Chapter 10

"What time did your parents say they would be here?" Patrick was getting worried – they had been back from the cabin for almost an hour and Emma still wasn't home.

"I just texted my mom and she said they were on their way here. She also said that she had something that she and dad wanted to talk to us about." Robin couldn't shake the feeling that any happiness she and Patrick had found was about to be torn away. "Come here."

Patrick sat down next to her. "What?"

"I love you." Robin reached up and gently stroked his face. She was about to say something else when she felt a movement in her belly. She grabbed Patrick's hand and put it on her belly. "He moved!"

Patrick sat there for a moment, holding perfectly still until he felt a little vibration in Robin's belly. It was subtle but it was there. "He did it again!"

Robin laughed and then pulled Patrick into a kiss. Patrick responded instantly and started to lean back on the couch, taking his pregnant wife down with him.

"Would you two please get a room?" Robert stomped into the house with Emma and Anna right behind him. "I really do not need to see that and neither does your daughter."

Emma pushed past her grandparents and ran straight into her parents open arms. "I'm home. Did you have a good time?"

"Yes sweetie we did." Robin hugged Emma close.

"Did you do anything fun?" Emma's innocent question led to a laugh from Patrick.

Robin glared at her husband. "Your daddy and I talked – a lot."

"Luv, why don't you go unpack while Grandpa Robert and I talk to your parents?" Anna sat down next to Robin while Robert paced the room.

"Okay grandma." Emma grabbed her little bag and headed up the stairs.

Robin waited until she was certain Emma couldn't hear her and turned to her mom. "What happened?"

Robert took the lead. "There is no easy way to say this – Tyson escaped."

Patrick instinctively pulled Robin onto his lap and held her close. "What does this mean? Do you think he is going to come after us?"

"I think he will lay low for awhile and then make another attempt to get back at you." Robert sat down in a chair and sighed. "Unfortunately for us, Tyson is the least of our worries."

"Helena." Robin shook her head. "She's not done with me yet, is she?"

"No my dear, she isn't." Robert got out of his chair and kneeled before Robin. He took her hand in his. "I wish this was over but it's not."

"So what do we do now?" Patrick was scared for Robin and their children. "Extra security? Alarm system?"

"If it were just Tyson that would be enough but with Helena being behind this…" Robert's heart broke as he saw the tears begin to fall down his daughter's face.

"I need to disappear." Robin buried her head in Patrick's chest. "The only way we'll ever be safe is if I go into hiding – somewhere Helena can't find me."

Anna began rubbing Robin's back, tears of her own falling. "Yes, you need to go and you cannot contact anyone until she is dead."

"No!" Patrick shook his head. "I will not lose you again."

Robin looked at Patrick. "But to keep you and the kids safe…"

"Then we go together." Patrick looked at Robert. "After all, Helena would have no problem using me or the kids to get Robin to come out of hiding. We are a family and I refuse to let anyone destroy that ever again."

"But Matt and your dad…"

"I'll miss Matt but, let's face it, I never see my dad anymore. You and the kids are what matters most to me and we need to do this together." Patrick kissed Robin and then looked at Robert. "What will this be – witness protection?"

"Not quite." Robert and Anna had expected Patrick to take this stand and they didn't blame him. His number one priority would always be Robin and the kids. "We don't know who we can trust so this will have to stay between us. We will make all the arrangements but, after you leave town, you cannot contact anyone – including us – again. At least not until Helena is dead and gone and we can guarantee your safety."

Patrick nodded his head in agreement to the terms Robert had just laid out. "We understand. Tell us what we need to do and we will do it."

Robert looked at Anna and then back at their daughter and son-in-law. "Here's the plan…"