"You WANT me to talk to him?" Kermit asked Vanessa.

"Is the hearing the first thing to go, Kermit?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, I just can't figure out why you'd care so much."

Vanessa bit off her sharp retort. "Look - let's not get into this. I came here to warn you. I could have just said nothing and let him show up on your doorstep, you know!"

Kermit, conceding the point, nodded. "Okay. Thanks. You want to go to the airport now?"

"That anxious to get rid of me?"

"YES!" Kermit enunciated. "I appreciate the warning, Vanessa, but-"

"Who is she?" At Kermit's confused look, she held up her left hand and touched her ring finger. "Who's the new wife? What number is this one?"

"I thought you said you didn't want to get into this." Kermit gripped the wheel. "I don't have time to trade fancy patter with you. I'm taking you to the airport."

"Just drop me off here."

Kermit, with a savage jerk, yanked the wheel to pull over on the side of the road. "What?" he demanded. "What is it that you want from me?"

Vanessa studied him. "This doesn't have anything to do with the past, does it?"

"No, it doesn't. Vanessa, I've made my peace with...my demons." She looked at him strangely at his choice of words but he continued. "I don't need...any reminders or any connections with the business in my life. I've quit for good. I'm trying to give you the brush-off because of the agency, okay? AND because this is a REALLY bad day for this...."

"Okay," Vanessa said. "I understand."

"Do you?"

"Well...." she laughed. "I understand what you're saying. I'll never understand why you'd want to quit."

"Let's just say I've found a better way."

"Will you drop me off at the Ritz Hotel?"

Kermit inwardly groaned. "Why do you want to hang around? You've delivered your message...."

"I promised Jim I'd introduce you."

Kermit felt like screaming. "We've already met. I was a part of that group of mercenaries he met two years ago."

"WHAT?! And you-"

"DO NOT blame me! I NEVER suggested he join the business!" he snapped. "In fact, I had a helluva time keeping my distance. I barely talked to the kid."

"Well, he must have gotten the idea from someone-"

"It wasn't me." Kermit cocked his head. "Since when did you become so maternally protective?"

She shrugged, fingering her strand of pearls. "I guess he got to me. I'd always wanted-"

"I know," Kermit said gently. He didn't want to get into THAT. If Vanessa knew he had a new baby along with a new wife....He glanced discreetly at his watch. Savannah was going to kill him! "Vanessa-"

She caught him looking at his watch and shook her head. "She must be really something." Gathering her purse, she opened the car door. "See you later, Kermit."

"Wait! Here...." Kermit quickly scribbled his home and work number on a piece of paper and gave it to her. "I'd appreciate it if you'd call first."

She examined the paper and winked. "Sure."

She watched him drive away. "Yep," she said to herself, "this little wifey must really be something...."

*****

Kermit tried to call home to tell Savannah that he was on his way but the line was busy. *We really need to get call waiting,* he thought as he exited the freeway close to his home. He was pretty close, now, anyway. He looked at his watch again. He'd be lucky if Savannah didn't draw and quarter him. They only had a half hour to make it to the airport to pick up her parents. Well, they could still make it - if Kermit drove and used his police light to get there. He just prayed that Simms wouldn't find out. Come to think of it, though, it was a rather minor offense compared to what he did regularly over the computer airwaves.

Turning the corner, he found his driveway was packed. Peter's Stealth and a Rent-a-car job, judging from the plates. *Oh, my GOD!* Kermit realized. The only people that might rent a car and be here on this particular day would be...."Oh, SHIT!" he cursed out loud. He knew Savannah must be having a cow. They got here early and he wasn't there. Why didn't she call him???

He parked and took a deep breath inside the car. *Geez,* he thought, *didn't feel this nervous in Afghanistan! Get a grip, Griffin - for Savannah's sake!* He took another deep breath and got out of the car. *Be nice,* he thought. *Don't make a fuss. Don't respond to the different-age issue. Be the supportive husband and father. Look responsible.*

He walked in and, in a glance, took in the new faces. The infamous Billy Ray, her beloved brother and musician. Donald and Betsy March...looking at him very oddly. TOO oddly.

Savannah rushed over to him and thrust an arm around his waist like a lifeline. "Daddy, Momma...THIS is Kermit."

Kermit briefly hugged her with one arm in a silent gesture of love and support and disengaged. He felt much more comfortable encountering the unknown without Savannah in arm's reach to be hurt.

Donald March approached his new son-in-law. "You son of a-!" He swung a punch at Kermit, to Savannah's screech of "Daddy!!!"

Kermit easily pushed the punch aside, but he was confused. What was this man reacting so strongly to? His age?

"Daddy! What do you think you're doing?!!"

Donald tried another punch to Kermit's midsection, only to find that turned away as well. Panting, he tried instead to drag Savannah away from Kermit, only to fail at that, as well.

"Well, THIS is going well," Peter muttered, sotto voce.

"Daddy!" Savannah yelled. "What's the MATTER with you?!! Why are you reacting this way?"

"We saw him, Savannah," Donald snapped, panting from the exertion. "We saw him coming in...from the highway....He was shooting people in the street...and kissing another woman!!!"

Kermit looked to the ceiling. "Ohhhh, God....When it rains, it pours!"

He rubbed his eyes with one hand. He was hoping to sit down with Savannah to tell her about Vanessa being here but that was apparently not to be. Peter was trying to figure out how to get out of here while getting around the mob of people. Billy Ray was grinning ear to ear, enjoying the show, while Betsy March just sat there, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. Donald March's face was beet-red with rage and Savannah was looking at Kermit in confusion. From Kermit's reaction, there was a grain of truth in what her father said and Savannah couldn't figure out who Kermit could be kissing. His sister, perhaps?

"Daddy," Savannah said, "I'm sure Kermit has a good explanation." As if in response to her parents' distress, Kat began to cry in the other room. "Oh, baby," Savannah moaned. "Not now...."

"I'll take care of her," Peter volunteered, slipping away, glad for the opportunity.

"THAT young man is more of a father than you are!" Donald proclaimed angrily.

"DADDY!" Savannah insinuated herself between her father and her husband. "Now, THAT is uncalled for! You don't know anything about Kermit!"

"I think I know all I need to know," spat Donald.

Kermit wanted to step in but found himself at a loss. After such a long estrangement between Savannah and her parents, he had no desire to cause another rift between them. But, on the other hand, not speaking up for himself seemed to exacerbate the argument. Savannah continued defending him with, "You have NO idea what kind of a man he is!"

"I know he sleeps with young single girls to get them pregnant!"

That last was the final straw. Savannah was about to retort when she was stopped by two familiar, loving hands on her arms. "Let me talk for myself, Scarlett."

Savannah glanced at Kermit, sure that he would be enraged by the assassination of his character but he wasn't. He was uncomfortable, to be sure, but not angry. She stepped aside to allow Kermit to approach her father.

"You say you saw me kissing another woman," Kermit said flatly. "That is incorrect. She was kissing me. She is...my ex-wife, who had no idea that I had remarried." At Savannah's look of shock, he threw a look of apology at her and she nodded her head understandingly. She realized that there wasn't exactly time for him to tell her privately. "I told her immediately, of course," Kermit said. "As for the shooting, I shot the man's gun out of his hand."

Donald March's eyes narrowed. "What if you had missed the gun?"

Kermit smiled. "If there was a chance that I could have missed, I would have tried something else. But since the man had a semi-automatic weapon, I felt he had to be disarmed as quickly as possible."

"Semi-autom...." Donald March gasped.

Savannah approached Kermit and hugged him again. "You see, I told you he had a good reason!"

Kermit squeezed her back while looking coolly at Don March. "Thirdly, I did NOT sleep with Savannah to get her pregnant. I slept with her because I loved her. I loved her from the moment we met. Still do, in fact. The pregnancy was just the result of that love."

Savannah, nearly in tears now, squeezed Kermit again. Betsy March couldn't help but notice how Kermit held Savannah. Right arm firmly wrapped around her waist, holding her slightly behind his hip, as if to protect her from them. Left arm free and clear to do whatever to defend her. Considering how he had effortlessly blocked the punches, Betsy didn't want to think about what this man could do if angered.

The Marches once again appraised Kermit, looking him up and down. Kermit sighed. *Here we go again....*

"Just exactly how old are you?" demanded Donald.

"Daddy-"

"I'm old enough to be Savannah's father," Kermit admitted. "Strange how love transcends age, don't you think?"

Savannah smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Do you have any other children? Say, by your ex-wife?"

Kermit sighed again. Were they going to touch on every single one of his skeletons in the closet? This was going to be a long week. How much truth WERE they entitled to, anyway?

There was a strong yet polite knock at the door and Savannah reluctantly disengaged from Kermit to answer it.

Caine bowed respectfully. "I was told that Peter was here?"

"Come in, Caine," Savannah said with a weary smile. "Join the party." Caine came in, looking at Savannah with concern. She waved the look off. "It'll be okay. Just an evening out with the folks."

Caine entered, only to be confronted by Don March. "And who the hell are you?" he demanded.

Looking around and sensing the tension, Caine shrugged, not wishing to interrupt. "I am here to see my son."

Donald March snorted. "Figures. Two long-haired hippies. Why didn't you teach your son to stay away from women if he's going to be so damned irresponsible?!!!"

From Kermit's and Savannah's reaction, Caine surmised that he was being mistaken for KERMIT's father and couldn't suppress a smile of amusement. Meanwhile, Kermit, also amused, was examining Caine, looking for similarities, while Savannah put an exasperated hand over her eyes, wondering if this evening would EVER end.

Peter Caine, having finished dressing the baby, entered the living room with Kat bouncing in his arms. *Come on, tadpole. Do your stuff,* he thought, hoping she could defuse the tension.

Spying her father, the baby began to clap and babble, "Da-da-da-da-da!"

Kermit, instantly smiling, walked over to take the baby, who practically leaped into his arms. "Hi there, Kitty Kat!" Winking a thank you at Peter, he then walked over to Mr. March. "I believe that this is the person you're here to meet. May I introduce our daughter, Katherine Griffin."

The big, rough man who only seconds ago had wanted to plow his fist into someone's face, suddenly transformed into a soft, gushing grandfather. Reaching out his arms, he gathered a willing baby into them. He began to laugh as Kat dug a tiny hand into his pocket.

"She does that to me looking for gummi bears," Kermit explained.

Quietly, he responded, "Yes. I remember another little girl who did the same thing." Evidently, he'd come prepared for such an event because Kat rewarded him with a squeal as she pulled out a cookie hidden just for her.

Betsy joined her husband, practically trembling to get her hands on her granddaughter. Both grandparents temporarily gave up scrutinizing their daughter and new son-in-law, in light of the frilly little bundle greedily devouring her cookie. Baby talk filled the air.

Billy Ray, joining his sister, gave her a comforting hug and kiss. "I think the worst is over, Van."

Savannah looked at Kermit and started to laugh. Not an 'I'm relieved' sound, but an 'I'm expecting a nervous breakdown any minute' version. "Oh, no, little brother. This is just act one."

*****

Later that evening, Kermit turned on the coffeepot for one last pot of the evening. He didn't quite have a headache but it was a close thing.

The Marches have been safely deposited at the nearly hotel since Kermit's and Savannah's place only had one spare bedroom. Besides, all of the parties felt that it was for the best to maintain some distance.

"What a nightmare!" Savannah exclaimed, coming up behind Kermit and wrapping her arms around him.

"You can say that again," Kermit said, turning around in her arms and raising her face to kiss her.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Sweetheart, it's not your fault," he told her. "Besides, if Kat decides to marry someone like me, I'd have some major problems, too!"

"Funny. I'd pick someone EXACTLY like you for my daughter," Savannah laughed. But before she could continue to defend Kermit's character to himself when he bent to kiss her again and nuzzle her neck. She sighed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he nuzzled lower.

She began to stroke his chest with her two hands as he moved back to her sweet lips to kiss her again, while stroking her long hair. Leaning back onto the refrigerator, Savannah whispered into his ear as he continued his handiwork. "My mama would *scream* if she knew what we were doin' right here in the kitchen. Ummmm...." She closed her eyes as he went to that *favorite* spot down her back.

"Well, lady, I'm not the least bit interested in your mama's screaming...but you," he elicited another excited moan from his wife with those practiced hands, "now, that's worth a try." Backing up, he pulled her hand over his shoulder and led her down the hallway.

"Ooooo...you don't know how much I need this." She pressed herself into his back as they reached their room.

He chuckled. "Begging, are we? Well..." he began to slide her zipper down her back, "let's just drive your mama to a nervous breakdown, shall we?"

Grabbing his belt, she pulled him down on the bed with her. "Oh, yeah!"

They quickly removed their inconvenient clothing and lost the day's bad memories in the feel of warm flesh and soft kisses. Savannah ran her hands down the hard muscles of his back and drew a satisfied moan in return. As her hands touched his body, following all those charted tender spots, she breathed, "And while we're at it, think you may end up doin' a bit of screamin' yourself."

He released all of his tension and led his hands on the familiar territory of her trembling body. Feeling her arching impatiently to meet his touch. As the color rose into her cheeks, he asked, "Now, is that any way for a proper Southern lady to talk?"

Breathlessly, she answered, "No...aren't you glad you have me instead? Now, shut up and kiss me!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he replied and gifted her with a earthshaking kiss, pulling her body tightly to his. They made love and erased the nightmare of their day of introductions. Leaving Kermit wishing that they could pack their bags and disappear before any of their family knew they were gone.

Afterward, they lay there in each other's arms, enjoying their closeness.

"Sweetheart," Kermit began hesitantly, "you're not going to believe this...."

"What?" she asked, still stroking his chest with one hand.

"Vanessa," he said, turning to look at her. "She said that Jim wants to meet me. She sent him here so that I would talk him out of joining the business. God...why THIS week!??"

"Because we're lucky! Didn't you know?" Savannah laughed, kissing him. She was determined to keep her sense of humor, especially since she could feel how tense he was. She could tell that Kermit was upset by Vanessa's arrival and wanted to support him during this difficult time. "I'll be with you every step of the way," she promised.

Kermit shook his head regretfully. "I'll have to see him alone. He's going to want some answers to some pretty tough questions....Hope I'm up to it."

Savannah understood. Kermit was such a private man, even to her at times. He told her everything but there was still some things he had to do alone. She also understood how difficult this would be for him and hugged him again. "You'll do just fine," she comforted. "Invite him over if you like. As much as you want."

He hugged her back. "I might do that."

Things seemed smooth-going the next morning. After Kermit had gone to work, Savannah had called her parents and asked them if they'd like to get together for lunch. Her parents, remembering the reason they came in the first place, reluctantly agreed and Savannah was elated. They apparently thought that Kermit wasn't professional...? Well, he was never more professional in the middle of a workday. She'd just coerce him away for lunch. Her luck held out as Kermit agreed to the lunch date when she called him and she even had time to clean up the house and Kat before she left. Cleaning herself took a back seat as she applied makeup sparingly and picked a practical dress rather than one of her more attractive dresses.

However, her supply of luck ran out just as she approached the precinct steps when lunchtime rolled around.

"OH, JUST GREAT!" Savannah was disgusted to find the ramp beside the precinct stairs closed down for repairs. Carrying that stroller up the stairs was difficult at best. She was compounded by the fact that she was wearing high heels and was attempting to carry both her purse and a very bulky diaper bag. "Hold on, Kitty Kat. Mama's gonna have to figure this out."

"You look like you could use a hand." A tall, blonde woman was offering a bright smile to the frustrated mother. She was very slim and attractive. Wearing a form-fitting red dress and pearls. Legs up to her neck. Just looking at her made Savannah remember how disheveled she felt - and looked.

"Thanks so much. This really is a two-person job." Savannah took the front of the stroller and the woman took the back. Together, they negotiated the stairs and sat their passenger down at the top.

The woman leaned down to touch Kat's soft curls. "What a doll! How old?"

"She'll be a year old this week. Thanks, we think she's pretty special."

The woman wondered why this young mother and child would be coming to a rough and noisy police station. In her experience, women generally sought out the police for two reasons. Either they had a theft to report or someone was beating them up. Smiling at the little girl, she asked, "Now, what brings you to this nasty old police station, sweetcakes?"

Savannah was startled at that reference. Kermit was the only person she'd ever heard use that term. Alarms started going off as she leaned down and picked up the baby. "My husband is a detective here. We're pickin' him up for lunch."

As both women began to put two and two together, Kermit Griffin exited the building - and almost had a heart attack. Vanessa read the look on his face and burst into laughter. "OH, MY GOD! *This* is your new wife? Kermit...cruising the playground for women these days, I see!" She was laughing so hard, she grabbed the railing for support.

Before Kermit could reach out to strangle her, Savannah spoke up, extending a hand. "And you must be Vanessa. Savannah Griffin...pleased to meet you." Shaking her hand firmly, she added, "And I can assure you that he didn't find me on a playground." Both women were carefully examining each other while Kermit was afraid he would be sick.

"Well, Kermit, your family tree is just growing and growing, isn't it? This new addition is a nice piece of work." She reached over to tickle the baby again.

"Hands off, Vanessa."

"Now, don't be like that. I don't bite."

"Oh, yes, you do." Kermit, just wanting this to be over, took Kat and placed her back into the stroller to carry her down the stairs.

Casting a sly glance toward the new Mrs. Griffin, she responded, "Weeelllll...you never seemed to mind before. I had several skills you never seemed to mind."

Savannah sweetly chimed, "Evidently, those *skills* helped you earn your title."

Vanessa, raising an eyebrow, asked, "What title, dear?"

"EX!"

Turning her attention back to Kermit, who was halfway to the car by then, she called, "KERMIT! I like her!" Looking at her adversary, she asked, "Want to have lunch tomorrow?"

Savannah snickered. "Sure, why not? Call me."

"I've got the number. Can't wait to compare notes!"

"Savannah!" Kermit called. "Ready?" He had just finished strapping Kat in and loading the stroller in the trunk. His tone had just a hint of an edge to it that made Savannah smile. He'd even dropped the nickname 'Scarlett' in front of Vanessa. *Poor thing must really be nervous,* she thought, nodding pleasantly to Vanessa and joining her husband.

Kermit, steel-jawed, drove for approximately a quarter of a mile before turning to look at his wife. "I hope you were kidding."

"Why would I be kidding?"

Kermit was beginning to get a sinking feeling. "Well...um...."

Savannah smiled and stroked his cheek. "You don't honestly think I'd be swayed by anything she thinks, do you?"

"I suppose not," he said grudgingly, still not liking the idea and causing her to laugh and wrap an arm around his shoulders in a half-hug.

"Sugar, I know how to take the spurned woman's testimony with a grain of salt!" she assured him. "I'm just interested in her. There must be something to her or you wouldn't have loved her."

"I'd be happy to tell you anything you want to know," Kermit offered. He really didn't want two wives of his getting together and comparing notes.

After another awkward silence, Savannah commented, "She's a beautiful woman. You must have a lot in common." That 'second best' feeling was creeping in again. Vanessa was elegant and worldly and, as her profession must certainly require, any man's equal. A far cry from Kermit's present wife - at least in her opinion.

Putting aside his own discomfort, he focused on hers. Vanessa had a talent for making people feel 'less' in her presence. Even he'd felt it from time to time. "Look, Scarlett. Vanessa is Vanessa. She's...she's larger than life itself. She is the past. YOU are the present. All that Vanessa and I had in common was a BAD thing. I'm surprised we didn't kill each other and still managed to remain civil. It was like being married to myself. Not an attractive proposition for anyone." He grinned and patted her hand.

"Except me."

"And that, sweetheart, is the only factor that causes me to question YOUR sanity." He eased the car to a stop in front and relinquished his keys to the valet.

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