When Shane got to the cook-out with Pattrick, she wanted to hide in the shadows with the number of people that were there. Upon her arrival to Caroline and Wolf’s home, she was introduced to Tex’s wife Melody and their two daughters, Benny’s wife Jessyka and their children, and to Mozart’s wife Summer and their kids. Alabama and Cheyenne then introduced her to their children and a few other wives and girlfriends that were there at the cook-out.

Shane was grateful for the support she received from Pattrick and Laura throughout the entire ordeal of being introduced to everyone. She had to mentally admit that while the kids made her very nervous, it also made her consider some for herself in the future. Pattrick was never very far away, and if he even left her side, then Laura made sure she was there.

Shane got to know Sheila and enjoyed watching Pattrick interact with his little sister. She was finally getting used to the closeness, the laughter and the loudness that came with the group Pattrick was a part of. It took some getting used to, but she finally got dragged into a game of tag with Pattrick and the kids at the cook-out. The wives wound up sitting on the sidelines when Pattrick managed to get some of the SEALs involved in the game.

* * *

“Who’s the new girl?” A woman Laura never seen before asked.

“What new girl? The only real new girl I see is you.” Laura stated confused.

“Um, aren’t you a newcomer since we had to be introduced to you when you came in?” Alabama asked point blank.

“To you maybe, but not to everyone else.” The woman replied snarkily to Alabama and Laura.

“Who are you again? I’ve never had you in my home before nor have you been to any of the previous cook-outs here at my home. So technically as Alabama just said, you’re the newcomer. And if you’re a new ‘girlfriend’ to any of these men here, they usually don’t last once they find out that she’s insulted someone’s wife.” Carolina said sweetly without looking at the woman.

The mystery woman rolled her eyes. “All I was asking was who she is and which guy she was with.”

“She’s none of your concern and she’s protected by every male here, myself and this mean ass bitch sitting next to me. And by every male here, that includes the male you’re playing pogo stick war with.” Lindsey replied.

“Pogo stick war?” Laura asked as she, Caroline and Cheyenne started laughing. “Lindsey, I swear I’m grounding you and your stupid shit.”

Lindsey flipped Laura the bird and continued to watch the men and Shane play tag football with the kids. When the mystery woman got up and walked away in a huff, Fiona looked at Laura and asked, “What’s Shane’s story?”

Laura looked at Fiona then back at the game going on in the yard. “Let’s just say she’s Alabama, Cheyenne and you wrapped into one little package.”

“All three of us in one?” Alabama asked.

Laura and Lindsey nodded. “If I ever find that bitch, they will never find her fucking body. The foster mom hung herself in jail awaiting trial and the foster dad is a pansy ass who is protective custody after one of the guards let it slip to the other inmates that the man watched his foster kids get raped on a daily basis. Fucker was selling the damn kids out of a rented office building. They got busted during a sting when a guy went into the wrong office one day and saw what happened.

“Shane has been through hell. Her own mother held her down as she was raped then kicked her to the streets when the johns liked her more. She wound up in the foster care system and in the home of a couple who ran a brothel. Turns out the social worker she was placed under was the head bitch for the couple and pocketed big money by getting them the kids to use. Four social workers were busted in relation to the sex trade recently. Sex crimes let us in on the bust because of our cases. And no, we haven’t told Shane.” Lindsey said never taking her eyes off Shane.

Laura nodded agreeing. “Shane fought like hell to get where she is. That girl is so freaking intelligent it’s not funny. The ideas she has for helping law enforcement and our men and women in the military are light years ahead of what any of us could think of. To us, it’s impossible to be done with the way these guys stay under the radar, but if anyone can come up with a system, it’s Shane.” Laura said with admiration.

“I’d really love to sit down with her when she’s comfortable and talk to her, you know pick her brain. Joe gave me the rundown you gave him about her idea and it’s freaking genius. Makes me kind of feel like an idiot for not thinking of it first.” Tex said to Laura and Lindsey, as he came to join the group during the explanation about Shane’s past.

“Don’t be Tex. That girl is a special kid. She aced all her classes we had her in, even college prep classes with very little help. She had very little schooling in the past but she’s smart as a whip. She got her scholarship on her own and yet thinks because of her past she’s stupid.” Laura said shaking her head.

“I’d still love to find her incubator and make that bitch suffer.” Lindsey growled low. “I’m just glad, like Laura, she’s getting out there and opening up. It’s hard for these girls to trust again. When they do, and find true friends and true love, it makes my job so much more meaningful. It feels like we are making a difference.”

“Lindsey basically just said how we all feel on the team.” Laura said watching Shane with a smile. “Shane is a fighter in her own right, but she’s special to me. We all have that one case that sticks with us. There was just something about her that really stuck close to me. She’s meant for so much more. I’m glad she’s opening up to Pattrick and he’s treating her right. But Tex, Sheila, ladies, if he hurts her, I will come after him. Just fair warning since I consider you guys family.” Laura said without looking at them.

“Laura, if my son hurts her, I will help you!” Sheila said without hesitation. “Thank you for letting us in where Shane is concerned. I hope she eventually lets us in to tell us more about her past so she can heal, knowing she has all of us to support her.”

“He hurts Shane, I’ll beat his ass then pass him down the line to Wolf and the rest of the teams.” Tex said with a laugh.

“We all know he will be just as fiercely protective of her as we are and will all be.” Sheila said to murmurs of agreement from the group.

“I hope so.” Laura and Lindsey said in union.

* * *

When the kids started settling down, the adults hung out around a small fire pit, laughing and joking. They talked about the game today and what team Pattrick faced next, school classes, the upcoming graduation and their plans for after school was through.

Sheila sat near Shane and included her in conversation as well as the other women she had met today. She loved Pattrick’s little sister Tina and had to wink at her when Pattrick got a little cranky at the attention she was giving to her instead of him. The group took to calling him Princess because he pouted when Tina sat next to Shane and crashed with her head in Shane’s lap. Sheila helped her get up without waking Tina so she could go to the bathroom. As she came out of the restroom, the mystery woman was standing by the door with a sneer on her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take so long.” Shane said apologetic.

“Don’t get too used to being with Pattrick. Pussy like yours is a dime a dozen and it doesn’t last once he gets bored with it. He’ll want a real pussy and I’ll be waiting when he’s ready,” the woman said.

“No Renee, you won’t be. I have never wanted you and never will. You’re nothing but cheap pussy in expensive clothes. I don’t want you or your sister. You and Cynthia are cheap pussy that everyone’s had that gets bored with after one use. I think it’s time for you to leave. You’re no longer welcome here.” Shane looked up into Pattrick’s eyes as he spoke in a low-calm angry voice.

“The hell? Now I see why you pushed to come here. Pattrick, I apologize man. I didn’t know she was chasing you. Lt. Steel, I’m sorry I brought this drama into your home. I’m leaving now.” A SEAL who was attending the festivities stated.

“No, you’re welcome to stay, you did nothing wrong. Call her a cab, there is no reason you should be punished for her stupid shit.” Caroline said clearly angry. “Matthew take the trash out please.” She told her husband as she walked past him to get to Shane.

“I’m fine, Mrs. Steel.” Shane said quietly.

“Please, it’s Caroline. Let’s go back outside, it still stinks in here.”

Shane followed Caroline outside with Pattrick right behind her. Five minutes later, Wolf and the other SEAL came outside, settling down with the rest of the group. Shane was grateful that no one was focused on her or making a huge deal out of the situation. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear, but Pattrick wasn’t letting that happen. He made sure she was part of everything and included her in all conversations. She was truly grateful.

When it came time for everyone to leave, Caroline offered to let her stay there instead of going back to the campus. When Caroline showed her to the door to the basement room, Shane went into full panic mode. In her haste to escape, chairs were knocked over, Cheyenne and Fiona pushed out of the way until Shane had backed herself into a corner. Shane slid down the wall and curled up into a ball and started crying and whimpering.

Wolf, Dude, Pattrick, Tex, Joe and Laura came running into the kitchen area when they heard Shane screaming out and the women yelling for help. Shane never heard Laura telling everyone to get out of the kitchen including Pattrick who refused to budge.

“Shane, baby focus on my voice. It’s okay, I’m right here.” Laura kept saying over and over to Shane. “Pattrick, go ask Caroline what happened, have Lindsey come in here and get me a wet rag and a glass of water for Shane. Wolf, let the women know it’s okay, she’s just having an episode. Help Pattrick find out what happened then send Fiona in here.”

After several minutes, Shane started hearing Laura’s voice through the haze of darkness, but couldn’t quite come out of it. She kept hearing her mother and foster father’s voice mixed in.

“Shane, sweetie look at me. Focus on my voice, it’s Laura. You’re okay, you’re safe sweetie, please come back to me.” Laura kept repeating over and over while wiping a cold wet rag around Shane’s face and neck area.

It took fifteen minutes for Shane to come out of the dark place she was in. When she came back to herself, Laura, Lindsey, Fiona, Pattrick and Tex were sitting around her with Wolf, Dude, Cookie and Joe watching from the doorway of the kitchen in case they were needed.

“Oh my god, please tell me I passed out or something like that?” Shane cried out hiding her face in her hands.

“Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about Shane. I’ve been in your shoes before.” Fiona said quietly. “I went shopping with Caroline and Alabama one day and wound up going into full blown panic mode in the middle of the shopping center when I saw two Hispanic males in the same store. I took off to a hotel a few hours away without telling anyone. Tex found me and stayed on the phone with me for several days off and on, checking on me, while he tried to get Hunter and his team home from a mission they were on to come get me.” Fiona chuckled at the memory along with Tex.

“You have episodes? What for? You’re so easy going and so…free!” Shane said shocked.

Fiona smiled and patted Shane’s hand as she looked over at Laura. “Thank you, but it was a lot of work and one I’m still working on. I was kidnapped several years ago when I was on vacation in Florida and was taken to Mexico to be sold into human trafficking.”

Shane gasped loudly, “Oh my god.” Shane looked at Fiona then at Laura. “Is that how you know each other? Laura saved you, too?”

“Sorry hun, I can’t claim Fiona’s rescue. She was rescued by Cookie, the SEAL she’s married to now.” Laura said chuckling. “I would have probably lost my badge on that rescue.” Wolf and Dude chuckled in the background.

“How are you able to…you know, be with someone without freaking out?” Shane asked Fiona.

Before Fiona could answer, “Is that what put you in this episode? You were afraid I would want something sexually tonight?” Pattrick asked hurt and confused.

Shane looked at Pattrick confused, “No, what made you ask that silly question? It was Caroline showing me the basement door, Pattrick.” Shane said with a sigh.

“When my grandmother passed away, my mom would go into fits of rage. After beating me with a leather belt, she would lock me either in the closet or throw me down the stairs of the basement with the lights off and lock the door. She would claim I was too loud or causing a scene if one of her customer’s paid attention to me or asked when she was going to let them have me.” Shane laughed. “My mother auctioned off my virginity to a john for five hundred dollars and an eight ball.”

Shane heard a few mumbles of “son of a bitch” and “fuck”. Looking at Laura and Lindsey, she saw understanding and support. She was afraid to look at Pattrick or anyone else.

“My mom used to lock me in closets, too. I can’t handle the words ‘shut up’ to this day. Those words are banned around me. I’ve been homeless before too. Summer was homeless after her divorce for several months, even lived in a rundown shack.” Alabama said sitting down next to Fiona.

“Wasn’t for long,” Mozart mumbled behind Alabama.

“See babe, you’re not alone. Everyone here supports you…” Pattrick started.

“Hey, I wasn’t done, mister…” Alabama gave Pattrick the stink eye then a wink.

“Sorry.” Pattrick mumbled causing everyone to laugh.

“It’s always the quiet ones.” Lindsey started shaking her head chuckling.

“Don’t give up, Shane. Keep fighting. Fiona has her moments, but Hunter and the team as well as we wives are behind her one hundred percent. Chey has her moments. After Faulkner spanks her ass, she has him, the team, as well as we wives behind her too. Lord knows I have my meltdowns. Christopher kicks ass, the team takes the kids and the wives are there for me, too. We all have our moments, but we all have each other to lean on when we have our moments. You’re a part of us now, so in Laura’s words, you’re double screwed since you have her team kicking ass, her man’s team to back them up, my man’s team right beside them, we wives, Sheila, little Tina, Sheila’s man and his team and then last but just as important, you have Pattrick beside you fighting for you, too. And if Pattrick is any kind of man that his dad and our men helped raise him to be, he’ll push us out of the way and kick ass first and fight what demons put themselves in your path or we’ll kick his ass for you.” Alabama said with fire in her eyes and steel in her voice.

“I thought she was the sweet one.” Pattrick mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, causing light laughter in the room.

Shane looked from Alabama to Laura then to Pattrick. “Thanks, I’m sorry about the freak out. Please, please tell Caroline I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to strike out at her or Cheyenne. I understand if she doesn’t want me to visit anymore.” Shane started to cry when she felt arms around her.

“Hey, there’s no reason to apologize. We’ve all been there. You didn’t hurt me and no one here holds you at fault. We understand and are here for you, sweetie. You have a family with us and family, a real family, support each other through the good and the bad, no matter how bad.” Caroline said in a soft voice hugging Shane. No one had realized she had snuck into the room until then.

“And you have uncles now, who will help fight those demons when they surface.” Wolf said from the doorway. Mozart, Tex, Joe and Dude answered in agreement from behind him.

Shane smiled and nodded into Caroline’s chest. “Thanks everyone.”