"Like....bad." She
groaned.
He kissed her forehead. "See why I don't want you going on the
mission?'
"I'll be fine in a half
hour...I have to go...it's my fault she was kidnapped in the first place."
"No, you can't. I want you here safe... especially until you're
well."
"
"I don't care."
She sat up and was immediately
greeted by a wave of dizziness. "I have to go."
"No."
"
"You can't. Stay. Please." He sighed. "I know what
happened when my mother was kidnapped, alright?"
"
"And you were damn lucky."
"Nothing will happen."
"Because you're staying!"
"
"You're staying here, damnit,
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, YOU ARE!"
She stood up, ignoring the
spinning sensation. "Why are you so insistent that I stay?"
"I don't want it... shit, we never even talked about a baby, I don't
want it dead before we discuss... our situation."
"
"You think I haven't noticed? All the signs are there, Chels."
"What signs?
"I know that - there's at least the chance - you're pregnant."
"I think it's possible."
"I have the flu,
"It's been a really long flu, don't you think?"
She shrugged. "I wasn't
really thinking about it..."
"It has, Chels. And I'm not risking anything happening to you or
possibly a baby."
"I'm not pregnant."
"You don't know that."
"I don't think I'm
pregnant."
"But you don't know you aren't."
"Don't you think I'd be the
first to know if I were?"
"Not necessarily. Not if you're trying to deny it..."
"I went to the doctor,
"Maybe it was too early to tell. Or they didn't test for it. It's
not something that they just periodically check up on, you know."
She sighed. "I'm not."
"You could be! And I'm not letting you go on this mission if it's
possible, and you can't prove you're not in time to go. Discussion over."
"
"Yes, my dear?"
"You can't do that! You've no
right to order me around like I'm your subordinate!"
"It's out of love for you, beautiful."
"That's not fair,
"I want you to be safe."
"I will be safe."
"Because you'll be here."
"You will."
"Is this like some sort of
control issue for you? I'm going with you."
"You aren't going and it's not a control issue!"
"I am going, and isn't
it?"
"No you aren't, it's an issue of your safety! And if I have to order
you to stay behind I will."
"It's not an issue of my
safety, you don't want to risk the possibility of losing an heir!"
"IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, I LOVE YOU!"
"In case you didn't hear me
the first thirty times I said it, I'm not pregnant!"
"That doesn't change that it's not safe for you."
"It's not safe for you
either! It's never safe!"
"But it's my responsibility... it's not yours."
"So I'm not allowed to care
about whether or not you get hurt?"
"You can. But she's my sister, my blood, and you can care but you
need to stay here."
"I don't want to stay,
"I don't care."
She opened her mouth to say
something but shut it instead.
He kissed her. "I love you. Please... stay for me."
"What are we,
"We... I... lovers, I guess."
"You don't sound too
sure."
"I think of us as more than that... but I don't know what to call
it."
"Maybe you should figure that
out."
"You have a say too."
"Doesn't really feel like
what I say matters much to you."
"
"Yes?"
"Don't start this. What do you think we should be calling
this?"
"I can't help it,
"You don't know...?"
"Me either... we'll... work on what to call it."
"When?"
"We can think while we work."
"While we work?"
"While you stay here and work with my mom, and I get
He kissed her forehead gently.
"It's not right. I should be
going."
"You need to stay here."
"I should be going." She
repeated. "I have to go."
"No. You need to stay."
"Why?"
"Because I want one of us to be safe."
"We'll be safe if I go."
"No."
"Please?"
"No, honey... please, Chelsea."
"I don't want you to
go..."
"I know. But you need to let me.
"I want to go with you."
"I know. But I can't let you."
"Why not?"
"Because... nevermind that I want you to be safe but my dad won't have
it anyway."
"Why wouldn't he have
it?"
"He wants you safe too."
"Why?"
"In case you missed it, he's fond of you too."
"I want to go. Your father
hasn't kept me from missions before."
"This time he is."
"You are."
"No... he did."
"Why?"
"I don't know. He doesn't give reasons."
"Ask him."
"I will but it won't change his answer."
"Garrett..."
"Yes?"
She sighed, knowing that nothing
would change his mind. "Nevermind."
"Thank you."
"Yeah." She sighed and
crawled back into bed.
He went over and gently tucked her in with a slight smile.
She rolled away from him.
He stepped back from the bed. "I love you." And with that he
left the room.
~*~*~*~
Garrett watched the house. He gave
the signal and the teams entered the house.
Kayla was sitting in the library reading when her father burst through
the door. She leapt to her feet. "
"We've got her." One of
the agents said into a small walkie-talkie
"Baby!" Garrett pulled
her into a tight hug. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. And I'm not going anywhere," Kayla said.
"You..what?" Garrett
pulled back and looked at her.
"I'm staying here,
"No, we've come to get
you."
"And I'm not going."
"Why not? What did they do to
you?"
"Nothing,
"Then let's go."
"No. Look, I met someone, someone who's genuinely nice and good to
me, and I'm staying."
"You met someone in the IMF
who's been holding you hostage."
"Yes. I guess I did."
"We're going Kayla."
"Fine. Goodbye."
"Kayla, come with us."
"I'm not going."
"Kayla, we came here to get
you. Come with us."
"I'm not going!"
Garrett grabbed her arm.
"Kayla, don't do this."
She wrenched herself away. "I'm sorry,
"Kayla..." Garrett's
voice was full of pain and betrayal...his own daughter...
"I love you." She kissed his cheek and backed away.
Garrett turned and followed his
team out.
Kayla watched them go through the window, and a single tear slipped down
her cheek.
Garrett ran farther off the
property to the waiting transport.
"
He shook his head.
Garrett lapsed into silence.
He held his head and placed a hand
on his son's shoulder. "She wanted to stay."
"I hate them... Mom's going to be devastated...."
Garrett didn't respond.
The younger man sighed.
"Let's get back."
"Alright."
Garrett gave the orders and they
drove off down to the waiting jet.
The flight home was silent.
Chelsea was sitting up in the
living room with Cass in a nervous silence.
Cassidy looked up as they entered... but Kayla was still not amongst the
returning. "Garrett...?" She looked to her husband.
Garrett didn't know which hurt
more...the betrayal of his youngest daughter, or the look in Cassidy's eyes.
"She said no."
She stepped back in shock. "She stayed?" Her voice was almost a
whisper.
Chelsea watched Garrett carefully
as he came into the room after his father.
"She wanted to."
"I..."
The younger man looked utterly defeated.
"She wanted to stay, Cass, I
told her I was there to get her out of there and she FUCKING SAID NO!" He
exclaimed angrily.
"Garrett...?" Chelsea
questioned.
"Shh, I'm not blaming you," Cassidy said immediately.
He looked up sadly. "Yeah?"
"She wanted to stay! Am I so
horrible a father?"
Chelsea hugged him tightly.
"No, Garrett... you aren't." And she lifted Nathan, handing him
to Garrett.
He sighed, pulling her close.
Garrett looked down at the little
boy.
She rubbed his back soothingly.
Nathan looked up at Garrett with wide eyes.
Garrett sighed. "What did I
do, Cass?"
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"She wanted to stay with them..." He looked at Chelsea.
"Then why...?"
"I'm sorry..."
"Because... sometimes children have to go make mistakes...?"
"My sister..."
"This was against me...she
joined my enemy."
"I know..."
"Shh. She's not just trying to spite you..."
"Don't leave me, Chels, don't ever leave me.'
"It feels like she is."
Garrett sighed tiredly.
"Never...I would never...How
could you think that?"
Cassidy kissed his cheek. "You need to rest."
"I don't think it... just please." He held her close.
"You don't have to worry
about that..." Chelsea said quietly.
He shook his head. "I want to
get her back."
"Chels... I... I know this might be... a little premature... marry
me?"
"I know you do..."
Chelsea kissed his cheek.
"Yes."
"I...she can't...why the
IMF?"
"I don't know..."
Garrett whirled Chelsea around. "I love you..."
Garrett sighed.
Cassidy took his hand. "Let's... go rest."
Chelsea smiled and kissed him
softly.
Garrett followed her.
He kissed back.
"I have a question
though."
"Go for it, beautiful."
"Why would it be
premature?"
"I was afraid you'd think we hadn't been dating long enough."
"No..."
"Good." He kissed her.
"Are you sure you want to
marry me?" She bit her lip.
"Of course." He kissed her gently.
She pulled back a bit. "But
you don't know...you weren't here when the doctor called me..."
"What happened?"
"I...I might not be able to
have kids....Garrett...I...I can't give you a family..."
"That's fine. I'm marrying *you.*"
"But..." She hesitated.
"Shh."
She bit her lip again.
He kissed her.
Chelsea kissed him back.
He pulled her close. "I love you. Don't you fuss over anything
else."
Chelsea sighed. "I can't help
it."
"Shh. I'll worry about other things." He kissed her forehead.
"Honey...it's not really
something you can fix."
"I said I'd worry about them, not that I'd fix them."
"I can't let you worry by yourself."
"Aw come on, please?" Garrett teased.
"Garrett..."
"Shh, baby."
"Don't joke about it."
"I'm not joking. Just don't worry."
"Then what am I supposed to
do?"
"Focus on the fact that we're getting married."
"Yeah..."
"And we'll be happy."
"We are happy."
"We'll keep being happy."
She nodded.
He kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you too,
Garrett."
~*~*~*~
Chad found Kayla with her back to
him, looking at the library window. "Hey beautiful."
"Hey." She turned around with a smile.
He held out a rectangular jewelry
box.
"What..." She opened it. "Chad this is beautiful, but
what's the occasion?" She gently lifted the bracelet.
"You." He said with a
bit of a smile. "You stayed."
"Yeah... I did."
He kissed her neck softly.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, I am... just had to face my dad, is all."
"And you stayed
anyway..."
"Yeah... I did." She smiled a bit.
He kissed her. "You...you're
amazing...."
"Oh am I?" She smiled a bit.
"You are."
"Good news for me I guess."
He put the bracelet around her
wrist. "Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful." She smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Good."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome,
beautiful."
"You rather like spoiling me don't you?"
"It's one of my favorite
things to do."
"Good news for me."
He kissed her softly.
She kissed back.
"Have you eaten
anything?"
"No... I haven't."
"Let's get you something then."
She let him lead the way.
"What'll it be, my dear?
Spaghetti or lasagna?"
"Ooh, lasagna?"
He nodded. "Sound good?"
"Yeah."
He kissed her neck and pulled the
wrapped pan out of the fridge.
She smiled at him.
He got out a plate for her and cut
a piece. While it was heating up in the microwave, he put the pan back in the
fridge.
"You're a good housewife," she teased.
"Anything for you." He
replied, kissing her.
She kissed back.
The microwave beeped. "Your
dinner is ready."
"Thank you." She smiled.
"You're welcome."
She kissed him quickly before attacking her plate.
"You really were
hungry."
"I was." She smiled.
"You could've gotten
something. This is practically your house."
"I know, but I hadn't really noticed how hungry I was."
"Yeah." He kissed her.
She kissed back.
"Now you taste like
lasagna." He told her, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Well I could taste like worse," she pointed out.
"True...but you taste
good."
"Well good."
He kissed her again.
She kissed back eagerly.
He picked her up and carried her
upstairs.