by Mj Fields
Matthew smiled, ���I know you won���t. I���m just fucking with you.���
Maddox gave him a half smile, ���We got off to a bad start. I���m truly sorry I ever caused her any pain.���
���I know. Well, looks like we are stuck with each other,��� Matthew looked at Harper again and then up at Maddox.
Maddox stuck out his hand and Matthew shook it, ���I���m going to see how Mom is and we will be back up,��� he started walking out of the room, ���I will check on Claire again.���
Maddox shook his head and looked back at Harper.
Her eyes fluttered and then slowly opened.
He smiled sadly and bent down and kissed her head. Harper tried to sit up.
���Hold up there, Sweetness,��� Maddox held a pillow to her stomach and lifted her back so she could sit.
���Maddox what������
He bent down and kissed her lips lightly, ���You had a little surgery. You should feel better in a few weeks. Until then when you sit up, you need to hold a pillow against you. It will hurt less.���
Harper���s lip quivered, ���The baby?���
Maddox shook his head and looked at her.
���What did they do with his���?���
���Harper do you remember everything that went on?���
She shook her head yes.
���Okay well,��� he swallowed and sat by her feet holding her hands. ���Your father you remember that?���
She shook her head again.
���Your mom said his wish was to be cremated. Did you know that?���
She shook her head as tears began to fall.
Maddox wiped them away, ���I asked that the baby be with him.���
Harper closed her eyes and tears fell down her cheeks.
���Is that alright?���
���It���s alright,��� she choked out.
���It will be, Harper.���
���How?��� she shook and then pulled the pillow to her stomach.
���I don���t know how to answer that. I know that whatever you need, that���s within my control will be done.���
���Ok,��� Harper whispered as he rubbed her hands gently.
���Maddox.���
���Yes, Sweetness?���
���I need you to hold me.���
Maddox got up quickly and she moved over. He sat next to her and pulled her head to his chest, ���I love you. I���ll do anything you need me to.���
Maddox kissed her head and rubbed her hand. Harper looked down and gasped, ���My ring, I left it������
Maddox reached in his pocket, ���I found it.���
���You went there?���
���Yes, and I saw it. You were so smart, Harper, to leave it. It helped us find you,��� Maddox kissed her again.
Harper reached out to take it from him and he closed his hand around it. She looked up at him.
���Harper Abraham, will you marry me?���
She shook her head yes and he placed the ring back on her finger and kissed it.
���I love you,��� she winced as she tried to sit up and look at him.
���I love you, now rest, Sweetness. We need to get you out of here and back home,��� he held her tightly.
Emma and Tessa sat in the waiting room. Brody was talking quietly on the phone and so were Tomas and CJ. They were trying to make arrangements to get everyone back to the US.
Tessa stood when she saw Matthew, she wiped her eyes, ���Is she awake?���
���Not yet, but she will be soon,��� Matthew hugged his mother tightly.
���It���s bad enough that you boys have seen me like this, she can���t,��� Tessa tried to smile.
���Mom, you don���t have to be strong for any of us,��� Matthew quietly whispered as he hugged her.
���I do.��� Tessa stood back, ���You need to get that bullet out of your foot Matthew.���
���I offered,��� CJ approached them with a smile, ���He thinks it���s a bad idea.���
Tessa smiled at him, ���Well either way, it has to come out.���
���They checked it out and agreed it really wasn���t in a dangerous place Mom. Let���s get back home and I���ll do it then.���
���If you don���t I���m going to let CJ,��� Tessa forced a small smile. ���Okay let���s get up there and be strong������
���We are all little soldiers, Mom,��� CJ swallowed hard. ���We got this.���
Tessa closed her eyes and shook her head.
���Do you have a minute?��� Brody asked softly and Tessa shook her head up and down. ���We���re all set for tomorrow if Harper is released.���
Tessa smiled and shook her head in agreement, ���You���re sure about this?���
Emma smiled, ���We are.���
���Alright then������
���Keep your fucking hands off of me,��� Zach���s deep low voice came from the hallway, ���When my sister is released you and I can handle this like men, unless you are too much of a pussy still.���
���You���re not an agent anymore. You���ve been warned repeatedly. You broke the law���again.���
���What would you have me do? Wait until you fucks screwed this one up too? Fuck that,��� Zach growled.
���A life was lost because of this Taylor,��� another voice growled.
���Two would have been, you fucking idiot. And just so you know, that man died saving his child. HIS CHILD!���
���How very noble������ Brody heard and then a loud bang rang out the door into the hallway.
���Zach let him go,��� Brody grabbed Zach and pulled him away.
���That���s assault������
���That was fucking nothing, you mother������
���Could we not do this, not now officer? Not now, we���re grieving in there. A family is trying ���enough! His sister is in surgery, can���t you just let it go for now?���
The man straightened himself up, ���You have twenty-four hours.���
���Yeah we���ll see you������ Zach began.
���Let���s go,��� Brody pushed Zach through the doorway and looked over his shoulder, ���Thank you.���
Zach walked in the room and everyone was looking at him, ���I sincerely apologize for������
���Don���t apologize, Zach. From what I understand you are the main reason my daughter was found,��� Tessa hugged him, ���Thank you.���
Zach looked at her and stepped back, ���I���m sorry it came at such a loss to you and your family.���
Everyone was quiet as Tessa stared at the ground and shook her head back and forth, ���It was not your fault. Any of yours. Collin,��� her voice cracked and she swallowed and cleared her throat, ���He would have done it even if he knew the outcome.��� CJ and Matthew each held one of her hands, ���We should go see her now.���
Tessa and her sons walked into Harper���s room and she was asleep against Maddox���s chest.
���Did she wake up?��� Matthew asked.
���Briefly,��� Maddox whispered trying not to disturb her, ���Tessa I���m so������
���No, Maddox--- stop right there, alright? She���s here
because of you. Never be sorry for any of this,��� Tessa walked to the opposite side of her bed. ���Make her happy. Love and protect her, just like her father did all of us.���
Maddox shook his head up and down, ���Always.���
Harper opened her eyes and tried to sit up. Maddox reached in front of her holding the small pillow against her incision site, ���Thank you.���
Maddox kissed her head quickly.
���Mom,��� Harper whispered and hugged Tessa.
���I���m so glad you���re okay, Harper,��� Tessa hugged her back.
���Mom,��� Harper began to cry, ���Daddy������
���And your baby, my grandchild���I know Harper,��� Tessa cried softly.
Maddox clenched his jaw and stood up holding his hand to his heart.
Harper lifted her head and looked at him, ���I���ll give you a minute. I���m going to grab a shower if you are sure you���ll be alright.���
Maddox bent and kissed her head. Harper grabbed his shirt and he looked at the confusion in her eyes. She placed her hand over his heart. Tessa sat back and wiped her eyes.
���You do this when it hurts, every time,��� Harper whispered to Maddox.
Maddox closed his eyes, ���Sorry, Sweetness���Harper. I���m fine. If you are, I am.���
Harper grasped his shirt and pulled him towards her, ���I know.���
She kissed him on the cheek and let go of him, ���I love you, I���ll be back really quickly.���
Maddox walked quickly towards the nurses��� station at the end of the hall.
���Maddox,��� he heard Brody���s voice coming from the small waiting room to the left of the nurses��� station.
���Dad,��� Maddox stopped and Brody hugged him.
���You okay, son? Harper okay?���
���Yes, I am and she���ll be fine.��� Maddox stepped back and looked in the room.
Zach was pacing and Tomas was eyeing him intently.
���What���s going on?��� he nodded to them.
���Zach is in some trouble. Some douchebag detective wants his ass bad,��� Brody explained, ���Tomas is trying to convince him to take off, go back to the states, but he���s worried about Claire. He thinks she���ll have a hard time.���
���So she goes too,��� Maddox looked up as Matthew walked behind them.
���Yes, that���s the plan but he has a very small window of time,��� Brody shook his head.
Matthew walked into the room and up to Zach, ���I���ll take care of it, Zach. I���ll make sure she���s alright. She������
���She doesn���t know you, Matthew. She can be a handful and������
���And you behind bars is going to help her how?��� Matthew scowled.
Maddox watched the interaction between them and looked at Brody and shrugged.
���Let���s go see what she thinks,��� Matthew walked out the door and Zach let out an exasperated breath and followed him.
Maddox watched them leave and the corner of his mouth curled up and Brody laughed, ���What are you thinking?���
Maddox looked at him, ���I think I despised him, and now I actually like him.���
���That���s good--- he���ll be family,��� Brody patted his back.
Maddox shook his head in agreement, ���I need a shower and some clothes do you think the nurses������
���Here,��� Emma handed him a bag, ���They were in the gift shop, nothing great and no underwear,��� Emma whispered.
���That���s fine,��� he smiled, ���Thanks, Mom.���
���I���m so sorry, Maddox, I���m so sorry about the baby,��� Emma whispered as she hugged him.
���Me too,��� he whispered back.
Maddox peeked his head in Harper���s room and the curtain was drawn.
He held his hand up telling Brody and Emma to wait as he walked in and through the curtain.
Harper looked up when she heard him, ���Maddox, now is������
Maddox looked down as the nurse was removing the catheter and then back up at her face, ���I won���t look if it embarrasses you, Harper, but I was right here when they did it.���
Maddox continued looking at her face as he walked up to her. He was sure she was turning red, but there was really no way of telling because of all the bruising.
Maddox held her hand as her eyes widened and then scrunched up showing discomfort.
���All set,��� the nurse said as she covered Harper back up, ���If you need to use the bathroom please press the red call button, we���ll help you the first few times.���
The nurse left and opened the curtain. Tessa, Brody, and Emma walked in when the nurse left and gave them the okay.
Harper continued looking at Maddox.
He bent and kissed her head whispering, ���Nothing to be embarrassed about, Harper.���
���It���s---gross,��� Harper whispered back and made a disgusted face.
���Nothing about you is. Nothing,��� Maddox kissed her forehead and stood up and looked back at Tessa and his parents.
���The doctor agreed that if you went to the bathroom and stayed next to my side we could leave tomorrow; to go home Harper, how does that sound?��� Tessa asked.
���Sounds good, Mom, but I have to finish������
���Well, your father,��� Tessa forced a smile, ���After Maddox asked him to help plan the surprise������
Maddox looked at Tessa as she covered her mouth she appeared to look as if she would cry, ���Tessa, it���s fine,��� Maddox smiled gently, ���I want her to know that he not only agreed but wanted to make it special. It���s truly alright.���
���But now������
���We wait, no big deal. Truly no one could have seen this coming,��� Maddox smiled again, ���it���s fine, Tessa.���
���What���s fine,��� Harper asked, ���Why don���t I know? We said no secrets������
���It wasn���t a secret,��� Maddox smiled, ���It���s a surprise.���
���What���s the difference?���
���Well, I never agreed to not being able to surprise you,��� Maddox could tell she was getting angry.
���Harper, they were planning a wedding. Your wedding,��� Tessa smiled, ���Surprise.���
Harper looked up at Maddox, ���My dad was helping you?���
Maddox shook his head yes and looked at Tessa and smiled trying to show her it was alright.
���We���re in no hurry though Harper, we have������
Harper looked at Maddox, ���Did you have a date?���
Maddox let out a breath, ���Yeah, but as I said before������
���When?���
���Sweetness we have������
���WHEN?���
���Wow,��� Maddox smiled nervously, ���You should try to settle������
���Maddox,��� she growled.
���You���re not going to win this, Maddox,��� Tessa laughed.
���The official ceremony would have been New Year���s Eve. But in the summer we would hold a reception at the Cape,��� Maddox looked into her eyes, ���That was his idea. Now we should just������
���I want to get married where you did Mom. The church where you and Dad met,��� Harper���s lip quivered.
���That sounds perfect, Harper,��� Tessa squeezed her hand.
After Tessa and Harper hugged she looked up at Maddox with apologetic eyes.
He rubbed his thumb across the back of the hand he held, nonverbally accepting her apology.
Maddox took a deep breath, ���He also made arrangements for you to complete your schooling back at Cornell. He was sure Tessa and you would want to be together before,��� Maddox stopped and looked into her eyes, ���Before the baby was born.���
Harper shook her head in agreement, ���I would have wanted that, I think.���
Maddox gave her a quick smile, ���So you���re not upset?���
���No, not about that,��� Harper lay down, ���Especially, not now.��� Everyone was quiet for several minutes and Harper looked around the room filled with family, ���Hey it���s too quiet where is London?���
���When Maddox called last night he suggested that your grandparents and his take the girls back home. To our home. Safer, I suppose at that time,��� Tessa answered.
���So you knew something was wrong,��� Harper yawned. Maddox tried to hide his pending grin, ���What?���
���Harper, I was pretty sure that you weren���t out shopping when I saw our mothers,��� Maddox smiled sympathetically.
���Of course. London, Lexington, how are they? Did they?���
���They were in the wine cellar. Apparently you suggested that?���
Harper shook her head yes.
���Maddox found them,��� Brody smiled, ���We thought they too, were taken.���
Harper smiled at Maddox and yawned again.
���Before you fall asleep, Harper, I need to let you all know something,��� everyone looked at Brody, ���Before we arrived Collin and I promised each other that we would protect each other���s families. Maddox, he trusts you completely. I hope you don���t doubt that ever.��� Maddox shook his head acknowledging what Brody had said. ���Emma and I have decided to sell the Liverpool house. We������
���Dad you don���t have to do that,��� Maddox was shocked. He knew how Brody felt about the house, even after all the past events, to Brody it was home.