After a few days, Josh is prepared to head out the door, making his way to Chicago. Before he leaves, there's a special report on that day about Southern Sugar from the national news channel.

"Good evening, I'm Marian Thornburg reporting live from the ANCN studios in New York City. Tonight's topic is no stranger to anyone viewing our program. An exclusive on Southern Sugar and the effects it takes on the body."

"Joy!" Josh screams, rolling his eyes at the report as it seems that the news knows too much about the drug of choice that's killing people every day.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you have children nearby, please send them to another room. These pictures and videos we're about to share with you are graphic and are considered extremely grotesque." The news anchor pauses for a moment before moving to the first photo of a young man with blood streaming from his eyes and mouth on the TV screen.

"The most obvious effect is overdose. Overdosing shows that they have blood leaking from the eyes as if they cry themselves to an early grave. Our field reporters have come back with statements from eyewitnesses about how terrifying that witness this first hand."

As the reporter shares stories from people who witness the overdoses on the streets, they play amateur videos shot by bystanders to those who have died in the public eye with some gruesome results after they stop flailing their bodies. These images burn in Josh's mind watching as people die, sometimes within seconds and others suffering for several minutes.

"Jesus, have mercy!" He says when he sees a teenager around the same age as Connor flopping uncontrollably on a Manhattan sidewalk.

"This is insanity pure and simple, but how in the hell am I supposed to stop this?" He asks himself just before a knock comes from the door.

By the time he sees who's there, he notices a Fed Ex truck pulls away. That's when it dawns on him that his package has arrived from his Director. Kneeling to get the box, Josh takes it over to the coffee table, dropping it on the hard-oak top.

After he rips the tape off the box, he flips up the cardboard fold to discover only two badges other than his own that he left on his bosses' desk. He sees a set of burner cell phones, a letter, and a stamped form authorizing the use of lethal force. Josh picks up the letter reading it aloud.

"Agent Bradshaw, I could only persuade Senator Suiter to give me two authorized badges along with your own. Make it count the entire country is counting on your team to close this case finally. I sent Dave undercover as well. He picked up a tip to head down to Atlanta. I have here two phones that will connect you to my secure line. Contact word if you get burnt or need backup, then use the codeword 'Cherry Jam,' and I will use what resources I can locate wherever you need them. One last item for this case is a contact number for your friend and contact from Interpol. He has a special ops team waiting for any assistance you may require. I have also started my investigation into the government's leak within the FBI, NSA, and CIA heads. Corruption has gripped DC, and it could nearly cripple everyone here, so be careful. God's speed to you and your team. Director Foxx"

When he's finished with the letter, he takes it to the kitchen. He pulls a lighter from a drawer igniting it to cover his tracks. Josh watches as it burns in the kitchen sink and sends the remaining pieces down the drain.

With a stroke of his hand through his hair, Josh heads into the bedroom, where he picks up the old family photo and kisses it.

"I wish you were still here, Erin. Connor misses you, and I miss my best friend. I haven't been the same since you have been gone." After he finishes, he returns to the living room, placing the delivery items into his bag. He tosses the bag over his shoulder and heads out to his car. Once he's comfy in his seat, he fires up the engine but gets one last glance in at his ranch-style home.

Wiping his eyes, he shifts over and back for reverse, and he's finally on his way from Virginia to Illinois. Along the way, he has two pitstops in-store, one on literally both ends of the state of Ohio.

Out of nowhere, Josh's startled when his phone begins to ring in his pocket. Struggling to get it out of his pocket, he opens it just in time when he stops at the light.

"Hey, momma."

"Well, there he is, my long-lost adopted son. Hey, I have a serious question for you, kid. How do you want me to send Connor home? Train? Airplane? Bus? I need to know so I can book it soon. He's been a great help with this remodel too. Plus, you didn't tell me you ain't got him a car yet as you did with the others. If you don't mind, I have one in mind I think you would approve of for him." Momma C babbles while Josh holds the mouthpiece away, huffing in frustration.

"I have some news, just keep him there, and in a few days, we'll all be home. Me, myself, and I included with the bunch of us. I'm heading out to make amends with James, and well, I'll explain everything when I get there, I promise." Josh reveals, trying to shift gears and talk at the same time.

Silence comes between them when Josh informs Momma Cline that he'll be there to visit for the first time in several years. The silence doesn't last long when she shrieks into the phone.

"You're honestly coming home? Oh! That's just good news! What do you want for your first family dinner? Lord, oh lord, I can barely breathe! You're coming home, oh sweet Jesus answered my prayers!" She yells into the phone with Josh holding it away from his ear.

"Take it easy, momma, and yes, I will be home soon. That's a promise, but I need to concentrate on driving looks like a storm is heading my way. Plus, it is getting late. Love you, momma, see ya soon." Josh says before he ends the call and drops the phone into the center cupholder.

By the time Josh begins to feel some fatigue from driving, he sees a sign for North Canton ahead. It dawns on him that Audrey and Sara might still be packing up to head back for home, given the circumstances transpired over the last year in their lives.

"I could use the chance to stretch my legs. Guess I'm not as young as I used to feel." Josh tells himself, trying to stretch his legs within the confined space of his car.

Within forty-five minutes, he's pulling alongside the curb. He is delighted to see the full-size SUV still sitting at the top of the driveway. Josh slowly scoots his partially numb extremities from the car. While stretching, he fails to notice the front door has flung open with a college-age blonde-haired girl charge full speed for him.

"UNCLE JOSH!" He hears right before a hug tackles him to the concrete.

"UNCLE JOSH, UNCLE JOSH, YOU'RE HERE!" Sara repeats, refusing to let him go.

"Hi Sara," Josh musters to say between breaths from the impact and her grip around his chest.

"Good to see ya, sweetheart, but uh, I can't breathe."

Right after his short aired sentence, Audrey makes her presence known. She stands there chuckling at the sight of her self-proclaimed adoptive little-big brother.

"C'mon, Sara dear, let him up." Audrey declares, helping Josh to his feet.

"Haven't seen your face in quite some time. I'm guessing you're working on a crucial case?" She waits while he nods after shuffling off some road dust. "Well, I'd expect nothing less than a strapping young go-getter like you."

The two of them share a laugh. Josh looks up to see Audrey's aged a bit. She has some salt and pepper mixed in with her ash blonde hair. She's still a little petite but an attractive woman. Her appearance still receives plenty of whistles, and guys approach to try to get a quick hook up.

"Hey there, sis, looking good for an old lady." Josh teases, which causes Audrey's jaw to dip open.

She scuffs, saying, "you cocky little jerk!" before she gives him a playful shove on the shoulder. "Always the little wisecracker, no wonder Connor is a spitfire. He's exactly like you!" She informs him, but she notices something is off with that comment.

"Was it something I've said?"

All Josh can do is shake his head no for a moment.

"I haven't spent that much time with him lately. It honestly began back when Erin disappeared. Connor, uh, well, he started getting into more fights, and even his temper far precedes my own. He's been with Momma C since school's out." Josh explains with doubt pulsating from his aura.

"Won't kill him to spend some time in your old stomping grounds. That reminds me, mom said she has a surprise for you when you finally arrive. I'm not allowed to mention what she's done, but it'll be the last thing you expect." Audrey teases with an evil smile on her face.

"Enough of talking about here, come in for a few minutes and relax before you just up and leave again. You look exhausted. C'mon, I have a tall glass of iced sun tea with your name written all over it."

Together they make their way inside, where Josh sees moving boxes from corner to corner of the house. He sees a box with TYLER'S GARBAGE TO DONATE written on the side in the far-off corner.

"I take it he hasn't been back to get the last of his stuff?" Josh asks, staring at the box.

All Audrey can do is shake her head at first. She wipes away her angry tears when she looks over at the box of her ex-husband's belongings.

"No, and now they're going to the Salvation Army. Still burns my biscuits that he abandoned us for some twenty-year-old stripper!" She says and stomps her foot on the floor

"His new wife is almost the same age as our frigging daughter, for crying out loud!" She says, taking some deep breaths.

"Sis, let it out, and it's okay to swear at times like this. I promise I won't let anyone know you used a cuss word. Besides, it's his loss in the end. You are a wonderful woman, and he's a pathetic tool." Josh mentions trying to help her release some of her pent-up frustrations.

Nothing else is said while Audrey points to the couch for Josh to take a seat while she gets him some of her tea. After he takes the glass from her shaking hand, she goes over, flopped down in her chair.

"That... That...That rat-faced two-timing scum-sucking cradle robbing, SON OF A BITCH!" She lets out, thrusting her face in the air in a shriek of relief.

Sara comes from around the corner in a state of shock. Even when Tyler was there arguing with her before the divorce, she's never heard her mother swear.

"Feel better?" Josh asks.

"Much, thank you, little brother. I feel bad having to sell this place and move back home, but Sara's getting an apartment with her friend Rachel. I have nothing left here, so going home to become a nursing teacher might be what I need."

For the next couple of hours, the two of them remanence about the good days back when they were teenagers. Laughter quickly drowns out all the negativity surrounding them as Sara listens to some of the old tales of mischief and pranks.

"Hey, before you head out, you going to stop by and visit her?" Audrey finally breaks down to ask.

"Yeah, I might stop for a moment. I uh, I don't have any flowers or anything to leave. It's been a while since I stopped there. Hard to believe a girl from Illinois could be the one to snatch me up. I know you and momma always thought it would be Nikki, but y'all were wrong!" Josh reminds Audrey when he relives all those memories in an instant in his mind.

With a wave of her hand to signal that she agrees with his statement, Audrey has nothing left to say on Nikki's behalf. She does offer Josh one piece of advice.

"If you do stop by to visit her plot, don't just stand there. Talk to her, let out everything you feel, and don't hold back. I know you're prideful, but if you feel like breaking down, then do it. I miss her too, and I cried when she vanished. Sara cried, mom cried, Connor and Emily cried, heck, everyone was except for you. I get it you're the toughest of us but hot dang, let your heart finally crack open to heal. None of us have seen you shed a tear since the Nikki days. I know that's still a sore subject, but for God's sakes, wake up!"

Josh conveys the only thing is a barely audible, "I'll try," with his head held low. He sits there, gathering his composure to get back on the road. He wants to cover the area from Canton to Dayton before he stops for the night.

"Sis, I hate to cut and run, but I have a lot of driving to cover before I call it quits for the day. Thank you for the tea, thirst-quenching as always. I'll see you when I arrive at Mom's."

Sara is the first to her feet from the kitchen table. She speeds in to hug him first. Audrey hugs Josh and refuses to let go without one last tidbit of advice.

"Always go with God, little brother. I will always pray for you."

Without another word, Josh makes his way from the living room back down to his car. Once the engine roars to life, he flips on the A/C to escape the summer humidity and waves as he pulls away.

"Dayton, here I come!" He tells himself, feeling recharged for the haul ahead.

On the way there, Josh encounters a vibrant blue Volkswagen Jetta all tricked out coming up beside his car. The driver reeves his engine to indicate he wants to race. Josh gives the kid a nod and downshifts and puts the twin-turbo into high gear blowing the Jetta away in almost no time as they dodge in and out of traffic for a few miles. From the rearview mirror, he sees the blue sedan race off the highway as he laughs and continues his way to Dayton.

The drive takes him nearly four and a half hours. When he arrives, he only sees Gwen's car parked in front of the porch. He parks and gives his car some fuel to draw her out with the noise from the blow-off valve.

Gwen appears within a few seconds with a look of horror on her face. She shakes her fist at Josh with a sarcastic prissy expression on her face.

"Hey, you jerk, that wasn't cool! I hate it when Aaron does that with his car, and here you are doing it too! God, that kid is just like you!" She screams from the front door.

"Ain't the first time I've heard that today about my sons being just like me," Josh mentions with a smile on his face.

"I'll take it as both times I've heard it as the best compliment. Besides, glad they got something more than my looks; poor boys could be as hideous as me." He teases, seeing Gwen's face turn blood red every time he disrespects himself like that.

She slides back inside the house, and Josh follows her into the living room. He takes a seat and stretches out his limbs.

"God, it feels great to be out of that car!" He states after he yawns.

"Long trip I take it?" Gweny questions after she picks up some paperwork.

"Kinda, I'm heading to Chicago, and I thought I'd drop by and see you all first. You told me I need to spend more time with our kids. So, where are they?"

Gwen pretends to ignore Josh at first to get him worked up. For her, this is a little bit of payback for every time he's ever disappointed them by being late or not showing up when he's promised. Josh asks her again, but she snickers quietly to herself as he becomes even more irritated. It isn't until he utters the two words she hates the most.

"HEY, WOMAN!" He nearly shouts, stomping his foot on the floor.

"Hey! You self-righteous prick, let me tell you something! You know I hate that phrase, and you wanna keep some teeth intact or be welcome in my house, you won't call me that again!"

Josh throws his hands up when he realizes what came out of his mouth.

"My bad sweetness! I didn't realize what I had said. I'm sorry, it won't happen again." He quickly apologizes.

"Now, please tell me where our teenage daughter and son are at."

Gwen takes a moment to cool down before she replies. The last thing she wants to do is rip his head off when he apologized, even though she's still pissed-off over it.

"Emily is hiding in the guest bedroom, sitting online as usual. Aaron's spending time with his friends, and Brooklyn is out on a date with Kyle. And before you ask, he's a good kid with a rough background. Also, even though I should kick your ass out, you're more than welcome to stay here tonight. Besides, it'll give you the chance to make up for calling me 'woman,' which you know I hate." She says with a hateful look frozen in her expression.

"I'm sorry, okay, you know how I get when I am annoyed. Still love me?"

Gwen's always been a sucker for his puppy dog eye trick. Even though she feels like second place to Erin, she can't help herself.

"Of course, I do, but hey, I gotta know, am I just an easy replacement for her? I mean, she was beautiful, and you were someone different when she was around. You were genuinely polite when you two came to visit the kids."

That question leaves Josh reeling for what to say. How he's always felt has been a mixture of things. His relationship with Erin was more of an extension like best friends with benefits than deeply romantic. Since Nikki, he's always kept a bit of a guard up to keep from ever being truly hurt again. Josh did love Erin, and when she went unexpectedly, it threw him for a loop.

Gwen's always been his buffer all these years. Since they were younger, he'd loved her, but through all their history, they've never fully clicked due in part to all the bickering.

"Erin's been gone for a while. If you were just a replacement, don't you think I would've stopped trying to make this work with you here and me in DC most of the time? Come on now, Gweny, stop comparing you and her. If I was only looking for a hit it and quit it deal, don't ya think Ida done that by now, or have you forgotten about our lost weekend in Charlotte?" He reminds her.

A blush over her cheeks says it all when she turns away.

"No, I guess you're right, but I have to make sure. You have no idea how much I am still in love with you. I mean, for God's sake, I could've played it safe and stayed with Paul and had it easy from here on in. I'd rather fight and fuss with you and make something almost as impossible with the distance work than be unhappy. I want you, Emily, and Connor to move in with us in Grove City. The house is almost ready, and it's large enough. I was smart to make sure of that."

Just to reassure the fact that things are going to change. Eventually, Josh recalls what he's told her not long ago.

"Remember this is my final case, and then I'm taking the 'no-show' job until Emily's old enough to run her grandpa's business. So, in a way, yes, we will be taking you up on that offer."

Gwen squeals in excitement. Before she realizes it, she drops her work to fling herself in his lap.

"REALLY, LIKE REALLY, REALLY! Are you going to move in? For reals like this ain't just a way to get some before you leave in the morning?"

"It's a guarantee, babe. When this is all said and done, I am coming home. We can put this family back together. I've missed too much, and I'm not going to miss out on more than I have left to experience with the kids." Josh confirms with Gwen's arms wrapped around his neck.

She continues to sit on his lap for a while, making plans. Going over the details, she explains that he'll have an oversized garage to work on his project cars. The idea of bringing together all the kids and taking trips opens a whole new reality to Gwen. It's one she's anxiously waiting to start.