Authors note: Apologies everyone, I had to replace this chapter as I just discovered that the actual beginning part of this chapter was missing! Slight glitch when copying and pasting. So sorry , but it will hopefuly explain any possible confusion?! AJ5 ;-)

Chapter 2.

The Carter household was all a bustle as the family set the table and finished preparing the evenings meal. Danny's wife Tessa walked through the front door with their daughter Rebecca running ahead of her to join in all the merriment and find her father who gathered her up in to his arms and lifted her through the air like an aeroplane straight to the arms of her aunt Cate both of who were very excited to see each other. Holding Rebecca in her arms Cate moved to greet Tessa with a free open arm for hugging. All three headed in to the kitchen where Kelly was enjoying herself helping Bette make dinner for the family.

'Mom, look who's here.' Cate said as her mother turned to look, Rebecca stretched her arms out to her grandmother who scooped her out of Cate's arms to her own.

'Here's my little Angel.' She cooed to her little granddaughter who giggled as squeezed in her hug. Kelly and Cate looked at each other with a knowing smile to Bette's comment of calling Rebecca an 'Angel'. 'What are you two up to?' Bette asked looking at the sisters.

'Nothing mom, absolutely nothing.'

'Who are you?' Rebecca asked looking at Kelly.

'Rebecca, this is your aunt Cate's sister Kelly.'

'Aunt Cate doesn't have a sister, she has uncle Bobby and uncle Scott and daddy.'

'Well, I also have Kelly. She's my big sister.'

'A real one?' Rebecca questioned.

'Yes sweetheart, a real one.' Cate said pinching her nose. Rebecca was then distracted by her uncle Scott who came in to the kitchen Bette handed the young girl to her uncle who took her out of the kitchen to join him and her dad in the family room.

'You'll have to excuse Rebecca she's a little young to comprehend the whole fostering, adoption process. She just knows that Cate's her aunt and that they're as good as related. It's complicated.' Tessa said moving forward to meet Kelly.

'It's fine really, she's only young and pretty smart from I've just seen.' Kelly said smiling putting Tessa at ease.

'Kel, you may have guessed already but this is Tessa, Danny's wife. Tessa, Kelly, my big sister.' Cate introduced

'You're right I guessed.' Kelly teased 'It's very nice to meet you Tessa and Rebecca.' Kelly said shaking Tessa's hand and laughing, she really felt apart of everything in the household and loved every minute of it.

'All right you two, out of the kitchen. Kelly and I have a meal to finish getting ready for y'all.' Bette said shooing Tessa and Cate out of the kitchen.

With the family all seated they began their meal where conversation and laughter continued throughout. Kelly looked around the table watching whilst she drank her drink, watching her sister laughing and joking with her younger brother catching up on all of his latest adventures at college, then she would switch to being an aunt to young Rebecca who desperately wanted her aunt's attention. The two brothers began to clear away the dinner plates as Bette brought through the dessert, a large apple pie and ice cream, everyone was pleased at the sight of it, it was Bette's speciality Tessa told Kelly as it was dished out.

'Kelly.' Rebecca wearily called from her fathers lap. Kelly looked to her smiling

'Yes Rebecca.'

'Are you going to take aunt Cate away from us?' All other conversations stopped dead in their tracks at the youngster's question

'Take her away? Why would you think I would take her away sweetheart?' Kelly asked enchanted and confused by the little girl.

'Because you're her real family, everyone goes with their real family.' Rebecca reasoned

'No Rebecca, I'm not taking Cate away from you or your family, you are her family.'

'You promise.' Rebecca yawned

'I promise.' Kelly answered smiling as Rebecca snuggled in to her father's chest and fell asleep. Danny stood motioning that he would take Rebecca upstairs to bed. Cate smiled from across the table to Kelly as they met each others gaze following Danny leaving the room.

'Nothing gets by that little angel.' Bette said finishing off her dessert

'Mom you weren't thinking the same thing were you?' Cate asked astonished

'Goodness no, but I wondered if visits and phone calls would become less and less.'

'Never going to happen mom.' Cate reassured Bette.

'And besides,' Kelly said looking over at Bette 'I wouldn't let that happen'

'That's true. Kelly could give Danny a run for his money as the older sibling bossing.' Cate teased.

'Thank you Kelly, that's good to know and you young lady,' Bette said sternly to Cate 'you mind your older sister.'

'Yes ma'am.' Cate said smiling and winking at Kelly. The table erupted in laughter as they all finished the remainder of their meal. Just as the conversations began to die down the front door opened and slammed shortly after. Cate and Scotty got up straight away to see who had entered so loudly into the house.

'Bobby!' Cate said surprised and annoyed 'Could you be a little louder, Rebecca's asleep upstairs.' Bobby paid no attention to her and continued through the house heading straight to the dining room where the rest of the family still sat.

'Hey!' Scotty called after him 'We're talking to you. Bobby, what's gotten in to you?' Still ignoring his siblings Bobby moved straight to his mother.

'Robert what do you think you are doing entering into this house with such noise and bad manners. What has gotten into you?' Bette asked angered by her middle son.

'Momma I'm sorry I just needed.'

'Needed what Bobby?' Danny asked knowing the look on his younger brothers face, he was in trouble or after something or both.

'I need to talk to mom, just mom.'

'All right Robert, let's go into the study. The rest of you start clearing and washing up.' Bette got up from her chair with Bobby following behind her not making eye contact with any of his siblings.

'Come on guys, let's do as mom asks and get this lot cleared away.' Tessa said starting to collect the dishes together Kelly helping as the others slowly moved to start helping.

'What's he been up to lately?' Cate asked her brothers as they cleared away dishes in to the kitchen.

'Same as usual as far as I know' Danny said 'working, driving his truck across country.'

'He's still working for that logistics company?' Cate asked

'yeah, I offered him work at my place but he won't take anything, not even driving our delivery trucks and we do practically the same that the company he works for does.' Danny explained taking washed plates from Tessa and drying them. From the kitchen they heard the front door open and close.

'Caitlin, can I speak with you and Kelly please.' Bette called from the study. The sisters looked at one another sharing the same look, business was calling.

They entered into the study Cate shutting the door behind them.

'Mom, what is it, what's going on with Bobby?' Cate asked sitting next to Kelly on the small leather couch against the far wall of the study.

'Robert has gotten himself into trouble with some rather unsavoury people who are demanding a lot of money from him.'

'What has he gotten him self involved in?' Cate questioned shocked by what she was hearing and yet a small part of her wasn't surprised.

'It would seem that some of the cargo he was carrying on one of his deliveries wasn't what was listed on his sheet.' Bette explained.

'How did he find that out?' Kelly asked in detective mode now.

'He said his truck was involved in a minor accident where some of the crates in the truck fell over their contents spilling out, money and jewellery, lots of it.'

'And Bobby helped him self to some it?' Cate asked already knowing the answer.

'How much do these people want from Bobby?' Kelly asked.

'$500,000.' Bette said flatly.

'$500,000! What did Bobby do take an entire crate of goodies!? Mom please tell me he didn't come to you for money.' Cate said moving forward in her seat.

Bette only looked at her not giving an answer to which Cate again already knew.

'When do they want the money by Bette?' Kelly asked ignoring the tension between Cate and her mother.

'They've given him a week or...' Bette said turning to the glass of scotch she had poured for her self earlier. 'It would seem that I need your help, professionally.'

'How much have you given him?' Cate asked anger growing in her tone and body language.

'Cate' Kelly started in warning tone.

'$2,000, he'll cash the cheque tomorrow morning.' Bette said looking Cate squarely on the eyes. Cate lowered her head shaking it in disbelief, getting up from where she sat she stormed out of the room leaving Kelly and her mother alone.

Kelly spoke with Bette more about Bobby's situation and what they would try to do to help starting in the morning but before that time Kelly suggested to Bette that she go to bed and try to get some sleep. As Bette left to go on to bed Kelly went in to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water. From the kitchen window she could see Cate standing out on the patio. Placing her glass into the sink Kelly made her way to the patio.

'It's probably best to leave her alone for a little while longer.' Scotty said from behind her. 'Somehow Danny just knows how to really get under Cate's skin, it takes her a while to work him out again.' Kelly turned to face Scotty smiling.

'They don't always get on that well then?'

'Not always, not for want of trying though and Cate's tried really hard but ever since dad died Bobby's just become more and more distant from all of us.'

'I see.' Kelly said 'I'm sorry for the loss of your father, Cate speaks very highly and fondly of him.'

'Yeah, dad was great, we all miss him but he died nearly ten years ago now, Bobby just hasn't really learned to kind of move on.'

'It takes time. Do you think it would be safe to go out there yet?' Kelly asked returning her attention to her sister. 'I feel like I should just the answer to that but I'm still learning.'

'Well she's not breaking anything, that's a good sign. I'd say it was safe to go out there.' Scotty said looking out at his older sister 'Kelly, we never stop learning about each other plus you've only really known each other for what seven months? Give yourself a break. I'll see you both in the morning.' Scott waved to Kelly as he moved off to bed. Kelly turned back to the patio doors and her sister moving forward she took hold of the door handle and opening the door she stepped outside.

'Is it all right if I join you?' She asked from behind Cate.

'Yeah, of course, I'm sorry I walked off like that earlier I just needed the air.'

'It's all right I understand. I explained to your mom that we'd contact Charlie and the team tomorrow, I think we're going to need their help with this one.' Kelly said sitting down on the swing seat to the side of Cate.

'I'm so sorry Kelly.'

'Whatever for, none of this is your fault.'

'No but I hoped that this family break wouldn't be so eventful. I hoped we'd actually get a break from work just for a little while just spend quality time together as a family with no crime involved.'

'Hey, Cate, come on now. Come here.' Kelly motioned for Cate to sit next to her on the swing seat. 'I don't think any one here would have wanted this to have happened but I think it's just as well we chose to come now, now is when we're needed.' Kelly said reassuringly, placing her arm around Cate's shoulders.

'So, we phone the office tomorrow and ask the others for help.'

'Yep, that's the plan. Then we can get a real handle on what's happening with your brother and these men.' Kelly said sternly.

'Ok, well tomorrow means to be a long day so I think I'll hit the hay.'

'Good idea.' Kelly replied as the two sisters both got to their feet heading back into the house.

'And Kelly just so we're clear, I offered for us to stay in L.A.'

'Cute Cate, come on we've got a long day ahead of us.' Kelly said nudging her sister a long through the door way.