***Author*s note: I have tried about a million things to fix the weird
punctuation marks that show up when I post just this one chapter but they
won*t go away. So I changed them to *. Sorry if it is hard to read. Also,
this is where the story gets a bit darker so you have been warned ***
Robert and Lexie spent the rest of the week indulging in the presence of the love they had long since dismissed as lost. They spent the days quietly reading or sitting in the last rays of the summer sun and the nights were spent in candlelight. They ate most of their meals in what had become their bedroom and made love for hours. Neither had ever felt so free and as the week drew to a close they knew they would have to go back to the real world. They spent the last night together in the garden; her head lay on his shoulder as they slowly swung on the old wooden swing. The crisp breeze blew through her hair and he kissed her exposed neck.
*I could stay like this forever.* She said quietly and looked at him with more contentment in her eyes than he could ever have hoped for. He grinned at her and it faded as soon as it started.
*What if you could?* He said with a serious, nervous tone and she looked at him confused.
*What are you talking about?* Their gaze was hypnotic and neither could break it.
*What if me made our lives together a permanent thing?* Lexie*s eyes widened.
*Are you asking me to marry you?* He laughed but her expression stayed the same. The phone started ringing inside and both hesitated to answer it but no one had called them at all the whole week and Robert figured that it might be important. She gave him one last confused glance as Robert got up to answer it. He walked out of the house and handed the phone to her. It was her brother.
*Hey.* Lexie said and got up to walk inside for better reception. She realized that it wasn*t her phone that was breaking up. *Are you on your cell phone?*
*Yeah, I am on my way over there but I wanted to warn you that Dad was on his way too. He is pissed Barbi. I guess the people that are doing the business thing are threatening to walk because of some slip up involving your leaving.*
Lexie was shocked. Robert came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and she struggled out of his embrace. *What are you talking about? I had nothing to do with the merger.*
*I don*t know what he is talking about either but he is pissed.* Lexie heard the doorbell ring and she jumped. *That is me, open the door.*
She ran to the door and opened it. John walked in and nodded uncomfortably at Romano. *What is going on?* Robert asked and both Lexie and Carter looked at him.
*My father is coming to get me.* She said with a slight shake in her voice. Robert walked over to her and touched her arm.
*I am not going to let anything happen to you. You have nothing to worry about.* She looked at him and his heart actually hurt when he saw the contentment had vanished from her eyes and was now replaced with fear. The sound of someone pounding on the door made them all jump. John looked at Robert and they had a silent conversation. All three knew that this could get ugly but neither man was going to let him come near her. Robert walked over to the door and opened it. Jack Carter stood disheveled in the doorway; someone who had obviously been trying to fight his demons with scotch replaced his usually pristine appearance.
*Dr. Romano.* He slurred and Robert had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He had met Jack Carter on a few occasion, usually at some fundraiser, and he had never liked the man. The fact that he was willing to hurt his daughter to add to his already enormous fortune made him sick.
*Jack.* His use of his first name was an intentional reference of his lack of respect for the man who he hoped would someday be his father in law. Jack looked past Robert at his children and laughed at John*s presence.
*I should have known that you would leap on your white horse and run over here to try to save the day again. What, were your angle wings not as pearly white as you wanted them? You can relax son, there is already a place in heaven with your name on it.*
Carter shook his head and walked over to the door. Robert walked back to Lexie*s side and took her hand. *Dad, I think you need to go somewhere and sleep it off.* Jack stumbled towards Carter and stood in his face.
*And just when in the hell did you grow balls? You must have to talk to me like that. This is none of your fucking business so do yourself a favor and go home, have some milk and cookies and let me do what I have to do.*
Carter shook his head and stood his ground. *I am not going to say it again. Turn around and get out of here and leave her alone. Do you really think we are going to just let you walk in here and take her with you? You must have more to drink than I thought.* Jack glared at his son and stumbled backwards, pausing a minute before he swung his fist which connected with John*s lip. Carter fell backwards and Jack came after him. Robert went to pull the drunk man off of Carter and Jack hit him in the face. Carter stood up and pulled his father away from Romano and held him by the collar. *I am not going to beat the shit out of you because I am not going to go down to your level but you need to turn around and walk out of here before I decide to slum it.*
Jack looked at them and his eyes locked with Lexie*s frightened ones. *I am only going to say this once Barbara. Go get your things and come with me or I swear I will make you pay for this.* All Lexie could do was shake her head. Jack wiped his mouth off and laughed. *You ungrateful bitch. I gave you everything you have ever wanted and what thanks do I get? You turn your back on me when I need you the most. Landon was right about you. You are just a worthless whore that should never have been born.* As the last words let his mouth Robert*s fist connected with it.
*Our time together is over. Leave now or I will not be responsible for what I do to you.* He hissed and Jack shook his head again.
*Worthless, all of you. I figured you had some sense Dr. Romano. But I guess my whore of a daughter has convinced you to loose all logic like my pathetic son.* He turned and staggered out the door. He turned and looked directly at Lexie. *We are far from done here my dear. Count on that.* He turned and left. Robert slammed the door behind him and Lexie broke down in sobs. Carter pulled her into his arms and held onto her, he knew he was probly crushing her but he needed something to hold onto. Some semblance of family or even someone else that understood what he was feeling. She sobbed into his shirt as she grasped the material to hold herself up. He led her into the living room and they sat down as Robert followed them in and poured himself a drink. He handed one to Carter and he took it gladly. They were silent as they tried to take in what had just happened. Robert was the first to speak.
*What in the hell was that all about? Why does you father want you back with Landon so badly?* He finished off his glass and poured another.
*We don*t know why he is doing this.* Carter said and Lexie looked down. Both men looked at her. *Do we?* Carter asked and she nodded slowly.
*I started suspecting that something was going on a few months ago but I couldn*t imagine that they would be doing anything like that.* The men looked at her for more of an explanation. * I am on the board of directors for the free clinic I run in New York. Dad set it up for me under the Carter Family Foundation*s name so that we could be declared a non-profit corporation. I never went to any of the board meetings because usually so swamped with the clinic and all of the stupid charity things that went along with it. So once a month I would get the information from the meetings and go over them and sign them. And then a few months ago the amount of paperwork started to increase. I asked Dad why it had almost tripled in size and he said that it was because of the new tax laws and insurance companies so I just went along with it. I would skim over them but Dad had always taken care of everything so I figured I had nothing to worry about. But the papers kept coming and Landon and Dad seemed more impatient that I wanted to read over them and that set off the alarm bells. Finally I told them that I wouldn*t sign them until my lawyer looked at them and both of them went ballistic.* Her voice broke and the tears started again. * Dad told Landon that he knew what he had to do and left the room so that Landon could teach me a lesson. Dad sat outside of my office and let him beat me. He even seemed to encourage it. So after that I would just sign them so that I could avoid any problems. But then I was asked to meet with some of the men that were involved with the merger and they were talking to me like I should know everything about it. Like I was one of the shareholders. I was too afraid to ask about it and so now I think I have my answer.*
Robert and Carter stared at her. *You never had a lawyer look over the paperwork?* Robert asked and Lexie shook her head. John rubbed his hands over his face and Robert downed the last of the scotch in his glass. *Ok, this is not hopeless. We will just have to do some digging and we will fix it.* Robert walked over and knelt down in front of her. *You don*t have to deal with this alone.* She gave him a small smile.
*Barbi, you have to make the phone call.* Carter said and Lexie looked at him with wide eyes.
*John, you know what you are saying right?* He nodded.
*What am I missing?* Robert asked and Carter and Lexie exchanged a look again.
*We have always had our ace in the hole when it came to dealing with our parents and now it is time to use it.* Carter said without breaking the look with his sister.
*And that would be what?* Robert still didn*t understand and to be honest, if the woman he loved wasn*t involved he wouldn*t want to know.
*My godfather is Robert Mueller and he had always turned a blind eye on what our family is doing but I know that if I needed him he would back me up.* Lexie finally looked at him.
*Your godfather is the director of the FBI? How in the hell did that happen?* Robert didn*t know if he was more impressed than confused.
*He and Dad were college roommates and he has always been apart of the family.* Lexie looked back at Carter.
*Are you going to make the call?* He asked and she paused.
* Not yet, let me do some digging first and then I will decide. *
Carter agreed and decided he needed to go. He was already late for his shift but could care less if Kerry was pissed. He said his goodbyes and left.
Robert and Lexie walked up the stairs in silence and lay down in bed with their clothes on. He pulled he close as she sobbed on his chest. He looked up to the ceiling and promised himself that he would never let anyone hurt her again, so help him God.
Robert and Lexie spent the rest of the week indulging in the presence of the love they had long since dismissed as lost. They spent the days quietly reading or sitting in the last rays of the summer sun and the nights were spent in candlelight. They ate most of their meals in what had become their bedroom and made love for hours. Neither had ever felt so free and as the week drew to a close they knew they would have to go back to the real world. They spent the last night together in the garden; her head lay on his shoulder as they slowly swung on the old wooden swing. The crisp breeze blew through her hair and he kissed her exposed neck.
*I could stay like this forever.* She said quietly and looked at him with more contentment in her eyes than he could ever have hoped for. He grinned at her and it faded as soon as it started.
*What if you could?* He said with a serious, nervous tone and she looked at him confused.
*What are you talking about?* Their gaze was hypnotic and neither could break it.
*What if me made our lives together a permanent thing?* Lexie*s eyes widened.
*Are you asking me to marry you?* He laughed but her expression stayed the same. The phone started ringing inside and both hesitated to answer it but no one had called them at all the whole week and Robert figured that it might be important. She gave him one last confused glance as Robert got up to answer it. He walked out of the house and handed the phone to her. It was her brother.
*Hey.* Lexie said and got up to walk inside for better reception. She realized that it wasn*t her phone that was breaking up. *Are you on your cell phone?*
*Yeah, I am on my way over there but I wanted to warn you that Dad was on his way too. He is pissed Barbi. I guess the people that are doing the business thing are threatening to walk because of some slip up involving your leaving.*
Lexie was shocked. Robert came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and she struggled out of his embrace. *What are you talking about? I had nothing to do with the merger.*
*I don*t know what he is talking about either but he is pissed.* Lexie heard the doorbell ring and she jumped. *That is me, open the door.*
She ran to the door and opened it. John walked in and nodded uncomfortably at Romano. *What is going on?* Robert asked and both Lexie and Carter looked at him.
*My father is coming to get me.* She said with a slight shake in her voice. Robert walked over to her and touched her arm.
*I am not going to let anything happen to you. You have nothing to worry about.* She looked at him and his heart actually hurt when he saw the contentment had vanished from her eyes and was now replaced with fear. The sound of someone pounding on the door made them all jump. John looked at Robert and they had a silent conversation. All three knew that this could get ugly but neither man was going to let him come near her. Robert walked over to the door and opened it. Jack Carter stood disheveled in the doorway; someone who had obviously been trying to fight his demons with scotch replaced his usually pristine appearance.
*Dr. Romano.* He slurred and Robert had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He had met Jack Carter on a few occasion, usually at some fundraiser, and he had never liked the man. The fact that he was willing to hurt his daughter to add to his already enormous fortune made him sick.
*Jack.* His use of his first name was an intentional reference of his lack of respect for the man who he hoped would someday be his father in law. Jack looked past Robert at his children and laughed at John*s presence.
*I should have known that you would leap on your white horse and run over here to try to save the day again. What, were your angle wings not as pearly white as you wanted them? You can relax son, there is already a place in heaven with your name on it.*
Carter shook his head and walked over to the door. Robert walked back to Lexie*s side and took her hand. *Dad, I think you need to go somewhere and sleep it off.* Jack stumbled towards Carter and stood in his face.
*And just when in the hell did you grow balls? You must have to talk to me like that. This is none of your fucking business so do yourself a favor and go home, have some milk and cookies and let me do what I have to do.*
Carter shook his head and stood his ground. *I am not going to say it again. Turn around and get out of here and leave her alone. Do you really think we are going to just let you walk in here and take her with you? You must have more to drink than I thought.* Jack glared at his son and stumbled backwards, pausing a minute before he swung his fist which connected with John*s lip. Carter fell backwards and Jack came after him. Robert went to pull the drunk man off of Carter and Jack hit him in the face. Carter stood up and pulled his father away from Romano and held him by the collar. *I am not going to beat the shit out of you because I am not going to go down to your level but you need to turn around and walk out of here before I decide to slum it.*
Jack looked at them and his eyes locked with Lexie*s frightened ones. *I am only going to say this once Barbara. Go get your things and come with me or I swear I will make you pay for this.* All Lexie could do was shake her head. Jack wiped his mouth off and laughed. *You ungrateful bitch. I gave you everything you have ever wanted and what thanks do I get? You turn your back on me when I need you the most. Landon was right about you. You are just a worthless whore that should never have been born.* As the last words let his mouth Robert*s fist connected with it.
*Our time together is over. Leave now or I will not be responsible for what I do to you.* He hissed and Jack shook his head again.
*Worthless, all of you. I figured you had some sense Dr. Romano. But I guess my whore of a daughter has convinced you to loose all logic like my pathetic son.* He turned and staggered out the door. He turned and looked directly at Lexie. *We are far from done here my dear. Count on that.* He turned and left. Robert slammed the door behind him and Lexie broke down in sobs. Carter pulled her into his arms and held onto her, he knew he was probly crushing her but he needed something to hold onto. Some semblance of family or even someone else that understood what he was feeling. She sobbed into his shirt as she grasped the material to hold herself up. He led her into the living room and they sat down as Robert followed them in and poured himself a drink. He handed one to Carter and he took it gladly. They were silent as they tried to take in what had just happened. Robert was the first to speak.
*What in the hell was that all about? Why does you father want you back with Landon so badly?* He finished off his glass and poured another.
*We don*t know why he is doing this.* Carter said and Lexie looked down. Both men looked at her. *Do we?* Carter asked and she nodded slowly.
*I started suspecting that something was going on a few months ago but I couldn*t imagine that they would be doing anything like that.* The men looked at her for more of an explanation. * I am on the board of directors for the free clinic I run in New York. Dad set it up for me under the Carter Family Foundation*s name so that we could be declared a non-profit corporation. I never went to any of the board meetings because usually so swamped with the clinic and all of the stupid charity things that went along with it. So once a month I would get the information from the meetings and go over them and sign them. And then a few months ago the amount of paperwork started to increase. I asked Dad why it had almost tripled in size and he said that it was because of the new tax laws and insurance companies so I just went along with it. I would skim over them but Dad had always taken care of everything so I figured I had nothing to worry about. But the papers kept coming and Landon and Dad seemed more impatient that I wanted to read over them and that set off the alarm bells. Finally I told them that I wouldn*t sign them until my lawyer looked at them and both of them went ballistic.* Her voice broke and the tears started again. * Dad told Landon that he knew what he had to do and left the room so that Landon could teach me a lesson. Dad sat outside of my office and let him beat me. He even seemed to encourage it. So after that I would just sign them so that I could avoid any problems. But then I was asked to meet with some of the men that were involved with the merger and they were talking to me like I should know everything about it. Like I was one of the shareholders. I was too afraid to ask about it and so now I think I have my answer.*
Robert and Carter stared at her. *You never had a lawyer look over the paperwork?* Robert asked and Lexie shook her head. John rubbed his hands over his face and Robert downed the last of the scotch in his glass. *Ok, this is not hopeless. We will just have to do some digging and we will fix it.* Robert walked over and knelt down in front of her. *You don*t have to deal with this alone.* She gave him a small smile.
*Barbi, you have to make the phone call.* Carter said and Lexie looked at him with wide eyes.
*John, you know what you are saying right?* He nodded.
*What am I missing?* Robert asked and Carter and Lexie exchanged a look again.
*We have always had our ace in the hole when it came to dealing with our parents and now it is time to use it.* Carter said without breaking the look with his sister.
*And that would be what?* Robert still didn*t understand and to be honest, if the woman he loved wasn*t involved he wouldn*t want to know.
*My godfather is Robert Mueller and he had always turned a blind eye on what our family is doing but I know that if I needed him he would back me up.* Lexie finally looked at him.
*Your godfather is the director of the FBI? How in the hell did that happen?* Robert didn*t know if he was more impressed than confused.
*He and Dad were college roommates and he has always been apart of the family.* Lexie looked back at Carter.
*Are you going to make the call?* He asked and she paused.
* Not yet, let me do some digging first and then I will decide. *
Carter agreed and decided he needed to go. He was already late for his shift but could care less if Kerry was pissed. He said his goodbyes and left.
Robert and Lexie walked up the stairs in silence and lay down in bed with their clothes on. He pulled he close as she sobbed on his chest. He looked up to the ceiling and promised himself that he would never let anyone hurt her again, so help him God.
