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Melia flew at him, leaping into his arms and wrapping both arms and legs around him, pressing herself to him in uncontrollable shudders of relief. Robert clutched her to him, feeling as if he'd never hugged anyone so tightly, with so much emotion as he did right then, his eyes squeezed shut and he let the relief wash over him as well.

"Come on boss." He heard the words from far away and he kissed Melia's cheek and hair and ear passionately.

"We gotta get you out of here." He ground out, and gently lowered her.

Melia twisted in his arms, gave him one very grateful look, and then grabbed the gun out of his hand, checked it expertly, shoved it into her pants waistband and then turned to pick Abby out of the blankets on the bed. She reached for Hannah, but Robert's hands were there, lifting the squirming kicking little body, and then talking to her gently, reminding her of who he was, and the times they'd played together, until she calmed and gazed at him with interest.

"This will never do." A voice said behind him and suddenly a black jacket was thrown over him. "Put the kid inside, under this. It will free up one arm." So he did, zipping her securely into his chest and giving Melia a once over, her face was set.

Only moments had passed. There was still shouting and gunshot from above. This time he let Rory and Jack lead. They raced up the corridor, one in front and one in back of them, and made it to the stairs that led to the main deck. At the top they could see that Villarino's men had been mostly subdued, there was one though, guarding the way down to their precious cargo. Robert stepped to the bottom of the stairs, watching the guard take fire from above, and deliver it as well. His powerful leg was visible, and a bare tanned arm, dripping blood, indicating he'd been hit. Robert didn't have a good shot. He retreated back around the bottom of the stairwell.

"Is there another way out?" he gritted, staring back at Rory and Jack, and checking Melia's tightly clenched teeth. She looked brittle, worked over. Her eyes were fierce, but scared, as she clutched Abby to her in preparation for getting away from those who had held them bound. He caught her gaze as they both turned from the stairwell, and he gave her one piercing look.

"I can't believe how utterly idiotic you are."

She gave him an incredulous glare, eyed the stairwell again and then with her free hand grabbed his chin, pulled him to her and kissed his mouth hard.

His shock was devastating. He'd expected anything but that particular response. She kept staring at him with those wide, fierce, but injured eyes, hair falling over her brow haphazardly. Without waiting he bent forward and captured her lips for a firm kiss of his own. "I'm not done with you yet, and one kiss doesn't get you off the hook." He hissed and then turned away assured for the moment that they were okay... together, they were okay, in danger.... But still .....okay.

The guard suddenly crashed to his knees, blood spurting from his neck and chest, and he tumbled down the stairs, crashing into the wall, his gun going off all around him. Robert grabbed Melia and the babies and bent over them protectively, ushering them back from the foot of the stairs, and then when the crashing stopped, Rory dashed up the steps ahead of them and jerked his gun in a "come on" fashion.

Just as they were clearing the stairwell shouts were heard above and a helicopter began whirling around them. More shots were fired, this time from above, and Robert had his hands full trying to get Melia and the babies secured without getting them shot. The pirate's boat was not familiar, but the side of the boat where they would have to jump over was close. However, they all knew they couldn't outrun a hostile helicopter. Yelling ensued.

Robert assessed the situation. Pirates were down all over the deck, blood was everywhere as if the waves had come on board... waves of red and pink and dark red. Ahead some of his own men were holding two pirates against a wall, and Billy and Jim were waving another two up the stairs, but they all ducked for cover when the helicopter started firing again. Robert lifted his wrist to his lips and spoke into his armband receiver. "Kill that bird." He yelled.

Moments later, a shot was fired from his boat, as one of his men fired the rocket-propelled grenade at the helicopter, slashing it into a zillion pieces as it exploded, and dove right for them. Robert and Rory grabbed the girls and sprang to the side of the boat, effectively jumping across and then running over the deck to jump once again back onto their own boat.

******