Chapter 2
Elaina tried to finish her paperwork but couldn't concentrate after her fight with Maria. She decided to take some of the work home and work on it later. When she got home she was surprised to see Frank's car there. She got out of the car to hear the horses acting up, mainly Black Velvet, Frank's horse. She took her briefcase in and went up to change clothes, then she went out to ride too.
"Hello, Lady." Frank rode up to greet her in front of the stables.
"Hi, how long have you been home?" Elaina sounded depressed.
"Not long about a half hour. Want me to saddle Sahara?" Frank offered.
"Sure, I need the ride. I had a fight with Maria. She has now shut me out of her life. We're also not wanted at the restaurant anymore or at least I'm not."
"I'm sorry about that. I take it she was angry about your choice for Maid of Honor." Frank got down and went to the tack room to get her saddle.
"You shouldn't be lifting that with your stitches." Elaina led her horse over to him.
"I'm ok." He lifted the saddle and gritted his teeth from the pain.
Elaina saw him flinch with the pain. "I guess you know your limits. Wait a minute. How did you know Maria wasn't the one I asked? "
"I heard Sab talking about it to Alex and Cody one day."
"Oh. Why are you home so early?" Elaina wondered.
"It was tough to get work done after your little bombshell." Frank made sure the saddle was tight before turning to face her.
"Did you chew them out for not working?" Elaina walked over to mount the horse.
"It wasn't the team, it was me." Frank put his arm around her waist. "I wish I could take this morning's fight back."
"Let's ride first then talk about this morning." Elaina mounted Sahara and went to the pasture.
Frank walked his horse out to where she had stopped. "I saw the work order for the ramp to be built next week. Billy will be pleased to know it. He's eager to get started with his patients." *
"I told him yesterday that it would be done next week, weather permitting. He was pretty excited."
Elaina started to laugh. "You know we've never been too good at small talk when we need to have a major discussion."
"I know I was thinking the same thing. Why don't we just go back in and take care of the horses and then have at it?"
"I want to ride a while longer then we can go in." They rode for about an hour and then went in to take the saddles off. Elaina stopped him from doing it.
"Let me do that, you saddled them the least I can do is take them off."
"Ok. I'll let you." Frank walked over and leaned against the wall. "If you need any help just say so. I'll be over here enjoying the view."
"Like the view do ya?" Elaina wiggled her butt.
"Actually I love it." He chuckled. "Those jeans are tight in all the right places."
Elaina took the saddles off and carried them into the tack room. Each time she past carrying a saddle Frank would smack her on the butt. The last time she came out of the room she handed him a brush.
"Put your hands to work."
"This is not quite what I had in mind." He took the brush from her, and tried to kiss her but she backed away.
"Believe me, I know what you had in mind. But that will have to wait until after our talk."
"If you say so boss." Frank brushed Velvet as she did the same with Sahara.
Elaina cringed when he called her boss. "Frank do you think I'm.never mind. I don't need to ask." Elaina knew Allison was right she was controlling and she didn't need to ask Frank.
"What did you want to ask me? Do I think you're beautiful? The answer is definitely yes."
Elaina didn't answer him she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders keeping busy with the horse.
*****
Cody and Sab were at her apartment having dinner. Cody noticed that she was playing with her food more than eating it. "Did I fix something you don't like?"
"No, it's fine. I'm just a little down about the wedding being called off. I was going to be Maid of Honor you know."
"I know and I know you helped Elaina with a lot of the planning." Cody wished he could cheer her up but he had been trying all day. "We have time before dark, you want to go riding."
"Did you know that Elaina and Derek have been teaching our horses to work with the physically challenged? Her physical therapist is going to use the horses with his patients."
"I heard Derek mention it one day. It was Frank's idea, wasn't it?"
"Yeah it is. He wants this ranch to be a working ranch like the one in Montana."
"So do you want to go riding or not?" Cody asked again.
"I don't know if we should, they normally don't want any of us around when they're fighting," Sab reminded him.
"I don't think they'd mind as long as we don't bother them," Cody reasoned. "We haven't been told to stay away and they usually tell us."
"Ok. I guess we can go. I haven't been out to see Gambit in a few days."
"It been even longer since I've been to see Culver."
"Lets go, the most they can do is yell at us and tell us to go home." Sab grabbed her coat and threw Cody his.
*****
Frank and Elaina had finished eating dinner and feeding Sarah. Elaina went up to give Sarah a bath and put her to bed. She heard the horses acting up outside and wondered why. She went to window and saw Sab and Cody out riding in the pasture. Frank came in to say good night to Sarah.
"We have visitors." Elaina pointed to the window. Frank walked over and looked out.
"Cody is probably trying to cheer her up. She took the news about the cancellation the hardest."
"I know. She said this would be a dress rehearsal of sorts for her and Cody. Before you ask me, they aren't getting married that I know of anytime soon." Elaina finished putting Sarah's pajamas on her.
Frank walked over to the two women in his life. "Good night, Princess. Hope you have sweet dreams." Frank gave her a kiss.
Elaina put her in the bed and put the rails in place. "Good night, little one. I love you." Elaina turned her attention to Frank. "I'll stay here until she falls asleep. Why don't you invite Sab and Cody in for a drink?"
"Are you sure? We were going to talk about this morning?" Frank asked.
"I'm sure. I need to talk to Sabrina about something," Elaina said, with a smile.
"Ok. I'll be back in a few minutes."
After Sarah was asleep Elaina decided to change; her jeans were fitting a bit tighter since she ate. She looked to see that Frank was still out with Cody and Sab. She went in and took a shower and put on her nightgown and robe. She looked in the mirror to make sure she was presentable for guests and went down to see them.
Frank was the first to see her and he came over to her. "You did invite them in, why do you have that on?"
"I'm decent. I was just uncomfortable and wanted to change." She saw Sab and Cody and walked past Frank to greet them. "Hello you two, have fun riding?"
"Yes, we did. We aren't interrupting anything are we?" Sab asked seeing how she was dressed.
"No. I just wanted to be comfortable."
"It's beautiful. I love the full sleeves and the way it flows when you walk. I need one of those." Sab really admired it.
"Come with me I'll show you something." Elaina and Sabrina went up the stairs.
"You have to be careful on these stairs, I would think, wearing it," Sabrina stated.
"I am. I almost fell at the Double D wearing it. Luckily I was walking with Frank at the time and he caught me."
"Why are we going up here anyway?" Sab asked.
"For one thing, I want to apologize for not telling you first that I cancelled the wedding. I was just angry at Frank."
"It's ok. I hope you two can work it out and we can go on with it. It could happen couldn't it?"
"I think it might. He did say we could if I gave him some time." Elaina opened her closet. "This is the other reason I brought you up here. I have a red and black one just like this one, but this is Frank's favorite on me. Would you like to have one? I can get another one later."
"I don't want to take one of yours. Just tell me were you ordered it from," Sab told her.
"I have them made special. You can order them but it wouldn't be made out of the same material. I know, I made that mistake after the first one. A friend of mine in Laurel makes them for me. So here try one on and see how it really feels."
Sab took the red one and went in the bathroom to put it on. When she can out, she modeled it in front of the mirror. "This is great, it's warm but not overly so. It covers you pretty good, too."
"Would you believe I wore this one out riding one morning?" Elaina called Sab's attention to the black one.
"Really why?"
"It was when I was feeling a little depressed during my cancer treatments. Frank took me out on Velvet one morning to watch the sunrise."
"That sounds very romantic," Sab said.
"It was until I fell asleep, I was so weak. He had to wake me up or I would've missed the beautiful colors of that morning."
"I sleep through most sunrises. I'm not a morning person," Sab said with a giggle.
"You're a city girl, if you were raised in the country you'd be a morning person."
"I doubt it. I like my sleep."
"Why don't we go down and join our men?"
"Not like this. I want to wait to show Cody in private."
"I think that would be a great idea. I should warn you, for some reason these outfits seem to enhance your love life. I didn't believe it when my friend told me until I wore one the first time. I hope it has the same effect with you and Cody." Elaina winked at her. Elaina went to look in on Sarah. Luckily she was still sleeping soundly.
Sab came from the bedroom as Elaina was coming back. "There you are. Where did you go?"
"I went to check on Sarah. She's been having nightmares lately," Elaina explained.
"Do you know what's causing them?"
"If I knew that I wouldn't be worried now, would I?" Elaina giggled.
"Duh! Dumb question, sorry," Sab said as they started down the steps.
"That's ok. We think it may have something to do with the fact she saw Frank giving me CPR when I collapsed."
"But that was almost a month ago, why would it be bothering her now?"
"We don't know. I'm going to call Allison tomorrow and see what she has to say on the matter." Elaina walked over to the couch with Frank, while Sab went to sit next to Cody.
"That's a good idea," Sab said.
"What's a good idea?" Frank asked.
"Talking to Allison about Sarah's nightmares," Elaina answered.
"Poor thing," Cody said. "I hope she gets over them soon."
"I hope so too," Elaina said.
"Well, did you two have fun while we were gone?" Sab asked the men.
"We talked about the ranch and this and that." Cody was being evasive for some reason.
"Do we get something to drink too or is it self serve?" Elaina looked at Frank, who got up to get what they wanted.
"Miss Kells, your order please?" Frank asked.
"A soda on the rocks please," Sab said.
"Lady, your order?"
"Water on the rocks, kind sir."
Frank went to the kitchen and brought back their drinks. "Here you go ladies, enjoy." Frank sat back down with Elaina and she curled up next to him.
"Would it be out of line to ask if you're going make up and have a wedding? Or is it called off completely?" Cody asked.
"It would be out of line, yes," Frank answered with a smile.
"Frank!" Elaina hit playfully him. "We're sort of not fighting but we haven't really discussed anything yet. I'll let you know." Elaina winked and straightens the robe and Sab winked back remembering what she told her about the outfit.
"What is going on between you two with the winking?" Cody was curious and confused.
"Nothing. I have something in my eye, I wasn't winking," Sab said, holding back a giggle and rubbing her eye.
"When do you leave for Quantico?" Cody asked, glancing at Frank.
Elaina now knew why he was being evasive earlier. "I'm not going. I was bluffing to raise his blood pressure."
"I knew it was a bluff," Frank was proud to say.
"Yeah right! The minute I was out the door, you were on the phone to Andy. Before I hit the bottom step you knew."
"Did Andy tell you that?"
"No, you just told me that. I just love to get confessions out of you that way." Elaina kissed him on the cheek.
"I'm going to catch on one of these days how you do that."
"Dream on, Babe. You haven't in 10 years, you probably never will." Elaina smiled taking a drink.
Frank had been watching Cody and Sab and noticed that they were drinking at about the same pace. He nudged Elaina to let her know he was planning something. "Cody, when are you and Sab getting married?" Sab and Cody both choke on their drinks not expecting the question. Elaina and Frank both laughed.
"You're so mean. You deliberately waited until we had our mouths full before you asked, didn't you?" Sab stated.
"Would I do that to you?" Frank acted so innocent.
"So what's the answer? You two going to get hitched or not?"
"We really haven't decided. We're still working out some problems but it isn't out of the question," Cody said, holding Sab's hand.
"Don't mind us, take your time. It took us 5 years to get married, and one break-up," Frank said.
"You two broke up? Why? When?" Cody was surprised.
"It was my fault. I became close to another man while Frank was on an assignment a bout a year or so after we started living together."
"You had an affair?" Sab was shocked.
"Not exactly. We never had sex. He was just there when I wanted someone to talk to. It was like the friendship you have with Travis," Elaina explained using the comparison.
"But I thought it was more than that and I left her," Frank told them.
"How long were you apart?" Cody asked.
"About 6 months. Long enough for him to find someone," Elaina said.
"That relationship was just as innocent as yours dear," Frank declared.
"I know." Elaina kissed him.
"Why did it take so long in the first place?" Cody wondered.
"It wasn't because he never asked, he asked me each time he came home from an assignment."
"Our work kept us apart after I finished training. She'd work one place; I'd work another. We did live together but hardly saw each other," Frank explained. "If it weren't for Derek, we still may not be married."
"Really? Don't you think when I got pregnant, we would've gotten married?" Elaina asked.
"I like to think that you would've said yes by then," Frank told her.
"You mean you never said yes, to his proposals?" Sab asked.
"I never did. The closest he got to a yes, was when I said: I do."
"Wow. That's interesting. As much as you two love each other and you never said yes." Sab was amazed to hear this.
"At first I liked being a single Mom but when he entered my life, he turned it upside down. I didn't know what I wanted. My first marriage was a disaster except for Derek. In walks this guy and he treated me with love, gentleness, and kindness that I'd never had before. I became more confused as to what I wanted."
"How long after you two met again, did he propose?" Cody asked, taking another drink.
"That's your opening, Frank, take it from there," Elaina said, looking at him.
"Are you talking about when we met after her divorce or after the fight?" Frank asked.
"After her divorce, and you two met again," Cody clarified.
"I asked her that first night, we had dinner together," Frank answered.
"You work fast," Sab said.
"I didn't want her to get away from me. Of course it didn't work as fast as I wanted it too," Frank said, kissing her hand.
"You have me now, that's all that's important." Elaina hugged him.
"That's true," Cody agreed, looking at Sab feeling the same way.
"He said something to me that night that made me fall in love with him. One of these days, I'll tell you what it was," Elaina told them.
"Why not now?" Sab asked.
"It's still too special to me. Someday when the time is right I'll share it with you," Elaina said, smiling.
"Anyone want another drink?" Frank asked.
"No, we better be going," Sab said.
Suddenly Sarah's screaming interrupted their conversation. Elaina raced up the steps followed by the others.
"Ok sweetie, mommy is here." Elaina didn't want to pick her up right away, thinking she'd be getting use to it.
"Momma!" Sarah screamed again.
"Pick her up Elaina or she'll keep it up," Frank told her. Elaina picked her up and Sarah gripped her tight.
"Calm down, little one. Daddy's here, too, see?" She turned so Sarah could see him.
"Hey Princess! You have a good set of lungs, you know that?" Frank put his arms around them both.
"Have you taken her to the doctor?" Cody asked.
"Meg did yesterday, she's fine physically," Elaina said.
Sab came over to her. "Hey Sarah. Where's your smile? Can you show me your smile?"
Sarah started to giggle and kick. Elaina realized that Sab was tickling Sarah as she talked to her.
"I'm going to tickle you, until you show me that sweet smile." Finally, Sarah let go and pointed to her smile. Sab took hold of her hand, so she couldn't grab Elaina again.
"Tricky, I'll have to remember that." Sab smiled.
"I didn't think it would work," Sab confessed.
"She needs changed. Let's go to my room, grab that bag for me Sab." Elaina pointed to the diaper bag. "She seems to calm down when she's out of her room."
"Is there something in here that is new? Maybe that's causing her nightmares," Cody wondered.
"I don't think so. Frank, do you see anything?"
"No but we'll look around. Go ahead and take her out," Frank told her.
Elaina took her in and put her on the bed. To her surprise she didn't grab her again, when she went to step away.
"Can I change her Elaina? I did it when I stayed here," Sab asked.
"Be my guest." Elaina sat next to Sarah as Sab changed her.
Cody and Frank walked in, as Sab was finishing up.
"Whoa! Someone is indecent." Cody covered his eyes. Frank laughed at him.
"All finished. She's decent again." Sab gave her a kiss.
"Maybe we should hire her for when Megan is in college," Frank commented, seeing Sarah respond to Sabrina so positively.
"Megan's going to college what for?" Sab picked up Sarah and held her.
"She's going to become a nurse like her mom," Frank explained.
"She'll come in handy living with the two of you." Cody joked.
"That's what I said," Frank said.
"Are you going to hire someone new?" Sab was rocking Sarah as they sit on the bed.
"No, Megan will still be here weekends and some mornings until she gets a place closer to the college. There's a daycare at the Bureau. She can go there so I can be with her. When I'm not in meetings she can be in the office. I'm having it childproofed."
"I think Sarah is getting bored with our conversation, she's asleep again," Sab noticed. Elaina took her from Sab and laid her in the middle of the bed. Cody and Sab walked out with Frank and Elaina.
"We really should be going now," Sab said, hugging Elaina. "Thanks for the present," she whispered in her ear.
Elaina winked and smiled at her as to say 'your welcome'. Frank walked them out and locked the house up and then went back upstairs. * Losing Control.
Elaina tried to finish her paperwork but couldn't concentrate after her fight with Maria. She decided to take some of the work home and work on it later. When she got home she was surprised to see Frank's car there. She got out of the car to hear the horses acting up, mainly Black Velvet, Frank's horse. She took her briefcase in and went up to change clothes, then she went out to ride too.
"Hello, Lady." Frank rode up to greet her in front of the stables.
"Hi, how long have you been home?" Elaina sounded depressed.
"Not long about a half hour. Want me to saddle Sahara?" Frank offered.
"Sure, I need the ride. I had a fight with Maria. She has now shut me out of her life. We're also not wanted at the restaurant anymore or at least I'm not."
"I'm sorry about that. I take it she was angry about your choice for Maid of Honor." Frank got down and went to the tack room to get her saddle.
"You shouldn't be lifting that with your stitches." Elaina led her horse over to him.
"I'm ok." He lifted the saddle and gritted his teeth from the pain.
Elaina saw him flinch with the pain. "I guess you know your limits. Wait a minute. How did you know Maria wasn't the one I asked? "
"I heard Sab talking about it to Alex and Cody one day."
"Oh. Why are you home so early?" Elaina wondered.
"It was tough to get work done after your little bombshell." Frank made sure the saddle was tight before turning to face her.
"Did you chew them out for not working?" Elaina walked over to mount the horse.
"It wasn't the team, it was me." Frank put his arm around her waist. "I wish I could take this morning's fight back."
"Let's ride first then talk about this morning." Elaina mounted Sahara and went to the pasture.
Frank walked his horse out to where she had stopped. "I saw the work order for the ramp to be built next week. Billy will be pleased to know it. He's eager to get started with his patients." *
"I told him yesterday that it would be done next week, weather permitting. He was pretty excited."
Elaina started to laugh. "You know we've never been too good at small talk when we need to have a major discussion."
"I know I was thinking the same thing. Why don't we just go back in and take care of the horses and then have at it?"
"I want to ride a while longer then we can go in." They rode for about an hour and then went in to take the saddles off. Elaina stopped him from doing it.
"Let me do that, you saddled them the least I can do is take them off."
"Ok. I'll let you." Frank walked over and leaned against the wall. "If you need any help just say so. I'll be over here enjoying the view."
"Like the view do ya?" Elaina wiggled her butt.
"Actually I love it." He chuckled. "Those jeans are tight in all the right places."
Elaina took the saddles off and carried them into the tack room. Each time she past carrying a saddle Frank would smack her on the butt. The last time she came out of the room she handed him a brush.
"Put your hands to work."
"This is not quite what I had in mind." He took the brush from her, and tried to kiss her but she backed away.
"Believe me, I know what you had in mind. But that will have to wait until after our talk."
"If you say so boss." Frank brushed Velvet as she did the same with Sahara.
Elaina cringed when he called her boss. "Frank do you think I'm.never mind. I don't need to ask." Elaina knew Allison was right she was controlling and she didn't need to ask Frank.
"What did you want to ask me? Do I think you're beautiful? The answer is definitely yes."
Elaina didn't answer him she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders keeping busy with the horse.
*****
Cody and Sab were at her apartment having dinner. Cody noticed that she was playing with her food more than eating it. "Did I fix something you don't like?"
"No, it's fine. I'm just a little down about the wedding being called off. I was going to be Maid of Honor you know."
"I know and I know you helped Elaina with a lot of the planning." Cody wished he could cheer her up but he had been trying all day. "We have time before dark, you want to go riding."
"Did you know that Elaina and Derek have been teaching our horses to work with the physically challenged? Her physical therapist is going to use the horses with his patients."
"I heard Derek mention it one day. It was Frank's idea, wasn't it?"
"Yeah it is. He wants this ranch to be a working ranch like the one in Montana."
"So do you want to go riding or not?" Cody asked again.
"I don't know if we should, they normally don't want any of us around when they're fighting," Sab reminded him.
"I don't think they'd mind as long as we don't bother them," Cody reasoned. "We haven't been told to stay away and they usually tell us."
"Ok. I guess we can go. I haven't been out to see Gambit in a few days."
"It been even longer since I've been to see Culver."
"Lets go, the most they can do is yell at us and tell us to go home." Sab grabbed her coat and threw Cody his.
*****
Frank and Elaina had finished eating dinner and feeding Sarah. Elaina went up to give Sarah a bath and put her to bed. She heard the horses acting up outside and wondered why. She went to window and saw Sab and Cody out riding in the pasture. Frank came in to say good night to Sarah.
"We have visitors." Elaina pointed to the window. Frank walked over and looked out.
"Cody is probably trying to cheer her up. She took the news about the cancellation the hardest."
"I know. She said this would be a dress rehearsal of sorts for her and Cody. Before you ask me, they aren't getting married that I know of anytime soon." Elaina finished putting Sarah's pajamas on her.
Frank walked over to the two women in his life. "Good night, Princess. Hope you have sweet dreams." Frank gave her a kiss.
Elaina put her in the bed and put the rails in place. "Good night, little one. I love you." Elaina turned her attention to Frank. "I'll stay here until she falls asleep. Why don't you invite Sab and Cody in for a drink?"
"Are you sure? We were going to talk about this morning?" Frank asked.
"I'm sure. I need to talk to Sabrina about something," Elaina said, with a smile.
"Ok. I'll be back in a few minutes."
After Sarah was asleep Elaina decided to change; her jeans were fitting a bit tighter since she ate. She looked to see that Frank was still out with Cody and Sab. She went in and took a shower and put on her nightgown and robe. She looked in the mirror to make sure she was presentable for guests and went down to see them.
Frank was the first to see her and he came over to her. "You did invite them in, why do you have that on?"
"I'm decent. I was just uncomfortable and wanted to change." She saw Sab and Cody and walked past Frank to greet them. "Hello you two, have fun riding?"
"Yes, we did. We aren't interrupting anything are we?" Sab asked seeing how she was dressed.
"No. I just wanted to be comfortable."
"It's beautiful. I love the full sleeves and the way it flows when you walk. I need one of those." Sab really admired it.
"Come with me I'll show you something." Elaina and Sabrina went up the stairs.
"You have to be careful on these stairs, I would think, wearing it," Sabrina stated.
"I am. I almost fell at the Double D wearing it. Luckily I was walking with Frank at the time and he caught me."
"Why are we going up here anyway?" Sab asked.
"For one thing, I want to apologize for not telling you first that I cancelled the wedding. I was just angry at Frank."
"It's ok. I hope you two can work it out and we can go on with it. It could happen couldn't it?"
"I think it might. He did say we could if I gave him some time." Elaina opened her closet. "This is the other reason I brought you up here. I have a red and black one just like this one, but this is Frank's favorite on me. Would you like to have one? I can get another one later."
"I don't want to take one of yours. Just tell me were you ordered it from," Sab told her.
"I have them made special. You can order them but it wouldn't be made out of the same material. I know, I made that mistake after the first one. A friend of mine in Laurel makes them for me. So here try one on and see how it really feels."
Sab took the red one and went in the bathroom to put it on. When she can out, she modeled it in front of the mirror. "This is great, it's warm but not overly so. It covers you pretty good, too."
"Would you believe I wore this one out riding one morning?" Elaina called Sab's attention to the black one.
"Really why?"
"It was when I was feeling a little depressed during my cancer treatments. Frank took me out on Velvet one morning to watch the sunrise."
"That sounds very romantic," Sab said.
"It was until I fell asleep, I was so weak. He had to wake me up or I would've missed the beautiful colors of that morning."
"I sleep through most sunrises. I'm not a morning person," Sab said with a giggle.
"You're a city girl, if you were raised in the country you'd be a morning person."
"I doubt it. I like my sleep."
"Why don't we go down and join our men?"
"Not like this. I want to wait to show Cody in private."
"I think that would be a great idea. I should warn you, for some reason these outfits seem to enhance your love life. I didn't believe it when my friend told me until I wore one the first time. I hope it has the same effect with you and Cody." Elaina winked at her. Elaina went to look in on Sarah. Luckily she was still sleeping soundly.
Sab came from the bedroom as Elaina was coming back. "There you are. Where did you go?"
"I went to check on Sarah. She's been having nightmares lately," Elaina explained.
"Do you know what's causing them?"
"If I knew that I wouldn't be worried now, would I?" Elaina giggled.
"Duh! Dumb question, sorry," Sab said as they started down the steps.
"That's ok. We think it may have something to do with the fact she saw Frank giving me CPR when I collapsed."
"But that was almost a month ago, why would it be bothering her now?"
"We don't know. I'm going to call Allison tomorrow and see what she has to say on the matter." Elaina walked over to the couch with Frank, while Sab went to sit next to Cody.
"That's a good idea," Sab said.
"What's a good idea?" Frank asked.
"Talking to Allison about Sarah's nightmares," Elaina answered.
"Poor thing," Cody said. "I hope she gets over them soon."
"I hope so too," Elaina said.
"Well, did you two have fun while we were gone?" Sab asked the men.
"We talked about the ranch and this and that." Cody was being evasive for some reason.
"Do we get something to drink too or is it self serve?" Elaina looked at Frank, who got up to get what they wanted.
"Miss Kells, your order please?" Frank asked.
"A soda on the rocks please," Sab said.
"Lady, your order?"
"Water on the rocks, kind sir."
Frank went to the kitchen and brought back their drinks. "Here you go ladies, enjoy." Frank sat back down with Elaina and she curled up next to him.
"Would it be out of line to ask if you're going make up and have a wedding? Or is it called off completely?" Cody asked.
"It would be out of line, yes," Frank answered with a smile.
"Frank!" Elaina hit playfully him. "We're sort of not fighting but we haven't really discussed anything yet. I'll let you know." Elaina winked and straightens the robe and Sab winked back remembering what she told her about the outfit.
"What is going on between you two with the winking?" Cody was curious and confused.
"Nothing. I have something in my eye, I wasn't winking," Sab said, holding back a giggle and rubbing her eye.
"When do you leave for Quantico?" Cody asked, glancing at Frank.
Elaina now knew why he was being evasive earlier. "I'm not going. I was bluffing to raise his blood pressure."
"I knew it was a bluff," Frank was proud to say.
"Yeah right! The minute I was out the door, you were on the phone to Andy. Before I hit the bottom step you knew."
"Did Andy tell you that?"
"No, you just told me that. I just love to get confessions out of you that way." Elaina kissed him on the cheek.
"I'm going to catch on one of these days how you do that."
"Dream on, Babe. You haven't in 10 years, you probably never will." Elaina smiled taking a drink.
Frank had been watching Cody and Sab and noticed that they were drinking at about the same pace. He nudged Elaina to let her know he was planning something. "Cody, when are you and Sab getting married?" Sab and Cody both choke on their drinks not expecting the question. Elaina and Frank both laughed.
"You're so mean. You deliberately waited until we had our mouths full before you asked, didn't you?" Sab stated.
"Would I do that to you?" Frank acted so innocent.
"So what's the answer? You two going to get hitched or not?"
"We really haven't decided. We're still working out some problems but it isn't out of the question," Cody said, holding Sab's hand.
"Don't mind us, take your time. It took us 5 years to get married, and one break-up," Frank said.
"You two broke up? Why? When?" Cody was surprised.
"It was my fault. I became close to another man while Frank was on an assignment a bout a year or so after we started living together."
"You had an affair?" Sab was shocked.
"Not exactly. We never had sex. He was just there when I wanted someone to talk to. It was like the friendship you have with Travis," Elaina explained using the comparison.
"But I thought it was more than that and I left her," Frank told them.
"How long were you apart?" Cody asked.
"About 6 months. Long enough for him to find someone," Elaina said.
"That relationship was just as innocent as yours dear," Frank declared.
"I know." Elaina kissed him.
"Why did it take so long in the first place?" Cody wondered.
"It wasn't because he never asked, he asked me each time he came home from an assignment."
"Our work kept us apart after I finished training. She'd work one place; I'd work another. We did live together but hardly saw each other," Frank explained. "If it weren't for Derek, we still may not be married."
"Really? Don't you think when I got pregnant, we would've gotten married?" Elaina asked.
"I like to think that you would've said yes by then," Frank told her.
"You mean you never said yes, to his proposals?" Sab asked.
"I never did. The closest he got to a yes, was when I said: I do."
"Wow. That's interesting. As much as you two love each other and you never said yes." Sab was amazed to hear this.
"At first I liked being a single Mom but when he entered my life, he turned it upside down. I didn't know what I wanted. My first marriage was a disaster except for Derek. In walks this guy and he treated me with love, gentleness, and kindness that I'd never had before. I became more confused as to what I wanted."
"How long after you two met again, did he propose?" Cody asked, taking another drink.
"That's your opening, Frank, take it from there," Elaina said, looking at him.
"Are you talking about when we met after her divorce or after the fight?" Frank asked.
"After her divorce, and you two met again," Cody clarified.
"I asked her that first night, we had dinner together," Frank answered.
"You work fast," Sab said.
"I didn't want her to get away from me. Of course it didn't work as fast as I wanted it too," Frank said, kissing her hand.
"You have me now, that's all that's important." Elaina hugged him.
"That's true," Cody agreed, looking at Sab feeling the same way.
"He said something to me that night that made me fall in love with him. One of these days, I'll tell you what it was," Elaina told them.
"Why not now?" Sab asked.
"It's still too special to me. Someday when the time is right I'll share it with you," Elaina said, smiling.
"Anyone want another drink?" Frank asked.
"No, we better be going," Sab said.
Suddenly Sarah's screaming interrupted their conversation. Elaina raced up the steps followed by the others.
"Ok sweetie, mommy is here." Elaina didn't want to pick her up right away, thinking she'd be getting use to it.
"Momma!" Sarah screamed again.
"Pick her up Elaina or she'll keep it up," Frank told her. Elaina picked her up and Sarah gripped her tight.
"Calm down, little one. Daddy's here, too, see?" She turned so Sarah could see him.
"Hey Princess! You have a good set of lungs, you know that?" Frank put his arms around them both.
"Have you taken her to the doctor?" Cody asked.
"Meg did yesterday, she's fine physically," Elaina said.
Sab came over to her. "Hey Sarah. Where's your smile? Can you show me your smile?"
Sarah started to giggle and kick. Elaina realized that Sab was tickling Sarah as she talked to her.
"I'm going to tickle you, until you show me that sweet smile." Finally, Sarah let go and pointed to her smile. Sab took hold of her hand, so she couldn't grab Elaina again.
"Tricky, I'll have to remember that." Sab smiled.
"I didn't think it would work," Sab confessed.
"She needs changed. Let's go to my room, grab that bag for me Sab." Elaina pointed to the diaper bag. "She seems to calm down when she's out of her room."
"Is there something in here that is new? Maybe that's causing her nightmares," Cody wondered.
"I don't think so. Frank, do you see anything?"
"No but we'll look around. Go ahead and take her out," Frank told her.
Elaina took her in and put her on the bed. To her surprise she didn't grab her again, when she went to step away.
"Can I change her Elaina? I did it when I stayed here," Sab asked.
"Be my guest." Elaina sat next to Sarah as Sab changed her.
Cody and Frank walked in, as Sab was finishing up.
"Whoa! Someone is indecent." Cody covered his eyes. Frank laughed at him.
"All finished. She's decent again." Sab gave her a kiss.
"Maybe we should hire her for when Megan is in college," Frank commented, seeing Sarah respond to Sabrina so positively.
"Megan's going to college what for?" Sab picked up Sarah and held her.
"She's going to become a nurse like her mom," Frank explained.
"She'll come in handy living with the two of you." Cody joked.
"That's what I said," Frank said.
"Are you going to hire someone new?" Sab was rocking Sarah as they sit on the bed.
"No, Megan will still be here weekends and some mornings until she gets a place closer to the college. There's a daycare at the Bureau. She can go there so I can be with her. When I'm not in meetings she can be in the office. I'm having it childproofed."
"I think Sarah is getting bored with our conversation, she's asleep again," Sab noticed. Elaina took her from Sab and laid her in the middle of the bed. Cody and Sab walked out with Frank and Elaina.
"We really should be going now," Sab said, hugging Elaina. "Thanks for the present," she whispered in her ear.
Elaina winked and smiled at her as to say 'your welcome'. Frank walked them out and locked the house up and then went back upstairs. * Losing Control.
