Matt's POV:

To say that there was no way in hell I was letting Stormy and Sadie stay in their home alone was an understatement. This morning when I'd woke up, I might not have been ready to have her staying with me in the house that I Cass and I had shared but right now, with everything going on and the possibility that Joel was out there and wanting to hurt her and Sadie had me getting past my hang ups and taking her to my home. As I slowed to turn in the drive, my heart raced. What if she didn't like the place? What if she felt strange being in the place that Cass and I shared? What if the ghost of my deceased wife loomed too large in the house?

"Matt, are you okay?" Stormy said from beside me, pulling me back to the here and now.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine." I lied. I was anything but fine.

The two story pre-civil war far house came into view. With its white siding, black shutters, and wrap around porch, I remembered the day that I brought Cass here and told her that I'd brought it for us. I remembered the smile on her face that had melted my heart. I remembered the long hours she and I had put into this place, redoing floors, and painting walls, and laying tile in the kitchen and bathroom. The laughs and tears that we had shared as her learned to remodel the house by trial and error.

Then thoughts of the day we found out she was pregnant popped into mind. How she had walked down the stairs carrying the test in her shaking hands, nervous about telling me that she was pregnant since I'd just gotten a promotion at the fire station, and she had just started Helping Hands. The tears that had streamed down her face when I'd told her that we would figure it out. The sheer joy that had come off her in waves when we told our families that she was pregnant.

The day Danielle came home followed that memory. I remembered being so nervous. In my line of work, I'd saved countless lives and knew that people depended on me to be there when they needed help but the fact that I was going to be responsible for this defenseless child was so fucking scary to me. But Cass had been there telling me that just like we had learned to remodel a house on the fly, we would learn to be good parents. I like to think that she and I were well on the way to becoming that when everything had changed, and I'd lost the two most important people in my life.

But now, with Stormy sitting in the passenger seat of my truck and Sadie cooing from the backseat, I was more scared that had been in any of those circumstances because while with Cass, things hadn't always been easy, she and I had shared a love that I thought I would never experience again. But with Stormy, it was so much more in every single way. The way I cared about her, the way she made me feel. It was all so much more intense and mind boggling than my feelings for Cass had ever been.

I must have been too quiet for too long because once more, I heard Stormy calling my name just as I felt her hands land on my arm. As I came out of my daydream, I looked over at her and saw worry on her face. Not wanting to ever see that look, I slowly loosened the death grip I had on the wheel and flipped the console up before dragging her across the seat and into my arms. I could feel the worry coming off of her as I held her and knew I needed to tell her what was going on and what I was feeling but I also just needed a minute to catch my breath.

When I was sure that I could speak and my words not come out choked, I leaned back just enough so that I could tilt her head back and look at her. She still had that worried look in her eyes, but it was the love that I saw reflected in them for me that had me finally getting the words that had been clogging my throat out into the open.

"When I woke up this morning, I didn't expect to bring you and Sadie to my home. I know you have been curious about where I lived and what it might look like. I've wanted to bring you here countless times but always found a reason not to. The main one being that this was the home that Cass, Danielle, and I shared. Much hasn't changed since the day she left to go to Missouri." I said, getting the words out in a hurry and gauging her reaction to what I was saying. I felt her sharp intake of breath at the revelation of what this place meant to me and what it meant for us that I was bringing her here. "No woman expect for my mama and Ebony have stepped foot in this house in nearly 11 years. You are going to be the first. That hit me as I was pulling into the drive. Well, that and all the memories that Cass and I shared in the short amount of time that we lived here together. Everything from remodeling the house to finding out she was pregnant with Danielle, to the day Danielle came home from the hospital. I don't have to tell you the fear that comes with bringing a child for the first knowing that their wellbeing lies solely in your hands.

"I say all of this to tell you that while I might not have realized that I was ready to have you here this morning, I can't think of anywhere that I would rather spend time with you. I just hope that you don't mind that the place is pretty much as Cass left it." I said nervously. This could go one of two ways. She could either be okay with the fact that this place has a history, or she could freak out and want to go somewhere else.

I watched the little wheels in her head turning as if she was trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to say. When she didn't say anything, I found myself panicking, needing to make her see that I really was okay with her and Sadie being here.

"Say something baby. I'm dying here. My mind is racing a hundred miles an hour, coming up with scenarios that are driving me nuts. I love you Storm, so much that it hurts. I just want you to know that. And because I love you so much and I don't want anyone to hurt you, I want to protect you with all that I am. While I can do that from anywhere, I would rather do it from right here. Tell me that I didn't screw up by bringing you here. Tell me that I didn't push too hard and that you aren't freaking out over this. Because I damn sure am in more ways than –"

The feel of her lips pressed against mine stopped the word vomit that I was in deep with. Slowly, my heart rate calmed down and I felt the nervousness that I had been feeling slowly ebb away. When she broke the kiss, I looked into her green eyes with bated breath for her to say what she was feeling.

"Matt, I know what Cass and Danielle meant to you and I understand why you would have left the house as she had left it. It made you feel closer to them in the only way that you knew how." She said as she lifted a hand to my face. I felt her wipe something off my cheek and realized that I was crying. Before I could turn out of her old so she didn't see me like this, she continued, making it where I couldn't tear my gaze from her. "The fact that you care about me and Sadie enough to have us here in the home you shared with Cass and Danielle means more to me that you will ever know. While your words have told me over and over how much you love and how much I mean to you, this shows me better that the words ever could."

Her soft lips landed on mine once more and she kissed me slowly and passionately. But it was the blaring of my fire pager that filled the cabin of the truck, blaring out at the tones dropped just before dispatch came across the radio reporting a Three-alarm structure fire. Part of me wanted to smash the damn thing into a million pieces and forget all about my responsibilities but the adult side of me knew that I would regret it deeply if I did. With a heavy sigh, I broke the kiss.

"I really got to get going." I said. "There is a key under the flowerpot. You and Sadie go on inside and make yourself at home. Theres cold Bud Light in the refrigerator and I'm sure there is some whiskey in the cabinet by it if you need something a little harder after the day you have had. I don't know how soon I can get back but if its going to be late, I'll try to call and let you know."

"Matt-"

"Baby, I promise, I am okay with you making yourself at home here. My bedroom is the one at the top of the stairs at the end of the hall. My clothes are in the closet and my t-shirts are in the dresser. There is a clawfoot tub in the bathroom that I can almost hear calling your name. Go get comfortable and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Okay." She said warily as she went to open the door.

Climbing out, I made quick work of unbuckling Sadie from her seat before passing her to Stormy. I placed a kiss on the top of her little head before kissing Stormy quickly.

"I mean it. Go make yourself at home. I'll be back as soon as I can." I said as I opened the door of the truck.

"Be careful." She said, almost making me lose my footing. Those two words were ones that no one in my life of work ever wanted to hear before they responded to a call. It was almost like having the words said to you were a bad omen, that something bad was going to happen to you even when the person saying them wasn't trying to wish you any harm.

Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I smiled at her before shutting the door. As I backed out of the driveway, I blew her a kiss and hit the toggle for the lights and sirens. As I pulled out onto the road, I sent you a quick prayer to the man upstairs apologizing for her words and begging to make sure that I made it back home to Stormy and Sadie in one piece.

Stormy's POV:

I felt like I was trespassing. I knew the words I'd said to Matt had relaxed him and at the time, they had relaxed me as well. But that was before the damn pager had gone off and I was left standing in the driveway as he drove off to go help save the day. I waited until I could no longer hear the siren of his truck before I shifted Sadie to my hip and made my way onto the front porch. I gazed at the flowerpots sitting on the steps and wondered which one the key was under. Matt hadn't been very specific and since there were three, the only way I was going to find out was if I checked them all. But as luck would have it, the first one that I lifted had the key. Placing the pot back in its place, I palmed the key and made my way to the front door. As I did, I saw the wooden porch swing that hung on the end of the porch. I wanted so badly to sit in it and just rock lazily like I would if I was at Windy's. But it was getting close to time for Sadie to eat. Oh, and there was a crazy asshole out to get me and her... No biggie.

Slipping the key in the lock, I took a deep breath as I prepared myself to walk into his house. I would have much rather him being her when I stepped into the place for the first time, but it seemed that fate had other plans. With deep breath, I twisted the knob and swung the door open slowly. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the modern feel to the inside of the house wasn't it. Well, not modern technically. The best way to describe it was that it looked Like Chip and Joanna had been in charge of this remodel. There were shiplap walls for days that were whitewashed, giving them that rugged look. But to soften it, there were huge, yet tasteful, full color prints hung on the wall of various types of crops going in the fields. Antique furniture mixed with new pieces so seamlessly that you would think that all the items came from the same time period. Gleaming heart pine floors shined as if someone spent every minute of the day making sure they were sparking and dust free.

Making my way further into the house, I found the kitchen and was in awe. The ship lap continued in here, but instead of it being on the walls, it was the kitchen island that was wrapped in the stuff. Cabinets wrapped around the kitchen reaching to the ceiling and making me wonder how anyone would possibly reach the very top. But even as I had the thought, I saw a little ladder like you would see in a library -you know, the ones on casters that move around the room. Stainless steel appliances gleamed in the light that filtered in through the window over the apron sink. Everything about this kitchen had been a dream of mine.

Wanting to see more, I made my way back to the front of the house, stopping at the base of the grand staircase that led to the second floor. Once again, the feeling of trespassing washed over me. It felt wrong on so many levels to be alone in this house but Matt's words from in the truck and from the other day replayed in my head, reminding me again that he was okay with me and Sadie being here. With shaking knees, I climbed them. When I reached the top, I saw three doors. Deciding to take a peek in them I tried the first door and found that it was locked. Okay, wont check that one.

Going further down the hall, I opened the send door. Nothing special there. Well, not really. It was a beautiful bathroom with white subway tiles and the same gleaming hardwood floors from the hallway. Potted plants sat on the back of the tank for the toilet, adding that homey feeling. I don't know why, but I found it strange that Matt had potted plants in the house. Then again, he said he had left everything as it was before Cass passed away.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I shut the door quietly behind me and mad my way to the last door. Since Matt had already told me his bedroom was the room at the end of the hall, I knew what I was going to find. If there was a room in the house that was going to look masculine, this was going to be it. Taking a deep breath, I swung the door open and was shocked at what I found. A massive king sized 4 poster bed that looked like those you see in plantation homes -only bigger- sat against one wall with a soft cream color comforter overing it. The hardwood floors gleamed against the soft gray of the walls. French doors led out onto a small balcony off the bedroom. Peeping thought the glass, I saw a couple of chairs and a small table sitting out on the balcony. I imagined watching the sun rise, wrapped in a blanket as I sipped from a cup of coffee.

Turning back to the sliding farm door that I assumed was the bathroom, I slid it open. As I did, I'm pretty sure the angels in heaven started singing. Sitting in front of a massive floor to ceiling frost glass window was the tub that matt had mentioned, complete with antique looking bronze hardware. Marble countertops sat on black cabinets. Tucked away in the corner was a massive walk-in stone shower that looked big enough for four people. Thoughts of all the things that I could do in that shower with Matt came to mind, making my skin heat.

Knowing that I needed to stop with those thoughts, I turned and left the bathroom and headed back downstairs to the kitchen. Pilfering though Sadie's diaper bag that I had settled on the counter earlier, I searched for a jar of baby food. When I found it, I sat Sadie down onto the floor to searched for a bowl to dump it in. Find one rather quickly, I dumped the contents in it, checking to make sure there were no shards of glass before lifting her and settling her onto the countertop.

"You hungry punkin?" I said as I dipped the spoon into the butternut squash with apples and waved it around as if it was an airplane. Sadie squealed with delight, giving me that toothless grin that melted my heart more and more every day.

The uneasiness that I felt upon stepping into the house a few minutes ago slowly began to ebb away as I sat on one of the cushioned bar stools and fed Sadie.

After feeding her dinner, I carried up the stairs and ran some water in the massive tub so that she could get her nighttime bath. It was important to keep up a routine even if life was crazy right now. I sat on the hardwood floor as she splashed in the water than I'd ran in the tub. As I watched her, I thought about Matt and where he was. I'd be lying I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't worried about him. Especially after Joel's threats earlier. At the thought of Joel and his threats, a shiver ran down my spine. I knew he was as unhinged as they come -especially if he was high or drunk- but was he really crazy enough to go after the man in my life? Was he capable of hurting him because he knew it would hurt me in turn? I knew the answer to both those question was a resounding yes. Yes, Joel would hurt Matt if he thought that it would hurt me.

"Dear lord, please look over Matt tonight and make sure that he comes back to me and Sadie. Please don't let him get hurt. Amen."