We both woke up around the same time, which was 7:45. I smiled remembering last night's events. I looked over to see Lee's hair a mess. If his was bad, I wonder what mine looked like.

Out of all the times we have had sex last night was the best. For a start we were out in the bush with a war to worry about. Now being relatively safe, except for the miner detail of the soldiers that come from over the border, I would class it as one of the best.

I got out of bed and snuck back down to my own room. Not long now until we didn't have to sneak around the kids.

The sound of doors closing told me they were up and I stiffly got up and walked out. The kids were carrying out their usual morning antics and in which started yelling and screaming over who got the last of the Cornflakes and who got the last piece of bread. I made a mental note to go food shopping today. Just one of the many things that had to get done. Lee would have to go back to work today, so I'll have to ask Fi to watch the kids. Poor Fi, I'll have to get her a bunch of flowers or something.

By then the kids had woken Homer and Fi, but I had a feeling Lee was already awake because he walked out all dressed for work not long after I had. He said goodbye to Homer and Fi, gave me a quick kiss and was out the door in 30 seconds.

I stood there wondering how he did it. How did he run after the kids and attend work, plus these night raids over the border? I would never know. Fi wander out from her room fully dressed and ready for the day.I decided to take a quick shower, grabbed the last of the breakfast food and went food shopping with Homer.

We took the usual route to the center of town; down Ruthren street then down Hibros street. Homer was tapping a random beat on the dashboard, which he knew irritated me greatly. Just when I was about to yell and scream at him, I stopped the car to a halt. It was hard to pick at first, but with some concentration I saw something that sent shivers down my spine. A man, well, a soldier, was creeping around a corner, his head turning like a sprinkler. I narrowed my eyes, then looked for his target. Another man was crouched behind a Dump Master, staring intently at the corner.

I grabbed Homer's arm, but there was no need, he had seen it too. I slide out of the car, landing a little less graciously than intended and began to run to a car across the street, directly in line with the two soldiers. Heavy footsteps behind me told me Homer wasn't far behind.

We were in hearing range of what was being said, but they were speaking in their own language. Despite the language barrier,it was easy enough to see what was going man who had joined the one in the alley was receiving some sort of an update. Homer and I looked at each other with a question mark on our face. How long had this been going on? What were these two enemy soldiers doing over the border?

"We have to report this to the authorities." I quickly whispered. Homer quickly shook his head in disagreement.

"No, we have to report this to Liberation. The authorities can't do a thing. I'll give Bronte a call after we finish in town." After the strange meeting in the alleyway, we both slunk back towards the car and continued on our way.

Shopping was a struggle these days. With only one income with 5 kids, to say it was a struggle was an understatement. After many items returned to the shelves (and Homer jumping on a trolley and riding it down an isle), the food was paid for and loaded into the car.

"We should go back and look for clues." Homer spoke up suddenly jumping into the passenger side.

"We looked, remember? Nothing was left." I said starting the engine and pulling out of the car park.

We drove back the way we'd come, creeping up to the corner. We moved a little less cautiously to the alley way.

Homer was right on going back, although I'd never tell him that. There, lying in an over flowing trashcan was a piece of paper, which in no doubt was left by the soldiers. I read the contents of the paper, while Homer looked over my shoulder.

"72 Harris Dr. That's near home" I shuddered, thinking how close the soldiers were to home.

"It could be a trap." He replied. I knew he was right, it very well could be a trap.

"Yes, it could be. But what if they've been spying on us again? I couldn't handle it if Gavin was taken again, let alone one of the other kids. What if they're killed because we didn't do anything?" I spoke quickly, panic slowly setting in.

"Alright alright, I'll make a call to Liberation when we get home." I didn't bother correcting him about it being our home, Lee's and I.

Like before, we slunk back the way we'd come and were on our way home. I was only semi concentrating on the road. A million questions swimming around inside my head, trying to fight its way out. I began to shake, thinking what would happen if any of the kids, or Fi were injured while we were gone.

I pushed on the accelerator harder and sped on, driving a little faster than the speed limit.

I left the shopping and raced inside our apartment, barging the door open so hard it swung back and almost closed again.

"Fi?" I called, searching the rooms, before relaxing, finding in the lounge reading a book she'd borrowed the night before. Fi looked up startled.

"Everything alright?" I shook my head slowly, trying to catch my breath.

"No, not really."

She waited for me to go on, but when she realised I wasn't about to, she stood and walked to the kitchen. Fi found a couple of clean mugs when Homer walked into the room with a couple of shopping bags in hand.

"Thanks for ditching El." Fi flicked on the jug and made us all coffees.

After I'd calmed down and was halfway through my second, (or third, I wasn't sure), coffee for the day, I began to tell her what we found.

"And you think they're planning on abducting Gavin again?"

"Maybe…" I said looking down into my coffee. I felt a shiver run down my spine at the thought. Fi rubbed her scar subconsciously, processing the new information.

Homer was already in the office making the phone call to the Pimpernel. He had the door closed, but it wasn't hard to imagine what he was saying. After we'd finished our coffees, we drifted into different parts of the apartment. Fi lingered in the kitchen while I stood silently in Lee's room.

I heard Homer come out from the office and talk quietly with Fi, but I couldn't make out the words. My entire body seemed to shut down. Without thinking I sat on the corner of the bed and took to sucking my thumb. A small niggling thought snuck into my head that in the early hours of this morning Lee and I had made love on this bed, our love had filed the entire room and many hours later, my world seemed to have fallen apart.

I didn't cry. I was shaking too much for that. Neither Homer nor Fi interrupted my thinking until I looked up at the clock and saw the figures 5:08pm. I was so into my own little world that I hadn't even heard the bus pull up or the kid's barge in the door. I stood from the bed and walked out into the lounge room. Fi was chopping away at some veggies for dinner. Homer was seated on a stool watching her. Both looked up when they heard me emerge.

I heard Gavin yelling at Paul in the bathroom. I went into each room individually, checking up on each child. These people were the most important people to me right now and I made a note that I would never take my eyes off them again.