Chapter 73

I can't believe I'm here right now.

All my praying and faith that everything was going to be okay has paid off. I move Jake closer to me. I look down at him and he is sleeping. I keep singing I'd sing until I had no voice just to reassure him that I would not leave him, but I know they will ask me to put him back into his bed but at least I know I'll be able to continue with his care. I look out the window that holds our family and Maureen and Will are still there.

I'm humming now softly as I start to rock back in forth in the chair.

"Hey sis, how are you doing?"

I look up to Carol as she places a hand on to Jake's back. "I'm good, I think. This isn't a dream right Carol? I feel I am going to wake up and I will be back at the beach house. This is really happening right? Because if it's not don't wake me."

She pinches me, "you're awake sweetie, Jake is in your arms, and we proved to all of them that you are the best medicine for my nephew." Hey where's cowboy?"

Jake stirs and opens his eyes looking around, I look down at him and answer Carol.

"He just stepped out for a minute, Devin and Luca called him out to talk, so little man go back to sleep you need the rest and like we said you will not be alone we will come back and settle down."

He grumbles and I start to sing rock-a-bye baby. He opens his little hand and places it on my chest and closes one eye only. He still has doubts that I will be here when he wakes and I don't blame him, he had been abandoned once and thought we had also left him but eventually we would win his trust again.

"Do you want me to go see what's going on?"

I nodded Houston was still outside and I was curious as to what was so important that they had asked him to come out. I yawned this had been a busy morning and to find out about the bugs and the break in into my house was overwhelming. I needed to remain calm and let the guys take care of it. I needed to let some of my control go. I had to trust them to keep us safe. I look down at Jake while I start to sing Time after Time by Cindy Lauper it was becoming one of my favorites and it seemed Jake liked it too his other eye closed and I could see him breathing deeply. This was good I stopped singing and waited to see if he would complain. Nothing from our little man. He must be exhausted after crying all day yesterday.

My head falls forward and I jerk back. I didn't realize how tired I was. I close my eyes telling myself it would only be for a minute and I start to drift off.

My nightmare starts where I left off.

It is dark my arms are bound, and I feel myself coming in and out of conscious. I try to scream but nothing comes out. I can't see anything the bag is over my head again and I feel like I can't breathe. Next thing I feel is the cold and my teeth start to chatter I hear footsteps and the voice "hello princess."

I gasp and my eyes fly open I need to run, I move to get up but realize where I'm at, and a hand is gripping my shoulder. I whimper and squeeze my eyes shut he's got me again.

"CJ! Babe it was a dream, you are safe you are with me, and Jake come on you are scaring both of us. Say something."

I whisper, "Houston?"

"Yup your nightmare buster is here. It's okay we are in the hospital and you better open your eyes before our guy here lets the cat out of the bag that you are not okay.

I open my eyes and look down. Jake's bottom lip is trembling waiting for me to say something.

"Oh baby I'm so sorry I feel asleep and I had a nightmare, I shouldn't have fallen asleep please baby don't cry."

I touch his chin and he keeps looking at me not knowing what to do. I look at Houston as my chin starts to wobble.

"Jake buddy let's not cry okay? You'll make CJ cry and she is already feeling bad and we don't want her to feel like that right? So I have an ideal why don't me and CJ trade places I haven't had a chance with you and I really need some male bonding time with you. Come on Pardner I'll even tell you a story about me and CJ when we were kids."

Jake never took his eyes off Houston and looked at me and I nodded he started to move around and Houston started to take off his shirt.

"CJ can you go get me a gown I don't want this guy to cry."

I handed Jake over and Houston placed him over his shoulder and started to sing "All my ex's live in Texas". I heard a snort and looked up to see Carol and a couple of other nurses watching the male bonding between Houston and Jake.

I asked if I could have a gown for him but neither of the nurses moved. Carol rolled her eyes and nudged me and motioned to the window.

Both Luca and Devin where not amused. Luca was motioning me to cover Carol's eyes and I laughed. Houston looked puzzled and Carol shook her head and handed me a gown for Houston and rolled her eyes again.

"Oh great now he's telling me to keep my eyes on him, he's cute isn't he if he only knew I had no interest in Cowboy, but that will be our secret, I like him a little jealous."

I went to give Houston the gown and the other nurses scrambled when they saw that Nurse Ratchet was not amused.

"Excuse me but you need to keep your clothes on Mr. Houston this is not Chippendales."

Houston handed me Jake as apologized and put on the gown.

Carol came to stand next to me, "Sorry that was my bad I should have had them both gown up and I am impressed I didn't think you knew what Chippendales was Nurse Sheila ever been?"

Nurse Sheila snorted and walked away. I looked down afraid I'd laugh if I caught her eye.

"Bet she liked the view sis as did half the nurses in the unit and the ones that happened to be walking by."

Houston mouthed sorry.

"What, oh no Emma warned us about this. We had nurses from all floors last time making a special trip to see the cowboy singing."

He was started the song again and was lost in Jake.

"Appropriate song for the Cowboy, but I'm sure there are a ton of ex's here in LA also and all states and I'm sorry for saying that sis, you know me open mouth insert foot."

I shrugged, "I know his history Carol, I was there remember. But that's what it is his past I hope we will get to explore this thing between us, I want to this, he's changed cant you see it, he called me babe. He's never given me a pet name I'm going to come up with one."

She agreed and said I'd find one when that would fit.

"CJ I think this guy is ready for you aren't you Jake."

I walked over and Jake had his eyes open and was looking up at us. Carol walked over and he started to focus on her and started to look at each one of us.

"Hey Jake Aunt Carol again we need to check you out now that you've eaten and bonded we need to check that incision, CJ, cowboy can you go get Dr. Randall so we can check our boy out?"

Houston went to ask for Dr. Randall and he came next to us and asked me to place Jake on his bed.

I put him down and he looked scared I stood at the head of his bed looking down at him and placing my hand on his head and looking at both Carol and Dr. Randall they nodded and ask me to talk to him.

"I'm here not going anywhere, we just want to check you out baby to make sure you are doing great which I know you are. So let's see what Dr. Randall and Aunt Carol say okay? Let's be a good boy."

I held my breath and Houston came next to me and held my hand I moved closer to him I needed his strength I needed him to tell me it was going to be okay which he did and kissed my temple. They finished and smiled.

"We were worried with all that crying yesterday that he might have popped an stitch but they look good and no infection, we were worried about that he was running a fever for most of the day yesterday and that really concerned us."

I gasped and looked at Carol who wasn't looking at me.

"Carol why didn't you say something?"

She said that she was in constant contact with Dr. Randall and if it had gotten worse she would have told us.

"You had a lot going on yesterday and if I was to tell you about this you would have done everything in your power to get down here even get arrested so yeah I kept it from but it was for the best, Sis you were on the last thread of reality yesterday and this would have been the straw that broke the camel's back, you would have made us kidnap this kid and then what? It was a call I made and I would do it again."

Jake was looking at us, I caressed his cheek, she was right I would have done that and more, heck I had even asked Devin to help me plan a kidnapping if it didn't go our way. I looked out to the window where he stood next to Luca and he tapped his watch and pointed at Houston.

"Houston are you going somewhere? Devin just pointed at you and his watch what's going on?"

Carol looked at Houston and out to Luca and Devin. Okay something was wrong.

I picked up Jake and walked over to the rocking chair I needed to have him in my arms, to feel safe and wait to see what news they have for me.

Houston follows and crouches down next to me.

"I'm going with them back to the bar, someone broke in and left another message."

I close my eyes and try to hold back my tears. This was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to ask so many questions but I looked down at Jake he was watching me and I needed to keep my voice calm and light he would know that I wasn't alright and I needed him to get better.

"Houston what do you mean? Why would they do that, I've only met Devin yesterday how could this have happened? How long has he been following me? Is Devin upset? How much damage…"

He places a finger over my mouth and answers my questions adding that Devin wanted my stalkers head on a silver platter for doing this to me.

"He's not worried about the bar, but I want to go along Luca was going to stay but Carol talked him into going with us so you will have Cappy Flynn Ripley to keep an eye on you. You are not to leave the area without them okay? They will be taking you over to my house for our meeting with Evelyn at 2. Promise me CJ you won't go anywhere without one of them. Bathroom, cafeteria outside one or two of them go with you and Carol. I don't want to leave you but this is important and I feel better you being here with them safe."

I nodded and held Jake closer to me.

"Also we might have a lead on Jake's mom they are following up on it so we might have some news when we see each other later. Here give me little man one more time before I leave."

I handed him over and stood watching them. Houston telling Jake he hated to leave but I was staying back and he needed to make sure he listened to me and got better. He also told him we would be leaving him for a couple of hours but we'd be back.

"He's so good with him, you're right sis he is changing and for the better. You're a lucky girl"

I looked over at her and back to my little family.

"Yeah I am."