As Jake pulled off the road to head towards the gates of Netherfield he spotted two cars following him. Realising they were two journalists cars he hit the remote to open the gates willing them to open quickly. As he drove through he stopped to let them close and ensure the cars did not follow him inside. The two cars stopped a few yards away from the gates and men jumped out of each running towards the closing gates camera's flashing as they tried to get photo's.

He watched the click of the gate to signify it was shut and drove forward. Laura looked around as they drove off.

'Who was there?'

'No one.' He replied staring straight ahead.

'It was them wasn't it?' Her voiced shaky and worried as she spoke.

He sighed. 'Yes, but we're safe now a security team is on its way they will scare them off. They wont get near you again sweetheart I promise you that.' He flashed a smile at her hoping it would reassure her. Right now she had the look of a hunted animal. The sooner he could get her in the house the better he would feel. He pulled up outside and Anna came running down the steps to meet them. Her face white as she looked at Laura and then at him. He jumped out of the car and ran to the passenger side opening Laura's door to assist her out. She moved slowly as she climbed out holding onto his hand. He stood back as she looked at Anna and saw the outstretched arms of his Mother. She stepped forward hugging Laura tightly and he felt his throat constrict with the emotion of the moment. Ushering them both into the house he was left alone as Anna walked Laura upstairs telling her quietly she needed to rest. He wanted to follow but realised that he needed to touch base with Lauren and so quickly walked to his study. He hit the speed dial on the desk phone standing with his back to it as he looked out over the gardens.

A hundred thoughts were running through his head right now but all he could think of was she was home and whilst nothing was as it should be he was damn sure there was no way he was letting her out of his sight ever again.

He turned back as Lauren answered her phone. 'Lauren give me an update.'

'Right spoken to Bill. He has a team enroute in the chopper also he has a contact in Kent so they are sending people. They will be there within the next thirty minutes. They will do the perimeter checks.'

'The press are outside the gates.'

'Wow okay I'll relay that to Bill. Laura okay?'

'She will be she's with Mum right now.'

'Your Mum?' Lauren couldn't hide the surprise and shock in her voice as she spoke and Jake gave a wry smile.

'I know right. Maybe something good will come out of this.'

'Hmmmm well miracles happen I guess. Okay let me finish so the sweep team can come later tonight. You want them to start tonight?'

'Yeah I do, I want it all sorted asap.'

'Okay Boss I'm on it. Is there anything else you need?'

'Not sure right now lets keep in touch its been a crap morning so far. What a start to your weekend sorry Lauren to dump all this on you.'

'Don't worry Jake, Laura's okay thats the main thing. Is Charlie with you yet?'

'Should be here soon. Pete went to fetch him and their boys I said they should all stay tonight in case the press find their address. If they can find Laura in that cottage….'

'I know but listen nothing bad happened and she's safe now.'

'Yep she is I need to rethink the security for us now. As much as I hate the thought of it. I'm not taking any chances with my family.'

'I agree Bill said something similar along with words like stubborn and arse.'

'Yeah I get the picture.' He grimaced as he thought back to the rows with Bill the last few months. Knowing he should have listened. 'We need to find out who leaked this to the press.'

'Bill's already on it.'

Jake sat down at his desk leaning closer to the phone. His voice quiet but there was no mistaking the threat laced through his words. 'I want this person in front of me by Monday Lauren.'

'We're doing our best Jake. You just need to take care of Laura and Charlie leave the worrying to me and Bill for now.'

'Okay and Lauren?'

'Boss?'

'Thanks I mean it I don't know what I'd do without you.'

'Yeah yeah save it for the Christmas bonus Jake.' He laughed as he heard her chuckle on the other end.

He hung up just as the door opened of his study opened and Pete poked his head around. 'You ready for hurricane Charlie?'

Jake jumped to his feet breaking into a smile. 'Am I ever where is he?'

As he walked across the room he didn't have to look far with Charlie bouncing into the room throwing himself into Jakes arms. Jake dropped onto his knees pulling him into a tight hug. 'Jake I'm here.'

'You are indeed.' He leaned back looking at him with those identical brown eyes gazing back at him. He felt his heart stir as Charlie cocked his head to the side before he spoke. 'Pete drove here really fast and I wasn't scared at all.'

'You are the best scamp.' Jake stood up slowly picking Charlie up effortlessly and heading towards the door. Pete was hovering outside talking Anna their voices hushed as he approached them. He stopped beside them patting Pete on the back. 'Cheers Pete I appreciate you bringing him home.' Pete nodded. 'Lot of people outside the gates you know that?'

Jake nodded. 'Saw them as we drove in. Security should arrive any minute. Where is Jules?'

'About ten minutes away. I've put the boys through there for now.' Pete pointed to the drawing room.

'We'll sort out sleeping arrangements later right now we are going to see Laura eh Charlie?'

'Yay.' Charlie was giggling as Jake took the staircase two at a time quickly reaching the door to the main suite. He opened the door quietly and looked in Laura was awake and turned her head as they entered.

'Charlie oh there's my boy.' Jake dropped him on the edge of the bed and Charlie crawled towards Laura as she enveloped him in a hug. She looked over his head at Jake giving him a weak smile her face still pale but, looking calmer than earlier. She stretched out a hand towards him and as he leaned forward to take hold of it she pulled him towards her.

He sat on the bed holding her gaze and Charlie looked from one to the other. He pulled back from Laura and linked one arm around each of their necks. 'Hug.' Jake laughed quietly and rolled across the bed towards Laura his arms gathering her and Charlie towards him.

Charlie was clearly delighted to have the three of them back together demanding the hug last as long as possible until Jake fell back onto the bed complaining of achy arms. Charlie settled in between the two of them. When Anna came up an hour later the three of them were fast asleep. Laura held tight in Jakes arms with her head resting on his chest and Charlie curled up between the two of them. She stepped back quickly not wanting to disturb and headed back downstairs smiling to herself at the sweet scene.

Laura opened her eyes taking in the space around her. The unfamiliar room startling her until she remembered where she was. She was lying across Jake and he had his arms wrapped around her she gazed down the bed and saw Charlie cuddled in between the two of them. She moved slightly to stretch and heard Jake take a breath.

'Hey.' His voice a husky whisper as he spoke into her hair. His hands moving slowly across her body in a gentle caress.

'Hey yourself.' She moved away from him and sat up pulling a pillow to support her back. 'How long have we been asleep?'

He looked at his watch. 'A few hours I guess.' He ran his hands through his hair patting it down and leaned back on the pillows letting his head fall back. 'What a day.'

Laura turned her head watching him as he gazed up towards the ceiling. His hands thrown behind his head she knew he was thinking about everything that had happened; She gave a brief thought to the day and gave a slight shudder. He swung his head round. 'You cold?' Shaking her head she spoke quietly assuredly. 'No just thinking about this morning.'

He sat up quickly leaning towards her. 'It wont ever happen again from now on we'll have security this is my fault it happened.' She looked down the bed at Charlie and back to him. 'I don't want anything to upset his life Jake.'

He nodded. 'It won't, it'll be as low-key as possible. But, today it could have been anyone knocking at that door. I'm not putting my family at risk again.'

Leaning back on the pillows Laura closed her eyes and gave a wry smile my family. They were a family she knew that today they needed to be together. Seeing how content Charlie was and how terrified she had been she wanted to stay close to Jake. Her body jerked as the baby kicked and she wheezed in surprise. His eyes flew to her face in concern. She reached for his hand laying it flat on her belly. 'Wait.' She said to him holding his hand in place. A few minutes passed and the baby kicked again. His eyes flicked up and he gave a gasp of joy as he looked at her. 'Wow she is gonna be a bruiser thats some kick.'

'I know right.' Laura laughed as she settled back and looked around the room. 'It looks lovely by the way.' He followed her gaze and nodded. 'I haven't slept in here.'

'What?' She gave a quizzical look.

'I couldn't sleep in here I slept in the study.' He gave a sad smile. 'How could I? You weren't here.'

'Well, you had better sleep in here tonight with me Jake Harrison. I've not gone through all this today to sleep in this huge bed on my own.'

His eyes misted over as he listened to what she said realisation of the meaning struck him. He moved closer to her locking eyes. 'Do you mean that?'

Laura watched him as he processed what she said to him. 'Yeah I do. I'm not sure about how we fix all this Jake but I think today I realised we're a family and we need to fight for this.' His arms wrapped around her as he spoke into her hair. 'I will fix this Laura I love you, I love our family and I love our life.'

She gulped back a sob as she heard the words he spoke and tears rolled down her cheeks. Moving in front of her his hands cupped her face and he brushed his lips softly over hers his fingers gently wiping the tears away.

'I need to go downstairs and see whats going on.' He released her reluctantly and laid her back on the pillows. 'You are to stay here. I'll get Jules to bring some tea up to you.'

'Jules is here?' She gave a puzzled look towards the door. 'Yep Pete brought the boys back with Charlie they are going to stay here for the weekend or until we know who told the press where you were.'

Laura nodded remembering them all talking this morning she hadn't really taken anything in at that point just wanting to get out of there. Jake reached down and lifted Charlie up gently positioning him in the space he had vacated in the bed. Reaching for her hand he turned it over and kissed her wrist his eyes darkening as he watched her. Desire flooded her body and she couldn't hide it or stop the groan that escaped her. Charlie stirred and reached his arms up to Jake demanding a hug and he let go of Laura's hand to reach down to the sleepy boy. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to gather herself it didn't seem to matter how angry she was her body betrayed her every time.

Jake moved quickly towards the door looking over his shoulder at her before he disappeared. Charlie had moved closer towards her and she snuggled next to him as he fell asleep again. Her eyelids feeling heavy as she relaxed back in the bed.

Jules arrived a few minutes later followed closely by a worried looking Anna. They had two trays filled with sandwiches and a pot of tea. Jules poured a cup as Anna busied herself around Laura puffing up pillows and helping her sit up. Laura realised she was starving having eaten very little that morning. She tucked into the food Jules handed her not speaking until she was finished.

'What's going on downstairs then?' She looked from one to the other as they darted quick looks at each other.

Anna spoke first. 'The press are camped outside the gates but we have a lot of security people here now. Jake has organised for the house to be checked for bugs incase anyone found out what was going via that route. With the amount of workman in and out I guess someone could have managed to pay someone a lot of money to get in here. The good news if there is any is that it wont happen again. Its like Fort Knox now.'

Laura sat quietly watching Anna as she spoke thinking back to the last time she had seen her when Anna had bared her soul and asked for understanding, forgiveness. She looked down at Charlie who was still fast asleep.

'So for now we stay here then?' She looked at Anna who nodded back. 'We are safer here than anywhere else. Jake doesn't want the boys going outside as one of the papers sent a helicopter over the grounds earlier.'

'Wow really? This is just crazy I mean we are basically prisoners.'

'Worse places to be holed up.' Jules spoke as she sat on the edge of the bed.

'I'm sorry you've been dragged into this Jules. I didn't think.' Laura's eyes welled up as she looked across at her friend. Jules replied softly. 'Don't be silly this is like a big adventure. I told you it would never be dull with Jake around didn't I? The boys are delighted they have movie channels galore in the cinema room they will be in there hours. It's all good.' Jules looked tired the situation was affecting everyone.

Anna walked towards the bed and sat on the other side her hand reaching out towards Charlie as he woke. He lay there rubbing his eyes as he looked at the three women finally stopping at Anna. 'Granny good.' His arms stretched out and Anna leaned forward pulling him onto her lap her face breaking into a smile as he reached up to kiss her before settling and snuggling into her.

'He adores you Anna. I'm glad.' Laura watched as Anna registered the comments. 'I feel blessed he is perfect. I don't think I ever want him to grow up I love this age when they still want to sit on your lap and cuddle. It goes too fast.'

Jules had stood up and was gathering the cups and plates placing them back on the tray. 'When he wakes up properly send him down to me and I will get him something to eat.' Laura nodded as Jules made her way out of the room. Looking back towards Anna who sat quietly her arms wrapped around Charlie.

'I love the smell of his hair. You never forget these things I still remember Jake and Will's.' She smiled at Laura as she spoke.

'I know, there are mornings when he comes into my bed for a cuddle and I love listening to him falling back to sleep as his breathing settles, that whole snuggling with each other. Its what its all about isn't it?' Anna nodded continuing to observe Laura as she lay back in the bed. 'I feel like I should be up doing something now.'

'Hmmm I'm not sure thats a good idea my instructions from Jake are that you are to stay in bed he doesn't want you upset any further. Take it easy maybe a shower or bath and then watch some TV. Apparently there is a TV in this room.'

Laura laughed. 'Despite my protesting there is. He said we needed it so we could all cuddle up and watch Disney movies together. I know it was really so he could watch Match of the Day on a Saturday night. There is a switch somewhere and the screen drops down.' She moved across the bed reaching behind the headboard and pressing something. The screen appearing and dropping silently into place. The remote was found and she switched the TV on flicking through the channels until she found a movie. Anna stood and moved onto the bed resting against Jakes side as she kicked off her shoes. Charlie still cuddled into her as they settled down to watch.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jake was stood in his study trying to absorb the information Bill was relaying down the phone. 'It cant be true you must be mistaken. There is just no way?'

'I'm afraid not Jake my sources are 100% on this and they've never let me down before. Remember when we had that leak in the Paris office and…'

'Bill I get it they are trustworthy I just don't know how this happened or why?' Jake sat down at his desk dropping his head into hands the shock of the information blindsiding him. Running his fingers through his hair he looked up as there was a light knock and the door opened.

'Bill let me call you back.' He hit the end call button and beckoned Jules in. She was carrying a tray and brought it over to the desk.

'Jake you need to eat something I've made you a sandwich and a coffee.' She smiled too brightly at him as she placed the cup in front of him.

'Jules sit down please.' Jake's eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. He knew as she sat down that Bill was telling him the truth. Her eyes couldn't hide it.

'You've been a busy girl Jules care to tell me what the fuck you've done?'

Well I bet you didn't think it would be her eh? Thanx as always for the kind comments.

Hope you've enjoyed this story so far. We are almost there….