CHAPTER 3

"Uncle Roy, I know you know what's going on. The two of you have been hunkered together sometimes day and night for the last few months. Where is he going?" CJ asked Roy Houston.

"CJ, you've been around enough to know that sometimes it's best not to ask too many questions. Matt is doing something that's not only important for the safety of this country, but for the world. Let's just leave it at that." Roy tried his best to comfort her, but was afraid that he had done just the opposite.

"I've already heard all this from him." She walked over toward the windows of the penthouse office of Houston Investigations and looked out over the city of Los Angeles. "All I know is that he's putting himself in harm's way – again. I knew Matt's job as a private investigator was dangerous – obviously. I've been with him here since he started the agency. But this isn't chasing down a kidnapper, or blackmailer, or a child molester. This is something much bigger and even more dangerous." She turned back toward Matt's uncle and noticed the worry on his face. Even though Roy Houston was in his seventies he rarely looked his age – but today, he looked even older. He was just as worried about Matt as she was.

"CJ, look at me. Matt has been struggling with this decision. But he knows that what he's doing can make a big difference in the world: the world that he's planning to bring children into with you. That's exactly what he told me last night. But he wants to make this a more secure place for them – and for you. We've got to back him up on this, CJ. It's the least that we can do. You've trusted him practically your whole life." Roy looked her straight in the eye. "If you love him even half as much as I think you do, you'll support him in what he's doing."

CJ nodded her head. "I've always supported him, Uncle Roy. It's just that after we've finally gotten together, it feels like everything is going to fall apart." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I worry about him enough when he's just working on a case. But now he's going God-knows-where…" She tried her best not to cry but the tears started anyway. "I'm so afraid of losing him."

Roy patted her back and said "You know Matt. He's going to be just fine." Am I trying to convince her or myself? After all his years at the CIA, he had become a master at disguising his own emotions. But the last couple of years that he had spent working with Matt and CJ, being around them on a daily basis, had made that more difficult for him. They were so much in love and reminded him of himself and his wife Flo. When they had finally gotten together and gotten married, he had fully expected Matt to close up the detective agency. But he hadn't. Roy wondered if he was part of the reason Matt had kept it going and decided that when his nephew got back, they were going to have a talk.

CJ had calmed down and walked over to the bar and was making herself a cup of tea. "Do you want some coffee?" She looked up at Roy.

"Sounds good to me." He walked over and sat down on one of the bar stools. CJ's hands were shaking as she poured the coffee. "So beautiful niece of mine, where would you like your handsome uncle to take you to dinner tonight?" Maybe it would take both of their minds off of what was going on.

CJ tried to put on a big smile. "I don't know. Guess I'll leave that decision up to my handsome uncle." She leaned across the bar and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking back to her office. Maybe burying herself in work would help her to pass the time. It was then that she wondered just how long Matt would be gone. He hadn't said, probably because he didn't know. Yesterday he had mentioned being gone a few days. She sat down behind her desk and looked at the IN box. Absolutely nothing was there. Of all times for there not to be anything for her to do, it had to be today.

Another wave of nausea hit her suddenly. It was the fourth time today that it had happened. She reached for the phone and called Carol LeMasters' office number. She and Carol had been sorority sisters in college and best of friends. Carol was now her doctor as well as Matt's. The phone was answered by the receptionist. "Hi, Christy. Pretty good. Does Carol have any appointments open today?" She waited while the girl checked the schedule. "Sure, that will be fine. See you then." Hanging up she felt a wave of fear go through her.

Since the day they were married, CJ and Matt had been trying to have a baby. Although it had only been eight months since they had taken their vows, both were slightly impatient about getting pregnant. But now that she thought she might be, and Matt was almost certain that she was, there was a little bit of fear gnawing at her.

Leaning back in her chair, she sipped the tea and hoped that it would quell the queasiness that she was feeling. Matt would be a great dad, she had no doubt about it. He was great with kids and they absolutely loved him.

She looked at the calendar and tried to calculate how far along she might be and laughed to herself. About four months ago she had been upset to find out that she wasn't pregnant and Matt had told her then to just relax and not think about it and it would happen when the time was right. CJ had taken that advice well; so well, in fact, that she couldn't remember when her last period had been. So much for being the detail-oriented one, she thought to herself.

Looking at the clock on the wall, she decided to go ahead and leave for her appointment. Maybe if she got done early she could go look at nursery items. But she decided that would wait – until Matt was back. They could do that together.

CJ's idea of getting to the appointment early paid off – she was able to be seen early. After giving a urine sample and being in the most uncomfortable and awkward position for the examination, she was holding her breath waiting for Carol's diagnosis. "Okay, you can get dressed." She had her back turned to CJ.

As she put her clothes back on, CJ waited…and waited. "Uh Carol…" Her friend didn't say anything. "Carol?" She turned to face CJ and was positively beaming.

"Congratulations!" She gave the lawyer a big hug. "Oh my gosh, Houston is going to be so happy! I'm surprised he isn't here with you now."

"Well, he got called out of town suddenly on a case." CJ wasn't much for lying, but decided that really it was a case – just more of a larger scale than they were used to dealing with.

"Aren't you excited? I know you told me that you had been trying since the wedding." Carol was slightly concerned. She had fielded several questions from her friend in the last few months about getting pregnant and now she was extremely calm. "You two aren't having problems, are you?"

"No! I'm just – I don't know – shocked?" She grinned at Carol. Then the reality hit her. "I'M PREGNANT!" She yelled without thinking about it, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

Carol burst into laughter. "Well, that's a little more like it, but be careful – Mr. Simmons is in the next room and he does have a heart condition." She smiled at CJ. "Don't worry about it though; he usually forgets to turn on his hearing aid." Both of them cracked up and Carol gave her a hug. "I'm so happy for you. Now I get to have a little niece or nephew to spoil rotten!"

"Oh no you don't! I don't need Aunt Carol getting my kid wound up and then bringing him home for me to have to deal with." They both laughed some more, then Carol gave her a prescription for prenatal vitamins and sent her on her way.