by Mj Fields
���Harper, I���m tired okay?��� Maddox stood up.
���Maddox������ Harper began.
���Goodnight Harper,��� Maddox said and looked away.
���No, listen here friend. It was amazing. It felt great. If you weren���t my friend I would be doing it again,��� Harper scowled at him, and he smiled.
���Goodnight Harper,��� he smiled.
���Goodnight Maddox, and thank you,��� Harper grinned and turned and walked out the door.
Maddox laid down and smiled. He had thought a kiss would be awful…painful even, but it wasn���t, not at all. He smiled and looked at his bracelet examining each bead and remembered the significance of each. He closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.
* * *
Brody and Collin were sitting outside in deep conversation when Maddox walked outside.
���Good morning Dad, good morning Collin,��� Maddox smiled.
���Have a pleasant swim last night?��� Collin asked
Maddox smile fell from his face, and he looked at Brody.
���I���m sorry,��� he said softly to Collin.
���Maddox, I���m not angry, just concerned that you so easily put yourself in danger. You need to remember that until we figure out who is behind all this alright?��� Collin asked with true concern in his voice.
���Yes, I will,��� Maddox said softly.
���Good morning Daddy, Brody, and Maddox,��� Harper smiled brightly, ���I���m going to make breakfast and let Mom and Emma sleep in. Any requests?���
Collin took a deep breath, ���Don���t go for midnight swims, for starters.���
Harpers��� face fell, ���Ok.���
She turned to walk in the house and grinned at Maddox.
He couldn���t stop his answering smile, ���could I go help?���
���Sure,��� Brody smiled softly.
���Did you see the way she looked at him?��� Collin growled after the kids went inside.
Brody looked up, ���Do you truly want me to answer that or is it a rhetorical question?���
Collin smiled, ���Probably a good thing you’re leaving today.���
���I think right now they both truly think it���s a friendship. Maddox has a lot to work through before he even considers any relationship that���Well he has a lot to work on,��� Brody said sadly.
���You can’t beat yourself up over this Brody, you were fifteen and didn���t even know,��� Collin let out a groan, ���Tessa and I, on the other had have inadvertently sheltered our kids from the western ways of the world by showing them the rest of it. I have two boys that are in college now and that scares the hell out of me more than taking them to any third world country.���
Brody laughed, ���So we���re screwed either way, huh?���
���I hope not. I hope that what we teach them will always bring them back on track when they stray and I say when…because it���s all a part of growing up,��� Collin smiled, ���Your boy may not be socially ready to conquer the world, but his heart is pure and he desperately wants your acceptance. He���ll be better than fine when you get him through all of this, Brody.���
* * *
They all ate breakfast and made small talk. Tessa and Emma watched as Harper and Maddox stole glances at each other both aware of a connection the two kids had made during this time in hiding.
Brody became more anxious as the hour to leave neared. Emma watched him try to hold it together, ���Go for a run, Brody.���
���What?��� He laughed.
���Go for a run down the beach, you���re so tense right now,��� Emma rubbed his shoulders.
���You told me I didn���t get to run away when I felt like this anymore Emma, I get it now, you can���t just let go and blow off steam. We���re a family. You held it together for a long time alone and I won���t leave you alone in it again,��� Brody kissed her.
���It���s safe here. We���re leaving and you���re a ball of stress. Go run,��� Emma whispered in his ear.
���I would rather let off steam another way Em,��� Brody smiled at her.
���Okay take me right here,��� Emma leaned back and lifted her arms in the air and he laughed, and she smiled, ���Go running, and if all three little people fall asleep on the plane, well…maybe.���
���Mile high club, Em,��� he clenched his jaw and held her tightly.
���Brody go,��� Emma pushed him away, ���If you don���t let off some steam, I���m afraid you may kill me when we join that club.���
Brody laughed as she walked away.
���Hey Maddox,��� Brody yelled, ���Go for a run with me?���
���Sure,��� Maddox smiled.
* * *
They pulled into the small one strip airport at two in the afternoon. Tessa and Emma loaded the kids while Collin and Brody grabbed the bags.
Maddox and Harper stepped out of the car with the last bag.
���Maddox, thank you,��� Harper smiled up at him, ���Please stay safe and don���t be stupid. If you know something, you have to tell your Dad.���
���They���ll be fine Harper,��� Maddox looked away.
Harper took his face and turned it back towards her, ���Easy, Harper,��� Maddox smiled pulled her hands off his face.
���I want to kiss you goodbye,��� Harper said, and her face turned red.
���I don���t think that���s a good idea,��� he swallowed hard.
Harper stomped her foot and started to turn away, ���Don���t be mad at me.���
���Why does it feel like I won’t see you again? Like you don���t want to see me again?��� Harper looked at him studied his face.
���Perhaps because I���m leaving, on that plane, right there,��� Maddox joked and she smiled.
���Tell me you���ll be okay?��� Harper said sadly.
���Harper, I���m going to kiss you to shut you up, and then I���m getting on that plane. You and I can still talk, you gave me a page full of information on how to contact you,��� Maddox laughed.
���You are going to kiss me���like a friend?��� Harper blushed.
���Do friends kiss this much Harper?��� Maddox lifted her chin.
���We do,��� she whispered as she closed her eyes.
���You���re lovely Harper,��� Maddox whispered and very gently kissed her lips.
Harper grabbed his face when she felt him pull away and kissed him harder. He hunched pulling his body away, leaving his lips to hers.
���Harper, you need to stop,��� he said sadly.
She kissed him again. Her lips wrapped around his and then kissed his cheek gently and let go of his face.
He didn���t move, and his eyes remained closed.
He slowly opened his eyes and breathed, ���I want more of that, Harper.���
���Me too,��� she smiled shyly.
He rubbed her cheek and leaned in for more and she stepped back, ���When you show me I can trust you to keep yourself safe and when I see you again I���m going to kiss you until your lips are sore.���
���That���s not nice my friend,��� he said quietly.
���It���ll be very nice,��� Harper smiled.
Maddox groaned. She smiled, ���Just so you know Maddox, those kinds of kisses are magical.���
���
Do you feel���will you be kissing others like that?��� Maddox looked at her.
���Will you?��� Harper asked.
���No, no ��� I won’t,��� Maddox took her hand.
���I won’t either, unless I can’t trust you, unless you do something stupid,��� Harper scowled.
Maddox smiled, ���Thank you.���
Tessa cleared her throat, and Harper jumped.
Emma stood next to her looking down, ���Ready, Maddox?���
Maddox looked at Harper and winked, ���Yes, I am.���
Harper smiled, and he started to turn she grabbed him and hugged him, ���I���m already in trouble.���
Maddox laughed and wrapped his arms around her hugging her tightly, ���Me too, you are trouble.���
Harper kissed his cheek, and he kissed hers, ���Call me?���
���When I can,��� Maddox smiled and stepped away.
He walked toward the plane and turned and smiled at Harper, who now stood with her parents. She smiled wildly and blew him a kiss. He laughed and held up his bracelet. Harper rubbed her lips and smiled even bigger. Maddox walked on the plane.
* * *
���Look at him Em, he���s wound. He isn���t going to fall asleep,��� Brody kissed her hand, wrapped in his.
���He and Harper kissed,��� Emma looked up at Brody.
���Damn it, Tessa and Collin are going to be pissed,��� Brody groaned and flopped back against his seat.
���Tessa knows. It happened when she and I left the plane. We watched the whole thing go down. Tessa and I should have stopped it,��� Emma giggled.
���Why didn���t you?��� Brody gasped.
���I have no idea,��� Emma looked at him and smiled, ���Are you mad?���
���No, just concerned, sleep Em,��� Brody kissed her and closed his eyes leaning back.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Emma woke Maddox when they pulled in the driveway, ���We���re home.���
���Should I carry Lexington?��� He asked reaching for her.
���Thank you Maddox. Lexi can go right to bed as long as she stays asleep,��� Emma smiled as she picked up London.
London and Lexington were tucked into bed. Emma stood at the dishwasher and started to put away the dishes. She thought of Ann and all that she had done to help her through so much of the emotional stress she���d been through. She thought of Rupert and how he was a much different person since Ann had come to work for them. It hadn���t been that long but the change in Rupert was like night and day. He smiled more and was kinder. She began to cry and quickly wiped her tears away. Get it together Emma, she told herself, there���s so much more to get through.
Maddox walked into the kitchen and got a drink. Emma wiped her face, removing any tears that may still be on her face. She didn���t want him to feel unsafe. She needed to be strong.
���Should I head to bed as well?��� Maddox asked.
���Are you tired?��� Emma put away the last dish, and turned to smile at him.
���No, not really,��� Maddox looked up at Emma shyly.
���Then stay with me, we could watch TV,��� Emma smiled.
���I heard you tell Dad you needed to work. I could just go to my room and read until I���m tired,��� Maddox offered.
Emma smiled, ���What���s on your mind, Maddox?���
���I was kind of wondering about e-mail and text messaging,��� he blushed.
���Go grab your electronic things, I can help you,��� Emma giggled knowing he was thinking of Harper.
Emma and Maddox added numbers to his phone, and Emma laughed when he tried to find a screen name.
Brody walked in the room and found them laughing, ���You���re back?���
���I am, anyone need anything from me?��� Brody sat next to Maddox and smiled.
Maddox smiled, ���You���re home?���
���Yes, they didn���t have enough to hold me, and the fact that I showed up at the police station helped out I���m sure,��� Brody smiled and looked at Emma.
Emma saw the pain in his eyes and knew something had happened; he smiled and winked at her. His attempt to mask his pain.
���Do you want to watch a movie or something?��� Brody put his arm around Maddox shoulder.
���No, actually I���m a bit tired. If you don���t mind, I think I���ll go to my room,��� Maddox looked down.
Emma smiled, ���Sure Maddox, just remember what we talked about, anything sent is forever okay? That means pictures, conversations; they���re in cyber space forever and ever.���
Maddox smiled and nodded his head in agreement.
���Hey what did I miss?��� Brody looked at them and neither said anything, ���Would this have anything to do with your new friend?���
Maddox and Emma laughed, ���I can email her. She gave me her information ��� I didn���t ask for it.���
���Okay Maddox, be respectful,��� Brody stood up and hugged him.
Maddox started to walk away, ���Does that mean I shouldn���t call her wench, or threaten to smack her backside?���
Emma laughed, and Brody grabbed him and hugged him again, ���The fact that you have to ask tells me you somehow already know the answer to that. I love you.���
���I love you both, goodnight,��� Maddox said, and they heard his feet patter up the stairs.
���What���s going on Brody?��� Emma asked as he sat next to her.
���Well…Ariel overdosed, she died in her place early this morning,��� Brody looked at her.
���Are you okay? I mean you were married to her,��� Emma said softly.
���No, I���m not. I can’t help feeling that this is all related,��� Brody sat up and closed his eyes, ���We almost died Emma, Troy, my father, my ex-wife, our staff, and your sister. What the fuck is the connection other than me, and what the hell am I going to do to stop it all?���
���We stay held up here. We try our best to keep everyone safe until something clicks, until we get a lead, until the police do their jobs,��� Emma stood and paced.
���We know that no one is safe when there is a connection to me Emma. No one close anyway,��� Brody watched her walk around.
���Brody my parents������ Emma panicked.
���Clive is on his way to get them, they���ll stay with us,��� Brody said softly.
���Your sister and brother,��� Emma began to shake.
Brody stood and held her, ���Rebecca���s on her way as well. I spoke to Bobby, he���s very safe where he is, and so is Bo.���
���Thank God,��� Emma said softly.
���We need a break here Emma. I know we���ll get it, I just hate thinking those kids will be bored out of their minds held up here, and that we have to be so strong so that they won���t know how scared we are,��� Brody kissed her head.
���You���re scared?��� Emma asked.
���Yes Emma, I can’t lose you or the kids, our family. I���m not afraid to fight till the death but I am terrified that someone might hurt you,��� Brody closed his eyes.
���I feel the same Brody. Whatever we do, we do together,��� Emma kissed him.
���I really wish I���d always been so forthcoming with you. It feels so good not to hide anymore, to know now that you truly do love me, all of me the good and the bad,��� Brody kissed her.
���Alw
ays,��� Emma smiled.
���And forever,��� Brody smiled.
As they kissed they heard footsteps and Brody pushed Emma behind him protectively. He let out a breath when Clive, Henry, and Caroline walked in.
Caroline hugged Emma tightly and cried, ���You���re okay.���
���Yes Mom, we���re all fine,��� Emma hugged her back.
���Your mother���s going to sleep in with Lexington, I���ll sleep with London,��� Henry said sitting the bags down, ���For the next few nights anyway. Will you sleep with Maddox?���
���Of course.��� Brody looked down sadly, ���I���m extremely sorry I have brought this all into your lives.���
���Brody, you brought back our daughter, something we tried in vain to do for years and now we have closure. You gave us Lexington and Maddox. You love London as if she was yours, and our daughter is happy, even in this crazy mess, she���s happy and strong. We all gained so much from this. Our blessings came in the midst of our walk through hell son, we���ll all get there,��� Henry hugged him, ���This is all connected, I���ve worked out a theory I need to talk to you about, but I���m tired, can we do it tomorrow?���
���Of course,��� Brody said softly and patted his back.
* * *
Maddox sat at the top of the stairs listening to the conversation; he knew he was the key to unwrapping the mystery. He just had to figure out which of the three doors the truth would be behind.
He stood and went to the bathroom. When he walked out Henry was carrying the portable crib, ���Good evening Grandpa Henry.���
Henry smiled, ���Hey Maddox, how would you like to have a sleepover with your sister and I tonight?���
���Sure,��� Maddox smiled, ���I���ll grab the cot, no need to disrupt Lexington.���
Brody and Emma walked up the stairs and smiled, ���Are you going back to bed?���
���I���ll sleep in with Lexington and Henry if that is alright,��� Maddox smiled shyly.
