"... it's human nature to give and take..."

It's a quiet night.

Crickets, an owl... whatever things can be heard... Nate's light snoring... typical sounds I hear at night. Maddie is sleeping in our bed tonight. She's in between Nate and I. She's drooling all over me and I want to pinch her but I remind myself she's a child and I'll get payback when she's grown up.

I can't fall asleep.

I have tried every trick in the book except the sleeping pill. I'm tempted to, but I don't like pills.

The whole idea of children growing up is that the parents worry less. I'm not worrying less. Nick is a few days away from 30 and I'm worried like that time I chased the car that took him away when he was a baby!

This time, not even Helena can save him. If anything she's pissed.

A gentle knock on the door got me to turn quickly. Lupe peeked in. It's funny how I can see in the dark. My father calls me a cat. That's a random thought.

"Signora. Buongiorno. I'm sorry to wake you." She whispered.

Is it morning? I glanced at the wrist watch on the nightstand. 3am. Good enough. I got out of bed, moving Maddie to drool on Nate. We should both share in the joys of a granddaughter.

I stepped out and closed the door. "What is it?"

"Nicko did not come home."

We know Nick left. Nate even looked for him. We went to every bar we could think of. He wasn't in any. We called his friends and no one had seen him. I'm worried. With the godfather in play and Nick his target, it's bound to get ugly.

"Dio! What is this mess? Have you tried his phone?"

"Yes. It's switched off."

"Switched off?"

"I'll wake Nate."

My idea of waking Nate is snatching the pillow from under him. That wakes him fast. Over the years he has developed a habit of clenching the pillow do that he doesn't lose it to me. I just learned to pull harder. That's what I have done and now he's eyes are narrow slits of frustration.

"What?" He asked.

"Your son didn't come home!" He closed his eyes and gently moved Maddie. He took a second before he sat up. It is so weird how I know what Nick will look like in about 30 years. He will still look so good. "Nathaniel!"

"I'm up. I'm up." He stood up and walked to the bathroom. I can't believe he is showering! I took the time to get dressed quickly.

"The worst case scenario is that he is passed out somewhere from all the drinking. Right?" I asked Nate when he came downstairs.

"Or that he is lying dead in a morgue."

"Why would you say something like that?"

"Because the godfather is at play. It seems he doesn't like our son." He stepped outside and I followed into the crisp cold morning air.

"We should take him to Florence and keep him there. We will watch him like a hawk-" I bumped into him.

He turned slowly. "Or he got arrested. That damn boy!"

He wasn't even listening to me!

"He got arrested? That would mean he confessed!"

"Let's go find out."

"I'm almost done. Sit still." The nurse instructed me. "It's not broken but it has a nasty bruise."

I'm not a stranger to bruises. This is nothing! What Jason did to me the last time I saw him, now that was bruising. This is a black eye and almost a broken nose. And this time, there's no make up to cover up.

"Can you please let me see a doctor?" I asked her.

"Why?"

"Because I'm pregnant and I want to know if my baby is still alive." I took a bad fall and I was kicked somewhere between my ribs and my hips. It hurts. She hasn't even checked. She says I shouldn't have been fighting in the first place.

"You shouldn't have been fighting."

I tagged my wrist which is cuffed to the bed. "I want to see a doctor!" I screamed at her. "I have a right! My baby has a right!"

"Well with that attitude, I'm not helping you." She walked out. She came back. "In fact, I'm releasing you right now so that you go back to the people you pissed off!"

She's a mean mean woman! A female guard came to uncuff me. I grabbed her wrist and she became alarmed but when we held eye contact she eased. "How much for one phone call?"

"I don't want to lose my job."

"How much is worth the risk? You will make the phone call. You will pass a message. When he comes, he will pay. How much?"

"$5000."

"$8000. Ask for $8000. Just call the number I'm going to give you."

She agreed and I gave her Theo's number. She agreed not to take me back to the other inmates. She took me to a laundry room and cuffed me as she made the call.

"Hello? Is this Theo Sinclair?... I'm calling on behalf of an inmate called Keira... She's here... Okay." She passed me her phone. Using the one hand that is free, I answered.

"Theo! Theo thank goodness!"

"Are you all right?"

"No. No I'm not! There was a fight! I got into a fight! I'm scared of what will happen next! They won't let me see the doctor! I'm worried about the baby! Help me! Do something!"

"Calm down. I'm getting Rose and we are coming there."

"Please thank the guard who is letting me use her phone. You'll give her something, right?"

"Yes of course."

She took her phone and continued speaking to Theo. She mentioned the $8000. A smile grew on her face, making me sigh in relief. After she was done,she hanged up. "I can't hide you here for long. I'll try but if he's not here within the hour I'll have to put you back."

"Thank you. What's your name?"

"Ruddy."

"Thank you.I won't forget this."

My life has been fast paced ever since I came to Manhattan. It's been one thing after another and for the first time in my life after so many years, I'm actually up at night thinking about someone else's problems.

"Give me something Rose!" I demanded as soon as I stepped out of the Rolls Royce. "I dint want her in there anymore!"

"The detective was holding off on new information." She met me and we walked towards the prison. "It turns out that the riffle Keira supposedly fired didn't kill Jason. We can argue this out as trespassing. We can argue that Jason trespassed on her property and given the violent history between them she was scared and she shot him to wound him and not kill him. Keira didn't kill Jason Burke."

"I knew that all along." I sighed in deep relief. "I will talk to the detective. Get us into a court room as soon as you can. I want her granted bail. I want her out of here!"

I proceeded inside. She came along. It was quick thinking on Keira's part to offer money to a prison guard in exchange for a phone call.

"Mr Sinclair!" The warden came to meet me.

I made many friends when I was in the navy. Some of these people serving in law enforcement know each other. I like giving favors do that I'm owed in return. I have been collecting favors since I came to Manhattan and I hope they pay off.

"Warden. Thank you for seeing me on short notice. This is Rose Anderson. I'm here about Keira Ballard. She's one of your inmates." Someone who owes me set this meeting up. "I would like to see her."

"Visiting hours-"

"I don't play within the confines of anyone's rules but my own. What will it take for me to see her right now?"

He smiled at me. At the end if the day life is a give and take situation. We all want something and we will give something in return.

After waiting in his office for a few minutes, Keira was brought to me. I have never felt the need to protect something as much as I want to protect Keira. Seeing her like this, in this state, so broken and crushed makes me angry and I want to unleash all my violence on everyone who hurt her.

I embraced her without hesitation, wrapping my arms around the dainty beauty. "Ma chérie... I'm so sorry."

"I'm so happy to see you."

"Let me look at you."I held her face. "Who did this to you?"

"It was a big fight, everyone was involved. Don't worry about it. I just want to see a doctor and check on the baby."

"She's pregnant?" The warden asked.

"She is. Arrange for a doctor immediately." I ordered.

He wanted to object. I eyed him impatiently until he got on the phone. "The doctor will be here in an hour or so."

"I want her separated from the other inmates." I continued adding to my list of demands. "Her safety and try baby's safety is a priority."

She gripped my hand tightly, her blue eyes intent on mine. I can't say it's Nick's baby. I won't say that. She needs to distance herself from him. "I'll see to it."

Moments later, we were escorted to a little room small enough for a single bed and a toilet. This is not the existence I wish for her. She deserves so much better, a thousand times over. We both sat on the bed that creaked under our weight. She leaned against my arm, her hand still in mine.

"I promise that I will take care of you. All you have to do is allow me to."

"Ever since I opened my eyes on that beach and I saw you, my heart felt it can trust you. I feel drawn and endeared to you and that is how I know you will take care of me."

I pressed a gentle kiss on her temple. "You won't be in here for much longer."

"Theo. I need something else. For the strangest reason I haven't been able to reach my parents. Ever since they left I spoke to them once when they told me they are in Amalfi. Up to today, nothing and it is unlike them not to call. Can you please look into it? If you get through,let them know what is happening."

"I'll do that as soon as I leave. For now, let's just sit like this. I'll keep you company for as long as they let me stay."