Anna was sore and tired and laying on the couch in the family room. Carson was holding Elizabeth while Kendall kept showing him toys, "Anna, are you sure you are ok?"
Anna smiled, "I am more than okay. I just wish that Nancy was here. This is all getting to be ridiculous."
Carson nodded at the statement when Kendall suddenly said, "pop pop." Carson kissed the little girl on the head and smiled, "That's right I am your grandpa, pop pop is that what you are going to call me?" The little girl turned her head from side to side and said "pop pop again." Anna giggled and her Uncle couldn't be any happier.
Joe entered the room with Frank, "well, Chet is on his way over."
Anna furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him, "Oh, any special reason?"
"It's complicated. When he gets here we will get into all the details." Frank said with a sigh as he plopped down in one of the oversize chair.
"Does he know?"
"At this point I feel too many people know, Phil is setting up a secure line so we can all web cam. He is part of this now whether any of us like it or not."
"I haven't seen Philip since Christmas. I hope he is well."
"In between jobs," Joe shrugged at Anna. Anna nodded and Joe kissed her head and went into the dining room. Anna sighed and smiled at her Uncle, "think you can handle the two of them while this meeting is going on?"
"Of course," he said while ticking Elizabeth's feet. Anna smiled, "If you need me I'm will be in the kitchen getting some snacks together for everyone." Her Uncle nodded and she popped into the kitchen to prepare some finger sandwiches and some other snack foods.
Chet Morton walked into the kitchen and smiled, "Hey Anna, need some help?" Anna turned and smiled at him and put down the bag of chips and gave him a big hug. "No, how are you?"
"That husband of yours is keeping me busy."
"I know you got the whole Investigation Agency on you. I'm sorry." She frowned and went to juggling some plates while hold chips and pretzel bags. Chet quickly grab some of the plates from her, "let me help, where too?"
"Dining room. Now how bad as it been at the agency?" Anna said while leading the way to the dining room. Chet followed behind her, "It hasn't been too bad. I have been trying to help Frank and Joe some. The Chief came and saw me at the office today. It's about to get worse before it gets better."
Anna nodded and placed the plate and chips on the table and Joe and Frank started greeting Chet. Frank stood beside Anna, "don't worry. It will be okay." Anna just nodded, "want me to get Biff?"
"Please." Frank said as she quickly bolted out the door and Frank looked at Joe and Chet, "let's finish hooking this computer screen up so we can get this over with."
Everyone was gathered around the dining room table and Philip Cohen was on the computer screen at one end of the table with a camera on top. "Everyone ready to get this over with," Joe said and everyone nodded. Frank turned to the screen, "Phil you are sure this is a secure line."
"Trust me, it's so encrypted we are safe. Did you get the files I sent you?"
"Yes, thanks for that." Joe said and Anna gave him a questioning look, she was so lost in confused and when she turned to George who was sitting beside her and she looked just as lost. Biff quickly chimed in, "let's fill everyone in from the beginning."
"Okay, well Phil doctored some video feed for us mixing some recording George took of Elizabeth and Kendall and mixed in some other recordings we took to make it look like we were here with George." Frank started out and before Anna could ask another question Chet started to talk, "The Chief came to me and wanted me to look at some video feed from the bank. He knows the boys are busy and figured that the Investigation office could still help. He doesn't have enough resources and is so busy trying to figure out the shooting."
Joe then spoke, "we won't be caught, baby. We are covering all our bases but this creep called Frank again this morning. We have to break his brother out of jail or he will kill Nancy." Anna and George eyes widen and Anna saw Frank cringe.
Anna shook her head, "this has to stop." Everyone nodded in agreement. Joe glanced at Anna, "we have decided enough people have been hurt. You will be going to London in 3 days." Anna went to protest but Joe continued, "You are pregnant with my babies. I will go whatever I have to. I will protect you, Kendall, and my unborn children." Anna had tears falling down her face and Joe came beside her and placed her on his lap.
Frank continued while Joe sat in her chair and she was crying in his shoulder, "Mom, dad, Biff, George, Carson, the girls, and you will go. Bess can tag along if she wants. She is still in the city but Ms. Miller is perfectly fine now. Things are back to normal there. Phil is going to catch a flight this evening and Chet will help us." Anna looked up, "I don't agree with this."
Joe spoke softly to her, "you don't have to. Just know I will do whatever it takes to keep our family safe. Just go please." Anna nodded and the guys finished talking about some few last minute details.
Anna was bent over a toilet, when Joe walked into their bathroom, "baby, here is some sprite." He handed her the bottle and she groaned while she slowly set up, "why is it morning sickness if it's all the time." Joe rubbed her back and kissed her forehead, "I know baby, but after the afternoon the stress probably isn't helping."
Anna looked up at him while still sitting in front of the toilet, "I don't want to go. Why are you trying to get rid of us?" Joe sighed and kneeled down beside her and brushed her hair behind her ear, "baby, how can you think that? Don't you think I want to be with you every step of the way?" He wiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks and placed a kiss on each eye, "baby, I love you. I don't want to miss any of this pregnancy not like I did with Kendall's. I want us in this together for the long run."
"Then just leave with us, we can have a new life in London." She said between sobs. Joe held her and rocked them back in forth on the bathroom floor, "oh baby, I would love that more than anything. But you want Nan back. Elizabeth needs her mom, and Frank is lost without Nancy."
"I just want to be selfish for once in my life. I'm so tired of everything being ripped away from me."
"I understand that. Last year was so rough and things got better and now this. Trust me baby, we will have that calm back. It will be happy times again." Anna nodded and Joe kissed her head, "Let's get you in bed. I will put Kendall to be after you calm down some more."
Joe picked up his wife and carried her to their bed. Carefully removing her clothes she wore that day and slipping one of his tee-shirts on over her head. He stopped and rubbed her small bump and kissed it, "I love you both." Anna gave him a small smile, "we love you Joe."
Joe got Anna to lay down and he held her. He glanced at the clock and in bold red it read 8:30. It was a little past Kendall's bedtime but he didn't want to leave Anna till she was asleep. He held her tight whispering in her ear, "I love you so very much, Anna Hardy. My beautiful wife, who is carrying my beautiful babies, you have given me so much. I already have one beautiful daughter who looks more like her mom every day." Anna muttered in a sleepy voice, "She looks like her daddy."
Joe smiled and kissed her neck, "shhh baby, just go to sleep. I'm so lucky to have you. I love you so much." He held her listening to her breath just staring at her till she finally fell asleep. He continued to lie there a little longer but when he noticed it was a little after 9 he quietly got up and slipped out the door.
He walked down to the family room to see Biff holding Kendall, "I have to say Kendall certainly loves her Uncle Biff." Biff smiled up at him as Kendall was flipping through a book, "you know I would do anything to protect them." Joe nodded and sat down on the couch beside Biff, "you have already proved it. Thank you so much for protecting Anna."
"Joe through everything we have grown to be close. It wasn't always like that but after last year, I hope you realize I consider you my family."
Kendall started reaching for her dad and Biff kissed her head and handed her to Joe. Kendall curled up in her dad's arms. Joe smiled at her then looked at Biff, "you know you are family. I know you would do whatever you could to help us and it's mutual. I need to ask you to do something for me."
"Anything."
"I don't know how all this will end. I need my family safe in London while this goes on. If anything happens to me, promise me you will watch after them all. I can't bear Anna going through this pregnancy completely alone. If something goes wrong she might not even have Nancy. She needs people to support her, that aren't my parents or Carson."
"I will do whatever it takes. You know that, she will always have George and me."
"Thanks Biff. It means more than you will ever know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"Family, Joe."
Joe smile and nodded. He glanced down at Kendall who was asleep in his arms. He stood up quietly, "I'm going to put this sleeping princess to bed. Thanks again Biff. Goodnight."
"Night."
Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I'm sorry I didn't get it up sooner, it turned out to be a long busy weekend. Enjoy everyone! Thanks for reading. Reviews pleaseeee, I love your feedback and suggestions and try to improve to what you guys want to see. Thanks again!