Kermit pounded up the stairs to Caine's apartment like a madman, Caine's simple statement washing over him like a tidal wave. Peter Caine was right behind him.

Kermit had been very surprised to receive a phone call from Kwai Chang Caine, even though he knew that Peter gave his father the cellphone in an attempt to keep up with the elusive priest. But that was nothing next to the shock he felt at Caine's words: "Someone had attempted to kill your wife."

The ex-mercenary had exploded into action. Unfortunately, his wife happened to have his car since hers was in the shop and he had to grab Peter for a ride. Kermit and Peter made their way there at top speed. They both knew that the target could have been Savannah, Caine or even Kermit since Savannah was driving the Kermitmobile.

Actually, Kermit knew who the target was already. It was himself. There were reasons for getting e-mails saying, "I'm going to take your life, Kermit Griffin" and "I'm going to free you from your miserable life and everything you know." The messages had been coming for about a week now and Kermit was glad that he didn't dismiss them as cranks and saved the messages to disk. The problem, though, was that Kermit had no idea as to where to begin searching. The haystack was just too damn big. But he'd been alone for so long, he'd forgotten that Savannah and Kat might get caught in the crossfire! He cursed himself silently as Peter drove on at top speed.

Kermit tried not to worry, slipping his mind into analytical mode. Caine said 'attempted', implying failure. Kermit trusted Caine implicitly and fought his fear, knowing that Caine would protect his wife from any threatsuntil they got there.

Bursting into the light and airy atmosphere that was Caine's domicile, Savannah's terror hit Kermit like a tangible force. White as a ghost. Face small, pinched, and shocky. Caine was sitting beside her and had wrapped her in a blanket.

Kermit went to her without a word. Burying her in his arms. The shuddering coming from her very core sent the message of bone-chilling horror right through him. "I'm here now, Scarlett. It's over." He rocked her slowly, trying to calm her down.

Peter sidled close to his father, not making a sound, yet unable to ask what happened. He too, though, was alarmed at the level of terror Savannah was exhibiting. Caine did nod at his son, reassuring him silently that the danger had been taken care of for the time being.

Sheltered in his embrace, Savannah finally released the tenuous control she'd been hanging onto. The tremors turned into sobs. Wordless, terrified sobs. She couldn't speak. Couldn't stop shaking. The memory of that slithering nightmare licking its way up her leg continued to make her flinch. Giving herself over to the expression, she cried openly into his jacket.

Kermit held on tighter. Helping her ride out the horror. "Caine. Where's Kat?"

"She is fine and sleeping in the next room." He gestured through the open door to the form of his precious godchild. She was sleeping, oblivious to the upset in the house. "Savannah." Caine rested a calming hand on her back, then pulling gently on her shoulder. She pulled away from Kermit's chest and looked down into the tea cup he offered. She tried to hold onto the cup but failed. Her hands were vibrating cup and tea and refused to move to her mouth.

Kermit looked at Caine, who gave him an almost imperceptible nod, communicating that it was very important for her to drink that tea. He took the cup from her and held it to her mouth so that she could drink. She continued to shudder in his arms and managed a few sips of the liquid. Soon, despite her terror, her eyelids were drooping and finally closed, resting her head on her husband's shoulder.

At Caine's beckoning, Kermit carefully picked up his wife and carried her into the room with the baby. Obviously, the priest hoped that the sight of the baby would help calm her once she woke up. Kermit settled her onto the thin mattress and Caine covered her with a blanket. Then, just as silently, the two crossed to the outer room where Peter waited.

"What happened, Pop?" Peter asked immediately.

Caine stared at Kermit for a second and realized that the man was on the verge of slipping into shock himself. An empathic shock, based on experiencing the blinding terror of his wife. He turned to dilute the tea that he had made for Savannah to help calm Kermit down as he replied. "We were on our way to the Children's Home as we had discussed all this week. Savannah was just about to start the car when we heard a noise. As we were looking for it, Savannah stiffened as she realized that there was a snake directly under her seat. She knew because the snake came out and was winding it's way up her leg."

He presented a cup of tea to Kermit, who took it without looking and promptly set the cup down on the table without drinking, his eyes focused on the priest. "I assume you grabbed it."

"Yes," Caine said, picking up the cup and giving it to Kermit once again, staring sternly at him. "I will not continue unless you drink."

Kermit frowned. "This better not make me go to sleep-"

"It will not."

Kermit took Caine at his word and drained the cup. "Go on."

"There is not much more to tell," Caine said, shrugging. "She fought her fear well until I picked up the snake. I restrained it so that I could tendto Savannah and Kat. The snake did not bite either of them."

"Was it poisonous?"

"Yes."

Kermit fought the rage that threatened to consume him. Caine's potion helped; he could feel the warming effects eating away at his anger, forcinghis body to relax.

"Where is the snake, Pop?" Peter asked, breaking his silence. He, of all people, knew not to get in the middle of Kermit's worry for Savannah. Now that the explanations were over, Peter's cop-self was kicking in.

Caine moved to a jar on the shelf where he had the snake imprisoned. "I could not kill it," he explained. "It did not ask to be the instrument of murder."

Peter smiled. That was so like Caine. He didn't bother to examine the jar. He didn't really want to, anyway. "I'll go down to the car to look for clues."

Kermit nodded, still thinking furiously. Which one of his enemies would do this? Also, which one of his enemies would be so careless as to not make sure that Kermit was the one actually in the car? It didn't make sense to him. Most of the enemies he knew hated him so thoroughly that they would want to watch such an unpleasant demise and would, therefore, not make a mistake as to just place the snake in the car.

Then he reconsidered. Everyone in the free world knew how he felt about his car. He had even threatened - playfully - Savannah when she had asked to borrow it for the afternoon. She had had too much running around to do to take a cab. But even she had to beg, bribe and whimper at him to get him to hand over the keys for a few hours.

"Caine," Kermit said suddenly, "thank you. Thanks for saving my girls."

"I could do no less-"

"I know. Thank you, anyway." Kermit turned to his thoughts once more. Somehow, he had to devise a plan where only he would be the target for his mysterious assassin and for Savannah and Kat to be safe.

Peter Caine rode long-legged strides into the room. "Big surprise! Car's clean."

"Caine, will you watch over them for me?" There were only three people on the planet that Kermit Griffin would entrust his very heart and soul to. Two of them happened to be right here in this room.

"With my life," Caine vowed in his gentle manner.

Grabbing jar and snake in a snatching grip, Kermit stormed toward the door with Peter Caine in tow.

*****

Karen Simms had only seconds to react as a large glass jar filled with a writhing reptile landed on her desk. Jamming her hands forward, she propelled her chair backward in a startled jerk.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?!" the captain yelled at the jar, and its owners, immediately flipping her fear over into anger at the intrusion.

"It's called a 'two-step', native to Southeast Asia." Kermit had regained his focus. With Peter Caine lagging behind to shut the door behind them, he had come to fill his superior in on the events of the morning.

"Why?"

"Because two steps is about all the distance you get after it bites you." Kermit made himself uncharacteristically comfortable as his captain regained her composure and pasted the mantle of authority back onto her shoulders.

"What I meant, Detective, is why in the hell you've decided to introduce me to this creature, why is it on my desk, and why do you have it?" Karen couldn't help but shiver as the snake twisted and squirmed within its transparent prison.

"Oh, that," snapped the ex-mercenary. "Well, Rover here is evidence of an attempted murder."

"I'll bite, Detective," Simms said, allowing a slight grin at the tension-filled pun, "who's the victim?"

Peter Caine decided to put an end to the sparring match. "Savannah, Captain."

To her credit, Karen Simms snapped her attention away from the instrument of death on her desk and focused on the now-active case. "Is she all right? What happened?"

"Someone put this thing in my car," Kermit explained. "Savannah and Kat-"

"The baby was with her?!" Professionalism could barely mask the fury and disgust she felt.

"Yes," Kermit said with forced calm. "Savannah and Kat had just picked up Caine. The snake was under the seat in a bag and crawled out to begin it's dirty work. Caine grabbed it before it had a chance to hurt either of them."

In an act of bravado against the slithering assassin on her desk, Karen shoved the jar aside and leaned forward to draw out the details. "Who?"

"I would guess the same person who sent me these," Kermit said, tossing hard copies of the e-mail threats he'd collected in the past week onto the desk."Beyond that, I have no idea."

As the captain perused the generic threats, Peter offered his insights. "Looks pretty clear that Kermit was the target but we have to draw the killer out into the open."

A subtle ringing from Kermit's jacket pocket broke the tensions in the room. Flipping the device to life, the ex-mercenary barked into the phone. "Griffin!"

<Hi.> Savannah's quiet voice was like music to his ears.

Quickly rising and turning his back to the others, he answered softly, "How are you? Are you all right?"

He could actually hear her smile at his concern. <Yes. I'm sorry I fell to pieces like that.>

"You're allowed, Scarlett."

<How are you?>

Dismissing her concern, he whispered, "I'm fine. Just trying to figure out how to track this piece of....Listen, I want the two of you to stay with Caine and I'll be there to pick you up later. We'll find a safe house for you to-"

<No.>

"No, what?"

<No, I won't cower like some weakling.> Kermit couldn't suppress a smile; her strength of will had returned full force. This was the woman he married. Stubborn and strong. <We'll face this together.>

"Don't argue with me-"

<I'll see you when you get here,> she sang into his ear, ignoring the complaint.

"You will agree to stay away from the ceremony tomorrow."

<I love you.>

"Me, too...you hardheaded broad." He knew her well enough to understand what a waste of breath his protest would be. He'd counter her arguments later.

<Moi? You must have me confused with someone else, sugar,> she teased. <Ba-bye.>

"Bye." Kermit swallowed the relief he felt at the sound of his wife's now-calmed voice. Knowing that she was no longer shivering on that mat in Caine's apartment gave him more room to focus.

Karen Simms leapt into procedure. "I'll assign a couple of uniforms to your home to watch the three of you until we can figure this out."

Holding up his hand, he dismissed her offers. "Captain, I can handle this."

"Do NOT even presume to pull this 'I don't need back-up' crap with me, Detective!" One look at that snake and remembering where it was found gave her all the indications into this particular assassin's darker make-up. "You need protection."

"I need to draw him out into the open. How can I do that hiding at home?" Shaking his head, he stood and moved toward the door. "I'll handle this my way. I'll keep you informed."

Behind his exit, the captain spat, "You'll do more than keep me informed!"

"Captain." Peter attempted to smooth the arrogant disregard being shown for her authority. "He's really hard to deal with about this but he may be right. Keeping the circle closed could be the right move. Tell you what - I'll watch them. I'll be on hand to help them and to report anything that happens immediately."

Momentarily appeased, Karen responded. "Good. You do that, Detective, and I want to know every little thing that happens. Every detail. Do you understand? If I don't like the way things are going, I WILL take over." Remembering the cargo remaining, she growled, "And get this disgusting thing off my desk!"

Flashing a warm smile, Peter said, "Don't be so hasty, Captain. This just might help stop all your unexpected visitors." At the unbroken scowl, the detective scooped up the jar and followed his partner.

*****

"Now, tell me one more time why the person responsible for raising the money to build this place isn't up there on that stage?" Kermit Griffin was speaking to his wife, arm around her back, and scanning the crowd at the same time. He was taking a big chance appearing here in public in a crowd with lots of people but he had had no choice. He couldn't tell Savannah that he was in danger - she would lock him up somewhere where he couldn't play target and then he would never find out who was after him. As such, she expected him to be here for the dedication so here he was. Besides, he wanted to watch over his wife so that his assassin wouldn't get her by mistake.

Savannah smiled up at him and gave him a quick squeeze. "Because that's not why I do things, Kermit. If a moment of notoriety can convince a few people with tons of cash to share it with these kids, then GREAT! Let 'em have it."

The voice of the mayor boomed over the loudspeaker. Welcoming all to the dedication ceremonies for the site of the Sloanville Children's Home. A handful of expensively-dressed philanthropists filled the stage. Kermit supposed that most of them were good people trying to make a difference with their wealth. Regardless of their motivations, Savannah Griffin had been able to cajole, finesse, and beg donations from them. She, along with a fewother volunteers, had pulled in nearly two million dollars.

Kermit looked over his wife's project with pride. The construction site was ready to go. Not to be held up by ceremonial silver shovels, the foundation was being prepared and there were steel support spikes driven along the outline of the building site. Now, a few hundred people were there to hear speeches from the benefactors providing the funds. Funds that his wife had separated from them with tearful stories of the children who would suffer without this facility.

"So the chick who did all the work is playing second fiddle to the people who just wrote the checks?" Kermit continued to search the crowd for anything remotely suspicious.

"Oh, yeah," Savannah drawled happily in his ear. "It's part of my *witness* to do this in the background only."

Kermit understood his wife's serious commitment to her religion. Although he didn't attend the Baptist church with Savannah and their daughter on Sundays, he admired her rock-solid faith. Kermit Griffin and God had their own private relationship going. On better terms in recent years than before.

"As my father would say, 'The true volunteer is lowly born.'" Peter Caine joined his two friends to endure the speeches.

"Exactly!" Savannah patted his arm. "What are you doing here?"

"Mayor-watching a la Simms."

Kermit felt a familiar prickling across the back of his neck. A feeling that had saved his ass on more than one occasion. He focused on the crowd. Soaking in details. Searching for the odd positioning of an arm. The one body out of place.

Peter Caine squirmed with restlessness as he surveyed the crowd. He couldn't tell them that he was bodyguarding the Griffins. He knew what Kermit would say to Peter watching over HIM so instead decided on subterfuge.

As he continued to pour his attention across the sea of faces, a brief flash caught his eye. Peter yanked his focus closer. It was a tiny, bright red circle dancing over the crowd. The bullseye of a laser sight. It passed over to Kermit's back, then to Savannah's and back to Kermit....

The world turned in slow motion. Kermit moving as he saw the dot on his wife's back as Peter screamed, "GET DOWN!" Kermit's body driving hers into the dirt as the automatic weapons pulsed bullets over and around them. Peter Caine's blood exploding as a bullet connected with his shoulder.

The crowd became a teeming mass of terror. All running for cover as the sudden blast of gunfire disappeared back into the chilled winter air.

Shaken but uninjured, Savannah struggled to untangle herself from the mesh fence that had broken their fall. "Kermit? What hap-KERMIT!"

He wasn't moving. Desert Eagle still cemented in his grasp, the detective lay dazed where he landed, wincing in pain.

"Peter! Get some help!! NOW!!" Savannah screamed for Peter, who struggled through his own pain to reach his friend.

Savannah was cradling his face and pleading, "Please, Kermit...please be okay....I love you...please hear me...."

Kermit gasped as his side was exploding in pain. He was barely aware of Savannah holding him until he'd managed to focus past it and heard her pleading....*Oh, my God! Savannah-!* He looked up at her, but she seemed unhurt, at least for now. He gritted his teeth. The assassin had come far too close this time....

Peter dropped to his knees beside them and made the gruesome discovery. No gunshot wound. Kermit was impaled on his side over on one of the steel foundation reinforcements. Blood spilled out over the newly tilled earth.

"Oh, Peter!" Savannah cried, looking at Peter's arm. "I'm so sorry...I didn't know you were hurt, too! I'm going to get help....Stay there!" Before he could stop her, Savannah darted off into the crowd.

Peter shook his head, hoping that the fact that she was in the crowd would keep her safe. Suddenly, a surprisingly-strong grip attached itself to his shirt. Yanking the younger detective down to face level with the victim. "Peter...." Kermit's voice sounded like gravel through his intense pain. "Peter...don't take...your eyes off of them....Watch Savannah...Kat...."

No. There weren't going to be any deathbed requests. Not today. Not to Peter Caine. "Watch 'em yourself, buddy. Help's on the way. Be still."

The grip tightened. "SWEAR! Pro...protect them...for me...!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'll take care of them. I swear." As Kermit slowly loosened his grip, Peter muttered, "As if you had any doubt in the first place...."

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