Chapter 8

By the time Stephanie, Joey and their father had been at the hospital for an hour, it was apparent that as delighted as Kayla had been that the three of them could visit her all together and had done, the excitement was draining her. In spite of the vast improvements in her condition she was a long way from being well physically.

'Do you want some help getting back into bed?' Steve questioned. For at least the past fifteen minutes, it had become more and more obvious to him that even with him signing every word the kids said, following the conversation was a little too much for Kayla right then.

She nodded.

"Guys, why don't you run and grab a coffee while I help your mama?" Steve suggested. He had no doubt that it wasn't going to be an easy process and she was a proud women. She was not going to want her babies to see her in pain when they did not have too.

"We can stay, we don't mind," Joey shrugged, not wishing to be apart from his mother when he did not have to be.

Stephanie was more perceptive.

"But coffee does sound good and I am not going out there like a loner. Come on, loser," she said as she pulled her brother up.

"You're a loser," Joey retorted, as he went almost willingly with his sister. Just as they left the room, Stephanie threw her father a wink.

She had his back.

He turned back to Kayla.

"Okay then baby, let's get you up."

Steve put his arms gently round Kayla and helped her up the chair. If it was possible to do this swiftly, he thought to himself, it would hurt less.

What he had not been expecting was for her to put her hands on his chest and lean in for a moment. The need to be held radiated off of her and again he had to question his own morality. Kayla had concussion… but she had been pretty lucid and with it that day. His sweetness had always known her own mind. And to deny her then was beyond his capability. He had never been able to deny her. If he had his way then he would be able to pepper her face with kisses, the way he used to when they were married. Instead, he contented himself with pressing one on to the top of her head and holding her as tightly as he could without fear of harming her any more than she already had been.

"I've got you, sweetness. I am back, ok… you don't have to worry," he murmured, as he was careful not to apply to much pressure anywhere.

The one thing he swore right then and there was that she was never going to be hurt again. Not this time.

They rocked back and forward a little before he kissed her again.

"Come on, sweetness… bed time," he smiled sadly as they released one another. She sat down on the bed before he help her lay back and get her legs up on the bed. Steve could not miss the way she winced. "Take it easy, baby."

Covering her with the blankets, Steve continued to make nonsense noises. He knew they were next to useless as she couldn't hear them… but maybe somehow, he thought, she would understand. The two of them normally did get through to one another one way or another. He sat on the bed, and unable to stop himself, he reached out to caress her cheek. She leaned into his touch, equally unable to stop herself from doing so even if she had wanted too.

Just then he could not work it out… How had it all gone so wrong between them, when them being together was so right?

X x x

Steve had only slipped out the door when Joey came back for him, worrying something more was up with his mom. He had sat on the bed for more than one moment as they had just looked at one another. They never had been good at keeping their eyes off another.

Somehow through everything… the fact the four of them had had some proper time together that afternoon made some thing right in Kayla's world. A week before she had believed nothing was ever going to be ok again. She had been so afraid. And that was before the crash.

As he had left, Steve had signed to her he would be back later that day to see her. If she had to lay money on it then she guessed he was going to be coming back without the kids.

That could only be a good thing. Kayla was aware that neither of them had any idea what was going on right then. They had no idea how they were meant to be with each other. That was why they had fallen so very easily back in their old ways she told herself. Because they could not be just friends. They wouldn't know where to start being anything less than they were right then.

Honestly, She was so glad of that. Because at least that meant he would hold her. She did not know what she would have done if he wasn't there to hold her right then.

The thud, thud, thud of his heart… it was strong and steady… and a life line to something more…

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, as she thought about the hands which were there to hold hers, the door opened… and another face she loved came in to view.

She remembered how last time it had been Steve and Kimberly who had kept her from falling in to the pit of depression which had nearly engulfed her. It did seem as if history was repeating itself… in so many ways.

Overall, Kayla did not think she had ever been so glad to see her big sister in her entire life.

X x x

After the police station, it was back to the hospital for Bo. He had been back in Salem for coming on for a day and the fact that he had not seen his sister was not ok. He had come back to see her after all. He did not regret his decision to stay away the night before. The way she and Steve had been together had been enough proof of that. But he had stayed away long enough.

It was time to check on her himself.

So he did his best to push his reunion with Hope to the back of his mind. Really he could have expected no more or less… he had got what he had deserved. She was pissed and she had every right to be.

He knew that. He had to give this a little time. And while that time was passing, he would do what Brady's did best and be there for his family. He would help his mother and he would help his sister recover… in whatever way he could.

As soon as he had spent some time with Kayla he was heading straight to the pub. He only hoped the rest of the Brady ladies were going to be a little more forgiving, even if they had no cause to be.

Bo was sure to pick up some chocolate on the way to his sisters room in the hospital room, knowing they were going to be received a lot more gratefully than a bunch of grapes and knocked gently on the door before he entered.

His heart plummeted when he realised Kayla already had a visitor… but then it rose in his chest as he realised who it was.

"Kimberly?" he smiled.

This was even better. He had come to see one of his big sisters. He had got two.

When he had come into the room, Kim had been sitting on the chair next to Kayla's bed. He realised pretty quickly that it had been positioned so that Kayla could see her clearly. The last time his sister had been deaf he was ashamed to admit he had not been there for her. Not in the way Kimberly had. He had been on the other side of the world. This time it was going to be different he thought. He was going to be pulling for her.

"Oh my god," Kimberly said as she jumped off of the seat and came straight to his side. Whereas Hope's anger had kept her from embracing him, his sister had no such problem, even if she was mad as hell at him…

Which he had a sneaking suspicion would come out in the wash later.

"Where have you been? Where have you been? We have been worried sick about you, baby bother…" she said as she held him tight.

He had missed Brady hugs he realised. He did not know too many people who really meant there hugs like their family did.

"Don't you spend any time worrying about me. I am good. We need to focus on this one," he said as he looked at his big sister in the hospital bed.

For a moment, Kayla had looked as if she was confused when Kim jumped up to embrace Bo. But now there was none of that confusion. Maybe Steve had told her that he was about, he thought as she did not look surprised to see him – only glad. She looked so glad he was back and it made his heart feel much lighter…

Once Kim had let him go he crossed to Kayla. His initial joy at seeing her awake was replaced by absolute concern.

A bandage covered the right of her forehead where she must have taken a nasty bump. It was obvious where the bandages under her hospital gown bound her ribs... and then there were the bruises which peaked out from under her gown as well.

"Oh sis," he sighed as he reached down. He wanted nothing more in that moment to pull her in to one of the same bone crushing hugs he had just shared with their elder sister.

But he knew he couldn't.

Pulling back, he realised his eyes were damp with relief. No matter how bad Kayla was then, he had the small comfort she was going to recover from this in the end. Things were not as hopeless as they had seemed just days earlier…,

"Hey, come on baby brother. You know what a toughie our sister is," Kimberly said comforting.

Bo knew he was going to have to get on to a sign course as soon as he could. He hated the idea of any one diluting his conversation with Kayla. Even those he knew loved them both more than anything.

Still, as Kayla's eyes met his and she took his hand in her own, he had a feeling the two of them understood one another perfectly. She knew where he had been… just lost... As much as they both loved Kimberly and Roman, the two of them shared a bond.

And that bond was a comfort to him right there and then when he needed it to be the most. He could only hope it was as much a comfort to her.

"I know. It's going to be ok," he said with more confidence than he felt running a thumb across his sisters knuckles.

It just had to be.

X x x

"Hey guys, how was your mom doing today?" asked Adrienne from where she sat on the sofa.

After the excitement of that morning she had had a pretty quiet day and for the first time since Kayla had been in hospital, had forgone visiting her that day. It seemed to her, all in all, she was going to get enough visitors and she did not want to tire her out.

"Mom was ok. She sat up in a chair for a bit which was pretty good," Stephanie shrugged.

"And we could talk to her properly, cause dad knows sign language!" Joey beamed.

"I know he does, honey. He learnt pretty fast the last time your mom couldn't hear." Adrienne said proudly as she looked at her brother. Back when they had all been so much younger, he had been so devoted to Kayla. And nothing stopped him getting to her when she needed him most. She was glad to see nothing had changed.

"Yeah and soon I am not going to be the only signing Johnson. These two are going to learn fast asss well," he said as he nodded to his kids.

"I am sure Kayla is going to just love that." Adrienne nodded. "Now what are you guys all up to for dinner? Is every one in?" She asked. Poor Henderson had been harassed by the cook all morning about numbers for dinner.

It was so rare these days that the numbers for dinner went up past four that when it did… well, it was quiet the event.

"I am," Joey said flopping next to his aunt on the couch. Adrienne wrapped an arm about him, kissing his forehead.

"Yeah, me too but I think I might eat in my room if that is ok? I am feeling kind tired," Stephanie admitted.

"That's fine, honey bun. What about you, Steve?" Adrienne asked.

"I am going to grab some thing at the hospital," he said and was slightly crest fallen at the way his sons face fell. Joey recovered fast, but not fast enough. "But you know what, one night next week we can go grab something at the pub, my treat. And I will make sure I am about for dinner tomorrow."

"I should think so too. You have some birthdays to make up for papa," Stephanie scolded gently. He knew she was not just teasing though.

And, of course, she was right. He had… a lot to make up for.

And none of them were going to lose sight of that.

Still, Joey seemed placated for now. He nodded. "Can I go play on the computer for a bit?" he asked.

"Sure you can, little dude," Steve said with a wink.

Before long, the two Johnson kids had left the room. Their father was not quite surprised. A lot had gone on that day for the two of them and seeing their mother how she was right then was not easy… for any of them, but especially for the kids. They needed time to unwind, however they saw best to do that.

"They are going through it." his sister read his mind. "But then they are Brady–Johnsons. That means they are made of tougher stuff and they are going to fine..."

He nodded. He knew that…

Seeing Adrienne just then and hearing her say those words suddenly increased the weight on his chest though. He had kept secrets from her in the past and he did not want to do that again. Not when it was over something so huge.

He had excused himself from telling her about Jack that morning. Now he found he couldn't do it for a second time.

"They are their mother's kids that's for sure… and – and we are our mothers. You know… we're made of stronger stuff too," he shrugged as he sat down.

Now he had seen Kayla… he had to tell her.

"Adrienne, baby, I know what I am going to say now will make you as mad as hell but - but I had keep this from you because of the mission I was on – we were on. If it was not for that then nothing in the world could have made me keep this from you. You have to believe that."

She looked at him as if he had gone mad...

What he was saying felt out the blue to say the very least. She knew he had been on an ISA mission but why on earth who he had been on it with would matter to her she did not know.

"Steve?" she asked as she looked at him. "I could never be mad at you right now, what are you on about?"

"This is about… well… Billy Jack…"

X x x

"Look at what the cat has dragged in at last, mama," laughed Kimberly as she and Bo made their way into the pub.

Even though it had been good to see Victor earlier on in the day, it was as Bo walked in to the Brady pub for the first time in years that he felt as if he was somewhere near going home.

He knew he could not go home to his wife and his daughter. Hope had made that clear.

But he could come back to the place he was raised.

And his mother.

The first thing he thought when he looked at her was how tired Caroline appeared.

He did not life to think about what she had been through of late. She had been… well, to hell and back he was sure… she had been sick when he had taken her to the clinic so for him to then do a disappearing act on her. That wasn't fair.

She had dark circles under her eyes and looked… frail. He had noted she was getting older when the two of them had gone to the clinic. But before that she had always just looked like his Ma to him. But now that was not the case.

He had to accept the fact she was growing in to an old lady… and treat her better than he had done of late.

"Bo… oh, my Bo," she said as she walked out from the bar.

Caroline and Bo moved at the same time to come together and then for the first time since they had gone on their trip together, they were in each other's arms.

She had been so upset with him when he had been gone. And she had been angry and worried… but now she had him back those emotions did not seem to matter so much to her.

Bo was her child, the same way Roman was and Kimberly was and Kayla was and Frankie was and Max was.

And that meant the six of them could do whatever they liked to her, put her through anything. And she was still going to love them just as much as she did the first time she had held them in her arms.

"How you doing, Ma?" he asked as the two of them embraced.

The truth was in that precise moment, Caroline was not too sure about how she was doing. On the one hand she had her baby in her arms for the first time in many years. And on the other hand she had another of her babies up in hospital, recovering from a car wreck, struggling to deal with the fall out of that.

And so she said the only thing she could.

"Oh, you know me, I am fine. Have you seen your sister?"

Bo nodded. "The two of us have just got back from there, Ma, she seemed as if she was in a pretty good spirits today. But then I know Steve went in with the kids. I think seeing the three of them all together did Kayla the world of good."

Caroline nodded. She had been so very sad to hear of her daughters divorce from Steven Johnson. Ever since they had been young the two of them had been so dedicated to each other… she was not somehow surprised by the effect his visit had had on her.

"I bet that did have something to do with it."

"Yeah, she was tired… but a little happy."

"Well, I am very happy to see you. Do you want some… oh… oh Bo, honey, I know this might not make too much sense right now but I do not think you stay here for your dinner tonight." She said as if she was just remembering something.

The last thing in the world that she wanted to do was to send him away when she had just got him back.

But him staying that evening for his supper… she knew was not going to work.

X x x

Hope had called Caroline that afternoon, right before she had called Aiden. He had said she could ring at any time and so she had taken advantage of that. But she did not think he had wanted to hear what she had to say.

After Bo had left her at the office, to say she had been upset was a little bit of an understatement. His reply that he did not know where he had been bothered her for just about a million reasons. And then there was the tiny part of her which regardless of all the pain he had put her through of late could not forget the years of happiness which they had shared.

The history which they shared.

And as a consequence of that part of her was just…. Just singing because she had proof he was alive and well. They had been in the same room.

But the angry part of her… that was the one which dominated.

And, of course, just as all that was going on that was when she had got a big case in. A case which was going to have her at her desk long after she should have gone to pick her daughter up from school.

Caroline, when she had ran, had been only too pleased to go and pick up Ciara from school for her. Part of her said she should have just let Aidan do it but somehow it did not feel right. She knew she could not sit down with him and the kids and eat dinner that evening as if it was a normal night. It was not.

For the four of them to act otherwise was not possible.

"I just – I just think I need a little time with Ciara on my own tonight," she had said to Aidan.

"Well, I get that it is a hard time for you at the moment," he said referring to Kayla's accident, "but are you sure there is nothing I can do to help?"

And that was just like him to ask. Because he was sweet and he was kind. And he had given her so much of her confidence back… the confidence she had lost before they had got together.

"I don't think so… but there is something I want you to hear from me, no one else." She had sighed.

She really was not sure she could handle this conversation twice in one day and she knew she was going to have to have it was Ciara when she got home from school. But that did not mean she did not have to have it was Aiden as well. She owed him that much.

"What's up?"

"Bo is back. He heard about Kayla and he came home."

There was a silence on the end of the phone. As long as Bo had been away then things had been easy for the two of them… or easier. With him out the scene, they could get on with their lives with the kids and there wasn't any more added complications.

But those days were over. "I need to have a serious chat with Ciara about her daddy and I think it is best if the two of us have that chat on our own."

"Ok… I think that is for the best as well."

"The four of us can get together at the weekend. I think we are all going to be ready for a bit of fun by then," she said more brightly.

But she could hear how fake her tone was and she had no doubt Aiden knew well enough how faked it was as well.

Still… he was a sport.

"Sounds great," he had said just a little sadly as the two of them hung up the phone.

One phase of their relationship was definitely over.

Another more complicated one was beginning.

X x x

Ciara always enjoyed spending her evenings after school at the Brady pub. For one thing she got to over load on her grandmas cookies, for another she generally got to hang out with one or more members of her family.

The one she had not expected to see when she had got there was her cousin Joey. Normally, he was her constant companion when the two of them were at their grandmas but she knew he was staying with her other grandpa for now.

Her first question when she had seen her grandma that night was how her aunt was and she had been pleased to hear she was slowly recovering. Her mom had said she was doing better, but confirmation from two sources was always better than one. Though none of the adults had confirmed her suspicions about how bad it was, she knew from how pale and quiet they had all got that it was really had. Thankfully… already things seemed to be on the mend.

But that still left her with no one but her grandma and cousin Eric to hang out with while she waited for her mom to arrive. That was alright – she did her home work after she had had a glass of milk when she got in and then she had gone down to the kitchen to help with some baking. Her grandma had said something about doing some needle point practice once they had some cookies in the oven which sounded good to her. But half way through the baking her grandma had had to leave for what she had said was going to be just a moment… but when five minutes had passed with no sign of the return of her grandma, her natural Brady curiosity peaked.

She had been about to call out as soon as she left the kitchen to see where her grandma was but the voices in the bar attracted her.

There were a few people there having their own dinner and Eric serving. As soon as he saw her he came to the door, he approached though. Too quickly…

"Hey Ciara, how about we go through to the back and you can tell me all about your day at school?"

The way he said it was too hurried. As if he was trying to hide something.

"No… I want grandma," she said as she dodged him and walked past the bar.

She could see her grandma trying to shoo two people out of the bar but then Ciara felt her throat go dry as she realised just who one of them was…

"Daddy?"

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