Not knowing what else to do, Nick headed back to Solana’s house. There was no way Ben was involved in this…none. But, why did they take him in? Why the hell was HE suspect? Why couldn’t someone put out an all points bulletin when it was time for your world to turn on end?

The scene at Solana’s was much more calm than when he had left and that small sign brought him great relief. One car had left and the lights were off…much better. The officer let him in, but Nick didn’t see Lani anywhere. “Where…”

“In her room. She said to send you on back.”

Why the hell was she back there? She wasn’t cleaning up the mess was she? That could be taken care of later. He rushed back, shocked at what he found.

An emotionally beaten Solana. He didn’t think it possible. She was sitting in a rocking chair in the corner of her room, wrapped up in a blanket, curled up as much into a ball as her body would allow. She was staring at…nothing, a breeze lightly blowing the curtains through the broken window.

“Lani…baby…come on out of here, huh?”

Without moving her gaze, she showed that she was more aware than she appeared. “Where’s Ben?”

“Well, uh…yeah.” Kneeling at her side, he found her hands and pulled them out of the blanket, caressing them in his own. “They, uh…they took him in for questioning.”

“NO! NO! They couldn’t! Nick! He had nothing to DO with this!”

“I know, baby, I know…but…well…I just don’t know what’s going on.”

“We have to go…we have to be with him.”

“I was kinda hopin’ you’d say that. Are you sure you’re okay? Why don’t you just stay here? I’ll go.”

“No. I’m coming with you. To hell with my house…let them take whatever the hell they want. Ben’s all that matters now.”

The officer had been standing in the doorway watching them and cleared his throat to interrupt. “Miss Romero?”

“Yes?”

“They think they have all of the perpetrators. I’m sure your home will be safe, but I can bring in an undercover to watch the house while you’re away.”

“They think they have them all? Are you crazy?” Solana stood and threw the blanket on the chair, nearly pushing Nick on his butt as she stormed by him. Nope, she wasn’t beaten at all. No way.

“Ma’am, I’m just telling you what I’ve been told. You said you saw four figures and they’ve brought in four young men for questioning.”

“Well, you’ve got one of them wrong. You tell them that, huh? You have to keep looking.”

“I know nothing about it, ma’am…I just…”

“You just call them and tell them they have the wrong boy. If Benjamin Casey is one of the suspects, they’re going down the wrong road…keep looking!”

“Yes, ma’am…I’ll uh…I’ll let them know what you said. Do you know where Ben was at the time of the break in?”

“I have no idea, but I assure you, he did not do this. Someone else is involved if you think Ben’s one of the four.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll give my commander a call. You go on to the courthouse and I’ll get an undercover here while you’re gone. Do what you need to do.”

“Yes…thank you.” Looking back to Nick, she almost broke down, but realized that it wasn’t time to let all of her emotions out again…she had to be strong for Ben. For Nick. For herself. It was just a broken window right now. No sense getting all philosophical on how violated she felt. Not now. That was for later. “Nick, take me out of here.”

After a short run around to find where Ben would be, they finally reached a hallway that brought back more memories than he cared to have. It had been a year since Nick had been here. And he truly remembered little about it, but the glass door looked sickeningly familiar. God, what Ben must be feeling right now. Had they come full circle? Was it starting all over again?

With a deep breath and a quick kiss to Solana’s forehead, he opened the door and guided her in with his hand to the small of her back.

“Miss Romero! Nick! Oh God…” Ben got up and ran to them, wrapping his arms around Solana first, then quickly breaking free to let Nick swallow him up in the embrace he’d been waiting for all evening. “They wouldn’t let me call…how’d you find out?”

“I stopped by the house…what the hell’s goin’ on, Ben?”

Ignoring Nick’s question, Ben turned back to Solana, taking them back to his bench where his mother sat with a look of complete confusion and exhaustion. Nick and Solana smiled at her, patting her leg and sat down, waiting to hear what Ben had to say. His demeanor was nothing like either of them had expected. He was nervous, to be sure, but a calmness surrounded him that they were honestly both envious of.

“Miss Romero…I’m so sorry this happened. Is everyone okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine, hon. Rosalie freaked out, but she’s with Katy right now. Probably watching movies or something.”

“Okay…good. Did, um…did they get anything?”

“Nope. We were home. Broken window is all…that and a lot of worry and fear to deal with.”

“That’s the worst part, huh?”

“Yes.” Nick finally stepped into the conversation, getting tired of the love fest going on and wanting some answers. Now. “So, why are you here?”

“You were right, Nick…it was Steve.”

“Jesus…why am I not surprised?”

Patty looked up from her point of concentration on the linoleum tile and joined the conversation. “That kid…I’ve told you to stay away from him for years, Ben.”

“I have, Mom…I’m telling you.”

“Then where WERE you!? Do you understand what’s happening here, Ben? You are in a police station again…they suspect you of this break-in. All the progress you’ve made…we’ve made…is being threatened. Don’t you GET that!?”

“Yeah, mom. I do. And you have nothing to be afraid of. I didn’t do this.”

Patty folded her arms and turned away from the three-some. She wanted to believe in her son, she really did, but honestly she had thirteen years of experience with him telling her otherwise. It was an all to familiar feeling. It made her heart hurt. Here she thought everything was finally going right for them and yet here she was, sitting in the damned courthouse again with a kid who was professing his innocence. Maybe nothing had really changed at all.

Ben looked on either side of him to Solana and Nick and pleaded with his eyes. “You believe me, don’t you? Someone’s gotta believe me.”

Nick looked up to Solana, not sure what to say. Not honestly sure what to think. “Right now, Ben…you need the cops to believe you. I don’t think our opinion matters much right now.”

“It’s all that matters to me. I don’t give a shit what happens…I know what I did and didn’t do. But if you don’t believe me…”

Nick and Solana exchanged another glance and they both knew. Their decision had been made. For better or worse…right or wrong…they really had no other choice.

“We believe you Ben.” Nick wrapped his arm around the teen and pulled him in to lean on him as they sat and waited. “We believe you and in you. This will all work out.”

And that was all Ben needed. It was all Patty needed too. Her body language shifted, as she unfolded from her frustration and opened her heart back up to her son. She had tried so hard with these kids, but when she started having them, she was but a child herself. The mistakes she’d made stared her in the face almost everyday. Things like this just brought it back to the forefront. She tried her best, especially now, but as every mother learns…sometimes your best isn’t enough.

But suddenly, it felt like this time anyway, it just might do the trick.

Ben stayed in Nick’s embrace, silence taking over, while each of them sat in their own state of thought, concern and questioning. What a year they’d had…and it all started here.

“You know, Nick…” Ben pulled back and looked up into Nick’s eyes, a little bit of orneriness seeping through.”

“What?”

“You need to be drunk and obnoxious…that’d make this déjà vu just perfect, dontcha think?”

“Put your head back down and shut up, Ben…perfect is far from it.”

Chuckling, he did as asked, happy to snuggle back up into Nick’s arms. He never knew the comfort of a man’s arms could be so amazingly secure. Peaceful. He’d never had it and now that he did, he didn’t know how he’d walk through the rest of his life without it being a phone call away.

No one knew how long they sat there, but all in all, time traveled pretty quickly. There was an unnerving tension in the air, but it was totally wrapped up in a blanket of peace. No one could explain it, but it seemed as though Ben was the one who owned it. He was just sharing it with everyone. But, all good things must come to an end.

“Ben Casey? They’re ready for you.”

“What could be taking them so long? If he’s innocent, they need to let it be and let us go home.”

Patty had all but worn a hole in the linoleum between the bench and the glass door pacing to and fro. She was a complete wreck.

“You don’t know where he was?” Nick had fallen silent in the boredom of waiting and into the depths of thought about this whole situation. Pieces were not fitting together. Solana had never checked out though, taking care of everyone…as always. She was definitely a pro.

“No.” Patty lowered her head, embarrassed at that truth. She’d never been good at keeping tabs on her kids’ whereabouts. That was one area she still needed to work on. “He just said he was going out…I’ve come to trust him, so I didn’t ask.”

“And he wouldn’t tell you…even after they brought him in?”

“No…and that’s what has me so worried. Because recently, he’ll tell me anything. He’s not so secretive anymore, you know?”

“Yeah…that is strange…not like him anymore.”

“Exactly. I just don’t know what to think.”

Patting Nick’s leg, hoping to bring him into the conversation, Solana did her best to assure the nervous mother. “I know he’s innocent, Patty.”

“I want to believe that, Solana…I do…”

“You’ve had a long history of believing him and being let down though, haven’t you?”

“Well, yes…he seems different this time though. I just don’t know…I’m so afraid.”

“Has anything happened in therapy that could have set him off?”

“No, I don’t think…in fact, she said next week is the last time we need to meet.”

“I thought I’d seen those papers on my desk…release is a good thing.”

“Yeah…in lots of ways. I called Darren and told him that if he ever showed up again, not only would Ben report him, but I would too…and he’s not bothered me since.”

“You’ve all come such a long way, Patty…I can’t believe Ben would throw it all away…especially on one of us.”

“You’re right…it doesn’t make much sense. You and Nick…I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for my family.”

Nick finally looked up, taking Solana’s hand in his. “Your family…they’ve done so much for me too. I guess we all kind of helped each other.”

“I suppose so…” Looking back to the door where her son had disappeared earlier, Patty heaved an exhausted sigh. “…I just hope he’s not throwing it all away.”

“He’s not…I can’t explain why, but I really believe it…and you have to, too. He needs you to believe in him.” Solana patted the empty bench next to her, inviting Patty to come back and sit down.

She obliged, looking up with the others as the glass door swung open. A mother and daughter walked in, the daughter obviously immediately recognizing Nick. He really didn’t need this right now.

But…Solana and Patty recognized the girl and pulled her attention away from the teen’s idol.

“Erin! My God…what are you…you aren’t invol-…Erin…why are you here?”

“Miss Romero…” Looking over to Patty, she lowered her gaze, embarrassed it had come to this. She didn’t want it to happen, but here they were. “Miss Casey…I’m so sorry.”

“Are you responsible for this? Are you involved…did you drag my son into this?”

“NO! No, Miss Casey, I swear…no.” Looking around for someone, Erin asked a question Nick was hoping he’d hear. “Ben’s not here? Is he being questioned?”

“Yeah…been back there for awhile now.” Nick still didn’t know why she was here, but was getting a feeling clarity was around the corner. And he couldn’t help but smile at the prospect. Ben’s peace was beginning to make sense.

“I figured…”

“What’s up, Erin…why do they have you here?” Solana hadn’t caught on yet and Patty was still too angry to think straight.

“I’m here for Ben…he’s innocent.”

“And you know that how?” Nick was beaming. He knew.

“How? Because he was with me.”