"We need a plan." Roger crumpled a piece of paper and bounced it off the wall to the garbage can. "This Cole obviously has a plan. We need a better one."

Bette perched on the counter next to him in the kitchen at her beach house. "I don't know if he has a plan anymore."

The doctor cocked his head curiously. "Why would you say that?"

She held up her hand with her epiphany. "Think about it. Every time he's done something before, he's made a threat." Holding up her hand, she bent down her first finer. "He sends Greggie the articles. He breaks into the house and sends him Livie's hair." Bette stopped on her third finger. "But this time, nothing. He shoots at her, and nothing. He doesn't even gloat about it."

Roger took up the yellow legal pad and started making notes again. "That breaks his own pattern."

"And then he goes after Gregory." Bette finished, realizing Roger's hand was on her thigh and it sent a tingling sensation up her leg. "No one without a death wish goes after Gregory."

"Cole doesn't have a death wish." Roger thought out loud. "Gregory's car was a punishment. He was angry."

"Casey wasn't part of the plan." Bette added, wondering if he would always inspire this kind of brilliance in her.

"No- no Casey wasn't. If he hadn't been there-" Both of them shuddered, that possiblity was distinctly unpleasant. "So Cole didn't expect him to be there."

"Cole knew they were going to Grenadines. He knew it was just going to be the family and that Livie was coming late." Bette made stopped gesturing abruptly. "God, Livingston, who knew about all of that?"

"Gregory and Olivia, Sean, Rose, Casey-" Roger paused putting his pen down for a moment. "And Caitlin."

Her feet thudded on the floor as she dropped off the counter. "You don't think?"

Roger shook his head slowly. "No, god no, at least- I hope not." He wrote 'Caitlin' on the top of his notes in big letters. "We're going to need to keep an eye on her."

Bette took the pad and looked it over. "How do we do that? I think she suspects you, and I'm hardly subtle."

Roger put an arm aroud her shoulders comfortably. "The boy, we were going to ask if he could stay at the mansion anyway. The penthouse is a little small and Gregory's going to need someone to walk Belle."

She looked up at him with naked admiration for a moment. "The penthouse- just think about it. Me in a penthouse! None of the eight ever would have sprung for the penthouse at Lichfield."

Roger toyed with her earring, having fun with dangling ends. "I just hope he takes the bait."

Letting Sean go was harder then Olivia had ever expected. He was her baby and he was flying across the an entire continent and an ocean. He tried to shake himself out of her arms, but ended up looking at his father for help. "I've got to get on the plane now mom."

Gregory put his hands on his wife's shoulders, digging into her muscles with patient strength. "You need to let him go sweetheart."

Olivia released Sean reluctantly, wiping at her eyes with Gregory's handkerchief. "You take care of yourself darling. And write us and call us every week."

He blushed, rather embarassed by the scene she was making in the airport. "I promise. You'll be completely sick of hearing about the East Chesterfield."

Caitlin hugged him next, Sean had been worried she wouldn't be able to make it to the airport. She had just been so busy lately with school. "I'm going to miss you little bro. Go see a castle or two for me."

"Flight 2634 to San Francisco is now boarding." The disembodied voice of the PA system announced and Sean waved his ticket.

"That's me." He hugged Olivia one more time, hoping her tears would go away after he left. "Thanks mom. I love you." Sean moved on to his sister, embracing her quickly one last time. "I love you too Cate. Try not to be too busy." That left his father, who stood protectively by Olivia's side. They looked at each other quietly for a moment, then Sean hugged his father. It was brief and they looked at each other awkwardly for a moment.

Gregory managed to smile. "You take care of yourself son. Remember to have fun, don't just study all the time." Olivia took his hand and squeezed, deeply proud of him. He returned the gesture and pointed at the gate with his free hand. "Remember how proud we are of you. Live well." Caitlin waved brightly, happy Sean was going off to better things then those that waited for him here.

He looked over his family one more time, sealing the image in his memory. Caitlin's smile, the way his father kept his mother's hand close to his side. They'd be all right. It was time for him to figure out who Sean Richards was for himself. He grinned as the breeze from the open door to the plane hit his face. This was his time.

Roger and Bette were waiting for them in the living room when they got back. They were off to something important by the look of them. Roger had his tux on, with an elegant purple bow tie that matched the shimmering sequins of Bette's elaborate gown. They jumped up from the sofa and their conversation with Ethan as Olivia, Gregory and Caitlin returned from the airport. Belle stayed put at Ethan's feet, though her tail wagged when she saw her mistress had returned.

"You two look nice." Gregory observed dryly. "Off to dinner?"

"The symphony actually." Bette answered with a tremendous smile. "Livingston's making me cultured. We're even going out for something foreign-" She snapped her fingers as she tried to remember."

"Escargot." Roger finished for her, taking her hand and kissing it. "Can you believe she's never heard of it?"

His wink was not lost on Gregory who nodded to Bette in amusement."It's French Bette, you'll love it."

"So I am told." Bette replied as she wrapped her arm around Roger's. "But enough about us, we just stopped by to tell you our good news."

"Good news?" Caitlin interrupted with false cheerfulness. "What's the good news?"

Roger bowed politely to them as Ethan stood up next to his father. "Bette has graciously agreed to share my living quarters. We're moving in together tomorrow."

Olivia burst into a mischevious smile as Bette started to blush. "I'm assuming you're moving out of our guest room then?"

"I picked up a little flat at the Lichfield." Roger shrugged in false modesty. "Pretty little thing's on top of the whole building."

"It's the penthouse." Bette finished with a mock sigh. "It's gorgeous Livie. You'll have to come see it when all our stuff is moved in."

Ethan took a step towards Gregory, smiling rather shyly. "I was hoping you'd let me keep living here. I considered getting my own place, but to be honest I'd be terribly lonely living by myself, and I thought you'd like the help with Belle."

"We'd love you to stay." Olivia answered for her husband, taking Ethan's hand gratefully. "I was just thinking about how quiet it would be without a young man around."

Grinning in a replica of his father's charm, Ethan nodded. "Great. Sean got off all right then?"

Gregory nodded imperiously, keeping his own emotions in check. He didn't want to show how much he missed his son already. "He's going to love England. Don't you think so darling?"

Olivia retreated to his side, resting her head on his shoulder, their unwritten signal that she was tired. "I'm just grateful he can stay at the manor with Lillian. I feel better knowing he's safe in that house. I have a lot of fond memories there."

Roger smiled indulgently at her. "I'll bet you do love."

Bette tapped his watch urgently. "We've got to get going. We'll miss the curtain."

He checked the time and nodded in agreement. "That we will. Thanks for keeping the boy for me. Wouldn't want him off on his own." He kissed Olivia's cheek and waved to Gregory. "See you tomorrow."

Outside, Bette leaned in close to whisper. "Did you see her face? Beauty certainly wasn't very happy to hear Ethan was staying."

Roger nodded swiftly. "I think Alex was right to worry about her. I just wish I knew how deep the damn girl's got herself involved."

"She's their daughter." Bette said darkly as they got into her car. "Intensity certainly comes with the genes."

He shut the door as he got comfortable on the passenger side. "That's what worries me."

Caitlin watched in veiled disgust as her parents retired to the sofa Roger and Bette had just left. Why couldn't they be more like them? Roger and Bette were going out on the town. Olivia and Gregory hadn't be out together in weeks. She didn't think to blame Cole's threats. It was obviously all some ploy of her mother's to keep Gregory for herself.

Ethan kept up conversation with them, miraculously unbothered by their terrible behavior. How he put up with it was entirely beyond her. Her parents were obnoxiously all over each other, her dad could barely keep his hands off Olivia. She was so sick of them and their flirting. They were already married for godsake! What else did they need to prove?

Gregory excused himself first, kissing Olivia before heading out again. His new car was ready to be picked up at the dealership and he wanted it for the weekend. Caitlin opened her journalism book and started highlighting random passages. She just had to look busy. As long as she seemed to be hard at work, no one would bother her and she ould wait for Cole to call and rescue her from her house.

After awhile Ethan excused himself too. He was meeting that woman again, he was telling her mother something about a new set of duets he wanted to work on. Caitlin couldn't remember what kind of music Ethan was talking about, or who that woman was. She didn't really care. Her mother was alone with her now. They hadn't been alone together in more then a month. Her father was always so dammed protective or Olivia was at the office.

Her mother didn't say anything. She was still looking at the picture of their family from last year, and Caitlin forced away the pity. She didn't trust that Olivia really missed Sean. Her mother was probably just worrying that he wouldn't know what to do without her. After all, Sean had always been her favorite.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of pretending to study, Olivia interrupted her. "What are you working on darling?"

"Just stuff for my journalism class. Can you believe we have an assignment for the first week?" Caitlin shut the book and smiled cheerfully up at her mother. "But I can take a break."

Her mother smiled weakly. "Come sit with me. Tell me what you're up to. You seem so busy."

Sitting down next to Olivia was difficult and Caitlin suddenly missed the weight of the rifle. She plastered a false pleasant expression on her face. "School's just a little tougher this year. They say junior year's the hardest one after all."

"Well your father and I are very proud of you. I don't think we say that enough." Olivia flattered her with a hand on her shoulder.

It took Caitlin some control not to pull away from her mother's hand. "I know you and daddy are."

"Good. You are so precious to us Caitlin." Olivia looked away and then back at her daughter.

Something was bothering her, and Caitlin was nearly shaking with anticipation of knowing what it was. She'd love to hear how terrified Cole was making her. "I know mom." She looked away, hoping Olivia would mistake her smile for one of embrassment. "Are you all right? You look like there's something on your mind."

One corner of Olivia's mouth twitched. "I never could hide anything from you, could I?"

"It's okay mom." Caitlin began as earnestly as she could. "You can trust me."

Olivia took her hand, patting it nervously. "Of course I can darling. Of course I can." Again she looked away, whatever it was, it was rather difficult for her mother to admit. "Do you remember when you talked to Alex at the charity ball? I know it was awhile ago, but I think she told you something about your father and I."

Caitlin wracked her brain for a moment, a sick feeling forming a knot in the bottom of her stomach. "She said you were trying to have another baby." She replied softly.

Olivia smiled then and the sick feeling blossomed. "You're not still trying are you?" Caitlin asked anxiously. Her mother started to reply but she cut her off. "Because I think that would be very irresponsible of you."

Olivia's smile vanished instantly. "Irresponsible? What do you mean?"

"People are shooting at you from rooftops!" Caitlin replied angrily., praying that her parents weren't as stupid as they seemed to be. "Someone sabotaged daddy's car, if you and daddy had a baby you'd just be putting it in danger."

The color drained out of her mother's face and she looked like she was going to cry again. "We're not going to be in danger indefinitely. Cole St. John will be caught."

"I'm not so sure." Caitlin got up from the sofa, pacing and trying to keep her anger at a reasonable level. "The police have been protecting you since he called into the radio, and they haven't been able to do anything to stop him." She was right, why couldn't her mother see that? Cole was above and beyond the powers of the SBPD. "Having a baby now would be the worst kind of selfishness." She stopped pacing and turned to her mother desperately. "Tell me you're not going to keep trying."

"Caitlin, it's not as simple as that." Olivia protested weakly, folded and unfolded her hands in her lap. "There are things you just don't understand."

"Like what mom? What don't I understand?" She stared her mother down. "What's not to understand about someone trying to kill you?"

"Darling-" Olivia tried to keep her own emotions as buried as she possibly could, but her temper was aroused. "Your father and I can't let this madman dictate our lives. I think you're the one who doesn't understand."

"So having a baby will somehow make everything okay." Snapping back released a little of her anger and Caitlin found she liked taking out her aggression. "That seems like an awfully big weight to put on something that will never happen."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, finding her own anger as she dropped her tone. "Never say never Caitlin."

"Oh be reasonable!" Her daughter's voice shot up in pitch. "You're what, forty-three? You'd probably need rounds of fertility drugs just to get pregnant." Caitlin missed the flash of guilt that crossed her mother's face as she went back to pacing. "Don't you see what that means? If you were meant to get pregnant you wouldn't need any drugs. You wouldn't have to trick your body."

That was it, Caitlin realized suddenly. That was why she was so angry. Her mother had already had her children. Olivia's time was past, the next baby in their family should be hers. She was going to get married and have Cole's babies. They would be so beautiful too, with his dimples and her hair. Her parents were clinging to the past. Trying to rekindle some lost spark from their youth by pretending they could still have a baby. That was all it was, wasn't it? There was something in the way Olivia brought it up that made her suspicious.

"Don't you get it mom?" She tried a more plaintive tone, trying to sound concerned. "Daddy would be destroyed if something happened to you and you- you couldn't handle loosing a baby mom. It rips you apart inside." Sitting down, she forced herself to take her mother's hand. It was ice cold and her mother didn't return her grip. "Think of what it would do to daddy and Sean if you started drinking again because you had a miscarriage."

That did it, the remaining color was gone from Olivia's face. Miscarriage was as terrifiying to her mother as Cole promised it would be. He was as brilliant as he was handsome. "Cole's not going to stop if you and daddy have a baby. He's not going to stop until he gets what he wants."

"You almost sound like you admire him." Gregory's voice startled them both from the doorway. He sized up the situation in a moment. Olivia wouldn't tell Caitlin about the baby without him, she understood that this was their announcement to make together. He should have known she'd start testing Caitlin's reaction. Letting Sean leave while they both lied to him was hard on her, much harder then Olivia would admit too.

"Admire him?" Caitlin repeated, completely thrown by her father's sudden return. "I don't admire him. I don't know what you're talking about." Gregory's presence ruined everything.

"Oh really?" He crossed the room quickly, staring down his daughter. At close range Olivia looked terrible, why didn't Caitlin see how upset she was making her mother? "I don't see what other reason you'd have to put more faith in that criminal then your parents."

Standing up to be more even with her father, Caitlin reached down for her reserve of anger. "I'm just trying to protect you. You've always kept me safe daddy, but this is a thousand times worse then anything that's ever happened before to our family. I don't think you can protect mom and a baby. Not even you can do that daddy."

There was a darkness in his daughter's eyes Gregory had never seen before. "You have every right to be worried." His voice turned cold and Olivia watched as his eyes glazed over with ice. "But you don't have the right to frighten your mother, young lady."

"Maybe someone should." Caitlin snapped back, ignoring his insult and taking a step towards him menacingly. "You seem content to fill her mind full of lies. Someone has to tell her the truth."

Gregory closed the space between them, using all of his height to press his position. "You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know the truth Caitlin, and quite frankly, you couldn't handle it."

"I couldn't handle it!" She dove into hysterics, screaming at her father. "At least I can handle my life without turning to the bottle. At least I can deal with my problems without disappearing into an office." Pushing past her father, she headed for the door, disgusted with both of her parents. "Which is more then I can say for either of you."

Enraged, Gregory turned to chase down his daughter. He wasn't even thinking about what he was going to do. He only knew that he was going to show her exactly why she needed to show more respect to her parents. Catching her arm, he pulled her viciously back from the door. Raising a hand, he didn't even see Caitlin's expression as he tightened his arm.

"Gregory no!" Olivia screamed as she flew up from the sofa. "No Gregory, don't"

"Stay out of this." He growled without looking at his wife. "She's way out of line."

Caitlin held fast, waiting for him to slap her across the face. Begging him to do it. To prove how right she was to have lost faith in him.

"No!" Olivia cried again, putting herself between her husband and her daughter. "No, please, Gregory, don't- Don't."

Gregory looked past Olivia, ready to thrust her aside and remind his daughter of her place, but there was blood on her upper lip. A crimson trail ran from her nose over her lips down her chin. Olivia brushed at it with her hand and stopped dumbstruck as she looked at the blood on her hand.

"Don't." She repeated again. Feeling slightly sick at the sight of the blood on her hand, Olivia turned to him for help. "Gregory?"

Dropping his arm, Gregory's anger was instantly washed away in a wave of concern. Olivia wiped her face with her other hand, but the blood kept coming. Running over her chin in a scarlet line, the blood started to drip onto her white blouse. It left round red spots on her chest.

Caitlin knew a good thing when she saw it and fled. Slamming the door behind her in her rage.

Neither of her parents heard the sound of the door. Gregory pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and put it firmly under her nose. "It's all right." He whispered mechanically. "It's just a little nosebleed."

Olivia held up her hands as he led her towards the kitchen. Both of her hands were covered in blood. Though she couldn't see the handkerchief, she could feel it wet and hot against her face. "What's happening to me?" She asked anxiously as she looked to him in terror. "There's blood everywhere."

"Shhh..." Gregory ordered as calmly as he could. "It's all right. We'll get you cleaned up and everything will be fine." He shouldered the door tot he kitchen open and led her to the sink. Turning on the cold water tap would wash the blood away and keep her from getting more upset. "Hold this." He put her hands on the handkerchief under her nose as he tried to remember what Roger had told him to do the last time he got hit with a ball in squash.

"This is going to hurt a little." He advised apologetically as he grabbed the bridge of her nose and sqeezed it tight between his thumb and forefinger.

Olivia's voice was distorted as she dropped the saturated handkerchief into the sink. "That hurts more then a 'little'." She complained as she grabbed his wrist.

With his left hand he rubbed her back, promising he'd make it up to her. "I'm trying to stop the bleeding. Just keep breathing through your mouth."

Coughing made her choke more as she tried to breath through her nose and got a mouth full of coppery blood. Swallowing some and spitting the rest into the sink, Olivia tried not to think about the churning of her stomach. Everything reminded her of blood. She smelled it, her mouth was full of it. She tried to leave the sink, wanted to get away from the gory mess. "I'm going to be sick."

"No." Gregory suggested gently as he increased the pressure on her nose. "You're fine."

She gasped inward against the pain he caused. "Gregory that really hurts!"

"You're fine." He repeated as he straightened her head over the sink. "You're going to be fine."

Olivia tugged at his wrist, wishing he'd release the vise grip he had on the bridge of her nose. "I'm going to throw up."

"No- no you aren't." He insisted, putting his left hand into the cold water and waiting for his fingers to grow cold. Once they were cold enough, he switched hands, hoping the cold would help dull her nerves. "You're going to be fine."

"I don't- I can't-" Olivia took a shaky breath in through her mouth. "I hate the taste of blood."

"It'll all be over soon." Gregory promised, hoping he could make good on it. "You'll be fine when the bleeding stops."

Olivia groaned, her voice still distorted by the death grip he had on her. "The bleeding doesn't hurt. Just leave me alone." She pushed him back weakly with on hand, leaving a smudge of blood on his gray suit jacket. "It'll stop on its own."

Soaking his right hand in the frigid tap water, he waited for his fingers to be nearly numb before he witched hands again. "Just hang on a few minutes more kiddo."

"You're hurting me!" Olivia protested angrily. "Can't you just let go?"

Tilting her head forward, he made sure she wasn't going to swallow any more blood. "Roger ever tell you about the fights we got into in college?"

"Not really." She admitted, still frustrated by the way he was manhandling her face. "It's not the kind of thing that comes up over dinner."

Chuckling slightly, Gregory was relieved to see the water running down the drain in the sink was starting to clear. "Once, during finals second year, he damn near broke my nose. Oh that was a mess." Shaking his head at the memory, he let his left hand go cold in the water before he switched. "By the time we got down to the med center, I'd swallowed enough blood to throw it up."

He tucked her hair behind her ears with his free hand. "Not something I ever want to do again." Gregory ruefully explained. "Not something I'm going to let you do either. So you'll have to put up with me hurting your face for awhile longer." Statisfied that the bleeding was start to slow, he released some of the pressure. "Tell me what you and Caitlin were talking about."

"Didn't you hear?" Letting go of her grip on his wrist, Olivia lowered her hands to the edge if the sink, trying not to look at the pink water circling down the drain for what it was. "She thinks Cole's going to kill our baby and I'll start drinking again."

"I thought we raised a smarter girl." Gregory explained bitterly as he released his hand from her nose tentitively.

Rubbing the sore bridge of her nose, Olivia sighed, still careful to breath only through her mouth. "I certainly wouldn't describe us as model parents."

"Sean seems all right." Gregory pointed out with pride as he looked around for a dishtowel he could sacrifice to wash her face. Rose was too efficient, and he couldn't find any that looked old. Looking in the bottom drawer next to the sink he finally found one with a hole in the corner. "Better then all right. Roger was telling me how difficult it is to get accepted to East-Chesterfield's pre-med. Especially for an American."

Holding the towel under the cold tap, he watched Olivia's lips curl into a stunning smile. Even with blood all over her face, she was so beautiful. Curious to the source of her amusement, he asked. "What?"

"You and Sean." She explained with quiet pride. "You and Sean finally get along."

"It just took some severe circumstances to finally find what brings us together." Gregory's heart pained him when he realized it was the second time in two weeks he was washing blood off her skin.

"And what would that be?" The lilt in her voice suggested she was bouncing back. Rebounding from her fight with Caitlin.

Dropping the bloodstained towel into the sink along with his ruined handkerchief, Gregory released her hair from behind her right ear, watching it curl gently over the pale skin of her cheek. "You." Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, tasting the residual nervous sweat from her arguement. What other horrible things had their daughter said? He couldn't get it out of Olivia now, she was starting to smile again.

"You are our common ground." Talking about Sean had taken her mind off of Caitlin, just as he hoped. "Something we finally agree on."