Chapter Fourteen

Ty knew the names of the valet and the concierge, so it didn't take anything for them to make it inside the swank Regatta Building in downtown Philadelphia. They rode the elevator all the way to the 18th floor, to the penthouse suites. Instead of knocking on 1802, though, Ty pulled out a small lock picking set and bent toward the doorknob.

"You could just knock," Zane said as Ty fiddled with the lock.

"Shh." There was a click and Ty opened the door. "Let's hope he hasn't changed his code," he said as he slipped in and disappeared inside.

Zane sighed and turned to glance at Julian and Cameron. Both men had been quiet since leaving Gettysburg. They all had. Ty especially had been concerned about the watch he'd left behind, but Zane couldn't decide if he felt guilty for having been the reason they'd been found, or if there was something more troubling him. Knowing Ty, he felt guilty about something.

It was clear now that someone very powerful did not want Julian Cross to get to Washington. Zane had to wonder why Burns hadn't told them what they faced, but that was just how Burns worked.

There was a small sound within the condo; a sweeping sound and a barely audible click. Zane had enough time to turn his head and peer through the doorway before he saw a shadowed figure moving inside. He moved to stand with his back against the hallway wall, next to the open door, chin turned to the side to watch for movement. It wasn't that he was scared of who was inside—quite the opposite. He just knew the Gradys well. He didn't want to get shot, smacked, or stabbed, accidentally or otherwise.

There was silence for a few moments, and then a sudden shout and the sound of a scuffle ensued.

"Ow!" Ty cried out finally. "Deacon, it's me!"

When Zane peered around the doorframe, he could barely make out the scene in the dim light from the moon through the windows. Ty lay on the floor with his hands held out in front of his face, his younger brother standing over him wielding a wooden baseball bat, raised and ready to swing it down again. A sharp bark of laughter escaped before Zane could stifle it, and he leaned against the doorframe, chuckling.

"Ty?" Deuce Grady said as he lowered his bat and looked down at his brother, who was still cowering on the floor. He looked over at the doorway and then back down at Ty. "What the hell, man? You have a key!"

"Oh, Jesus." Zane beckoned for Julian and Cameron to come closer. "I didn't know he had a key," he said, giving up on hiding the somewhat strained laughter bubbling in his voice.

"Man's an idiot," Julian muttered.

"Sometimes I'm inclined to agree," Zane said under his breath.

Inside, Deuce was helping Ty to his feet. "I don't have it with me and I was trying not to wake you," Ty hissed, keeping his voice down. "We didn't want to draw attention in case anyone was watching. Garrett, quit laughing and get them in here."

Zane stepped into the penthouse and looked around. It opened into a grand foyer with high ceilings and large windows that displayed a huge terrace with views of the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Delaware River. There was marble flooring and directly to the right of the entrance was a designer kitchen all in sleek, cool colors. There was a den and a solarium, where it looked like Deuce had set up his office. It was a million dollar home, Zane had no doubt.

"Jesus, Deuce. This is ... nice," Zane said as he looked around the penthouse.

"Thanks," Deuce said, sounding confused by their sudden arrival but too polite to ask them what the hell they were doing there in the middle of the night. "It serves as my office too, so I can justify a little luxury."

"Nobody cares, Slugger," Ty muttered.

Deuce looked down at the baseball bat still in his hand and shrugged, unapologetic.

Beside Zane, Julian cleared his throat and reached his hand out to Cameron, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close.

"What is this, your version of a camping trip?" Deuce asked Ty as he set the bat aside and moved to help with the bags they'd carried in.

"We've run into some... trouble," Ty said with a wince.

"Run away from some trouble," Zane corrected as he shut the door behind him.

"I see," Deuce said. He flipped on the kitchen light and turned to look them over. "I don't see blood."

Zane smiled and stepped up to hug Ty's brother. "It's good to see you again, Deuce."

"I wish I could say the same," Deuce said, though his voice was still warm and amused as he returned the hug. He glanced at his brother, who was unconsciously rubbing at his forearm where he'd apparently blocked one of Deuce's swings with the bat.

"Uh," Ty said as soon as Deuce looked at him. He cleared his throat and dropped his hands. "This is Julian Cross and Cameron Jacobs. They're in protective custody," he told Deuce as he waved his hand at the two men.

"Oh, now it's protective custody?" Julian muttered. "No more get on your knees, let me bungee you to the roof of the car?"

Ty glared at Julian and Cameron. "Gentlemen, this is my brother, Deacon."

"Call me Deuce. Protective custody," Deuce repeated. He glanced at the two men, then at Ty and Zane again speculatively. "And your gimp brother got the drop on you with a baseball bat? Really, Ty?"

Julian made a sound in the back of his throat that may have been a stifled laugh.

Cameron looked among them and rolled his eyes. "Could you direct me to the bathroom, please?" he asked Deuce.

Deuce turned and pointed toward the dark hallway. "First door on the left."

Ty was grumbling and rubbing his forearm as he moved to the nearest chair and threw himself into it. "Where's uh... what was her name? Yoga girl?"

"Livi," Deuce said with a smile. "She went home last night, had to feed her dog."

Ty nodded. "Best to keep her away while we're here."

"Sure, let me just call her up and tell her I'm harboring my brother, his partner, and their two federal fugitive buddies for a few days, take herself a spa weekend. That won't get me accused of anything nefarious."

Ty waved a hand through the air, obviously not caring.

Deuce glanced at him before turning his attention back to Zane and Julian. "Dare I ask what you've done to deserve protective custody?" he asked Julian.

"I deal antiques," Julian answered in a soft voice.

Deuce nodded, looking Julian up and down. He turned his head to look at Ty speculatively. "That's a euphemism for ‘I kill things' isn't it?"

Ty closed his eyes and nodded.

"It's classified," Zane murmured as he pulled off his suit jacket and tossed it over one of the bags. Julian was silent and still behind him.

"All righty then," Deuce said cheerfully. "Do you need food, showers, or beds?"

"Beds," Ty answered, voice thin and exhausted. He had been taking the bulk of the driving, simply because he was the best suited to being able to keep himself awake and he'd known where he was going as they'd set out for Philadelphia. But he had reached the end of his stamina on the outskirts of the city.

After they'd fled Gettysburg, they'd basically had three options; head for DC as fast as they could and risk hitting a CIA roadblock, go home to Baltimore and hope the CIA wasn't sitting on their homes, or abscond to Philadelphia in the hopes that their pursuers wouldn't expect it. In the end they'd decided that trying to get to DC would be suicide; every road in and out could be watched and they couldn't risk driving into the hornet's nest. Baltimore had been viable, but they'd feared it would be watched too, since the CIA had known to find Ty's tracking device, they obviously knew who Ty and Zane were now and where their home was. They would spend a few nights in Philadelphia, as long as they dared, and then try to sneak their way back to DC somehow. They just needed a night's sleep before they could figure out how to do it.

Ty was rubbing his eyes. "Those two can take the guest bed. Zane and I will fight over the couch."

Deuce just nodded. "Come help me unearth the air mattress, we'll toss it in the floor here," he said as he jerked his head at Ty and turned to head down the hall.

Ty pushed himself out of his chair and followed.

Julian waited until both men were out of sight before taking a step further into the room to look at Zane. "Which one of them is adopted?"

Zane snorted. He knew on the surface, the two Grady brothers seemed very different. While Deuce did look a lot like Ty — he was an inch or so taller, much less broad, his hair was lighter, and his eyes were greener — their personalities could not have been more different. Ty was often abrasive and blunt, wielding sarcasm like a weapon, while Deuce was more diplomatic and kind, finding the gentlest ways of saying even the harshest of things. They had completely different tastes in everything from clothing to decorating to the cars they liked to drive. Their similar looks and quick wit were really the only things they seemed to share. Zane knew better, though. Deep down in their psyches, both brothers were really just waiting to get old enough to sit on a porch and bang things with a shovel.

"You ought to meet the rest of the family." He arched his back, listening to the audible pops of his spine as he stretched within the confines of his gun holster. "But they're good people," he added, looking at Julian. "Deuce is one of the best."

Julian merely looked back at him. Finally, he nodded almost imperceptibly. "I decided I liked him the moment he hit Grady with a baseball bat."

"Deuce doesn't take shit from anybody, Ty included. Or maybe Ty especially." He shrugged and leaned over to pick up one of the bags, and his mind moved on to more serious concerns as he looked back at Julian. "We'll stay here for a day, get some rest and food. Let me know if you and Cameron need anything."

Julian nodded again, swallowing hard as his eye strayed to the hallway where Cameron had disappeared. It was easy to see that Julian was worried now. Before, he'd either thought he could keep the situation under control or he'd been masking his apprehension well.

"Anywhere we touch down now will be a hot zone," he said, his voice still soft and barely audible. "Agent Grady's brother will be in danger as well if we stay too long."

"Ty is well aware," Zane said, though he shared Julian's concern, at least for Deuce.

The low light mostly masked Julian's reaction, but he seemed tense and reserved, as if he wanted to say something he was keeping himself from saying.

Ty's voice filtered down the hallway. "How are you going to hit me with a bat I freaking gave you for your birthday? That shit's commemorative."

Deuce's response was muffled by his laughter.

"Do you believe in God, Agent Garrett?" Julian asked suddenly, his eyes on the hallway.

The question caught Zane off guard, but he wasn't sure that was Julian's goal. Religion didn't have much place in Zane's life anymore, like a lot of other things. But did he believe?

"Yeah," he said quietly. Zane figured he'd have long ago been in the ground if it wasn't for some higher power watching out for him.

Julian was nodding. "You should. It's a bloody miracle your partner has lived this long," he murmured. He began moving toward the kitchen. "Man's an idiot," he muttered under his breath as he passed Zane.

Zane didn't laugh this time. In years past he had sat uncounted times in the dark of night smoking, shooting up, drinking, wondering if the coming morning would be the one when he didn't wake up. Sometimes he'd even prayed for it.

But not since Ty. Yeah, he believed in miracles.

"It's not like I knew it was you," he heard Deuce insisting as he came back down the hall.

"That's what Grandpa said when he broke my nose."

"Again, you deserved it." Deuce emerged from the hallway carrying a plastic storage box that probably contained the air mattress he'd mentioned. Ty dropped an armload of bedding on the floor. Deuce set the box on the couch and looked at Zane, then glanced around to see where Julian had gone. He gestured between Ty and Zane, and his voice was pitched low when he asked, "Y'all need separate places to sleep?"

Zane blinked away his preoccupation. He could muse over divine intervention another time. "No, they know everything. And one of us needs to keep watch anyway."

Deuce inclined his head, looking at Zane carefully before nodding. He turned to look at Ty, but Zane couldn't see Deuce's expression when he looked back at his brother.

Ty was ignoring Deuce's pointed queries, or at least pretending to, taking the lid off the storage box and poking around inside.

"This thing got a pump?" he asked as he pulled the heavy air mattress out.

"No, Ty, you have to blow it up," Deuce answered in a flat voice. "We'll take turns, should have it done by August."

"I love you too," Ty muttered as Deuce moved past him to head back down the hall, presumably for the pump.

Zane watched as Ty messed with the mattress. "This is where you came, isn't it?"

Ty looked up as he laid the mattress out and knelt to spread it flat. He nodded before Zane could say more. "He always knows how to talk me off the ledge."

"I'm glad." Zane turned in a half circle and then sat on the couch nearby. A part of Zane, a very small, dark part, had been worried that Ty had fled to Boston and Nick O'Flaherty when he ran from Baltimore.

Ty merely nodded as he stretched to flip over the last corner of the air mattress. He stood carefully, obviously sore and stiff, and he rolled his shoulders and neck as he straightened. He turned and jumped when he found Julian standing in the doorway to the kitchen, watching them.

"Jesus Christ!" Ty hissed at him. "Stop doing that!"

Julian's lips twitched in what might have been a smirk. Zane couldn't help but feel slightly vindicated. Ty did that to him all the time.

"Tell your brother not to touch the handle of the front door," Julian said as he stepped over the flattened mattress and moved to sit in a leather club chair close by.

"Great," Ty muttered.

"How's Cameron holding up?" Zane asked.

Julian shrugged, looking down the dark hallway. "About as expected. I think he's still in the washroom."

"How do you rig a doorknob with kitchen utensils?" Ty asked, still exasperated but also sounding a little too keen to learn a new trick.

"A large percentage of accidental deaths occur in the kitchen. It's a dangerous place," Julian drawled, almost seeming to enjoy himself.

Zane turned his attention to Julian. "Will you still be with us in the morning?"

Julian's eyes cut over to Zane, but nothing else moved. "If I still intended to run I would have done so already. The time for escaping cleanly has long passed. As far as I'm concerned, the more weapons and people who know how to use them, the better."

"Including baseball bats."

"I'm sure we've all been in situations where we longed for something as appropriate as a baseball bat."

Zane nodded as Deuce came back down the hall. He stopped and tilted his head at Julian. "I believe your friend needs you," he murmured, his voice gentle and soft. He sounded almost like the psychiatrist he really was.

Julian stood immediately and moved toward the hallway. "Good night, gentlemen," he said as he left the room.

Zane watched him go, feeling confident that he could trust the man to keep his word. He seemed to have reached a decision to stick with them after the Pittsburgh airport, after Ty sacrificed himself to let them escape. Besides, Zane knew Cameron needed downtime, and Julian would probably move heaven and earth to give it to him. Zane turned his gaze to Ty and figured he understood. His partner was exhausted. They all needed time to rest.

Deuce had moved to help Ty plug in the electric pump. His limp was less pronounced than it had been the last time Zane had seen him, but he still let Ty do all the kneeling as they hooked the pump up and turned it on. Deuce was still wearing the boxers in which he'd been sleeping, and for the first time Zane could see the railroad track scars on his leg and knee.

He stood with his hands on his hips as Ty knelt beside him, both of them watching the air mattress inflate with their heads tilted to the side, like a pair of puppies trying to figure out a strange noise. Zane had to smile. He could really see the resemblance. How their mother had raised them both without having a nervous breakdown was anyone's guess.

"Hey, Ty, can we talk for a minute?" Deuce asked after a moment.

Ty glanced up at him and then over at Zane with a nod. "You got this?" he asked.

Zane nodded and gestured for them to go on. He watched them curiously as Ty followed Deuce down the hall to his bedroom, then turned his attention back to the air mattress and flipped the pump back on. The noise would make it impossible to overhear what they were saying, and Zane knew better than to allow himself the temptation of eavesdropping anymore.

"What's up?" Ty asked as he watched Deuce close the door to his bedroom. Deuce wasn't exactly a private person, and he knew Zane better than he did most people, so Ty couldn't fathom what he had to say that couldn't have been said in the living room.

Deuce turned to look at him, crossing his arms over his chest and covering his mouth with his hand. Ty recognized the signs all too well.

"Something's wrong."

Deuce shook his head. "No, I just... I need your advice."

"Okay." Ty said the word carefully as he studied his brother. He glanced around Deuce's bedroom. It was immaculate, as usual, all flat and modern and ... weird. He pointed at a tray on top of the dresser. "Seriously, is that a blunt?"

"Well, I wasn't anticipating the FBI breaking down my door tonight."

Ty closed his eyes and shook his head. "That's fair. What's the problem?"

Deuce took a deep breath. "It's about Livi."

"Yoga girl."

"She really has a real name."

"Okay," Ty said with a smirk.

Deuce rolled his eyes and paced toward the window.

"What did you think of her when you met her?"

"She's cute," Ty answered, confused by the question but willing to go along with Deuce's unique way of getting around to a point. He'd spent a day with Deuce after leaving Baltimore, and he'd met his girlfriend when she'd dropped by. "She was genuine and smart and probably very bendy. Good job."

"Ty."

"What? I'm not really sure what you're getting at. I met her for like five minutes."

Deuce stared at him, looking almost ill, and Ty stood waiting for him to continue. They stood in silence for a few moments, Deuce fidgeting and Ty forcing himself to be patient.

"Deacon," he finally said.

"She's pregnant," Deuce blurted in a rush of relief. Ty couldn't mask the surprise, and Deuce read him well. "Before you say anything; yes, I love her. Yes, I'm excited as hell. And yes, she's very bendy." For the first time Deuce cracked a smile. He seemed to be trying to contain his excitement, but Ty recognized it anyway.

Ty nearly laughed in relief. He waved a hand through the air and stepped closer to hug his brother. "Congratulations, Deacon," he said as Deuce clapped him on the back.

"Thank you," Deuce said as he pushed away and took Ty by his shoulders to meet his eyes. "The problem."

"Why does there have to be a problem?"

"Because there's always a problem."

"Okay, what's the problem?" Ty asked with a growing sense of dread.

"Livi wants to be married before our families find out."

"What?"

"She doesn't want to tell her parents she's pregnant before we're married."

"Well that's kind of a time-sensitive condition."

"That's the problem."

"That leaves you what, like a month? Maybe less?"

Deuce nodded.

Ty blinked at his brother as the problem hit him. He gasped and pointed at Deuce's face. "You want to elope!"

"Yes," Deuce said in relief.

"Deacon!"

"I know!"

"You can't do that to Ma, she'll kill you. She'll kill me! Not to mention seriously bad relations with your future in-laws."

"Now you see my problem," Deuce said as he waved a hand through the air and sat on the end of his bed.

"I'm assuming this wasn't planned. How does that happen, anyway?"

"I think you've been doing dudes for too long if I need to answer that."

"Touché," Ty murmured with a frown. He grimaced and shook his head, bypassing half a dozen smartass remarks as he sat down beside Deuce. He really give the question some thought, as much thought as he was capable of when being hunted down like a dog by the CIA.

"I mean... Deacon if this is what you really want to do, then I'll cover your play. I'll do whatever you need to take the heat off after. Unless you do it without me there, and in that case I'll disown you."

Deuce smiled and nodded, and he put his arm around Ty's shoulders. "I knew I could count on you," he said quietly.

"But . . . if you're asking for my advice?"

Deuce nodded.

"Wait. Tell everyone, let them be excited about a baby, let them know you're committed to her whether you're married or not, and go from there. Don't go... sneaking around and trying to hide things from your families. You'll... you'll regret it."

Deuce looked at him in silence, his eyes sympathetic and warm. If anyone understood how well Ty knew what he was talking about, it was his brother.

"Thanks, Ty."

Ty nodded, and they sat in silence for a long time, long enough that the pump to the air mattress stopped its loud whine and the light coming under the bedroom door turned off.

Deuce took a deep breath. "I'm going to be a daddy."

Ty smiled as he watched his brother's profile in the dim light. He could hear the mixture of excitement and fear in Deuce's voice. Then the smile faded as cold realization began to seep through him. "You're going to be a daddy," he echoed, almost to himself. He stood suddenly, looking around the room and patting his jeans as if he'd lost something.

"What's wrong?"

"We have to go," Ty said as he looked at Deuce with wide eyes.

"What? Why?"

"If someone tracks us here, I mean they shouldn't, but if they do—"

"Ty, it's okay. I knew someone was after you when you broke into my house. I know it's a risk for you to be here."

"No, but it's not just about you now, and this isn't just someone after us." Ty was already heading for the bedroom door.

Deuce hopped up to follow him, barely able to keep up on his bad leg. "Ty!"

"This isn't up for discussion, Deuce, it really isn't," Ty said. He banged on the bedroom door as he passed by, and Zane had turned the lights on again by the time they got to the living room.

"What's wrong?" Zane asked as soon as he saw Ty's face.

"We can't stay here, we need to move."

Zane looked between the two of them, seeking some clue in Deuce's face before he met Ty's eyes again.

"He's being ridiculous," Deuce told him.

"What's this all about?" Julian asked from behind them.

Ty turned to look at him. He was still wearing his jeans and T-shirt, but it was obvious that he'd been asleep.

"We can't stay. We need to move."

"No. No! One of you, talk some sense into him," Deuce said to them.

"What's wrong?" Zane asked again, more insistent. Ty met his eyes and tilted his head toward Deuce. It wasn't his secret to tell, and he hoped Zane would just trust him.

Deuce sighed in exasperation. "My girlfriend is pregnant. We found out yesterday."

Julian snorted. "That is the most remarkable non-sequitur I think I've ever heard. You're right, he is Grady's brother."

Cameron jabbed Julian in the ribs, causing him to double over and groan pitifully.

Ty glared at him for a minute, but he could see that Zane knew exactly why Ty wanted to leave. "It's not just you we're jeopardizing by being here now," Zane said, looking from Deuce to Ty. "You're going to have a family. He's right, we have to leave,"

"Come on," Deuce said as he stepped closer to Zane. "I know damn well that if Ty thought there was any danger to me with you coming here, he wouldn't have come to start with."

Zane looked between them again. Ty held his breath as they waited for Zane to respond. He silently pleaded with his partner to back him up.

"I'm sorry, Deuce. He's right," Zane finally said with a shake of his head. Ty sighed in relief.

"Just stay for the night, okay? You're all exhausted; you're barely functioning. And hell, if someone's going to be coming to kill me, I'd really appreciate it if you'd stick around with your guns and pointy things ‘til morning, you know?" Deuce said in exasperation.

Ty cleared his throat and met Zane's eyes.

"That's a fair point," Julian murmured.

Ty nodded. "You're right," he said to Deuce.

"I know," Deuce said with a bright smile. He reached out and hugged his brother, holding onto him tightly. "Go to bed, okay? Be here in the morning?"

"I promise," Ty muttered.

Zane had to look away as Deuce hugged Ty tighter. He could sympathize with the feeling, knowing Ty was in danger and wanting desperately to hold onto him and keep him safe.

When he finally let Ty go, he turned and hugged Zane as well. Zane smiled as he looked over Deuce's shoulder at Ty.

"We're keeping you up, Deuce," Zane murmured as he pondered the two brothers and patted Deuce's back. "Why don't you go back to bed? I'm sure Ty knows where things are if we need anything else."

Deuce let him go and looked him over, then looked at Ty, who was nodding in agreement.

"Just stick to your regular schedule in the morning, but don't touch the front door," Ty muttered.

"Why?"

Ty gestured helplessly to Julian.

"Just trust him; don't touch it," Julian said with a curt nod. They all stared at him. "Trade secret."

Ty rolled his eyes. He reached to the small of his back and took out the backup gun he'd taken off one of the bodies, checking it before handing it to Deuce. "Put that under your pillow."

Deuce looked down at it with a heavy sigh but didn't take it. "Yeah, okay. But you can keep that. My regular schedule doesn't involve shooting myself in the ass in the morning."

Cameron laughed and then clapped a hand over his mouth. Ty snorted and shook his head. Deuce looked up to meet Zane's eyes again, a worried frown creasing his brow.

Zane offered him a weak smile.

Deuce nodded and looked back at Ty as he turned toward the hallway. "Goodnight," he said as he left them.

Ty turned his head to watch his brother limp toward his bedroom.

Julian and Cameron stood there awkwardly for a moment. "Well. Goodnight, then."

Cameron gave them both a weak smile as he turned and followed Julian back into the guest bedroom.

Ty poked at the mattress with his foot.

Zane glanced toward the dark hallway, then leaned forward to reach out and touch Ty's lightly bruised jaw. "He got you," he murmured, his fingers feather light as they ghosted over the slight stubble. "You okay otherwise?" He'd not even gotten a chance to ask since the fight at the hotel some hours ago.

"Honestly?" Ty asked with another weak attempt at a smile. "I'm terrified, Zane. Everyone in the world I care about is mixed up in this now. I sent CIA cleaner teams to one of my friends and then led them right to my brother."

Gut clenching painfully, Zane slid his hand along Ty's neck. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard Ty so freely admit to fear. "We'll deal with it."

"And I'm suddenly going to be an uncle."

"That's good, Ty. It's good news."

Ty nodded and looked back down at the mattress, poking at the corner of the sheets with his toes, unwilling to look at him.

"Ty."

Ty met Zane's eyes and swallowed hard. He reached out without a word and slid his arms around Zane's neck. Zane pulled him close, surprised. He held him and Ty hugged him tight, still not speaking. Then he kissed Zane's neck and stepped back.

"Let's fix these sheets and go to bed, okay?"

"What's wrong with the sheets?" Zane asked.

Ty barked a laugh and shook his head.

They remade the bed quickly, Ty's corners still somehow perfect even on an air mattress on the floor. He stood to grab the heavy quilt and laid it out over the bed, then tossed the two pillows back onto the head of it.

He toed off his shoes and unbuckled his belt, sliding his jeans off and folding them neatly to set them on the couch. "You want couch side or floor side?" he asked Zane before pulling his shirt over his head.

"Floor side." If he wasn't going to be sitting up, he wanted to at least be able to move immediately. All he really wanted was to hold Ty to him.

Ty moved closer to him, sliding his hand against Zane's face before he bent and crawled onto the bed. Zane's eyes followed Ty's every movement; he didn't notice any hitches or winces that would indicate hidden injuries. It was rare enough for Ty to admit to being scared, Zane didn't know if he'd be hiding injuries now. He simply looked exhausted, just like the rest of them.

He stretched out under the covers and rolled onto one side, curling up again and facing the couch next to the mattress.

Zane had already stripped down to his boxers before the commotion. He turned off the light and stood in place to let his eyes adjust, watching the lump in the dark that was Ty as he waited.

Even in the darkness, Zane could tell Ty was still tense as he lay there. He had every right to be, he'd just learned that his brother was going to be a father, the same brother he could possibly have put in danger simply by coming here.

Zane finally moved and knelt next to the mattress before climbing onto it carefully, trying not to rock Ty too much.

Ty immediately reached back for him, resting his hand on whatever was closest as Zane moved behind him. The gesture settled Zane and he scooted close enough to spoon up against him, sliding one arm under Ty's neck and draping the other over his waist. Ty scooted back into him, fitting against him perfectly. Calm began to seep through Zane's mind and body.

"I love you," he whispered, intending to say it as much as possible, at every opportunity, for the rest of his life.

Ty patted his hip a few times in response, then he was still and quiet. He wasn't rocking or jiggling a leg or tossing and turning like he often did when he was lying in bed before sleep overtook him. He was just still and calm as his breathing evened out. It was a little disconcerting.

Zane kissed his shoulder again before letting his head settle on the pillow. He sank into the darkness as he listened to Ty's breathing and the quiet sounds of the condo at night. He hoped the next day could be even half this peaceful.

The distant ringing of a phone rousted Ty, but he was still lying in the warm cocoon of blankets and Zane's arms, staring at the ceiling, when Deuce skidded into the living room.

"Get up," Deuce said in a panicked voice.

Ty shot up, rolling over Zane and clambering to his feet gracelessly, spurred on by the tone of Deuce's words. Zane flailed and wound up rolling off the bed with him. Ty left him on the floor as he stood. "What's wrong?"

"Livi's on her way, you have to fix that doorknob."

"How close is she?"

"In the lobby, Ty!"

Ty sprinted for the kitchen, almost dreading what sort of contraption he would see attached to the doorknob. "Why didn't you tell her not to come up?"

"It was the doorman, she didn't call ahead."

"Well, call her and tell her to wait in the hall!" Ty said as he knelt in front of the doorknob. "What the shit is this?" It was so innocuous that he almost reached up to touch it. A row of connected straws wrapped around the base of the knob and led to the nearby coffee maker like a string. The knob itself was covered in tin foil, and Ty could see foil sticking out from inside several of the straws. "I ..."

"Ty, come on, take it off."

"I'm not even sure where to begin."

"Ty!"

"Did you call her?"

"Her phone's not picking up, she must be in the elevator."

"What's going on?" Zane asked from the doorway to the kitchen. His hair was mussed and he still looked half asleep. A moment later Julian joined them.

"Cross! How do we dismantle this thing?"

"Carefully," Julian answered, voice calm and quiet. "The current's in the foil."

"What if we cut it?" Ty asked.

Julian hummed, not sounding optimistic.

"Ground yourself," Zane said as he brought his boots over and clunked them down beside Ty's knee.

In the moment of calm while Ty was sliding his feet into the boots, they heard the elevator ding in the hallway outside.

"Oh God," Deuce said as he held the phone to his ear. "Come on, baby, answer the phone."

"Give me some oven mitts."

"You're going to shock the shit out of yourself," Julian murmured. "I want to take this moment to thank you profusely for letting me watch."

"Shut up!" Ty and Zane both shouted at him.

Zane handed Ty the kitchen shears and Ty tapped the end of one of the straws with the blade. Sparks flew and he could feel the current running through the straws.

"Holy shit!" Zane cried, as if he hadn't really thought it would work.

"You're not helping!" Ty told him, his voice wavering.

"That was incredible!"

"Zane!"

"I'm sorry, that was just really... I'm sorry."

"Can we bask in its glory after we dismantle it?" Deuce growled as he dialed Livi's number again. "It's going straight to voicemail."

"I ..." Ty winced as he pulled the oven mitts on.

"Ty! You're about to electrocute my girlfriend!"

They heard keys jingle outside the door.

"Livi, don't touch the door!" Deuce called.

"Deacon?" a dainty voice said on the other side of the door.

"Answer your goddamn phone! Ty, cut it."

The hair on Ty's arms rose as he held the scissors up to the straws. "Oh, God, this is gonna hurt."

"What is going on in there?" Livi asked, and the keys jangled again.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ty saw Cameron dart through the kitchen to the coffee maker on the counter. He reached behind it and yanked the plug out of the wall. The buzzing sensation on Ty's arms ceased and then he heard Livi's key slide into the lock on the other side.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, well that would have been easier. Well done, Cam," Julian said in a pleased voice.

The door opened before Ty could scramble away, smacking him square in the cheek and sending him sprawling backward.

He lay on the tile floor, holding his face as Livi walked into the condo. "Oh my goodness, Ty! I'm so sorry!" the woman said as she put both hands to her mouth and bent over him. Livi was a beautiful girl, possibly less so just then since Ty could see two of her. She had intelligent robin's egg blue eyes and hair so blonde it seemed white when the sun hit it. She was lithe and athletic, everything Ty would think a yoga instructor would probably be. She also led with her shoulder when she opened a door.

Zane took his arm and hefted him to his feet. He shook his head to clear the gauze. "So nice to see you again," he muttered to her. She still had her fingers over her lips, staring at him with big blue eyes.

She turned and looked at Deuce, giving him a helpless gesture. "What the hell is going on?"

"Livi, you remember my brother Ty. This is his partner, Zane Garrett."

"Hi," Zane offered in a low voice that sent a shiver up Ty's spine.

"And these are their ... friends. Julian and Cameron," Deuce said as he waved at the other two men.

"Nice to meet you," Cameron mumbled.

She greeted them each, overwhelmed by the surprise, then looked at the doorknob and the string of straws, shaking her head. "What is all this?"

"It was a security measure. We're running from the CIA," Ty told her, not even attempting to spare her. "They're trying to kill us."

"Well, kill him, specifically," Zane added as he pointed at Julian.

"I sell antiques," Julian said, monotone.

She narrowed her eyes, looking amongst them and then at Deuce. "Is this some sort of boys' weekend that I'm not supposed to intrude on? Because I can totally leave before they hurt themselves trying to lie convincingly."

Deuce gave her a warm smile and shook his head. "I think the only one lying is him," he said, pointing at Julian.

"So, I'm... I'm sorry, tell me again?" Livi stuttered as they all sat in the living room of Deuce's condo.

"We're serious," Ty told her. "The CIA is trying to kill us."

"Him," Zane muttered.

"Would you stop that? Come on!"

"It's more accurate to say they're trying to kill him."

"Zane!"

Julian rolled his eyes. "I believe what Agent Garrett is trying to point out is that you are likely in no danger because of our presence here."

Livi nodded, looking at him dubiously.

"They're lying," Cameron said, his voice remarkably offhand. "You are in danger because we're here, they're trying to protect you so you won't worry. They do that."

"Cam!" Julian said, stunned into gaping at his lover.

Ty smacked his forehead and covered his face with his hand.

"Wow, you guys are ... I could make a mint off your therapy," Deuce muttered.

"I'm sorry, I really am, I'm just tired of this macho bullshit!" Cameron said as he waved a hand at them. He turned to Julian. "Can you honestly look at me and tell me you're not scared?"

Julian tried to respond, but his mouth was still hanging open.

Cameron looked at Ty and Zane where they sat together on a square ottoman. "And you two, you're just ridiculous! You're so busy bitching at each other and trying to look like you don't care that you don't realize you're throwing your lives away waiting for it to be the right time to admit you're in love."

"Cameron!" Julian finally managed to say, waving at Deacon and Livi as if Cameron might not remember they were there.

Cameron cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

Livi glanced over at Ty and Zane, then looked at Deuce. "So when you said partner, you meant like working partner? Because that didn't really come across so much as they were a couple."

Zane pinched the bridge of his nose, but he appeared to be smiling.

"Really?" Ty asked, sounding concerned.

"You scream ‘we're screwing'."

"Huh."

"Well, now that we've got that cleared up," Deuce said as he stood. "What are you going to do?"

Ty and Zane looked at each other, and then both men glanced at Julian. Zane was shaking his head, but Ty's eyes moved from Julian to Cameron.

"What do we do, Cam?" Ty asked in a soft voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, you're right. People like us, sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. We were all trying to figure out how to dismantle that freaking doorknob when none of us thought to just pull the plug."

Cameron nodded.

"We haven't asked you, not once, what you thought we should do," Ty continued.

Julian tore his eyes away from the FBI agents and looked at his lover. Ty was right. They'd been pulling Cameron along without so much as a thought to what he might want or think.

Cameron met his eyes, uncertain.

"Go ahead, Cam."

"Well ... we can't fly or ride a train. You've been saying that driving into DC is suicide. So why not get there another way?"

"Another way," Julian repeated.

"Oh God," Ty muttered.

"Water," Zane said, sounding surprised and irritated that none of them had thought of it before.

Julian slid his arm around Cameron's waist, squeezing him.

"Getting our hands on a boat won't be easy," Ty said, sounding grim. "We'd have to take a smuggler's line down the coast."

"Avoid the Coast Guard, and slip into port without a course plotted or papers," Zane added. "That's if we can find a boat."

Livi perked up and smiled at them. "Daddy has a boat."

Deuce cleared his throat. "I think they're thinking more inconspicuous than your dad's yacht, honey."

"Oh wait, I think they took it to St. Vincent."

"Yacht?" Ty said with a smirk at his brother.

"She's smart, beautiful, and loaded. What's not to love?" Deuce drawled, matching the smirk with one of his own.

"I'm a trust fund baby, both of you shut up," Livi said.

Zane was smiling at her and Ty was shaking his head, eyes focused on the pure white carpet. "I know someone who has a boat."

Zane looked at his partner, one eyebrow raised. Ty glanced sideways at him and winced.

"Who?" Zane asked.

"You're not going to like it."