***

Lara glanced at her cards then at an emotionless Smoke, then back at the cards on the table. If she lost this round Lara would owe her friend a very expensive dinner and her favorite pair of boots. Smoke, being the fact that paid assassins don't come cheap, wasn't interested in playing for money when she suggested playing poker with Lara. Lara had agreed to playing for odd items including dinner out and a few assorted articles of clothing. Lara was longing to be able to run her assault course, however, being nearly nine months pregnant and leaping from crates and wading in waist deep water was not encouraged.

"Give up yet, Lara?" Smoke asked, her lips curling into a smile.

Smoke never had a very good poker face. Lara glanced at her cards again. She was screwed.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Lara leapt. "I'll get it!" She said, happily.

"Hello?" Lara asked as she pressed the receiver to her ear.

"Mrs. West?" A somber female voice asked.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"This is Nicola at Dr. Peter's office. Your husband was admitted about ten minutes ago-"

"What happened?!" Lara blurted out before the girl could finish her sentence.

"Please calm down, Mrs. West. He was in a car accident."

"How is he!?" Her heart was racing. She pressed her hand to her stomach. Not now! She thought. Please not now! Everything was going so well.

"I'm not. . . completely informed of his condition right now. Um, last report it was still critical." The girl said, unsure.

"I'll be there as fast as I can." Lara slammed down the phone and turned back to a confused Smoke.

"What is it?" Smoke asked.

"Alex is in the hospital. He was in a car crash. He's in critical condition." Lara said.

"What?!" Smoke demanded.

Suddenly, Lara's face went white. She looked up at her friend. "My water just broke."

***

"Lara?" Alex poked his head inside of the room Lara was laying in. After being in labor for sixteen hours she had finally delivered their daughter and was resting up in one of the private hospital rooms.

"Alex." Lara said. She was exhausted, but relieved to see him. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Alex stepped in, his left wrist was bandaged and there was an ugly purplish bruise on his left temple. He walked over to Lara, kissed her deeply and pulled a chair over to her bedside. He took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"What happened?" Lara said, gently touching his bruised temple.

"This huge black van rammed into the jeep head on. I got a little banged up. . ." Alex said.

"Is the person in the van alright?" Lara asked.

"I wouldn't know, he took off right after he hit me." Alex grumbled.

"What? I don't understand?"

"Neither do I. I think it was malicious, honey." He said, solemnly.

Lara paused and thought. "Do you know of anyone who might want to hurt you?"

"That could be a long list." Alex murmured.

"Seriously, Alex." Lara said.

"I can't think of anyone off the top of my head." He admitted. "But there is something that I sort of. . . forgot to tell you. . ."

"What?"

"About a month ago someone started calling the house and threatened us and the baby."

"What?!" Lara's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?! And why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know who it was, the police couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to tell you, but your doctor told me not to stress you out. And, sweetie, I'd rather have you mad at me then him. That guy is just plain scary."

"And I'm not?"

"Well, you can be, but there's one big difference between you and your doctor."

"What's that?"

"I take you to bed on a regular basis." Alex smiled.

Lara kissed his lips. "But what are we going to do about this caller?"

"I don't know. They haven't called for a while. But they threatened the baby. . ." He murmured.

Lara glanced at him. "Over my dead body." She said.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Alex said. "But, actually, I thought about hiring Smoke as a body guard or something." He shrugged. "She's pretty fast on her feet and she knows how to handle a gun. Besides, you've got to get back in shape and we both have the baby to take care of."

"Oh, have you seen her yet?"

"Yeah, I saw her, but the doctors said that I'd have to wait until tomorrow to hold her."

"Don't worry Alex, she's perfect. And very loud." Lara laughed.

"I think she got that from me." Alex smiled. "Our own little Tiffany Victoria is taking after me already."

"Alex, her birth certificate says Electra Rose." Lara said.

"Damn. Maybe our next daughter will be named Tiffany then." He kissed her forehead. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Mr. West." Lara smiled. "And I think hiring Smoke is a brilliant idea. Bryce should like it too."

"Ah, don't remind me." He winced.

***A Few Days Later. . . ***

"Hey Hillary, are you busy?" Bryce asked, entering the kitchen with a small box in his hands.

"I was trying to solve world hunger." Hillary said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you can take a break then. Look at this." Bryce opened the box and pulled out a smaller much more colorful box. He set it on the kitchen table and carefully lifted the lid. A midi of the song "Take My Breath Away" by Emma Bunton began to play.

"Bryce, that's ingenious. How did you do that?" Hillary asked, for the first time, actually interested in one of Bryce's gadgets.

"Well, I was just going to buy her a music box, but then I thought that I could make one instead. You see, there's a computer chip with full audio capabilities that I can program to play midis inside. The bottom of the box is equip with a light sensor, so whenever anyone opens the lid, it activated the computer chip and it plays the song. Not bad, eh?"

"Are you sure Smoke is going to keep it and not take it apart?" Hillary asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Boys, do you know where Alex is?" Lara asked, entering the kitchen with Electra in her arms. Electra was sleeping soundly against Lara's shoulder.

"He went out to buy some milk, I think." Bryce said. "Do you want to see my music box?"

"Sure."

Bryce played the midi for her. Electra stirred, then, sticking her thumb back in her mouth, she went back to sleep. Lara smiled at Bryce.

"That's lovely." She said.

"It's for Smoke."

"Ah." Lara smiled. "Well, I've got to get this little one to bed. Night, boys."

"Good-night, Lara." Both chorused.