A/N: I want to apologize to everyone supporting me and reading this story. WELL, life is happening and unfortunately it has decided to wage war against me as it regards to my health. BUT I believe in GOD, the Great Physician and I believe that my next story will be one of victory! In fact, He shows me daily that he has not forgotten me! So, hang in there with me as I work to finish this story for you! Thank you for your patience!

Temporary Home of Derek Morgan – Evening –

Derek hated the fact that he had to wait until tomorrow morning to pick up Hank from the Hayes. Given the revelations in court he wasn't sure how he would behave when he saw them again. He knew that Savannah's parents had no love for him, but the idea that they'd take part in a plot against him that could have cost him his life and even Hank's life was too much for him to accept. Derek was angry, angrier than he'd ever been, and he didn't trust himself alone with his former in-laws.

The last weeks had been hell and Derek thought he had lost everything. Even though he was getting his son back he was afraid to exhale, afraid to relax. He found himself looking over his shoulder even as he made ready for Hank's return.

The doorbell rang just as Derek finished putting clean linen on his son's bed. Penelope had insisted on bringing dinner over and he welcomed her company. Her bright smile was a welcomed sight as he opened the door and let her in. The smell of pizza accompanied her inside the rental and followed him to the kitchen.

"Thanks for coming, Baby Girl; I don't want to be alone tonight."

Derek hadn't planned on being so vulnerable, but he was tired; tired of hiding his feelings and tired of pretending to be a superhero. His life had become a patch of thorns and he'd fallen right in the middle of the thickest patch and no matter how hard he tried to free himself he would only find himself trapped again.

"Not to worry, handsome, I'm here for you, always."

Derek smiled and swallowed her in his arms.

"Thank you."

"No thanks needed, my love."

The Clarion –

Charles could hear his wife sniffling from the hallway. The woman was packing Hank's things. She'd over-indulged him with clothes and toys as if she never expected to give him back to his father as if she'd planned to stay in the city for a while. If things had worked out as she had hoped, the things would have had to be shipped back to Boston. Now the fully furnished nursery and over-stuffed hotel closet seemed to mock Charles and his wife.

She knew he was there in the doorway watching, but she wasn't ready to face him; wasn't ready to see the guilt in his eyes for failing her. It wasn't his fault, but she'd never be able to convince him of that. So, Lydia continued packing while little Hank slept soundly in his crib.

Lydia felt his arms slip around her waist and gently pull her against his body. He'd always made her feel safe and he'd always taken care of their family. Neither she nor her husband were accustomed to losing so this loss would take a while to accept.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered. "Derek may have Hank, but he can't stop us from being a part of his life; I'll have his ass in court every week if he does."

"This is so hard, Charles," she whispered. "It's not fair! We've lost our only child and now our grandson."

"We haven't lost Hank and whoever killed Savannah will pay if it's the last thing I do."

Lydia nodded against him; he had been her hero for as long as she could remember, and she knew without a doubt that he would not rest until their daughter's murder was solved. So much had happened, so much loss and even though she had not agreed with her only child's choice in a husband, she hoped and prayed that he had no part in her death. Lydia knew that Charles believed otherwise and that would spell even more trouble for Derek Morgan.

He hated seeing her in pain. Charles had loved Lydia for as long as he could remember, and he'd promised her a life of happiness; he'd made good on that promise until now.

"We can have the nanny do that you know."

"I know but I need to stay busy, I need to be near him." She exhaled before speaking again. "Do you think Derek would keep us from Hank?"

"Derek is a lot of things, but I don't think he'd be that cruel," he assured her.

"I pray you're right; I pray you're right."

Stokely Ferguson had been a P.I. for nearly twenty years and he'd been asked to do a lot of things over the years but never murder. He'd long lost any sense of morality or conscience; both had been purchased with his soul long ago. Artemis Maker, his number one client had kept him in Quantico longer than he'd anticipated and that made him nervous. His new assignment made him uneasy not because he was asked to kill a man, but he could feel the police and the FBI breathing on his neck. He'd made it a personal policy not to stay in one place too long and he should have left Quantico days ago.

Both Emily and Elle knew that Derek would be furious if he found out that they had been shadowing him since early afternoon. They expected Artemis and the Hayes to strike again and this time they would be ready. So, they'd pulled their SUV close to the ranch on the corner out of sight and killed the engine.

Stokely needed to get Morgan outside and into the darkness where he had the advantage. Quietly he got out of the car and hurried across the street. Men loved their vehicles, and a blaring alarm would surely draw the agent outside.

The two had already been in place when the man arrived. He was patient to say the least but so were they. The blaring scream of the truck's alarm followed the noise of breaking glass which gave Emily and Elle the cover needed to get out of their SUV and head down the street towards Derek's place.

The front door opened, and Derek rushed onto the porch and down the steps. Just before reaching the driveway, he could already see the glass glistening on the ground and the gaping hole where the driver's side window used to be.

"Derek?" Penelope called from the porch.

"Go back inside and close the door," he ordered.

"What's going on?"

"Please, just go back inside, Baby Girl!"

"Ahhh, how sweet!"

Derek panicked as the man stepped into view. It was a trap and all that mattered was keeping her safe. The gun was trained on him...he had to keep it that way.

Emily and Elle were at the corner across the street now, but they were running out of time. Their guns were drawn and neither man realized their presence.

"Let me guess, Artemis Maker sent you," Derek began as he slowly raised his hands in the air.

"D-Derek..."

He could hear the tremble of panic in her voice.

"Baby Girl gets to watch you die tonight; do you think she has the stomach for it?"

"The only person dying tonight is you." Emily warned.

"Yeah, unless you put that gun down!" Added Elle.

.