I Disclaim.

Finally Ch.1

~~~

August 2010

Java Hut

" So all I have to do is finalize the flower arrangements, and then we're set." Mimi checks off the list and looks at Chloe to get confirmation.

"Yeah, I think that's it." Chloe looks toward Belle, who has a silly grin plastered on her face.

"This is great, just think in a few days you will be Mrs. Shawn Douglas Brady." Mimi gave a squeal of delight.

"Mimi calm down, Belle's not that keyed up and it's her wedding."

" I know, it's just so cool, high School sweethearts getting married." Mimi got this far off look in her eye and smiled.

"Chloe married her high school sweetheart." Jan said mildly giving her friend a sweet smile.

"Yeah, but Chloe and Brady have that soap opera couple type of relationship always in some kind of life or death situation, while Shawn and Belle have a more…."

"Normal relationship." Chloe raised an eyebrow, at Mimi statement, and watched her grimace. " It's okay Mimi, I'm aware of that Brady and I don't have a normal relationship, we revel in our individuality."

" Is that what you call it." The girls turn and see Mac walking toward with her usual neutral expression. " See I would have said adventurous."

"Hi Mac." The women welcomed the older woman with waves and smiles.

"You joining us, or are you just going to stand three and looking on in your usual condescending manner?"  The look Chloe gave her friend as she delivered the statement, told her clearly which one that she preferred.

"Obviously someone is upset, but for the life of me I can't figure out why." Mac keep her face completely blank an onlooker would tell you that she looked completely in the dark on the entire conversation going on around her, but the women around the table seemed to think she was completely aware of whatever Chloe was insinuating.

"You know exactly why, what you did was unforgivable." The other's at the table gave her a questioning look and she giving a defeated sigh she starts her story." Gabriela spent last week end with her god mother, who ENSURED us, that she would be safe and unharmed."

"And she was, she has all her limbs, and even I turned it into an educational weekend." The fact that corner of Mac's lip cured at the end and the twinkle in her eye told them everything they needed to know, whatever happened had been deliberate." Lil' Mac enjoyed herself."

" Yeah, that's number one, she now refuses to answer to anything but that silly little nick name that you gave her." "Two, she's been signing those songs you taught her all week, and even if I didn't hate country music, I still don't think that Garth Brooks Friends in Low Place is an appropriate song for a toddler. " The snickers that her friends gave forced her to stop her tirade to glare at each of them. " Third and this is the one that annoys me the most, she taught my daughter how to fight." "Gabriela came home and put Brady in a head lock, he thinks it's cool, I think I should hurt you."

Belle drops her head to the table as laughter takes over control of her body. She can picture it clearly in her mind, her small niece looking so much like Chloe acting exactly like Mac, she added a t-shirt and jeans to the small child in her mind and couldn't contain her reaction." Oh god."

Mimi and Jan shared similar looks of hysteria, but tried to hide it as Chloe gave then looks that promised physical harm. "This isn't funny, she turned my sweet little daughter into a little HER, and I have a feeling the next time she sees Patrick she'll call him O'Neil."

"Chloe, I honestly didn't set out to teach her martial arts stuff, she just picked it when I working out, she's a quick little learner." "Besides that I don't happen to think there is any thing wrong with her being a little like me." "I'm successful, self-sufficient, charming, and darn near perfect."

"Except for those violent tendencies." Jan said avoiding eye contact.

"And your somewhat abrasive personality, that alienates most people and frightens others." This came from Mimi who moved her chair closer to Belle.

" Lest we forget your emotional scarring, which makes an normal relationship almost impossible." Belle joined in giving her trademark cheery grin.

"Add that to your refusal to leave your tomboy stage and you're right you're are almost perfect." Chloe nodded and smiled before adding. "For a psychiatric evaluation." The women broke into a fit of laughter, until the older women leaned over them and put a hand on the table.

"Funny isn't it that knowing all that you're still dumb enough to mess with me, what's that make you?" She tilted her head and rubs her chin thoughtfully. " Oh yeah masochist."

"She's bluffing, she wouldn't hurt anyone this close to the wedding." Chloe shook her finger at the older women, but jumped back when made a snapping gesture with her mouth a little too close to said finger. " She like everyone else is in a great mood, as we prepare for the wedding of the century."

~~

Philip watched the scenes from the scene from his car, through his binoculars. He almost felt bad for what he was about to do, but drastic times call for drastic measures. He picks up his cell phone and dials his partner. " Yeah, get ready."

" Are you sure about this?" The voice on the other end was hesitant, and unsure.

"YOU DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD." Philip reigns in his anger. " You know the deal, it's this or prison."

"You're really are a sick bastard you know that."

"Save your sweet talk for someone who cares." He looks at the group again and smiles. " Get ready, I want it to happen when they're all watching."

~~

"Speaking of which, I want to speak to you about that Mac." Belle turns toward Mac, still not quite sure what her relationship to the ex-mercenary was. " I want your guarantee, that Shawn will be in one unharmed no scratches piece for the wedding, which mean no adventures or missions or sparring."

"Belle, you know that's impossible, things come up, there are no guarantees in this business." She understood the women's concern but they had been having some very strange activities going on around Europe and she had all her agents on guard.

Belle gave a sigh and motioned for Mac to come closer, and when she complied she grabbed the woman's t-shirt collar and pulled her closer. " Shawn WILL be unharmed on our wedding day and we WILL have an uninterrupted honeymoon, or I will hurt you." "I have dreamed of this day since I was six, and it WILL happen with no problems, understood."

Being only several inches away form the small blondes face, Mac was overcome with a sense of fear, a woman scorned was one thing, but Belle Black on a mission seemed almost too similar to Mercenary John Black. " Of course." Mac stepped back and smoothed her shirt making a mental note that Belle Black wasn't a light weight." In fact Shawn got a month off, take an extended honeymoon on me."

"How did you do that?" Chloe looked at Belle with wonder, her sister-in-law seemed to render Mac almost speechless.

"She's determined." Mac finds a whole respect for the smaller woman, but quickly shakes to off. "It doesn't however work with everyone." "That means you, Chloe." Mac hears her cell phone and gives a weak smile before stepping away to take the call.    

That was when it happened Mac was talking on the phone when she spotted the small child wondering into the street. Acting on pure instinct Mac started toward the small child and increased her speed when she saw the Black BMW barreling down the street toward the child.

~~

Philip smiled when he saw it happen, Mac arriving just in time to push the small child from front of the car and taking the full force of the hit, and laying in a heap as the car reserved and drove off.