Kim looked at the clock and wondered if Shane had managed to find Rachel Knight. She doubted that he could stop her from running the article, though, and hoped he would not do anything he would later regret, just because he was trying to protect her.

Why couldn't Shane see that his need to protect her was part of what he would not admit? That he loved her and needed her. The other night could have been a turning point for them. They had hashed out so many of their issues. Yet it just seemed that still was not enough for them. What was it going to take to break down those walls?

"Mommy."

Kim looked up to see Andrew in the doorway of the library. "Come here, sweetie," she said, sitting down on the couch.

As he walked toward her, she studied her son. The past week had been so hard for him, and he still did not really understand what was going on. Andrew had been having constant nightmares and she had done her best to soothe him. Right now, his dark eyes looked bigger than usual, and showed his anxiety and fear.

After Andrew had taken a seat next to her, she asked, "Did you have a good time with Mrs. Thompson today?" It was hardly the same as asking how his day at school had been, but, even with everything happening, she had tried to keep his schedule with the tutor as regular as possible.

Andrew nodded, but he did not seem particularly animated. In a very soft voice, he asked, "Is daddy really going away?"

"I wish I knew, sweetie," Kim said softly. "We don't know for sure." In the back of her mind, she thought about the deal Shane had been offered. And if he does go away, we don't know for how long. She looked down at Andrew. "Right now, I know this is all very confusing for you, but the most important thing to know is that your daddy loves you, and I love you - and I'm not going anywhere."

Andrew just looked down. "Daddy said he's glad he's going away."

"No, he's not. You have no idea how hard this is for him. It hurts him so much to think he might go away." Kim said. "Your daddy had to make a very hard choice, but he couldn't leave Uncle Steve to be hurt." She took a moment to think of how she could explain. "Do you remember when Shawn Douglas fell into that hole?"

"Uh huh," Andrew replied, nodding.

"You thought it was your fault for a little while, didn't you?" Kim saw the guilty look on Andrew's face as she lifted his head to face her. "I bet there was a time when you wished it was you that fell into the hole, not Shawn Douglas. This is a little like that. You see, Daddy always felt responsible for Uncle Steve going away and, when he had a chance to bring him back, he had to do that. But that's gotten him in trouble."

"He said he's glad Stephanie gets her daddy back," Andrew said, his voice sullen. "Why does she get her daddy and I don't?"

"Because your father did a very brave thing." Kayla's spoke before Kim could answer. Kim looked up to see her sister in the doorway. "I ran into Mike outside and he let me in," Kayla explained, then turned back to Andrew. "What your father did is something you should be very proud of, Andrew. He's a real hero. And we're going to do everything we can to make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

Andrew frowned as he looked at Kayla, then back at Kim. It seemed like he did not know what to believe.

"Aunt Kayla's right, honey," Kim said. She glanced up at Kayla, then said to Andrew, "Why don't you go into the kitchen and see if Simmons needs help setting the table for dinner?"

Dutifully, Andrew got up and headed out of the room. Kim waited a second before she stood up and said to Kayla, "So you think that's going to make up for everything? Make nice with Andrew and it'll all be fine."

"Kim, I was just telling the truth. Steve's trying to find the soldiers who were on the mission with Shane." Kayla sounded like she was almost pleading. "You have no idea how hard he's been trying to help. And I know you've seen the articles Jack's printed."

Kim had. The Salem Spectator had published an article about what Shane did at the revival camp and then another about he had helped capture and later killed the Dragon.

"So those articles are all because of Steve?" Kim asked.

Kayla nodded. "Steve read Jack the riot act."

Maybe he should have done it a little sooner. Kim felt some of her anger at Steve returning. "He wouldn't have needed to if he had kept his word," she said, letting a little of her bitterness show through.

"I know you're mad," Kayla said. "And you have every right to be, but it can't be taken back. Can't you try to understand that Steve never meant for this to happen and all he can do is try to make it right?"

Kim knew that Steve did not mean it, and Kayla was probably right that Steve was trying to fix things, but Kim just could not set aside that anger. Steve had his life back. What did Shane have? What did her family have? She looked over at the couch where she had been sitting with Andrew.

"Did you hear my son? He's terrified of losing his father again. And from what Shane says, it doesn't sound like anything Steve or Jack - or you - can do to change that." Kim shook her head, hating to even say it. "Shane's going to prison. The only question is whether it's for three years or for the rest of his life."

"What does that mean?" Kayla sounded confused.

"It means Shane can plead guilty and get out in three years or he can go to trial and be convicted by a jury that the ISA's rigged and spend the rest of his life in prison." Kim saw the shock spread across Kayla's face. "Yeah, Kay, not exactly the best options. I don't know if Shane could live with himself if he pled guilty and admitted being a traitor. Not to mention, if he does, they'll deport him right after he gets out."

Kayla shook her head vigorously. "They can't do that," she insisted. "They can't do that to Shane."

Kim could not fight off the jealousy that rose within her as she heard Kayla's concern. It only fueled her quiet anger. "Well, according to Shane, they can. . . . Let Steve think about that. Let him be happy and raise his daughter and have a wonderful life, all because of what Shane did for him." Bitterly, she added, "I hope Steve thinks about that."

"You're being unfair," Kayla said.

Kim sighed. "Maybe I am, but I'm not at the point where I can just forgive and forget. Maybe that's unfair, but that's the honest truth. You and Steve don't have to see what Shane and Andrew are going through. . . . Every time I look at Shane, I see it eating away at him. This is killing him."

"I'm sorry," Kayla said, expressing more of that concern. "I don't want to see Shane hurt."

"Well he's not your concern anymore, is he?" Kim snapped. "You've got Steve back and everything's hunky dory for you. Damn . . . If Steve had just kept his mouth shut. Or if you'd gone that night to get Steve yourself. I mean, what in God's name possessed you to call Jack Deveraux of all people?"

"Look, I didn't come here to argue, Kim," Kayla said. Her voice grew louder and Kim could hear some frustration. Like Kayla really had reason to be frustrated or angry. "I stopped by here because I had a visitor at work today," Kayla explained. "And I thought you should know about it."

Kim crossed her arms and waited for Kayla to finish.

"That reporter. That Rachel Knight. She was asking questions about you and about your-"

"About my past," Kim said. "I know." Then, unable to stop herself, she added, "I bet you had a lot to tell her."