When we got the address we knew it wasn't going to be the normal, if any job was normal, call. Daniel was first out of the car I was to follow only just after we saw kids toys lying all around the house from the grass up the steps for a NORMAL person to walk past this house they wouldn't or couldn't know the drama happening behind that front door just as I made it to the bottom step I heard yelling from a male and things falling over and then a Bang, I draw my gun as Daniel does the same as I call for back up I hear then 1505 is on it way.

If I was to over think now I would have waited for back up but as we knew there were a least one child inside as a mother I get Daniel to kick the door and we both walk in to search the house room to room as Daniel pulls me back and points with his gun to a little girl lying on the floor rope ties around she wrists and ankles, as I lean down Daniel I know has my back I check for life, a breath or pulse as I turn her head to get a better look I hear Sam come over our Radios that car 1505 has just pulled up , she couldn't have been older then 3 but with a bullet hole on her left side of her head I know she couldn't have made it , I felt sick , I pull back to breathe , telling myself I can't cry , I can't let this child death really get to me knowing my little girl is at home waiting for me . I see Sam and Chris Diaz walk down the hall just as they past the door Sam looks in a give me a look of strength I know he'll get me to talk tonight be right now there is a job that still needs to be finish and now a case that needs to be solved . I heard Daniel calling it in, as he knew we would need both an ambulance and a homicide detective. I heard what I could only sound like a child crying as I told Daniel we both heard it but could work out where it was coming from more cop cars where showing up both car 1520 with Oliver Shaw and Pete Sun and car 1511 have Dov Epstein and Nick Collins , Oliver and Pete went to check upstairs while I pointed for Dov and Nick to help Sam and Chris out , as I walk closer to the rooms wardrobe I nod to Daniel to draw his gun as a I open the door, just as my heart breaks again.

Little boy, six years old
a little too used to being alone
another new mom and dad
another school, another house that'll never be home

His boy was so beaten and bruised when he looked up we both knew he was scared I got to my knee and put my hand out for him saying hey buddy its ok we aren't going to hurt you my name is Officer McNally- Swarek but you can call me Andy and his guy behind me is Officer Daniel Johnson but just call him Danny what you name buddy? As he touched my hand and we slowly stood up out of the wardrobe Daniel stood in front of the little girl's body so he couldn't see it. My name is Matthew, a soft voice come from his mouth, Matthew Bridges a voice a little loud said and Im 6 call me Matt though only mum calls me Matthew.

Hello Matt where are your parents , Im really not sure , with a face that looked like it was going to cry again ,they aren't really here I look after me and my sister AnneBella she is 2 she will be 3 next month. How long have you been looking after you and your sister Matt I hear Sam ask as he walks into the room? oh a while now I guess my mum gets food for us I just need to make something out of it, Im a really good at that sir , when did that happen Matt I ask , looking at the cut on his face and the bruises all over his body. As he looks down like he has done the wrong thing. I say its ok it won't happen again. I have been looking after me for I think 2 years maybe longer just as AnneBella was born mum started going out more and dad. Im sorry sir I don't really know him, as this guy breaks my heart even more he keeps going. One day about 2 months ago I forgot to clean up after making breakfast us , Im always good at cleaning too I don't remember why I forgot to do it that morning but mum got home and started yelling at me about not ever wanting me or AnneBella its when it started Andy. Daniel walked out of the room as Detective Jerry Barber Detective Traci Barber and Homicide Detective Luke Callaghan.

Ok Matt how about you and me go outside while these guys look at the house ok buddy ok but is AnneBella ok or did mummy kill her with the BANG, everyone in the room went quite and both Traci and my faces went white now Sam bent down so both him and I were eye level with Matt, Im sorry buddy Sam started your sister didn't make it .oh ok then Matt face down yet again I could Sam look at me as he knew I couldn't handle more heartbreak for his little boy. Sam picks him up as Traci puts a sheet over AnneBella just so we can walk out.

As we sit out side to talk to Matt more cops show up to go though the house I ask Daniel to look over matt for a little bit while I talk to Sam.

McNally , he starts , I stop him Sam I know this is a hard case for me but I can we just deal with it now and not get personal I just holding it together until we can see our little girl again so please what else was in the house.

They was a male who could be the father and female fighting in the kitchen and the female was holding a gun male had a knife when we showed up if it was 2 mins later Im sure there would have been another death to look after . wow ok not what I wanted to hear but anything else , yeah there was Chris said about a gram of coke both on the table and sink, dov said they was more upstairs money in the bag on the bed with yet another gun . I shutter to think what they kids had gone thought as I see
Oliver comes down the stairs and walks down to us. Umm guys there is something you should know, it gets worst if that possible. The boy is a foster kid but has been here for 5 years so I think its all he knows but the girl looks like his is the female we have.

Wow now he goes back in the system .

I walk over to matt and ask if he was ok he said his used to being alone and just looking after his sister. All I could think was as a 6 year old his so grown up. I smile and tell Daniel we need to get him back to the barn so child services can talk to him before he gets moved on.

What a life 6 years old and no family as we get back to the barn everyone is still at the scene , best walked down to talk to us and Matt . After an hour with a lady from child services Matthew is lead away off to start a new life Im guessing with a new family another new mum and dad , and another school and a home that I hope will last .

Just as he was to walk out the door he turns to me and says

Andy "this will be a temporary home it's not where I will belong.

6months later. After the case is closed they is a call at the station as its goes over the speaker at the barn , Officer McNally-Swarek there is a call for you on line 5 .

As I stepped around Sam to pick up my phone he sat on the desk trying to work out who would call her at the station.

Officer McNally-Swarek here who am I talking to,

Oh Officer McNally-Swarek this is Ms Kelly York from Child Services I was dealing with you about 6 months ago with the Matthew Johnson case.

Yes Ms York I remember, what can I help with you I little confused it was 6 months ago what could she need me for.

Well please call me Kelly and it just Matthew has just settled into a new home yet again his 4th in 6months and I think this one might be the one for him.

Wow 4 in 6months isn't that kinder a lot and call me Andy.

Andy yes it could be but every child is different , but last time well as of 2 days ago while I was with Matthew he asked about you and officer Swarek who I believe is your husband , he asked if he could see the police officers who saved him from what he said was his temporary nightmare. He would like to thank you.

Kelly yes ill talk to officer Swarek and ill call you back soon and we can see about a time to see him, if that is ok.

Yes I understand you have a busy job even 5 minutes.

Ok ill call you as soon as I can thank you Kelly for calling you have a good day.

Bye Kelly said before hanging up.

Over the past 6 months sure there had been more kids its in the job but something about Matthew had all suck with Sam and I , as I hung up Sam just sat there looking at me even more confused then before the call started as I had brought up his name. Andy hunny who was that and why did you need to talk to me and call her back for a time Sam said.

Sam, I said with a blank face as I wasn't 100% sure on how I should react, her name was Kelly York is was the lady from Child Services 6 months back dealing with Matthew Johnson, she was calling as Matthew has been in 4 houses with 4 new families, schools and friends in the last 6 months and she thinks finally this family could be it for him, he would like to see us and thank us for helping him, do you think we could do that. I don't see why not he said , you know his been in the back of our minds for the last 6 months wondering how he was dealing with it , yeah call her back and make a time I would love to see him again.

After I get off the phone with Kelly again I walk up to best office to ask for tomorrow morning off so I Sam and I can go and see Matthew , I knew he would approve of it as that case hit the whole station hard more then officers with kids like Frank and Noelle Best who had a 2 kids Elizabeth who was the same age at Matthew she was just like Noelle doesn't take anything from anyone , a little fire cracker and James who was 3 he wasn't like either of them super quiet and love just playing with his truck by himself , and Oliver and Zoe Shaw and there 3 kids izzie ,Emily and Melissa, getting to the teenage years all grown up but they all just like they parents in your face yet easy going , then we have Traci and Jerry Barber they of course had Leo , he will break heart when his older a little charmer and Traci had her little girl Kristen 6 months before me so she is 2 and then of course you have Sam and I and our little blessing Stella Nichole who was coming up to a year old .

After we got the foster mother to say she shot AnneBella and abused Matthew, we also found out the male was the foster mothers dealer and she hadn't pay him on time was how it all started, over something so stuff. Matthew and little AnneBella stuck in my mind so much that whenever we took yet another child case I thought of them and how much it hurt I was so lost to leaving the force, but something Sam said when we first got together stayed in my mind, Im always there when you need me. Those kids need me to help them when others won't.

After saying goodbye to Tommy and Stella for the day, we started to head off to the child services office to meet with Kelly and Matthew. as much as I loved my job , I family are more important, it was always hard to leave the house each morning but the way I saw it was the sooner I leave and help lives the faster I can come home to my baby girl who to my eyes was becoming more and more like Sam every day, so off in the car we brought after Sam sold his baby when he found I pregnant while Stella, it was a normal family car at the time I thought it was too big but little did I know how much I loved being a mum and would want more kids so bigger is better in some things . with a squeeze of my hand from Sam we get out of the car as he come around to my side of the car I breath in deep as I turn to him and ask what should I feel, he lets out a small laugh and says McNally you feel however you need to it's a big thing meeting up with a child you help save, not many officer get to see the people we help again. So we can take our time with it , we have 5 hours before we need to go in for the afternoon shift , thanks baby you always know how to make me feel better ok lets go and see him I feeling good about this .

Step by step closer to the door Sam could see Matthew thought the door and pointed him out to me , walking a little faster I pull open the door just as Matthew runs straight into me arms wide open for a hug. Andy I didn't think I would ever see you or Sam I know this isn't normal; as Sam has a giggle to himself I knew that he would be laughing at the fact that our lives were anything from normal.

Its ok Matthew, we wanted to see how you were anyway let go and talk yeah, just as Kelly walks out to meet us and tell us we can talk in her office Matthew still held on to my hand as we walk thought the office building, he really was a sweet boy, pity life just wasn't working out for him now.

As Kelly opens her door and points to her seat Sam and Matthew sit down Kelly pulls me aside and says, Andy its great you could see him again, thank you so much for doing this, ill be in a meeting for about 2hrs I hope that will give you guys enough time to talk over things, then ill need to get him to the airport, back to his new family. Yeah thanks Kelly that will be fine do you mine asking where that is, yes, Kelly started, they live over in Quebec, ask him about it he loves it there.

Ok thanks ill get you go so you're not late for you meeting, we talk soon.

As I walk back in room both Sam and Matthew are talking hockey, not have favourite sport but I understood what they were saying from living with Sam for so long.

So Matthew, I didn't know how to start ,how do you bring up something like that, something that I really do hope for him , won't haunt him for the rest of his life, how are you . Great Andy, did you hear where I live now its amazing its on a farm well Im not sure if it's a farm but its big with animals and stuff its really cool and I have a older brother Ben his 10 older sister Hayley she is 13 and really cool. We also have a dog called Brax, his 6 just like me with a big smile; he knew how to make everything sound ok. Wow Sam spoke that really cool oh and we have matt broke in , cows and pigs and 2 horse's but I can't ride them yet and chickens and ducks and sheep, that's so great I said hoping that he could take a breath . I really do think it a farm do you enjoy living there, and what came out of his mouth wasn't a surprise as I have heard it before from him but it really did make me think that is was a lot of and wiser then we first thought, as he looks up and a smile upon his face and a says "this is my temporary home, its not where I belong, Windows and rooms that I'm passing through, this is just a stop on the way to where I'm going , I'm not afraid because I know this is my temporary home."

Everything will be fine after him saying that I know we did the right thing and everything will be fine.

This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my temporary home
When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

"This is my temporary home, it's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my temporary home"

After the 2 hours were up and we bid farewell and wished him good luck we left, Sam pulled me into a hug as we got to the car and I just couldn't hold it in much longer and cried, once I calmed down with his strong arms around me, I said no one especially kids so need to go though that, this is why Im a cop.