Saving Ma
Summary: After Frank proposed to Natalia, Rafe Ave and Emma team up to help their moms.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this.
Chapter 44
The clan spent the afternoon napping or just hanging out watching TV and playing with the baby. Around 6:00 Doris and Blake arrived with dinner and they all gathered around the coffee table on furniture or the floor. They ate dinner and talked about the ball the previous night and just enjoyed being together. After dinner Rafe and Ava got the younger three dressed and in bed. Natalio went down for the night and Emma and Mateo were laid down with a movie in Emma's room.
Once they were settled all the adults gathered in the common room again to talk. Doris sat forward in her seat. "Ok, so I talked to Mel and my contacts. Frank is being charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of child endangerment, one count of child abandonment, one count of assault and three counts of attempted murder. Miguel Rivera is being charged with one count of kidnaping, and is also being charged as an accessory to all of Coopers other charges since he knew about it and didn't turn him in. Frank is also still not giving up Allan and Miguel didn't seem to know there was another player. Their still working on him trying to get him to roll over on Allan. They are not wanting to deal but may have to."
Olivia sat back. "What do you mean deal?"
"They may offer him a lighter sentence if the evidence he gives is concrete enough against Allan. Allan is still out of town. I have discreetly inquired as to his whereabouts. He is in New York on business for Spalding. He should be returning at the end of next week." Doris leaned against Blake and sighed.
Natalia took Olivia's hand. "How do they get Allan without letting Frank off the hook? That doesn't seem right."
Doris sat back up. "Hey, no one is letting him off the hook. They would just deal for a lighter sentence. As it is the man is looking at life by the time all the charges add up. They are looking at 25 years for Natalia because she was seriously injured. 15 years for taking Mateo and 15 more for selling him to Miguel Rivera. He is also facing 30 years for each attempted murder charge. For the child endangerment, 25 years for Natalio and 15 for Mateo only because he of their age differences. He is also looking at 10 years for forcing abandonment of Natalio and 15 years each for taking money from Allan to commit murder of Ava and Rafe if they can prove Allan was involved. That's a total of 215 years."
Natalia's eyes widened. "Then how could they possibly deal with him to make it to where he would want to name Allan?"
Doris sighed. "I don't know they haven't figured out a deal yet. Frank is an idiot but he's not unintelligent. He knows what he is facing and he is holding on to the one card he has left."
Olivia sat forward. "I want to talk to Frank. They video all of the visitors at the jail. He may get angry enough at me to spill his guts."
Rafe leapt to his feet. "No. You can't. I don't want him near any of us, please mom."
Olivia pulled him down in front of her. "Listen to me son. I don't either, but Allan is still a threat to you, your sisters, your brothers, your Ma and me. We cannot let him get away with this. He will not stop until he gets what he wants legally or otherwise. Our family is not safe until that bastard is behind bars."
Rafe collapsed with his head buried in her lap. "Let me talk to him. I don't want to risk you."
Olivia ran a hand through his hair, while Natalia leaned over rubbing his back. "If you think I will risk you for even a fraction of a second you've lost your mind. I told you before I will not risk one child to safe the others. Besides, there will be guards there and he will be cuffed to a table. I won't be at risk."
Rafe leaned back. "Then let me go with you."
Olivia looked to Natalia who nodded slightly. "Ok, but you will not be in the room, you will stay with Doris." Rafe lay back in her lap nodding. Olivia looked to Doris. "Can you make it happen?"
Doris leaned back into Blake not liking this. "Not until you are released from Rick to normal duty."
Olivia went to argue but Natalia put a hand on her arm. "I will not agree to this unless you do as Doris says. I won't risk you either. That is still before Allan returns." Olivia sighed and nodded.
Doris smiled slightly, grateful for Natalia. "Ok then I will set it up for Friday as long as Rick releases you."
Olivia nodded then continued. "What about Allan? Will Franks naming him as co-conspirator be enough to convict?"
Doris shook her head. "I'm not sure. They have the money that Frank was paid and they are still tracking down where it originated from. They are working on it but his admission that Allan paid him will be an ace in the hole."
They continued talking for a while then Doris stood. "Well we better get going, I have a press conference 10:00 in the morning about my actions last night that I still need to prepare for."
Natalia sat forward concerned. "Is everything ok?"
Doris shrugged. "Don't know, don't really care. The worse that can happen is that I won't be re-elected next term. They just want me to do a formal 'Yes I'm in a relationship with a woman, No it will not affect how I run the city' thing."
Olivia nudged Rafe, who was still buried in her lap, and stood to hug her. "If you need anything let us know. Do you want us to come tomorrow?"
Doris hugged her then pulled back. "No, you guys need to get better not be gallivanting all over town. I'll be fine."
Olivia nodded. "Ok, but if you change your mind call us."
Doris hugged her again. "Thank you. I'll call after the conference to let you know how it went."
Ava and Ashley stood and walked them out and as soon as Olivia sat back down Rafe was in her lap again. She looked to Natalia who just shrugged looking concerned. She rubbed his hair, "Tell me what's wrong son. What's going on with you baby?"
He moved to sit up. "Nothing."
She pulled him back to her. "No, it's not nothing. Tell me."
He burrowed in holding her tightly. "I can't get it out of my head." He sobbed out.
Natalia knelt on the floor beside him rubbing his back and Olivia held tighter. "Can't get what out of your head baby?"
Rafe sobbed again. "The sight… of you bleeding… on the ground barely… conscious. I see it… every time… I close my eyes. I have… nightmares about it. I can't lose you mom."
He was almost hyperventilating. Olivia pulled him up to the couch next to her holding him close as he buried his head in her neck. "Oh my boy. I'm ok baby. I'm here." Natalia leaned in to them wrapping her arms around them both.
Ava and Ashley came back in and were about to rush over when Olivia shook her head. They reluctantly left to go wait in the other suite.
Rafe started to calm a little. "It scared the hell out of me. I already lost one parent and I wasn't even as close to him as I am you. I can't do it again mom I can't… I can't." He sobbed the last sentence out losing it again.
Olivia buried her hand in his hair massaging his head. "Oh honey, you're not losing me. I'm right here. Frank is behind bars and we will get Allan there as well and everything will be ok. I'm not leaving you." Natalia and Olivia had tears swimming, their hearts breaking for their son.
Olivia turned her head and called for Ava. Ava came in the room and went straight to her crying brother and ran a hand down his arm. "What is it?"
Olivia looked to Rafe then back to Ava. "Can you take the baby monitor tonight? Your brother is staying with us."
Ava nodded. "Of course, I had planned on it anyway." She turned concerned eyes to Rafe.
He half sat up looking at Olivia. "I don't need to stay with you. I don't want to hurt you guys. I'm not a baby who needs to sleep with mommy because of a nightmare."
Olivia cupped his cheek. "You're our baby. You won't hurt us and you are staying with us. You need to sleep and I need you close tonight. Do it for me."
Rafe sighed nodding and lay his head back down. "Ok mom."
Ava leaned over kissing his head concerned, still not sure what exactly was going on. If Olivia was making him sleep with them it must be bad and she was worried about her brother. "Ok mom. Ashley is staying so we will get the kids up and fed before Jane gets here and we go to work."
Olivia smiled grabbing her hand. "Thank you sweetie. Rafe is not coming in tomorrow. I am keeping him with us. We are going to the press conference whether Doris thinks she needs us or not and I am having Rafe go with us." Ava was about to protest and Olivia held up a hand. "We are taking security with us. We'll be fine baby."
Ava sighed in relief. "Ok, good. That makes me feel better. You can take any of the cars. Thursday I put a guard on detail in the lower parking garage and an attendant at the gated booth we have never used. You now have to go through the attendant to check out a car after checking it out at the desk. I had all Beacon cars and Ma's car put down there and all cars have been inspected with a fine tooth comb by the police. They are all safe now. They still have mine and Rafe's cars as evidence but I'm not sure I want it back."
Natalia stood. "You're not getting them back. All three of you will be getting new ones. They'll be here Tuesday after Doris has them inspected." She hugged Ava close. "Thank you for taking care of all of that. I had planned on doing that myself."
Ava smiled and pulled back. "Thank you Ma. I just could bring myself to drive it again and I know Rafe didn't want to either." She hugged her again. "I'm going to grab the monitor and head to bed after I check on the kids. Call if you need me."
She walked over and kissed her mom and brother then left. Olivia lifted Rafe's head to look at him. "Got get ready for bed then meet us in our room."
Rafe shook his head slightly. "Mom I don't thi…"
Olivia cut him off. "Please, it will make me feel better."
Rafe sighed nodding. He got up and left to change for bed. Olivia stood and Natalia was instantly in her arms. "Oh my baby." She burrowed herself into her neck.
Olivia held her close. "He'll be ok princess. We'll make sure. He just needs to know we're ok."
Natalia sighed. "He needs to know you're ok. He loves you so much. I can't imagine seeing you like that or what it did to either of them." She said on a small sob.
Olivia kissed her head. "I'm ok baby. Let's go change for bed and wait for our boy."
Natalia squeezed one last time breaking away. She took her hand and they headed off to bed. When they came out of the bathroom changed for bed Rafe was sitting on the foot of the bed yawning. Smiling Olivia walked over to him. "Come on, climb in the middle of the bed son."
He nodded sleepily and complied. Olivia slid in behind him wrapping an arm around him. Natalia shut off the lights and climbed in front of him moving in close, rubbing his hair after she settled. Olivia gently rubbed his stomach as she had hundreds of times for Emma to sooth him. He sighed settling into them and fell into a deep sleep for the first time since the kidnapping and explosion.
Olivia connected eyes with Natalia over him smiling. Natalia kissed his forehead then leaned over and gently kissed Olivia's lips. "Goodnight querida." She whispered.
Olivia settled back. "Goodnight princess."
They closed their eyes and fell asleep with their peacefully sleeping boy between them.
