Part 14

The week before Easter, 2005

Just one of the dozens of shows going on at the Trade Mart this week had gotten a major part of the 'ink' as it was among the newest design lines being presented. Under BBI's logo, BellCass, B-R and CW designs were the those getting the most attention. And the teams involved in all three were glowing after the reviews came in.

"We're a hit!" was the cry backstage and despite the chaos of the event, everyone agreed this had to be a good omen. The audiences even seemed to like the fact that BBI's fresh faces were volunteers from the company itself, giving their time and talent for a regional charity. Sami saw reinvented copies of the suits Billie, Belle and Cassie wore in her wedding party being applauded and cheered, and ordered. Then she watched as Billie's more daring CW club looks for both genders were introduced, and raved about. Then the children's line she had driven her husband and son wild working on came out under their initials, and was just as well received.

"Kids need good, sturdy, comfortable clothes, Sami." Lucas claimed when he found her sketching into the wee hours. "And every kid I've ever known hates to dress up. It makes Will crazy, that's for sure."

"Will's eleven, Lucas. He'd rather die than put on something besides jeans and Ts." Sami answered without looking up.

"My point exactly. Here." Lucas added as he brought her some mint tea. "If you know that, what make you think parents will buy clothes their kids don't want to wear?"

"Because its in that parent's rulebook you're always quoting to Will. On any and all special occasions, it is the parent's duty to torment their child with clothes that bind, choke and otherwise impede their natural movements. That's mostly the rule for babies, toddlers and boys. Girls love dress-up. But since you didn't know your sisters until you were all grown, you won't know that, yet." Sami laughed.

"So, you're saying what ... I'm lacking in parental skills, now?"

"Touchy, touchy, who's pregnant here, anyway?"

"We are."

"Okay, no, little poppa," Sami teased him, "You are a terrific father. You are only lacking the experience that no conferences with John, or Tommy or any other father of a daughter can give. It's strictly going to be OJT. Luckily, you have me, who helped raise Belle, and Carrie, who helped to raise me. So relax, go to bed, please and let me finish this sketch."

"Okay, I'll be in there, sleeping for two then, I guess."

Sami turned to him with the wicked grin that he could never resist. "Want me to ..umm ... wake you up when I come to bed, ... General?"

"Promises, promises." Lucas muttered, kissed Sami's forehead and left her to her work.

When she was satisfied with the final sketch, Sami looked at the clock on her desktop and smiled. It had taken less than an hour and that gave her time for the shower and change of clothes she craved. Her long sleeved turtleneck and jeans were covered with chalk, pastels and dust from her drawing board, and her fingers and legs were cramped. Happily refreshed a few minutes later she slipped into a satin chemise that was one of Belle's designs, and slid under the sheets beside Lucas.

But she had no plans to fall asleep right away. And months of practice and experimenting had shown Sami just how to keep her guy as happy as she was herself. The process was silent and sweet, as they were far past the need for words. Sami made good on her offer to wake Lucas in the best possible way. And they pressed close together as night gave up its post to dawn.

"Now this is the kind of family tradition I could seriously get behind." Lucas murmured as they lay together as close as a pair of spoons on a buffet.

"You did." Sami giggled. "And thank god Will's room is down the hall, now. you might have scared the heck out of your only son."

"My only son so far." Lucas amended, out of long habit. "Sami, c'mon, we asked Dr. Bader not to let us know the babies gender. So how are you so sure that we're getting twin girls, instead of one each, or twin boys?"

"Because the odds, genetically are that because my mother was an identical twin, and Eric and I and Cassie and Rex weren't, our twins will be ... identical. And hello, do I have to explain again that my mom's side of the family ran to girls?"

"But your dad's side of your family and my mom's side of my family ran to boys, in fact, so did my dad's side. So the odds are 3 to 1 that you're carrying twin boys."

"If they look like you and Eric, then I like my chances. But Lucas, whatever these kids turn out to be, we've got to call them something besides Fric and Frac."

"Ya think?" he quipped. "Any new thoughts on that?"

"None, That's why I'm asking you."

"Okay, I'll do my list thing for you and our ... offspring. Boys names:

Roman, John, David, Doug, Eric, Shawn, Michael, Steven, Anthony, Shane, Andrew, Phillip, Austin, Nicholas, Bo, Neil, Jack, Tom, Luke or Sam? Your turn."

Sami sighed. "Girls names: Katherine, Carly, Marlena, Lena, Kim, Kayla, Adrienne, Elisabeth, Anna, Billie Caroline, Alice, Renee, Laura, Jennifer, Rebecca, Vivian? Well, that exhausts the family, pretty much, Next batch Boys: James, Gene, Justin, Jeff, Frank, Timothy... I like Timothy, do you?"

"Yeah, Tim Rob... Tim Brady-Roberts, great, that's one down." Lucas said," And I like Sam, too. What do you think?"

"Just a little." Sami laughed, turning to see what was going on in Lucas's dark eyes

. "Okay, Tim, Sam we're set for the boys, and I'm kind of leaning towards Rebecca, but I dunno, Rebecca Brady-Roberts, too much, you think?"

"Yeah .. a few too many Rs there."

" Lucas, I think we should get some points in where we might need them down the road here Im going back to thinking maybe Elizabeth. We could call her Beth, or Bess, or Lisabeth... It's pretty don't you think?"

"Nearly as pretty as her mom." Lucas murmured, "But don't throw something at me, okay, I'm thinking we could name her Erica or Antonia. Even your grandfather Brady might like that."

"Erica's got the whole R problem again. I think John and his brother would both love to fuss over a little girl named Antonia Brady-Roberts, though. Good, that's done." Sami said, and almost immediately, fell asleep soundly as a child in Lucas' arms.

They stayed arm in arm as much as possible as the multi layered plan went into action. No one had the least doubt that they were risking their lives to stop their enemies once and for all. No one doubted either that the predators would still see them as prey. But the idea was to ensure their confidence to the point that the murderers strode directly into the survivor's trap. And this was how it began. Mickey, Shawn, Maggie and a few others began the process of moving to deny Alamain and Lenouri's appeal. After them, the court heard from at least one family member of every victim of the virus. Added to that was the repetition of trial evidence, given again by Shane Donovan, Hope Brady and other ISA and Federal operatives involved. And the most telling testimony of all seemed to the observers to be that of young and elderly survivors, whose health was still severely damaged by the disease' aftereffects.

 Across the street, as far as anyone from the outside could see, nothing was going on but BBI Design's first regional showing. Placards and banners were everywhere with the combined logos of BBI, Titan, AD Enterprises and the Horton House Foundation. "Keep building the House" was the slogan finally chosen, with a stencil-style pictogram of the place that all their efforts sprang from. Salem wasn't just alive again, they wanted everyone to know, it was growing, thriving and had a lot yet to give. Carrie and Scott had written copy for all the media releases, and were still doing so, faxing more each day from Salem. Tommy, Mike and Laura, along with Craig Wesley and officers of the CDC gave full reports to warn the Chicago area health officials. They had no intention of taking the chance that no more of the deadly virus existed within the reach of their enemies.

A wildly received band played during the show and rocked the audience, as the next line was getting ready to walk out. Sami stomped, and whistled and catcalled along with Chloe, Cassie, and others as Phillip, Brady and Lucas played to the chanting, cheering crowd. But Sami left it to her younger and currently spryer friends to join in their finale, dancing and beating out any blues in sight.

"That's your dad, kids." she bent over to tell her twins. "Yeah, that guy with the muscle shirt and the camo bandana and the rocking set of drums. Don't worry, he's a lot quieter around the house, usually."

A chill ran through Sami just then, Every sense alert, she looked around and saw that the stage manager was cueing Lucas and co. that their set was over. She saw Lucas get up and start bounding down the catwalk towards her, grinning all over his face, and wiping away the sweat from the blazing klieg lights. Sami froze, feeling as if a waking nightmare was trying to stop her vision, her heart and her voice all at once. She couldn't raise the breath or the sound to scream, until she saw a tall, wild eyed, raging figure of a man rush at her lover, her friend and the father of her children.

"Lucas!" Sami screamed, with every breath in her body and nearly collapsed before Lucas jumped down and took her into his arms.

"Sami, what?" he demanded, and she looked up, over his shoulder, only to find noone except the crew glancing at her with equal concern.

Breathing hard, she finally managed to answer. "Lucas I saw him! I saw Lawrence coming at you, He was ... He was going to ..."

"Sami, I'm okay, I'm fine. You're wound up tighter than my bass drum, though. C'mon, Let's go sit over here, Mike will look you over and then we'll call Will. That always helps. Right? And while I'm dialing over there, you're going to want to take some of those good deep breaths, cos Will doesn't need to hear you gasping for air, Okay, Sami?"

Following his advice literally, Sami nodded while reaching for the Lamaze practice she'd all but memorized.

"Hey, Mom!" Will said and Sami felt her heart start beating again.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm missing you, about a gzillion gscrillion, you know?"

"When's the dumb show over?"

"Tomorrow night, little man. And we'll be home again before morning, Promise."

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, Will?"

"You guys were all over the news here. Scott wanted to buy Carrie a ta-tankini, yeah that was it."

"Another guy crazy for my sister." Sami muttered, clinging to Lucas' arm.

"What, Mom?"

"Nothing. Listen to me, Will, Try not to drive everybody there crazy, okay?"

"Yeah, Mom. Are the twins giving you a hard time?"

"A little bit, But after they start walking it'll be your turn." Sami managed to laugh.

"Yeah, I know. Carrie already explained to me about oldest kids being builtin babysitters. I've been practicing all week. Uncle Tommy says, stop worrying, enjoy your clothes stuff and come home safely."

"Okay. Night ba... little man."

"Night, Mom"

"Night, Will" Lucas added, and closed the connection.

By this time a phalanx of doctors were surrounding Sami, Mike, Laura, and Jonah, among others.

"I didn't pass out." she explained again. "I just ... lost it for a minute. It was like dreaming except I didn't fall asleep. Did I?"

"With my band playing, no way." Lucas winked at her.

"Your blood pressure is higher than I'd like." Mike Horton said.

"Michael William Horton I am not going to sit in a hotel all day tomorrow while this whole thing goes down." Sami informed her brother in law.

"Well, then, since you're just as amenable to treatment and medical advice as every other Brady I've ever known, let's just find a way for you to relax this evening and maybe, just maybe I won't order you home to Salem. For three months bedrest."

"Oh c'mon!" Sami protested.

"Sami, I'm absolutely serious here. You know enough to know that children in multiple births are more vulnerable. So be sensible on your own, or I won't give you that option. Clear.?"

"Crystal, Mike, thanks." Lucas answered, never moving from Sami's side. "C'mon, little momma. We're doing the room service thing tonight."

"Yeah."

"And then I'm going to give the mother of my children a nice warm bath, and tuck her into bed before curfew."

"Only if you tuck in next to her." Sami retorted, with a wan grin.

"You got it. Sami, you know I don't doubt what you said for a minute. We're all waiting for the other shoe to drop here. If it wasn't getting on your nerves and filling your imagination there'd be something really wrong. But we're right on track. Nobody's gonna slip up this time, except the real bad guys. I mean it, Sami, they're toast."

"That's funny, coming from you."

"Yeah, yeah I know. But it will all come down just the way we want it to, this time. You've got my word on that. And I think I'm scoring pretty high on the keeping promises scale these days."

"You are. Honestly. But Lucas, you've got to know something, If that arrogant son of a  If Alamain comes at you, he's gonna go down hard, if I have to do it myself."

"That's my MomTiger." Lucas encouraged her. By now they had walked to the elevator, leading to the hotel on one side of the Mart. "I'm counting on that. And the same goes for me, Sami. I won't let them touch a hair on your head, or even come within arm's length."

"No, Lucas." Sami stopped and shook her head, just as they reached their hotel room. "He may not be crazy but he's too dangerous. And g-d knows what that freak Rosa will pull."

"That's exactly why we're going to stop them in their tracks, It's practically a done deal."

"Promise?" Sami turned to him, knowing she sounded more like a little girl than the pregnant mother of three. She was frantically reading Lucas' face for any sign of uncertainty. There was none.

"Promise."

"And you love me?" she demanded.

"Like crazy, Why?"

"Because I want a deep dish sausage and ripe olive pizza with extra cheese, and a little green pepper, so bad I could just about scream." Sami cried, and then laughed at herself with Lucas

"No anchovies?"

"No. No, just this once. I don't want to drive you to sleep in the tub."

"Better you than me, kiddo, We would need that forklift to get you out again."

"Pizza!"

"Yes m'am!" Lucas laughed and rushed to find the phonebook in the nightstand, under the Gideon's.