Thank you to all who reviewed; I know I've kept you on pins and needles but one thing before I get to the story.

LinNicole: Jackson warned the hotel about the assassination because he knew if Keefe was killed that Lisa would not forgive him; and that would be far worse than any retribution that might come. He just got her and his son back; he's not ready to lose them just yet. Thanks for reading.

Hidden-rose15: Yes that is the title of Reliant K's song…I just recently discovered the group. The song title was perfect…and the song does fit Red Eye to a tee.

To Wenham-Wonderer, Dave-The-Laugh's-NewHotness, Megan, BregoBeauty and Mini Nicka…thanks for continuing to read and review.

Now…on with the story 

Chapter 8

10 Minutes Earlier

Joe Reisert stepped out of his front door to pick up the newspaper; he noticed that the silver BMW that had been parked on the street the night before was still there. He thought he saw someone inside talking on a cell phone; then the door opened and a man got out of the car and looked right at Joe. He went into the house and put the paper on the counter, something didn't feel right to him; the man had a cold look in his eyes. Joe went into the living room where his eight year old grandson was sitting watching cartoons.

"Jaden," Joe said.

"Yes Grandpa," Jaden said looking up at Joe.

"I want you to do something for me," he paused to make sure he had the child's full attention, "I want you to go upstairs and hide. No matter what you hear I don't want you to make a sound; can you do that for me?"

"Are we playing hide and seek?" Jaden asked innocently

"Yes we are; now go find yourself a really good hiding spot, and remember, don't make a sound no matter how long it takes for me to find you."

"Okay grandpa; don't cheat while counting," Jaden said getting up and running up the stairs; he had a new hiding spot he wanted to try anyway so he went right there.

Joe looked out the front window and saw the man from the car coming up the walk; something glinted in the morning sun. Joe recognized it as a knife, a rather large knife; so he casually walked up the stairs to Lisa's room and took her field hockey stick out of the closet and then quietly went down the stairs to wait for this intruder to come in; he didn't have to wait long. The door handle turned and the man entered the house; Joe swung at the man's arm with all his strength and managed to knock the knife out of his hand. He was about to take another swing at the man's head but he caught the field hockey stick and pulled Joe along with it onto the floor. Grabbing his knife he aimed it at Joe to make the kill.

Present time

Jackson and Lisa didn't even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before jumping out and running to the house. Jackson grabbed Lisa's arm and pulled her back so she wouldn't go running into the house; he didn't know what to expect. He slowly opened the door and motioned for Lisa to hold the gun up and cover him. He slunk into the house and quickly went into the kitchen to grab a knife from the wood block on the counter; Lisa followed him into the house.

It was a mess, things were broken; there had obviously been quite a struggle here. She felt her heart begin to race and her breathing quickened as her stomach twisted into knots; she couldn't see her father or her son anywhere. Jackson came back into the hallway beside her and motioned for them to move to the living room; there in the living room they saw blood all over the area rug in the middle of the room. Lisa's father sat in a chair holding a kitchen towel on his arm where he had been slashed and the would-be assassin lay on the floor beaten to death; Lisa's field hockey stick lying next to him on the ground.

"DADDY," Lisa yelled running to her father.

"LISA," he called out as she came running to him taking the towel off his arm to look at the wound. "It's not as deep as it looks honey; I'll be fine," he said drying her eyes with his other hand.

"Oh my God, Jaden…where is he daddy?"

"He's upstairs hiding," he motioned to the staircase; it was then he noticed Jackson. "Do I know you?" he asked

"Once upon a time sir," he said staying back.

Lisa ran to the stairs to go up; standing at the top was Jaden. When he saw Lisa he ran down the stairs to her; Jackson watched as she held their son not wanting to overstep his bounds.

"Mommy is Grandpa okay…I heard yelling and stuff breaking; but I didn't come out of my hiding place until I heard you," he said clinging to his mother tightly.

Lisa picked up her son and carried him into the kitchen trying hard to hold back the tears; her son was safe and her father was still alive. In the living room Jackson had taken over looking after Joe until the ambulance arrived; the sirens could be heard getting closer. He was fighting the urge run before the cops showed up; Joe looked at him, studying him and trying to remember. Suddenly it came to him and he felt the rage he had felt 9 years ago seep into his blood once more.

"Jackson Henderson…what the hell are you doing here?"

"It's a long story Mr. Reisert."

"What makes you think you have any right to walk back into my daughter's life after you left her heartbroken and pregnant?" he hissed at Jackson so Lisa wouldn't hear. "Are you involved in whatever this is?"

"I'm ashamed to say that I was, please Mr. Reisert you need to stay calm. Lisa and I will explain everything to you later," Jackson said standing up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the kitchen to check on Lisa and my son; don't move," he said as the ambulance arrived and the paramedics came in to tend to Joe.

Jackson walked into the kitchen and saw Lisa rocking Jaden in her arms looking out the window into the backyard; she turned when she heard him come in.

"How is my father?" she asked softly

"He's as stubborn as ever," he said smiling, "He'll be fine. How is Jaden; he didn't see anything did he?" he asked worriedly

"No he was upstairs the whole time…and like his father he never lies," she said using the same words he had told her earlier that evening.

Jaden started to stir in Lisa's arms and looked at the new face in the kitchen.

"Daddy?" he asked surprised

Jackson was shocked; he expected that to be the last word to come out of Jaden's mouth.

"Why did you say that honey?" Lisa asked brushing his brown hair out of his eyes

"Because he's the man in the picture you cried over for a long time. Is he my daddy?"

"Yes he is baby," she said as Jackson tentatively walked over to them.

Jaden looked at Jackson apprehensively; then asked the question he had wanted to ask since he knew he didn't have a father.

"Why did you leave mommy and me?"

Jackson felt the tears in his eyes but tried to hold them back; he didn't succeed very well.

"I had my stupid reasons, but if it's alright with you I'd like to stick around and get to know you?"

"Do I have to call you 'Daddy'?"

"Not if you don't want to; you can call me Jack," he said holding out his hand.

"Okay, just don't hurt mommy again or you'll have to deal with me okay," he said taking Jackson's hand and shaking it.

"Deal," Jackson said trying not to smirk.

Lisa put Jaden down and told him to go back upstairs and wait for her. Once he had left the room she turned to Jackson and saw the widest grin she had ever seen on his face; she laughed at him.

"That kid is the perfect mix of us Leese," he said laughing.

"How's that?" she asked mischievously

"My looks, your sass; the perfect kid. OW!" he said as she playfully slapped his arm.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly; he wrapped his arms around her and held her flush against him deepening the kiss. They broke apart when they heard someone behind them, "Ahem," the voice said. They looked to the door and saw a detective standing there.

"Miss Reisert, Mr Henderson; we'll need to get a statement from you."

"It's Rippner," Jackson said

"I'm sorry?" the detective asked confused

"It's Rippner, Jackson Rippner."

"I hope you've got a lot of time detective, this is bigger than you think," Lisa said.

Suddenly it dawned on her; Keefe, the assassination.

"Jackson, we've got to call the hotel and make sure that Keefe is okay; that no one was killed," she said reaching for the phone.

"Hold on a moment, this has to do with the attempted assassination of Charles Keefe?"

"Like the lady said, this is bigger than you thought," Jackson said to the detective.

"Miss Reisert, hang up the phone and start talking please."

"Not until we go to the Lux Atlantic, I'm the manager there; I need to be there."

"Alright, let's go then," he said ushering them out of the kitchen.

Joe was being taken to the hospital for stitches and Lisa started up the stairs; the detective placed a hand on her to stop her but let go once he saw Jackson glare at him. She continued up the stairs.

"Our son is up there, he is not staying here alone."

"I'll post an officer to stay with him," he said.

"No, I'm not letting him out of my sight," Lisa said carrying her son.

He had fallen asleep on the bed in his room; Lisa wrapped him in a blanket and carried him down the stairs. When she reached the bottom Jackson took Jaden into his arms so Lisa could put on a pair of runners for their trip to the Lux Atlantic. The three of them climbed into the detective's car once leaving the house and dodging the neighbours many questions and headed in the direction of the hotel. Jackson and Lisa held hands and looked at each other, both hoping that Keefe and his family had not been hurt.