloading on Adina and Gregory when Julius left to find himself. "See that redirect attempt though heartfelt, is why I'm glad we don't meet up in court. Nice redirect, but no really if you want to get it out we do have private rooms. I'd rather you get it out it now than have a meltdown at my wedding." Adina hugs are friend and accepts the offer to go into one of the private rooms. Sophie saw a side of Adina Frost that hadn't been present since final exams in their senior year of college. Jonathon would say that her friend's learned polish cracked and faded into the background of her outer persona. Sophie hated to see the anxious uncertainty charging to the foreground. In 20 minutes flat, Adina in quick bursts of French and English told her everything.

Adina fidgeted just thinking of the situation. She stopped her habitual finger tapping and the look on Sophie's face said a lot without her even having to say a word. "Sophie I'm at my wits end. That man scares the entire shite right out of me, and I'm honestly afraid to push too hard anymore for Gregory to send him away. Gregory is becoming reclusive as it is. If what that woman wrote is true Conrad coming to our home could be a calculated affair. His last "episode" my house manger's word not mine, involved Conrad being caught in my office this morning after we departed. He claimed to not remember that he'd wandered in. We have the exclusive package of Ivey Supervisor Platinum Defender he didn't wander in." Taking a shaky breath and accepting a whisky sour Adina continues. "He must have seen me putting in the code because that is the only way he would have been able to remain in my home office without getting stunned. They sent me the video he was in my desk trying to access my computer. I feel violated." Tears streamed down her face and she dabbed at them. "I am upgrading the system to the card entry, I can't have that man in my work space when I'm not there. I don't know what he was trying to get at but what if he wants something from us other that a roof over his head? If what the woman's letter said was true we could both very well be in danger. I'm fucking terrified to return to my own home. We live on a hill if he set our home on fire we would not be saved by a flood." Sophie tells her to stop. She then takes Adina through a breathing exercise. "I'm sorry with him threatening me though he didn't say what he'd do I guess my mind is just in turbo speed right now." Sophie hands her another tissue and a bottle of water. Adina takes the offered water and drinks greedily. Sophie says she might want the palm plate system since it can be built in to the wall since she knew how Adina felt about having hardware visible. Sophie also tells her that she would check with Bobby and see if he could investigate Conrad's past and see if he could expedite the process to identify the woman and her story. Adina looks alarmed she had never thought of asking for help. She was used to helping not getting help. "I don't want your brother, that you have recently found out about getting into trouble on my account. That is even if he would be willing to do anything. You said he recently got promoted the higher up in government you are the more you have to lose." Sophie let her finish and then asked as dead pan as possible was she finished. "I guess I am." Sophie then told her that she wasn't suggesting Robert or Bobby do anything but keep her friends safe and get to the bottom of this issue. "I would appreciate the help if he can. Now that you have let me vent all over you, shall we please return to your party? If my make-up wasn't waterproof I'd be in dire need of a powder room right now." Sophie hands her a compact mirror from her purse and Adina fixes her hair where she'd run her fingers through it. The heat for her emotional release was leaving her face as well. As she returns the mirror she looks up at her friend and says. "Better?" Sophie says yes, and they head back out into the larger room.

Sophie is sitting with Angel, and Cassandra, and Adina when a police officer walks up and taps her on the shoulder. She eyes Andrew who just shrugs. Andrew's words about being their close protection agent not a shield from the local law if they did anything illegal went through her mind. To her knowledge they hadn't broken any laws. He tells her she was under arrest. "What for?" Sophie was heated this shit was not happening. Keeping her outer appearance calm she repeats. "What am I being arrested for? Ella please call Luke. Angel call dad." As the officer has her stand up. He suddenly stops and says. He was going to need back up. Sophie said nothing but screamed in her head "FOR What I haven't done shit?" The officer suddenly bumps into her drops to the floor and rips off his shirt to the song that started blaring through the sound system "It's getting Hot in Here" After Sophie's heart climbed out of her feet she stood with mouth agape as the now half naked officer and a crew of men started a stripping showcase. They danced with her and gave her lots of opportunities to do shots with them and gave her air kisses. One of them included her in their final act, the next thing she knew she was in the air and as he swung her through his legs another guy that was just as yummy looking caught her and had her up on his shoulders as he shook his money maker. The girls were cheering the dismount was fun as she slid down his back. The guys then started dancing with the rest of the girls even Ella started dancing with a tall black guy that looked like he could be a double for a young Denzel Washington. The girls finally head back to their suite where they are given massages, on the stations that were set up while they were out of the room. Later as they sit in the roof top hot tub being served great wine and fruit. Sophie looks out over the Las Vegas skyline accentuated by the quarter moon that seemed to be smiling back at her and sighs.

Angel wades over and playfully bumps her. "So, I think we pulled an awesome celebration for you." Sophie says yeah until she thought she was going to jail for knocking over a cop with her butt. "I can't take the credit for that one, it was Ella's idea. I had no I idea she was such a wild one until we started planning this thing." Sophie says she had a blast. "I'm glad, you deserve it, and so much more sista."

Over on the other side of the Vegas skyline Luke and the guys party at a private club complete with video games. It was like an adult arcade merged with a Casino. Luke sat at a poker table and played with Joshua who had learned how to play while they were here last week, with Bradley, and Bobby. Luke was dusting them. Joshua says "For someone that Sophie claims has no poker face you seem to be fooling us pretty well. But that ends right about now." Luke looked up as Joshua stood and runs to the other side of the room and yells "lights". Blue lights start swirling via the track lighting in the room. The look on Luke's face was priceless, as exotic dancers start sliding down the poles that had descended with the lights. The band "Theory of a Deadman" starts playing their hit "Bad Girlfriend" as they rise out of the floor of the circular stage, girls dance around on the stage in the center of the room.

The next few days go by in a blur. Sophie is getting ready in the bride's cabin as Ella keeps calling it. The island was beautiful. Luke had an emergency surgery; his Uncle Edmond was rear-ended so hard he passed out behind the wheel on the way to retrieve his wife and children from the hotel and ended up hitting a tree. He was in bad shape. As Luke headed to Sheldon Center to try to save his uncle's life, something she knew he had to do, because just as his Caduceus tattoo on his chest, with the words "DOCTOR is Who I am Not what I DO" read if he didn't take the chance to save his uncle he'd never forgive himself, and though he was doing really well with his impulse control she didn't want Luke misdirecting that self-inflicted guilty anger and blaming her. Luke promised he would be here to watch her walk down the aisle towards him. Sophie's stomach was in knots. Old fears reared their ugly heads. She couldn't do this again. All the people she loved and cared for were here except her husband to be. If this didn't happen today it never would. Angel came in after asking was she invited. "Yeah" Sophie says as she looked in the mirror as the hairdresser put her hair up in the style she wanted. Angel hands her cell phone to her. "Who is it?" Angel says it's Luke. Sophie froze with her hand hovering over the phone. Taking it, she put it up to her ear. "Hello?" Luke speaks quickly as if he already knew what thoughts had been plaguing her ever since they got on separate planes at the hanger last night. He said he was a half hour away. Letting go a breath that she hadn't noticed she'd held she asked was his uncle ok. Luke says a lot of stuff that she didn't understand. She knew he wasn't doing it to be cruel he was still somewhat in doctor mode, when he was amped like this he spoke to everyone as if they were in his operating room. He always did this right after a procedure, and this one was about as personal as one could get. Slowing down he spoke in more words than Jargon to where she understood most of it. His uncle would miss the wedding, but Luke was able to stop the internal bleeding and got him in stable condition. Edmond would live barring no unforeseen changes. Luke made Sophie smile as he told her that Middlebrooks the only senior doctor that could pull rank on him signed him out of the system and said she would stay behind to monitor his uncle while he went to start married life. Sophie would be sending that woman a gift for lighting a fire under Luke's butt not to linger after he done all he could. They get off the phone when he says the plane was about to land.

Luke rushed past him and into the cabin. Joshua paced outside the groom's cabin Edmond had been driving his truck since it would have more seats and room for his wife and their three kids and their luggage. It gave Joshua chills that the truck hit a tree going 30 mph because of someone hitting it. He didn't have to tell Bobby because when the call went out Bobby came to the house before the news could splash the story of his highly recognizable truck being totaled. The impact from the truck hitting his truck triggered the airbag which hit Edmond so hard it knocked him out which is how he lost control of the truck and hit the tree. The impact from the truck hitting the tree sent the steering wheel into the man's chest hard enough to stop his heart. If it wasn't for the fact that an off-duty med crew driver was jogging near where it happened started CPR and called the police. Edmond could have died at the scene. Joshua knocked. Luke said come and Joshua walks in he asked how Edmond was. Luke spoke as he got dressed then stopped and looked at him. "I'm glad Edmond is ok. Did they find the other vehicle?" Luke nodded. "Who was it?"

Luke looks back into the mirror. "I'm surprised Bobby didn't already tell you. Joshua I'm trying hard not to think too much about this. Look, just go back out there please." Joshua opened his mouth. Misplaced fury burned his eyes as Luke yelled "Damn, it I said please." Joshua backs out of the cabin. Another knock sounds at the door. "WHAT?" Lucas senior his father enters. Luke turns when their eyes meet in the mirror. "I could have lost him? Joshua's fucking brother tried to take apart of my fucking family." His father says soon Joshua will be a part of his "fucking?" family. A smile touched Luke's lips. Hearing his father curse was comical, it happened so rarely that when he did it he slowed down the offensive wording to where every syllable stood proud from his mouth. Add in the low timbre and the faint English accent, and you really couldn't not smile unless he was angry at you.

Lucas continued speaking to his son. As he approached and straightened his son's bow tie. "The young man that is now sitting outside isn't the person that deserves your anger." Luke says he knows but if Joshua had of just let Edmond order a car from Ivey transit. "Then what? He would have still missed your wedding. When the news traveled to his wife she went into labor. Now they are both in the hospital, and their children are here safe with your mother and myself. You've come so far, you yourself have admitted to almost destroying the bond between your to be brother in law and yourself. Don't surrender to the misplaced fear turned anger. That young man had nothing but good intentions when he offered his prized very secure vehicle to Edmond. Just as before your fear and inability to control things has rendered you vulnerable and angry. Your anger is misplaced if you are to be angry at anyone, be angry at the source, the driver that is still on the run, but to be angry at the man for the actions of his brother is insanity, it would be like Ella being angry at you if you could not have saved Edmond's life. You would not have been the one that killed him. Right now, is a time not for anger, for right this moment is a time to put this behind you. You've done all you could. You prevented your aunt from becoming a widow before her time. In mere moments you will embark on the doorstep of a wonderful journey. Let go of the fear and embrace the happiness of this moment, because son, once this moment passes, no matter how many pictures are taken to record it, it will never return." In the distance the musicians started warming up. "I'll see you out there." Lucas senior turns and heads to the door of the cabin.

Luke says "Father." His father turns mere inches from crossing the threshold "Thanks." His father tells him he is welcome and leaves. Luke puts on his cufflinks and heads to the door of the cabin. Turning he turns out the light and walks out into the sunny island scenic setup for his wedding. Joshua and Luke's father paid Conner Construction to work Logan's carpentry, and engineering, magic and the raised platform that lead to the arch at the end of the 60-foot aisle that faces the ocean under which they'd get married would then convert into a dance floor. Tables would raise from the floor and the seating that his family and close friends now set in would be repositioned at the flip of a switch after the wedding. The alter would side into the floor and resurface as the head table complete with seating. If the weather held up their reception would be on the 250 by 200-foot structure.

Luke walks up on the platform to the side of the alter where he and Joshua his best man would walk to their position in front of the alter. The bridesmaids and groomsmen head down the aisle to the instrumental of the song "A Thousand Years" Angel the matron of honor walks alone. The music changes Train's "Marry Me" is performed by Vitamin String Quartet as Sophie starts her walk down the aisle. Luke watches as she walks towards him in the dress that flattered her curves in a color that not only did she love but looked amazing against her skin. The closer she got the more his eyes teared up. His father was right at this moment, a moment that would never come again his lover was walking towards him. He saw the camera flashes and the red lights from video. But they would not be able to capture the raw emotions he felt at this moment.

Chase moved down the aisle alongside Sophie. His baby daughter was getting married. So many things had come to test their bond but, in the end, love won. He no longer thought of it as him losing a daughter as he had when Angel got married he thought of it as he began to think of Angel's as Jonathon and he walked her down the aisle. Just as Joshua held him as a father and he held Joshua as his son. He also even before this day held Luke as his son. Today's ceremony was to let the world know that his family was growing. Chase was at first afraid that Sophie would get hurt as she had with the entitled heir to his parent's fortune Julius. He'd never cared for the young man. At Sophia's birthday party Julius had flirted with most of the females in his age range. Angel's explosive exit from Sophia's birthday party spoke volumes to find out a year later that what he suspected was true, that the finely dressed filth that was called Julius had tried to aggressively pursue Angel with Sophie a room away sickened and angered him. So, from the engagement party he'd he been observant with Luke, and what he saw he approved of. Luke in public with Sophie was also Luke when he was away from her. As they stop at the alter Chase sees the love shining in Luke's eyes as he gazes at Sophie. Chase moves off to the side he thought of his conversation with his friend Lucas Sheldon Sr. What Lucas said was true, Chase wasn't losing anything he was gaining a son and his best friends as family.

As Sophie feels her father's hand withdraw from her back as she now stands in front of her lover, she notices the unshed tears in Luke's eyes along with the not so well-hidden emotion riding there. They'd had one hell of a trip to get to this point. "He is here" the little voice that started out by saying "It's him" when they first came back into contact with each other as two single adults. For once the little voice was right. Not only did Luke fit her life, he was now a major part of it. Some of the best parts. When it is time for them to light the unity candle they do so and then take their places back in front of their family and friends. Sophie recites her vows and ends with "So yes, I take you Lucas Sheldon Jr. to be the holder of my heart and the protector of our love." When Luke started speaking as he gazed into her eyes Sophie fought back tears at his words. He hadn't told her that he'd finished his vows.

It was Luke's turn to speak. "I want to start this by saying thank you. Sophie Elaine Ivey, thank you for showing me who I am. Since the day you walked into my office, in my heart I knew I'd never be the same. The minute I saw you when we were children I always felt immediately comfortable around you. Growing up I found out very quickly that, finding that is extremely rare. With your return to my life, you have magnified my strengths, and helped me even when I didn't think I needed help with my social weakness," there were a few laughs from the crowd. Luke continued "You have seen me at rock bottom, but you have also caught rare glimpses of my true potential. What amazes me the most, is that you love me almost as much as I love you. You love all of me, not just the public me, not just the private me but all of me. You taught me and continue to teach me how to be myself. You aren't just a part of my social life, you are my life, social and otherwise. You are my greatest wish come true. You get me, and don't seem to mind the journey along the way. So yes, I take you Sophie Elaine Ivey my marvelous, fascinating, fantastic woman as the holder of my heart, and protector of our love." The minister pronounces them man and wife and didn't have to tell Luke but once that he could kiss his bride. Luke stepped forward put his hands on each side of her face wiping away the tears and deeply and passionately kissed his beautiful bride.

Over at the Davenport's home Candy pulls up and sits out front for a time. Bradley and Joshua were at Sophie's wedding by now. She'd asked both to call her when they got there. But they must have forgot. Or at least she hoped that was why. Her phone rings. Thinking that maybe the guys were calling from a cabin phone she answers. It wasn't Joshua or Bradley. Shea was calling her. She really hadn't said much to her after talking to Rapture. She was in enough hot water with her real friends. Shea says she doesn't have much time to speak but she was calling to warn Candy that her ex the bass player wanted her dead and that Roman agreed. "If this is your way of letting me know that Roman is after me save you breath I know you and he are a package deal." Shae says It's not Roman that put the price on her head and for her to watch her mouth. Suddenly before Shae can finish a shot rang out over the line. Candy jumps at the loud noise, hangs up and drives off. She had to hide. Shae was probably dead or at the very least wounded. Roman had caught her talking and shot her. Deon was now paying Roman to kill her. Candy drives back up Cherry Hill, lets Frank see her ID to be let back through the gates of Ivey Mansion. She then gets out looks around and runs into the house into her room and shuts the door. She had to send word that whatever Shea was she was once a friend. Candy had run for cover, there wasn't anything she could do for Shae. It was stupid to think she could bring a defense necklace to a gun fight, but she couldn't hide and do nothing. She called Bobby the phone went straight to voice mail. She calls Joshua same thing. She calls Andrew and when he answers tersely, she quickly explained why she called him. He told her to call the police since he and most of their team were not on the continent right now. She hangs up and dials 911.

Roman walks Inside Prime Manor down in the basement. He went out to look for Candy but could not find her. Now Roman stands in the doorway to Shae's dungeon and can't believe his eyes. Shea lay strapped to their sex table with a hole in her head. Roman walks backwards up the stairs. Richard Prime, owner and operator of Prime Oil, and Shae's husband spoke and Roman jolted to a stop as he tried to back into the foyer.

Richard Prime holds the same gun he'd sent his cheating wife to hell with on her lover. "I see you just couldn't just do your job. Looks like you failed in protecting her. Oh, you covered every inch of her with your slimy seed. I suspected something was amiss when she wanted to go to WrestleMania. She'd never wanted to watch such brutality before. Imagine my surprise when I got an email telling me I should see this. I guess she liked it rough. Have a seat, this where you sit." Roman glared at him. "If you so much as breathe in my direction again I'll blow your fucking head off your mongrel body. Now, I said sit." Roman eases into a chair that was facing Richard. "Thought that place down there was a secret, did you? I know you're not the first, but you should take a positive away, you'll be her last." Roman says Richard wouldn't get away with this. "Oh, why because you have me being recorded I found all your little toys. You know I'm going to make a lot of money off her death. Let's drink to that." Roman eyes the glass on the table that was set there by the maid. The maid seemed unfazed that the owner of this house holding the bodyguard of this house at gunpoint. "I don't want to kill you, then I'd have to change things around and it would be less believable anyway."

Dean Ambrose walks in and tells Roman to just drink the shit. Roman's look of disbelief and anger was a prize well worth working to screw the leader of their group. "Yeah Roman drink with your third wheel here. You tried to have me roast in a trunk in a desert. Thought I wouldn't survive, and you didn't seem to care. Turnabout is fair play. I served you well for months risking my career because Roman needed me. That woman has nothing but her story and we all could do without the publicity, but you took it upon yourself to send armed men in search of my woman after having me put in a trunk. When I found out that the men worked for Shae my plan went in to affect that day. So, drink up my friend or this dude will seriously have to shoot you." Roman looks back at Richard then back at Dean. Roman says he wasn't cheating with Richard's wife. That Richard had it all wrong. Richard flips off the safety and asked him to say that again. The desperation in Roman's tone was music to Dean's ears. He says to Roman. "OH, I'm sure Dick here, wants to know the real reason you took this job. Go ahead Roman tell him. You notice he's not really all that upset about his "lover" being killed. The reason is he didn't love your wife, she was a part of a bigger picture. He needed some strong legal backing and was horny since he'd got his ex-girlfriend killed. The maid reenters the foyer and says that the police were here. Roman jumped to his feet and that is when Dean hit him with a taser. Roman's body tensed, and he hit the floor hard. Richard tells Dean to help him get Roman into position.

They pick Roman up and carry him downstairs he wasn't out but couldn't move. Dean had set him up. Shae was a dead rich woman and he was being positioned. He looked up at Dean. The feeling in his hand was coming back. Richard put the gun in his hand and Roman surprised the man by firing on Dean. Dean hits the floor and all hell breaks loose. Richard screams "help we down here." Roman surges to his feet aiming to wipe the smile off Richard's face for good It was too soon after getting zapped his legs give out and he face pants the sex table knocking himself out cold.

Back on Sheldon Island at the reception the groom and his groomsmen do a Greek inspired dance to the song "Zorba's Dance" in honor of his Greek heritage but more importantly to Luke it was a tribute to his uncle Edmond who wanted to do this dance and had taught him and the guys how to do it. At the end of the dance Luke throws a glass plate on the floor and stomps on it.

Ella who had been clapping along with the music, as she watches her husband and her son, and his friends dance jumps up and screams "ZORBA!" The guys leave the dance floor. Luke takes off his bow tie running his fingers through his hair, he kisses his wife. Yeah it sounded possessive, but he was hers just as much if not more so. After kissing her, Sophie, her bridesmaids and Angel walks across the dance floor. Sophie stands in front, and the girls stand behind her in an arrow formation. She nods at the DJ, and the song "Who Runs the World" by Beyoncé starts, the girls dance, and Janet, Deborah, and Nikki really get into to it, lip-syncing the entire song while dancing.

To give everyone a rest Angel walks up and takes the mic. She starts a few couples quiz games. At one point the only couple that was still standing was Ella and Lucas Sr. Ella tells Sophie that she was so happy that her son found his true love and wished them a mountain of everlasting love.

Chase walks up as the DJ announces that it is I time for the father and daughter dance. Chase steps up and holds out his hand Sophie takes it and they dance across the floor expertly with the grace born of much experience at father, daughter dances to "Something About the Way You Look Tonight". It didn't matter what part of the world her daddy was in he always made himself available to his girls, whether it be to come dance at a debutante function or watch her sister enter a million talent contests, or even just to watch Sophie strike out the opposing team in softball. Sophie was and always would be a daddy's girl. When her dad started singing the words in her ear, hearing the catch in his voice, brought tears to her eyes. At the close of the song he kisses her on the forehead and says, "congratulations sweetheart."

Ella waits until Sophie composes herself and returns to their table. Ella starts speaking "I picked our song because it is so true. From the day of your birth you lit my world and made my heart smile. If you have ever wondered why I refer to you as my only living child was because we tried and tried and just when we were about to give up. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. Your grandfather walked into the exam room and said his grandson was to be born soon. I asked how soon. When he said I was 6 months along your father nearly passed out I was stunned and afraid because I had felt no movement. From that day you started moving as if you were just waiting for you grandpa to find you. The day you were born even though there was nothing medically wrong with me I knew that you would be my only child and you have lit up my world from the moment you were born." Luke walks up, and his mother and he dance to the song "You Light Up my Life"

After Luke and Ella's dance is over Luke takes the mic and says "this song fits as our first dance song as man and wife for many reasons. When we were planning this, we listened to hundreds of songs and this one spoke to us both. It captures us as we are." "All of Me" by John Legend starts and Sophie and Luke dance their first of many dances as a married couple.

After a wonderful meal it is time to cut the cake. Sophie and Luke cut the cake. As Sophie puts the fork up to his lips he says yeah feed your man in a goofy voice. Sophie gets a grin on her face and before Luke registered what was happening he had cake in his face. Luke takes his finger sticks it in his mouth tastes the creamy icing and smirks. Sophie says he wouldn't dare. He says it taste almost as sweet as her. Then takes the small piece he cut for her and lifted it to her lips. She hesitates his smirks even further. He feeds her and doesn't get her back only because he had plans for tonight when he'd get to disrobe his bride.

Over at Logan's home, Mia and her son eat dinner. Logan had gone to work he'd been so good to let them stay here. Since neither of them knew how her son would interact with a smaller child his child had been staying with a family friend and his niece. The last few days had its challenges. Ethan had tried to run away and scared them into wakefulness. As they charged into the room it broke her heart that the noise had scared Ethan to the point he stood frozen with his hands covering his ears by the open window with tears in his eyes and pee running down his leg. Logan shut off the alarm and was able to speak to her son. Ethan admitted to snooping and heard when the state appointed child services social worker suggested that he return to his school. Her son had not heard Logan tell the woman that he would help Mia pay for home schooling. Mia couldn't believe it either. That was going to be a lot of money, but Logan was very adamant about not sending Ethan back into one of the places that lead to the situation he was in when they found him. Logan had spoken to the store owner and the man had dropped the charges for a reduced priced building inspection so that he could open another store site. Seeing Ethan watch them from across the room as he profusely apologized for wetting himself brought tears to her eyes and closed off her words. Logan was once again her hero as he spoke to Ethan in a calming tone and until Ethan stopped shaking. When Logan walked towards Ethan to help him get changed seeing the brief flinch when Logan got nearer told Mia that the couple that stole him had been abusing him. Later that night Logan lay in bed and confirmed it as she asked had he noticed. He told her yeah and that it pissed him off when adults wounded children so severely that it left non-visible scares as well as visible ones like the marks on Ethan's wrists and upper arms.

Logan entered the house Row ran and met him at the back door. He pets Row and walks in greets Mia and Ethan and headed into his den. He spoke to Glenny on the phone, hearing Glenn Dale tell him about carrying the huge pillow and not falling it made Logan smiles as he showered his son with praise for a job well done. Glenny told him he missed him. Logan speaks over the lump in his own throat. "I miss you too sport." This had been the longest they'd been apart since he was hospitalized. The memory of waking up in that bathroom unable to move still plagued his dreams. Seeing the markings on Ethan's wrist that matched his older one gave Logan a double shot of anger that the Gale couple would put handcuffs on that little boy anytime he was "bad" and lock him in his room handcuffed to his bed as he waited to be further disciplined. Logan was fighting transference because that was too close to the footage of how Carla tied Glenny to Row's dog house. Speaking to Ethan and earning that little guy's trust had not been easy and even now Logan knew that they still had a long road ahead of them. After Glenny returned to the states after Sophie's wedding he was going to pick up his boy. He missed his son so much it almost hurt him to say goodnight. When he gets up to go into eat with Mia and Ethan Mia was standing in the doorway. As they head back into the dining room they talk softly about him bring Glenny home. Mia stops before they enter the dining room and just hugs him tight. He put his face in her hair and tells her "I miss him so much right now. The only thing that has me grounded enough not to lose my mind is that I know he's with people that love him almost as much I do, and that they will keep him safe."

Outside Kevin was reinstated this morning as a detective by the new Chief of the state department Jerry was behind federal bars. He knew that his father had helped push that along with the evidence he'd started gathering at the request of Logan's father Butch. Kevin had started trying to get his life back in order again. His wife still wouldn't come home. His cousin still would not take his calls and if he showed up at a family event Logan either left or it was clear that he wasn't going to speak to him. Sitting out in front of Logan's place as part of the detail that was to stay in this area in case one of Miller's men decided to mess with his cousin. His uncle Butch was scared for his son you didn't hear it in his tone you saw in his eyes the day Jeromy went into a federal cage awaiting trial… Something caught his eye, but it was too late his driver's window shattered and a bullet entered his head Kevin slumped on the horn.

Hearing sirens in the distance, he hurried his steps to his car. Benjamin jogged away from the dying body of Kevin Kincaid. He'd walked up, with the silencer on his gun, and shot Kevin two times. One in the head, and one in the chest. He'd been busy tonight. The Mayor wanted there to be no member of the dirty cop clan or even any civilians breathing that could testify against Miller or him. Ben had the use of Deon's men and used them he did. He'd sent a car of men to Kevin's home. They would make it look like a burglary gone wrong, but Ben was sure that Kevin would have told his wife. He gets a call from his team that he wasn't pleased with. "What do you mean she's not there she has a small child where else can she be this time of night? Ok, enough babbling next target we'll try to find her when the sun comes up she can't hide forever." Ben drives the speed limit right past another one of the cops circling Logan Conner's neighborhood. He hears the call go out that an officer was down. He had to ditch this damn squad car. He pulls into a gas station gets out and walks away. These jobs if completed tonight would earn Ben 750,000 dollars a head. The list was of people that you would think are hard to get to. You would think. Mayor Jackson called it cleaning the streets. Ben called it what it was wet work. If the mayor paid him he wouldn't have to off the mayor. He had more work to do in this area but would wait until the cops disbursed. When Kevin had landed on the horn Ben wanted to push him off it, but he didn't want to take the risk of leaving his prints behind. Then he thought about one of the targets on his list and shrugged maybe hearing that horn would wake them and have them ready, or maybe it would terrify them in to statues because when he returned to this block he had a surprise for Logan Conner.

Inside the house Logan ordered Row away from the window. He was about to walk Row when he heard glass shattering and saw flashing light coming from the street and then the sound of a horn rang through the night air. He'd ducked back in the house and pulled Row back in with him. His heart was hammering a mile a minute. He'd saw on the afternoon news that the wife of Mr. Prime was killed by her jealous boyfriend Roman Reigns. Candy's ex was accused of not only killing the woman and injuring his coworker but also attempting to shoot Mr. Prime. This town was going to hell in a hand basket. No, Logan didn't live near Ivey Mansion, but he didn't live in a bad area or, so he thought. He engaged the alarm and had Row go inside the guest room where Ethan and Mia were sleeping. Row retuned to his side and whimpered at him. In a hushed tone Logan says, "Row guard now" and points back at the door of the bedroom. Row trotted into the room and Logan closed the door. If Miller had sent someone for him or Mia, he wouldn't go easily. Logan slips into his bedroom and get his own gun. He sends Mia a text telling her not to come out of the bedroom for fear that if the shit hit the fan he didn't want to shoot her or have her get hurt by whoever may be outside. He could still hear the horn's wail. Peeking out the window he noticed it was a police car a state police car. Something about it was very familiar. Realization hit, and he almost threw up. It was Kevin's car. He calls Homer and asks was Kevin back on the force yet. Homer told him yeah tonight in fact then asked why. Logan describes what he heard and explains that the horn had been going like this since the glass shattered. Homer went quiet then gets loud and says he sent his son to protect Logan and Mia and her child. Homer then asked Logan if he could see Kevin in the car. "No but it's dark and if they are still out there which I believe they are." Homer told him to stay put and that he was sending back up. Homer also tells him to call Butch because a call just went out near his home and he didn't want his brother rushing into possible danger. "I will as soon as we get off here." they get off the phone, and he calls his dad. "Dad I'm okay I don't know fully what is going on but." Logan explains what he heard and the fear of what might have happened to his cousin choked him. The not knowing was eating him alive. Yeah, he and Kevin had their issues, but he never wished any ill towards Kevin. Sirens can be heard as Logan's thoughts assault him he lapses into silence his father breaks his reverie and tells him not to hang up. "I won't."

Their first stop on their honeymoon vacation they would spend 3 days here in Quebec City, Quebec. After flying here on her father's private jet and taking in the beautiful scenery of the falls. They had a light snack and headed to their exclusive suite. Luke had taken her dress off to "Earned It" by The Weeknd, he'd programed into his list that played through the suite's sound system. She'd been just as eager to remove his clothing. After making love on every surface ending on the large super king-sized bed, the view out of their window of Quebec City at nightfall was beautiful, but her husband naked laying on the bed so at peace after a few rounds of sheet clawing sex was even more of a beautiful sight. She snuggled in the crook of his arm and let herself fall asleep content in his arms.

The next morning Sophie had received the results of her latest checkup via her private email. She'd been really tired this last couple of weeks, and since Luke hinted that they would be out of the country for most of their honeymoon Sophie wanted to make sure that she was ok. She just drunk him in visually. They had been trying with great regularity to get to this point. This explained a lot.

Luke cracked open an eye when he felt his wife's gaze on him as she lay on his chest. He runs his finger slightly over the friction mark from his kissing and sucking on her beautiful neck. "Something on your mind?" he says with a smirk thinking of the great time they had last night. She says yes but it's a bit of a surprise and leaves it at that. They head out and he takes her where ever she wants to shop. The hired car was almost full. When they return to the hotel they have the packages sent back to their home. They'd agreed that he would move into Ivey Mansion. His condo before Sophie only held his stuff. Every time he spent the night with Sophie he felt at home. So, it was the best choice. Truthfully, he wouldn't really miss his condo, he'd lease it through the Saving Grandville Foundation. On the last night of their stay in Canada he walked in from his workout and Sophie said she had something for him. When she hands him a picture frame that she'd claimed was bought for Joy's baby at a baby boutique, a smirk played over his features. Luke unwrapped the frame and read the results page that she'd had placed there. He looks up at his wife and his heart swelled with happiness. He'd been really upset about not getting her pregnant and missing her best fertile date due to him attacking Joshua and the back lash of those actions. Calculating when the baby was conceived in his head their makeup sex from that ordeal had indeed gained them a baby. She was three weeks pregnant. "We're going to have a baby." Luke grabs her kissing her. As he is picking her up to carry her back into the bedroom she reminds him that they have a plane to catch. "Right, yeah I knew that."

Heading towards Grandville South from Pittsburg, TX Angel, Joshua, Jonathon-Chase, Bradley and Cassandra return after spending an extra day on Luke's parent's island. This time Joshua had to keep telling himself that they were in an Ivey Transit limo. They'd just dropped off Mark, Paula, and the girls. Joshua remembers all to clearly the last time they were coming down this part of highway. Once again, the close protection team was behind them. Angel must have noticed where they were as well. She squeezes his hand and he squeezed back. He watched the camera's and looked out the window. JC was getting fussy Cassandra put her hand in JC's field of vision and he took her finger and tried to suck on it.

Cassandra noticed how quiet and anxiously observant Angel and Josh was getting. She knew even though Joshua fought to reclaim his normal routine some places would always raise his awareness. She says to Angel that it seemed like it was time for mommy to feed her baby. No, Cass hadn't been in the truck the day her siblings and her nephew came home from the Grammys when the cop pulled Joshua over and beat the fuck out of him in front of Angel but even months later Cass could see the fight within her brother and sister to remain calm. Angel feeds JC and he quiets down to eat. Cassandra scoots over telling Joshua and Angel that everything was going to be ok. That they were almost back to the house.

Joshua says he knows and that the further away from that exit ramp they got the easier it would be for him to relax. They soon pull into the gates of home after helping Angel get JC in the house, Joshua says he was going to head to the club. As he steps out and gets back in the Ivey Transit limo since right now Phil was waiting for his truck to be released so he could determine whether it could be repaired. Joshua was going to relieve Vash and Candy tonight. HIs phone rings. Whoever it was the person wasn't in his contact list. He answers and then goes quiet as the person speaks. When his words returned, and the shock subsided some. Joshua numbly says "I had nothing to do with that. You didn't do that for me. Or at my request. You didn't give a shit about me when I needed you never have and never will." Joshua takes the phone from his ear and pushes record the caller must have heard the thing activate because he hangs up. Joshua gets to the club and goes straight to his office. He logs in to the system and as he signs Candy out. She'd asked him to since she was finishing up the inventory in the freezer. She didn't have the huge attitude she had before he left for the rest of Luke's party, so he agreed and told her to head on out. Candy hesitates in his office doorway. Not hearing his door close and being on edge from the call he received he quickly turns around. "Did you want something else?" She was just standing there staring at him, her unyielding scrutiny was making him uncomfortable. Finally, she stopped standing there like a statue shook her head and walked out of the office.

Vash was heading out since Joshua was here and Larry was out front. He sees Candy she'd been quiet this past few days. Last night she'd stayed here all night. When he'd asked about it she'd said that she had stuff to catch up on and the time got away from her. He hated the shift in his thinking after the Deon stealing thing was revealed. He wanted to trust her, but her latest behavior and the fact that they all at one time trusted Deon and that had just given the fucker ample time and opportunity to steal from them. Vash logged in and cued her camera. Running it through fast forward she mostly sat in her office on the sofa curled around a pillow. Vash had done his share of avoiding homelife in his first marriage. "Hey, Candy can I talk to you for a second?"

Candy stops and looks back at Vash before continuing to look out the door to the gated parking area. It really sucked that she had so much on her mind and no one to talk to. Joshua looked amped about something and Vash hadn't said much to her since days ago while covering Luke's private party. "Sure." He spoke about her sleeping in her office. She would have tried for something better than her real reason but for what. "I did my shift and since we would get off so late I didn't feel comfortable going out there alone." Vash asked did she want him to walk her to her car. "No, I texted Bradley since he's back in the US now and he said he was on his way." Looking out and truly seeing the parking lot she noticed Joshua's truck wasn't here. Bradley gets out of an Ivey Transit car and walks in asking is she ready. "Yeah." He tells her she looks wiped. Candy shrugs and heads to her car. Making sure her alarm hadn't been tampered with, she gets in the passenger seat looks in the back seat. Bradley gets in the driver's seat and asked her what was up. There was so much emotional shit weighting on her, that at this moment she didn't care if the question was a casual one. She looked at her boyfriend and told him everything, how she was wrong about Shae and how Shae was now dead because of Roman who was in jail, and how Deon was now paying people to kill her and how she hadn't wanted to pull a disappearing act and not show up to the club for her shift, since she didn't need to give Joshua another reason to be pissed at her. She says the reason she probably looked wiped was because she only got 2 hours max of sleep in the last 48 hours because after she got here when it was time to go home that first night she couldn't talk herself into walking out the gated area to her car and risking Deon waiting for her again or hiring someone else to. Saying everything out loud instead of just being trapped in her own thoughts made her outwardly shake. Bradley puts his free arm around her pulling her close to him, as he drove through the gates of Ivey Mansion. Once again Candy didn't see Joshua's truck here either. "Where is the Titan?" Bradley says Patrick rammed it off the road into a tree the day of the wedding. No one had told her, Joshua had become so emotionally distant from her that he wouldn't even tell her something had happened. Bradley says that since she was home now and knew she was as safe as she could be that she should just try to get some sleep. She asked him to lay with her instead of going back home she continues with why she was sorry for being a bitch the night of the party and that she didn't want to lose him as she had probably lost his brother and sister. He agrees to lay with her but says they'd have to talk when she woke. "Fair enough."

When she admitted to why she been so rude at the bar Bradley had only partly got it right. She had been feeling low because her actions had caused her to be disinvited but when she said she was afraid of him leaving because he seemed to be distancing him himself. She had been afraid these last two days that she'd pushed him into Vegas looking for something else. He hadn't answered her phone calls because he hadn't switch over to Ivey Communications and his phone carrier would have charged him through the nose if he had of made or received calls while outside of the US. He was just getting his hours back he wasn't broke but, in a way, he was once again starting over. He hadn't been pushing her away, he had a lot on his mind, but she had not told him that is what she was thinking she had just caught a major attitude. Her trying to guilt him into not going to Luke's party triggered his own resistance to being manipulated. When he looked at her in sleep she lay there looking so small and tucked in on herself. Bradley pulled her close and without even waking she unfolded and laid on him.

The night Benjamin shot Kevin he'd tried to return to the block in another car. He watched as a surveillance van parked in Logan Conner's driveway. He'd been able to get the Ivey Shield switched to regular glass while Kevin was off on suspension Miller had helped with that, but the vans were incased in Ivey Shield protected glass and he hadn't had time to reverse that in the shop they used. Ben had got an update on Kevin from one of his inside dirty cop clan members that was earning enough not to want to rat out the mayor or the chief. Kevin was in critical condition but not fucking dead. He'd had on a vest, but the head shot was clean or, so Ben had thought, he'd seen blood. What worried Ben was that if Kevin made it he'd know who shot him. Now days later he still hadn't got Kevin's wife out of hiding. The last place he thought of was risky. He had to take a chance though. The mayor refused to pay for Kevin until Kevin breathed his last. The mayor paid for the other cops. Ben had made good on 3 other cops in the dirty cop clan, but greed was an incentive. His other big fish was back from vacation. Once again, he trolled the area. Some of the feds knew what he looked like on sight that was bad. He called his men and told them where this place was. A few of them balked at the idea of doing this guy. "You can ask your boss but all he is going to tell you is that on these jobs I'm in charge." His own wife called him. When Ben answered annoyed that he had to take the call he is not met with her nagging he is met with her crying. "Babe what's wrong?" She tells him that someone was in the house and had her at gunpoint. "Who is it?" She says she doesn't know but they say he owes them money. She begs him to pay them. He hears what sounded like skin hitting skin and she screams out in pain. Ben started the car and sped off towards his home. They had his wife the den had his wife. He calls the den member he got the loan from. Since he can hear his wife in the back ground he knows where the guy is. The guy tells him if he is stupid enough to try to send cops to his home his wife will end up in pieces and that it would be a shame since he'd just finished the great remodel of his living room. Ben's blood runs cold, a part of the Wolf den had his wife in his home at gunpoint and they weren't even cloaking the call which meant they weren't worried about getting caught. The guy asked did he have the 2.5 million which was what he borrowed plus the Wolf's interest rate. Ben said no but he could get a lot of it. Sal tells him then he may get a lot of his wife back if he didn't get the money to his house by midnight. Ben had no choice he had to go for the biggest fish to get the biggest pay off. He had to be smart about this. It was the middle of the fucking day. He couldn't believe he was going to attempt this but what choice did he have? He calls Deon and gets extra men. When he says who the target is Deon told him good luck. "Problem is, I don't need luck I need money." Deon told him he needed both.

Over at the grand opening of a Grandville North playground site that was rebuilt and brought up to date, Chase and Logan along with Bobby and his team are walking around the perimeter of the closed off area talking as they wait for Cassandra and her film crew to arrive since LEGNA and the Saving Grandville Foundation had partnered up to "save" this old run-down park. Logan and his company had pulled up the old broken playsets and had them either fixed or recycled. He'd added a pool that was donated by a company that he recently did some work for. Cassandra hopped out of her car and her cameramen followed. She looked down to turn on her mic and all hell broke loose. Gun shots rang out from a car that was on the street. Bobby yells down and knocks Chase to the ground covering him and yelling into his shirt com to neutralize the threat and gave the direction of the car. Hearing his men return fire and hearing, "depopulation successful" Bobby looks down at his dad and saw blood. "Pop? Are you ok?" Chase says no as he tries to catch his breath. Bobby calls for a med crew and to have this fucking site shut down for a 10-block radius with exception of a Sheldon Medical vehicle no one else was to get near his father. Bobby reaches for Chase's shirt looking for the source of the blood his dad grabbed his hand and points to the source of the blood. His dad wasn't bleeding he was. "Oh sh…." Upon him seeing that he was the one shot the pain hit Bobby's system like a sledge hammer and he passed out.

Being knocked to the ground had knocked the wind out of Chase but it was better that being offed. Not able to say much. Chase now was having trouble breathing for two reasons one his trip to the ground the fear that someone was trying to off him in a public place in broad daylight scared him he was trying not to panic seeing that his son was bleeding amped up his fear and anxiety 100-fold. Now his son was passed out on top of him pressing on his already sore ribs he couldn't catch his breath. As sounds start to get further away he hears Cassandra say something, she wasn't her usual loud self that alerted him to the fact that he must be passing out.

Cassandra was made to leave the area with her crew. She gets to her feet and sees Bobby laid out across Chase and Chase hassling for breath. She starts towards them "Holy shit there's blood. Bobby, Chase, she yells trying to draw their attention. An agent quickly pins her to the ground and demanded she leave the area while she was still free to do so he accused of her trying to get a hot story and how he'd put a stop to it one way or another. "I'm here as an invited guest, please don't hurt me. I'll leave." she says near hysteria. When the man removes the pressure from her back she gets up and power walks to her car. She hears her crew being pushed around and made to give up their film. As she sat in her car the agent pointed out of the park entrance. She looks in her rearview mirror as she has her phone call Josh. The call would not go through. She'd waited as long, as she dared and watched the men haul Bobby off of Chase. As she is turning out of the park a Sheldon Med vehicle nearly hits her. They both slam on their brakes. "One car crash is enough for me thank you very much." She says to no one as she tries not to freak out about getting shot at and now almost getting hit by a med truck. The med vehicle blares its siren at her, she hit reverse giving the larger vehicle room to make the turn. It whips past and she heads out of the area as to not be detained by federal officers for lingering. She was worried since he stopped yelling she hadn't seen movement from Bobby.

Logan was already battling his own demons, Kevin was in a coma because one of his own shot him right outside of Logan's home. Moments ago, when the shots started, Logan had immediately thought it was someone sent for him via Jerry. Either way whoever the target was someone had shot at or shot Chase and Bobby. He heard Bobby yelling into his shirt com then he'd gone quiet. When Logan looked up is when the STOP team told him he had to leave. Logan climbs to his feet when he is ordered to leave the area. "I rode here with Chase." He is told to go get back in the Ivey Transit limo and wait. "Yes sir" He pulls his phone to call Bradley since Cassandra was here too, but she'd left already or at least he didn't see her car anymore. One of the agents tells him if he points this phone in the direction of Chase Ivey the phone would get taken. So that told him the shooter was aiming for Chase. Logan tried to send a message it would not going through, he put his phone away and got in the limo. He watched as the agents lifted Bobby, off of Chase when Logan saw the blood, his thought that the shooter shot at them went down the tubes, one or both were shot. An agent tells the driver of the limo to take Logan out of this area. Logan watches as the med crew lift Bobby on to the stretcher. The driver asked him where he wanted to go. Knowing he would not be able to go keep an eye on Chase or Bobby he asked to be taken home.

After Candy wakes up she and Bradley have a real talk. Bradley then says that if she was serious about wanting to repair her friendship then it was going to take more that an empty apology and that he would help her but if she screwed him in the process he would not ever poke his nose in it again, because he had recently got a taste of how family life was done right, and he liked it. He tells her that he'd try to set up a meeting in a mutual place so that neither she nor they felt uncomfortable. He gave her some ground rules and based on some of the things she wanted to say he told her a better way to say them. Using more I instead of you because it would sound accusatory. He told her if she wasn't willing to follow the rules he couldn't help her. Candy agreed.

Bradley left the bedroom in search of Joshua and Angel. He'd listened to Candy and told her that he had to do something like this when he was going through rehab. Now that he had a better understanding of why he had to take those steps he wanted to try and help her repair her relationship. He prayed that this was it, that Candy wouldn't become a toxic friend. He'd rode the toxic train all during his teen years and throughout young adulthood the drugs were a part of it, the rest of it was how he felt about things he didn't even try to understand. It was like though he used the drugs to block out the way his peers treated him, after the nothingness of a strong high faded he was still met with the same shit he then shifted that same abusive and manipulative behavior on to his own family. He didn't want that for Candy. He loved her and didn't want to see her spiral. He walks into the kitchen and sits down with Joshua who was texting while drinking a cup of coffee. Joshua looks up at him and tucks his phone back on his belt clip. "Everything ok?" Josh says no but anyway what did Bradley want. Bradley starts with the reason he came to talk to him. Joshua gets up and says he doesn't have shit to say. "This isn't another apology fest well not the empty type. There are clearly some other things going on and that were going through Candy's head when she lashed out in that fashion." Joshua says yeah Candy had a mouth full of personal fire and spit it at his wife end of fucking story. "Joshua look at me I know your pissed off, but this thing needs to be resolved not just for Candy but for all of you. You guys are friends and you have said numerous times that you are in short supply of friends. Not just that before you jump down my throat, how is this going to get better if no effort is put into to it? Candy fucked up. I get it and I have spoken to her about it. Please, all I ask is that you do this to try to resolve it before it creates an even bigger wedge. Morning Angel." Angel comes down the stairs gives Joshua a kiss and moves over to the counter. She turns as Bradley asks her about a structured meeting to resolve the thing with Candy. Angel shrugs, sips her coffee, then says she heard Candy apologize before when she came to her office. After a few more comments Angel says fine because if this went south depending on how south, Candy would have to find someplace else to stay. Bradley didn't see it as Angel being mean he saw how this stress was getting to his little sister it was in her eyes and not only that, but it was in the way she non-verbally went on guard. Bradley really hoped this went well. They both agree to meet in the den. Usually the structure event would take place in a public setting, but Angel shut that down with very good reason, part of her hurt was because Candy did this in such a public way.

Bradley has them go into the den and then goes to speak to Candy. She walks in behind him. Bradley pulls up his program on his phone. He then says. "The Apology / Forgiveness exercise was built as a tool to resolve major conflict such as this. You guys know I'm not a counselor but lucky for you guys I had to take this course multiple times and I'm a better person for it. Candy number one say you are sorry." Candy looks at Angel and says she is so sorry. Before she can say anything more, Bradley stops her. "Angel Candy has prepared a list of what she believes is an inventory of how her behavior might have harmed you. Candy says that she embarrassed Angel in front of the band and accused her of being jealous. Bradley knew there was more to it, but he went with the instructions. "Okay Angel is that list complete? If not, can you please fill in the blanks, so Candy will have a complete account of the cost of her behavior." Angel says that Candy also brought her mother into the conversation and yeah, she was embarrassed because it was personal but where Candy has had years to deal with losing her mother. Angel herself has had months not even a full fucking year to accept all the shit that came with the fact that she shared most of it with Candy and Candy smirked when she saw that it had upset her. Angel says her damn nightmares are back stronger than ever. She says she felt very attacked for merely trying to keep a promise. She explained that Candy hurt more than her pride, and feelings, she hurt her trust.

Bradley looks at Candy and asked her did she have anything to say to that. Candy says she is sorry. She says she can't rewind time, and not say the things she said, but she is sorry that her action hurt her. Candy could see Angel has withdrawn into herself it was quite visible to everyone in the room. She looked over at Joshua who looked at her then looked at the sound that Angel was creating by rubbing her hand on her arm.

Joshua takes Angel's hand in his, she had started rubbing her arms something she hadn't done in months but had picked back up like riding a fucking bike. This was stressing his wife out just talking about it. With the nightmares came Angel's older coping habits for dealing with them. "Babe, do you need a minute?" Angel says no to keep going because she agreed to this. Joshua leans closer and whispers "Babe no one is going to be mad if you need to collect yourself please don't irritate your friction burn again." he uses the word that used to stop or slow down the frantic action. "Enough please." Bradley tells Angel there was no time limit if she needed a minute to please take it. Angel says ok and gets up. Joshua follows her into the kitchen. Angel stands at the sink looking out at nothing she splashes water on her face. She hated talking about any of this. Joshua hands her a towel, she takes it and wipes her face Joshua hugs her she tucks her head under his chin and just stands there with him for a minute. Angel comes back in shortly and sits even closer to Joshua if that was even possible. Bradley asks Candy to elaborate on how she felt about Angel's add-on to her list. Candy expressed her understating of exactly the cost of her words. Bradley then allows Angel to vent, elaborate, or reiterate as needed so that the Candy really feels heard. Bradley sighs and says "Candy this part is not easy and takes time and attention. You said you were sorry and you have listed the way in which you inflicted the pain of the conflict now I have to ask you to think before you speak and then answer why you did it?"

From the website Candy chose the best terms that would explain her behavior and words. "Thoughtlessness and a huge misplaced jealousy and at that moment it was a deliberate deed. Like you said Angel when I lashed out at you I kind of smirked because I just knew I won the argument. I didn't get what I set out for which pissed me off, because I like a damn fool wanted you to hang with me and see that I could have a friend that was just mine that I didn't have to worry about feeling inferior to" Angel opens her mouth. Candy put up a hand and continues "That's always been on me not on you. When you said that you didn't want to come, and that you think it wasn't a hot idea for me to hang with her after I saw how you looked at her in the hall. I get it now I really do but, in that moment, I was trying to prove to myself that I can have more friends. Joshua has a lot to do with it. The first night after our first show I asked Joshua if he wanted to hang out at one of the clubs like when we toured as Davenport Lighting, I was feeling nostalgic and he said no that you were not feeling leaving the hotel. I wasn't meaning for you to come but he shot it down like I didn't even matter. Cass and Rap agreed to hang with me and it was fine, but it was lacking your goofy self. I met Shae who called me Rockstar and treated me like she was a fan, that wanted to be a friend." Angel harrumphed at the latter part of her statement. Joshua's eyes flashed with anger, as he opens his mouth Bradley asks him to let her finish and then he would have time to respond. Joshua stood and leaned against the wall, if his stance was anymore closed off he would be a part of the wall. Candy went on "Bradley, you and Cass, asked why I used those trigger bombs, and I had to think about it for a time. Because blaming it on my mouth getting away from me was not the whole truth. I felt that ever since you came back Angel that I have been losing my best friend. Joshua told me that he would always be there. You must realize that we hung out every weekend and at the club almost every night for almost nine years while you were off doing your thing" Angel says she asked Candy point fucking blank did she want her to join the band. "I'm not saying that I didn't want you to be a part of the band. It's just last year you came back, and I once again stepped back in line for his attention I mean I did it with Katharine Cole, you were the one that got away and then he caught you. The rest of the time I had you all to myself bro. Joshua went from hanging out with me and coming to chill on my floor to half visiting and then you guys got married so quick and don't get me wrong I am happy for you guys because you guys are super together and he doesn't look as if he's going blow as much. But it's like I felt like I was losing my place as his best friend so when Shae treated me like I was the center of the universe even though it was complete bullshit and I know that now. In that moment I just felt if you were going to hurt my feelings I'd return the favor. You were right, and I should have listened and no I don't believe you were jealous of her, in a way I was the one jealous because I never could make Joshua as happy as you do. Before your head explodes, no I never wanted you in a sexual way Josh you were just one of the only men that ever treated me like I mattered and when the level of your attention declined I just felt like it would go away and that scared me. Please if you can ever forgive me for being a complete dumb ass, I was so wrong, and Joshua pointed it out and so did Cass and Rapture. I now realize that my attitude changes just made it worse I am so grateful to you for sending Andrew that night you were protecting me even though I had hurt you. When I threw my own fucking safety to the wind marching down the strip looking like a stripper you protected me and for that I will always be grateful. Your and Sophie's data was right it was a complete set up. Shea was with Roman of all the people I felt like a fool for risking the very thing that I treasured more than anything, a friendship. Can you please forgive me?"

Angel looks at Joshua and then at Bradley both brothers looked like thunder clouds. Turning back to Candy, Angel says "As for the that woman I just couldn't let you march into danger and me just sit back with the feeling that went through me after finding out she was a part of the GSSEC. When we saw each other her presence just seemed to scream not trustworthy. When you said what you said in the limo a lot of me felt like I'm damned if I do and I'm fucking damned if I don't. Last time it was partly my fault because I didn't tell you that Roman lived with Evie, but I have more than made up for that mistake. No matter who runs that group they are fucking horrible people. From the stuff they have done to me and my family there is no fucking way I would want to have a sit down with any of them. As for you not feeling like she took an elitist position with you let me tell you, take it from someone that sat in different parts of my old home when that grouping met, they think about you as an equal to a pet. Hell, they call each other pets. It's a money and power game. It always has been, and it will forever be a corrupt union of bitches that give fuck all about anything but entertaining themselves with hideous acts. Even your apology or reasoning, you still list me as someone making you feel small, like you said, I don't have anything to do with that. I didn't do anything to you or treat you any different than I have anyone else that I care about. As for me sending Andrew after you, I have been in some sticky situations and I would never wish them on anyone. As for your mixed feelings about my presence, both my arrival and the timeline of my courtship and marriage to your best friend, I say get over it, because I'm not going anywhere. Your anger at him because he didn't want to go jumping around after a 3-hour flight, a live showcase more rehearsals, dining, at charity events. It had nothing to do with him pushing you aside or slighting you. He is still recovering, hell he had to be medically cleared just to do the three-day Mania tour." Candy says she didn't know that. "It's going to take more than a few weeks for him to fully heal and not to mention him fighting with Alex right before we left. I did suggest he stay in the hotel because I didn't want to have him taken to a med center because he got out there trying to be everything to everyone putting his own damn health at risk. So yes, when my husband, your best friend, asked did I want to go to a club and ride a fucking maniacal bull I looked at him as if he had lost his damn mind and told him no I didn't feel like going and why I didn't think he should go, instead of throwing trigger bombs my way he agreed. Soon after he crushed your mood by saying no to you we fell asleep. We stayed in and the next day he was rested enough to go do another round of charity signing, and another showcase, and more dinners without his surgical site starting to hurt. The only reason I said anything to you was because I promised you that I would never hide anything from you when you asked me a direct question about someone or something. Again, when I held up my part of our bargain you ripped me up and threw me on the floor. I take some blame for this one as well because I let you so close you matter to me. I forgive you, it is more so I can move on than for you. Except for my child, my husband, my sister, and my father I don't trust many people. I am afraid to let myself trust you. right now." Candy says she promises that she will do all she can, to reclaim the prized possession of Angel's trust and to get back to how they were. She says she will never do that again because the small supposed victory in shutting down the conversation left too much destruction in its wake, and she will really watch her mouth and be more open about her feelings. "Candy this will be the second time that I am forgiving you and overtime it seems to get worse. The next time you open your mouth to shred me, depending on what you say or do since every time it gets even more out of hand, be prepared for a clean break. I am so fucking tired of the people that I care about and begin to trust, hurting me. When all I try to do is what they fucking ask of me." Bradley asked what she meant by a clean break. "What I mean is that I didn't sign on to have to wonder how far my friend will go, or how toxic our bond would become before she does something irreversible. Members of my own family and old band showed me just how nasty misplaced anger, and transference can get. I'm not up for round three. My contract has two parts, the band as frontwoman, and working as a liaison between the talent and headquarters. If you do this shit again, I'll not stay in the band. Also, if this happens again you won't be welcomed in my office, near our child, or our home." Candy says she promised that she wouldn't do it anymore.

Joshua asked Bradley could he speak now. Bradley says yeah. Joshua came off the wall and says. "First off, Angel I want to make this perfectly clear, yes your contract has two parts but if you think that I'd be ok to keep Candy and let you just exit stage left after all we have been through. That's not to happen. When I disband it will be the end of the band. I'm not going to keep it going without you. Candy would be the one that would have to play somewhere else. To you Candy, about what you said. I'm trying to keep my shit together on multiple different levels. Your picture of how we were before Angel came home is missing some things. Yeah, I told you that I would be there for you and I have been. We both have included you, where you get off bringing up Kathy is wrong. I was going by what you were saying not this side of you that to me makes no sense. Yeah, we played for nine years, with me chucking money into a club that I didn't own. Playing in a band that was never going to get off the fucking ground. You want to stand there and accuse me of not spending as much time with you like I just fucking lead you on, or some shit? This image you have of how we were, is bullshit. Yes, I tried to help you out any way I could. Yes, I would come and crash out on your floor and listen to Angel's Eps and read the rags with you. Right before Angel came back I was ready to just shut down here and move closer to her. No, I wasn't going to try to interrupt her relationship I wasn't waiting in the wings. I'd starting doubting that I'd ever write a song that would fucking sale. I got a few requests to do solo gigs but the company we were with would not sign off on it. I was fucking miserable the highlight of my days was getting and rereading text convos with Angel, her telling me about a tour or just something she remembered from our contest days back in high school. Then the texts slowed down then stopped abruptly for a week after a major holiday." Angel gets up and walks over to him hugging him. He hugs her back and kisses her on the forehead. He refocuses on Candy and continues. "It just seemed that my friend was getting harder and harder to reach. Finding out why that was rips me to shreds to this day. I'd try to write songs while you tried to date our bass player. Since you want to bring my past relationship into this. I was losing my hold on my temper more and more because my depression was striking like a prized fighter. You saw what I let you see, because you had your own shit to deal with and didn't need my negative ass adding to it so most of the time I'd change the subject." Candy says she thought she could read him well enough. "To my knowledge the only person in this room that knows me beyond what I visually present to the world is Angel. Most of my 20s I spent battling my own demons and keeping people away from me. Angel came to the club that night fucking wrecked and wanting to drink the shit away. Having her on my stage, singing, and playing with her, reminded me of why I started out in music. I want to make this perfectly clear your misplaced anger and transference at me on to my wife is to stop. You want to keep our bond or repair it I'm for it, but Candy lashing out and hurting Angel will break it. I tell you like I have told others. Though I didn't know I'd have to tell you this I made a promise to Angel that I would not let other people that claim to care for me hurt her or our child. I intend on keeping that promise. Candy, I love you like family, but I've told my own family the same thing I meant it with them and I mean it with you."

Logan gets home and tries his phone again it went through. Bobby's team must have been blocking signal at the site which made since. He reached out to Bradley who told him that Angel and Joy were called by Chase from the hospital. "Yeah Cass was there and then she wasn't I was just trying to make sure I got the word out before some news source spun it and did more damage. I tried to call Angel, but she didn't answer and now at least I know she knows."

Bradley says "Angel and Joshua tore out of the house heading to the hospital. Joshua has been texting me about what is going down since they left. I know a lot of it has to do with, he needs an outlet that is not right there sitting in the waiting room. Last time he texted he said that Bobby was still in surgery and Joy was picked up from the police station to go be with him. Chase had a sever panic attack at the scene and passed out. At first the med crew thought it was a heart episode. Middlebrooks checked him out and found that it was a panic attack and bruised ribs that sent him into unconsciousness, but that he would be cleared soon to be released. The fact that someone tried to take Chase out in broad daylight is fucking insane. Harold is sending more men to watch Luke and Sophie considering if someone that has the balls to try something like that wouldn't think twice of doing something else just as stupid. Andrew has Frank on high alert at the house and his team is on active high alert which means that even though Angel wanted to drive her truck there is a member of the STOP team in the truck driving them. How are you holding up man? I see you came and picked up Glenn Dale last night. How'd the meeting go?" Logan sighs and said it didn't he said that Glenny had him worried because when he came home all he wanted was to follow Logan around and didn't even want to say anything to Mia or her son. "Man, as smart as that kid is he's been through a lot, so his social developmental stages are probably a bit out of whack, like you have reminded me when I start thinking he is older because of how advanced in things he is, he's still really young. You guys were apart for what he would think is a long time this time. I'm sure with some of the other shit that has went down in his young life there is bound to be some fears of change and abonnement, not that you would, so he probably just needs that time with you to process and don't really know how to deal with those emotions. I'm much older than four and I went through some of the same when I first came home. So, talk to him, be firm, but don't blame him for being scared. He's not the only one of you guys that is weary of change." Logan asked him since when he got so damn smart. "Living, and therapy lots of therapy." Logan laughed they soon close the call. Bradley sat back down on the sofa of the brightly colored playroom of his brother's home and watched his nephew on his little playmat roll around. He got on the floor played with JC. Candy came in and got on the floor with them and she played with him too. These were the moments that Bradley wanted more of. Among all the chaos of the last few hours this domestic scene, complete with giggles from his nephew and the sound of brightly colored toy tunes ringing through the air was what he cherished. Eight months ago, his brother would have never let him stay in their home and letting him watch their son would have been more than a hell no. Since Joshua had spoken to Candy, Bradley really hoped that she took Joshua's words and warnings to heart because just as his little brother and sister were forgiving that forgiveness was finite. Everyone had their limit and if Candy ever topped this level of negative behavior Bradley would not choose a woman over his family again. He'd blindly followed Jazz and treated his family like shit under his feet. If Candy threatened this balance again, he wouldn't pick Candy over his family.

Over at the hospital Angel and Joshua are let in Chase's room to see him. Her father sat in the bed with the head raised at an angle. She'd had her own bouts of hospital stays dealing with bruised ribs. Amy had just come out of this room and told them both that Chase was insisting on staying to wait on word on Bobby and said he wasn't leaving his son here. Angel knew that the drugs would soon wear off and that her dad would be in a lot of pain if he didn't heed Middlebrooks's suggestion of going home and resting after he was released today. When they walked in Chase asked had they heard anything new on Bobby. "Not yet, dad please go home we are here and will keep you informed. You need to go home and rest." Chase said he wasn't here when they needed him, he wasn't going to fuck this up he was tired of letting his kids down. Angel saw the light of that Ivey self-inflicted guilty anger and treaded lightly. "Dad, you were here when JC was born, you sent the entire family to my bedside in another city when I passed out in CO, you were there when I got attacked by Scott last year. You beat the media to Sophie's bedside when that car crashed her limo. Please go home, sitting up here after you are released isn't going to help Bobby. Trust me the drugs will wear off and you'll be in a huge amount of pain. Bobby wouldn't want you suffering like that none of us do. I'd really like it if you Amy and Nikki came back to Ivey Mansion while you recover. Someone tried to take you guys away from us."

Seeing the fear in his oldest daughter's gaze Chase accepted the invitation. He didn't need Angel calling Sophie as reinforcement. He wanted his youngest to enjoy her time away from her job, and the stress of everyday life. He also wanted to take as much of the fear out of his children's eyes that stood before him.

Hours later, Chase is released, and Amy drives them to back to Ivey Mansion. She fussed over him to the point it made him uncomfortable. The truth was he wasn't used to this, within his first marriage the few times he'd been hospitalized before Sophia planned his kidnapping, when he would return home, Sophia was never home or off planning an event. The only time she appeared to care was after she'd claimed to have a change of heart but by that time she had already tried to kill him in the med helicopter. He didn't know how to take the attention.

He'd always liked this bedroom for two reasons really, this room was a part of the original house before he had the other two sections added to please his wife. This room and the one Candy slept in on the ground floor were once his mother's bedroom, and her home office was where Candy slept, when Ivey Mansion was just a large Victorian home. He also liked even though it set on the ground level no one outside could see the person looking out. He'd like it so much he had it done it to all the bedrooms. Coming out of his thoughts he watches as Amy pours him a glass of water then hands him pills. He takes it from the cup but could not bring himself to take the med. Memory warred with reality and he put the glass back on the night stand without taking the med. Amy asks him why he didn't take it. On the surface the question was innocent, part of him knew this situation had dredged up memory of last year. "I'm fine, the pills can wait." She gets up and starts pushing the pillows up behind him saying he didn't look comfortable. The fact that she was working behind him unnerved him. His logical brain told him repeatedly that there was no danger, that Amy was only trying to help him. His irrational brain filled with memory and post trauma won out and when she pulled the largest pillow up and touched his back he tensed and told her to stop. He said it louder than he thought she jumped when he barked out the order. "Amy I'm sorry your movements around me especially when I can't see you, right now is just causing me much anxiety? I know it sounds crazy but…"

"No, it doesn't sound crazy. Chase you went through a hell of an ordeal today and have already have a panic attack. I don't want to stress you out. I just don't know what to do to help you. I was just touching your back to prompt you to lay back, you were sitting so rigid I knew that position could not be comfortable to your midsection right now. Would it help if I left the room? Granted, I don't want to but if my presence is making you unconformable I'll go." The look that crossed his face confused her. She steps back putting her hands out in front of her. "The last thing I want is for your pain and anxiety to get higher and cause more of a problem again. You scared the living fuck out me this afternoon when I got a call asking for you med number to be Identified as a med contact because of a possible heart episode." He asks her where she would go because he didn't want her or Nicole out in public right now with people actively gunning for him. "I wasn't talking about leaving the house. I was talking about leaving this room, so you can stop looking at me as if I'm going to hurt you. I can't undo whatever is going on in your head right now that put that look in your eyes. Because I don't know why it would be directed at me in the first place." He tells her of the irrational thought pattern. When she starts to speak he tells her he knows what it sounded like but with stuff happening so fast today his mind was at war with itself right now. He was getting upset she could see it in his body movement and says cutting him off. "Chase, please calm down, now your scaring me. I'm not Sophia. Some of this is transference traumatic memory, you must know in your heart that I'm nothing like her. Yes, I said I'd leave but that is for your benefit. I would like nothing more than to remain in the room and watch over you. You were hurt and are still hurting. I just want to help you. I love you and if my presence represents something to fear right now I will go in the den or somewhere else in the house."

He asked her to stay. She slowly sits on the other side of the bed. Chase pats the bed nearer to him. She gets up and sits closer. They talk about a lot of things, 20 minutes later he reached out and she put her hand in his. She runs her other hand alongside his face, he didn't flinch anymore and instead rested his cheek in her palm. She starts talking about how his grey beard had started turning white in spots. He chuckles wincing at the sudden movement of his bruised ribs. He then says he'd have to get to the barber and get that treated since he didn't want to look like her grandfather. She tells him she loves the little flecks of white and there is no way he looked like her grandfather. He says he could just get it shaved all off she makes a face and says she'd never seen him without facial hair. He asks was she worried he'd look like a pug without it. He wasn't sure of the why but speaking to her made it easier for his mind to stay in the here and now. He lifts her hand to his lips and kisses it. Breathing in the expensive scent that she'd been so happy to purchase for herself as a small celebration for her continued success at her eatery. His phone rings it's Joy's name that slides across his screen he would have to give the young lady a ringtone. Amy goes to get up. He pats the bed. If there was a time he needed her here, hearing about his son was one of them.

Joy had chosen to step outside Bobby's room to collect herself and to call Chase. "Hi Chase, Bobby, is out of surgery they were able to stop the internal bleeding the bullet that they dug of him was a new metallic make up that was made to go through body armor. If he hadn't been wearing Ivey Armor he would have died there. The Ivey Armor slowed down the bullet's entry. The vest hadn't completely stopped the bullet but drastically slowed entry, thankfully not hitting any vital organs, which is why I still have a lover and my child still has a father."

Chase noted the way she spoke Bobby was right if he didn't know any better he would have sworn she was giving a report the same she would to her higher ups. He asked her how she was and that was the wrong thing to ask because he heard when she lost her control of her tone. The built-up emotion shattered her professional polish and she cried that she was fine now that Robert was going to be ok. He hears Joshua speaking to her. She says she didn't want to cry and had managed not to until Chase asked her a direct question about herself. "I'm sorry to have upset you, it wasn't my intent."

Hours after Benjamin Valentin died at the hands of the STOP team at the park his security blanket death file did its job. When the midnight hour hit, and he couldn't log in and report that he was still alive all the dealings he was involved in all of the people he'd did dirty work for, and with, complete with voice recordings and some video went to 117 networks with the title "Inside the Life of a Modern-day Mobster". LEGNA TV was on that list, Cassandra was about to close out her program when a video popped up. It was police body cam footage that Ben had "claimed" didn't exist while in the first trial the voice over that met her ears angered her. It was the cop that attacked her brothers. Henriette Valentine -Vargo was also heard on the video the conversation continues and she ordered him to take the band lead off the street. He tells the female don that the band lead isn't alone. Mrs. Vargo told him get it done and Cass watched as Ben pulled Joshua and Angel over and soon was pounding her little brother's head into his fucking window until Logan's cousin came into view, pulled Ben off him yelling at him. Watching Joshua slump down his truck out cold gave Cass chills. Another video followed, and Cassandra hit stop after already muting it she didn't want to see Jonathon like that. Hearing him beat on the bathroom door at his grand opening after party vainly trying to rescue Gloria made Cass hit mute. She watched what happened that night. She seen how Jonathon got out of the building. Watching him carried out after being sedated with something by Carla AKA Jailbait sent chills down Cass's spine. Cass fast forwards and when she sees Carla riding her unconscious boss is when Cass hits stop. Other video thumbnails populate, Ben beating the shit out of Bradley with Bradley not even able to defend himself he looked out of it not high but on the verge of unconsciousness. Deon's full name is spoken. Text conversations pop up and are soon followed by a meeting with the mayor. Seeing Deon meet with the mayor and having Ben do all the talking is what lead to what happened today in the park. She couldn't watch anymore. Cass shakily calls Harold.

Harold sent the file into his computer when all the videos were loaded into the file there was 92 hours of evidence. The town of Grandville and the state would never be the same. He had proof of the kidnapping that lead to his return to this area. He had stuff on some of the biggest names in town. He'd also got a listing of all the real members of the dirty cop clan some of them were dead, but a few higher-ranking ones would be getting a visit. The dirty cop clan was unsurprisingly started by the mayor of Grandville not the former chief. The mayor's daughter. Mrs. Brooks escaped April's black-market adoption agency, but what people didn't know is that she is in a mental institution in another state and her mother is raising the child. Harold wondered if Mrs. Jackson knew that her own husband was the cause of her daughter's mental state and grandchild's attempted kidnapping. Jeromy Miller was just a figure head. Ben had worked for more than his mob boss aunt. He'd worked for April as one of her kidnappers. Mayor Jackson called all the shots. The fact that one of those shots was fired at his cousin Angel's father and hit his area field commander did more than piss Harold off. He was just glad that Chase and Bobby made it. Ben had been the until now unidentified person that had worked for a now named third party he'd been the man that walked away from a gas station with a small child in his arms. That infant was a child named Ethan Miller.

Author's Note: A lot to process I know. The title came after I finished writing the chapter. I really love when that happens. I want to thank my beta readers for continuing to help keep me on track. Life gets busy, but I will be posting again sooner than later. Please enjoy, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns just let me know. :End Note