😂

*There's blood all over. A horrified looking Xander clutches his screaming brother with all his might. Ryder's face is red with furry, while Xander's is white with fear. The small apartment smells like gunpowder and iron.

Zoey's scream suddenly drowns out Ryder's. It sounds so much closer. My mind is fogged up with adrenaline and confusion; I already got Zoey. She's will Amelia.

The screaming and sobbing gets louder and louder as the blood on the floor gets closer and closer to me.*

I jolt to consciousness, but Zoey's screams don't fade.

Shit.

Jerking myself from my bed, almost tripping on the sheet, I rush to Zoey's bedroom.

After flipping on the hallway light, I run to Zoey's bed and pull her into my arms.

"Shh," I whisper into her ear, trying to stop her thrashing. "I've got you. I won't let you get hurt." I murmur to her shaking body.

"Daddy." She whimpers, her arms squeezing around my neck. The single word causes my body to freeze.

Legally, I've been her father for months, but with how scared she is of me it hasn't felt that way.

This is the first time I've even heard her speak.

"Yeah, sweetheart, Daddy's got you."

My arms quickly snatch Mayzie up before she can jump onto Amelia.

"Mayzie, careful, Mommy doesn't feel good."

Amelia hasn't blinked yet, which, I'm almost positive is a bad thing.

"Where does it hurt Mommy?" Mayzie asks, pushing away from me. "I can kiss it better."

Amelia doesn't move; instead, she stares at the miniature version of herself. Mayzie stares back expectantly.

"Uh, Mommy?" After getting no response, our daughters focus shifts to me. "Daddy, why isn't Mommy talking?"

"Your momma's throat hurts munchkin." Meghan jumps in. "She can't talk right now."

Amelia's still frozen.

"Xander, take your siblings to sit with Nana and Pops in the waiting room."

"Dad-" He starts to argue.

"Alexander." My voice holds finality, and his mouth snaps shut. Silently, he reaches out for Mayzie.

"Xander?" My wife's voice shakes, and her eyes widen as they move to our son in uniform. "Zoey?" They go to our older daughter.

"Hi, Mom." Zoey grins.

"Mom? No, I'm- I'm not..." She trails off and starts muttering to herself. The heart monitors beeping quickens.

"Alexander," I grit out my son's full name, "get your siblings out."

"Come on." He holds Mayzie on his hip while grabbing Theo's hand.

"No," Mayzie starts squirming in her brother's hold. "I want Mommy. Mommy!"

"Mayzie Lee!" I shout at my screaming daughter and her lip wobbles. "That is not how we act."

"I want Mommy." She repeats, crying this time instead of screaming.

"Mayzie, Mommy-"

"I'm fine," Amelia says, breathing deeply before reaching her arms out for our daughter. "I'm okay. Come here."

Mayzie wriggles our of her brother's hold and runs across the room.

"Gentle." I say lifting the four-year-old up and setting her on the bed.

"Mommy," Mayzie wraps her arms around Lia's neck. "I missed you."

"It's okay." Amelia's voice shakes before she kisses the top of our daughter's head. "It's gonna be okay. Go sit with Nana and Pop while I talk to Daddy, okay?"

Mayzie meltdown completely forgotten, she kisses her mother's cheek. "Okay!"

Helping her off the bed, Xander then lifts her to his hip. "Come on, let's go say hi to Nana, Pop, Grandmother, and Grandfather."

The mention of my parents has every muscle in my body tense. "Grandfather and Grandmother are here?"

"Yeah," Zoey winces, "Grandmother said she wants to see Mom when-"

Anger surges through me. My mother knows better than to send my daughter in here with a request like that.

"I'll come out and talk to Grandmother."

"Dad," Zoey starts.

"I'll be out in a minute."

Both Xander and Zoey give me a hesitant look before grabbing their younger siblings and silently leaving.

The room is silent, except for Amelia's heart monitor, which has slowed down a bit from its earlier rapid beeping.

"She looks just like me." Amelia's voice is so soft I barely hear.

"Acts just like you too." Staring into her dull eyes, I hesitantly sit in the chair next to the bed. "She's everything I ever wanted our daughter to be."

I'm silently willing her to remember us when she breaks eye contact.

"How long have we been Xander and Zoey's parents?" She stares wistfully at the door.

"Legally I've had custody for ten years and you for eight, when we were married." Her curious eyes find mine. "But everyone knows you've played the parent role to them longer than I have."

"You adopted them?"

I nod, thinking back to that day in court.

I had a feeling the judge would deny Amelia custody, so made sure to come with a thoroughly thought out.

"Miss. Evans," The white-haired, portly judge starts and Amelia sits up straighter. "Unfortunately, I do not believe it to be in the Woods children's best interest that guardianship is given to you."

My fists clench, this doesn't surprise me but seeing the hope deflate from Amelia's shoulders infuriates me.

"I understand that you have a close bond with them. But a bond isn't enough; raising three children takes money. In this specific case, all three of these children need extensive therapy which you are unable to provide."

"I understand your honor." Her voice shakes with sorrow, and it's clear what I have to do.

"For that reason, the state of New York with be given custody of Alexander, Zoey, and-"

My abrupt launch from the back bench catches the judge's attention.

"Mr. James?" He questions, his confusion clear.

Amelia's head snaps up, and both Isaiah and Meghan give me confused stares.

I may have forgotten to tell them I'd canceled my Minneapolis meeting.

"Judge Retil." I nod at him, walking up the aisle from the back of the courtroom. "I'd like to be considered as guardian to the Woods children."

Amelia gasps and Isaiah mouths 'subtle'.

"You?" The judge chuckles. "Cameron, do you know the first thing about raising a child?"

"No, which is why Miss. Evens has agreed to be a live-in nanny." Amelia's eyes snap to mine. "Isn't that right?"

'Please agree.' I silently plead. 'Let me help you.'

"That's right." Amelia nods, looking at the judge. "That way the children will have someone they know around at all times and be raised in a way they deserve. A way only Mr. James can provide."

"I did. We did."

"How? I mean, Marie." It kills me how confused she looks.

"That's a story for another time."

She nods hesitantly before going back to looking at her rings.

"May I?" I ask her, reaching out for them.

Her cold hand brushes mine as she lets them fall into my right palm.

I use my left hand to grab her engagement ring. The two-carat princess cut halo ring and the matching wedding band clink together as they fall into my palm. The diamond encrusted bands intertwine together, like a vine, symbolizing our lives.

"Please," I whisper. I'm going crazy. I need to see her wearing my rings. I need to show her.

After what felt like an hour her dainty left-hand moves forward, trembling.

Gently taking it, I slide the ring to its rightful place.

Next, I grab her wedding band and slide it on.

All thought leaves as I bring her hand to my lips, brushing a kiss against her knuckles.

She quickly jerks it away as if I've burnt her.

"Lia, baby," I quickly try to apologize.

"I need a minute. Please," Her voice trembles, "give me a minute."

Standing, I look at Meghan who's calmly rubbing Amelia's back. "I'm going to speak to my parents."

She nods back, and I silently leave the room.

A deep, trembling sigh leaves me as soon as the door closes.

"Daddy!" Mayzie runs to me, wrapping her arms around my leg. Bending down, I pull her up, holding her tightly to my body.

"Hi, Princess."

"Daddy, Nana and Pop are going to take us out to get pizza!"

"Are they?" I grin at my pizza loving daughter while walking into the family waiting room.

"Yes!"

When I get into the room, I notice both John and Anne talking to the kids while my father sits on the other side of the room.

My mother seems to be missing, and panic immediately sets in.

"Dad, where's mom?"

He looks up from his newspaper. "Ladies room."

Sighing, I set Mayzie down. "John, Anne." I nod at my in-laws.

"Cameron," John grabs my attention. "My wife and I would like to see our daughter today."

"I'm sure she'd be happy to see you both. I'll go check." It's been a minute right?

Amelia's room door opens as I approach. My mother exits the room, and I'm instantly irate.

"Mother." I spit through clenched teeth.

"Oh, darling," She throws her arms around me and I pull back. "Sorry."

"What the hell were you doing?"

"Cameron,"

"No, my wife has amnesia, and that's when you decide to speak to her? Abso-fucking-lutely not." I'm not too worried, I'm sure Meghan stopped whatever my mother tried to say, but still, she doesn't need to be around Amelia.

"Cameron, it's been almost nine years! Amelia has forgiven me, why can't you?"

"Amelia is a much better person than I am." I'm stating the obvious. I don't deserve her.

"Sweetheart, we need to stick together while we figure this out."

"We?" I bark sarcastic laughter, "No."

"Cameron, I have apologized every day for the past eight years. You need to forgive and let your father and I help you."

"You did enough over eight years ago." I spit before moving past her.