Jonathan jumped through the window and landed on the hardwood floor. It had knocked the wind out of him… He lay there for a few minutes and tried to catch his breath. It was all Jennifer needed. It took the attention away from her.

"What the devil happened? What was that?"

As Bradley looked up to see what was going on Jennifer kneed him in the groin hitting the family jewels.

He grabbed his groin and dropped to his knees dropping the gun. "You bitch!"

Jennifer had managed to break herself free the chair. As she reached for the gun Bradley grabbed her ankles knocking her to the floor. She tried to break free but the more she struggled the tighter his grip was. She did manage to grab the gun and rolled over and pointed it at him.

"Let go of me or I swear to god I will shoot you."

"You wouldn’t dare. It is not in you. You do not have the guts to pull a trigger. You protect animals and animal rights. You do not have the nerve."

Jennifer aimed the gun just to the right of his left shoulder and pulled the trigger just barely missed his left shoulder. Bradley let go of her ankle in the shock of the gunfire. Jennifer was on her feet by this time and had the gun pointed at him.

"I can not believe that you almost shot me. The hi and mighty Jennifer Edwards. I mean Hart. The one who preserves animals and the rights of the underprivileged, almost shot me".

"I think I have every right to shot you. See you are the reason I am here, you are the reason I lost my baby girl, and you are the reason I could not trust anyone until Jonathan. Even that took a while. I kept thinking it was a dream and that reality would sink in soon. You are the reason I second guessed every relationship and thought I deserved to be alone because it sure as hell was better then being in an abusive relationship. It is because of you that it took me a long time to trust a man…. I always thought there was a catch."

"You mean I had that much power over you. See I knew you thought about me."

"Don’t flatter yourself."

Bradley started to move back and was bringing his knees up to stand.

"Don’t move!" Jennifer aimed the gun at his leg. "I said don’t move!" Jennifer fired another warning shot, this time between the legs. Now you are going to stay put until I decide to let you go. Lets see how you feel being held prisoner at gun point." Jennifer pulled up the chair and sat in it with the gun aimed at Bradley.

"Bradley you seem to have forgotten how good I actually am. See I was able to break the code on your computer. I have the proof that you have been stealing money from the company and placing it in off shore accounts. I also have the proof that you have been using fake names, buying up Hart stock and blackmailing the other stockholders. Then there is the fact that you helped fake your father’s death. I think that is going to put you away for a while. "

Stephen and Harry had come in through the broken window and were shocked to see how composed and calm Jennifer was. They were also shocked to see that she was holding a gun.

"So you broke the code. How did you figure it out? "

"You should have been more selective with the date. See you had this fascination for me so I figured it was either one of two dates. Our first date was the code. Very stupid Bradley."

"No my dear you are the one who is stupid. See Marcus will be here very soon. He will take the information that you have just admitted to taking and then you will be coming to the island with us. I already have a room reserved in our names. See you will be travelling as my wife."

"Over my dead body."

Bradley turns around to see Jonathan standing there. He is shocked. "Well it will have to be because when my associate returns he will take care of all of you; and then you my darling will be on your way to the islands."

Just then Bradley hears the front door open. He is praying it is Marcus. He thinks to himself "Marcus when we get to the Island you are going to pay for this mistake."

As Marcus walked into the room he laughed out loud at the site of Bradley on the floor and Jennifer holding his own gun on him. "Wow I guess you really can take care of yourself. You have really taken care of him eh?"

"I see nothing funny about this. Take care of this mess that you have got us into."

"Me! How is this my fault?"

"How is this your fault? Lets see you did not make sure they were taken care of, you did not tie her tight enough and you are just standing there while she hold a gun on me."

"Wait a minute where is your gun and why are you not aiming it at her? What the hell is going on here?"

"Yes what is going on here?" Stephen asks.

"Oh Mr. Edwards it is nice to see you again. I see the years have been good to you."

"I’m sorry do I know you?" Stephen asks.

"Well I am sorry to admit but we have never met each other. I was friends with Bradley in High School."

"So you got into as much trouble with the law as he did eh? I guess you have been involved with this whole take over and the things that have been going on?"

"Well I have been involved but not in the way that you think."

"You have been just as involved as I have and you are going down with me. "

"No I do not think so Bradley."

"You don’t think so! You don’t think so! What the hell does I DON’T THINK SO MEAN EXACTLY?"

"You see Bradley you are going down and we have enough evidence to put you away for a long time. "

"We? Who is we?"

Just then James Peterson walked through the door.

"Oh for heaven sake Agent Peterson. What could you possible have on me now that you did not have a few months back?"

Oh Bradley you would be very surprised to find out what I have. Let me tell you something. You are going away for a long long time.

"You have no evidence and you can not prove anything. "

Marcus held up the documents and the pictures of the meeting and the taped phone calls. "Would this be what you are talking about?"

"Son of a bitch. You are selling me out. You took a deal."

"Actually Bradley I knew many years back that you were bad news and that I would get into trouble if I hung around you. That is why I left. That day in the restaurant was a set up. I was setting you up to get the info. I have been an FBI agent for some time and I have been waiting for this day to come for a long time."

"I don’t believe you. You were never that smart. "

"Actually he is pretty smart. Well he is much smarter than you." Jennifer pipes in.

"Oh shut up. I do not remember asking for you opinion."

"Well seeing as I am still holding your gun on you, I really do not think you have an option now do you."

"So Marcus if you are an agent where is your back up? I do not hear anyone out there which leads me to believe that you are lying to get out of this and you are going to make a deal with agent Peterson. Which is a NO! NO! "

"Enough Bradley get up off the floor and I will show you the back up that I have out there. Or are you to scared. Scared that your fate has come to an end. "

Marcus walked over and pulled Bradley to his feet then walked him towards the door. It was at that moment that Bradley realized that Marcus was indeed telling the truth and that the FBI was outside to take him and his father in. As they reached the front door Bradley turned around and grabbed the gun from Marcus’s holster. He turned and pointed the gun at Jonathan and yelled, "This is your fault. You spoil her and take care of her. She wants for nothing. He cocked the gun and aimed it at Jonathan. At that moment another gun went off and Bradley dropped the gun and fell to the floor."

The FBI agents who were outside and ready to shoot Bradley if need be came storming in the house. All were shocked to find Jennifer calm, cool and collective as she lowered the hand that was holding the gun she had just fired. Bradley lay in a pool of his own blood. Jennifer had shot him in the stomach. He was pale and really not saying much. "He will never hurt my family or me again she said to herself quietly."

Jonathan and Stephen came rushing over to her and Marcus came over and removed the gun from her hand.

"You have just saved your husbands life. There is not a doubt in my mind that he would have killed him if you hadn’t fired the gun. "

"Is he dead Jennifer asked?"

"No he will live to see his trial. I think he will be in pain for a while. I am not really sure if it is a good thing or not. He may be better off dead."

"No I think it is better this way. This way he will suffer the same way I did. The only difference is he has not really lost anything has he?"

"We will need you to testify at his trail. You may not have to see him. We can just take your deposition."

"No I will be there. I want to see the look on his face as I testify."

"Darling are you alright?" Jonathan said as he took her in his arms.

She laid her head on that familiar spot of his neck she knows so well. "I am better now that you are here."

Both Jonathan and Stephen were shocked at how calm she remained. Stephen walked up behind her and placed his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. She turned around and hugged him.

"I am so proud of you sweetie," he says.

"Thanks dad."

Marcus walked up to them. "I am sorry to interrupt, but you are free to go home now. We may call later for some more questions but as it stands; the report will state that you shot Bradley as he was about to shot your husband and we will leave it at that. I know for a fact that he was going to kill him and would have if you had not fired when you did."

"Thank- you they all say to him."

"Jonathan turned to Jennifer and said how does a hot shower and a massage sound."

"That sounds like a great idea."

"Great! I’m exhausted. I could use a good massage." Jonathan said.

Jennifer elbowed him. " That is not funny."

Jonathan smiled and put his arm around her. As they walked to the door he said, "lets get you home to a hot shower."

The FBI gave the Harts a Mercedes to drive home. Jonathan and Jennifer got in the front seat and Stephen in the back behind the passenger seat. He was still in awe and very proud of his daughter. Jonathan started the car and headed down the road.

"Harry is going to stay behind and help the FBI finish up the investigation. He will get a ride home with one of the agents." He said as they pull on to the main road.

"That is good." Jennifer said as she put her head back on the headrest of the passenger seat and closed her eyes.

Stephen put his sunglasses on and rested his head back. He is grateful his daughter is alive and back with them safe and sound. Although he is not sure how this will affect her once it has all sunk in. Jonathan looked in the rear view mirror thinking Stephen is asleep. He picked up her hand, placed it in his and brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly. Stephen noticed the perfect fit. Something he had never noticed before. He also noticed how calm and relaxed Jonathan’s breathing was and how every breath they took; they took together. Like one. He knew that they were in love but he never realized until this moment that they were soul mates.

The ride home seemed to take forever. Jennifer opened her eyes and realized they are pulling up the driveway to the house that they have shared since she moved to California. She stepped out of the car and smiled at her husband. As they opened the door they saw Max and a familiar patter of little feet were running around her ankles. She gives Max a hug and a kiss.

"Welcome home Mrs. H!" He took her in his arms and kissed her gently on the cheek and gave her a big hug. "He was a mess while you were gone." he whispers in her ear.

"I know Max… I was a mess with out him as well."

"It is so good to be home. At one point I never thought I would see this place again." She said to them. She picked up freeway and gave him a kiss and a hug. "It is good to see you too baby. Did you miss me? I sure missed you."

"Well is anybody hungry? I can whip something up for you to eat."

"No thanks Max. I am too exhausted to eat. I think I am going up to take a hot shower."

"Sure thing Mrs. H. "

"She going to be ok Mr. H? She doesn’t look so good. She is so thin and pale."

"I know Max. She will be ok. She just needs a hot shower and a good nights sleep. If she is not better I will take her to the doctors in a few days. I am going up to see if she is ok. "

"Jonathan!" Stephen called out as he was heading up the stairs.

Jonathan turned and walked towards his father in law. "Yes Stephen is there something you need before I head up."

Stephen reached his hand out and Jonathan took it. "Thank you for loving my daughter."

Jonathan smiled, shook his hand then gave Stephen a hug. "Your welcome Stephen loving her is so easy. I am grateful to have her in my life."

Stephen smiles at Jonathan and knows that he is telling the truth. Loving her is so easy.

"Stephen feel free to help yourself to anything and if you need help with anything Max will be happy to get it for you."

Before Jonathan headed upstairs to join his wife he headed towards the bar and poured two Brandy’s. "This should help her feel better he says to himself."

Jennifer walked through the bedroom to the shower. She removed her top and jeans and threw them in the garbage. She wanted no memory of the last few weeks.

She stepped into the shower. The hot water felt good running over her aching body. Jonathan walked into the bedroom and heard the water running. He put the Brandy’s down on the nightstand and headed towards the bathroom. He watched the silhouette of his wife as she washed her body. Thoughts came pouring into his mind how he had almost lost her. He walked back into the bedroom and got himself ready for bed. He pulled pajama bottoms out of his drawer and placed the top on Jennifer’s side of the bed. He climbed into bed and started to read a magazine.

Jennifer stepped out of the shower, dried off and wrapped herself in the towel. She walked back into the bedroom. She saw Jonathan in bed and noticed the pajama top lying on the bed. She pulled back the bed sheets, dropped the towel and climbed into bed with her husband.

Jonathan placed the magazine on the nightstand and watched his wife. Jennifer rolled towards him and placed her head on his chest. The familiar sound of his heart beating soothed her and relaxed in a way that she had almost forgotten about.

"Darling, I know that you have been through a lot these past few weeks and I know that the decision that I made did not make it easier on you. I heard what you said to Bradley about how it took so long for you to trust people. That you always thought there was a catch. I now know why you were so reluctant about getting married. I am grateful that you gave me a chance and that you trust me. I’m…"

Jennifer placed her fingers on his lips. "Jonathan you have nothing to be sorry about. You made the right choice. It just took this long for it to sink into this thick skull of mine. As for Bradley that was a long time ago and you had nothing to do with that. It was just young stupid love. Falling in love with you and trusting you was so easy."

"You are an amazing women and you continue to amaze me. Just when I think it is not possible to love you anymore than I already do, you do or say something and I find myself falling in love with you more then the day before. You know how much I love you don’t you?"

"Yes I do. Almost as much as I love you."

Jonathan looked at his wife and knew that he had to ask the question. "Darling, you told Bradley that the code to the computer was one of two dates. The one date was your first date. What was the second?"

Jennifer remained silent for a while. She was hoping that he had not heard that comment.

Jonathan looked at her and finally said what he had feared. "It was the first time you made love wasn’t it?"

Jennifer looked at her husband and nodded yes. Jonathan knew that she had other relationships before they meet but, somehow the thought of him knowing that Bradley was her first bothered her and she wasn’t sure why.

Jonathan reached over and picked up the Brandy glasses. He handed a glass to Jennifer. She looked at him and placed the glasses back on the nightstand. " I do not want anything to cloud this moment," she says to him. She placed her head back on his chest and allowed his heart beat to sooth her before telling him what she had wanted to say to him for so many years.

"Jonathan I love you so much and that is all that is important now. When the phone rings and it is you my hands get all sweaty and my heart skips a beat. When you get home and you take me in your arms I get knots in my stomach and a lump in my throat. I know when you have entered a room from your scent and my spine tingles at the thought of you taking me in your arms, and when we make love my body serge’s with electricity like never before. Some times at night I lay awake and I watch you sleep and I pinch myself to make sure it is not a dream. With out you, my life would be incomplete. I love you that much.

Jonathan knew that his wife loved him but he had never heard her describe it that way to him before and it touched him so much to know how much she loved him.

As they lay in each other’s arms Jennifer continued "You made the right decision. That I now know. When Bradley pulled that gun on you I knew that I had to stop him no matter what. He already took so much away from me and I was not about to let him take the most important person in my life away from me. In that split second I saw my life without you and I knew why you made the choice that you did. It was the right decision Jonathan!"

He rolled towards her rolling her on her back and wiped a tear from her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her gently but soon the passion grew and he knew where their kisses would lead. He whispered in her ear " should we be doing this?" Jennifer whispered back "mmmhhhhhh."

Their lovemaking had not been like this in a long time and lasted until they fell asleep in each other’s arms in wee hours of the morning.

Stephen awakened suddenly and realized that he had not had anything to eat and he is hungry and thirsty. He put his robe on and headed to the kitchen. He noticed freeway outside the door of Jonathan and Jennifer’s room.

"Did they lock you out Freeway."

Freeway looked at him whimpers and scratches the door. Stephen walked up to the door and placed his ear to the door. Upon hearing the silence he opened the door quietly to let freeway in the room. Freeway ran up to the bed and nestled himself comfortably at the foot of the bed. Stephen noticed his daughter sleeping in her husband’s arms. Again he noticed the rhythm of their breathing. He is amazed at the love they have for each other and he realized that his daughter had found the kind of love he had once shared with her mother. He knows that kind of love only comes around once in a lifetime and that they were both lucky enough to have found it. He is sure his wife is looking down on them with a smile and he knows she had something to do with her daughter’s safety while she was with Bradley. He also knew that she would have fallen in love with Jonathan the moment she laid her eyes on him and he wished that he had not been so hard on them when they announced their marriage. Stephen knew that he could go home and not worry about his little girl for she was well taken care off. He closed the door and headed to the kitchen.

Jennifer lay there asleep. She was afraid to open her eyes for the fear that it might be a dream but in her heart she knew that it was real, for they would forever be hart to hart and soul to soul.

EPILOGUE

It had been a year to the day since Jennifer lost little Caitlin. She thought about what their lives would have been like every morning as she visited the memorial grounds that Jonathon had built on the grounds in her honour. It is a beautiful area under the oak tree in the back. There is a stone in which her name is inscribed and the inscription you are always in our hearts. On either side of the stone are figurines. The first was a white porcelain horse, which Stephen had given to Jennifer the day she was born. The second a white dove Jonathan had picked it out and thought it was very appropriate. Facing the stone was a park bench in which they would sit and talk to each other and their daughter. This was the only place they would talk about her. It is a beautiful area and she felt both at peace and loved when she was there it was as if little Caitlin was there with her. This particular morning was more difficult than most as it was the anniversary of her death. Jennifer noticed the roses the Max had placed in the vase needed to be changed. She heard Jonathan coming up behind her. He reached down and removed the old roses and placed in their place two dozen white roses. He then sat beside her on the park bench and took her hand in his.

"Are you ok?" he asked her.

"Yes I am. How about you?"

"I’m ok."

"You know I sometimes wonder how our lives would be if she had not died. It would have been a different lifestyle but I think we would have adapted well." Jennifer had said to Jonathan.

"Yes you are right. It would have been a way of life that we are not accustomed."

"Well at least Bradley and his father are in jail for life on many charges and they can not hurt us anymore."

"Yes darling you are absolutely right. He will never hurt you again. That I will see to."

Just then Jonathan removed a small package from his pocket and handed it to Jennifer.

"What is this for?"

"It is just a little something for you to wear and keep close to you were ever our travels may take us and know that someone is always watching over you."

Jennifer opened the little box and inside it was a bracelet with a small guardian angel. Jonathan removed it and placed it on Jennifer’s arm.

"It is beautiful Jonathan. I love you."

"I love you."

They sat there holding each other in silence and watched the sun rise. They knew that they were lucky enough to found and lost the love that a child could bring. Somehow that love brought them closer together. Closer than they had been and closer than they ever thought possible.