Disclaimer not mine. Sorry for delay in updating. Real life has been getting in the way.

Cost?

Ben sat on the edge of the sofa staring at the small cell phone in his hand. He had listened to Gillian and Cal for the last ten minutes without saying anything. He knew Cal was begining to become agited. He knew the pacing was never really a good sign.

"So, Emily complain of anyone at school hassling her?"

"No." Cal glanced at Gillian as she shook her head.

"You spoke to her mom?"

"No." Cal sighed. "Emily asked us not to. Got to respect the kid's wishes. She ain't a baby." Cal closed his eyes as they heard a slight cough coming from the doorway.

"Dad is right." Emily snapped as Gillian bit her bottom lip. "I don't want my mom told. She has enough to deal with at the moment."

"Work." Cal snarled.

"It is the biggest case of her career." Emily automatically defended her mother.

"When isn't it?" Cal snapped.

"Cal." Gillian snapped. She had never liked Zoe but didn't want to alientate her step daughter by agreeing with him in front of her.

"You had no right to do this. To run to Ben and the FBI when I didn't even want the police involved. I got scared and I came home. Now I'm wondering if that was the right thing to do."

"Em." Cal stepped towards her as she folded her arms. Ben shook his head before getting to his feet. He had known the teenager since the Lightman Group had started and knew when she was beign defiensive.

"This isn't about what happened at school." He started as Emily turned her attention to him. He knew she was reading him, looking for the slightest indication he was not telling her the truth. "I don't care about some stupid frat house party where a bunch of kids with more brains than sense got drunk."

"I was not drunk." Emily flashed a look at Gillian who had her eyes fixed on Cal, looking for any signs that her husband was about to explode.

"Good." Ben smiled slightly. "Good to hear it. But it aint even about that. Why I'm here. Your Dad called me to ask my advice about this text."

"Text?"

"Yeah, look when you were in bed your phone bleeped." Cal started.

"I'm sorry Emily." Gillian sighed. "I shouldn't have read it but I did and it was a threatening text."

"Let me see."

"Em."

"LET ME SEE!"

"You'll wake the baby." Cal sighed.

"Dad. Trust me. Let me see that message or I swear I will wake the dead never mind the baby."

Cal nodded once before Ben handed the cell phone to her.

"Oh my God."

"How did he get your number?" Ben asked gently. Emily shook her head, clearly shaken.

"He knows where I am."

"Sweetheart." Cal stepped towards her. "How did this person get your number?"

"Might be from one of the girls in my dorm." Emily stared at the phone. Cal hated the way she had drained of all colour. "Maybe."

"Did you give your cell phone number to anyone?"

"No Ben. Well, not to any guys."

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"Eli." Ria handed him a mug of coffee as he looked up. The baseball game on the screen in the corner temporarily forgotton.

"Thanks." He smiled, taking the mugs from her.

"You ok?"

"Yeah."

"You've keep quiet since you came back from your road trip with Lightman."

"I'm fine." Ria nodded slightly as he returned her smile. She flopped down on the sofa next to him as his eyes returned to the television. He knew she was not going to give up but he had no intention of breaking Cal's trust by gossiping. He sipped his coffee and kept his eyes on the screen.

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The street was still dark when Ben finally left. He knew Emily was now more scared than ever and couldn't think when he had last seen Cal so angry or Gillian more concerned. Shaking his head he walked across the street to his car unaware of the figure watching him from the shadows.

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A/N more soon.