In the morning Calum's alarm woke me up.

He went to go shower and then came back to get in bed, sitting up next to me on his phone.

"Why aren't you getting ready?" I asked him.

"Because I don't have to go in today."

"Why?"

"Captain Sutherland gave me time off to be with you."

"You can go though. I was going to take Eli shopping since I wasn't able to before."

"I can go with you."

"I know but I wanted to take him. We need bonding time."

Calum smiled at me.

"Okay, i'll go in for few hours and you can take him clothes shopping."

I then decided to be ready, changing into the last clean outfit I had at Calum's house.

"We either need to do laundry or I need to get clothes from home." I said as I buttoned my
shorts.

"I'll start the laundry before I go." Calum said as he moved through the clothes in the closet.

Meredith's clothes were still in there and I heard him sigh before he stepped back, staring at the closet.

"What?" I asked him.

"I think i'm finally going to get rid of these clothes."

"You are?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah. I've kept them for too long and they take up space so I need to do it."

"Okay." I said.

Once I was ready I went to wake up Eli so he could get ready as well.

"I'm going to take you shopping today." I told him as he followed me to the kitchen.

"Really?"

"Mhmm. We're going to get you some new clothes for school."

Eli was excited we were finally going shopping, so once Calum was ready he gave me a list of what Eli needed and then his debit card.

"The pin is Eli's birthday. Budget is $200."

"I think we can make that work." I smiled. "Are you wanting polo shirts or tee shirts for him?"

"Get some of both."

"Got it. Alright Eli, lets go." I said and Eli jogged up to me.

Calum went to kiss Eli on the top of the head before hugging me.

"I'll take Cade to daycare and then go to the station so call me if you need me for anything."

"I will." I smiled and kissed him before leaving with Eli.

He got in the back seat and I began to drive us to the mall.

"So are you excited to go back to school?" I asked him as I drove.

"Kinda." He replied.

"Why only kinda?" I looked at him in the rear view mirror.

"I like going for recess but I don't want to do homework."

I laughed.

"Well I hate to break it to ya but you'll have homework for a long time."

"I know, but I don't like it."

"No one likes it but it helps you learn."

We listened to the radio until we got to the mall where Eli took my hand as we walked.

We got to the first store we began to look through the shirts.

"Okay, we have to get some polos so why don't you pick out the colours you like." I told him and he picked purple, blue, green, and red.

I held the shirts while he picked out some graphic tees he liked and we got those.

At the next store we picked out some cargo shorts and jeans, and he had to try them on.

I took him to the dressing room and he tried on the first pair of jeans.

"How do they fit?" I asked him. "Are they too tight or too loose?"

"No." He shook his head.

"They're a little long though, aren't they." I said as I noticed his heels on the end of them.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Okay try on the other ones."

We finally found some jeans that fit and were the right length and then bought him some new shoes before leaving the mall.

When we got in the car I called Calum on the bluetooth.

"Hey, baby." He answered.

"Hi." I said. "We are back to school ready and under budget."

"Awesome!" He laughed. "How was shopping? Was Eli good?"

"Yes." I smiled back at Eli who was grinning. "We're on our way to lunch and I was wondering if you wanted to join us."

"Sure."

"Okay, we'll come pick you up."

"See you in a bit."

I drove us over to the police station, and as I parked in front of it I realised this would be the first time I was going back in the building since everything happened.

I kept my eyes on it as I got Eli out of the car and he held my hand again as we walked up the concrete to the doors.

I could see my desk where I would normally be this time of day.

I didn't know I had stopped walking until Eli tugged on my hand.

"Momma, come on!" Eli said and I looked at him before nodding and letting him drag me inside.

He opened the door for me and then let go of my hand as he ran to Calum's office.

I stood there in the middle of the room, my eyes trained on where I was almost killed.

"Eli? What are you doing inside?" I heard Calum's voice. "Is Nessa here?"

"Yeah." Eli said and then I saw Calum come out of his office.

His eyes went wide when he saw where I was looking at and then came up to me.

"Go to the car." He placed his hands on my
shoulders.

He turned me around and I sucked in a breath as he gave me a little nudge towards the door.

I did as he said and went to the car to wait for
him and Eli to come out.

"I thought you were going to call me when you got here so you didn't have to go in." Calum said when he got into the drivers seat.

"I didn't even think about it." I said.

He sighed.

"Are you okay?"

"Um...yeah." I said and he reached over to take my hand as he drove.

"How about we get sandwiches from your other job?" He suggested.

"Sure. I'd love to see Kate."

Calum drove us to Connie's where as soon as we walked in Kate gasped and ran towards me.

"Oh my God, Nessa!" She took me in a strong hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

"I'm so glad you're okay."

I hugged Kate tighter.

"Kate!" We were interrupted by Eli jumping at me.

Kate moved back to hug Eli.

"Hey, what have you been up to?" She asked him.

"Momma and I went shopping for school clothes today." He told her.

"You did? That's awesome." She patted his cheek before standing up. "It's so cute when he calls you mom." I laughed at this and then went to pick out what sandwich I wanted.

"So when are you able to come back to work?" Kate asked.

"She has to be cleared by a counsellor first." Calum said. "And then once she is cleared we can talk about when she feels ready."

Kate nodded.

I helped Eli pick out a sandwich and while Kate made them she spoke up.

"So, is it weird having him call you mom?" Kate asked me while Calum was standing there.

"I mean it surprised me, but..."

"But you're only my real momma when you and daddy get married. That's what nana said." Eli piped up and Calum and I looked up at each other.

"Well that's why one day i'll marry Nessa." Calum said and I shoved his arm.

"Calum!"

"What?" He exclaimed with a smile.

"You can't tell him things we've barely discussed ourselves."

"It's not a secret!" He continued to laugh.

Eli giggled at us and then hugged my legs.

"I want you to marry daddy so then you can be my real mommy."

I smiled at him and then bent down to pick him up.

"I may not be your real mommy but you'll always be my real Eli."

He laughed at this but I just kissed his cheek, holding him close to me.

After we got our lunch we ate and then I went to take Calum back to the station and then pick up Cade before going back to his house.

"Okay, both of you need to go take a nap." I said as we walked in and they both whined.

"I'm going to take one too so it's okay." I said as I walked them to their room.

"Can we take a nap with you?" Eli asked me and I said yes before taking them to Calum's room where we got on the bed, one kid on each side of me.

I liked snuggling with them to fall asleep.

The sound of Calum's voice woke me up. I could hear him talking, and it sounded like he was talking to someone but when I didn't hear anyone respond I figured he was on the phone.

"Yes. I made her an appointment for next week." He said softly as he walked in the bedroom. "No I haven't told her yet. She's asleep right now so i'll tell her tonight."

He paused and then chuckled.

"Yes Sir, I have two sons. They're actually napping with her right now." He said. "They're 6 and 2."

Who the hell was he talking to?

"Yes i'll have her call you tonight so you can set something up. Of course, i'll keep you updated. Bye, Andrew."

My eyes went wide at my Dads name and I sat
up.

"Jesus, Nessa!" Calum jumped. "What the hell you scared me."

"Why are you talking to my dad?"

He sighed.

"He called asking for an update on you."

"Oh." I said.

"He wants you to call him tonight."

I nodded.

"Now come help me."

I got out of the bed and followed Calum to the kitchen where he grabbed some trash bags and then we went back to his bedroom where he opened the closet door.

"Hold the bag open." He instructed me and then began to take the clothes off of the hangers and toss them in the bags.

"You're just going to throw them away?" I asked him.

"No, i'm going to take them to Amy, and if she wants any of them she can have them and then i'll take the rest to a resale shop."

I nodded.

We filled up one bag and then moved on to another that we filled with shoes.

As the clothes in the closet began to diminish, there was a plastic box in the back that I could see held Meredith's wedding dress.

Calum let out a breath when he saw it.

"I don't know what to do with it." He said to me.

"Do you want to keep it?"

"I don't know." He said. "I mean, i'm never going use it and I know the boys won't care about it."

"Maybe give it to her mother. I mean, I don't think you should throw it away."

"Okay." He said and pulled it out.

"Tell me about your wedding." I said and he gave me a small smile.

"We had the ceremony at a church in Atlanta, and then the reception was at this massive banquet hall in a hotel. Needless to say it was expensive as hell and i'm glad her parents paid for it."

I laughed.

"But it was very extravagant and all the stops were pulled."

"So if...you were to get married again, what would you do differently?"

"Am I marrying you in this scenario?" He smirked at me.

"Sure."

"Okay." He nodded. "I'm thinking small wedding. Maybe outside."

"That sounds nice." I nodded.

Calum gave me a smile.

"I'm going to go call Amy and see if she wants this stuff." He kissed my cheek before carrying the bags out of the bedroom.

I woke the boys up from their nap and then took them to the living room to play.

"I'm going to go take the clothes to Amy's house and i'll pick up dinner on my way back." Calum walked into the room.

"Okay." I smiled.

Calum carried everything out to his car and then came back in to kiss us and grab his wallet.

I sat on the floor with Eli and Cade who were racing cars and decided to call my dad.

I called the burner phone this time and he answered.

"Abby?"

"Hey, dad."

"I talked to your boyfriend today." He chuckled. "He seems like a nice guy."

"Yeah, he's great. So he said you wanted me to call you."

"Yes. I am going to Florida in a few weeks for a business opportunity. Seth knows. But i'm going to send a proxy for my meetings and sneak away to come see you."

"Dad don't you think that's dangerous?"

"I think i'll be fine. Seth is distracted up here anyways after he saw you at that hospital. He thinks you're in the city."

I sighed in relief.

"Okay. Then just keep me updated so I can send you my address and stuff."

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon."

"Love you, dad."

"Love you too, Ab."

Calum came back at around 6:30 with Italian to go from the restaurant he took my to on our first date, and we ate dinner before everyone went to bed.

"I got you an appointment next Monday to
go to the counsellor." Calum said as we got in bed and I groaned.

"Ugh."

"I know, but you have to go."

I sighed.

"Fine, but if I have to go to counselling then I want to go on a date."

"Deal, I'll take you out after your session."

"Thank you." I smiled and he laughed before taking me in his arms, the two of us watching television together so I could fall asleep first and he could turn it off to fall asleep after me.

But if there was one thing I knew was that I would never get tired of falling asleep in his arms.

—

New chapter!

I'll have the next one up soon!

Much love xx-m