Stepping back out into the cold had a different feeling to it now. This time, the lights from the police cars were mostly gone. The snow was still falling and this time, it felt like the sky was trying to bury what was in the basement.

Andrew shivered, not from the cold, but because he really wanted to ignore what was going on. What he had witnessed. There was no way that he could do that though. Even though this bothered him, and he had to make a decision on what he was going to do, he knew that he couldn't just…ignore it.

24 people.

If what he thought was true, 24 people were experimented on after him. That was horrifying to think about. The guilt alone made Andrew's chest tighten painfully. He had been stubborn, and hadn't wanted to deal with the issue.

Andrew let out a soft huff of air, taking off the mask as he stood there, a few steps outside of the doors, his legs forcing him to come to a standstill. He knew that he had said that he was going to go to Maxwell's side once he got outside, but he needed a second to process everything without feeling like the walls were closing in.

The police officer that had been at Thomas' and Andrew's side left as soon as they were outside, making a beeline for their boss. Andrew wanted to laugh, or at least smile at the fact that he was going to have to explain himself at some point, but couldn't.

"Andy? Are you okay?" It was Thomas. He was in the middle of taking his mask off as well, staring at Andrew with concern. Andrew felt that made sense. He was standing pretty much in the middle of the way of anyone leaving the mansion. He would have felt like an inconvenience if it wasn't a double door.

"I…I don't think so." Andrew told him honestly, the mask in his hand. Thomas gently took it out of his hands, watching Andrew.

"Do you want me to bring Max over?" Thomas asked and Andrew nodded. He did want that. Thomas gave Andrew's shoulder a squeeze before moving off towards where the rest of the Beckett family stood.

Andrew didn't watch them, instead staring out over the lowered area in front of him. The circle that was the driveway and entrance to this place. The fountain that was turned off because it was winter now. Andrew's breath came out in clouds that he could see, rapid, fast. It wasn't a normal breathing pattern and he worked on slowly reducing how much he was breathing. He didn't feel like he could control much right now, but this was something.

Soft hands reached for him, wrapping around his midsection and sinking further until Maxwell's body met his own. Andrew let out a shuddering breath as soon as Maxwell's heat hit his own body heat.

"Hey big guy." Maxwell whispered. "I heard you saw some shocking things." Maxwell's voice, his scent, his everything washed over Andrew and Andrew just closed his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Maxwell, holding the other man tightly against him. The first tear slid down his cheek, loud in the silence, and Maxwell's grip tightened on him.

"I-" Andrew cut off, the words caught in his throat. He couldn't speak, the knot in his throat shutting him up. Maxwell squeezed him again.

"It's okay. You don't have to force yourself. Just…take a moment. Breathe. Dad sent me the photo of the page you two were looking at." Maxwell's words washed over him, the pain there something that made Andrew sway. He knew. He knew what was bothering Andrew.

"Did I do the wrong thing?" Andrew asked Maxwell softly and Maxwell remained silent for a moment. It didn't feel accusatory, more like Maxwell was gathering his own thoughts.

"Baby, you need to understand that they wouldn't have stopped even if you came forward when you did." Maxwell's voice was soft, kind. Andrew swallowed thickly. "She was never going to stop until someone stopped her. She may have been in heat and in that fucking room, but that was only temporary. Heats only last as long as they do, and then she would have gone back to being a monster. While I feel bad for whatever terrible things she's gone through in there, she is still…her. A fucking mad scientist that hurt you." Maxwell's voice caught. He was emotional as well. Andrew didn't need to hear the way that his voice was catching to know that.

His whole body was trembling, and Andrew couldn't tell if that was in rage or not.

"They hurt 24 more people, Maxy." Andrew's voice wasn't above a whisper and Maxwell's grip became bruising.

"That's not on you." His voice was firm. "That is not on you, Andrew. It will never be on you. They did that because they wanted to hurt people in the name of 'science'. That's not science, it's cruelty." Maxwell didn't brush off Andrew's concerns, he shut them down. Andrew's vision was so blurry that everything was blending together.

"I have to stop them this time, Maxy. That wasn't…that wasn't where I was. They have other locations." Andrew whispered brokenly.

"We'll find them. We will, Andrew. Don't think that they will get away anymore. Now that we have her in custody, ours or otherwise, there is no way she's escaping this anymore. We won't let them get away with whatever the hell they were doing. Whatever the Abraham family has to do with this? They will pay. The whole world will turn their backs on them, Andy. You will not be alone in this pain." Maxwell's words were an oath. Spoken like a true knight.

Andrew felt the laugh being pulled out of him. Disbelief. He was laughing in disbelief that he had such a wonderful man by his side.

Andrew didn't care that his glasses fell off of his face as he bent, enfolding Maxwell in his arms, squeezing him tightly as Andrew just…took every ounce of him into his lungs.

"What would I do without you?" Andrew asked no one. He didn't want an answer. He knew what it would be. He would be experimented on, like they wanted to do. Andrew didn't know what that meant, but he had a feeling that he would not like it.

"You would do nothing without me. I had no plans to let you go." Maxwell growled and Andrew let out another laugh.

The two remained like that for a long moment. Neither speaking to each other, just taking comfort in each other's arms. When they began to pull away, Maxwell was the one who reached down to grab Andrew's glasses so that they didn't get broken. Andrew went to protest, but Maxwell gave him a look.

Andrew couldn't see the full force of it due to the lack of glasses, but he could tell.

"I'm closer to the ground. I've got it." Maxwell warned and Andrew stood back, remaining where he was so that he didn't accidentally step on his glasses and put his hands up. Maxwell gave a huff at how dramatic Andrew was being, but Andrew knew better.

Maxwell bossed him around a bit, telling him to lean down after he'd cleaned off Andrew's glasses and Andrew only winced a little bit as the cold metal touched his face as Maxwell slid his glasses back into place. When Andrew opened his eyes to see Maxwell's face right in front of him, he wasn't able to stop himself.

He leaned in, pressing a soft, warm kiss against the man he loved lips. Maxwell stared at him blankly as Andrew smiled at him softly.

"I'm grateful that you came with me today. I love you. Thank you for being such a wonderful partner." Andrew told him. "I'm so glad I get to marry you in a few months." Maxwell stared at him in silence for a moment before a smile curled his lips upwards.

"I'm so glad I get to marry you in a few months too." Maxwell said a little shyly. "Now, let's get you over to Kim. She sounded like she was ready to explode, and I'm sure that man lurking behind you also wants to speak to you." Andrew had a feeling that the man lurking behind him was the head officer of this operation and Andrew just nodded.

Maxwell tugged him back towards where the others had gathered. Ben was on the phone with someone making cooing noises, so it wasn't hard to guess who it was. Kim wasn't in a call, but she was messaging someone while she tapped her foot.

As soon as she caught a whiff of Andrew she finished her message, tucked her phone away, and then threw herself at Andrew. Her hands grasped at him, pulling him close as she hugged him tightly.

"My sweet, sweet boy." It was all that Kim said, but Andrew's vision went blurry again. He just tucked his head into her shoulder and held her.

"Mr. Beckett, uh, junior, if we could have a word? As well as Mr. Beckett senior." It was the head officer who had been with Andrew and Thomas when they had gathered Nicole. It was clear that he didn't want to disturb Andrew and Kim.

"Ben's busy, so we can go with you. I am sure that you have some questions. Andrew can come after he's done speaking with his aunt." Maxwell spoke for everyone, and no one was about to call him out for lying. Sure, Andrew and Kim were 'talking'. Andrew could feel how the officer was looking at him but he didn't comment on it.

"Alright. Are you wanting to speak here or in a more private setting?" He asked and Andrew could feel how Maxwell glanced at him.

"Let's move a few steps away." Maxwell told him and Andrew could hear how they shuffled away. A small hand pressed on Andrew's shoulder once they were gone.

"Oh Andy." Luis sighed. "I'm torn. I'm glad that this wasn't the place where you were held, but at the same time…I wish it was so that we could close this chapter before the wedding." Luis said. Andrew hadn't even considered that before. He had truly never thought that this would be over before the wedding.

"I agree. Oh Luis. I'm so sorry that this might affect the party. The whole scandal with what the Abraham family is doing might-"

"I am more worried about what this will do to Andrew, Kim. I couldn't care less about a party that I host every year. Truly. While it does mean a lot to the upper levels of society, Andrew and Max are my top priorities. Along with the rest of my family." Andrew was going to sob at this point.

"You're right. Sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound like I don't care, Andy, I was just-"

"It's okay, Kim. I didn't take it that way." Andrew interrupted. "I was worried as well." Andrew admitted softly.

He was not. He hadn't worried about that at all. It hadn't even crossed his mind if he was honest. Andrew had forgotten that the party was only a few days away.