"Sorry, cher, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to blindfold you for this part of our trip!" James seemed far too excited with this aspect. Molly sighed.

"Try anything and I'll break your finger," she threatened as he tossed her a black bandana. As he started his car, she rolled it up and tied it over her eyes.

"No peeking," James reminded.

"Yeah, yeah."

After he turned off the engine, he came around and opened her door to help her out of the car. He took her hands in his own and began leading her. She felt the ground change and heard a door swing open.

"Watch it, there's a step," James cautioned. Molly obeyed. A few more steps and then he stopped. "Ok, there's a chair to your left," he let go of her hands. Molly felt around before the wooden back of her chair came into her grip. "Ready for your surprise?"

"After all this, I kind of feel like I should have brought a gun, just in case," Molly drawled. James sniggered and the blindfold was torn from her face.

Big, dark eyes were an inch away from hers. Molly let out a yelp and lurched back, bringing her hands up to collide against somebody's face.

"Ouch, damn it!" Hale swore as she fell out of the chair, hitting her wooden floor hard. Laughter and cheers erupted around her as Molly took in all the smiling faces in her dining room/kitchen area.

"I knew I should have brought my gun," Molly shook her head as Tool offered her a hand up.

"Aye, ye should have!" with that Dublin brogue, she froze. In retrospect, she wasn't sure how she could have missed her grandparents, with their soft eyes and white hair, amongst her teammates.

Molly launched herself at them, not caring that she was exposing a very sensitive side to her teammates.

"Ach, mo chuisle, you look so grown up!" Mary Fitzpatrick cupped her granddaughter's cheeks and tilted her face.

"Leave her be, Mary," Ben scoffed at his wife, "A girl's got ta grow up someday. Ye look lovely, Molly," he told her sincerely.

"What are you two even doing here?"

"It's not everyday our girl turns twenty six, mo chuisle, and when Mr. Ross called us, well, we couldn't say no!" Mary said cheerfully. Molly gave Barney a look over her shoulder.

"Mr. Ross, huh?" her eyes twinkled.

"Some people have respect for me, Booker," Barney informed her. Molly threw her head back and laughed before giving him a tight hug.

"Well, thanks for that."

"Just repaying the favor. And I can't take all the credit. It was your boy and Tool who did all the planning," Barney jerked his head towards James who was conversing with Christmas and Hale. Molly blushed a pretty pink and looked down at her feet. "Don't listen to the team, Moll, James is a good kid," Barney clapped a hand to her shoulder. Molly smiled brightly.

"Thanks, boss."

Barney smiled at her before taking a swig of his beer.

Molly turned and began to visit with her grandparents. That is, until she saw Billy, who was half hidden in one corner of the kitchen, a half empty beer in his hand. Toll was standing next to him, speaking quietly.

"I'll be back," she told her grandma. Mary nodded, smiling broadly.

When Toll saw Molly approaching he ducked away hastily, offering Molly a wane smile and muttered, "Happy birthday."

"Hey," Molly took up Toll's old spot, leaning against the counter next to the ex sniper. Billy gave a forced smile.

"How's it going, birthday girl?" he asked gravely.

"Not so bad. We cool?"

Billy gave a sort of half shrug, still not meeting her eyes, keeping his blue eyed gaze trained firmly ahead of him.

"Yeah, we're cool... I've adopted a retriever. Her old owner was a history buff. He named her Roza Shanina," Billy smiled slightly.

"Russian sniper, nice," her eyes twinkled with mirth. Billy chuckled a bit at her. The tension left Molly's shoulders. Though they were a long way from where they had started out, things could only get better.

The doorbell rang and everybody got quiet. Molly didn't miss the conspiratorial look that passed between Tool and Barney.

"You should get that, Booker," Barney advised, barely repressing his grin. Molly sent him a suspicious look as she ambled down the hall to the front door. She unlocked and opened the door to see her step mother's smiling eyes.

"Lolly!" Adrian enthused, jumping up and down excitedly. Molly heaved him up into her arms, letting him rest on her hip. She hugged Dana lightly.

"What in the world are you doing here?" she asked disbelievingly.

"I've missed enough birthdays," John told his daughter seriously, giving her a loose squeeze. His expression was distant, but Molly appreciated his effort at affection.

"Who is it, lass?" her grandpa called from the kitchen. Molly felt the blood drain from her face. Oh, fu-

"Well, if it isn't Johnny Booker," her grandma drawled coolly. Molly quickly set Adrian down.

"Please, Gran, don't start-" Molly sent a pleading look to her grandpa, desperate for his help. He didn't like John Booker, but he was at least level headed about it. Mary was likely to fly off the handle, and Molly didn't really feel like dealing with the fallout.

"Molly's right, Marie," Ben told his wife sternly, "Let's not fight. Who is this strapping young lad?" he looked down at Adrian.

"Adrian!" the little boy proclaimed.

"It's nice ta meet ya, Adrian. Is this your big sister?" Ben's eyes drifted over Molly. Adrian nodded happily.

Once Molly was sure her grandma wasn't going to lose her head, she stepped out from between them and went to the kitchen.

"Please tell me you have some sort of taser on you," Molly whispered darkly to her teammates, "I have a feeling we're going to need it before tonight's over."

"What's wrong?" Tool asked blankly.

"Putting my dad and grandparents in the same room is like playing with sparklers next to a barrel of gunpowder," Molly said grimly. Her eyes snapped up when she saw her dad begin to interrogate James.

"You're new," John Booker remarked.

"Ah, no, sir, I'm-"

God, please, don't do this to me, Molly shot up to heaven.

"- with Molly."

She had to resist the urge to face palm. John's eyes shot over to his daughter.

"Oh, really?"

"Ok, thank you for playing, Dad. James, would you please help me get some more beers out of the garage?" Molly swept between them.

"You must have a f*cking death wish," she told him plainly retrieving a six pack from the fridge. James took it from her, a contemplative look on his face.

"Did you know he was coming?" he asked slowly.

"No, I would have headed him off if I had. He's never been good with my grandparents. It's going to be an awkward evening," Molly grimaced.

"Did I ever tell you that I met your dad when I was a kid? My dad ran with him for a while," James' voice had gotten low. Molly felt a prickle of unease go down her spine and she had the strongest urge to run back into the house, where all of her guns were.

"Oh yeah? I thought your dad was a SEAL," Molly said nervously.

"He was, then he got into the business. He and your dad got into a fight, about the time your mom got pregnant. You see, John Booker left a girl behind when he went after your mom. And that didn't sit well my my Dad."

Molly sprinted for the door, but James caught a fist full of her curly hair. Molly exhaled sharply, driving an elbow back into him. She heard the air gust out of his lungs, but he didn't loosen his hold. A cold barrel was pressed into the side of her neck.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be, cher," she felt his hot breath on her ear, "just walk, nice and easy, into the house. Say a word, and I'll shoot you, then I'll shoot little Adrian."

"You leave him alone!" she spat. James gave her hair a hard jerk.

"Cooperate and I will. Now walk."

Trying to keep her heart rate steady under the thrum of adrenaline in her veins, she let James walk her out of the garage, across the breezeway, and into the kitchen.

"If anybody goes for their guns, her brains will be decorating the walls," James barked. Molly watched as a ripple went through her team.

If the situation had been any different, the way they all reached for their guns would have been almost comical.

"What the f*ck, Devereaux?" Tool demanded. All the blood drained from John's face.

"Devereaux. Charlie's boy."

"So glad to see you remember me, old man," James seethed, "you remember auntie Ariana as well?"

"Enough with the damn monologues. Let Adrian and Dana go. They don't need to see this shit," Molly spat. The sharp edge of the barrel dug harder into her neck.

"Don't f*cking order me around, Marie. John, send your boy over here-"

"Forget it!" Molly snarled, trying to jerk away from James. Anger was coursing hot through her veins. She had trusted him, she had been falling for him, and he was after her dad.

"Careful, Molly, this trigger is very sensitive-"

"You shoot me, you've lost your leverage and they'll kill you," Molly hissed.

"That's why the kid needs to come over here. Johnny boy won't be too defiant when I've got both of his kids at gun point," James snarled.

"Look, I'll go with you, just leave 'em alone," John stepped forward, his hands up on his head. James let out a dark laugh.

"Sure. I'll just wander off alone with the Lone Wolf," James said sarcastically, "Ain't going to happen. Where do you keep your zip ties, cher?"

Molly ground her teeth. James pulled on her hair sharply, yanking her head back.

"Just tell him, Marie," John said soberly.

"They're in the drawer by the fridge," Molly said curtly.

"Mrs. Booker, if you would please? Tie up their hands, behind their backs, nice and tight," James ordered brusquely.

Dana looked around helplessly.

"Do it," Barney said grimly. John nodded his agreement. Molly watched as Dana moved about, zip tying her team and grandparents.

"Good, Molly, if you would be so kind to zip tie your step mother's hands?" James' grip on her hair loosened a bit, but he kept his gun on her.

Molly couldn't help the slight tremble to her hands as she tightened the black plastic around Dana's narrow wrists.

"Good. John, you can go out the door first. Just remember I can give your little girl lead poisoning," James threatened, "and if any of you try to follow us, Molly's dead."

Molly was pushed roughly forward, following her dad out the front door. She was at the top of the porch steps when she heard the gun and felt the hot spray of blood.

A/N: Sorry, guys. I saw the opportunity for a cliffhanger and I just had to take it. Please don't hate me!

Thanks for reading!