Here's the 1st Chapter please enjoy. Thank you Marie218. Please review it helps me continue my stories.
I rolled over in bed feeling groggy and barely opened my eyes. I peeked through my eye lids and glanced at my alarm clock and bolted out of bed. I was late because my alarm didn't go off; I quickly grabbed clean work clothes to put on. I threw the pile of clothing on my bed and scrambled down the hall to Hailey's room. I opened the door and found that she wasn't there. I tore down the hallway at full speed in my bare feet. "Alexa where is Hailey?" I called out to my AI.
"Ms. Frost, my systems show that Hailey is in the kitchen." The automated voice came over the speakers.
"Is Hailey ready, you forgot to get my alarm?" I said with irritation clearly lacing my voice. It was ten o'clock in the morning, Hailey is late for kindergarten and I'm late for work. I really didn't need this first thing in the morning.
"I didn't forget Ms. Frost, James instructed me not to set it."
"What do you mean he instructed you not to set it? I'm late for work and Hailey's late for school." I said frustrated and jumped down the stairs to get to the kitchen faster. That was the only bad thing with living in a mansion; there was too much ground to cover.
"Today's Saturday, Ms. Frost." I slid to a complete stop and almost tripped.
"What did you say?" I couldn't believe it, how could I not realize what day it was. I groaned and lean against the wall. I have to stop spending so many late nights in the lab.
"It is Saturday, James told me to deactivate your alarm since you only went to bed at 2:56 AM."
"Thank you Alexandra, that will be all for right now. Oh and please don't mention this little incident to anyone." I said finally calling my AI by her full name. That's all I needed was someone to find out about me looking like an idiot for thinking it was a weekday.
"You're welcome Ms. Frost, and I will not tell anyone." There was a clicking noise when she was done speaking, which let me know that she shut off until someone needed her. I took a deep breath and leaned off the wall. I slowly headed the rest of the way to the kitchen. When I got close enough the smell of bacon wafted through the halls. Once I made it to the kitchen I stood in the doorway watching the scene in front of me. I small smile spread across my lips.
Hailey was sitting on the counter next to James. I chuckled when she stole a piece of bacon off of the plate that James had the cooked bacon on. When they heard my chuckle both of them looked at me. I walked into the kitchen. "Good morning you two, are you staying out of trouble Hailey?" Hailey said good morning and grinned at me before saying that she was behaving.
"Morning, and don't listen to Hailey. She's being a bacon thief. Isn't that right munchkin?" I smiled at Hailey's sour expression when James messed up Hailey's hair. James turned back to the stove and started to finish up the bacon. I gave Hailey a kiss on the forehead before I went to the cabinets and got out plates to set the table.
Once I set the table, I walked back over to Hailey and stole a piece of bacon off the plate. "So why didn't you have Alexa wake me up?" I was curious as to why James would tell her to deactivate my alarm. He glanced at me before turning back to the bacon.
"Well she informed me that you didn't go to bed until early this morning, so I figured you'd need the sleep since you spend your nights in the lab doing who knows what. Besides I'm more then capable to make breakfast." I put my hand on his shoulder, which caused him to tense a little. Most people wouldn't have noticed it but I did.
"Thank you for cooking breakfast." He turned off the pan and put the last of the bacon on the plate.
"You're welcome, pancakes are in the oven to stay warm. I'll grab the rest of the bacon." I just nodded my head and didn't argue with him. I grabbed oven mitts as he opened the oven door and grabbed a bigger plate of bacon. I was about to scold him that the plate was hot but I decided against it. I slipped on the oven mitts and grabbed the huge plate of pancakes from the oven. I closed the oven door before taking the pancakes to the table. I set them down and walked over to the refrigerator and routed around for the orange juice that I made last night. Once I found it I pulled it out of the refrigerator and shut the door.
I walked back to the table and filled up the cups while James helped Hailey cut up her pancakes. I didn't bother to tell him that I could do that but he likes helping Hailey so I kept quiet. I placed their drinks in front of them before I sat down to eat. We ate in comfortable silence, even though we've been living together for the past few years we still don't really know what to talk about. It's difficult but at least he's good with Hailey. Once we were done with breakfast I cleaned up the leftovers and washed the dishes while Hailey drug James into the living room to watch the Lion King.
"Ma'am, you just received a message shall I send it to your study?" Alexandra's voice rang out loud and clear throughout the kitchen.
"Thank you Alexa I'll be there as soon as I finish." I finished rinsing the soap off of the frying pan and stuck it in the strainer. I dried my hands on the towel and walked into the living room.
"Mommy you going to watch the movie with us?" I smiled at Hailey who was sitting on James's lap.
"Yeah sweetie I'll be right back I have to check something in my study. Go ahead and start it, I'll be back before the previews are over." She nodded her head and gave the remote to James as I walked into the hallway. I quickly made my way to my study and locked the door behind me. "Alexa please play the message." I didn't know what to think since I wasn't supposed to get this message for another two days. The check in messages were the only messages sent to my study, since they were from Hailey's father. I let out a sigh of relief when it was actually his voice and not the automated one that says he's out on a mission.
"Hey it's me, I just wanted to let you know that something came up and I'll be out of contact throughout this coming week. Don't worry I just have to play babysitter for a few days to make sure nothing goes missing. I'll check in with you in a week from now. Tell Hailey that I love her and miss her…" There was a pause in them message as he let out a tired sigh before continuing. "I know you probably don't want to hear this because of how things ended between us; but I still love you and I miss you too." I froze at his words, just holding my breath.
"Ms. Frost are you alright? You told Hailey that you would be back before the previews ended and they are almost over."
"Yes Alexa I'm fine." I said after a few minutes. I took a deep breath and exhaled to clear my head. I was once told that love would destroy me, I've fallen in love twice. Both times it has destroyed me, in ways I never thought possible. I quickly moved to the door and unlocked it. I flung the door open and stepped through the doorway only to walk into something. I lost my balance but I never hit the ground. There was an arm wrapped around my waist keeping me up right. "James?" I didn't realize he was outside the door; I'm going to have to update Alexandra.
He didn't say anything until I said his name for a second time. His eyes looked too dark, and in an instant they were back to normal. I furrowed my brows at him since he didn't let go of me. "James are you alright?" I questioned quietly as I placed my hand on his chest. That seemed to snap him out of whatever he was thinking about. He released his hold on me quickly after making sure I was standing right then took a step back.
"Yeah I'm alright, I just came to make sure you were coming to watch the movie. Hailey's afraid you're going to miss the beginning." He glanced down at the ground before glancing back at me. "I didn't mean to startle you." He quickly turned on his heels and walked back towards the living room. I knew something was bothering him but I didn't know what it was. Did he overhear my message or was it his nightmares? I shook my head and walked to the living room. This time Hailey was sitting next to James. I sat down next to her.
We spent the rest of the day watching movies only stopping to take little breaks and get food. It was about eight o'clock when Hailey fell asleep, lying across our laps. Towards the end of the movie I must have fallen asleep because I jolted awake while someone was carrying me up the stairs.
"Easy, I'm taking you to your room, you fell asleep. Last time I checked the couch is not very comfortable to sleep on." I started to struggle to get out of their arms which cause them to stop on the stairs. "Shhh… Vivian calm down it's me." Once I recognized James's voice I settled down. "And before you ask I put Hailey to bed. You can go back to sleep, everything's alright." I nodded my head as my eyelids drooped shut. I rested my head on his shoulder as he continued walking up the stairs. That was the last thing I remembered before I fell back to sleep.
ONE WEEK LATER
I looked at the clock and started to get anxious. He still hadn't checked in, which wasn't like him at all. I looked at the clock again, he was six hours late. Something was wrong and I could feel it. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed a number that I was very familiar with. It rang twice before a tired voice answered. "What happened?" I snapped immediately. I let out a growl when there was silence on the other end. "God damn it Phil answer me."
"He's been compromised…"
