It was still dark outside when Robert woke. With one eye still closed he looked at the clock and smiled. It was only 4:20 and the alarm was set for 7:00. He rolled over and moved up close against Calista's back. He put his leg over her and reached around in front and began caressing the inside of her thigh and then moved his hand upward.

She mumbled sleepily into her pillow, "What time is it?"

"Early."

"How early?"

"Early enough for some low down, dirty, morning sex," he groaned, biting her shoulder. He began moving rhythmically against her back while his hand continued to caress and stimulate her.

Instinctively, she arched her back and offered herself to him and he entered her from behind. He moved slowly and deliberately and then repositioned Calista so that she was on her hands and knees in front of him. His thrusts went deeper and became more urgent until they both climaxed. He laid his head down on her back and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I love you," he said breathlessly. "I love you."

They stayed in that position for more than a minute before Robert disengaged himself. Laying back down, he pulled her into his arms. Kissing her ear he whispered, "Now, that's what I call starting the day off right."

She curled up against him. "Do we have time to go back to sleep?"

"Um hm. It's only 5:00," he said. "Uh .. unless you wanna go for another ride."

"Bobby, are you trying to kill me before Christmas so you won't have to buy me a present?" she laughed.

"No, actually I was thinking I'd like to give you the same present as last year," he said licking her neck.

Stretching her legs, she yawned sleepily and burrowed into her pillow. She closed her eyes and purred, "Hmm, that's tempting. But, let's sleep on it."

Just then a piercing scream came from Liam's room.

Robert jumped up grabbing a blanket off the bed. He wrapped it around him as he ran down the hall. Calista was right behind him.

Liam was sitting up in bed with his eyes closed, screaming.

Robert sat down on the edge of his bed and held him close, "Shh. Shh. It's all right, sweetie. It was only a bad dream. Mommy and daddy are here. Nothing can hurt you. You're okay. We're here." He rocked Liam in his arms and kissed the top of his head.

Between sobs, Liam mumbled, with his eyes still closed, "mossermossermosser."

"There's no monsters, baby. You just had a bad dream. That's all. Everything's okay now."

Liam's cries gradually ebbed and his sobs became muffled. Burying his face in Robert's stomach, he quickly fell back to sleep. Robert laid him down gently and covered him. He brushed the hair back from his son's face and smiled lovingly at the beautiful, helpless child who trusted him and depended on him.

Calista came up behind Robert and put her arms around his waist. She kissed his ear and said quietly, "I'm gonna go start the coffee."

"Yeah," he whispered, "guess I'll jump in the shower."

Just to be on the safe side, Robert looked around Liam's room, and then checked the windows. They were still locked and everything seemed in order. He eyed the closet door and stared at it for a few moments, apprehensively. He grabbed Liam's small baseball bat and slowly walked across the room. He studied the door for several seconds before jerking it open. Using the bat, he poked around inside the closet until he was satisfied it contained only clothes. Turning to take a final glance around before he closed the door, Robert headed toward the bathroom.

After dressing, Robert was headed for the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Calista approached as he opened the door.

On the steps stood Liam, looking very wide-eyed and frightened, with a sucker in his hand.

"What th....?" Robert turned to Calista incredulously.

"Oh my God. What the hell's going on?" she asked shakily.

Liam was obviously scared and they checked every part of him immediately to make sure he was all right physically. It was then they saw the note pinned to his pajamas.

Robert picked Liam up so they could read it. All it said was, "IT WOULD BE THIS EASY."

"Robert," Calista said looking at him helplessly, "someone was in our house."

"Yeah. Which means they must've cut the alarm."

"How could this happen?" she asked. "I thought your friend had some people watching the house for us."

"Me, too," he replied angrily.

Calista reached for the note.

"No, don't touch it," Robert cautioned, "or the sucker. Um...um...go..uh.. get a baggie or something to put ‘em in."

"Why?" she asked.

"I don't know!" he confessed, "it's what they do on all the cop shows. Ya know, fingerprints and all that shit."

"What good's that gonna do?" she asked, "we already know who it is."

They both turned to each other at the same time, with the same thought. Robert took off running down the hall toward Cally's room with his heart in this throat. He doubled over with relief when he saw his daughter innocently sleeping. He checked the windows and the closet and then buzzed Maria on the intercom. Within seconds Maria was there.

"Don't let her out of your sight - not for a second," Robert warned in a loud whisper. "And, if you hear anything suspicious or see anything ... ANYTHING ... unusual - SCREAM!!"

Maria, very frightened, nodded her head, having no idea what was going on.

He patted her arm reassuringly and said more calmly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya like that. I promise I'll fill you in on everything in a little while," he told her.

When he joined Calista and Liam, she had the note and sucker secured in a baggie. Robert located Det. Craiger's card and dialed his number.

The police were there within 10 minutes and Robert detailed everything for Det. Craiger.

"How long before you called the police?" the detective asked looking around..

"Well," Robert thought, "after we found Liam, I went to check on our daughter, gave instructions to the Nanny, and then I called you. It was probably ...."

Calista interjected, "It couldn't have been more than five or six minutes, detective."

Robert nodded in agreement.

Det. Craiger handed the baggie to one of the other officers. "We might get lucky with those," he said eyeing the contents, "but, don't get your hopes up about us finding anything more than we already know."

Robert sighed and shrugged. A realization suddenly hit him. "Oh, shit!" he said.

Both Calista and the detective looked at him questioningly.

He looked back and forth between them several times. "You can't begin to know how much I hate bringing this up." Robert stopped to glance helplessly at Calista. "But, if someone got into our house and got at our son, what're the chances there's drugs stashed that we don't know about."

Calista leaned her head back and, closing her eyes, sighed in frustration.

The detective studied Robert for a long time before asking, "Do .. you .. want us to conduct a search?"

"No," Robert said honestly, ".... but I guess you have to, don't you? So we'll know?"

"Well," Detective Craiger replied lazily, "you really haven't had a chance to look through the house .. I mean .. to .. uh.. see if anything's missing. Why don't I give you time to do that. And, I'll come back this afternoon."

Robert looked at him gratefully, aware that the detective was going way out on a limb for him. He gave him a genuinely appreciative smile, "Thanks."

"When are you leaving town?" Det. Craiger asked.

"Sunday morning."

"Well, I'll post some men outside till then. And, you'd better call your alarm company and get them out here right away."

"I'll do that first thing," Robert answered. "Uh...have you been able to find out anything at all about why these guys are after me?"

"No," Det. Craiger replied, shaking his head sympathetically. "But, we ARE working on it. Really."

After the police were gone, Robert called the alarm company and then Warren. "I have no idea where to begin searching, Warren. I need help. Any suggestions?"

"First," Warren asked, "is everyone all right?"

"Well, yeah," Robert said, "physically. But emotionally we're wrecks."

"I've got a friend who runs a canine training facility," Warren said, "he trains drug sniffing dogs for the police academy. I'll give him a call and see if he's got any loaners."

"Great. Let me know."

"Call ya back in a few," Warren responded.

Robert then called the friend who had arranged for the two men as added protection outside the house. "I don't know where they are, Robert," his friend said, "I've tried reaching them on their cells, but they're not responding."

"Well, I'm paying ‘em a goddamn pretty penny, so when you get find 'em, lemme know," Robert said, "cause I'm gonna rip ‘em both a new asshole. This isn't fun and games anymore - some lunatic is threatening my children."

When Robert entered the kitchen, Calista looked up at him. She was holding Cally tightly and Liam was in his high chair immediately next to her. Fear was written all over her face.

He sat down and caressed his daughter's cheek. Taking Calista's hand, he smiled sadly and said, "I'm so sorry, baby. As if drugs weren't enough for you to cope with ... now I've put you and the kids in danger."

"Bobby, if they'd wanted to hurt me or the kids, they could've done it at any time. I think it's you they're after. And, that's what scares me." Her eyes were tearful, "If anything happens to you, I don't know I'd do."

"I'm a survivor," he said gently, "haven't you figured that out by now?" Leaning over, he kissed her sweetly. "And, besides, I told you before, you're never gonna get rid of me."

The phone rang and it was Warren telling him that he and his friend would be over in an hour with a couple of drug sniffing dogs.

"Hang on a minute, Warren," Robert said and then asked Calista, "What time's Cally's doctor appointment."

"9:30."

Robert checked the time and was amazed that it was only 7:45 a.m. "Um .. Warren, could you make it about 11:00? Cally's got a doctor's appointment this morning and I don't want Calista going alone."

"Sure," Warren replied, "see you at 11:00."

Taking no chances, Robert packed Calista and both kids in the car and they all went to Cally's appointment. The doctor confirmed that Cally was thriving. She'd grown more than two inches and weighed almost 8-1/2 pounds. Calista checked with the doctor for any last minute needs Cally might have before they left the country, and they were back home before 10:30, just in time to greet the man from the alarm company.

After checking the alarm system, the man confirmed that the wires had been cut from the inside. He went about repairing them, and setting a new security code. He also told them he was adding a few other safety devices, notably an outdoor camera with a motion sensor that would be hooked up to an inside monitor. "The minute it's tripped," he told them, "an alarm will sound inside. And, I'm gonna set the camera in such a spot that nobody can get to it without tripping it."

The alarm technician went about his work. Several minutes later, Warren arrived with two dogs and their owner, Lyle Stevens, whom he introduced to Robert and Calista.

"Okay," Robert asked, "where do we get started?"

Lyle looked at Robert and Warren, "I'll get started with the dogs. Why don't you two start checking drains, toilets, air vents, lamps, light fixtures ..um... including the switch boxes, and any other place you never really think about."

They all agreed and started on the venture. For more than three hours, they performed an exhaustive search. Lyle specifically set the dogs loose in closets to check pockets, shoes, purses, luggage, boxes, and every nook and crevice. The dogs sniffed under mattresses, behind drapes, in drawers, in all the house plants, in the children's toys, in flour and sugar and other accessible containers in the kitchen, and when he was through in the main house, Lyle took the dogs into the garage and then out to the pool house. After he was through with that, he led the dogs around the perimeters of the front and back yards to sniff the bushes and trees. He even checked Liam's play arena and sandbox.

It was almost 2:30 when they all met back in the kitchen. Lyle said, "These dogs have been over the entire house, garage, yard, and pool house, inch by inch, there's nothing."

Looking at him cautiously, Robert asked, "You're absolutely sure - you didn't miss anything?"

"If we missed any place, Robert, then there's secret passages in the house and underground tunnels that nobody knows about."

Robert sighed in relief. "Well, that's that. I can't thank you enough Lyle. But, I almost wish we'd found something. Now, it's like we're just sitting around waiting for the other shoe to fall."

"Anything else you want me to do, Robert?" Warren asked.

"Nah. But, thanks, you've been a big help."

"Well, guess I better be going, Rob," Lyle said , "so I can get these dogs back. If you need my help again, just call, okay?"

Lyle was about 38. A pleasant looking, likable guy. "How about the next time I call you, it's for a friendly get together," Robert smiled.

"You've got yourself a deal," Lyle grinned, extending his hand. "Hope you and your family have a safe and fun trip."

"Thanks."

Robert and Calista both walked them to the door and then Calista went out back to finish up with the alarm technician. On her way back inside, she bent down and picked up several cigarette butts off the patio. "Are these yours?" she asked the alarm man.

"No m'am. I don't smoke," he answered.

Robert's been sneaking around again, she thought and figured he must've switched from his usual brand when she noticed the weird name on the cigarettes. Shrugging, she tossed them in the garbage and went back inside.

When they were alone, they stood and stared at each other. Robert's cell phone rang and it was Det. Craiger. "Just wanted to know," he drawled, "if there's any reason for me to come back."

"No, detective," Robert answered, "I can truthfully say, there's not."

"Good. Now, it should ease your mind and let you sleep for the next couple of nights to know that the plainclothes are already outside your house."

"Yeah," Robert replied, "that'll make us sleep a helluva lot better. Thanks ... for everything."

He hung up with the detective and glanced at Calista. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Plainclothes are stationed outside. But, I think I'll feel safer if my cousin comes over and sleeps INSIDE in Liam's room tonight and tomorrow night."

She nodded, "Maybe I should call mine, too. We can put a bed for them in Cally's room."

"Let's do it, then," Robert said. He made the calls and essentially arranged for the house to be full of people the next couple of nights.

Calista lowered her head and rubbed the back of her shoulders. Robert came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. Nuzzling her neck he asked, "You mad at me?"

She turned in his arms and looked at him in surprise. "Why would I be mad at you?"

Robert looked around and gestured with his arm, "For bringing all this down on us."

Calista put her arms around his neck, "Bobby, it's not your fault there's sick people in the world." She kissed him warmly. "Remember you told me I'd never get rid of you?"

"Um hm."

"Double ditto."

He grinned. Then he grimaced, "I guess I must be more upset than I thought."

She looked at him questioningly.

His eyes bore into hers as he whispered, "This is the first time I've held you close and didn't wanna fuck."

Calista laughed. "Robert, you're so bad."

"Yeah, but you love it."

Smirking, she said, "You're right. Naughty Bobby turns me on." She pulled him to her by his hair. Moving her body slowly back and forth against him seductively, she kissed him passionately. He returned her kiss and began running his hands up and down her back, and finally grasped her ass and pressed her into him.

"I lied," he groaned, "I do wanna fuck."

"Me, too," she said breathlessly in his ear.

Maria walked into the kitchen with Liam and Cally. "Mrs. Downey. You want me to start dinner now?" she asked.

Robert and Calista shared a look of sexual hunger. "Um ..," Calista said, "that'd be great, Maria. Mr. Downey and I are just gonna take a little nap, okay? So ... don't let the children out of your sight for a minute."

Maria gave a knowing smile and nodded.

The minute the bedroom door was closed, Robert grabbed her. His tongue explored hers and he began chewing on her lower lip as he struggled to get her out of her shorts and underpants. She unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down past his hips. They helped each other off with their teeshirts and Robert unsnapped her bra. Soon, their clothes laid in a heap on the floor. Robert pushed her against the wall and lifted her legs around him. He was kissing her throat, licking her ear, and whispering naughty, wonderful things. Her hand found him and she began stroking him. Calista arched her back and he bent down and took her breast in his mouth and began chewing lightly on her nipple. Calista's hand twisted through his hair. Robert lifted his face to kiss her and Calista placed him inside her. He made a low, growling sound as he entered her and placed his hands under her butt to help her rise and fall as their bodies melded together urgently and desperately. He stopped just as they were about to go over the edge and, still coupled, carried her with her legs locked firmly around him, to the bed. He laid her down and knelt beside her.

Starting at her foot, his tongue slowly traveled up the inside of her leg, then her inner thigh, then circled her stomach and finally found it's way back down into her sweetness. Calista groaned and grabbed his hair, writhing in pleasure. She guided him and showed him how to please her and she finally whispered, "No, Bobby, stop, I don't want to come without you." His mouth made its way up to her breast and he began sucking on her, while she moaned in pleasure. Lifting his face to hers, she kissed him. She then rolled him over and began kissing his chest and then biting him teasingly as she continued downward. When she took him in her mouth, Robert gasped and entwined his fingers in her hair. He soon stopped her and brought her up to straddle him. She slowly lowered herself onto him and they began a rhythmic dance that culminated in an almost immediate and convulsive climax for both of them.

They both fell back on the bed trying to catch their breath. Maria's voice came over the intercom telling them that dinner was ready. Robert groaned and closed his eyes, "Maybe if we ignore her, she'll go away."

Calista laughed and ran her fingers lovingly up his arm. He began rubbing her stomach, and then leaned over and laid his head on her breast. "God, I love you," he said huskily. "I've never felt more complete in my life than when I'm with you." He raised up and kissed her. "I guess I've been trying to put that into words for a long time," he smiled lovingly, "you complete me, Mrs. Downey."

She rubbed noses with him, "And, once again, Mr. D, double ditto."

After dinner they played with the kids, then bathed and tucked them in and curled up on the couch to watch television, trying to relax. Family members started arriving about 9:00 and after they visited awhile, everyone prepared to turn in for the night.

In their bedroom, Calista asked, "Are you scared?"

"Sweetheart," he answered, "we've got a new motion sensor, and a very LOUD inside monitor, a bodyguard in Liam's room, two with Cally, and there's plainclothes AND privates outside. Something tells me we can sleep soundly tonight."

She nodded reluctantly.

"Now, come to papa."

Calista sat down on the edge of the bed and rotated her shoulders trying to alleviate some stress. She sighed heavily.

"What?"

"Just thinking of everything I have to do tomorrow," she answered.

"Like what?"

"Only a million things, that's all."

"Nah, I'll pitch in. That'll only leave ya 999,999."

"And, it's so nice to know I can always count on you," she said dryly. "Honestly, I'm exhausted just thinking about tomorrow."

Robert grinned seductively, "You too tired to dance?" he asked biting her back.

Hitting him across the chest, she said, "You're an absolute animal."

"Mm hmm. But, you didn't answer my question."

Twisting her mouth into a smirk, she turned toward him. "Well .." she asked chewing on her lower lip seductively, "we talking the same song?"

"Hmm. Same song, different lyrics," he grinned. "And, maybe we can do some song writing as we go along."

She smiled and snuggled in next to him. He rolled on top of her.

"Think we'll ever get tired of doing this?" she asked.

"God, I hope not," he said kissing her.

The man in the car parked down the block, chain smoked, and watched as the bedroom light went out.

The next morning, Maria was a good sport about fixing breakfast for the troops. She made brown sugar and raisin oatmeal, a wonderful egg, cheese and ham fritata, and fresh baked scones. Sliced fruit, juice, and coffee rounded out her menu.

"Maria," Calista's cousin said, "breakfast is delicious. Thank you."

Everyone joined in the thanks.

Maria smiled, slightly embarrassed.

Robert's cousin spoke up. "What're you gonna do when the police finally catch these SOB's?"

"Not what I'd like to do, that's for sure. I read somewhere that torture's against the law."

"Did those other two guys ever resurface. Ya know, the ones your friend sent over who were supposed to be watching the outside of your house?" the husband of Calista's cousin asked.

"Yeah, apparently they'd gone on a ‘doughnut' run," Robert replied and added dryly, "now, those two I'd like to kill."

Liam spilled his milk and began to cry.

"Hey, buddy," Robert said comfortingly, "it's okay. It was only an accident, sweetie." He lifted Liam out of his highchair. "If you'll excuse me," he said to everyone, "I'd better get him cleaned up before Calista beats me up for not pullin' my weight around here."

"Yeah, that's me," she chimed in. "I never let him forget who's boss. Lift that pail, tote that barge, ya know." She sneered lovingly at Robert, "And," she said mockingly, pointing her finger at Robert, "you better get cracking. Don't want me to pull out the whip, do ya?"

"But, honey," Robert pouted, "that's for later, in private, remember?"

Calista laughed, along with everyone else. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Go to your room, Robert."

He grinned and did as she commanded.

To her cousin, she asked, "Do you wanna take Webster with you now, or in the morning?"

"Oh, it'll probably be easier if I just take him now."

Calista looked at her dog lying forlornly in the corner. "I'm gonna miss him so much. But, they told us if we took him with us he'd just be quarantined for 30 days in each port we were in, which would equate to the poor thing being in jail almost the whole time we were gone."

"We'll love having him, Cal. He'll have plenty of room to run around. So relax, he'll be fine, we'll be fine, and you'll be fine."

"Yeah," Calista acknowledged. "I know. Thanks. It's good to know he'll be with family. I couldn't have faced putting him in a kennel for three or four months."

After breakfast, Calista kissed Webster goodbye, and everyone promised to be back that night about 8:00. She walked her cousin and Webster out the back door and waved goodbye and went back into the kitchen.

"Maria," Calista said, "I've got so many things to do, I don't even know where to begin." She gave Maria an apologetic look, "I'm really sorry, but you're gonna be stuck with the kids most of the day. I've made up some bottles for Cally in the fridge. And," she stressed, "this is important. If you do absolutely nothing else today, do not take your eyes off the children - for a second - okay?"

Maria nodded. "You want me to help you or Mr. Downey with something?"

"Nope. You'll help me and Mr. Downey more than you know just by making sure our children are safe," Calista replied.

Maria smiled, "I will take care of them with my life."

"I know you will," Calista said sweetly. "You're a gem, Maria. Thanks." She then turned and headed toward the bedroom.

Robert was there, with Liam hanging on his leg, and he was tearing his dresser drawers apart.

"What are you looking for?"

"Sunglasses," Robert said.

"Robert, you've got 500 pair of sunglasses. And, they're not in your dresser drawers."

He screwed up his face, "I know, I know. But, I thought this pair might've gotten misplaced. They're sentimental."

"Sunglasses?"

"Mmm. They're the ones I had made for our first public appearance as a ‘non-couple' at the Golden Globes," he smiled.

She laughed. "I forgot ... my man .. the romantic."

He fluttered his eyelashes at her and went back to searching.

Exhaling loudly, Calista admitted, "God, if I can just make it through today and tonight, I'll be all right."

Robert gently loosened Liam from his leg and came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and put his cheek on hers. He swayed with her gently and kissed her hair. "Sweetheart, it'll be okay. The police are gonna get ‘em soon!"

"Yep," she nodded. Turning, she looked up at him apprehensively, "But, it's getting from now to then that I'm worried about."