Chapter 10

Even with a protective arm draped about Kayla, it took Steve a while to calm down enough to go to sleep that night.

A lot… a lot had happened over the past week. When he thought back to where he had been seven days ago, out in the wilderness with his band of brothers with no reason to think he was going to get back to Salem any time soon…

Well, all he knew was this was much better. For him, anyway, even with the sad circumstances of his return…

He ran a hand gently through Kayla's hair as she moaned out a little. He did not know and could not know what was going on in her dreams but they weren't good. Once again he found his mind whirling to compare her condition this time to the last time she had lost her hearing.

She had moaned out in her sleep then too. He remembered because that was the only time in those few months that he had got to hear her voice. It had been totally unconscious. As angry as he had been that she was having nightmares, it had been a comfort to hear her and to know what Mike and Marcus was saying was true. She was going to get her voice back.

He told himself she would this time too.

"It's all going to be ok. You'll be fine. We're all going to be good," he murmured.

It was all so pointless when she couldn't hear the words.

But if he could back up those words with actions, if he could make it ok for her… that would be the best thing.

The first thing which he knew he had to do was sort out some permanent digs for himself. As much as he would love more time with his sister, there was no way in hell he was going to stay at the Kiriakis mansion for logger than he had too. Nor was he was going to allow his kids too either.

He had had too much experience with Victor Kiriakis in the past to wish to intrude on his hospitality for longer than he had too. Besides… he wasn't sure if he and Adrienne wanting to spend time together was a two way thing right then.

A little space might do her some good.

He had a little money from the jobs he had been doing, the ISA paid fairly well and he was sure he could get somewhere half way decent for him and the kids till Kayla went home.

He would get on that tomorrow he promised himself.

He had just been allowing his eyes to shut and sleep to wash over him, when he heard the door open. He knew that the doctors had to do their checks but he could not help be annoyed.

He did not want anyone to be prodding and poking at Kayla in the middle of the night.

They had to let her rest if she was going to regain her strength and by so doing, her health.

He rolled over.

"She is trying to get a little sleep," he said as he noted how groggy his own voice was.

"I know that, which is why I am throwing you out of here. She need rest."

Steve looked at the doctor. Ha seemed familiar and it took him a minute to place him – but then he did.

Jonas.

In the past the two of them had always got on. He seemed as if he was a good doctor but Steve felt himself getting wound up just at the thought of him trying to get him to leave.

"She wanted me to stay."

That was the bottom line for Steve.

"Well, as I am sure Doctor Brady would tell you if she was up to it, it is not practice for relations of our patients to stay overnight with them.,"

And that was all it took for him to be on Steve's list.

He was not sure if it was the uppity way he spoke to him or the way that he emphasis he placed on her last name as if to point to the fact she was no longer his wife.

It did not matter.

But Steve did not like the dude. Not one bit.

He nodded. He was not going to make a scene and he was not going to give this guy the pleasure of seeing that. He was not leaving so calmly for him though. Steve realised him kicking off was the last thing Kayla needed.

So instead, he slid off of the bed before leaning back over to kiss her good night.

He would be back in the morning he reminded himself. He was going to get a chance to explain this to her.

"Night sweetness," he sighed as he kissed her.

Leaving was against every instinct which he had.

He turned back to the doctor. There had been a time he remembered when the wishes of the patients in the hospital mattered. Perhaps he had just been following protocol. But personally, Steve had never set a lot of store by protocol.

Still, at least he had the measure of Jonas…

X x x

Saturday morning did bring a lie in for Adrienne.

She had not released how much that week had hit her until she woke up and for the first time just wanted to pull the covers over her head.

Jack was alive. This was good news.

She should be celebrating. But there was so much going on that it had got confused with and she soon realised that was the best way to describe what she was feeling.

Confused.

Rolling over the bed, she sought unconsciously the warm body of her husband. Justin wrapping his arms about her would be most welcomed. For the two of them to just start the weekend quietly together… that would be very nice.

But she could just keep rolling she found because despite it being a weekend… there was no one in the bed beside her.

She had been able to act as if she had known her husband had early meetings earlier in the week. She had even fooled herself.

But suddenly it was not that easy.

She lay back in the bed and sighed. That day was going to be like every other weekend for the past year… unless she changed it.

Grabbing her phone off the bed side table, she scrolled down her contacts, past 'J' to 'L' and lingered over the number of Lucas Horton…

X x x

"Oh my gosh! I heard you were back!"

"In the flesh too. I wondered if my sister in law could spare me a cup of coffee."

"Of course I can, it is great to see you!" said Jen as she stepped back and let Steve into the Horton homestead. "How are you?"

"I - I am doing good, better now I am home," he admitted as she escorted him through to the living room.

"I bet you are. Have you seen Kayla?"

He nodded. "I spent some time with her yesterday."

"I guess I have to admit to knowing that. Adrienne rang and said you were up there, so I stayed away. I am going into work this afternoon though so I am going to pop in and see her then."

"Good – I mean, she really needs all of us pulling for her at the moment."

"She has us."

"That's good," he said with a smile. "So how are you?"

"Me? I am fine," she nodded. "Let me grab you that coffee, then we can catch up."

He nodded gratefully, wondering how on earth he was going to explain all this too her. He wondered lightly if she was going to take this better or worse than Adrienne. From what he had heard from his brother, Jack and Jennifer had just got back on an even footing when disaster had struck the two of them down again.

With his sister in law out of the room he had a chance to look at the mantel peace. It had been so long since he had seen JJ that he doubted he would have recognized him if Adrienne had not shown him the wedding pictures the day before.

From what he guessed to be the most recent photo of his niece, he knew he would have known Abi even though it had been a few years since the two of them had seen one another as well.

He remembered the way she had clung to him when they thought were spreading Jack's ashes.

Poor baby girl…

His eyes scanned over the photo of Mr and Mrs Horton and a smile appeared on his lips. He had had a lot of time for Tom and Alice. The way they had had time for all of them.

Finally, there was a picture of his brother and Jennifer looked in one another's embrace.

He smiled grimly at it for a moment before he heard someone behind him.

It was too soon to be Jennifer back with the coffee.

"Uncle Steve?" JJ asked.

"How many other dudes you know who would rock up here with an eye patch?" he asked.

"Well… like, none," He said as he stuck out his hand as a greeting.

Steve smiled. His nephew was a young man and no boy. Jack was going to be proud.

"You are back for Aunt Kayla right? She really need you right now."

She needed all of them.

JJ knew he had not been up at the hospital half as much as he should have since the accident. He knew much like his mother and his sister had practically been up at the hospital every day.

Like he should have been.

He had seen his aunt twice and asides that he had said he did not want to go too much as he did not want to tire her out. The truth was he had just not summoned up the courage like the rest of the family. Yet now he felt as if he had been the one who had not stepped up to the mark when he had needed too.

He loved his Aunt Kayla. A lot, just like Abby did. And there was just something so unnatural about seeing her in pain.

He couldn't stand it.

"Yeah, I am going to be around for her now. And the kids too. I should have been here sooner."

Well, JJ was bit going to argue with that.

"You're here now, I guess –"

"Who is here?" another voice asked as a young women came into the Horton living room.

Abigail's face split into a smile as she saw her uncle. "Steph said you were home!"

In spite of the fact the two of them had had relatively little time together since she had been born, Abigail found that despite her uncle's appearance it was easy to feel close to him. He had the appearance of an old fighting dog, but that was all. She knew he was a teddy bear deep down and that belief was solidified as they embraced.

"How you doing, baby?"

"Good, I am doing really well. It is so good to see you!"

"You as well," he said as he drew back. "Well, look at the two of you all grown up. Last time I saw you, you were just little kiddies."

"Probably a sign you have been away too long." The words were out of JJs mouth before he could stop them.

Steve nodded as he looked as his nephew. He was obviously going to be a tougher nut to crack than his sister but in no way did he blame him.

Considering everything he had done to all of them, his family immediate and extended, he had been given a very warm welcome.

For now. All that could change he thought as Jen returned with the coffee.

"Well, as thrilled as we are to have you here, is there a particular reason for your visit this bright Saturday morning? It is not even ten yet," Jen laughed unsuspectingly.

"Umm… yeah, actually there is. Why don't we four sit down? There is something I need to tell you guys. All of you."

X x x

Adrienne spent the morning at the hospital that day.

Lucas had said he was going to be about later in the day and she had caught her brother just as he had been leaving the house.

"I am going over to see Jen and the kids," he had explained to her sheepishly.

She could only reply that she had thought that was a good idea, even if she knew it was going to be a lot for them to take in.

It had been for her.

Adrienne tried as best she could though to leave her own annoyance at the door of the hospital. She could pick it up on the way back out and she knew the last thing which Kayla needed was any more stress.

Unfortunately though, that was just what she seemed to have when she went through to her.

As soon as she saw Adrienne, Kayla was scribbling on the note pad which had been left by her side.

Where is Steve?

Adrienne sighed. The two of them could not be having problems already when he had only just got back. But if the two of them were, then she was really going to kill him this time.

He has gone to see Jennifer, Abby and JJ. He said he was going to be in later on, Adrienne wrote.

That seemed to calm her a little but Kayla still looked stressed, running a hand threw her hair as she sighed.

Adrienne knew she had had enough of all of this already. She just wanted to go home and be with her kids and out of the hospital bed.

But as it was they all had a long road to walk with her. And they were only just at the start of it.

X x x

By the time Steve got to the hospital, in all truth he felt as if he had done a day's works… telling Jen and the kids Jack was alive when they had believed him to be dead for the umpteenth time had not been an easy gig.

They had all reacted in very different ways, Jen going into a stunned silence and Abby crying with joy because she was so happy. Steve was not sure why it was then JJ's almost non reaction of silence which bothered him the most but it was.

There was more to that, he mused as he made his way to Kayla's room. That was why. He was going to have to look into it.

Not only had he had that to deal with but then with finding a place. That task had been a little easier than he thought it would be. For once fate had been a little kinder to his family. An apartment had, by chance, become available in Kayla's block, on her very floor no less.

He did not even have to view it. Taking the apartment was a no brainer. If it was near Kayla and Joey then as far as he was concerned it was perfect. Even if it was a mess, which it was unlikely to be, then it was hardly likely to worst place he had ever slept in…

Checking the time as he went into see Kayla, he was saw it had just gone one.

He was not the only visitor she had.

His sister was still there, which he thought was a pity as he had wanted to give her a little space. It was not that he feared her reaction to him. There was nothing cowardly about it. But he was aware she needed a little time too cool off so he had tried to stay out her way.

But now she looked as if she was relieved to see him and just one look at Kayla told him why. He could feel the agitation rolling off of her in waves.

She was a tough lady. But she had been through a lot lately.

And she could not hide from him.

"Hey sweetness," he said as he signed, with a smile which did not quite reach his eyes.

Kayla regarded him with suspicion however, for the first time since he had come home. And it hurt…

"Do you know what this is about?" Adrienne asked. "She has not been herself all morning."

Steve nodded. He could take a guess.

"She has been asking for you Steve."

"Ok baby," he sighed as he sat down by Kayla's side. 'I am so sorry I was not here when you woke up,' he signed. 'I got kicked out the hospital last night.'

He had kept his cool when it had been happening too but now he wished he had fought to stay with her.

He heard his sister sigh sadly but could tell she believed him. Kayla too, but his explanation did not close the distance between them.

It was going to take her time to settle back down.

When he had not been there when she had woken up… for a split second she had not known if he was coming back. There was a time when she would never have had to question it. But now that time had passed. It was a stark reminder that he was not the man she knew she could rely on no matter what.

Try as she might to fool herself otherwise, he hadn't been that man for a while now.

X x x

Chase and Ciara sat down to watch a film together pretty quietly that Saturday evening. It was bizarre for the two children to be sat so silently, thought the father of the young boy as he watched them. They were friends… they were close. He had often begun to think of them as close as well… brother and sister. Normally they chatted and laughed as if they would never get a chance to again.

But ever since they had got the news Bo Brady was back in town everything had changed.

Ciara had gone silent, and Chase was just not sure how to act.

The return had had a big effect on all of them.

And when they had just begun to be happy, selfishly... Aidan hated that.

"Is there anything I can do to help you get dinner ready?" he asked Hope.

"I am literally just putting pizzas in the oven. Even I can do that," she said with a smile.

"Well then why don't I pour the two of us a glass of wine?"

Normally, Hope was sure she would have said yes. But that day she shook her head. "I want to keep a clear head for when Ciara is ready to start talking."

Whatever she was going through. she knew her daughter was going through something worse. She had to be there for her.

"A lemonade then?" he offered.

She nodded. "That'd be nice."

"I wish there was something which I could do for you both."

He hated to see them so hurt. He knew they had been hurt by Bo for a long time… but this was worst.

"I know you do. And I love you for that. But there really is not any thing anyone can do. We just have to work through this and see what Ciara wants to do when she is ready."

He nodded.

"Though… there might be one thing which you can do for me saying that." She said to him with a sigh.

"Name it."

"Get in touch with Grayson."

It was then Aidan sighed. "I have already tried to call him a few times today and I have left messages… I am sure he is going to get back to us as soon he can."

Perhaps it was simply the pressure of the last few days but Hope felt her blood boil. This was why the two of them had decided to leave work outside of their relationship she remembered. He was so relaxed…

"He is a good man. You met him, this is Grays-"

"No. You don't get it, this is not about him, this is about Kayla! He was the last person to see her before she got in that car." She reminded him though she was sure she needed no reminder. "I am going down to the hospital on Monday morning and I am going to talk to Kayla and I swear to god if that man lay a single hand on her… I swear to god, Aidan, I'll -"

The only thing that cut her off short was the appearance of her young daughter at the door.

"Honey, are you ok?" she asked as Ciara came into the kitchen and put her arms about her.

No, she was not ok. But Hope swore that one way or another she was going to be.

Looking at Aidan, she knew of late a great deal many people had been hurt than just Kayla, but they were the adults. The two of them had to deal with it because they could… and make it better for those who couldn't…

In any way which they could.

X x x

Steve was frustrated by the time he got back to the Kiriakis mansion. His visit with Kayla had not been as the previous ones were and for the first time he had to admit to himself that he had felt the distance which was between them.

And not because of her hearing problems. That had never been a barrier to them, not for very long anyway,

Ever since he had got back, she had let him be a husband to her. She had let him hold her and comfort her as he had used to when they had been together.

But now all that had stopped and if it did not come back then he was not sure what he was going to do.

Except kill Jonas maybe.

Still, that was going to have to wait. First he had to deal with the housing situation.

As Kiriakis came out of his own living room, he remembered why.

"How is Kayla?"

Since he had returned he heard how Kiriakis was meant to have mellowed, but as Steve looked at Victor, all he could see was the old mob lord who had employed him to track Kayla. He was also the man who had held Kayla captive when she had been pregnant with Stephanie.

For one reason or another, he did not quite feel ready to discuss her condition with him. Or anything else for that matter.

"I want to thank you for letting the kids stay here with their aunt while I was gone. But I have got a new place now, so you won't have to put up with the three of us for much longer."

Victor grimaced. "You never did do grace, did you Johnson?"

"Not when it comes to thugs I don't," he said firmly.

He could marry a Horton and play the doting grandpa but he was not going to be pulling the wool over Steve's eyes.

Without another word to his host he headed upstairs.

"Stephanie? Joey?"

"In here Pop!" his son called from the room which he had been staying in.

Following his sons voice, Steve walked into the bedroom and found his daughter was there too. It did his heart good to see his two kids hanging out together. He knew they had not had a lot of time together and they… they should have that time together, he thought.

Especially now.

"You want some good news my beautiful babies?" he asked as he kissed their foreheads in turn.

His son beamed up at him. "Is mama getting better? Can she hear?"

It was only after he had said the words that Steve realised he had been a little too optimistic. He felt the pit of his stomach drop.

"No… no, baby boy I am sorry, your mama is not better…. But I saw her this morning and she had a good night's sleep."

It was just the shock she got when she woke up that she had not like.

As soon as he said the words, he knew Stephanie read through the lines and he had no doubt that was going to come back to haunt him.

"Oh," Joey said with a sigh. Stephanie plastered a smile on her face as she tried to keep her brother's spirits up.

"So what is your news papa?"

"I have managed to get an apartment in the same block as yours mamas, so when she comes home I am going to be close by to help you out. And until then the three of us can move in there, and get out of the hair of the Kiriakis'."

Joey nodded slowly as he took in the news.

Whether it was having his original hopes dashed or not, Steve could not help but be a little hurt - not even that seemed to get Joey smiling again.

"That's great papa," Steph said but Steve shook his head. No… no, by Joey's estimation it was not.

"What about you, little peanut? What do you think?"

Joey shrugged. He did not want to case problems when he had just got his dad back but he had asked him for his opinion…

"I want to go home. Properly home, dad."

As the words sunk in, Steve nodded. Deep down, he guessed he had known that….

"I know… I know you do, buddy."

X x x

"The wind might change direction, baby brother. It won't do any good for your face to get stuck that long," said Kimberly from where she stood behind the bar. As for Bo he had not left the front of it practically all morning and now it was getting on in the afternoon…

By rights after the amount of coffee he had drunk, he should be buzzing.

But he was not and it did not take a genius to work out why.

"Kim, she was terrified of me. Her own daddy… and she was terrified of me."

Kim smiled grimly. She was sure after all she had had to endure in her life, she was more than qualified to speak for those who had been terrified… and that was not what Ciara had been. She had been confused and sad.

"She loves you. You coming back like that… it was just a lot for her to take in."

But she doubted that changed a lot for her little brother just then. Ciara was his little girl, the daughter he had known about since birth and the child of consolation after Hope and he had lost Zach so tragically…

"I love her…. I love her so much, Kimber."

"Oh, I know little brother. I know. You just have to be strong for her right now. Keep the faith, she'll come around. You just have to hang around to make sure she does."

"I am not leaving her," said Bo fiercely. He was never going to make that mistake again.

"I know you're not… I know." She said softly as she looked at him. They were just at the beginning of a very long tough road.

And they had to square with that. Or at least… he did.

Kim opened her mouth to offer some more words of comfort, not knowing how much good they were going to be to her dissolute brother when the phone in her pocket rang. As soon as she saw the private number come up on the Caller ID, she knew she had to take it.

Her brother nodded as she answered the call, nerves in the pit of her stomach. Until she heard that voice she was not going to…

"Hello?"

"Kimberly?"

"Oh my lord, Shane – it is so good to hear your voice," she said as she felt the familiar love filled her heart. It did not matter if it was his voice at the end of a phone or the touch of his hand.

It was just Shane Donovan really. That was the effect he had on her.

"Not as nearly as good as it is to hear yours, honey, I assure you of that," she heard him say. The sincerity in his voice was as earnest as always.

"Where are you?"

"Well, you know I cannot give you the exact location but I can tell you that I am at an airport in Europe. In a few hours, Jack and I are going to be Salem bound."

"Oh, that is music to my ears."

"I can't wait to hold you in my arms."

As Kim thought of the state that there family had got in to of late, Kim was pretty sure she couldn't stand not being in them much longer either. She thought of their little girl who was struggling on the cusp of motherhood, with her own little son. She thought of her little sister who was going through just too much all together.

"I can't wait to be there," she said as she tried to disguise the break in her voice with a cough. "Just hurry now ok? Hurry home, my love."

"That is what we are doing. I can promise you that."

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