"Good to see you again Green." Bobby said as Angel left the officers in the house.

"I'm looking for a Shannon Verna." Green stood looking at the girl who was in Jacks arms. Shan keep her head away from the cops in to Jacks shoulder.

"I don't know anyone by that name G, do any of you guys?" All the brothers said no at once.

"Who is this new young lady?" Green said point to Shan.

"Jacky got himself a girlfriend. Can you believe it, he isn't gay after all."

"Ight what's her name?" Bobby had to think and he had to think fast. He knew Green was close to figuring it out.

"Ashley Morris." Bobby yelled using one of his ex girlfriends names. Shan just played along because she knew if she didn't the cops would take her away.

"Well Ashley nice to meet you. I am happy you found someone Jack."

"Thanks." Jack was just glad everyone was going along with this. Evelyn walked out of the kitchen over hearing what was going on.

"Miss Evelyn nice to see you." Green said smiling at her.

"Nice to see you to Green, is there anything I can do for you?"

"I am looking for a girl named Shannon Verna have you ever heard of her?" Evelyn was no dummy when it came to cops. She also knew when to trust them and when not to.

"Nope never heard of her. I'll tell you what if I do hear anything about this girl I will get back to you." Evelyn just smiled at the officers and walked up stairs to her room.

"If that is all Green I think it is time you and you friends to get going." Bobby wanted the cops out now before it became to late.

"Just keep your nose clean Bobby."

"Always do Green, always do." Bobby smile and watched the cops leave the house.

"That was fuckin' close." Jerry said worried they was going to get busted.

"Trust me Jerry no cop is going to out smart a Mercer. Shan you ight?" Bobby walked over to her.

"Ye.....yea........yeah... I'm o....ok..." The words came sputtering out with fear.

"Jack you take the couch tonight and give Shan you bed." Jack knew better then to go against Bobby so he dad as he was told.

"Come on I will show you my room." Jack said as they walked up the stairs together. Bobby sat down next to Angel while Jerry sat on the other side of the room.

"Do you think they found her fathers body yet?" Angel was worried about getting busted, he didn't even know if the guy was alive or dead.

"I don't know. I shot him, do you think he lived?" Jerry just shook his head, he knew this could lead to some big trouble.

"Man all I know is if he dead one of us is going down for it." Bobby threw a pillow at Jerry.

"None of us are going down for anything Jerry. You need to get rid of that attitude before I smack it out of you."

"Keep it down guys Shan just went to sleep." Jack said coming down the stairs.

"Well lets all get to bed and talk about this tomorrow." All the guys headed to there rooms and Jerry headed home to his wife and kids. Shan was not really asleep, she was just waiting for everyone else to fall asleep to make a break for it. About a half hour later when Shan figured everyone was now asleep she got up and starting to look around Jacks room. She knew the window would be the easiest escape however it was to high up. She figured her best chance would be to take the stairs. Shan slowly opened the bedroom door and tip-toed past other rooms. Once she got to the stairs she took a deep breath. She slowly started down the stairs causing a few to creak on her way.

Jack however hadn't been fully asleep. He was just about to when he heard the stairs creaking. He figured his mom or one of his brothers was coming down to get something to eat or drink. That was up until he head the door to the porch creak open then close. Jack knew his mother wouldn't be leaving at this hour and if it was Bobby he would be going to a bar witch he was tired so there was no way it was Bobby. Jack also knew it couldn't of been Angel going to see Sofi because she was out of town. The only other person it could have been was Shan. Jack jumped up from the couch throwing his jacket on and shoes. He took off out the door just to see a girls figure turning the corner of the block. Jack took off running. He knew he had to catch her before she got to far. It didn't take long until Jack was almost to her.

"Shan wait!" Jack yelled a few feet away from her. Shan stopped and turned around. She knew she had been cough but wish she wasn't. "Where are you going?"

"I need to get away from here before the cops catch me. I don't want to go back to my father." Shan was about in tears.

"Come back to the house it is to cold out here and it is really not safe this time of night in Detroit."

"I don't know." Shan just wanted to get away from everyone to where she would never be found by her father or the cops.

"Trust me Shan, no one will get you when you are with us, and Ma will take care of you I promise you wont regret it." Shan hesitated but she eventually started to walk back with Jack.

On there way back Jack knew he had to open up to Shan to make her understand that she would be safe staying with them. He always felt safe after his mom adopted him. His brothers also protected him so he knew no matter what he was safe. He just had to make her see that so he did something he never ever did before to anyone except his mother. For the first time in a long time Jack opened up to someone about his life.

"You know before Ma adopted me I had experienced a very traumatic childhood. You see I went threw major physical and sexual abuse before I was adopted by Evelyn. I was sexual abused by my own father. Sick I know but since I was adopted I never felt so safe. I know now that he can't get to me and if he ever tried the Bobby would kill him before he ever got to me. You see We all have very bad childhoods, but it's up to us to make our adult hood better. Living with us can offer you that if you really want it."

"So you all had bad childhoods?" Shan wanted to know more about the brothers lifes.

"Yeah Bobby is stubborn so I don't really know his past he keeps it from us. You know how he acts all tough?" Shan just shook her head. "Well he is like that even with his own brothers. He never opened up to anyone about his past but Ma. I haven't really either there is some things that only you and Ma know that my brothers don't."

"Like that you was sexual abused by your own father?" Jack just shook his head.

"Jerry had a troubled past during adolescense and as a young adult, but left the streets when he met Camille. He now has two wonderful daughters, Daniela and Amelia. Jerry was abandoned by his mother just because she was to young. Sadly out of all of us Jerry is the only one who a mother should be proud of. He owns his own construction company."

"So he had the better childhood?" Jack just once again shook his head.

"You could say that. Then there is Angel. His real mother was a hooker. She would bring different men home and I guess some would beat on him. He also at a very young age was sleeping with hookers that was friends with his mother. He was pretty much molested by hookers. His mother also forced him to be a hustler. He was so used to being a hustler that he was one threw high school. Then he meet this girl in high school named Sofi. Angel joined the United States Marine Corps right out of high school witch caused a break up between him and Sofi. I don't give it much longer until she comes back home and they are together again."

"So what made Evelyn adopt all four of you?"

"Well Ma cycled hundreds of kids out of the foster-care system and into permanent homes. In 30 years, she came across us four. We was delinquents so far gone, she couldn't find anyone to take us in. So she did."

"You don't seem like a delinquent. I can see why no one would want to adopt Bobby with his attitude but the other three of you, I don't see why no one would adopt you."

"I don't either but maybe it was intended to be this way. You know god has a plan for us, and I believe that his plan was to push us together to give us a family. I also believe he planned on pushing you into our family." Jack said as they both stopped at the steps in fount of the house.

"Do you ever think I will find out about Bobby's childhood?" Shan found herself wanting to know more about there lives.

"I really don't know, he mite tell you someday or Ma would if you ask her. Let's go in it is cold out here, you don't want to get sick. We can talk more in the morning if you would like, and if you stay." Jack just smiled and opened the door for her.

"Yeah, I will stay." Shan stepped in the door with Jack.

"Nite, Shan." Jack sad as Shan walked up the stairs to Jack's room.

"Nite, Jack." Shan started up the stairs but stopped. She turned around to Jack to see him still standing there. "Thanks for sharing that with me by the way."

"No problem, maybe tomorrow you can share some of your life with me. That is if you feel alright with sharing that with me." Shan just smiled then continued up the stairs to Jacks room for some rest.

R&R please.