AN: Well, Adam finally met the family, but don't think that it is all smooth sailing just yet. We only have a few more chapters after this one. Thank you all so much for the reviews and the follows! Also, for those of you that have commented on my new story I thank you as well! I get some pretty interesting ideas when I've been sick. I will post new chapters on the new story once I am done with this one. Check out the prologue for What Happens In when you get the chance. Happy Reading!

Embers in the ashtray glow
Like memories that won't let go
I'm out here trying to get 'em untangled
In the darkness on the edge of town
A little lost, a little found
Waiting on a call from an angel

"Confession" – Florida Georgia Line

I was watching Kim sip her wine while sitting on the couch. I had just put Belle down for the evening and the apartment was quiet. I had things on my mind. I guess actually meeting Kim's mom and sister started me thinking. I know. Bad idea. But I had to know. It was one of the things that Kim and I had not discussed and I guess it was eating at me. I came around the back of the sofa and went to sit down as I saw Kim smile.

"She go down okay? Think she knows that she is going on an airplane tomorrow?"

"She went down fine. No, I don't think she knows. Kim, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

She looked so happy that I almost didn't want to ask my question, but I knew better than that. We had tried the whole letting sleeping dogs lie thing before and it had not worked.

"I guess meeting your Mom and your sister…what happened with your Dad? I understand being upset that he passed, but what sent you over the edge that night?"

I could see that light come out of Kim's eyes as my question registered with her. I could see her swallow another sip of that wine like it was a life line of some kind. I just waited. I wasn't going to push further, but I was going to let her know that I wanted to know.

"We had a big fight before he died."

"What about?"

"My decision to become a training officer. Platt had just told me that she was going to write my recommendation and try to speed up my selection. I was telling my Mom when my Dad overheard and ended up taking the phone from her. He had not been quiet about his feelings that I should be finding a different career path. He had never exactly been the most supportive when it came to me being a cop."

"I'm sorry."

"I told him I hated him. I told him that he was the worst father ever for not supporting me. That I wished he could be more like mom and realize that I was happy. I guess the shooting had scared him more than I realized."

"He just wanted you to be safe."

Kim just chuckled.

"It was more than that. My sister had always been daddy's girl and I was always closer with Mom. I guess it was just a personality thing. I don't know. Karin was always the ambitious, smart, go-getter. She always seemed to do everything right. I can remember Dad being so proud of her when she graduated from law school. I just don't ever recall him…acting that way with me. It was bad. We had been butting heads for a while. On numerous topics."

"Like what?"

I could see the look that Kim was giving me. I knew in that moment what the other topic was.

"I was the other thing."

"It wasn't just you. He hadn't liked the fact that you were a cop. Naturally, when I broke things off he liked to throw that back in my face. He didn't like Roman either till he found out that he couldn't be a cop anymore and was going to move to San Diego. He thought I should have gone with him. He brought up my lack of good judgement quite frequently."

Kim looked at me then. I could feel her eyes on me and knew she was waiting for me to look her in the eye.

"What my Dad didn't want to hear was the fact that I wasn't in love with Roman. After everything that had happened, I should have been jumping at the chance to go with him if I was. When he told me that he might be in love with me…I actually felt my heart sink. That isn't normal. I couldn't go. My path wasn't in that direction. My Dad didn't think that should matter."

"I'm amazed you didn't fight with your father sooner."

Kim sighed and then took another sip of her wine.

"I guess I had just learned not to talk with him if I was looking for reassurance. I would just talk with Mom. I always knew that I was really on the wrong path if my Mom also didn't agree. That night, I had really called Mom to ask for advice. Ryan and I had broken up two weeks prior and I just needed support that night. It didn't work that way. When Karin called me the next night and said that Dad had died of a heart attack. I don't know. I guess I just lost it."

"Did you not tell anyone?"

"No. Everyone was busy with something and I just wasn't ready to deal with it. My mistake. I should have gone home that night."

I took Kim's one hand since she was still holding her wine glass.

"I'm sorry, Adam."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You had been through a lot…."

"That's not what I mean. I'm sorry for not being a stronger person back when we were together. I'm sorry I wasn't more direct with you. That was one of the things that my Mom and I had talked about that night."

"Me?"

"Well, not just you. Some other things had happened with Ryan and something I did with you came up. You asked before…for me to admit. I tested you instead of talking with you. That was a mistake. I'm sorry. I never should have done that."

For some strange reason, that apology lifted something off of me. Something that not even I had realized was weighing on me.

"Thank you for that. I figured it out, but I was too late once I had. I guess we both had a lot to learn about how to actually be in a relationship."

Kim was nodding. She set her wine glass down and then leaned into me. I held her to me and just rocked her.

"I needed to learn more than that. I had to learn a lot about myself. How to be honest with myself about how I was feeling about things. I'm still learning."

I laughed. God, I knew what she meant.

"So, are you really ready for this trip?"

Kim looked up at me and sighed.

"I'm as ready as I will ever be. If you can face my Mom and my sister, I can do this."

I kissed the top of her head and hoped that I could be a source of strength for her during the weekend.

Post note: Ready for the beach everyone? :) Nothing could go wrong at the beach, right? ;)