Sarah stacked the last of the dishes into the box and stretched, her lower back was aching from all the shifting and moving they had done but the apartment was cleared. Jo had admitted that she had no idea what she was going to do with it. Sarah knew it would be a wrench for the other woman to give up the apartment even though Jo lived with Saint John elsewhere. It obviously had sentimental meaning to her. She glanced at her watch.

Hawke and Caitlin had left hours before with Michael and Marella. They'd all seen how tired Caitlin had been and the latent worry in Hawke's eyes that he had tried to hide every time he looked at his wife. Nobody had minded especially as Hawke had invited them all to dinner the following weekend. She knew her parents were thrilled.

It was a little disconcerting, she mused, to see them so evidently wanting to impress their two elder sons whereas they seemed to simply act like parents around her and Seb. She shook off the twinge of jealousy. She could only imagine how it would be to be separated from her son for so long. She smiled wryly. Her motherhood had provided her a bridge of understanding with her parents that was coming in useful and, in turn, they did seem to be realising she wasn't the same rebellious headstrong teenager who had run away from home.

They loved Chris. Their total acceptance of their grandson had gone a long way to reassure Sarah that whatever had gone wrong between them in the past, they were all trying to find a way forward. She made her way back into the living room.

'I'm all done in the kitchen.' She announced into the quiet chatter.

Jo smiled up at her. 'Thank you. You've been a star.'

'You're welcome.' Sarah said. 'But I should get going. Chris has school tomorrow.' She glanced over at her parents. 'Are you OK to leave now?'

'Oh.' Alan looked over at his wife. 'We thought we'd stay another hour or so but…'

'Why don't I give you a lift?' Mike interjected smoothly.

Alan frowned a little. 'Well, I…'

Saint John smiled. 'It's OK, Dad.'

Sarah rolled her eyes and gestured at her son. 'Come on, Chris. Let's get our stuff together.'

'This is great. Uncle Mike's car is so cool.' Chris grabbed his small backpack. 'Can I sit up front?'

'No.' Sarah shook her head as she put her jacket on. 'You can sit in the back.'

'Mom…'

'Don't Mom me.' Sarah rejoined. 'Come on. Say goodbye to your grandparents, and Uncle Seb, Uncle Saint John and Aunty Jo.'

There was a flurry of hugs and a few minutes later, Sarah was happily sat in the passenger seat of the sports car as they zipped onto the highway.

'Thanks for giving us a ride.' Sarah said as Mike snapped on the radio.

'No problem.' He grinned over at her. 'I appreciated the excuse; I have a date.'

'Ah.' Sarah ignored the second twinge of jealousy she'd had that evening. 'Anyone we know?'

'She's a technician at Red Star.' Mike said. 'It actually took a while to convince her to go out with me.'

'Never.' Sarah teased.

'I know.' Mike grinned at her again. 'How could she resist?'

'Girls are stupid.' Chris piped up from the back.

Mike exchanged an amused look with Sarah as they pulled up at a red light. 'In about ten years' time, I'm gonna remind you of this conversation, buddy and you're never going to believe you said that.'

'Yes, I will.' Chris retorted.

'No, you won't.'

'Will.' Chris shot back.

'Won't.' Mike rejoined.

'Guys.' Sarah glared at them both. 'Enough already.'

Mike and Chris exchanged a conspiratorial glance. A beep had Mike hurriedly turning his attention back to his driving and he pulled away from the lights.

'What about you?' He asked as he turned into the neighbourhood for Sarah's new beach house. 'I thought you were dating some guy.'

'A couple of dates.' Sarah said lightly. 'It was no big deal.'

Mike glanced over at her. He had a feeling she wasn't saying something but he let it drop as she made a remark about the song on the radio. The rest of the journey was spent arguing about music choices.

'…I still say Duran Duran is the best band ever.' Sarah said firmly as she unlocked the door.

'And I say you're wrong.' Mike gestured with the box of stuff Jo had given Sarah. 'Where do you want this?'

'Kitchen.' Sarah said. She ruffled Chris's hair. 'Why don't you run your bath?'

'Mom…'

'Go on.' She insisted.

'Catch you later, Chris.' Mike called after the disappearing youngster.

'Bye!' Chris yelled over his shoulder.

'I'd better get going.' Mike pointed back out to the front door.

Sarah nodded quickly. 'Of course.' She walked him out, closing the front door behind her as she stepped onto the driveway to wave him away. 'Thanks for the ride.'

'Anytime.' Mike flashed her another cheeky smile and got in his car. He had barely gunned the engine when a black van swung into the driveway.

Sarah's eyes widened in alarm as two men dressed in black with balaclavas, jumped out with guns. She had barely got her hand back on the door handle when she was grabbed. She screamed and wrestled, forgetting in an instant the self-defence Caitlin had taught her.

'Hey! Get your hands off her!' Mike lunged out of his car and tackled one of the men.

They all fell in a heap on the gravel.

Sarah sobbed and tried to get away but one of the men held her fast and regained his feet. He carried her to the van and threw her in roughly. She froze as a gun was immediately trained on her by a third man.

Mike punched the man he was struggling with but suddenly found himself outnumbered. He felt the first punch to his jaw, the second to his ribs which drove the breath from his body and was unconscious by the third. He was thrown into the van alongside Sarah as the two men climbed aboard. The van screeched away from the drive way with a squeal of rubber, its occupants oblivious to the child standing at the living room window watching in horror.