"Well have you told Tuck yet?" Lauren smiled at FDR.
"No. I haven't. I'm thinking tonight we'll get him, Katie and Joey to go out to dinner and we'll tell them then." FDR smiled back at Lauren. Keeping secrets from his partner was never easy but this one was huge. FDR was currently coming back from a training seminar that he had to facilitate.
"Well maybe we should tell them...then go eat! I can meet you at their house if you can get a ride there? It would be more efficient and I'd have time to visit Katie before Tuck got home. That way as soon as you get there you can tell Tuck and we can go out to eat!" After the fiasco with Heinrich, Katie and Tuck got back together and had recently bought a new house. Katie and Lauren had helped each other with wedding planning and moving/house decorating for their husbands sakes only to become good friends.
"Sounds good. Just… make sure that I get to tell Tuck before they find out."
"I would never take that away from you" Lauren assured him.
~~~~~~~
"Agent Hansen!"
Tuck winced at his boss's voice over the phone. He could see his home from where he was now and knew it couldn't be good news. "Ma'am?"
"We just received intel that Karl Heinrich's father has a hit out on you and Agent Foster. We have just now located Agent Foster and he is at the safe house. I am about to be there myself but Heinrich's men are in the area. You need to go directly to the location I am sending to your phone for your personal safety. We will have men there to escort you back to the safe house."
~~~~~~~
"Aunt Lauren!!!" Squealed Joey as Lauren stole an Oreo from in front of him with a smile.
"I love these things! They are like my favorite of all sweets I like right now! Lauren said before dipping it in the glass of milk.
Katie smiled to herself. "Joey, why don't you take those to your room? I need to talk to Lauren about some girl stuff!" With a disgusted look only a young boy can achieve, Joey jumped out of the chair sliding the package of perfection with him. Running to his room with milk sloshing in the glass, he quickly slammed his bedroom door which read 'no girls alllowed'.
"So?"
"So what?" asked Lauren
"So are we waiting to eat after FDR tells Tuck you are pregnant or is he going to tell him at dinner?"
"I'm not pregnant… I don't know what you're talking-" Lauren stopped as Katie looked at her unbelievingly. "Ok, yes I am but you can't say anything!" pleaded Lauren.
"I wouldn't say anything but seriously when are we going to dinner? After all I'm craving cheesecake…" Lauren led off with a huge smile.
"Oh cheesecake is- oh my gosh. Oh my gosh! Are you?!?
"Yes!"
Both women hugged each other tightly and pulled back smiling a million questions about to pour out of their mouths when they heard the tires screech outside and the door slam open.
"Katie! Joey!" Tuck called out anxiously.
"Tuck! We're in the kitchen! What's going on?" Katie called to him.
"No time to explain Love. I'll fill you in when it's over. Lauren! I didn't know you would be here. You'll just have to go with them." Tuck looked surprised at Lauren being there and worried as he answered Katie. He pulled open the door to the extra wide broom closet and opened what had appeared to be the back of the cabinet. "Get in here and stay until Franklin or I come get you! Code to open the door is Nana's birthdate!"
"Tuck, Joey's in his room!" Katie said as he guided her towards the new doorway before Tuck ran towards the 'no girls allowed' sign where Joey opened the door.
"Dad, what's going on?" Joey asked as Tuck grabbed him not unlike a football and ran back to the kitchen.
"Listen to your mother and do not touch anything in there! Do not come out unless it is Uncle Frank or I!" And as the two women and boy entered the cabinet it was like walking into a dream CS Lewis of the CIA would have.
"I like dad better as a CIA agent than a travel agent!!"
It did look like a young boys spy dream. Screens showed live feed of the rooms in the house with weapons along one wall. They watched in person and on screen as Tuck slammed shut and locked the door. On screen they watched as Tuck pulled out his pistol then bullets shattered the windows in their new home. Katie turned Joey away from the screen and into her arms.
~~~~~~~
"Ma'am, what do you mean you lost contact with my partner after you told him to come here?" FDR was furious. First, he was anxious to get home to Lauren. He was nervous anymore about not being around in case of an emergency. On top of that he worried Tuck would notice this and guess that they were expecting their first child. Secondly, not hearing from his partner never sounded good. Tuck was more than capable of handling himself but he was bad to head into something unprepared or to think of others and forget to worry about himself. "And where are my wife and Agent Hansen's family?"
"Agent Foster, we have his gps saying he was almost home when we contacted him. He continued home instead of returning here and we haven't been able to contact him since. As for your families, gps location on the vehicles and phones show they are at the Hansen home." explained his boss as text alerts blared from his phone.
'I'm not always unprepared. I have a broom in the broom closet. Nana's birthday has the best surprises.'
'FDR, I don't know what's going on. Tuck just showed up and said not to come out until you or him get us. I can tell something bad is about to happen or at least Tuck thinks so. Please be careful and in case anything happens I Love You!'
"Good thing my partner is better at his job than most people in this agency! He just told me where our families are and it probably means there is trouble! I demand you give me a swat team to help me retrieve them the-"
"Granted."
~~~~~~~
Bullets riddled the kitchen as Tuck reloaded his pistol. Upon getting back with Katie and being a family man again, Tuck had taken to being more careful and prepared. He was afraid his partner had noticed but he was waiting for the right time to tell him about the baby.
A bullet slammed into the wall to the left of his cheek. Sheetrock dust powdered his face while blood dribbled down his right side where one bullet had torn through under his ribs. He'd live from that but it didn't do much for his speed. Two men were down but there were at least three more and Tuck felt like there was a fourth somewhere. Inside he was relieved to have bought the house and had it equipped for such an incident. FDR use to always say he wasn't ever prepared and he was correct but lately he felt that if he was going to have a family then he needed to work on that. While he made his way to the laundry room to where another hidden stash of bullets were he heard shots sounding unlike previous shots. His phone screen was busted from a bad landing getting across the kitchen but the text from FDR made sense now even if he couldn't read the whole thing. Help was here. Tuck pulled the dryer from the wall almost into the doorway and crouched behind it. An intruder rolled into the kitchen only to come up aiming his gun Tucks previous position in the kitchen. Peeking around the dryer, Tuck squeezed the trigger and the man went down but now the other two or three could know where he was. More shots and then FDR's voice rang out.
"Freeze!" Then one shot and then many more. "Check the area!" FDR called out. FDR came to he doorway of the laundry room.
"By the looks of your car outside I wasn't sure that you wouldn't look more like a collander!" FDR said as he got closer pushing the dryer out of his way.
"I kinda feel like one as it is. You look like you almost were in the same shape as me." Tuck said and FDR noticed the blood down Tucks side and pants leg. FDR moved the dryer away and bent to help give Tuck support getting up and the last hit man stepped into the doorway.
~~~~~~~
Both women couldn't tear their eyes away from the screens. Tuck had left an iPad in the room for Joey with his favorite games downloaded- not that it interested him at the moment. Katie had to tell Joey he didn't have to play the games but to keep his back to the screens. At best the kid didn't need to watch their home being shot to pieces. The two women had watched Tuck take a shot to the abdomen and keep going and FDR as a bullet grazed his upper arm when he came through the front doors in a bulletproof vest. But nothing readied them for the gunman to walk in behind both men.
~~~~~~~
Two shots went off before either men could get a shot off and the man in the doorway was dead.
"Franklin…Joey and Katie…they're in the broom closet… so is Lauren. You need to get them out." Tuck said.
"We will. Let's get out of here first." FDR said as he made sure the gunman was dead.
"Franklin. Frank." And then a very wet British cough. FDR's head whipped back looking at his partner doubled over with specks of blood on his lips.
"Tuck? Hey Tuck! Medic in here now!" Kneeling next to him FDR put his hands on Tucks shoulders only for Tuck to gasp. Pulling his hands back FDR's right palm was sticky with blood. Readjusting his hands he sat Tuck up leaning against the dryer. "Tuck are you with me? You don't say something I'm gonna use a dirty towel to stop this bleeding!" FDR worriedly joked trying to get a response. FDR leans over to a stack of clean towels grabbing two, wadding them up and pressing them into the two gunshot wounds. "Hey. You know pain is just weakness leaving the body right?! Isn't that what that kid's dad said at Joey's practice a while back?" FDR asked silently begging for his partner to answer him.
"Joey. Don't let Joey in here." Tuck finally mumbled.
"Hey man I won't." FDR assured him as the medics rushed near
"Katie... Frank tell Katie-"
"Don't talk I'll go get her if you hold on till we get back?" Tuck opened his eyes wide and looked up to FDR before nodding. FDR sprinted to the broom closet, opened it and located the code entry system only to be tackled by a small version of Tuck. "Joey! Hey man stay here with Lauren. Let me and your mom go check on your dad ok?" Katie hadn't waited to go to Tuck. She knew FDR would sort her worried son out.
As Joey began to struggle FDR whispered to him "I will let you in on a top secret even the CIA doesn't know yet and you can be the first to tell your dad when this is over just be calm and stay with Lauren for now ok?"
Joey's eyes grew wide and he nodded his head just like his father moments ago.
"Ok, be a good boy. Lauren can you keep an eye on him please we-"
"TUCK!!!" Katie screamed.
FDR turned to see the medics laying Tuck down and raising his legs. Before he knew what was happening he was beside Katie with his arms around her.
"What's going on?"
"Shock sir. Loss of blood and probably one hell of an adrenaline high on top of that."
"Agent Hansen stay with us."
~~~~~~~
Antiseptic, lights, a bed… must be in a hospital thought Tuck as he slowly became aware. Eyes pulling open, the British agent looked through blurry eyes to see a rumpled suit on a body folded into the hospital chair. Besides his snoozing friend on the table was cards, balloons and what appeared to be a gift basket of his favorites… Nana. Nana always sent gift baskets saying it was better to wake up to comforting items than a balloon. A tickle in his throat… knowing what that would lead to and how well that would feel with his recent injuries Tuck reached for the water mug beside the bed. Feeling the tickle grow Tuck tried to clear his throat as he leaned forward. The rumpled suit sprang forward like a spring clock staring straight at his partner causing Tuck to jump. The sudden movement jarring injuries and his tickling throat resulted in a coughing spree and pain to burst from his chest and abdomen.
"Tuck! Easy, breathe easy! Here's water." FDR frantically said as calmly as he could and handed his coughing friend the water mug, turning the straw towards him. Tuck took a couple sips and pulled his head away. "Better?" A short nod from one resulted in the other visibility relaxing. "Nurses will probably be here any second from your readings but man you scared us." One of Tuck's eyebrows raised at this to be interrupted by a nurse entering.
"Agent Hansen! We are so glad to see you awake!" greeted the nurse.
The nurse asked a few questions and checked Tuck's vitals.
"Well I'll tell your doctor you're awake and he'll be in shortly."
After the nurse left FDR looked closely at Tuck. This man had unknowingly saved his unborn child. It was killing him to not be able to tell his best friend but he couldn't break his promise to Joey.
"Joey and the girls? Tuck rasped out.
"Their good. You kept them safe till I got there with the swat team. They were never in danger. You not so much. Did you know you had such an adrenaline high it alone could have put you in shock? Not that your being shot helped any."
"Is Joey ok? I mean he didn't see anything did he?" Tuck asked as his eyebrows crinkled with worry.
"Joey is fine. He'll probably be bugging you to let him in the broom closet now though. I mean that is impressive! Did you know he is a pain to hold onto since you've been helping with his martial arts? He has something to tell you when he comes if you are up to a visit."
A smile crinkled Tuck's eyes. "He is a natural. Did you eat the Slim Jims out of my gift basket from Nana again?"
"Tuck I'm telling you she sends those to me for when I'm waiting on you to wake up." FDR argued with a grin that slowly faded as Tucks eyes went from crinkled from smiling to closed. "Well back to what I was saying. First shot didn't do too much damage it did graze your liver but it's fine. That second shot though punctured your lung. You flatlined in the ambulance on the way here. Katie doesn't know that though."
"You rode with me?" Tuck asked.
"Yeah, I did. If anything happened..." FDR as he looked away.
Silence settled between the two friends. After a few moments FDR looked back to see Tuck's eyes drift closed. He so badly wanted to thank his best friend and tell him about the pregnancy but a deal was a deal and if Joey was anything like Tuck there would be hell to pay if he didn't hold up his end of their deal.