*****055:

Aubrey

I literally forced myself to roll over, leveraged my legs and sat up, feeling the strain in my lower back as I did and looking at the wall calendar pinned with a push pin to the wall next to my bed. August 6th. I was thirty-three weeks.

I. Was. Thirty-three weeks!!!!!

Nothing had ever felt better! Today marked thirty-three weeks.

Rafe was gone. Already out the door for work. He had rehearsal in town this morning.

We'd already had devotional and yoga, meditation and a taekwondo session, after Rafe's run.

Then I'd gone back to bed, and Abbie had done homeschool. The speech therapist had come in and the kids and Angie were on their way to grief counseling at ABCSC this morning. I couldn't go.

Angie actually came to the bedroom door as if my musings had conjured her. "How are you feeling, mija?"

"Good." I said with a smile. "I just realized I've made it to thirty-three weeks, and no more major contraction episodes."

She high-fived me with a huge whoop and then helped me make it to my feet.

"Listen, mija, I'm going to take the van today. On the way up here, my car was making some weird noise underneath and I called Marshall and he said he'll come get it this afternoon and take a look. He didn't want me driving it, okay?"

I smiled and shrugged. "You want me to take a look at it?"

"Are you a mechanic?"

"No, but I'm just bored enough to consider becoming one!" I laughed as I headed to the bathroom.

Angie's laughter was infectious. "The keys still by the door? We should be back in about two hours, not stopping to play today, I've gotta be back. I told Abbie already, she's only got two hours."

"Yes, the keys should be in the bowl by the door." I called.

"Great! Found 'em." I heard her voice from far away and the sounds of the car starting and the kid's calls as they all got in their car seats.

I went out to the kitchen looking for something refreshing. The lower back pain was just a part of my life now. I pressed one hand to the place hoping to ease it as I did every day, all day. Outside looked hazy and hot again. Hazy and Hot, the story of my life.

I heard the screeching of tires as if from far away, and the crash as if I was in a slow moving dream. I grabbed the counter and propelled myself around it, moving faster than I thought possible.

I made it to the front door and jumped out, made it to the front walkway and searched the street. Not too far from the house, I could see the van, smashed in on one side, sitting at an odd angle as if it had been pushed off its axles. A white windowless van was sitting to the side, front fenders smashed. Had they been pulling out?

I started running. Yes, when motivated I can still run.

The air was disturbed beside me as bodies flew past from next door. Bodies I didn't even recognize as I tried to see if the kids and Angie were moving. I couldn't hear through the blaze of noise all around.

"Aubrey, get back in the house. I called Rafe." It was Jeremy, racing past me at top speed.

I saw the white van move, I saw it back up before the passenger door on my little red van opened and Angie got out, sliding to the ground, waving her arms in outrage. I saw someone from the white van lifting the kids out of the back seat. I could even see that whoever it was had Felicity.

I was still running. At least it felt like my feet were moving, but they were too heavy and I wasn't getting anywhere. I heard my own breath labored and panting, and felt the inhuman heat, as if we were on Mars.

Someone---- someone had Felicity.

Someone was trying to get away.

And then I stopped running, unable to go on, unable to breathe. I couldn't get to them! I'm their mother, and I can't get to them! My eyes blurred as I saw Mutt ahead of me--- pull something out of a pocket and with an expert kick and a fast punch, he had retrieved our little girl faster than lightning, and the guy who had had her was on the ground. 

You don't mess with Axis--- or Mutt--- not now! Not with the threats all around us. 

If that guy was just a nice guy trying to save my child, I'd send him a fruit basket later, right now, I was just grateful she was in Mutt's arms, and not his.

My feet started moving again. God bless, Mutt--- the gangsta. God bless, Mutt!

My ears started working again.

The white van raced away, leaving that someone on the ground. See! They weren't just being good neighbors! My heart raced, and I clutched at it, doubling over. Angie grabbed the boys out of the sliding door, I could hear their screams.

Jeremy was facing the guy on the ground; Jeremy and then Jeff and then about five others I didn't recognize including Levi. All our guys, and more. I was shaking, as I reached them.

"I told you to go back inside, Aubrey, we have this!" Jeremy yelled in my face unceremoniously.

"Give me Felicity!" Of course, she was traumatized and screaming.

"You can't carry her, Mutt can take her back. Go back you guys, all of you. Go back to the house."

Okay, this Jeremy was someone I didn't know anymore. This was the Jeremy who had once offered to take care of me with stupid Dylan, Axis' old drummer who had pushed all our buttons on tour.

Quick, efficient, and all about destroying the enemy.

Mutt took my hand, holding Felicity on his shoulder. "You're okay, guys. I don't think anybody is actually hurt. I think he meant to stop you, but not hurt you." He pulled me along at a fast clip. I reached for Felicity, stroking her hair as we half ran, and murmured soothing words.

Angie, carrying Rein ran past us. I could see that he was bleeding from a gash in his head. I started to run again as Jeff took my hand. His eyes sought mine.

Mine darted around locating Virgil trotting along with his hand in Levi's. Jeff finally tried to lift me, as I wasn't going fast enough, and I slapped his hands away. "I'm fine! I'm fine! Leave me alone!" I panted as we made it back up my walkway and into the house.

I heard sirens.

Real, this was so sudden and so real.

Had it been an accident? A hit and run accident? Or was it intended as a gift from Maximiliano Gutierrez? To warn us? Or to steal Felicity?

I heard the screeching of tires as Rafe's sports car ramped up the road behind us, and his honking finally ceased as he jumped out of the car.

"Aubrey!" I turned as he came running---- really running! And his face was whiter than a ghost.

"It was a white van, an accident. I think he might have been pulling out, but then he left, and left the guy that was trying to get Felicity out. I don't know if he was trying to steal her, or if he wanted to----." Rafe's arms were around me, tightly holding me. I felt the frantic beating of his heart, and the way his hands ran haphazardly all over my back, checking me for injuries. I'm not the one hurt!!

"Were you in the van? What were you doing in the van?"

"I wasn't in the van. Angie was taking the kids to ABC for counseling." I cried as he let me go. He was staring around in panic.

"You weren't in the van? What are you doing out here?" His left hand yanked at his hair.

"They're my kids, Rafe! Are you kidding?" I knew he wasn't thinking straight. He had grabbed Virgil up and was checking him now too. He reached for Felicity. Mutt gave her to him and he carried both kids quickly into the house. Jeff helped me in, not that I needed help, but he needed something to do. I could hear Rein's screaming as we came inside, and I went straight to the kitchen where Angie was cleaning the gash on his forehead. Rafe put the kids down and went to Rein.

I made it to the kitchen bar, and pulled Felicity up beside me. Virgil on the other side.

Everyone was talking at once, and the general consensus was that somehow the white van had been intended to ram our car and in the melee get Felicity. Was it Maximiliano, or Roberto? Or both?

The door was opened and two uniformed officers were admitted. Mutt directed them to Angie as the driver of the van and took his place as first on the scene. His eyes were intent on Rafe, and it was obvious they'd spoken, and somehow knew how much they planned to tell the police.

I got up and went to Rein. Jeff and Rafe were both examining the tiny wound. I urged them aside as Pace Curry, lead singer for Draft Jam, also made his way to our sides. I was comforting Rein, who wanted to be on me--- in my arms. I told him to be still so Momma could see his owie. He screamed and struggled to be in my arms. Dilemma.

No room at the inn, fella.

I asked Jeff to bring him to the couch in the den, and they turned on the lights. His cut wasn't bad, but his goose-egg was formidable. Pace knelt in front of me.

"I'm an EMT." He said low.

"I'm a surgeon." I looked up at him briefly with a small smile. He nodded and grinned, and then easily turned Rein's face to his and checked the cut, ascertained that it had already been cleaned properly and put the bandage on it. Felicity and Virgil were crowded close by, leaning on my knees.

"You're the mom." Pace said by way of explanation.

I realized this was so, and was suddenly grateful for his competent presence. Rock stars nowadays.... Did they all have about ten different professions before coming into the industry? I smiled, giving his appearance a once over. He hadn't changed since we'd met him last year the day we'd adopted Felicity. He'd been bald then, now he had white spiked hair, that dark German ancestry skin tone, and really light, fantastically piercing blue eyes. Really a nice exotic combo, perfect for his new chosen profession. The crinkles at the corners of his eyes attested to his sense of humor and his compassion. He was comforting to Rein, teasing him, smiling this gorgeous smile at him--- who wouldn't be drawn in?

I recalled that he had told us his LDS conversion story, as well as his older child adoption story. It was he who had happened upon us at precisely the right moment in time to quell our fears about adoption. His advice had been welcomed, and perfect.

My new observation about him, coupled with the old one now collided in my mind. He is astute--- good word Aubrey--- an astute observationalist.

And that is all the attention I can spare for him, as I snuggled Rein against the baby bump and against my chest---which by the way--- instantly started leaking.

"Okay everybody." Rafe had gone to see how things were going with the cops and Angie, he'd now returned with Angie sniffing and red-eyed under his arm, to the gathering of about thirty people in our den. "It's all taken care of. Nothing to worry about, no one is seriously injured, and the police are going after the driver of the van. The guy on the ground is okay now that Mutt is in here and not out there. No charges are being pressed!" There was a low murmur of laughter and Mutt took a theatrical bow. "So, my advice is for you to get back to work, and let's clear out my living room."

People did clear out. And for that I was grateful. But I didn't move Rein, and the other two stayed glued to my sides, as Pace started to get up and head out as well.

"No." Rafe's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Their eyes met and locked. "Thank you for what you did."

"I placed a bandage." Pace agreed modestly, his brows raised. "You owe me, bro." This was said lightly, jokingly, because placing a bandage wasn't really a big deal.

"I do owe you, come to dinner tonight, okay? Here."

The answer was of course, yes, the coveted dinner at the Stryker's house invite. I could see Laura in the kitchen over Rafe's shoulder smiling and nodding as if changing her dinner plans to accommodate another house party.

"You too." Rafe clapped Mutt on the shoulders. "Do you have other plans?"

"Can I bring my date, dad?" He grinned, rubbing his fist, with an evil grin. My expression managed to look half concerned/ half frightened.

"He's not your dad." Virgil blurted, everybody laughed, but Virgil remained seriously anxious.

"Joking, Virg." Mutt said before anyone could explain, and hearing it from Mutt was just what Virgil needed.

Rafe glanced at his watch. "Man, I got to be places today. You guys're okay, right?" He looked at me quickly, feeling the press of obligations. His eyes met mine and he did the whole two finger sign for: 'do you want me to stay'?

I shook my head. "Go be the bread winner," I laughed shakily.

"Thanks guys for responding so fast, and for being there for me and my family." Rafe was saying, trying to insinuate himself through the gathering of his band and a few others to get to my side. He leaned over me and brushed my cheek as some of them moved on. But then he whispered, "There's not a chance in hell I'm leaving you right now."

"Rafe, it's okay, really." He was stroking Rein's fine dark hair, his thumb now popped in his mouth and his body all snuggled in his favorite place next to the babies and Momma's chest.

Rafe's eyes met mine. "That was no accident." He said, straightening and peering at the group as they passed. "I've already apprised Oliver and others, even the insurance company and the lawyers."

"Okay?" I covered Rein's ear and looked up at Rafe expectantly. "You think Maximiliano or Roberto was after Felicity?" I said this so that Felicity couldn't hear either.

Rafe nodded. "Jack said this was war. I believe him."

"You do, huh? I thought he was just a hired thug."

"Yeah, that's not the way these things work. Retaliation is everything, but if he is still ordered to grab the kid, that's still his priority." He squatted down, pulling those jeans nice and snug. My eyes averted quickly, and I mentally shook my head at how very easily I was distracted by Rafe.

"So, what are you going to do today?" I rubbed a finger under my nose, by way of covering my interest.

"I'll stay close to home for a bit, figure out the schedule, and then maybe take the kids and head into town. They're with me today---." He indicated Virgil and Felicity. Obviously, Rein was staying close to mom. "I've got a few things to do with the show, and they can be there. They'll never be out of my hand reach. I'll feel more assured if they are within my own comfort zone, and line of sight." He was convincing himself of this, in his vexation. He looked back at both kids standing there, watching us for behavior cues. "Can you guys stay by me if we go to the studio? Let Momma and Rein take a nap?" They clamored to his knees, excited to be going to the studio with Rafe.

Rafe leaned in to kiss Rein's head and Rein pushed him back with one firm hand. I laughed and snuggled him closer. Rafe pulled me to him, feeling the cramping in his legs no doubt, as he gently kissed my upturned lips, and smoothed his palm around my cheek, holding my eyes.

"It's going to be okay." He said softly, with that quirky manning-up smile of his. "Everything is going to be okay."

*****