I'm sorry for the wait again for this one. This week I might not have a chance to get another chapter in. There's a possibility of tomorrow afternoon, but for the rest of the week I won't have a chance, particularly as Thursday (which is usually my serious updating day) I have 3 friends round from early in the morning and staying over etc. There's also a chance I may have to work Friday afternoon, and possibly wednesday, as well as the usual Saturday, which would lead me back round to my usuals next week.

Football Gurl Chick: Yes! He's back! The Transporter is an excellent film, and once I've finished all my fics I've got lined up I'm going to start on one for it. I can assure you, I will be the first in like to see the sequal, as I will with the sequal for the Italian Job, Underworld, and National Treasure. Jason is suck an ass-kicking person. Have you seen Snatch? If you have and you liked it, I've recently posted up a Snatch fic with hasn't had any reads yet, and I'm anxious to know what people think. It's called Kailey of the Casino.

Darkdestiney2000: Well, the PJ's or the lack of them? Lol. Seeing as I got a good response to that, Handsome Rob will be handsomely shirtless a lot more. It was the actor that got sick during the driving school lol, it really made me laugh, I found a clip of it on Starpulse when they all got out of their cars, Mark covered in puke, Jason trying not to laugh and Charlize practically rolling on the floor.

Unfortunately, I haven't actually seen the Phantom of the Opera yet, as I borrowed my cousin's DVD of it, and hadn't got a chance to watch it before they took it back, so I need to find a way to wrangle that back from them (maybe an Italian Job style heist is in order. Quick to the mini coopers!) but I have the 2-disc special edition soundtrack. So I will be doing what I can for that as well as getting hold of the film and watching it, taking serious notes. I found the script on the internet but my cousin assures me it isn't the right one, becuase he can virtually sing the whole film to me, and he's only 8. It's incredible. He wants to sing it on stage. Anyhoo. Has anyone watched the deleted scenes on the Italian Job DVD? I love the one of Stella in the resturant with Mr Zipper and Charlie.

Stella: I can't believe you actually paid someone twenty dollars to spill that drink!
Charlie: Actually, you did (hands back her walled) Didn't recognise who bumped into you earlier, did you?

And another fantastic line from that scene is:

Charlie: I'm sorry, I was just undressing you with my eyes.

I laughed out loud and my dad thought I was insane.
Anyway, back to the chapter:

Sam
xx

Later that morning, Charlie and Stella set out to Rob's house to collect the kids. It was about a ten minute drive to Rob's, but it was one that they knew like the back of their hands now. Both of them had been smiling all morning, having thoroughly enjoyed the night before, and were still smiling now. They had almost reached Rob's house when Charlie's cellphone rang. As he was driving, he handed it to Stella, who answered it.

"Hello?" She answered cheerfully.

"Charlie, you're sounding very female today." A sly voice teased.

"Hi Rob." Stella said with a sarcastic smile. "We're just on our way over." She told him.

"Good. Kel's taken the kids to see a film, but I need you two over here now." He told them. Stella frowned.

"Why what's up?" She asked worriedly. Charlie took his eyes off the empty road for a second and looked at her with the same expression hearing her tone of voice, before looking back to the road.

"I'll explain when you get here." Rob told them. "Holly told me something that freaked her out at school yesterday." He said simply,

"Is she all right?" Stella asked instinctively. Charlie looked around again, worrying that something had happened to Holly.

"She's fine." He assured her, and Stella nodded to Charlie who let out a small sigh of assurance and looked back at the road again. "Lyle and Left got here just before the kids left, and their two girls have gone with Kelly and the kids."

"We'll be there in a second." Stella said, and they both hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Charlie asked. "Is something wrong with Holly?" Charlie was sometimes an over-protective father, but from past experiences, he had every right to be.

Stella shook her head. "No. She's fine. Rob said that something freaked her out at school yesterday. Lyle and Left-ear are there as well." She explained. "The girls have taken them into town for the afternoon." She was silent for a second. "What could have possible freaked her out enough to spark a conversation between all of us?" She asked.

One thing popped straight into Charlie's head but he forced it away. He didn't want to think of the possibility of that happening; he never wanted to think of it. "I've got an idea." He said, slightly sadly, but also determined as they pulled into the driveway. "But I sure as hell hope I'm wrong."

They went straight into the living room, where they were all seated on the couches. Stella sat down on the edge beside Lyle, facing Rob, and Charlie sat on the arm of the couch, directly beside Stella. Rob stood up and handed them both a mug of coffee each, indicating that this would be a long talk.

"I see you two have had a good night." Left-ear said smiling, "Considering your phone have been switched off until half an hour ago."

Both of them blushed and tried to say something, but no words came out. Lyle laughed at this but Rob made no show of emotion. Charlie frowned.

"Handsome?" He asked. "What happened?"

Rob took a deep breath. "Where do I start?" He said with a smirk.

"How about at the beginning." Lyle suggested. "That's normally a good start."

"Right." He said, as Stella started drinking the coffee. "Well, when the kids came in yesterday, everything was fine. Holly was a little quiet, but she was smiling and having fun with the boys all night, as usual, but in the morning, she asked me about Steve."

The reaction was nothing short of shocking. Stella gagged on her coffee, emitting several choking coughs. Lyle, who was holding his cell phone in his hand, dropped it on the floor and the back casing fell off. Left-ear sat speechless. Charlie, however, tried his best to maintain his usual cool, having suspected it. He patted Stella on the back until her choking ceased. Stella was first to speak afterwards.

"How did Holly know about Steve?" She asked desperately, as flashbacks of that day when he broke into the house hit her repeatedly. "She was three, how did she know?"

"She dreamt it, last night." Rob explained. "She asked me this morning what happened, but she said she didn't know whether all the dream was true. I could tell her for some parts, like how Steve said that whatever Charlie did to him he would do to Stella and the kids, and that Charlie wasn't able to shoot him." Charlie looked away from the others, focusing shamefully on a suddenly interesting point of the floor. "But she said some things that only Stella would know."

"What did she say?" Lyle asked, seeing as after a few seconds no one else had asked and Rob hadn't continued.

"She had this really distant look on her face. But, luckily we were sitting right under the security camera, which recorded everything."

Rob stood up, and turned the television on. Whilst he was standing, Stella leaned against Charlie's side for support, and he looked down, seeing that she was in obvious discomfort, and took her hand in his, gripping it tightly, and silently assuring her that it was all right. Using the remote, Rob turned to a camera recording. They could all see Rob and Holly sitting together, facing sideways from the camera, and they were talking. Charlie and Stella watched with the most curiosity, but also the most dread. Rob was talking first, and the extract started mid-sentance.

"-boys were playing in the tree. You were asleep with your Mom, and we were cooking. The boys started screaming, we went after them, and sent you and your Mom inside, just incase. The boys were being chased up the tree by Steve's new henchment, but we managed to get to them safe and unharmed. What we didn't know, was that Steve was in the house."

The cameras that Rob had installed for his security were excellent, and easily picked up on the expression on Holly's face when she started speaking. It was almost prophetic.

"I was asleep. Steve was there."

"How-?"

"He said I was beautiful. Mom didn't say anything. She asked him how he got in. He said he got past the security, he pulled a gun out. He said he wouldn't hurt me, but he would hurt Mom. She wanted Dad there. Steve said he wanted me Mom and Alex. Dad was angry, really angry. I woke up. We went into the kitchen, but I couldn't see over the boy's heads. He called me Princess, and Dad hit him really hard. Steve said that whatever Dad did to him he'd to to us. Dad took the gun, Mom made us sit on the floor so we wouldn't see, but he couldn't do it, could he? He wanted to, but he couldn't. So you took him. Dad said he'd never let anything happen to me, and all the boys said they'd look after me as well. They were right, they have done. Twins called Lyle a wuss becuase he couldn't have climbed as high up the tree as they did."

"Sounds about right. Anyway, why do you want to know about Steve?"

"There was a man at school talking to the visiting talent scout yesterday, and I recognised him. I was walking past with the boys on our way back here, but he definately looked at us. I was the only one that saw him do it, but he stared and watched us walking past until we were gone. I thought for aged on the way home about where I knew him from, but last night, everything I just remembered, I dreamed. It sounds silly, I know. But I was standing there, not me, but watching me. I think Steve's come back to do what he said he's do."

Rob stopped the tape, and there was silence in the room. Stella was panicking like mad. She had gone white pale, and was holding Charlie's hand so tightly that her knuckles were the same colour. Where as previously she was leaning against Charlie for support, she was now trying not to have a panic attack. Charlie was staring at the television blankly, trying not to believe what he had heard. Left-ear, who was probably the most level headed of them at the moment, took Stella and Charlie's coffee's setting them on the table before either of them dropped Kelly's favourite mugs. Stella released Charlie's hand and buried her face in her own, shutting everyone out and forcing herself to take deep, calming breaths. Charlie put one arm around her shoulder, and the other to rub her back comfortingly.

"He can't." Stella said into her hands. "He just can't."

"Stella-"

"No!" She cried out, and then fell back into her hands and against Charlie.

"Stella," Rob began, "I know that this is hard, but what happened when it was just you Holly and Steve?"

Stella lifted her head, and revealed her tear-stained cheeks. "Don't make me." She whispered.

"Make you what, Stella?" Charlie asked.

"Don't make me remember it."

Obviously she had been more shaken by Steve's visit than she had let on originally. Charlie was still rubbing her back, knowing that it was bringing her some comfort, if only that.

"Stella," Handsome said, "If you tell us, then we will know if all of this is really happening."

Stella was silent again, and stared into space for a moment. Reluctantly, she remembered everything that happened that day. The scene of the kids jumping on their fathers; the boys running towards the back of the garden, laughing together loudly; Holly sleeping on her lap; then, Alex and the others screaming, a scream that had woken her in the night for weeks after it had happened; Charlie sending her inside with Holly; watching Holly sleeping, and then, his voice, his horrible taunting voice; The words he spoke to her, and the worst part of all, the gun that was aimed at her and her sleeping child. Suprisingly, she remembered every word he had said to her, every cruel tease. She didn't feel like she was in the room anymore, she felt like she was back in the living room, staring Steve in the face. She could almost imagine the weight of Holly in her arms. She knew that the men were watching her, particularly Charlie, but that didn't stop the shudder of unfamiliar fear run down her spine as she reached out for her husband's hand again.

"She was right." She whispered. None of them said anything. "Every word. She was right. That's what happened." None of them could see it, but Charlie could feel her shaking as he held her hand. He had never seen her so scared, and as scary as it was for him as well, he was trying his best to hide it, if only to reassure her, and eventually, Holly and Alex.

"But how could he use a talent scout for it?" Left-ear asked. "That isn't Steve's style."

"This isn't about style, Left, it's about revenge." Rob told them.

"Revenge on me." Charlie admitted.

"Besides, he isn't a real talent scout." Lyle told them.

"Huh?" Rob said.

"Mike and me looked up his name and the acting school on the net. His name wasn't mentioned, and the school itself was shut down in 1999, it's been relocated to London." He continued.

"So he's working for Steve?" Left-ear commented.

"And he's looking for someone to have a contract with the school when they're old enough." Lyle confirmed.

"A perfect way to get her."

Stella had her head resting against Charlie's lap, silent tears still welling in her eyes, occassionally slipping down her cheek and dripping onto Charlie's pants, not that he minded. She was only half listening to what they were saying, still racked with panful memories of that day. She could hear his voice over and over again in her head, as clear as if he were standing right beside her.

"She's beautiful isn't she? Of course, she's nothing compared to her mother. But she'll grow up just at nicely. Her name's Holly isn't it?"

"Just like old times. Except last time, it was was your father. Oh come on Stella, you have to get over it, forgive and forget. He's gone, there's nothing for it. Don't worry, I won't hurt her. Im not that inhuman, but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to let you join dear old John."

"It's all about the element of suprise, Stella. Even if I had to wait nine years to get that suprise, it's worth it. Do you know why? Because I want to see the look on Charlie's face when he knows that I've got his kids and girlfriend."

"He's not going to hurt her." Stella said, stopping Rob mid-sentance. "He won't hurt her."

"Stella-"

"No, when he was in the house, he said that he wouldn't hurt her, that he wasn't that inhuman, but that he wouldn't hesitate in hurting me. Or, as he put it, letting me join my Dad." She informed them. She avoided Charlie's eyes, knowing that he was looking at her with confusion. She had told him what had happened, but she hadn't told him what he had said, especially that he wouldn't hesistate in killing her. There was a small silence between them and eventually, Charlie took up the reigns again.

"Right, here's the plan. We tell them that Steve's back." He got a few exasperated stared but continued otherwise. "Alex and Damon are oldest, we'll tell them to keep an eye on the others, especially Michael and Holly, because they're in the play." There were understanding nods. "Obviously, he's watching the rehersals with this other guy, so we'll get the other boys in there as well. They snuck into the auditions, this will be no problem for them. That way, they can tell us everything that's going on, and if they can, as much as I hate the idea of them being within a hundred miles of him, find out what he's up to."

"Sounds good to me." Lyle said, worrying for his own son.

"We can't let them walk to school anymore, either." Charlie said. "We'll split the days, and take turns in dropping them off and picking them up. If Holly saw him watching when they left school, then there's a chance that he's got people watching the route they're taking, so we need to take them by a new route which he won't have watched. Once they're in school, its up to them to look out for each other."

They all nodded. It was as much a plan as they had at the moment, which was all they needed. As long as they had something to delay Steve's plan for a while, they could get the information they needed to extract a better plan.

Luckily, the boys all understood what they needed to do. It didn't go down to well with their mothers, but when they boys remembered more and more about the day when he got close to them, they were eager to keep an eye out for what he was up to, especially when they knew that the two youngest of them were in danger. Michael and Holly took it hardest, knowing that their hopes of going to the acting school one day were diminished, but their hopes of success were now mixed with the fear that Steve held over them. Finding out that her dream was real was scary for Holly, especially as she knew the meaning behind it now. Alex and Damon, who were the oldest and were given the most responsibility for the plan, took upon them a new stride. They seemed to be more protective of the others, and they began to work like a team more than a group of friends. To Stella, the only one who sat silently through the whole explaination, with her arm around Holly as she sat trying to hold her fear, it looked just like Charlie, Rob, Lyle and Left-ear during the L.A Heist. They sat talking about the different things they could do at school to make sure that Steve couldn't try anything, like getting subtle hints to the teachers that he couldn't be trusted. But the only way they could do that was to let Steve know that they were on to him.

"No." Stella said, maternal instinct kicking in right on time. "No way."

"Mom, it's the only way." Alex told her.

"He's right." Damon seconded. "Besides, Steve doesn't have to know that you guys are on to him, just me and Alex."

"I don't want you going near him Alex." Stella said determindely. "I don't want you talking to him."

"And I don't want him plotting against my parents and trying to get to my sister, but it's happening, isn't it?" Alex retorted. Stella sighed. He was right, he always was.

"Just be careful." She whispered. "Don't provoke him to do anything, Alex, please."

He had never heard such a pleading and desperate tone in his mother's voice, which did intensify the danger that Steve posed to them. He simply nodded his promise, knowing that now he knew everything, it was going to be hard not to go right up to him and kill him with his bare hands. Had he been around when the L.A. heist was taking place, he would have known how much that thought mirrored his father's own talk with Steve after the 'date'.