I'll Always Be Right There (NC-17)

Chapter 1 (PG)

"Will! Get down here, and put your shoes on. We�re late and I�ve still got to get Gracie�s bag together." Sami yelled up the stairs. Leaning over the banister she heard the scamper of 8-year-old feet running to his room. Satisfied that Will was getting a move on up there; she straightened and closed her eyes for a moment to catch her breath. It was hard to find any peace in her busy household these days. She turned around to head for the kitchen when the sight she beheld, made her laugh in spite of herself.

Standing in front of her was her 2-year-old daughter scampering towards her fingers and face full of peanut butter. In her sticky grasp a crinkled picture of herself with Lucas from the fridge.

"Daddy!!!" she squealed to her mother. Handing her the picture with a wide grin.

"Yes baby, that�s Daddy. But if we don�t get you cleaned up we�ll be late to the airport to pick him up." Picking up Gracie she kissed her sticky face and headed towards the kitchen to clean up her messy baby.

Twenty minutes and one missing shoe later, they were on the road. Will and Gracie were safely strapped in and happily engrossed in the toys they�d brought along for the ride. Sami was able to think for the first time in nearly a week. She hated it when Lucas had to travel for business, but she understood. A job is a job. And when you�re in charge of corporate communications for one of the largest publishing companies in the country, that means you have to travel. Still, she missed her husband. She missed the smell of his after-shave. She missed his smile. She missed the way he liked to absentmindedly play with her hair when they cuddled in bed late at night. She smiled at that thought. Hopefully tonight she�d get to enjoy all those things and more.

Before she knew it they were in Chicago pulling into the parking garage at O�Hare.

"OK guys� let�s go, we�re only�" peering at her watch she saw that it was 4:47 "15 minutes late. Not bad."

In short order they were heading off towards the terminal.
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Lucas looked at his watch as the flight attendant came around to inform him that they�d be landing in just a few minutes. He looked up absently and said a quick "Thanks" before putting his seat belt on and shoving his laptop back in the case and under the seat in front of him. This trip had been exhausting and in hind site he probably could have sent one of his art directors in his stead. But this client insisted that they meet with him specifically, so he�d kissed Sami and his kids� goodbye and gotten on the plane. God he missed her. He missed the way she stroked their babies� backs when they cried. He missed how her hair spilled over his arm as he held her and kissed her. And he missed the look in her eyes when she wanted him.

Ten minutes later he stood impatiently with briefcase, carry-on and coat in hand waiting his turn to get off the plane.

Sami, Will and Gracie stopped to check the arrival board before running towards the designated gate. Sami spotted Lucas as he came through the gate, and waved. "Gracie? Do you see Daddy?" She pointed to Lucas as she set their daughter down.

Lucas focused on his daughter and smiled as he bent down to pick up his daughter as she flung herself into his arms. Two little arms squeezing him tight. "Daddy!"

"Hey Pumpkin. Did you miss me?"

"Yup!" she replied happily.

"Well, I missed you too." He kissed the top of Gracie�s head but directed his statement towards his wife. "Hey baby. How are you?"

"Always better when you�re home." Sami replied as he pulled her to him and kissed her soundly, leaving no question as to what was on his mind.

"EW!!!! That�s gross!" Will informed them, interrupting their moment. He made a face to illustrate his point.

"And I missed you too Buddy." was Lucas�s reply. He smiled down at his rapidly growing son and gave him a quick squeeze.

"It�s not that Dad. You know� it�s just� not something a kid needs to see."

Ruffling his son�s hair, he chuckled to himself, thinking �Where do you think you came from?� But chose to keep the comment to himself.

Sami saw the look, and knew what Lucas was thinking. "Well, who�s ready to get out of here?"

Her question was met with a chorus of "Me"�s as they headed towards the car.


Chapter 2 (NC-17)

"Is she asleep?" Sami asked as Lucas came out of Gracie�s room and carefully pulled the door closed behind him.

"Yup� finally. But first she had to show me all of the pictures she made while I was away. You�d think I�d been gone for a year, the way she was carrying on. What about Will?"

"Yeah, he�s asleep. He read me a chapter of Superfudge and was out like a light."

"Great! I missed them, but I REALLY missed you." Lucas exclaimed as he pulled Sami against him and nuzzled her neck gently.

"Oh, you did, did you? How much did you miss me?" She inquired teasingly

"This much." He replied, has he pulled her hard against him so that she could feel �how much� pressed against her abdomen.

"I see� Well General� maybe you�ll just have to prove it to me." Sami smiled seductively and pulled out of her husband�s arms and headed towards their bedroom.

Lucas let out a groan and followed her down the hall, catching up with her just as she hit �play� on the stereo on their dresser. Strains of a familiar song floated around the room, enveloping them in its warmth.

"Do I know this?" Lucas joked playfully as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pushed her long blond tresses away and kissed her neck as she swatted at his arm in jest.

"If you don�t know this song� I don�t think you�re getting very far tonight." She laughed.

"I know it� I will always remember how you looked on our wedding day when you danced with me to it. Care for a repeat performance?" He suggested as he turned her in his arms and stroked her back lightly.

"I thought you�d never ask."

Bryan Adams� voice, soft and clear rose above the guitar as Lucas and Sami found their rhythm in each other�s arms. �I swear to you, I will always be there for you, there's nothing I won't do. I promise you, all my life I will live for you, we will make it through�

Swaying back and forth to the music Lucas caressed Sami�s fingers gently in his grasp. �Forever, we will be. Together, you and me�

Sami laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes enjoying the feeling of being back in his arms. �Oh and when I hold ya, nothing can compare. With all of my heart, ya know I'll always be right there.�

Lucas closed his eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of her hair. �I believe in us, nothing' else could ever mean so much.� Holding their entwined hands to his chest he looked down and couldn�t distinguish which hands where her�s and which were his own. He smiled. �You're the one I trust our time has come, we're not two people. Now we are one, ya you're second to none.�

Her lips on his neck as they kept time with their bodies. �The more I get to know ya, the more I really care.� She looked deep into his eyes. Deep brown orbs, dark with passion. �With all of my heart, ya know I'll always be... Ya know I really love ya, ya nothing can compare.� Lucas kissed her temple gently, then her eye, cheek and jaw making his way to her full pink lips. God he�d missed her lips. �For all of my life, ya know I'll always be... right there�

"I love ya babe�" He kissed her passionately. "Sami�" he murmured against her lips.

"I love you Lucas�" she replied as the gentle strains of their song drifted on in the background. All was lost to Sami though. All she could hear was the beating of her own heart. The rushing in her ears as Lucas walked them back towards the bed, pulling her shirt over hear head in the process.

She went to work on the buttons of his shirt and quickly all their clothing lay in a pile on the floor. Skin on skin, they seemed to float down to their bed into a melding of arms and legs. Nine years of marriage and he loved her more and more every day.

"You�re skin is so damn soft" he commented as he placed kisses on her neck, her collar and lower, cupping her breast and pulling it deftly into his mouth. Skillfully attending to one, and then the other. Sami threw her head back against the pillow and groaned with pleasure, arching her back and pressing her hips against his letting him know what she wanted.

Reaching down she took hold of him guiding him expertly to their goal. Lucas felt her warmth envelop him. Pulling him to her soul. For a moment they were still, savoring the fullness of their love. And then he began to move, slowly at first, softly. He looked down into Sami�s face. Her eyes were closed, enjoying the sensation he was giving her with his body. "Look at me" he said. Her eyes fluttered open at his words to reveal deep blue pools of fire. "I love you" he told her. As they found their rhythm and drove each other closer and closer to the edge. Over and over again Lucas repeated his mantra. "I love you� I love you� I love you�I can�t remember how not to."

�He sure knows how to drive me to the edge� she thought. Sami watched the passion in his eyes. Like pools of melted chocolate. As he moved inside her, she shifted beneath him and pulled him down to kiss her deeply. Lucas braced one arm beside them on the bed to support himself and wrapped the other under her hips to pull her up to him and onto his lap as he shifted to kneel in the center of their bed. Chest to chest, Sami wrapped her arms around her husband, holding him close to her heart. She began to move, rotating her hips, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Lucas. Moving her hips, setting their rhythm, their breaths began to come in quicker succession as they climbed higher and higher towards their goal. Warmth radiated from Sami�s center as wave after wave washed over her, spreading through her body and down to her toes. Lucas joined her at the summit, kissing her deeply as if he couldn�t get enough of her, couldn�t get close enough to her. They were one. And that�s how they stayed as the pleasure subsided and left them in calm peace. As they lay in their bed, Lucas pulled his wife close to him. Sami smiled sleepily as Lucas leaned in to kiss her sweetly. "Welcome home" she said, as she closed her eyes and dozed off in his arms.


Chapter 3 (PG)

The next morning Sami ate a pop tart in the car as she dropped Will off in front of Salem Elementary. "Do you have the permission slip, I signed for you?"

"Yeah mom, you asked me 4 times already." It�s in my backpack. "Don�t worry!" Will assured her.

�Famous last words� She thought as her son climbed out of the car and stood with the door ajar. "It�s my job to worry. It�s in the mommy contract."

"Ha Ha! Right. See ya later mom." Will rolled his eyes at his mom and thought, �She�s such a girl sometimes.�

"I love you baby" Sami called after him as he shut the door of the Volvo.

"I love you too mom." He called back as he joined his friends and headed toward the front doors of the building.

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Several hours later Will hid quietly behind a tree hoping that Johnny wouldn�t see him and tag him �it.� Johnny ran past him. Looked to his left and ran off towards the other side of the playground to join some friends on the jungle gym, apparently board with the game. Just as Will was about to leave the cover of the tree. A well-manicured hand clamped tightly over his mouth muffling Will�s scream. The other arm wrapped around his waist dragging him towards the idle car nearby. "Shut up brat! Or you�ll never see your parents again."

She threw him into the back seat and ordered him down on the floor. "I have a gun kid. So don�t try to be a hero."

Climbing into the driver�s seat she looked around furtively over her shoulder to make sure nobody had seen her. It was risky, taking him right off the playground in broad daylight, but she has no other choice. She couldn�t wait around forever to get what she wanted. She�d seen her opportunity and taken it. She laughed to herself. This was going to be too easy! Thank God for �hide and seek�.


Chapter 4

Lucas was hard at work editing a proposal when his secretary rang in notifying him that he had visitors.

�Ah� my lunch dates have arrived.� "Thanks Marie, send them in."

Before Lucas could finish his sentence Gracie came trotting through the door. Her little legs closed the distance between his door and his desk within seconds. As she climbed up on his lap he marveled at how quickly she was growing.

"Hi pumpkin. How�s your day with mommy going?" Lucas inquired.

"Hi Daddy! We go shoppin�!" She gave him a sticky kiss on the cheek and presented a new toy for him to see.

"I see you went shopping." Lucas laughed and looked up as his wife walked through the door.

"Turning her into a miniature Sami? You two are going to make me bankrupt." He laughed as she leaned down and kissed him �hello.�

"Oh shut up Lucas. She was a very good girl with the potty this morning so I bought her something. Isn�t that worth no more diapers?" She laughed.

"Wuv shoppin�!" she squealed and handed him her toy.

"Yeah, that�s worth it." He conceded with a laugh.

"So who�s hungry for some lunch?"

"Wunch! Yay!" Gracie yelled with a laugh and clapped her hands.

"I�ll take that as a yes."

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An hour later they were back in his office.

"Thanks for lunch Lucas." Sami said as she pulled Gracie out of his arms.

"Thank you for coming downtown to eat with me. Do you need me to pick up Will from Karate this afternoon?"

"If you could, that�d be great. I�m leaving now to pick him up from school and drop him off there, then to the grocery store. If you could swing by and pick him up on the way home, I can get started on dinner. 4:30 don�t be late."

"Sounds good. Now get outta here so I can get some work done. Two beautiful ladies such as yourselves can be distracting for a guy like me." He kissed her goodbye and led her to the door. "Oh Sami, don�t expect us home right away. More like 5:30. Male bonding, ya know?"

Rolling her eyes she gave him a wan smile. "Aye Yay general. Love you."

And with that, they were gone.

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Twenty minutes later Lucas was sitting at his desk when his cell phone rang. Seeing that it was Sami he laughed to himself and answered with, "Can�t get enough of me can you?"

But the answer he was met with was not what he�d expected. She was crying hysterically. "He� he�s�gone. Lucas� Oh God�my� my baby."

Fear began to pool in the pit of Lucas�s stomach. "What? Honey� Sami� Wait. Slow down. Breathe. What are you talking about?"

"Will!" was the only think she could get out.

Lucas�s blood went cold. �Oh my god.� This was NOT happening. "Where are you?"

Sami stood on the front steps of Salem Elementary holding Gracie desperately close. So tight that she began to cry. "At� at his school."

"Sami, sit tight. I�ll be there in five." And with that he grabbed his coat and ran out the door. Yelling to Marie as he flew down the hall. "Emergency! Cancel everything!"


Chapter 5

Will struggled trying to free himself from the bindings at his wrists. He was in a basement somewhere, he thought. A tall blonde woman sat nearby. He didn�t know who she was, but apparently she knew him.

Nicole Walker looked over at him with what Will thought was a pretty mean look on her face. Brandishing a black gun, she ran her finger along the length of the barrel and smiled dementedly. "Lucas, Lucas, Lucas� it won�t be long my dear. Then I�ll have everything I want." She sensed eyes on her and turned quickly towards Will. "What are you looking at?"

"No� nothing." Will replied. He was shaking inside and out. He began to cry. However hard he tried to hold back the tears and be brave, he was scared. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. He was eight, almost nine and generally thought of himself as able to handle lots of big kid stuff� like riding his bike without training wheels anymore or helping his dad in the yard, but he had to admit, he wanted his mom. Two tears slipped down his cheeks and a small voice, he barely recognized, as his own escaped his lips. "Mommy�"

"Oh, stop crying! I won�t hurt you Will. I just need you to help me. And you will�" She paused to light her cigarette. "You�re going to do everything I say� or else."

Will closed his eyes and tried to imagine a happy place. That�s what his mom told him to do when he woke up from bad dreams. Maybe this was just a really really bad dream and if he thought of a happy place, he�d wake up in his room and everything would be fine.

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Sami sat on the steps of the school rocking Gracie and stroking her hair gently. This had to be the longest five minutes of her life, waiting for Lucas to get to her. How could this have happened? There had to be an explanation, a good explanation. Where was Will?

At the sound of screeching tires, she looked up to find Lucas jumping out of the car and running towards her. His form was a blur of body through tears.

"Sami� "Lucas took her in his arms and stroked her hair. A thousand questions were flooding his head. "What�s happened?" Was the first one to make it�s way to his lips.

"I� I�" Sami took a deep breath and tried to begin again. Lucas searched her eyes intently. "He� The best the school can figure out is that the last time anybody saw him was on the playground during recess. After that, they do all their non-academic stuff, art and chorus and whatever and the kids are moving around a lot. I guess nobody noticed he was mm�missing."

"The playground? That�s ridiculous? That�s like an after school movie of the week! Who the hell picks a kid up off the playground and gets away with it? Well, I�ll tell you this, whoever did this is not going to get away with it. No way in hell! They�ll pay� if they harm one hair on Will�s head." Silently he thought to himself �if they haven�t already,� but he refrained from voicing that part. Sami was dealing with enough already.

He rocked his wife and daughter as he continued. The next logical step, in this incomprehensibly illogical scenario came to him, "I�m calling your father."

Moment�s later the phone on Roman Brady�s belt buzzed. "Brady here."

"Roman. It�s Lucas. We have� I need�I need your help. It concerns your grandson."

"What da hell are you talking about Lucas?" Roman commanded. His son-in-law was not normally this, inarticulate, and his voice came out a little too gruff, even to his own ears.

"Will� He�s missing."

"WHAT? Since when? What happened? Where�s Sami? Where�s Gracie?" His questions were like rapid fire. "Wait, we don�t have time for this. Get down here. NOW!" and the connection was lost.


Chapter 6

Thirty minutes later Lucas and Sami were sitting in Roman�s office at the Salem Police Department, having explained all that they knew. Will had last been seen on the playground at recess, now 3 1/2 hours ago.

"Who do you think would do something like this?" Roman asked.

"Daddy� I have no idea." Sami clung to Lucas�s hand like a lifeline.

"I�m sure you know that the quicker we can get on their trail, the better our chances are. But we need someplace to start. I�ll send every officer I�ve got to the school to search the playground for clues, but I have to be honest." Roman placed his hand on his daughter�s shoulder. "I�d help us a whole lot if we had something else to go on for starters."

Lucas listened to everything Roman said, but couldn�t figure out who would want to hurt their son. Or hurt them, by taking him. "I�m taking Sami home to get some rest. OK? Besides, nobody�s at the house. What if they call looking for ransom or something."

"That�s a good idea Lucas. Why don�t you do that?" Roman directed his next statement to Sami. "Peanut, I want you to go home and try and get some rest. It�ll all work out. We�ll find him and bring him home."

"Rest? Rest? Have you lost your freaking mind Dad? You think I can rest? My baby, my first born is out there somewhere, maybe even dead. There�s not a damn thing I can do about it and you want me to rest?" Her whole body shook with anger. Fire and fear in her eyes. "I�m going to kill the son of a bitch who did this!"

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Lucas pulled into the driveway and turned off the car, but neither of them made a move to go into the house.

"Lucas? I don�t think I can do this. What if he� what if he never comes�" She couldn�t finish the thought out loud.

Lucas wiped a tear away from her cheek and tried to invoke a reassurance he did not feel. As much for himself as for her he tried to smile. "We�ll find him Sami. We�ll bring him home."

Just as they walked through the front door. The phone rang shrilly in the silence.


Chapter 7

"Hello?" Lucas heard the tension in his voice, but he couldn�t help it, and didn�t really care.

"Well, well, well, just the man I was looking for." Nicole�s voice was smooth to his ears.

"Who is this?" Silence."Hello?� Dammit! Who the hell is this? What did you do with my son!"

"Lucas� I�m insulted you don�t remember my voice. You get three guesses and the first two don�t count."

"� Nicole? Nicole Walker?" Lucas asked incredulously.

"Bingo baby! And guess what?"

That was the last thing Lucas heard as Sami lunged for the phone. "Nicole? Is that you? You bitch!!! Where the hell is my son!? You touch one hair on my baby�s head and I�ll scratch your eyes out you evil, nasty�"

But the phone was pulled out of her hand before she could scream anything more into the phone.

"Nicole? It�s Lucas. Listen� why are you doing this? What do you want?"

"What do I want? Well, you� of course." Lucas could barely breathe. "Well, not �you� you� just you�re money. You hurt me very badly. You stole from me, and I�ve come to collect my compensation."

"I stole from you? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You stole my heart hon. And you will pay." Nicole laughed coldly into the receiver.

"I should have been Mrs. Lucas Roberts." She continued, "And I should have had all the things that go with it. The cars, the jewels, the house, but I don�t. And even though I don�t want you. I don�t want your name, I intend to have everything else. I�ll be in touch about the details soon."

Lucas heard a click at the other end of the line. "Wait! Nicole! I want to talk to Wi�?" but the line went dead.

Lucas dropped the phone back into the cradle and stared at Sami. This was not happening. None of this could be happening. "This is extortion! She�"

"I know Lucas, I heard it all." Sami slumped down on the couch. "That bitch thinks she can barter for our son. Did you hear her? She�s crazy. Wannabe socialite bitch!

"She�s off her rocker. I dated her for like two seconds, more than ten years ago. After her marriage deteriorated she left town and I never thought we�d hear from her again. Something must have happened to make her this desperate."

"She�s greedy and she�s got my son. I�ll tell you one thing Lucas, nobody, and I mean nobody, especially not that woman is coming in here and hurting my family. I wasn�t kidding. I�ll scratch her damn eyes out." Sami looked as if she was going to jump out of her skin she was so angry. "We have to call my dad and tell him about this."

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Within the hour Roman was standing in the middle of Sami and Lucas�s living room surrounded by plain clothed officers and tons of phone tapping equipment. "Now Lucas, she didn�t say anything about where they were, or when she�d be calling again?"

"No, Roman, I told you everything already. I asked her what she wanted, and she said she wanted my money because I�d stolen her heart. Then she said she�d be in touch and the line went dead." Lucas was frustrated beyond comprehension.

"I�ll give her anything she wants. She doesn�t deserve a penny from me, but I�ll do anything to get Will home, safe and sound." Turning to his father-in-law he furrowed his brow, "Do you think it�s really the money she wants? If we give it to her she won�t hurt him will she?"

"It�s tough to say Lucas. She could just be using Will to get your attention. Chances are, if she thinks she�s getting what she wants, she�ll cooperate and
hand him over. If she�s really got a few too many bolts loose, anything can happen. That�s why we�ve got to �handle with care� so to speak."

Sami joined the conversation, "Well, I have a plan."


Chapter 8

Several hours later the sun had set and still Nicole had not called again. The police officers out at the school had turned up nothing. The air was thick with tension as they waited. It was nearly midnight when the phone rang into the silence. Lucas waited. One ring� Roman reminded him to keep her talking as long as possible so that they could get a good trace on the call� two rings� and a nod from the officer tapping the line to pick it up. Clearing his throat he answered, "Hello? Lucas Roberts here."

"Lucas. It�s Nicole."

"Where�s Will?"

"Oh, don�t worry. He�s right here, safe and sound."

"I want to talk to him. I want to hear him." The tension throbbing in Lucas�s body was not kept from his voice.

"I don�t think so. We need to get a few things worked out first."

"We�ll give you anything you want Nicole. But I want a little good faith gesture on your part." Lucas looked across the room to Roman who encouraged him to stay calm to keep her on the line as long as possible. So he squelched the anger bubbling up inside him and in an even tone that belied his anger he said, "Let me talk to my son."

"Fine. Here." Nicole spat.

There was rustling on the other end of the line before Will�s voice could be heard through a throat clogged with tears. "Mom? Mommy� I�m scared�I want to�c"

But before either Sami or Lucas could respond, Will was gone.

"There, you�ve heard him. He�s fine!" Mild irritation laced her tone. �Patience� she told herself� �Patience yields many good things.� And if she was patient now, she�d get the best thing of all. Enough money to sink a battleship.

"Listen Lucas, I don�t want to hurt him. I�ll give him back, but on one condition. I want cash. I want $1 million in small unmarked bills delivered to me in person to get your son back, and $4 million transferred to account number 2540930252 in Switzerland within the next 24 hours. The name on the account is Diane Hall. If the money isn�t taken care of the way I want, then the deal�s off. Don�t make a murderess of me Lucas.

"I�ll meet you in the abandoned warehouse on 4th Street and Quinn Ave. at 3 sharp tomorrow afternoon. Top floor. Don�t keep us waiting." She took a drag of her cigarette before she continued. "And don�t bother trying to find us there now, we�re not there."

Sami sat on the table listening in on the tap to everything this woman said. Her blood boiled. She wanted to jump through the phone and throttle that long tanned neck of hers until her eyes popped out of her head. But she kept her cool. She had to, for Will�s sake.

Lucas listened to Nicole go on. She was completely certifiable. But if he just kept his cool with her, she�d fall right into the trap they�d devised. It would all work out, he was sure of it.

"As long as Will is returned to us unharmed, you�ll get the $5 million the way you want it Nicole."

"Yada yada. Don�t try anything funny Lucas, or the deal�s off. OK?

"Don�t yada yada me you greedy bitch! I�m giving you what you want. Now I want my son back safe! We both know what our sides of the deal are Nicole."

"Right." And then there was the click of disconnection.

Sami exhaled the breath she hadn�t realized she�d been holding until Lucas replaced the phone in its� cradle.

"Phase one, completed." Lucas half smiled at her as she came to stand in front of him.

"It�ll work Lucas. I was hoping to do this in a public place with more plain clothed police around, but it�ll work." She rubbed his forearm reassuringly.

"I�ll work Lucas." Roman repeated. "We�ll have officers stationed all over the place. She�ll never know what hit her." He directed his next statement to the man at the phone tapping equipment. "Rodrigues, were you able to put a trace on the call?"

Rodrigues shook his head in the negative, "No sir. This is one smart broad we�re working with. She called from a cell phone based out of San Francisco. Either the phone is old, or she�s got some kind of location scrambler on it, but the e-location feature doesn�t seem to be working. All we can tell is that she�s somewhere in the Chicago-Salem metro area.

There was a collective "Dammit" Issued from Roman, Lucas and Sami simultaneously.

"Well, there�s not much more we can do now. Best to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a very big day." Roman kissed Sami on the forehead and directed her upstairs to bed as if she were still Will�s age. Lucas shook his hand and thanked him for getting them this far. "Don�t worry about it Lucas. Like you, there isn�t anything I wouldn�t do for the people I love."

Within minutes, the house was empty sans Lucas and Sami standing in the middle of the living room, reeling from the events of the day. Wrapping his fingers around Sami�s hand, Lucas idly played with her wedding band. He kissed her temple. "Let�s head on up ok? Try and get some sleep."

She nodded her consent and followed him towards the staircase.


Chapter 9 (NC-17)

The clock next to their bed displayed 3:28 a.m. as Sami turned over in Lucas�s arms. She couldn�t just lay there and do nothing. She couldn�t sleep, she couldn�t hunt Nicole down and she couldn�t wait another 12 hours for all of this to be over. She looked over at Lucas. He was out cold, but by the look on his face, it was not a restful sleep. �Better than nothing� she guessed. She slipped out from under the protective arm Lucas had slung over her abdomen in his sleep and out of their room. Maybe a trip downstairs to the kitchen would prove worthwhile.

As she padded quietly down the hallway she stopped to check in on Gracie. She couldn�t bear to look into Will�s room next door. Fear and anger curled in her stomach like a snake ready to attack.

She peeked into Gracie's room. The night-light softly illuminated her dark curls and pale features. She had her father�s hair and her coloring and eyes. God bless her. She didn�t understand what was happening, and probably wouldn�t remember any of this when she was older. Sami stood in the doorway to her nursery for several minutes watching her daughter sleep. She wanted to touch her, but was afraid to wake her. She slept so peacefully. "Just a few more minutes and then I�ll go downstairs." She whispered.

"She really is beautiful isn�t she?" Lucas commented softly from behind her. He came to stand behind her. Resting his cheek against her hair, arms encircling her waist. "Everything will be alright. Tomorrow night they�ll both be safe in their beds."

"How do you know Lucas? How can you be sure?"

"Because I have faith. I have faith in us, in our love, in our family."

"What if faith isn�t enough this time? What if it fails us?"

"It will be enough. It has to be."

Sami could hear the desperation in his voice. She needed to clear her head. "I�m going downstairs. I need to do something with myself."

Lucas followed her down the stairs into the kitchen. He stood in the door and watched her as she flipped on the radio. Scanned a few stations and then turned it off again. She made her way to the fridge and stood there a moment before pulling the milk off the shelf and placing it on the counter. She reached into the cabinet to retrieve a bowl and spoon putting them next to the milk. She stood there for a moment bracing her hands on the counter and dropped her head. Her small shoulders began to shake violently. Her body racked with sobs as Lucas materialized behind her, sandwiching her between the counter and his body.

"I�m just so damn angry Lucas!" She pounded her fist against the counter. "How could she do this? And Why? Why us? Why Will? Why? Why!?

"He sounded so scared Lucas. I could hear the tears in his voice. I can�t stand it that he�s out there somewhere scared." Sami�s body shook with anger and tears as the day�s events took their toll.

"I have to find him." She continued. "I have to find him." She tried to pull out of Lucas�s arms. "Let go of me Lucas, I have to go and find him!" She was nearly screaming at him as he tried to hold her still.

"Sami." One word. The sound of her name on his lips and she crumbled in his arms. He kissed her. Forcefully claiming her mouth. Willing her to understand what he could not put into words. Willing her to have faith.

Lucas broke their kiss. Sami braced herself against his bare chest. She stared at him for several long moments, realizing what she needed. What they needed. She leaned up on her toes and kissed Lucas urgently. Sculpting his lips with hers, Sami pushed her way into his mouth. Their tongues dueled in a battle neither one of them could win, against an unwelcome opponent both of them understood they were fighting together.

Lucas�s hands roamed urgently over Sami�s back, pulling her close to him. He pressed himself against her abdomen with desperate need. Pulling at her white cotton nightgown he grabbed the hem and lifted it swiftly over hear head to land on the floor beside the table. Her naked body pressed against his. He ran a rough hand up her ribcage to cup her breast, massaging it until the little pink nub rose up proudly against his palm. He kissed a trail down her neck to take her breast into his mouth, while he went to work kneading the other in his palm expertly.

Sami arched her back and pressed herself against Lucas in an effort to give him better access. She entwined her hand in the hair at the nape of his neck as the other traveled down across the hard expanse of his abdomen to slip beneath the waistband of his pajama bottoms. "Lucas, I need this. I need you." She murmured against his flushed skin.

He released her breast and kissed her deeply, walking her backwards till her back came in contact with the face of the refrigerator. Lucas teased her with his tongue, expertly sucking and biting at her lower lip. He broke away to rid himself of his pajama bottoms. He and Sami stared at each other for a long moment, before he kissed her forcefully again and ran his hands from her shoulders down her back to cup her ass. Bracing her against the fridge door he picked her up. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he drove himself into her. Quickly they found their rhythm. Pouring all of their fear, their anger, their love into this act. They gave and took from each other as they climbed higher and higher towards their goal.

Sami kissed his neck. Biting and licking his skin as he buried his face in her hair. Their breaths came in quick short bursts. He drove into her again and again, eliciting soft moans from deep in her throat with each stroke, until finally they reached their peak together as Lucas buried himself deep into her one last time. Sami clung to him desperately as spasms of release racked their bodies.

They stayed joined, body and soul, for several moments as wave after wave washed over them and dulled the ache they shared.

Slowly they drifted back down from their peak. Lucas released Sami. She slid down his length until her feet made contact with the cold linoleum floor. She rested her forehead against Lucas�s as they fought to catch their breaths.

After long moments of silence, Sami�s voice broke through the quiet. "Lucas�I�"

"Shhhh" He murmured against her forehead and placed a kiss there. "I know� I needed it too." He pulled her close and rested his cheek on her hair. "Sometimes there are just no words."

She nodded. It was all she could do. She was spent, emotionally, physically.

Lucas kissed her temple and took her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers. He bent down and grabbed their discarded clothes before leading her upstairs.

He led her into their bedroom where they crawled into bed. Lucas curled his naked body around hers and pulled her back close against him. Sami snuggled into him. Too exhausted to think of anything but the feel of his body against hers. She hadn�t planned on what had happened downstairs. Lucas was right, sometimes there are just no words. This was the last thought that fluttered through her conscious as she drifted off to sleep in her love�s arms.


Chapter 10

The happy thoughts had not helped. This was not a dream. This was real. The first time Nicole had called his parents he�d barely been able to hear his dad on the other line, but had smiled a little when he heard his mom screaming at her through the phone. After 8 years of life in the Robert�s family he�d learned enough to know that his mom could go a little nuts on people when she was mad. I mean really mad. One time she�d locked Dad out of the house because she found a diamond bracelet in his underwear drawer. Turned out that he�d bought it for her for their anniversary and had hidden it so that she wouldn�t find it. I think she thought it was for somebody else. I�m sure she felt really stupid when she realized she�d ruined Dad�s surprise. They sent me to Grandma Marlena and Grandpa Roman�s for a sleepover that night and about 9 months after that I had a little sister.

Will was jarred from his thoughts as Nicole began to snore over at the table. She had a magazine open on the table in front of her. One of those fashion magazines his mom read sometimes. She was slumped forward, sleeping with her head resting on her hand. �Maybe I can find a way out of here while her eyes are closed.� He thought. �I gotta think fast. If I yell for help she�ll wake up and shoot me. So I can�t do that.�

His hands were bound at the wrists behind is back and to the chair and his feet where tied together too. �Maybe if I can find something sharp to rub up against, I can free myself.� Will turned his head left and then right, scanning the dark room for anything he thought he could break through the rope with. He found a nail protruding from a piece of wood framing not too far away. Will stole a look at Nicole before starting to push the chair across the room to the nail. Slowly he inched his way across the floor. Not more than three feet from his goal, the legs of the chair squealed against the floor. As Will turned to check on Nicole, a piercing pain shot from the back of his skull through his head to his eye as the butt of the gun made contact with his skull. And then the world went black.

Nicole watched as his small form slumped forward in the chair. "I told you not to be a hero Will; stupid kid. This should keep you out cold for a few hours. I don�t pity you the headache you�ll have when you wake up though." She pulled Will, in his chair, back to the center of the room and went back to the table to read her magazine.

_____________

Sami stood at the kitchen counter drinking what felt like her 8th cup of coffee. It was only 10:30 and the day stretched before her like an endless piece of road. She felt wired and numb all at the same time.

She sipped her coffee and watched Gracie play with her sippy cup of apple juice while she watched Sesame Street. She was lost in thought when Lucas walked in and kissed her on the cheek before sitting down at the table to pour over the morning paper.

His company was very high profile. Lucas was not. He preferred to lead a quieter life, but often, his name was mentioned in the business section for this or that. He scanned the pages in search of any leak about Will�s kidnapping. The last thing he needed to deal with was the press.

He had lain in bed last night trying to figure out how Nicole had latched onto the idea that she was owed his money, considering he hadn�t had much of it when he was younger. How did she even know he had money? Even now he couldn�t figure it out.

Lucas placed the paper on the table and kissed the top of Gracie�s head before placing his coffee cup in the sink. Sami jumped at the sudden movement, jarred from her thoughts.

"How did you sleep?" Lucas asked.

"I don�t think what I did last night could be described as �sleep�. I think it was more like I passed out and was unconscious for a few hours. How about you?"

"Barely a wink. I dozed off and on, but I couldn�t seem to get my mind to turn off."

Sami nodded in understanding. She looked at her watch again. It seemed as if time were moving backwards. She had been up since 8 with Gracie. She�d
fed her, changed her, dressed her and was quickly running out of things to keep herself occupied before it was time to take her to her mom�s before their rendezvous with Nicole.

Lucas sensed Sami�s need for activity. She always busied herself when she was stressed. Always the one to think fast on his feet he came up with an idea. "Sami, let�s take Gracie to the park. It�ll be good for us."

Sami half smiled at Lucas, "The only thing that�ll be good for us is to have Will with us, but� you�re right. Good idea. I�ll go up and get dressed.

_____________

Sami climbed the stairs headed towards her room. As she passed Will�s room something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. The window was cracked open and the curtain had ruffled in the breeze. She entered his room to shut the window.

She reached down to pick up his teddy �George� that he�d left in the middle of his floor, tears coming to her eyes. Rapid-fire flashes of images, memories of the last 8 years hit her like a tornado.

Lucas walking towards her in the delivery room, holding their newborn son in his capable arms. Watching him pull himself up to stand for the first time. Digging his little hands into his first birthday cake and then smearing the chocolate all over his face. Will nestled against Lucas at 3 years old watching football, his first day of kindergarten. The day he learned to ride his bike with out training wheels. She hadn�t thought he was ready, but Lucas had assured her he�d be fine. The smile on his face as he rode past her yelling "Mom! Can you believe this?" was one of the greatest things she�d ever seen and the power of the memory fell heavy on her shoulders. It pushed her back to sit on Will�s bed like a physical blow. She sat there, shoulders hunched, clutching George to her chest, as tears rolled one after another down her cheeks.

Lucas heard her, before he saw her. "Gracie, let�s put you in your crib for a minute. I think Mommy needs me."

"No nap daddy!" she protested.

"No, no nap, just for a minute, I promise." Lucas assured her as he placed her in her crib.

"NO NAP!" she began to cry.

He hated to see her cry, especially for no reason, but he didn�t know what to do. Lucas began to crack under the pressure. This was more than anybody should have to deal with. He headed towards the nursery door; his daughter�s cries tearing at his heart. He rushed into Will�s room to kneel in front of Sami.

"Baby, what are you doing in here?" he asked.

"The window was opened. And his room was a mess, so I�I�m sorry." She looked at him through teary blue pools.

"Don�t be sorry Sami. But I need you to be strong for me." He raised his voiced unintentionally. "And Gracie, needs you." She looked up as she registered the sound of her crying in the next room as Lucas shook her rattling her out of her stupor. "I can�t handle this Sami, I can�t hold this family together by myself Hon!" he continued.

Sami looked at him as she brushed tears away from her face. She knew he was just venting frustration. But his words stung none-the-less.

"Let�s get dressed and get out of the house. I don�t think hanging around here is very good for any of us. I�m not very good at dealing with two crying women at once." Lucas continued by way of apology.

He kissed her and smoothed her hair before taking her hand and pulling her up off the bed and ushering her out the door. Sami walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Lucas could handle Gracie. She needed to get up and moving. The busier she was, the quicker Will would be home where he belonged.


Chapter 11 (PG)

The park had been a fairly tense family excursion. As the day wore on the tension mounted. They�d dropped Gracie off at Marlena and Roman�s house 30 minutes ago and were now in the car on their way to the warehouse. Roman had assured them that plain clothed officers would be strategically placed to assist in "bringing this bitch down" and bringing his grandson home safely, they�d gone over the plan again at the house and had left with everything firm in their minds.

They would get Will safely in their custody, and give Nicole the briefcase of money. They were sure she wouldn�t bother to check it there, other than a brief glance. The police department had put the briefcase together. It was filled with $1,200 wrapped around a stack of counterfeit money. With a faked receipt of transfer to Diane Hall, Swiss bank account 2540930252 in the amount of $4 million. Ten plain clothed police officers would be strategically placed around the warehouse. In fact, Roman had assured them, they were already there and waiting. After the exchange, Nicole would be arrested and the nightmare would be over. She�d get exactly what she deserved. A cell at the women�s detention center.

Lucas had wanted Sami to stay at her parents with Gracie, but she expressly refused. "No way! This is my plan and my son and I will not sit around this house and wait!" Roman, Marlena and Lucas had all looked at each other, knowing full well that any kind of argument would prove pointless. Sami was not the kind of woman to sit on the sidelines.

Lucas pulled the car to a stop on the side of the warehouse. He looked at Sami and smiled, "you ready?"

She nodded in the affirmative and squeezed his hand. "As ready as I�ll ever be."

Lucas kissed her hand, opened the car door and got out. Reaching into the back seat he produced a briefcase full of money. Hand in hand they started towards the building together.

_____________

Will winced as Nicole shoved him forward with the end of the gun. His head pounded. The last thing he remembered, he�d been close to making it to the nail, then an incredible pain flashed through his head. The next think he�d known he was laying in the backseat of a car.

Now they were in a big abandoned warehouse. She nudged him again with the end of the gun, up the stairs. Windows were broken or missing all around them. The sun shone brightly making Will squint as Nicole pushed him into a strip of sunlight.

"You try anything smart like you did last night and I�ll use this gun on you and your parents." Nicole whispered. "If everybody cooperates this�ll be a piece of cake and I�ll be in Zurich by tomorrow night."

Will nodded quickly.

Just as he did, Nicole caught something out of the corner of her eye and grabbed Will instinctively holding him close with the gun pointed at his head. First she saw Lucas, then Sami behind him and then the briefcase in his left hand.

"The money!" she whispered. Yes, her plan was paying off.

Sami yelped as she saw the gun pointed at Will�s head. His eyes connected with his mother�s and tears began to well in his eyes. "Mom�" he cried, as Nicole pushed the gun into his temple.

"Baby." Sami whisper.

"Lucas Roberts." Nicole drawled and she turned to look at him. "It�s so good to see you after so much time. The years have been extremely kind." She let her gaze linger along the length of his taunt body.

"Cut the crap Nicole. Let him go. As you can see," he raised the briefcase to illustrate, "you�re getting what you�ve asked for."

"Well thank you. You�ve been very wise to cooperate." Nicole lowered the gun from Will�s head. She wrapped her arm around Will tightly as she pushed him forward towards Lucas. She reached for the briefcase with her free hand.

"Just one minute. Let go of Will first. Then I�ll hand over the cash." Lucas pleaded.

Nicole hesitated for a moment, training her eyes on Lucas�s hard faced, then at the briefcase in his hand. �What could it hurt?� The money was within reach. The kid had served his purpose as bait. She grabbed Will by the arm and thrust him into his father�s waiting embrace. Lucas pushed his body in front of Will�s, throwing him into Sami�s arms. Nicole reached for the money.

Out of the corner of her eye Nicole saw a flash of movement off to the left. Before she could react, two men tackled her to the ground. She landed hard on her right shoulder. Lucas lunged back as the briefcase flew out of his hand. A shot rang out, silencing the chaos.


Chapter 12

Sami screamed and lunged forward as she saw Lucas�s body go limp and fall to the floor.

Nicole looked around, disoriented as the two officers pulled her away from Lucas. They pinned her to the ground, pushing her face to the dusty floor and pulling her manicured hands behind her back. "You have the right to remain silent�"

Two other officers came out of nowhere and were at Lucas�s side, calling for EMS backup. Sami clutched her husband to her heart.

"Oh God Lucas!! Nooooooooooo!"

Blood soaked through the front of his shirt.

"You have to help him�" she said to the EMT who had materialized at her side. "I can�t lose him. You have to save him!"

"Ma�am, we�re doing all we can." He looked at Sami briefly before returning his attention to Lucas. His partner pulled her gently out of the way and began to assist.

The entire scene was a blur as numbness overtook her senses. Roman was hugging Will a few yard away. The EMT�s worked feverishly to stabilize Lucas and get him on a gurney. The briefcase lay on the floor where it had fallen when the shot was fired. Nicole yelled obscenities in the background as the police hauled her off towards the stairs to the squad car waiting below.

The two women made eye contact. In Nicole�s eyes Sami saw nothing. Pools of cold steel. And all of the sudden the numbness that had overtaken her as she watched the technicians work on her husband fell away and was replaced by a rage, a fire she couldn�t contain. "Wait!" She called out to the officers pushing Nicole across the room.

"Wait!" Sami pulled herself up and launched herself towards Nicole. Hitting her square in the face. Sami�s right fist connected with Nicole�s left cheek with enough force to throw her head to the side. "That was for kidnapping my son!"

Before an officer could reach her, Sami hit her again. "And that was for shooting my husband." Nicole trained her cold eyes on Sami as a bruise began to form over her high cheekbone. Sami felt a strong male arm come around her waist pulling her back, away from Nicole. "And this," she used every ounce of energy she possessed and kicked Nicole hard in her side, doubling the woman over "is for daring to think that you could mess with Sami Roberts! Bitch!"

_____________

Sami sat in a chair next to Lucas�s bed. He�d been rushed to the hospital and taken straight to the OR. The surgeon had come out to the waiting room 2 hours later to inform her that the bullet had been removed from her husband shoulder and that his prognosis was excellent for a complete recovery. Now he lay sleeping in the hospital room.

She sat holding Lucas�s hand. Fingers laced through his, she stroked his palm idly with her thumb. Sami looked from his face down to their entwined hands and smiled as her engagement ring caught the light from above Lucas�s hospital bed. The memory rushed back to her like it had all happened yesterday.

The phone rang next to her bed. She�d been pulling things out of her closet to pack for their honeymoon and looked at her watch as she reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey there beautiful." Lucas�s voice came across clearly through the receiver, making Sami smile.

"Hey yourself. What are you calling for? I thought you were out with Phillip and Shawn doing last minute wedding stuff."

Lucas smiled to himself. "Calling you IS part of my last minute wedding stuff. I couldn�t wait, I had to hear your voice. Hey babe, do me a favor, and look out your window."

"What are you up to?" She asked slyly as she made her way across her room to the window.

"About 5'10". Get your cute little ass over to the window woman!" he laughed.

"I�m coming, I�m coming. This room is a mess!"

"OK, I�m at the window�what am I looking� LUCAS! That�s bad luck!" She yelped as she looked down to find her fianc� standing on the lawn below her window, cell phone in hand.

He smiled up at her and waved as she turned her back to him. "I wanted to come up and call you from the other side of your bedroom door, but your mother wouldn�t let me into the house. So this will have to do."

"But�" She started, half-heartedly. �Stupid superstitions,� she thought to herself. She tried to sound stern, but her heart wasn�t really in it. She was giddy with excitement that he�d come to see her on their wedding day.

"Listen," Lucas continued. "Just stick your hand out the window."

"What? What are you up to Roberts?" Sami stole a peek out the window at the gorgeous man standing below.

"Just do it, Sami. Your left hand. Let�s see it."

Sami acquiesced sticking her left hand out the window to show off her manicured fingers and more importantly the 2 carat engagement ring Lucas had put on her finger 10 months earlier. "There, happy now?"

"You make me the happiest man alive, Samantha Brady." Lucas yelled up to her. Spreading his arms out wide.

"I think I make you the craziest man alive." Sami laughed. Stealing another peek out the window and laughing. "Now, what was that all about?"

"I told you, I had to see you. I want to memorize you; before the dress and the tux and the flowers and all that stuff. Before I put another ring on your finger to go with the one you�ve already got. I wanted a close up look, but as I said, you�re mom has banned me from the house today."

"Well, now you�ve seen me, and my ring. Now get out of here. Or you�ll make me late to my own wedding." She laughed.

"Ok, Ok. I love you."

"Go! You crazy man!" she saw him turn towards his car. "Hey Lucas!" She called out as he opened the driver side door.

"Yeah?" He looked up to her window again.

"I LOVE YOU TOO!" She blew him a kiss, which he caught and put in his pocket as he got in the car and started the engine.

Sami was pulled from her memories at the slight movement of Lucas�s fingers against hers. She looked up at his face to see him open his eyes and manage a weak smile.

"Welcome back, handsome." She smiled up to him.


Chapter 13

"Hi." Lucas murmured and winced as the pain in his shoulder reached his brain. �What happened?"

"You were shot. I think the cops jumped a little too early and Nicole pulled the trigger as a reflex. You got in the way."

He nodded. "Will?" He tried to shift and groaned in pain.

"Don�t try to move sweetheart. Do you want me to get the nurse?"

"No�keep going."

"OK. Will is fine. He�s with my parents. He was well out of the way when it happened. He was shaken up. He�s been through a lot in the last 24 hours, but he�s fine sweety. And so will you be. The bullet hit your shoulder. The surgeon said it was easy to get out and repair and he thinks you�ll be just fine. I�m just so glad�" Sami brushed a tear away from her cheek "�that you�re ok. I was afraid I�d never see those big brown eyes looking at me again."

"I�m sorry�" Lucas murmured.

"Don�t be. It wasn�t your fault."

"Sami� can you call the doc� more drugs would be good..." he trailed off, his energy sapped.

"Sure." She pushed the call button and seconds later someone had come in to administer another shot of Percocet into Lucas�s IV."

"Thanks. Love you." His head fell towards Sami as the drugs took quick effect.

Sami brushed a lock of hair off his forehead as he fell back into a drug induced sleep. "I love you too Lucas."

A week later Lucas was home from the hospital, but living with his arm in a sling, when they strode into Roman�s office to hear the news he�d gotten out of Nicole after her arrest.

"So what do you know Dad?" Sami asked as she and Lucas took the seats she and Lucas had sat in a week before formulating their plan.

"Well, apparently, Nicole had gambled and lost her interests on a sour financial deal and had soon after come across an article in business week on you and your company Lucas. She saw you�d made it big and felt a whole lotta resentment for your success and her lack thereof. If you recall, the article talked briefly about your family and how devoted you were to them and though it would be a nice easy way to hit you where it hurts. So she concocted her hair brained plan to kidnap Will to get to you quickly. Tell you she was a scorned lover, which was all a bunch of hooey, you know, and get her grubby manicured hands on your money."

"You know, she never did seem very� balanced." Sami quipped.

"Balanced? She�s a psychotic, bitch. Tell me Roman, what�s her legal situation now? I mean with the charges of kidnapping, extortion etc." Lucas asked.

"Well, she�s clearly nuts. My guess is that the judge will give her a few years at SWCF and a whole lotta therapy. After her psyche evaluation is completed, I�m sure she�ll spend some time in a padded cell upstate in the psyche ward. I wouldn�t worry too much about her. She get what�s coming to her. Now, on a more personal note, how�s Will doing?"

Lucas held Sami�s hand firmly in his own as she began answering his question. "He�s ok. He suffered a minor concussion from where he took the butt of a gun to the head, but physically, other than that he�s fine."

Sami picked up and continued, "He�s had a few nightmares, since we brought him home, but they seem to be getting better, or at least less frequently. He slept in our bed with me for the first 3 or 4 nights, and to be honest, I was happy to have him there. It was better for me knowing he was with me where I could protect him.

"And how are you doing Peanut?" Roman continued.

"I�m fine Dad. I have my son home, and now I have my husband home with me too." She squeezed Lucas�s hand to add emphasis. "I can�t thank you enough for everything you did for us Daddy. Really. Who know�s what would have happened if you hadn�t done such a great job." She got out of the chair and hugged her father fiercely.

"Peanut, you�re my daughter and Will is your son and there isn�t anything I wouldn�t do for you. Besides, it was your plan Sami. You sure you�re not looking for a job? We could sure use you down here at the station.

"You can�t have her Roman. She�s all mine!" Lucas smiled and winked at his wife.

"Thanks for the offer. But I much prefer the job I�ve already got. You know, almost losing Will has made me remember how precious every day with my kids is. I love them so much and I don�t want them to grow up. At least I can afford to be there with them as they do."

_____________

Two months later Lucas and Will stood at the bottom of the stair. "You guys ready up there?"

"Coming!" Sami called as she shooed Gracie out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

Will and Lucas shared a look, and a knowing smile, "Women!"

Bucket and pail in hand, Gracie bound down the stairs and pulled on Lucas�s hand. "We go park Daddy?" She looked up at him expectantly.

Fully healed from his injury, he picked her up to her querying eyes. "Yes, we�re going to the park. If your mother ever gets her act together." That last part was said with slightly raised voice.

"I told you I was coming!" Sami replied, as she appeared like a vision at the top of the stairs. She was dressed in a simple flowered sundress. Her hair brushed back off her face, freckles dotting her rosy complexion.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Lucas stole an arm around her waist, pulling her against his body. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks. You�re not so bad yourself. Ready?"

"I am!" Came an irritated 8 year-old voice from their left.

"OK, OK. Let�s go."

"Doing that kissy face stuff again." Will muttered under his breath.

Sami and Lucas stole a look at each other and laughed. It was good to have their family together again.