Author's Note: So I finally got this chapter out it's been sitting on my computer for the last two days because I've been too busy post. But, now its out and I'm glad in such I wanted to let everyone know this story only seven more chapters left and will if everything goes as planned be finished before the end of year. Chapter 14 is planned currently waiting to be written but don't expect until next month as I recently started a new job and its cutting down on my writing time. As always check my website for the most update information about new chapters.

Chapter Thirteen

Alexandra "Lexie" Walker was rarely ever surprised by anything her father did. After years of anguishing over his alleged criminal behavior, she simply accepted it and him. Ever since his return to her life, seven years earlier, their bond had been strengthening greatly. As such, they talked on the phone for a couple hours each day. Which is why when she called the previous day and the phone had simply rung in her ear she had known that something was not right.

"I'm telling you Brandon something is wrong. Father would never just let the phone go unanswered. And besides that he would have told me if he was planning to go away." She'd told her husband as he watched her stuff clothes in an overnight bag for the airport.

Brandon had sighed knowing there was going to be no way he could deter his wife. "So when do we leave?"

As they arrived on the island she didn't bother wait for Brandon to get out of the helicopter. She went ahead and left the helipad without leaving Brandon to catch-up. Lexie was surprised to learn that no one on staff was there to meet them. "That's odd; usually Father's his staff is more prompt."

"Maybe he gave them the night off?" Brandon suggested as he finally caught up with her as they walked the long corridor to the gated main entrance.

"That's not likely Brandon. It's not the house staff I'm referring to; I'm talking about his personal staff." Lexie replied as she put in the entry code to open the gate. After the couple entered the elusive home she left Brandon's side, leaving him to secure the door as she did a quick sweep of the house.

"Ms. Brooks is not here." She called leaving the kitchen after searching for the housekeeper.

"Well maybe Stefano gave her time off. It's not exactly unheard of for him to give her a day off." Brandon replied as he came up behind his wife who was distractedly lost in thought. He grabbed her arm and pulled back against him.

Lexie sighed leaning into him, closing her eyes. "I know you're right, Brandon. But, in the seven years since he's been back have you ever known him to miss my call?" She turned in the shelter of his arms.

"No, he's never missed a call."

"Exactly, I just have this feeling that something is wrong."

"Hey, if you feel that way we'll just find Stefano so that he can put your mind at ease." He suggested as his hands slid down to her hands raising one to his mouth to kiss the palm soothingly.

Despite the anxiety she felt, Lexie smiled. "I knew there was a reason I married you."

"And here I thought it was my charming wit." He released her hand as she started down the hallway toward the bedrooms. He followed behind her obediently.

"Oh wait we need to call Stephanie to let her know we got here, okay." She paused in the corridor.

Brandon nodded. "So, you make the call and I'll see if Stefano is his rooms."

Lexie agreed and turned back down the hallway toward the library. The door was closed when she got there. Opening the door, she was immediately struck by the odor in the room. "Good Lord, what is that?" She scrunched her nose waving a hand in front of her face when she spotted her father's chair. "Father …" He didn't answer. "Daddy," she whispered walking toward the wheelchair. She turned the chair around and screamed. "Nooo …" The stench that she smelled was her father's dead body.

Philip waited at the doorway to his home for the limo coming up the driveway, knowing it held his wife and children inside. As soon as the car came to a stop, before the driver even had a chance to get out the door opened and out came Lily. He started off the steps to meet her half-way.

"Hey Daddy, is he here? Did you get Xander back?" Lily asked as she met her father for a hug.

He nodded kissing his daughter's dark head. "Sweetie, we got both Xander and your niece back."

Lily leaned back and peered up at her father. "She's here? Can I see here?"

"Yes, she's here Angel and Patrick are staying the night and then going to leave in the morning. She may still be up so you might be able to peak in. I'm going to wait for your mother." He said to Lily who barely allowed him finish before she took off into the house. Sighing he turned to Chloe and Elena who were still in the process of getting out of the limo. He walked over to assist them.

Xavier came out of the Kiriakis Estate to see his wife just getting out of the limo. Without a word he walked over to her. "Lena, cher."

"X," Elena replied nodding to her husband as she moved out of Chloe's way so that the other woman could get the sleeping child out. "Did you get anymore information about the file?"

"No, not yet. We've got a conference call tomorrow with someone who can tell us more." Xavier answered as he took her bag from off her shoulder. "In the meantime, Kiriakis has offered to let us stay on his estate until we get the matter settled."

Elena nodded as they headed into the house. "So how is our granddaughter? Is she as beautiful as the picture?"

"She 's even better looking in person, believe me." Xavier answered as he leaned to kiss his wife, putting an arm over her shoulders as they entered the foyer.

Philip took his sleeping son out of Chloe's arms. "Ben, we won't need you the rest of the night." He said to the limo driver who nodded and returned the limo.

"You know Philip when you said you had a car waiting for us I assumed that you actually meant a car." Chloe added as she turned with Philip to head into the house with his hand on the small of her back.

"I just wanted you to be comfortable."

"I know," she paused in the foyer. "Look, after we put down Nicky we need to talk."

"Of course, I have something I need to tell you also." He added as the couple bypassed the hassle of seeing everyone and went directly to their wing of the house. They first took Nicky to his bedroom where Philip placed him in his bed and Chloe changed the child out of his clothes into a pair of pajamas. He never even stirred as his parents kissed him goodnight and tucked the covers around him.

Together they walked short distance their suite. Chloe walking into their sitting room kicked off the black stiletto pumps took the pins out of her hair and finally let herself loose. She took off her pearl earrings, dropping them into a silver ornate jewelry box. Philip was undoing the sleeves of his dress shirt when he came to stand behind her, propping his hands on her waist, letting his chin drop down to her shoulder. With one hand he pushed her long cascading hair to one side as he nuzzled her neck. "So what did you have to tell me?"

Chloe paused to gaze at Philip's reflection in the mirror. "You know I love you."

He nodded dropping his hands to lie on her stomach as he pulled her back against his broad chest. "And I love you too."

Her hand dropped over his. "I'm glad. I've been having a hard time coming to terms with the revelation that you have another daughter."

"I know that Chloe and—" he started but Chloe turned in his arms to lie a finger over his mouth to stop him from talking.

"Philip, you don't have to say anything. I talked to Elena on the plane and I have a better idea of what you went through with Tara. Though, I'm not saying that I'm completely over everything because I'm not I-I just understand the situation a lot more than I did before."

Philip smiled glad to have his wife back on his side. Now that everything was starting to fall back into place he couldn't hide his happiness.

"Are you going to say anything Philip?"

"Ah, no. I don't think you need me to say anything." He answered releasing his wife so that she could finish getting undressed. She went into her closet to pull out something to sleep in.

"What did you have to tell me?" She called.

"I met Kieran's father yesterday."

She popped her head out of the closet. "Oh and how was he? Did he make a good impression on you?"

Philip smirked. "Well, let's just say that Brady didn't care too much for him or vice versa. Of course I like him already."

"You're a bad man Philip." She said laughing.

He settled down in the chaise lounge outside Chloe's expansive walk-in closet. "Seriously, though he seemed like a nice enough guy. He and Xavier apparently grew up and went into the Naval Academy together."

"I didn't know that. But, it's probably a good thing considering that you like Xavier don't you?"

"He's an interesting character, I'll give you that. In any case he helped me get back our granddaughter and is very self-aware."

"He's not the only one." Chloe mumbled quietly as she came out her closet wrapping a robe around her before walking past Philip to the bathroom.

"What does that mean?" His eyes trailing after her as joined her in the bathroom.

She was in the middle of preparing her bath in the black marble tub gathering salts from the sill against the wall, when Philip came upon her. "When Elena and I were talking on the plane she mentioned some very interesting things about Victor and Titan."

He leaned back against the doorway watching as his wife wind and wrapped her glorious long hair a messy knot high on her head securing it with a white clip. "What interesting things?

"Did you know that Elena worked undercover at Titan for a while?"

"No did she tell you anything about it?"

"Not really. She just said that Victor used her to find Tara and set it up so he could threaten her sister." She replied absently as she took off the robe and placing it on the hook beside the tub and slowly eased herself down into the bubbles. Sighing as she closed her eyes, she leaned her head back against the padded rim. "Philip, I think you should talk with her tomorrow. She may be able to tell what exactly happened. Until then why don't you join me in this tub?" Lazily lolling her head to the side her eyes swept up in invitation.

He broke into a full force smile with dimples evident as he unbuttoned his dress shirt dropped it to the floor and seconds later the rest of his clothes came off. "What kind of business, man would I be to refuse an offer like that?" He eased down into the tub behind Chloe. "We'll just deal with everything else tomorrow."

Angel woke to her daughter crawling over her body to pull at her disheveled hair. Eva beamed down at her mother showing her three front teeth.

"Genevieve Annabelle Cabrea, what are you doing up this early?" Angel asked as she moved into a sitting position against her pillows. She lifted the baby and propped the child against her legs bring the baby's hand to her lips. "Mama missed you so-o much."

"Mama," Eva giggled as she clapped her hands together against her mother's cheeks.

"Oh you know Mama so well. But where's Daddy? Where did Daddy go?" Angel posed the question to her daughter in between tickles to the little girl's stomach.

"He's right here," Patrick said from the bathroom doorway as he came through the settle on the other side of the bed next to his wife. "Eva Diva, you weren't supposed to wake Mommy." He lifted the child onto his lap. "I turned my head for one second." He smacked kisses on her little cheeks as she grabbed handfuls of her father's hair.

"What time did she wake up? I didn't hear her."

"She's only been up a little while. When I got back from the shower she was standing up in her crib."

"Ah, I guess that means its time for someone's breakfast." Angel sighed. "Tell you what how about you take Miss Eva Diva downstairs for breakfast while I take quick shower and get her clothes out for the day."

Patrick nodded. "That sounds like a plan to me." He rose off the bed then propping the baby on his hip, he headed out of the room.

"Bye, baby." Angel waved at the baby as she and Patrick left the room. Figuring that she could get her clothes out first, then shower, Angel pulled out her suitcase. She searched through the case until she found a shirt and jeans. As she debated on what would be cool enough for Eva to wear she spotted something sticking out of Eva's jean pocket from the clothes the baby had worn the day before. She picked up the tiny pair of jeans and pulled out the torn piece of paper. Putting the jeans under her arms she unfolded the note and read it. It was a note from her cousin Charlie to his parents.

'Mom and Dad,

I'm OK. Been reading OOTP I'm all most finished so please save me soon

So I can read HBP. Hope to see you soon.

Love,

Charlie'

"Where did you say you found this?" Xavier asked waving the note again as he reread it.

"It was in the pocket of Eva's jeans." Angel answered as she leaned forward on the island. "So this is good news right? I mean that's Charlie's handwriting?"

Elena glanced up from where she was playing peek-a-boo with Eva who was settled in her lap. She shielded her face with her hands and Eva pulled them away. "Peek-a-boo. It's definitely Charlie's handwriting. I'd recognize it anywhere."

"This is good then so you know Charlie's okay." Patrick said as he sat down next to Angel with his cup of coffee.

Xavier nodded as he brought small slip of paper up to the light he stared at it for a moment. "I think we have more than that, Lena look at the paper tell me what you see?" He handed the paper to his wife.

Elena wrapped one around the baby's waist and with her free hand took the paper closer for examination and then held it up against the light. "It's government issue memorandum. Specifically, the FBI but the emblem is outdated, at least by twenty years or so."

"Exactly what I thought." Xavier replied taking the baby from his wife.

"So what does that mean?" Patrick questioned as he glanced from his father to Elena.

"It means that our theory maybe correct which ultimately means we can find Charlie much easier now." Elena answered standing as she kissed Eva's plumb baby cheeks.

Meanwhile in another part of the house Lily was talking to her father about her newly aborted plans for the summer. She usually had a list of activities and things she wanted to see and do before the end of the summer but because of Titan's current problems and the attempted kidnapping those plans had to change.

"Daddy, I know that everything is crazy but I don't see why I can't have a few friends over for a small party."

"Lily," Philip sighed sitting back in his chair shaking his head.

Lily moved around the desk to stand in front of her father. "Okay so not a party, a get together."

"Liliana, put it anyway you want, the answer will still be no. But," he raised hand to forestall her next rant. "How about a little deal. When everything is back to normal or as normal as it was before this whole ordeal I will let you have a party." Liliana opened her mouth to protest again but he quickly continued, "And you can invite anyone you want."

Lily forestalled from her previous protest arched a brow quizzically, "Anyone, Daddy?"

"Yes, anyone." He could see the wheels turning his daughter's head. "Who exactly do you have in mind?"

"Kieran, of course, Daddy." She replied with a tossing of her hair behind her shoulder. "Mom told me you met Mr. O'Neal yesterday." She inclined her head to the left. "So, did you like him?"

"Yes actually, I did. And for the record when I said you could invite anyone I meant it, even him. Mind you, Lily that all I'm agreeing to is that you can invite him to the party, not that you may date him. Our original deal as far as you dating still stands."

"But Daddy," Lily whined moving to perch on her father's desk.

Philip sighed as he stood up, he should have known this would come up. After all Chloe had tried to warn him. "Don't whine Lily, it's not becoming of a Kiriakis."

"But Daddy, you won't even consider changing—,"

"Liliana Jade Kiriakis, this is not, I repeat, not up for discussion. You made a promise to me and I expect and will see that you keep it. End of story."

Lily crossed her arms over her chest and rose off of the desk glaring at her father. As she stalked toward him with brown eyes glittering with anger, Philip merely stood waiting for her to speak. "It's not fair, Dad. I made that deal when I was nine and not even interested in boys. Now, I finally meet a great guy who I happen to really, really like and you're telling me you won't even consider it."

"Lily, please do not press me on this issue." He warned sternly. "Because you will not like the consequences and also let me remind you that the fact that you entered into a relationship with this boy without acknowledging his existence to either your mother nor I and has not indebted either of us into your favor." There was a knock on the library door. He swore as he glanced down at his white gold Rolex that ironically had been given to him by his daughter for father's day the previous year, it was time to call Nicole.

"We will continue this discussion later, Lily." He gestured for her to proceed out the door as he opened it to Xavier and company awaiting them.

"I can't wait," Lily sneered as he escorted her to the door.

"Later Liliana," he nodded for her to leave and then watched as his daughter went out in a huff, her hair flying behind her as she did.

Everyone else came into the room except for Chloe who was busy elsewhere. Angel had noticed that her half-sister left the room angry and asked her father what was wrong.

Philip moved back behind the desk as he frustratingly ran his hand through his hair. "She's just upset with me because I'm not letting her date." He answered as he noted that Brady was present for the meeting but Mimi wasn't.

"I could go talk to her," Angel offered talking this chance as an attempt to get to know her sister better.

Surprised by the offer, Philip nodded. "Please, please do if you wouldn't mind."

Angel shook her head. "No, I wouldn't besides I want to check on Eva anyway. You can just start without me." She glanced at her husband who nodded and then left in search of her sister.

Philip installed the video phone hook-up and dialed the number to Nicole Walker-Reed's residence. After a few rings, Nicole answered and her image popped up on the screen.

The years had been kind to blonde; she seemed to have maintained her beauty so that now as she was in her mid-fifties she could past for at least twenty years younger. "Philip, I'm on a tight schedule and I don't want to be late for my next appointment so can we make this snappy."

"Of course, Nicole, I just have a few questions I would like to ask you. Do you know anything about Rex and Victor having a meeting before my father died?"

Nicole sighed as she drank her martini. "They met once before Victor's death, it was a private meeting after business hours."

"Do you know what the meeting was about?"

"I just said it was a private meeting, I didn't exactly have an invitation for it. I was never privy to any of his personal meetings. As it was your father was in the process of throwing me out of the business."

"Those things aside you do know what the meeting was about don't you?" Philip prompted knowing that even if she hadn't been present, she always knew more than she was telling.

Nicole smirked putting down her martini. "Philip, you know me too well. Tell me again why is it you and I never got together?"

"Besides the fact that you married my brother and were sleeping with my father, you remind me too much of my mother."

She chuckled, "Now, Philip that hurts, Kate and I are nothing alike."

"Nicole could we get back to the meeting," he suggested wanting to get back to the reason for his call.

"Oh, all right. If I must I didn't know any of the details but I do know that Rex and his sister were there to negotiate the sale of some property that Victor had previously stolen from some poor guy. But it's not like everything he did was the on the level anyway. In any case that was the jist of the meeting, not that he shared any of those details with me."

"That's all?" Philip asked looking beyond the video phone at Xavier and Elena who nodded slightly acknowledging that they needed to talk.

"As far as I know, now are we finished?"

Philip nodded, "Tell me brother I'll call him later."

"Philip, I'm not Austin's secretary, if you want to talk to him you'll have call him yourself. Have a nice day!" Nicole clicked of the phone and the screen went black.

"Well that was enlightening." Elena said as she stalked across the floor pacing. "So Rex and Cassie got some property from Victor or at least they tried to get some property but couldn't and the kidnappers who have my son, have it. I think that's one coincidence too many."

"What are you going to do now?" Patrick asked from his seat.

"We're going to haul Rex's ass down here and get him to answer some questions. I want to know what's so damn important about this property." Philip answered as he moved from behind his desk to stand in front of it.

Elena snorted as she paced, her pony tailed hair swinging. "Like he's going to just tell you what he and Victor had going on before the old man died. It's been seven years since his death and dear Recando never once mentioned the meeting, has he?"

"That doesn't prove anything; Rex has no reason to lie." Chloe offered as she entered the room.

"Did you see Mimi off?" Philip asked concerned.

"Yes, don't change the subject" She asked as she crossed her arms over the white dress shirt she was wearing with the beige tank top peeking underneath, which was obviously a man's shirt.

Elena paused mid-stride to stare at her husband; brows arched indicating that she wanted him to speak.

Xavier nodded. "It seems that your cousin may have some inside knowledge into that why the kidnappers wanted in that file they took."

"I'm sure he can tell you everything you want to know, look I'll just call him." Chloe said as she took the gold diamond encrusted studs out of her ear as she walked over to the phone. She dialed the number to Stefano's island hideaway. She waited as the line rang; on the fourth ring someone answered the phone.

"Oh hi Brandon, I didn't realize you—," she paused as she listened to what he said to her. "What? No! It can't be true." Chloe cried suddenly as the phone slipped from her shaking hand.

Philip walked over to his wife and picked up the phone. "This is Philip. Brandon wh—," he paused. "Are you sure?" He asked as he pulled Chloe into his arms, his wife was frozen with shock.

"What's wrong?" Elena watched the pair with concern.

Philip replaced the phone on the hook. "It's Stefano," he started.

"What about Stefano?"

"He's dead." Chloe's hands clutched at Philip's shirt. "Somebody shot him." His arms went around her as she wept for the death of her grandfather.

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