AN: This again is beta'ed by Chiquinta, for which I really am grateful. Now, I have a HUGE favour to ask of you, the reader, please tell me exactly what you did and didn't like about this chapter. That way I know what to avoid and what not to leave out on the next. Thanks :) Now on with the story!

== THREE MONTHS LATER ==

Sam and Thomas sat in the back of the car blaring along with some old classics, falsely I might add. Chris just ignored it, at least the twins were having fun. It had taken her a whole lot of talking before she had finally managed to get it into their thick little brains that she wouldn't allow them to go on vacation without her. But now they seemed to have settled into going with their mother. She checked the map that lay spread out over the passenger seat and then turned into a parking lot.

"We're here." She stated, then turned off the engine.

"Wow." Sam sighed happily.

"Come on, let's get ourselves checked in, then we can check out that marvellous pool the brochure promised."

==

Cassie was happily sunbathing, enjoying her vacation to the fullest; her father was in the pool swimming laps. They had been in this hotel for about a week now. Today or tomorrow her father's girlfriend Michelle, would join them and then they all would stay yet another two weeks. She liked it just fine. Room-service was heaven, and though she didn't really like Michelle she figured that as long she made her dad happy it really was none of her business. And of course she would get her own room, not that she minded sharing with her dad but there just was something about having your own hotel room.

Two youths ran by her chair and jumped into the water, splattering about making her just as wet as they were.

"Hey! Look what you're doing!" she exclaimed, a little pissed. Until she saw the extreme cutie that was one of the perpetrators.

"Oh sorry, we didn't see you." He flashed a knee weakening smile.

"Why don't you come into the water and retaliate?" the girl asked, she looked a lot like the boy so she guessed they must be siblings. She looked at her already perfect tan, then to the cutie and his sister.

"Sure, but it better not be two against one."

"Us against Sam." The boy suggested, Cassie nodded her acceptance and jumped in the water with as big a splash as she could form.

=Meanwhile=

TC had been swimming laps for only a couple of minutes when he saw a female form next to him swimming the same laps. His male pride kicked in and he accelerated swimming away faster, but she seemed to have some of that pride as well, she accelerated until she passed him. It turned into an all out competition, eventually they couldn't accelerate any further and it became about endurance. Between breathing and swimming he had little time left but what time he had he tried to get a better look at his competition. The woman was slender, blond, her bathing suit was skyblue, but that was all he could see through the water at this speed. Eventually a couple of kids got in her way and she had to stop. He stopped as well; he didn't want to win unfair. She looked at him, her hair slicked back and her eyes a little red from the pool water. He looked back, time stopped, silent thunder roared and other sentimental crap like that. Sixteen years stood between them but both knew exactly who they were staring at.

Someone screamed, a girl sliding from the water glide, but for a moment he looked away, when he looked back she was gone and he honestly didn't know whether he just dreamed the encounter or if it really had happened.

==

Chris had managed to avoid TC for a couple of days now, but still wasn't sure if she really wanted to avoid him. She had already seen Cassie. The girl had made fast friends with her twins. But she didn't see the harm in it, even if the girl obviously had a thing for Tom. The boy was oblivious. He really never knew when a girl was falling at his feet. Chris smiled, yet something else she had done right.

"Mom." The object of her thoughts entered the room, dressed to go out. "Sam, Cassie and me are going out tonight, don't wait up OK? And don't worry." He said sweetly while trying to get collar of his shirt right.

"Come here." She said and started straightening his collar for him.

"Where are you going exactly?" she asked.

"Mom, come on." Tom said, finding his mothers worry a little over the top.

"Tom, tell me, where are you going?"

"Just to the beach, there is this big party there tonight." He gave in.

"Which part of the beach?" she asked, not giving in at all.

"You know, just for one night we can look after ourselves." He said, pleading for some freedom.

"I know sweetie, under normal circumstances you could, but I would seriously hate myself if anything happened to the two of you. So what part? I promise I will do nothing embarrassing, I will just watch, you probably won't even know I am there."

"We'll be right in front of the hotel." He said with a sigh.

She hugged him "I'm sorry sweetie." She said.

"I know. Now I just have to go hurry the girls, they found it necessary to dress up together." His smile had already returned.

As if on cue the two came out of the bathroom dressed and everything. Chris knew she really shouldn't be shocked about the quite skimpy outfits, she had worn skimpier in her day, but these were just kids, in her eyes anyway.

"You look great." She just said, biting her tongue.

Cassie looked a bit uncomfortable, it could be the dress that Sam had lent her, Chris had no doubt that TC would forbid such wardrobe choice, or could it be Chris's presence, Cassie never was very comfortable around her.

"Thanks mom." Sam laughed and kissed Chris's cheek.

"Yeah yeah, no need to get all mushy on me." She said and shooed them out of the room, then she quickly ran back to change into something suitable to stand and watch in all night. Then she followed her kids, as inconspicuously as possible.

She sat down on a highpoint where she could clearly see the beach beneath her, she was close enough to see Sam and Tom and casual enough not to look like a stalker or something.

She phoned Sam to let her know her position, in case anything went wrong the girl would know where to signal and/or scream to and of course she would fill Tom in.

Chris made herself comfortable, she would most likely be there all night, so she took out the thermos flask and filled herself a nice cup of coffee, when she found half a roll of cookies in her bag as well, everything was just perfect.

===

TC looked out the window, Cassie hardly ever went out. She was more the stay at home type, and now those two youths had totally turned her around. He admittedly was worried, and maybe a little bit jealous.

"You're worrying again." Michelle said, she had just arrived this afternoon. After taking another sip she put her wineglass down, walked over to him and started a backrub.

He sighed "That feels nice." He admitted.

"I know something that would feel nicer." She huskily whispered in his ear.

"I think I'll just go out, keep an eye at Cassie, she doesn't know what to look out for at all and I don't really trust that boy she seems to like so much." He said, totally ignoring her come-on.

"TC, don't be silly, she's a big girl, she could use some freedom." Michelle said, again he didn't listen.

"If tonight everything goes well I might not do it again, but she's just so young and I need to make sure she'll be alright" he said, and as that completed the discussion he grabbed his jacket.

"Well, at least let me come with you, I really don't want to spend my first night here alone." Michelle said, and grabbed her own jacket as well.

"Look, it'll be very boring, but I don't want any distractions, so I'll just go alone, OK?" he said. He had been a lieutenant for so long that he had become accustomed to people obeying his orders.

"No! What am I supposed to do then?" Michelle said, about to throw a hissy- fit.

"Read a book?" he said, then bolted out the door, closing it behind him, he knew she wouldn't follow, she wasn't that stupid. ===

He looked around for the best spot to overlook the festivities, somewhere quiet where he would have a good look at Cassie no matter where she went, but where he wouldn't be noticed very easily, he didn't want to embarrass his little girl after all.

He spotted the perfect place soon enough, having some experience with stake- outs, but when he got there he noticed someone else was already here. Though his first instinct was to turn away before she noticed him and run. He decided to go for the confrontation.

He sat down next to her.

"Hey." He just said. She looked at him, she didn't seem at all shocked or surprised.

"Hi." She answered him. Both eyes went back to the beach for a moment, but then Chris spoke again.

"You know for a second there I thought you were going to turn back."

"For a second there I was going to turn back." He answered.

"I'm glad you didn't." she said truthfully, making him curious as to the reason.

"You did, in the pool." He said, not accusing her, just stating a fact.

"I know." She said, a little smile forming on her lips.

"I always thought that with our kids I'd be the protective one and you would want them to have their freedom." He said, changing the subject.

"Me too, and yet here we are." Chris smile grew a little, as did TC's.

"Cassie said you had a couple of kids, who are they?" he asked.

"I have two, but I think you've met them already. You see the boy that's dancing with Cassie? That's my son Tom."

The black haired, brown eyed, tan skinned boy was hers?

"So Sam's yours too?" he asked, still processing the information.

"Yup."

"They must take after their father." He said, trying to be diplomatic.

"No, from what I heard they take after their mother, especially Tom, he's got her eyes; you know the kind that can make Bambi jealous."

"So, they're adopted?" Chris had adopted two children? Why? How? When?

"Sort of." Though she would do anything to protect her babies, she couldn't lie to TC about them. She should just tell him they were adopted but she couldn't.

"Then, if they were not adopted, a family member of yours? But wouldn't they go to your folks then?" he asked, really puzzled.

She sighed "Don't tell this to anyone, I shouldn't even be telling you this but... Just don't tell anyone what I am going to tell you, not even Cassie."

He frowned, this was really important to her, so he nodded and when she still didn't say anything verbalised his promise.

"OK, I promise, I won't tell anyone."

"They're in the witness protection program. When Sam was just a little girl she saw her uncle murder her parents, she testified and her uncle was put away, but now she has the rest of her elaborate family after her, seeking her's and Tom's deaths. I was an FBI agent at the time, called in to assist with the case. It ended up with me being their baby-sitter and when the time came they needed a guardian I was approached and I took the job." She shrugged. It seemed unreal somehow to explain their whole history in just a couple of short sentences.

"Wow." TC sighed, then his eye was caught by his own daughter still dancing with the wanted boy.

"Is it safe for Cassie to be seen with them?" he asked, already jumping up.

"Yes, they have had friends before and none of them ever got hurt, they usually pick a time where Tom and Sam are alone, or just with their bodyguards." Chris said.

He sat down again, though still worried out of his mind.

"It must be hard on them." He said, somehow apologetic.

"Yeah, sometimes, I mean. Normal parents would keep their children away from guns, I taught them how to use one, when Sam wanted to go on ballet I put her on karate. Their baby-sitter, that they still have while being 16 years old I might add, is a ten foot tall, African-American by the name of Bubba. No offence to Bubba, he rules, but it just isn't normal you know? That and the fact that their lives are always in danger, that they survived several attempts at their lives, and even more that they don't even know about. It's no way for a kid to live."

"And yet they seem pretty happy." TC assured her.

"Yeah, but they have pretty big issues that'll resurface when they least expect or want it." Chris said, and then held up her thermos to him, her face carrying the question.

"Its coffee?" he asked, she nodded, then he nodded in response. She poured him the extra cup she had dug up from her bag.

"Thanks. But you know, I really think those kids are going to turn out good, they have you for a mother." He smiled at her, the smile he only seemed to smile when she was around, the same smile that made her happy she was sitting down or her knees would have buckled.

"Just, really do not tell this to anyone, I mean it, those two are the most important thing in my whole life." She said earnestly.

"I won't. Want to pinky swear?" he asked, making her smile.

"Yeah, I want to pinky swear!"

====

Michelle turned away from the couple on the dune, she had heard enough. Of course, mister 'I-can't-be-with-you-because-I-need-to-stalk-my-kid-without- any-company' was meeting someone behind her back. That woman, a mother, well sort off anyway, of course they could talk all about all the experiences they share. Fill each other in on how to stalk your kid without them knowing it even better.

Michelle was bitter, but she would not give her man up that easily, so quickly and quietly returned to their room. He was hers, and he would stay that way.

====

Tom and Cassie were having a great time, Sam however was having a slightly less one. The only type of men around here seemed to be the sleazy kind, and she was to smart to fall for their cliché come-on's. Of course she couldn't turn to Tom or Cassie; they were talking right now, sitting closely to the ocean. She rolled her eyes, then decided to return to her mother, she couldn't leave without her, and Chris couldn't leave without both her children, not now they were without back-up anyway. The thought scared her a little, but she pulled her chin up, no thinking about no murders tonight.

She was very surprised when she noticed her mother talking to Cassie's dad, what would he be doing here? And with her mother? Sam sighed, looking back at Tom and Cassie, not both of them right? That would just be disgusting! She pushed on however, figuring her mom would be slightly more considerate, meaning no making out in front of her, then her brother and friend were.

"Hey mom, Mr. Callaway." She politely said. When she had walked up to them.

"Hey sweetie, not having a good time?" Chris asked.

"Not really, the guys down there are sleazy and Tom and Cassie are no fun tonight." She said and let herself drop next to her mother.

Only now TC spoke up.

"You can call me TC you know." He said, trying to start up a conversation.

"OK, I will, thanks." Sam said, pleasantly, trying to befriend her mother's new friend. But wait, suddenly she remembered something.

"I don't mean to pry or anything, but Cassie said your girlfriend was coming today, where is she?" Sam asked, she noticed her mothers face fall a little before pulling herself out of it and putting on her happy face again, she was pretty sure TC wouldn't have noticed.

"Yes she is actually, but I didn't know if Cassie was going to be alright down here so I just came here to see." He answered truthfully, his heart sinking a little thinking of Michelle while sitting here next to who he once considered the love of his life. What he and Michelle had was nothing compared to what they once had.

"You're checking up on her?" Sam asked, a little exasperated.

"She doesn't go out much, I just don't want her to get hurt. I don't intend to make this a habit or anything." He answered again.

"If you want to go back to your girlfriend I can keep an eye out for Cassie, she and Tom will leave at the same time anyway." Chris offered, wanting to at least stay friends with this man.

"I don't know." TC said, hesitating.

"Oh come on, it's not like she'll let them go back to Cassie's room together or anything!" Sam said, feeling more insulted then Chris did.

"Yeah I know, but this is my baby-girl." He still hesitated, then looked over at Chris, their eyes met and he realized he trusted this woman, even with his kid.

"Alright, thank you for the offer." He said, then gave her back the cup and stood up.

"That's alright, bye." Chris said, giving him her version of the smile. He thanked his lucky stars he didn't stumble.

"See you around?" he asked, hope evident in his voice.

"Yeah, and this time I won't duck out." Chris said, grinning slightly.

"I'll hold you to that, bye, and bye Sam." He finally said, and started away.

"Nice man." Sam commented, one of her eyebrows raised slightly. Chris laughed and shoved her daughter.

"Nice man with a girlfriend it seems." She said.

"Well, you had a spark going and Cassie tells me she isn't all happy with Michelle, she is years and years younger then he is, like in her early thirties or something. She thinks it pretty sick, but figures as long as her dad is happy it's OK. But the point here is, that in my opinion you and he would be a better couple." Sam informed her mother.

"Right, well honey, I don't think I will be much competition against a thirty year old, besides, people can just be friends you know." She said, putting her arm around her daughter.

"Well, you seem like you could be more then that." Sam continued.

"Sweetie, we couldn't even if we wanted to, I am not looking for a fling and long term just isn't possible right now, you know as well as I do that this identity won't survive the summer."

It was true, Sam did know, every summer they would move away leaving their identities behind, than stay the school-year in one place and move again in the summer. It was pretty annoying at times, but necessary to ensure their safety.

"I'm sorry mom, for making your life such a mess." Sam said, suddenly turning more sombre.

Chris immediately hugged her daughter.

"You made my life beautiful sweetie, you and your brother. I consider myself blessed to be called your mother." She said, ensuring the insecure girl, Sam chuckled.

"You made us do that! I remember being so mad at you for making us call you mom." Sam said "But now you really are mom, funny how that grows on you."

"Yeah, I remember that, you made such a fuss, I didn't know what to do!" Chris said, smiling as well.

"You tried to give me a lolly-pop! I was totally being a brat and you were near panic and all you could think of was giving me a lolly-pop!" Sam said, teasing her mother.

"Oh quit it! I had never been a mother before, never even had a niece or nephew to practice with and bam, there you two are, two traumatized children that I am ordered to traumatize some more." Chris rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but I also remember thinking being happy it was you, because you really were there for us during the whole trial thing." Sam told.

"Well, I was scared to death. But what could I do being the overall good person that I am, turning down two angel faces." She shook her head.

"Well, for an overall good person you did a very good job, I must say I turned out perfect." Sam said, giggling.

"Yeah you would!" Chris said, laughing as well.

"Look at those two going! You think we should interfere?" Sam asked, sobering a bit upon seeing her brother make out with Cassie.

"We can let them have a summer long fling, don't you think?" Chris asked.

"Oh that wasn't what I was worried about. I meant her father, if he was still here I think he would've gone for his gun already." Sam shrugged, having already found out about TC's protective nature from hanging out with Cassie.

"Well he isn't here, let the girl have some fun for once." She acts like a thirteen year old in stead of a sixteen year old." Chris commented.

"She just feels a little insecure." Sam stood up for the girl.

"Well, she ain't insecure now." Chris shook her head when she saw the girl's hand sneak under Tom's shirt. "I'd better stop it right now or I'll have TC throwing a hissy-fit at my doorstep tomorrow." With that she stood up and swatted off the sand that had decided her butt was a good place to be at the moment.

Sam held out her hand, and with a groan Chris took it and helped the girl up. Arm in arm they walked down onto the beach.

"No, it's way to early mom!" Was the first thing that came out of Tom's mouth when Chris gently tapped him on the shoulder. He sounded like a toddler that didn't want to go to bed yet.

"Whine in the morning, now you are coming. You too Cassie, I promised your father I would keep an eye on you." Chris said. Only then she realized TC might not have exactly told his daughter.

"Dad told you that? When? And more importantly, why?" Cassie stood upstraight in the blink of an eye demanding answers. At least the rebellious teenage side of her was showing a bit better.

"Never mind that, just come on, I plan to get some sleep this. morning." Chris told the pissed off girl, not that it would help, but she could try.

"So you were actually watching us down here?" Cassie asked exasperated.

"Long story. Now are you coming?" Chris gave her one of her more serious looks. But in all honesty it was more Tom's obvious intent to go with his mother then anything else.

"I still think it's pretty sick." Cassie muttered. Then started after them.

===

OK, OK, I'll make my chapters shorter, this one was like 9 pages. Please review, tell me exactly what you did and didn't like, don't be afraid to be rude or offensive, I have three brothers, I'm used to it :P