A/N Thank you for your patience and understanding. For those enjoying the story, your positive feedback had been inspiring. For those who don't care for it, I appreciate your feedback and there are a gazillion other stories you can read;knock yourself out and have fun.

Cpov

We are all home at Escala and quite frankly, it feels good. Barney has been on the phone ordering replacement equipment for us and getting it delivered immediately. Gail and Flynn both refused to go. No doubt, Taylor is their reason for staying. We have only been home a couple of hours but already things are looking up. Ana's condition has definitely stabilized. The pressure in her brain is dropping and the proposed craniectomy has been indefinitely postponed. There have been no further incidents like the attack last week.

Taylor is regaining consciousness. The doctor advises he will have a fierce headache and will suffer from dizziness due to the beta blocker they are giving him to keep his blood pressure low, very low. Its only for a few more days so hopefully he won't mind. Dr D has treated him before and is not nearly as optimistic as I am. I know if I tell Taylor, 'Take the god damned pill', he will fucking take it.

Gail has been busy cooking. She placed a very large grocery order on line at Sam's Club and had Ryan and Reynolds pick it up. We still have auxiliary security provided by Gates. There's a man by the elevator and another by the freight elevator. A third guy stays in the stairwell. All of them are carrying automatic weapons. A month ago, I wouldn't have allowed it. Now, I am damn grateful for them. I hope they never have to squeeze the trigger but if they do, at least they are in a good position to defend themselves as well as us.

Welch is going to return to his home office. He feels more comfortable working there. Barney, on the other hand, has taken over one of the guest rooms and turned it into a nest of wires, computer cords and phone lines. There are all kinds of hard drives and different monitors set up. As well as audio alarms. He had the bed removed. And is happily positioned on the thickly carpeted floor, leaning against the wall, typing on his laptop like a mad man. There are at least two different printers pushing out paper. Its not a quiet room, yet Barney is very much at peace here. When I ask what he's found out, he just shakes his head and mutters" later." I wonder if we will see him for dinner. I doubt it.

I go to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of wine. Gail is there pouring a cup of chicken broth for Taylor. He is awake and extremely cranky. I set down my wine and follow her. She taps on the door politely and Flynn opens it and let's us in. Taylor is sitting up in his recliner and grins shyly when he sees Gail. He's wearing a black tee shirt and black jeans. When he sees me his smile fades. God, that hurt. I blurt out something about how good it is to see him looking better and quickly turn to go. He says nothing. Once back in the kitchen, i grab my glass of wine, the bottle it came from and head straight into my study and shut the door.

I am such a stupid ass. How arrogant can I be to think he could so easily forgive and forget what happened. I hired the man who shot him. He could have died, in fact he did die. He coded twice. I swallow down my wine and pour another glass. I look up and see Ana's picture hanging from the wall. Seeing her beautiful smile destroys me because I know I am responsible for her being in that hospital. I am the one who arranged for her to be taken there. I wanted to see her suffer. I am so angry at myself. What the fuck is wrong with me? How could I not believe her? Why would I believe the mother fucking cunt Elena? Seriously? I wish I knew who wanted me dead, because I would. go and fucking meet him. Suddenly, a handkerchief is in front of my face. I look up and Taylor is standing there with his arm in a sling.

"Sir, I know what you're thinking and you're wrong."

"How can you know what I am thinking?" I demand, my voice filled with irritation.

"Sir, I always know what you're thinking. You know that. We're a lot more alike than we are different. You know that. All the shit that's happened, you have to let it go. We were both fucked up and not thinking right. Flynn showed me a picture of me he took with his phone. It kind of put everything in perspective. I had that look in my eyes. You know, that thousand yard stare? When I saw that look, I suddenly understood how fucked up I was. Talk to Flynn, he explained it to me, and, Christ! It made sense. We can't go around blaming ourselves for every fucking thing that goes wrong in the universe.

We each have a woman that we love and we need to try and get back there because we're both good for shit alone. If we live in the past, we'll die in the past. "

Taylor looked at Grey and knew he was about to tear up. "I'm gonna cross the line here boss, so listen, If you start bawling again, I will too. We have both cried enough. I say no more! You cry again and I'm gonna beat your ass. "

Grey burst out laughing. "Who walked you to my study?"

Taylor shrugged unashamed that he had been called out,"Flynn. " then both men laughed together.

Grey stood approached Taylor and held out his hand. Taylor grasped it, then Grey placed both hands on Taylor's shoulders. "You're right, Taylor. Maybe later if you are feeling up to it, I could bring you up to date on everything that has been happening. "

"I'd like that. Sawyer has filled me in some but I must be missing a lot because he said Ros was under suspicion."

Grey sat back down and gestured for Taylor to do the same. " There is evidence that -"

"No! Forget the evidence. Its probably manufactured. You know Ros, she would never fucking back stab you like that. She's just not wired that way. If she wanted your company, she'd come at you head on. She'd be right in your face. You'd know that, but you were gone so long, you're just not thinking straight."

"Thank you, Taylor. I didn't think it could be Ros, but there was so much evidence..."

"Maybe you should ask Dr D to knock you out for five days and -"

"Nice try but no thanks," Grey replied with a laugh.

"I hear Ana is doing better?"

"Yeah, she is. "

"When are you going to go see her?"

" I don't know. I am such a target right now, I'm afraid I 'll bring the threat to her."

"She has three people protecting her. Trust them. If you wait until there's no threat, it could be too late. Think about it. She needs you boss. You're like the air she breathes. If you're not there, as far as she's concerned, life isn't worth living."

"She's in a coma. She won't even know I am there. "

"Don't count on it, sir. She needs your touch and the sound of your voice. Why don't I have Ryan and Sawyer drive you over right now. Just do it, don't think about it. Its not like you two are going to have a meaningful conversation. You'll feel better. Please, sir."

"When you ask me like that, Taylor, how can I refuse?"