A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay between updates. Life has been super crazy. I'm glad for all the wonderful reviews, and I promise you all, I haven't given up on this story. Anyway, see the first chapter for the disclaimer. I hope you guys enjoy this one, and please review!

Chapter Eighteen

Frank had walked in hours ago when his youngest was already fast asleep in the bed. Now he sat in the visitor's chair, watching his son quietly. Though, unlike times in the recent past, Jamie was going to wake up and talk to him any minute now.

Jamie moaned in his sleep.

Frank knew what it looked like when Jamie had nightmares. He had seen it several times throughout his son's life. So he knew when to wake him up and when to let him sleep through it. This one was still in its early stages, but he had a good idea what kind of nightmare it would be.

Frank gently shook Jamie's shoulder, waking his son up.

Jamie cringed but tried his best not to react too overtly to the dream he'd been having. Frank, of course, saw right through it. He also was aware that Jamie knew Frank saw the reaction for what it was- a cover.

"You want to talk about it?" Frank asked as Jamie settled himself down.

"Not much to say," Jamie replied.

"You and I both know that's not true."

Jamie shook his head. "Just once, I wish I could lie to someone in this family and actually get away with it."

Frank smiled slightly at Jamie's joke. "Try Sean or Jack."

"Jack's too smart for that already. Sean's the only one who completely believes me."

Frank smiled wider.

Jamie yawned, readjusting to sit up and grimacing with the movement. "I swear, it's getting better," he told his worried father.

"I know," Frank replied. "Before, you couldn't even sit up on your own."

Jamie nodded, yawning again.

"You want to go back to sleep?" Frank asked.

"Wasn't there a reason you woke me up?" Jamie countered.

Frank nodded.

"I'll be fine in a minute. I just need to wake up a little more is all."

Frank said nothing as Jamie readjusted again, this time with slightly less grimacing. After another yawn, his son pronounced, "I'm good."

Frank smiled slightly. "You want some coffee?" he asked.

Jamie shook his head. "I don't want to be up forever. Linda will make them drug me."

Frank chuckled. "I don't think so."

"She keeps threatening restraints if I keep picking at the bandages."

Frank smirked at the thought of his daughter-in-law threatening his youngest son.

"I keep telling her I'll just figure another way out of them," Jamie added with a grin.

"I wouldn't threaten the nurses," Frank reminded him.

"Not all of the nurses. Just Linda."

Frank chuckled again, shaking his head. He knew Jamie's jokes were more to hide his feelings than they were his attempt at being funny. Jamie tended to joke more when things were really bothering him, which was second only to him being completely silent. Though, Frank knew that if it hadn't been for his prolonged unconsciousness and the subsequent worry it caused, Jamie likely would be silent.

Jamie's jokes were his compensation for the rest of the family as much as it was for him.

Jamie looked over at his father. "Danny said they killed one but caught the others," he said.

Frank nodded.

Jamie shook his head. "Nate was… I mean, if you thought what Andre did was bad… Nate probably would've done worse. And Honor… what's going to happen to Honor? And Freddy, for that matter?"

"Freddy made a deal for conspiracy," Frank told him. "He got 5 years with Andre. Honor's deal earned her 20 years."

Jamie shook his head. "She just went along with it. She wasn't… she didn't… she more conspired than did anything. 20 years is harsh."

"She hurt you too, Jamie."

"Because she had to." Jamie shifted before practically whispering, "Nate and Liam would've killed her, Dad."

"I'm not the one you need to be saying this too," Frank told him gently.

"I know," Jamie breathed. "It's the DA. Though, when they get my statement…"

As if on cue, Danny walked in. "They'll get it once you sign it," he said, handing Jamie the paper. Jamie struggled to sign it with his good hand. "I'll come back later, after I got this filed and the case closed for good. Sound good?"

"Do I have a choice?" Jamie replied lightly.

"Nope." Danny patted Jamie's leg gently before leaving.

Jamie turned back to his father. "Has he been doing that the whole time?" he asked.

"Running in and out?" Frank replied. At Jamie's nod, he replied, "pretty much."

"Does he think it makes him more important when he does that?"

Frank smirked slightly. He was happy to indulge Jamie for the time being, knowing that he'd given his statement to Danny, which had forced him to at least talk a little bit about what had happened. As for anything else… they would deal with it as it came up.

Yet, Frank still asked, "how are you dealing with everything?"

Jamie didn't answer right away, which was another one of his tells. One that said things were very, very bad. "No sense in trying to lie to you," his son replied quietly. "I just don't know yet, Dad. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

"Understandable."

Jamie didn't say anything else, looking instead at his casted hand.

"This will hit you," Frank continued. "And, when it does, you'll figure out what you're feeling. Just know that we're all here for you, any time, day or night."

"I know," Jamie said quietly.

Frank nodded, watching his son.

"It's just… it's tough," the younger man said, his voice still soft. "Been a bad year."

"I know," Frank replied, matching his son's tone.

Jamie shook his head, effectively ending the conversation. Yet another tell of his…

"You might want to get some more sleep," Frank offered. "Your body's still healing."

Jamie nodded, readjusting to lie down once again. Frank patted his son's leg softly, saying nothing more as Jamie closed his eyes and tried to drift off to sleep once again.