Adam had just been discharged from the hospital and was laying down in the backseat of his mother's car. His legs and feet were laying on Bianca's lap as she sat at one end of the car in the back. Drew sat in the front next to his mother and he kept looking in his side mirror back at Bianca. He was shocked that his mom had let Bianca come home with them. But he had also noticed they had been having some private conversations at the hospital, since Bianca had been coming every day, and even had gone off to the cafeteria together when Adam was fast asleep a few times. He wondered what they talked about together. Or if they even talked much at all.

At the hospital Katie was there waiting almost two hours with them for Adam to be discharged. When he finally was Drew said a quick goodbye to her, so quick he forgot to even give her a kiss, and hurried off. He was sure Katie understood though. But he thought she was little hurt that Bianca was coming home with the family instead of her. But that's something that she needed to learn to understand. Bianca and Drew were in this situation together. Now Adam had been added to the equation, automatically adding his mother. Katie didn't have anything to do with every thing that had happened since the day Bianca won the Keke Palmer tickets to the night Drew found Bianca in the alley. The four of them were going to stick together for right now and Katie was going to have to wait for every thing to go back to normal.

They pulled into the driveway and Bianca lifted Adam off her lap. Adam pushed himself off the vinyl of the backseat and started getting out of the door. He was moving fine and like nothing had even happened but just as Bianca was about to get out of the door she stopped and watched Adam get out first, just incase he needed her physical support. But he didn't. He got out of the car fine without anyone's help.

Drew, though, ran around the car and put his arm around his brother, helping him walk up to the house. Bianca and Audra followed behind.

"Great way to start your summer vacation, huh?" Audra said referring to Bianca's offer to come over daily to take care of Adam while she worked. Audra greatfully accepted Bianca's offer. She knew Drew would be available all the time but she wasn't sure what kind of state of mind he was in after every thing that had happened in the past few months leading up to this. She might need Bianca around to look after both of her sons.

"I owe them both this much. And you too," Bianca told Audra.

Audra couldn't disagree so she just didn't say anything. She didn't want to sound rude and seem like she was starting a fight. That would only piss off Drew and Adam.

Inside Adam had taken vicodin and some liquid medicine prescribed to him and half and hour later he was making his way up the stairs for his bedroom with Bianca following behind him.

"Bianca, I'm ok, I can get to my room without you," Adam laughed when he made it to the top of the stairs.

Bianca looked up at him, a couple stairs away from the floor, "I know, I'm just looking out for you."

In his room Bianca helped him into bed and threw multiple blankets from his closet over him.

"Are you trying to kill me with heat woman?" Adam asked jokingly as Bianca was laying another blanket ontop of the other ones sprawled over him.

Bianca laughed lightly, she hadn't had much of a sense of humor lately.

"Bianca, it was just a bullet, nothing I can't handle," Adam told her.

"You're not superman, Adam," Bianca said before leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Sleep tight," she said over her shoulder as she exited the room.

She shut the door lightly and turned around to be directly facing Drew.

"Hey," she said jumping a little.

"Did I scare you?" he asked quietly.

"Just a little.." Bianca said walking away from him.

Drew trailed behind her.

"Adam's sleeping now so I'll ask your mom for a ride to my house."

"You don't have to leave just yet if you don't want to," Drew told Bianca.

She didn't want to. "Ok."

They headed down the stairs and when they reached the bottom Drew touched the wrist that Vince hadn't bruised two weeks ago. He hadn't looked at that wrist recently so he didn't know if she still had faint marks but he didn't want to risk hurt her.

"My mom told me you were going to be coming here every day for a while to look out for us. That's cool Bee, thanks."

"Anything for the two of you. This is the least I could do for an apology," she said and she turned away from him again and walked into his kitchen where Audra was pouring herself a glass of water.

"I think we should talk," Audra said not adressing either one of them specifically.

"We've discussed your relationship with Vince, Bianca, and I'm greatful that you tried to save Drew's life. Even if it resulted in Adam's almost ending I know that you were only doing what seemed best." Audra looked at Drew. "And Drew, I wish you wouldn't have instigated the shooting at prom," Audra said referring to Drew trying to fight Vince and thinking there would be no consequences. "But I know that you as well were just trying to end things."

Drew and Binanca both nodded.

"In the days the three of us have spent together at the hospital visiting Adam I've heard enough about everything that has happened to know that, Bianca, you will get away just fine with doing dirty work for Vince. I'm sure the police and the judge you will have to face will understand why you were doing what you did. Unfortunately, Drew, you will probably have to go through this process with her. Seeing as you two understand the situation better than anyone else. And the last thing I want is for Adam to be brought into this. I don't want him to have to go to court and talk about getting shot, I don't see a reason for him to have to do this but with the court system you really never know. So try your best to explain the shooting without them wanting Adam to come in. I will call a law firm in the next few days and do the talking. Then I'll inform the both of you."

"Thank you Audra," was all Bianca could say to her right now. She was very appreciative though for Audra sticking by her side even though she knew she didn't exactly like her that much.

"And don't worry mom, we'll keep Adam as far away from the case as possible," Drew assured his mother.

"I'm going upstairs to my room to rest. I don't remember the last time I was in my own bed. If I fall asleep and Adam wakes up and needs me, wake me."

"Have a nice sleep," Bianca said figuring Audra would fall asleep in the next ten minutes after the time she's been having lately.

Drew kissed his mom's cheek.

Drew and Bianca walked to the couch and sat down with a noteable distance between them.

"I don't deserve to have you staying here for me, too. Adam does, but I left you to deal with Vince on your own while I was off with Katie and the most of my worries was her best friend, Marisol, and if she would make me vice president. While you were with.. Vince.. and he was..." Drew couldn't finish because they hadn't exactly discussed the amount of damage Vince had done, to the full extent. Drew wasn't sure what Vince was doing exactly to Binaca. But he had an idea that it was basically everything bad that could come to his mind.

"It's my fault I got your brother shot. I also let you take the blame for killing Anson. I owe you more than you know, Drew," and she also wanted to be here for him because she had feelings for him and wanted him to be ok.

"Adam getting shot.. that lays on both of our shoulders." Drew couldn't say much for the Anson situation because he did take the fall for killing him even though it was Binaca who did it. "But Anson... I was protecting you. Don't feel guilty or anything for letting me take the fall. I felt like I had to because I loved you."

Binaca felt her heart drop to her waist. He had never said he loved her throughout their relationship. She wondered if maybe he still did just a little.

Drew wondered if the silence after he said that was as awkward for her as it was for him. He had just put his feelings on the line.

Bianca gripped Drew's hand. It was his turn to be protected.

"Now I'm going to protect you," she told him.

Drew looked at her, already feeling secure.

This was something Katie couldn't offer right now.

xxxxxxx

Audra woke up to the smell of hot pizza. She went downstairs to find Drew and Binaca sitting at the counter around four boxes of pizzas, eating slices straight from one box of cheese pizza. How long had she been sleeping for? She looked at the clock that read 5:30. She had been asleep since 1.

"Has Adam woken up yet?" Audra said approaching the counter.

"Not that we know," Drew said.

"We've checked on him a few times and he's been sleeping still," Bianca said.

"When did you guys order pizza?" Audra asked.

"It was just got here 10 minutes ago. Binaca paid for it," Drew told his mom.

"Bianca, next time, wake me. I'll pay," Audra smiled as she opend a box of mushrooms and took a slice. "Good. You told her I like mushrooms on my pizza," Audra said to Drew.

Bianca and Drew both smiled.

Audra took finished her slice of pizza more fast then Drew had ever seen his mother eat before. But he hadn't seen him mom eat much at the hospital and the little bits of food she bought from the cafeteria weren't much.

"I'm gonna go check on my baby," Audra said as she whipped her hands. Drew and Bianca nodded and Audra climbed the stairs to get to Adam's room.

In his room he was still sound asleep in his bed. Under tons of blankets, Audra noticed. She smiled at Bianca's gesture, she had noticed Binaca's small efforts to redeem herself and be there for the family lately. It was nicer to Audra than Bianca could even comprehend because after every thing she had been going through she's the one trying to put every thing back together for them. It was really the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for the family.

Adam opened his eyes and stretched, "Hi mom," he smiled.

"Hey you," she said with a pool of tears gathering in her eyes. She still got emotional about everything. And it was good to hear his voice. It was a reminder to her that he was still alive and Vince hadn't killed her son.

"Bianca bought a ton of pizza for all of us. Really it was more than needed but it's another one of her ways to apologize," Audra said with a smile.

"I think I wanna lay here for a little while longer," Adam said. It felt great to be laying in his bed in his room and not that stupid and uncomfortable hospital bed. Bianca had surrounded him from head to toe in pillows at the hospital but it still didn't help much since the pillows weren't soft at all.

"Bianca's been really nice to us, hasn't she?" Audra said.

"She's been a real good help and it was nice having her around at the hospital because she distracted me."

Audra laughed at thought of all the mixtapes Binaca played for Adam, all the comic books she bought even though she had a hardtime finding them because she was unfamiliar with the material, and Bianca had brought so much food for them that she made at home. Mostly Drew and Adam ate it though.

"Is she growing on you, mom?" Adam smiled.

"A little. I can't seem to look right past the fact that I didn't like her before but she's rubbing off on me a bit. I'm so happy that she's going to be around for the both of you. I wish I could be home but I can't take more time out of work. Even if I had the choice I couldn't, we wouldn't have any money to keep this roof over our heads," Audra said jokingly.

Adam smiled, "I understand. But I don't really need any physical support mom, just so you know. I'm doing fine and moving perfectly," he reassured her.

"But it will be good for you and your brother to have some emotional support always available in the house," Audra said as she walked to Adam's bed. She laid next to him on her back with her knees up. She didn't remember the last time she laid next to Adam in his bed. It was probably when he was just a little kid.

"I had no idea how easily I could loose you two until this happened," she looked at him.

"I didn't die mom," Adam laughed. He knew every one was still in shock from what happened and the fact that he was ok was still settling in everybody but he was tired of talking about the shooting all the time. He understood why his mom liked, even wanted, Bianca being around all the time but he was so sick and tired of hearing people telling him over and over that he could have died that night. He knows that, he's not stupid, he's the one who got shot. Adam just wanted everyone to act like they normally did. Drew was always walking around angry and depressed and scared so he didn't change much. And Bianca was always quiet and sad now. She changed the most.

"Seems like it's taking me longer to recover from this than you," Audra said.

"Seems so."

xxxxxxx

"Do you think your mom went back to sleep?" Bianca asked Drew as they sat on Drew's back deck together. Bianca was smoking a cigarette, which was something she didn't do often but since Vince had made her his girlfriend she had started smoking a pack every few weeks. And since the shooting two weeks ago she had smoked quite a few packs. "I've been here all day and not that I'm in a rush to leave it's just that I'm really tired and I hope you're mom doesn't wake up in a few hours and realize she still has to take me home at, like, one in the morning."

"I'll go upstairs in a few minutes and see when she wants to bring you home."

"Cool," Bianca said. She hadn't talked at a regular tone all day because inside the house every one talked like if they weren't quiet.. the whole house would collapse. It felt weird to speak at a normal volume.

Bianca and Drew hadn't talked about much all day. It was actually pretty boring in the house with just the two of them around the whole day. But it was still nice for Bianca to be able to see Drew every time she looked over or up. The both of them felt really secure together in his house.

"Have you talked to Katie today?" Bianca asked Drew, making small talk.

"We were texting for a few minutes a couple hours ago. And she called twice but I ignored them both times," Drew told her.

Bianca laughed slightly, looking away, and flicking ash from the bogie.

"What?" Drew said with a laugh.

"Sounds like great boyfriend material," Bianca laughed and then looked at him with a smile.

"I'm good boyfriend material. You should know that."

Bianca didn't say anything. There was only so much she could say without triggering her own word vommit to tell him every thing she felt for him. And he was with Katie, he didn't want Bianca the way she wanted him.

She just looked up at the stars and smiled.

"What, you didn't think I was a good boyfriend?" He laughed.

Bianca swallowed and paused. "No, you were a great boyfriend." She puffed on her cigarette and kept her eyes set on the sky.

"That's what I thought," he sighed and slipped into the chair next to her and removed the bogie from between her fingers and hit off it himself.

"You have a nice view out here," Bianca told him.

"See that balcony?" Drew said referring to the one at the second floor of the house.

"Yup."

"That's my room. That's the best when I need to clear my head. I can just go up there and plug my iPod in. My parents and Adam don't go in my room so they're less likely to try and join me up there."

Bianca had only been in his room a few times. But how did she miss that there?

Bianca took her stick back from him. "You don't usually smoke, Drew."

"It's been stressful."

"You're tellin me," said Bianca with a slight giggle.

"At least the worst part's over," Drew sighed.

"Now we just have to deal with it," Bianca sighed too.

"Which means more nightmares and screaming in the middle of the night for me," Drew said.

Bianca felt a pang of guilt. It was all her fucking fault that he had to go through that time scared so badly.

She looked down from the sky and turned her head in the opposite direction of Drew, disgusted with Vince and herself too.

"Adam seems to be dealing with it just fine," Drew said.

"He has a good support system. Audra, Omar, you, Eli and Clare, Katie, and me too."

"I have you guys too, so how come I don't feel fine?" Drew asked quietly.

Bianca felt another pang in her stomach and she looked at him. She put a hand on his leg, "I don't feel fine either so I can't exactly tell you the answer to that."

Drew looked back at her with a small smile on his cute face, "At least I have you, you know how I feel better than anyone else."

"We can get through this together, Drew. I'll be around all summer."

"Shit! Do I really have to get used to you?" Drew said jokingly. "What the fuck man!"

"Drew!" Bianca laughed and it felt good to laugh too. "You're such a dick!" She stood up and slapped his arm. She laughed and turned away, walking across the deck.

"You can't just hit me and get away with it, Bianca!" He jumped off the chair and picked her up from behind.

"Drew, what are you doing?" She giggled as he carried her down the stairs.

"You hit me! I'm just trying to call it even!" Just as he was about to throw her to grass she kicked back and her foot made perfect contact with his knee. Drew fell to the ground and lost his grip on Bianca. Somehow Bianca ended up landing ontop of Drew, she rolled off and laughed.

"That was smooth, Drew."

"I'll get you when you're not looking," he laughed.

"And just great. I dropped my cigarette somewhere," she giggled.

Drew sat up, "Maybe I should go talk to my mom now."

"Good idea."

Drew fell backwards right back into the grass.

"I'm procrastinating," he told Bianca.

She just laughed at him and then they sat in silence with smiles on their faces looking at the sky. It was the first moment where neither of them were thinking about Adam being shot or Vince and it was great.

Bianca would have never pictured them laying here in this situation with these feelings she had for him a few months ago. She could feel her heart beating out of her chest every time he looked at her, every time she was next to him, and when she saw him for the first time every day. She wished it could be easy for them though.

After a couple minutes of peace Audra stepped out onto the deck.

xxxxxxx

Audra woke up and found herself laying next to a sleeping Adam under the blankets. She was in her clothes still and laying ontop of all the covers. They must have fallen asleep talking earlier. She looked over at the alarm clock, it was past ten. Bianca must be wondering when she would be brought home. Audra kissed Adam's forehead and silently left the room.

She didn't find Bianca or Drew in any of the rooms so she finally stepped out onto the back deck and saw the two laying in the grass in the torres family's back lawn. They looked quite happy and at peace in the moment. Neither of them were talking, just enjoying some tranquility for once after all this of hectic.

She hated to interupt them, "Guys..." she said walking to the set of three stairs leading to the lawn.

Drew and Bianca both sat up.

"Drew, you look like you need sleep. Go up to your room and sleep, please," she smiled.

Bianca looked at Drew and realized he had numerous bags under his eyes. She knew he hadn't slept much since prom.

"I actually could use a good night's sleep," Drew sighed and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bianca."

"Night Drew," she told him.

Drew walked onto the deck and kissed his mom's cheek before going inside.

Bianca got off the grass and walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"Are you bringing me home now?" Bianca asked.

"Why don't you spend the night?" Audra suggested.

"Really.."

"Yeah, you wouldn't mind right..?"

"Of course not," Bianca said with a smile. She enjoyed spending time with the boys.

"I'll get you a blanket and some pillows and put them on the couch for you. You know where the bathroom is, there's some extra unopened tooth brushes in the cabinet. You can use one. And go into Adam's room and grab a tee shirt from him that you can wear to bed."

"Thank you, Audra." Bianca was beyond happy. Audra and her had had many discussions about Bianca's home life with her aunt and Audra felt bad for the girl. She didn't have a family and her aunt seemed to be too caught up in her own life to protect Bianca much at all and give her any support or sympathy. It was a mother's instinct to take in a girl like Bianca.