I suppose if I didn't put this chapter up, some of ye would be on propranolol! Thanks for reviewing! -Becca

It's dark now. We're outside the Yakima city limits. For some reason, we were drawn back here. Again, intuitively, we know that we shouldn't be here. But, anxiety over Saoirse and Aaron and, to be honest, a little bit of pure foolishness drove us back like a phantom driver.

"If we can get to a computer, maybe we can contact Data." Wesley keeps his gaze trained on the lonely outside. "I think Data can help us."

"I think so, too, Wes. But, what if Data is on a mission? We can't very well call him up on a normal frequency without arousing a bevy of suspicion and alerting everyone to where we are." He looks over to me. "Are we going to Hope's home?"

I nod. "I think we can at least trust her."

It's silent here, eerie in its solitude, as we drive the short way to Hope's home just outside the town proper. Lucky for us, her house is secluded in a wooded area with no other houses in direct visual vicinity. No one else will see us, hopefully.

We sigh in relief when we see her living room lights on. "Thank Goodness she's home!" The anticipation of seeing Saoirse and Aaron is unbearable as I move closer and closer to the house.

The walk from the car to her door is short, and though I'm bone-tired I all but sprint. I see Wesley look around us, scanning for anyone or anything suspicious in the darkness. We're all on edge and we knew that coming back to Yakima posed a huge risk. But, the truth is that this is our home and we have nowhere else to go.

Surprisingly, her door opens without even a knock and a petite arm reaches out, greedily dragging us in. "Beverly," she tightly folds me into her embrace. "Oh, God, Beverly! We were so worried about you." She lets go of me and quickly pulls Jean Luc and Wesley in as well. "Men came to the house." She states at the outset.

Gregg enters the room, "Thank goodness you three are OK." He moves to hug each of us before continuing Hope's story. "Yeah Hope told me that a couple of men came to the house. I had taken the kids out for ice cream at the farmer's market. So, I wasn't here. They were asking for you, though. They said you're wanted for murder?... They said that if we saw you and didn't report your missing, it would be a criminal offense."

Wesley speaks up, "We are wanted for murder. But it's not what you think."

Hope smiles and lets out a small laugh, "I'm thinking that if you are wanted for murder then you have a damned good reason! And with all that's been going on, I don't doubt that you did have a good reason."

I didn't notice Gregg's absence until I hear him come down the stairs carrying two precious bundles. It's then, in that moment, that our collective resolve crumbles. Just hours ago, I was bound and dying slowly, thinking that I'd never be reunited with my family. I never thought that I'd bury my nose in Aaron's silky hair, inhaling his delicate baby scent. I never thought that I'd kiss chubby rosy cheeks and hear Saoirse's tantalizing, melodic laughter. I never thought I'd hold Wesley close to me. I never thought that I'd see my husband again to tell him that I love him. And now, I'm standing with my family. And just for the moment, all of us are safe.