There was a shocked silence for a moment while Kermit's companions registered the sight of a gun pointed at them. He wasn't shocked, of course. This had been the perfect time to make an ambush. The group of them alone, away from bystanders and ships personnel. Classic tactics.

'Lieutenant' Sung, the guard who had ushered them to the launch deck, took a step closer to his prisoners. "You," Sung pointed to Dr. Ogawa with the barrel of his gun then swept it past Karen to point to Jason Simms, "and you, will come with us." As he spoke, three other men in black tunics and pants stepped out of the woodwork to surround the indicated men as well as Karen & Kermit.

Ogawa shook his head and moaned softly. He stood rooted to the spot, too scared to move. Jason Simms, on the other hand, angrily questioned, "What do you want with me?"

"You are a western diplomat. A valuable hostage." The other guard, whose name tag said 'Wong', spoke from behind, his gun aimed at Jason Simms' back..

Turning halfway to face the man who had a gun aimed at him, Jason spat a reply. "I don't think so. I'm not going anywhere. Who are you?."

'Lieutenant' Sung spoke instead, clearly the leader of the group. "We are Sing Wah." He bowed slightly as all present glanced at the man with the small scar on his cheek. "You will come with us. Conscious or unconscious. It is of no concern to me."

Kermit, largely forgotten in the midst of the exchange, inched closer to the guard named 'Wong' while Karen moved closer to Dr. Ogawa who suddenly dropped in a dead faint. She immediately took advantage of the situation as she knelt down to the fallen man. "This man needs a doctor."

"No," Sung replied as he motioned to two of his black clad men to pick up the now unconscious doctor. Karen stood to block the two men but drew the attention of the guard 'Wong' who shifted his aim from Jason Simms to Karen to subdue her. Unfazed by the commotion, the two Sing Wah lackeys picked up the unconscious doctor and walked toward the gang plank that connected the Sea Goddess' to her launch.

Suddenly, Jason Simms swung back and grabbed for the gun that Wong had trained on Karen, wrestling the slighter Sing Wah to the floor.

As Jason and Wong rolled on the floor, twisting and grunting, Kermit headed off the advance of the last unarmed Sigh Wah minion. He watched as the black clad man yelled a war cry and came at him with a kung fu attack move. Feeling no compunction to heed the feudal challenge of flying hands and graceful feet that threatened him, Kermit calmly took out his Desert Eagle and shot the man once in chest.

As he turned his head to look for his wife in the confusion, he saw Karen whip out her own gun and fire at Sung, noticing suddenly that Sung had been aiming at him. Sung's gun flew from his hands and he made a break for the launch, willing to sacrifice his colleagues in order to complete his primary mission

Kermit fired his own gun as a warning, glancing a shot inches from the man's head, as he called out an ultimatum. "Stop. Or you're dead." Sung stopped his advance. The Sing Wah in the boat dropped Dr. Ogawa unceremoniously to the deck of the skiff as Kermit indicated for them to raise their hands in the air as well.

An uneasy calm settled over the staging area. The mayhem ended, Kermit watched from the corner of his eye as Karen moved to the hull of the Goddess, collecting rope to use in restraining their prisoners in the absence of handcuffs. She handed a quantity of rope to Jason Simms, who was sitting on his former captor, then moved to Kermit, offering him the other bundles of rope.

"I'll cover them while you restrain them." Karen said, aiming her weapon at the three Sing Wah on the boat. Looking over briefly at Kermit, she smiled. "We forgot the handcuffs."

"No, we didn't. I'm saving them for the 'positive reinforcement' section of our cruise." Kermit replied bare-faced.

"Ah ….. I've almost forgotten what 'positive reinforcement' is." Karen wiggled her eyebrows at him before returning her full attention on their captives.

"Don't worry. I'll remind you later." Kermit threw over his shoulder as he walked the plank to tie up Sung and his crew. He could hear her laughter behind his back. It was good to hear her laugh again.

***********************************

Karen felt the ocean breeze lift her hair and whip it around her face as she sat in the front of the skiff taking them to Larantuka. After filling out some more paperwork- gunfire and bullet holes tended to inspire paperwork, they'd finally gotten on their way. Dr. Ogawa was resting in the covered middle section of their small boat while Kermit kept an eye on their prisoners and Jason spoke to the real security guards that the Goddess' captain had assigned to their case.

Letting the sea spray wet her face, she closed her eyes and daydreamed, a smile gracing her features for the first time in 24 hours. She turned back to face the inside of the boat when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I remember that look." Jason Simms said as he sat down beside her on the padded seats. "You always got that look when you were happy." He touched her cheek briefly before returning his hand to his lap. "You're happy. With him."

"Happier than I've ever been in my life." Karen said automatically before she realized how that must have sounded to her ex-husband. "Oh, Jason. I'm sorry. That was thoughtless-"

"Shh," he spoke softly, holding up his hand to silence her apology. "All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy. If you're happy with him…"

"I am," she replied simply. Changing the subject, she continued, "You did well back there. You might make 005 yet."

Jason smiled ruefully. "This is my last mission. Time to hang up the martini glass and white tux. Go back to being Jason Simms, diplomat around town."

Karen smiled. "Diplomacy was always your first love, Jason. And with Ogawa in your pocket, you should have your choice of post."

He shook his head. "I'll stay in Paris. I've made a home there, a life. I need to pick up that life."

Karen nodded, understanding perfectly. They both turned back to the railing, looking out over the ocean as the island came into close focus and the boat slowed.

She felt a warm presence as Kermit came to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Looking up into his face, she smiled a tender smile, feeling as always the electricity that occurred whenever he touched her, even after three years together. He bent down and kissed her forehead.

"Time to get this show on the road," he said as Karen rose from her seat, leaning back into his arms.

"Thank God," Jason interjected, rising from his own seat. "I think I've had enough of paradise."

Karen snorted while Kermit crooked up one side of his mouth briefly. When the deck hands had placed the gang plank on the shore, everyone disembarked. Dr. Ogawa, who had remained solitary during their short trip to the island, joined the rest of the group. The security officers filed off of the skiff next, marching the Sing Wah prisoners down the plank and taking then to the waiting police car of the local police. Their plane to the mainland would come tomorrow.

Karen didn't think that the jail would hold them long, pajamas or no. She remembered Peter Caine talking about the Sing Wah and their mastery of stealth. Well, it wasn't their problem anymore. Let the locals handle it. She looked away from the road and the quickly disappearing police car to a small clearing, just over a sand dune. A small plane stood in the clearing, 'Air Indonesia' gracing the plane's side.

"Well, there's your plane. It isn't fancy, but it will get you to Jakarta." Kermit spoke to both Jason and Ogawa.

"I thank you, Mr. Griffin. For all of your help. I hope I may be able to return the favor someday." Dr. Ogawa shook Kermit's hand.

"It was nothing."

"Nonetheless, I am in your debt. Thank you." Inclining his head to Kermit and then Karen, Ogawa boarded the small plane.

Jason, who had been helping to load their luggage, turned around at Ogawa's parting and took Karen's hand.

"Thank you, Karen. I won't forget this trip or your place in it." He kissed her hand and then let it go.

"Neither will I, Jason; neither will I."

Jason shifted his attention to Kermit and extended his hand. "I appreciate your help in this, Griffin."

Kermit shook his hand firmly, not without goodwill, and inclined his head. "Not a problem."

Jason Simms ended the handshake and looked Kermit straight in the eyes. "Take care of her."

"Always." Kermit met his gaze with equal seriousness, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Jason boarded the plane, taking his seat closest to the door and strapping himself in. Tipping his hand as if a cap, he saluted the two of them as the plane slowly moved into position, taxing down the small jungle runway.

Karen extended her arm in a wave as they watched the plane takeoff and fly away. They were silent for a second as they watched the plane become a speck in the morning sky.

Finally, Kermit turned to Karen and touched her hair. "You ready to go?"

Karen slid her arms around his waist. "Oh, yeah."

******************************

Karen leaned over the railing of the Observation Deck and watched as the Sea Goddess docked in Jakarta. Smiling to herself as a slight breeze lifted the hair from her face, she thought about what a fun cruise this had turned out to be. Once you got rid of ex's and nuclear physicists, of course.

After two days pleasantly cocooned in their suite, she'd finally coaxed Kermit into leaving their cabin and seeing the sites. Days spent wandering deserted beaches, going where they willed, making love whenever it suited them; nights spent gazing at the stars, dining by firelight to the soothing sounds of the ocean before collapsing into each other's arms to make love again under the cool breeze of evening, changed them. A calm tranquility they had never known had crept into their souls as her responsibilities and his tortured past sloughed away under the gentle influence of the sun's rays, the sweet-smelling winds, the warm inviting water. No interruptions, no crises, no threats to home and hearth; just time. Alone. It was a precious gift. A sweet fantasy world where nothing mattered but each other.

Now it was time to go home. And that made her smile even more; for as good as this time had been, the reality of living with him, seeing their beautiful Holly steal his glasses from his face, talking over the day after a crazy shift at the 101st, molding her body to his when passion claimed them, falling asleep in his arms to the sound of his heart, was most precious of all. They'd take the peace they'd savored here into their world; weave it into their daily life of crime and death .…

Floating on a sea of remembrances, hopes, and plans, she was startled by a set of strong nimble fingers that began massaging her shoulders, bringing her out of her reverie.

"You ready, Mrs. Griffin?" Kermit slid his hands down her arms to entwine his fingers with hers as he wrapped their arms around her waist.

"I'm ready. Let's go home."

THE END

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