Strip It Down

One Month Later

**Lukes POV**

It was a month after everything had happened I still had 2 more months at home before going out into the road. Jason and I had tore down my cabin and were rebuilding one in a different spot so Bo wouldn't be totally freaked.

We re did our whole "family room" area that's where her dad was shot at I didn't want to know but I had to. We made that into a sun room and added an addition on for a new living room with all new decor and furniture.

Her dad was doing amazing we did transfer him back home so he had his neuro team. He does have a lot of nerve damage but is working on it.  All he remembers is being held at gun point and begging for them to take and kill him and leave the rest and he remembers the gun shots but that's it.

Her mom had one gun shot wound in her torso but she came out with just a scare and a few cuts and bruises.

Bo and Tate had hand marks from be drugged to the cabin. Bo convinced them to take them to the cabin and told them "my dad never comes here" he was such a brave little boy and took such good care of everyone after Kelly's dad went down and he became the man of the houses.

Dalls and Savannah are now 5 months sitting up almost fully on their own and rolling around like crazy. They just started baby food and love it! They didn't have a mark on them they did give them fluids and kept them overnight that night but all is well with them.

I am doing okay. Nervous wreck 24/7 can't sleep. Haven't ate much. I got an extra top of the line security system and got us a security guard to sit by the gate. We have to put a passcode in to to even go into rooms now. We have to do the same for windows. We have to change the passwords every single week.

Kelly on the other hand is super depressed. She won't eat. She won't let the kids out of her site. The boys have been sleeping on air mattresses on our floor and the babies have been in pack and plays In Our room too. She didn't want her mom and dad to leave but she understood.

Everyone is in counseling and I feel like it is helping most of us except Kells.

Derron and Jeremy on the other hand. Are in prison on accounts of 5 kidnapping charges, 2 attempt murder, 5 accounts of danger of a wealth fare of a child and a few other things. They were in a state prison and their trial is in a few weeks.

Kelly was laying on the couch having savannah lay on her chest doing tummy time.

"Wanna go out to dinner?" I asked her.
"All of us? Sure." She said.
"Just us. Jase and Brittany said they'd come over and..." she cut me off.
"I'm sorry Luke but no." She said.
"Okay beautiful" I said kissing her head.
"What about we sleep alone tonight?" I asked.
"Uhm no...." she said. I sighed.
"Okay darling."

I miss my wife so much. Between post partum and this she's so not herself which who would be. Our 1 year anniversary wasn't what I expected or planned but that's okay.

I started rubbing her feet. Her phone started ringing. It was her dad. It was FaceTime.

"Hi daddy" she said.

How are my favorite people?

Good how are you doing? How are you feeling?

I'm okay. Therapy hurts really bad. But I'm missing my grandkids. How would you guys feel like taking a trip up here for a weekend?

She looked over at me I smiled and nodded.

Yeah of course! Luke and I will figure out details and let y'all know!

Okay give them all hugs and kisses from us I'll talk to you guys later

He hung up. She sighed.

"So we leave Friday?" I asked her looking at my phone at flights. "And return the following Sunday so we stay like 9 days?" I asked.

"Yeah... that works..." she said. I picked Savannah's up and put her in her swing since she was sleeping now so was Dallas on his playmat.

"Talk to me..." I said to her.
"I'm just scared still...." she said.
"Do you want to move? Sell this house build another one somewhere far away?" I asked.

She sat there silent.

"But this was suppose to be our forever home..."

"Kells I messed up I didn't protect you like you needed to be or your family or our family I am so so sorry..." I said. I just wanted to cry. "If you need a break from us I understand...."

**KELLS POV**

Whenever he said the work break my heart sunk... but is that what I need.

"Why would a break help? I'll be even more scared..." I told him.
"Kells I'm just trying to figure out what you need.. I tried to get us a night alone you said no so I figured you didn't want anything to do with me." He said. I got up.

"I'm going to go take a nap too." I told him. He sighed.
"Kelly....."
"No luke! I almost lost my family because of. Stupid high school mistake! I'm hurting!"

I walked away. I went up to our room. I laid on the bed. I called jay right away.

"Hello" she said.

"Can you please come over?" I asked her. I just needed some girl time.

"Yeah of course just me or Mike too?"

"I need girl time but bring him so he can hang with Luke and the kids." I told her.

"Wine and ice cream it is! We will be over shortly."

I was laying there after I texted Luke about mike and jay but he didn't text back he was probably mad. I heard him come in. I turned. No kids.

"You left them downstairs alone!?" I yelled
"No no no they are all sleeping they are in their rooms." He said.
"They can't be alone I'll go with the babies you go with the boys..." I said standing up I just wanted to sleep....
"No. They are fine the doors are locked. It's shift change so we have two guards for the next half hour out front. Give me 30 mins. Then if you still want them to have someone with them I will go get them." He said. He came over.

He ran his hand along my face. I laid my face into his hand.

"I love you so much Mrs Bryan." He said to me. I melted.