"So Boy Scout, anyone tip-toeing through your tulips?" Dr. Austin Smyth said as he walked into Efraim's office. Sitting in the rocking chair across from Efraim, Smyth chewed on the end of an unlit Turkish cigarillo.

"Yeah, my security took a beating last night, but it held. My system was able to back track and get some names, but not all of them. There's one bouncing all over the world that makes the security precautions I take look like nothing. That's the one I'm interested in, whoever it is will probably be big time."

"But they weren't able to crash your gates?" Smyth asked, eyeing the man across the desk from him.

Efraim gave a small chuckle. "No. They didn't crash the gate. But they tried, repeatedly. That's what worries me."

"Does it feel like anyone you've come across before?"

"No, this is a new player. And he's good."

Biting down on the end of the cigarillo, Smyth watched Efraim closely. "And what is your reaction to these hits?"

Efraim leaned back in his chair and looked at Dr. Smyth, unable to keep the small smile off of his face. "I'm tracking him down."

"As I would expect you to do, Boy Scout. And how do you go about that?"

"Every hit he makes, I close the system down and track him as he retreats behind his security platform. And then I wait. So every time he hits me, to do so he has to come out from behind his security. And each time he does, I move forward. Basically, he'll have no place left to hide. It's a game of patience. And I'm a very patient man."

"What about traps?"

"I've taken precautions in case he tries to spring something on me. I'm also very careful, Dr. Smyth. I'm not making any single, frontal approaches." He smiled as he watched Dr. Smyth's eyebrows raise.

"Tell me." Smyth demanded.

"I'm using, ah, several computer systems to engage him."

Dr. Smyth threw his head back and laughed. "Beaman, I can see why your wife's esteem and opinion of you is so high. And how is Mrs. Beaman today?"

"Feeling a little under the weather." At Smyth's look of concern, he continued. "It seems that she convinced Billy that pizza would not bother her. She had several pieces last night and is paying for it today. She's a stubborn women"

Smyth stood to leave. "Yes she is a stubborn women. But, they are the most interesting, aren't they? Heaven save us from complacent companions." With that, Smyth waved the cigarillo at Efraim and left his office.

Efraim watched as Smyth made a pass through the bullpen, agents dipping their heads as they tried to avoid eye contact with the director of the Agency. Smiling , he shook his head as he went back to his computer, watching the program he had put in place to corner the hacker who was trying to access his system. He went back to rebuilding some of the damaged firewalls that Lee had crashed the night before.

"Beaman! Your wife is on the phone! Pick it up, will ya?" Cooper yelled from the bullpen.

Efraim jumped, he was so absorbed in chasing through his programs that he hadn't heard the telephone ring. "Thanks Cooper. I'm sorry!"

"Good thing Francine's used to it, or she'd have my head on a platter!"

"Now, now . . . Hi hon, what's up?"

"B, do you know what time it is?" Francine asked, trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice.

"Noon, one o'clock I guess. Why?"

"Efraim, it's seven o'clock. We're supposed to be having dinner at your parents tonight."

"Is that tonight, honey? I'm sorry, I guess I forgot. I'll call Mom and tell her we'll be late."

"I've already called her Efraim. Come home. Now." Francine told him, sighing as she hung up the phone.

Efraim swore as he heard Francine hang up the phone. He wanted to stay and track this hacker down, he had been able to isolate him in Europe; he was getting close to him, he could feel it. He closed several programs, and pulling up his laptop, he linked it to send data to him.

Dr. Smyth had ordered a military police officer to stand guard in front of Efraim's office and they snapped to attention and saluted as Efraim left his office. Efraim nodded as he passed by; in two minds as to the need for an armed guard outside of his office. Smiling, he thought that Scarecrow would get the picture though.

Rushing inside the townhouse, Efraim threw his briefcase on the table with his keys and ran upstairs to change. "Franny? I'm home!"

"I'm in the baby's room, B." Francine called back.

Efraim walked into the baby's room and smiled. Francine was in the rocking chair, her feet up on the hassock, rocking away. The bassinet and crib were dressed in their linens, bouncing balloons all in primary colors. Stopping, he smiled, liking the cheerful room and the satisfied smile on his wife's face.

"Shopping I see."

"Amanda and I went out earlier. I wanted to get this all set up, and I thought you might be busy for the next few weeks. Do you like it?" She watched her husbands face, wanting him to like what she had done as much as she did.

"No, I don't like it. I love it, hon. How could I not?" He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss, and watched as she smiled.

"I'm glad. It's cheerful, isn't it?"

Efraim looked around the room. It was cheerful and colorful, bright with primary colors and light. "Very cheerful. Will the baby be able to sleep in here? It's not too, ah, loud?"

Francine laughed and held her hands up for Efraim to help her stand up. Pulling her up and giving her a quick hug, he looked around the room, waiting for his answer.

"The baby will be able to sleep, B. Babies sleep with their eyes closed!" She patted his cheek and walked into their bedroom as Efraim followed behind her.

Feeling rather sheepish, Efraim shrugged. "I know that, I just thought that the baby would be too busy looking at the walls and ceiling to sleep."

"You mean like his or her daddy?" She laughed at the big grin that broke out on Efraim's face.

"Yeah, I guess so, huh?

"Oh B, you're so happy to become a daddy, you're going to be wonderful!"

"And you'll be a wonderful mommy too."

"I don't know. I don't have any experience with children, let alone babies. It's no secret that children and I don't mix."

"That's not true, hon. Kids love you. Alice sees you and reaches for you. She screams when any of the rest of us try to hold her." Efraim was referring to his sister's baby Alice, eleven months old and crazy about Francine.

"Everyone at work thinks we're crazy for having a child," her eyes downcast so Efraim wouldn't see the frown she was trying to hold back.

"Hon, look at me." He lifted her chin, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "It was easier to say you didn't like children when you were playing the hard boiled career woman. And anyone at work can go to hell. I love my wife. My wife loves me. It's our decision to have children, not theirs. And they already think I'm crazy hon, that was never in question. It's none of their damn business."

She grinned and stepped into his arms, letting him comfort her. "No regrets?" Francine asked him, knowing his answer, but wanting the reassurance he would give her none the less.

"No regrets. Remember when I flew out to LA?" At her nod, he continued. "There was a little girl, about two years or three years old in the seat in front of me. She had white blond hair and big blue eyes and she flirted with me all the way to LA. I thought that little girl could have been ours. That night I wanted everything between us settled. I wanted to ask you to marry me, to have my children, to let me love you for the rest of my life. I don't have any regrets Francine Catherine Caroline Desmond Beaman. I'm the luckiest man alive because I have you."

"And don't you forget it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I won't forget it; you won't let me! He smiled as she giggled. "Come on, help this lucky man find something that matches so I don't show up wearing different colored socks. We're going to be late as it is."

"I'll tell Peg you couldn't keep your hands off of me. She'll believe me."

Efraim laughed. "That's no secret hon, you had better come up with something better than that. They already know I can't keep my hands off of you!" He headed into the bathroom to wash up, smiling as she laughed after him.

"Hmmmm, I'll come up with something. I've been around you too long not to know how to fabricate a good excuse when I need one."

Coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his neck, Efraim tossed his shirt into the laundry and went into the closet. "This is just family, right hon? Nothing I need to dress up for, right?"

"Just us, B." Francine said, sitting on the bed as she waited for Efraim to finish dressing.

"Good, I'm not in the mood for a big family thing tonight. I've got a lot on my mind." He tucked the bottom of a dark blue Polo shirt inside his jeans. "Can I wear my Nike's?" He looked at Francine out of the corner of his eye. She was usually a stickler about dress, but she had mellowed since becoming pregnant.

"Yes, wear your tennies, B." She said, amusement lacing her voice.

Efraim stood up and gave his hands to Francine to help pull her up. Hugging her, he led her to the steps. "Thanks hon. I appreciate it."

"Mmmmm. I know."

"Ready?" He asked, smiling as Francine rubbed her back.

"You have no idea," she told him, her tone wistful.

"I can imagine! Have I told you lately how much I love you, Francine?"

"Yes, you have, but I never get tired of hearing it, Efraim."

Taking her in his arms, he looked into her eyes, smiling at the warmth and love he saw there. "I love you, Francine." He leaned in, gently touching his lips to hers, feeling complete in her arms.

They both laughed when they felt the baby give a swift kick where Efraim was leaning against Francine. Placing his hands on either side of her very pregnant belly, Efraim kissed the area where the baby had kicked them.

"Rather possessive, huh?" Efraim asked as they went downstairs.

"Like his father." Francine said on a laugh.

"What's not to be possessive about? I'm married to the most beautiful woman in the world who is now very becomingly pregnant with our first child! Of course I'm possessive. The kid's a chip off the old block!"

"That's what has me worried, B!"