Alex hesitated for a minute outside Bobby's bedroom before she knocked and opened the door. He stood by the window, looking out into the street below. She sat on the bed and watched him, waiting for him to acknowledge her. Finally, he spoke, "For so many years, I resented my mother. Sometimes, I hated her for what she did. Now...Now I honestly don't know what to feel."

"Don't overthink it, Bobby. Whatever you feel, it's legitimate."

"I...I'm confused. Should I be happy that she's out there, all right and being cared for by someone who loves her, that she found her own happiness? Should I be angry because of what she denied us? Do I hate her for what she did or just forgive her because of her illness? And the colonel...I don't know where he belongs in all this, either."

Alex sighed heavily. She understood his confusion. "Don't try to figure out what you should feel. Figure out what you do feel. That's what matters. Don't force yourself to feel what you think you should. You'll just cause problems for yourself by denying what you do feel."

"Frank...he's angry. He...He hates her for what she did and he has no interest in letting her back into his life. I can't blame him for that."

"That's Frank. He had to bear the burden of her responsibilities. But you aren't your brother. Your experiences are different. What do you feel?"

He was quiet, focusing on a cat crossing the street. Absently, he scratched his side. "I don't know," he answered, and she could hear the pain in his voice.

"The colonel said you were angry with him for reminding you about what could have been."

"Yeah...I was. He didn't deserve that, though. It's not his fault. How could he have known?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "He has his own problems right now. He doesn't need me adding to that."

"What does it tell you about him that he doesn't share your concerns? You're not a burden to him, Bobby. He honestly cares about you."

Again, he didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice carried more pain. "It tells me he would have...he'd have been a good father to us. He would have taken care of Frank and me without thinking twice. I don't know if Frank would have welcomed that for himself, but he would have welcomed it for me. I...I needed a strong father. I needed more than he could be, though he did his best."

She didn't know if he was more upset about what Sutter could have meant for him or for his brother. He did carry a great deal of guilt for the sacrifices Frank made for him—and for the headaches he'd caused his brother. It didn't seem to matter to him that Frank had made those choices, that he'd willingly accepted responsibility for his little brother. She got to her feet and approached him, reaching out to rest her hand on his back.

"Frank didn't do such a bad job," she said quietly, resting her head against his back as she slipped her arms around his waist. "This may take awhile for you to come to terms with. Your mother may be ill, but she's also very self-centered. You can't put all the blame for what she did on her illness. She had choices to make and she made them, without considering you and Frank."

He sighed wearily. "You're right. I have too many emotions all jumbled together and I can't sort them out."

"So stop trying. Let them untangle on their own." She pushed her fingers into his hair. "Come on. Dinner's getting cold."

He paused again before turning and pulling her into a hug. "Thank you," he murmured into her ear.

"For what?"

"For...understanding."

She smiled and hugged him tighter. "Let's go eat," she said with a smile.

He didn't smile back, but he did kiss her forehead. He let her lead the way to the table where their meal waited for them.

Thursday morning, Alex went in to work after taking Bobby to the doctor. He was healing well. He left the office with a prescription for more pain medicine, another appointment in two weeks and clearance to return to light duty the following week. He was frustrated that he needed more healing before he could be returned to full duty.

"You forget," Alex gently chided. "You suffered a life threatening injury. Give your body the time it needs to heal. Work isn't going anywhere and neither am I."

He grumbled a little, but she gave him a kiss and told him to have a good day. Her smile lifted his mood some, ad he was pleasant to Adele for the rest of the day.

When Alex returned from work, Adele was just finishing dinner. Bobby was asleep on the couch, clad only in the jeans he wore to the doctor that morning. Alex went into the kitchen and greeted Adele. "How was your day?" she asked.

"Just fine," Adele answered. "His wound bothers him more than he'll say, but he let me put the cream on it after he took his medicine. Then he went to sleep. It's been a long day for him."

Alex nodded and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "What's for dinner? It smells delicious."

"Baked chicken, broiled potatoes seasoned with rosemary and sage and green beans with slivered almonds and a little bacon. Everything is done, except the chicken, which needs another fifteen minutes. James is waiting for me, so if you don't need anything else..."

"Go ahead and go. Thank you, Adele."

"Think nothing of it, dear. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night."

Alex checked on the food, then went into the living room and sat on the edge of the couch by Bobby's waist. Tenderly, she traced the outline of an old scar with her fingertip. He drew in a deep breath and stretched. She withdrew her hand. He opened his eyes and looked at her from under sleepy lids. "It was a screwdriver," he said softly. "She heated it in the flames of a burner on the stove, then hit me in the side with it. She was casting out a demon. I was almost eight. Frank hid me from her when she went to heat it again. When he wouldn't tell her where I was, she burned his leg. We slipped out a window when she went back to heat it the third time. We went to Lewis' house. His mother treated our injuries and called for an ambulance to take my mother in for treatment."

"Oh, Bobby..."

He shrugged. "Every scar tells a story. My parents left their mark before they left our lives. Not all my scars are visible."

She tried to hide her reaction, but he saw it. With a grunt, he sat up. "Dinner smells good," he said as he pulled on his shirt. "I'll go wash up."

She nodded. "I'll dish it out."

She took two steps from him and he grabbed her arm, gently pulling her against him. He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Don't feel sorry for me. Every injury was a building block for my character. Each burn and bruise and laceration served its purpose in making me the man I am today. After she left, the injuries were fewer, none deliberately inflicted. But I survived them all. Never forget that, Alex. I survived. So don't feel sorry for me."

He placed a kiss on her cheek and stepped away. She watched him walk to the bathroom, then wiped away a tear and went into the kitchen.

Saturday afternoon, Sutter came by the apartment with Ethan. Alex welcomed them in as Bobby came out of the kitchen after taking his medicine. Sutter smiled at him. "How do you feel, my boy?"

"I'm fine, sir. Hello, Ethan."

Ethan smiled at his brother. "Hi, Bobby."

Bobby returned the young man's smile. "How is Lisa?"

"Doing well. We're starting to make plans for our wedding."

"That's good to hear."

"Would it be all right, I mean…can we invite you and Alex? Would you come?"

"I, uh, we….we would like that, very much."

Ethan was visibly delighted. "I'll tell Lisa to add you to the guest list."

Bobby turned to his step-father. "How is Missy?"

"She's still in the hospital, stable for now."

"And her boy?"

"Tony is fine. He misses his mother, but he is well-cared-for and happy."

"Who takes care of him when Adele is here?"

"James is good with children, and the boy adores him. His father is there to take care of him when he's not at work or visiting Missy."

"And my mother?"

"She's improving. She continues to ask about you."

Bobby shook his head. "I don't know if I'm ready to see her again. She seems to get more agitated when I'm around, and I'm still healing. Maybe...in a couple of months…but not now."

"Whenever you're ready, son...if you're ready. Don't rush it."

Bobby nodded, comforted by the colonel's understanding. "Thank you, sir."

Alex said, "We were just about to eat lunch. Please join us."

Ethan followed her into the kitchen and helped her prepare extra sandwiches while Bobby sat at the table with Sutter. "You look much better, son," Sutter commented.

"I'm improving. The doctor gave me clearance for light desk duty next week, so beginning Thursday I won't need Adele's help any more. Thank you for sending her to help me out."

"She has enjoyed getting to know you. Thank you for letting her help."

"Well, it eased Alex's mind. She worries more than she should."

"Maybe I don't worry enough," she commented as she approached the table from behind him and placed a plate of sandwiches in the center of the table. Ethan was right behind her with a pitcher of lemonade and four glasses.

As lunch progressed, Bobby relaxed. He genuinely liked Sutter and Ethan. Given time, he believed that he might want to find a place for himself among the colonel's family. Maybe his mother might even find it within her to like him. Maybe…

Drawn from his musings by Alex's hand on his, he shifted his eyes to hers. He smiled.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

Given time, he might be more than just 'fine'. He might become part of a loving family and, possibly, if Alex was willing, have a family of his own. He had always wanted children, and he knew she did as well. That dream, once far-off, even improbable, could be closer than he ever thought. Love was a warm, enveloping feeling, and he was happy he had finally found it.

finis