Kermit had seen the man circling the warehouse after retrieving the ransom. *Must be an escape route,* he thought, options zooming through his brain. If he lost sight of him, the only link left to his wife would be gone. Probably with her life. Darting into the opposite end of the building, he crept along the wall. Concealed by the shadows, he held his position about twenty feet away from the door he expected the man to use.

After a few moments of heated anticipation, the assailant shoved open the door. He burst through with his gun in one hand and the green bag in the other.

"FREEZE, ASSHOLE!!!"

The man raised his gun and held his position.

"Drop it! Now!" Kermit took a few careful steps in his direction. He couldn't shoot. Although he was certain that he could fire and roll for cover, he couldn't risk killing the only person who knew if his wife was dead or alive. The only path to her and Nicki. The standoff continued....

Sweating and trembling, Tim spoke. "Look, man. I'll sh-sh-shoot....I swear. L-l-let me go and nobody gets hurt." He desperately tried to stop his hand from shaking.

*No guts!* thought Kermit. Out loud he shouted, "Where's my wife?!"

"Y-y-you'll get her back once you let me go. She and the other one are with my partner and she....I mean....HE'LL get real mean if I don't come back."

This was the shakiest kidnapper Kermit had ever come in contact with. It didn't give him any comfort. Nervous crooks tended to shoot. They usually missed but they were trigger happy. They stood there, guns drawn, as the seconds ticked past.

The thick silence was broken when the door flew open once more. *Wolf! Dammit!* was Kermit's first thought. Much to his mixture of surprise, relief, and fear, it was Savannah. His heart in his throat, Kermit shouted, "GET BACK!!!!"

It was too late. She had stalked up to the man. Inches from him.

Kermit was already moving. He couldn't fire because she had positioned herself directly between them. As he attempted to cover the distance, he heard her commanding the kidnapper.

"GIVE ME THAT THING, YOU IDIOT!!! Do you want to get killed?!!" Savannah had snatched the gun from Tim's grip. She had the weapon firmly in her grasp when Kermit dove into the man, smashing his head into the floor and rendering him unconscious.

Leaping up from the floor, he grabbed the gun from her delicate fingers and launched into her with both barrels.

"WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!!!!! Waltzing in here like Wonder Woman and grabbing an automatic weapon out of a-"

"Well, I'm so glad that you're alive, Scarlett." She snapped her hands onto her hips and glared at him.

Halting his tirade, he grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. Closing his eyes in relief as he felt her return his embrace. Felt her live and breathe. "Thank God you're okay."

Enjoying her belated welcome, Savannah held on. "Now that's more like it."

"But....I can't believe that you would-"

"Kermit-"

"-do something so reckless when-"

"Kermit-"

"-you know what could have happen-"

"KERMIT! Look at the gun."

Kermit gave his full attention to the weapon. "No clip."

"No clip."

"And you knew that all the time? Why didn't you just yell through the door?" Kermit pulled back to stare into her face as she explained.

"Becauuuuuse, Tim - that's his name - would have looked at me and you would have probably taken that opportunity to shoot him." Savannah read Kermit's expression that said he didn't understand why that would have been a bad thing. "Kermit, Tim's a bad kidnapper....I mean he's BAD at it. He never intended to hurt us. Just get the money and run."

They stood there for a moment as Kermit absorbed the information. Then, much to his aggravation, his wife began to laugh. Hysterically. So hard she had to lean on the wall behind her and sidestep the still-unconscious Tim.

"You should have seen the look on your face!!! Oh, God!! Did you really think I'd come up, outta the blue, and grab a loaded gun! Oh, honey child, you must either think I'm crazy or some mighty woman!!!"

As annoyed as he was, he couldn't help but start to grin at her lapse into laughter. "The first one."

*****

Wolf and Nicki expressed the joy in their togetherness privately - in their hotel room.

"Ohhhh, babe," Wolf said, kissing her on the forehead, embracing her lithe, small form, "I can't get enough of ya...."

Wolf Gannett was still so full of rage at the couple who'd kidnapped her and Savannah that he'd wanted to deck the guy just on principles. But not only had Kermit beaten him to that honor, Nicki insisted that the charges against the couple were dropped. Kermit explained that it wasn't likely that a felony charge could be dropped to zero jail time and just community service and the women were most adament about the couple not deserving jail time. Then Nicki had to point out that they would avoid a costly, and very public, battle in the courts over the rights to their new screenplay.

Grudgingly, Wolf agreed. The Haltons would release all rights to the screenplay in exchange for the money that they had earned for their idea in Wolf's movie and escaping the deserved felony charges. Wolf, however, insisted upon stipulations: they were to be paid only AFTER they were secured in their new government jobs that Kermit had found for them on the Net AND swearing a sincere promise that neither of them would try to darken the streets of Hollywood ever again. On this point, Wolf would not budge, not being as forgiving as the two ladies that had been their victims. He figured the money they were being paid made up for any literary disappointments.

Nicki snuggled in Wolf's arms, feeling safe for the first time in weeks. She then frowned...her feelings about not being safe started when Wolf surprised her with his marriage proposal...."I was so terrified," she laughed. "Luckily for us, Tim and Carrie Ann weren't dangerous, hardened criminals."

Wolf gulped silently to himself. *But what if they were?* he thought, clutching Nicki closer. *What if she's grabbed alone next time? What if-*

"Wolf-"

He realized that his grip was too tight and relaxed. "Sorry. Was thinkin'...."

She sighed. "Me, too."

"Babe...what're we gonna do about this?! God, I don't want this to ever happen again!"

"I could hire some bodyguard...no, that wouldn't do." Nicki mused. "What I'm worried about is how Tim and Carrie Ann found out about us!"

"Anybody coulda saw us at the airport and followed us."

"So who else knows? Who else is out there to-" Nicki burrowed herself closer to Wolf. Suddenly, she was afraid to walk out her front door, much less attend her own wedding.

"Maybe we should-" Nicki and Wolf stopped and looked at each other as both uttered the same phrase at the same time. Then, Wolf's expression turned to one of guilt.

"Wolf??"

"I'm sorry!" he blurted. "But I'm havin'...I mean....NO! Damn it ta hell, I'm marryin' ya!"

Nicki raised an eyebrow. "That sounds very complimentary. You're having second thoughts?"

"NO! Damn it! I toldja I never wantcha to leave me! Ever!"

"And I won't," Nicki reassured with a hug. Then, realization dawned. "Is that why you want to marry me?"

"Well...I hate that you still...work fer me! I mean, I wantcha ta be more than that!" Wolf was stammering over his words, trying to explain his jumbled emotions that weren't very clear to him.

"I am more than that," Nicki told him.

"Yeah, but-" he blushed at the thought. "I've been feelin' bad! Like I'm payin' ya to...to...."

Nicki stopped him with a finger over his lips. "You do NOT pay me for that! NO ONE could pay me for that!"

"I know-"

"Tell me, what's your lawyer's name? What's the name of your home's security system company? Who finances your cars? How many magazines do you subscribe to? When's your next dental appointment?" Wolf blanched and Nicki laughed, touching his arm. "Don't worry - it's only a cleaning. But that's not the point. The point is you pay me to know all those things so you don't have to know." She peered directly into his eyes. "What I do ON MY OWN TIME is my own choice. You don't pay for that. And I wouldn't choose to spend my time with anyone else."

"So...well, hell, you should get something more out of it to put up with me!"

Nicki laughed. "I wasn't complaining. Now, was I?"

"No...."

"You don't have to marry me to keep me with you!" She snuggled him. "I thought we settled this the last time. If you want to wait a while, that's fine with me. I've been a little worried about the whole thing, anyway."

"Why?"

"Your image, for one thing," Nicki explained. "Wolflicks, despite its' spectacular start, still has a long way to go. Your image is still Wolf Gannett, leather-clad martial arts ladies-man. We still have to work with that until Wolflicks is more stable. If word got out - like it already DID - that you weren't available, it might hurt you in the long run...."

"I can't believe yer puttin' my career ahead o' your wedding!" Wolf looked at her, wondering for a split second if Nicki actually loved him enough to marry him. One look reassured him.

"Your problems are my problems," Nicki told him. "Besides, think about it - what would getting married do to change us, anyway? It would complicate right now rather than enhance. We have what we want and, if we keep it the way it has been, no one else will know!" Nicki finally puzzled out her feelings. She was angry that her personal secret had leaked out, her private life exposed for all to see. Later, when Wolflicks was more successful, people would be more focused on the movies themselves and less on their personal lives...."Believe me," Nicki assured him, "I love you. I'll never leave, no matter what."

Wolf wrapped her in his strong arms. "I love ya, too, Nicks." They laid there in the warm bed for a few minutes until Wolf's eyes suddenly snapped open. "Oh, SHIT! How're we gonna tell Savannah?!!!"

*****

"Excuse me, ma'am," Savannah called to the waitress passing by, "There will be two more couples joining us for dinner."

As the woman nodded and went her own efficient way, Kermit seated his wife and asked, "Two more? I thought we were going to endure the idiot all alone?"

"Oh, don't be so nasty," she gently chided. "I thought it would be fun for Jody and Peter to join us."

Before the storm cloud of protest on Kermit Griffin's face could form into words, another softer voice intervened. "Uh oh! She's matchmaking again. Hide the sharp objects." Kermit and Savannah turned to see Nicki and Wolf strolling up to the table, wearing smiles of relief and amusement.

In response, Savannah playfully stuck out her tongue at Nicki and then gave her a warm embrace. "Ha ha. You can relax. Most of my *projects* don't require bloodshed." After giving Wolf the same greeting, they all sat down to order.

Nicki still found the need to cling to Wolf's arm for comfort. Normally calm and collected, she found herself now very shaky and nervous. She was glad to be back to a somewhat normal existence. As normal as life with Wolf Gannett could be.

"Well, dollface, looks like every time I show up around here, things start poppin'." Wolf gave Nicki another squeeze - just to be sure she was still there. Caring for one person so completely was new to him, too.

"Oh, yeah, Wolf," Savannah teased, "life with Kermit is definitely too sedate! Good thing you show up once in a while to put some excitement into my life."

Kermit shook his head at her joke and kissed her hand. Dreaming of the punishment he would dish out for the scare she landed on him in the warehouse.

Savannah playfully shrugged off Kermit's caring hand. "Now. We have a wedding to perform!!! So let's get back to the important things. Nicki, I need to know if all of your brothers and sisters can make it and-"

"Savannah." Nicki's voice was not loud but forceful. After all, she was used to bursting carefree, irresponsible bubbles dreamed up by her fiancée. "Savannah, Wolf and I have some...bad news for you."

Savannah looked at the couple still holding hands. As far as she could see, everything was still okay in the relationship department. "What?"

"We want to call off the wedding. At least for now," Nicki added quickly. "We think things should settle down a bit so we can have a more private wedding...when we're not likely to be kidnapped....."

"OH!" Savannah sighed, slumping back in her chair. "Is that it? Well, sure, that's up to you. But just remember that when it IS time, I want to be called upon or my feelings will be sincerely hurt!"

Nicki and Wolf looked at each other and back to Savannah. "You don't mind?" Nicki asked. "Especially after all your hard work...?"

Savannah waved a hand dismissively. "We barely got beyond the planning stages, anyway. When you two are ready, we can just pick it up again. No problem."

Kermit Griffin had to do a double take at the accomodating behavior exhibited by his wife. "Excuse me? No trying to change their minds? No matchmaking and manipulating them into submission?"

Wrinkling her nose at her husband, then reiterated her position to the couple across the table. "Look, you shouldn't marry until you're positive. No matter what Kermit says."

"What *Kermit* says?" The ex-mercenary tried to follow the invisible line of logic.

"Yes, Kermit," she said in the midst of an eye roll. "I know you're disappointed but you just can't push people into things against their will."

He opened his mouth to protest, then resorted to the protection of silence. The best weapon against the arsenal of rebuttal in his partner's possession.

Wolf just sat back with a big grin, relieved that it had been handled so easily. Nicki, at a loss for words, delved back into their shared traumatic experience. "Well, Savannah, I guess you can handle anything! It's just like when we were kidnapped. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it. That little woman has nerves of steel!" Smiling at her friend, Nicki praised, "I was scared to death! Not Savannah. She was a rock of strength. Never worried, never reacted...except that one time with Tim and the ropes...." Nicki stopped at the look on Savannah's face.

"I most certainly did not break down! I never did!" Realizing her tone, Savannah instantly softened in the face of Wolf and Nicki's expressions. "Nicki, you must have misunderstood-"

"Savannah, I'm sorr-"

"I was ACTING! Been around Wolf too long, that's all." Nervously, she popped up from the table. "Where's that waitress? I'm going to the bar to get my drink."

Savannah dashed for the bar as Nicki threw a stricken look at Kermit. "I hope I didn't...I mean, I didn't mean to hurt her-"

"Don't worry," Kermit comforted, squeezing her shoulder. "She'll be all right. Just an old ghost coming back for a visit." After that cryptic explanation to the couple, he followed his wife to the bar.

He stood beside her, quietly resting his hand on the curve of her back. Savannah was drumming her nails impatiently on the bar and avoiding his gaze. Kermit decided to try to lighten the mood a little. "I'm surprised at your reaction about the canceled wedding."

"It's not canceled, Kermit," she corrected, fighting for her composure. "It's postponed. There's a difference. Now, if they'd told me that they were splitting up, I would have had a hissy fit. But any fool can see they're in love. That wedding will happen sooner or later. I don't mind if it's later as long as they're comfortable."

Her drink arrived and she gulped such a large mouthful that she began to cough. Kermit patted her gently on the back as she wiped her eyes. "Tied your arms to a chair, didn't he?" he asked softly.

"Yes. And I freaked like some hysterical ninny." She was staring into her own reflection in the mirror behind the bottles. He gently turned her face to meet his own.

"You did good. Are you all right?" This need to be in control was a source of constant struggle in his wife. She must have been terrified by the sight of those ropes.

Savannah smiled and nodded back her reply.

Kermit hugged his response. "That's good because I want you in tip-top shape for your punishment tonight." The trademark Griffin grin flowed his unwholesome plans across his face.

"And what exactly do I have to dread, Mr. Griffin?" She slid her hand inside his jacket and pulled herself close. Whatever it was, it was going to be good. Very good.

Pulling down his glasses, he whispered a brief description into her ear, then pulled back. "...Translation - a wait, my dear lady. And I mean a long and extremely *intense* wait for your welcome home gift. It could take *hours*."

Giggling her anticipation into his ear, she replied, "Well...if that's what I deserve, I suppose I'll just have to take whatever *comes* my way."

"Oh, yeah!"

One of the unwashed masses - a bum, from the looks of him - bumped into Kermit, causing the latter to gift him with a poisonous glare.

"'Cuse me," the man burped, passing through.

Kermit sighed with irritation but stared at him more closely as he passed by, heading directly for Wolf's table. Savannah began to call out a warning when the man 'crashed' right into their table. Wolf sprang up, arms raised toward the old man. Kermit and Savannah rushed forward to save the bum from being treated to Wolf's peculiar brand of martial arts when they were frozen in their tracks by shock.

Wolf had thrown his arms around the old man in a greeting, who slurred, "Been lookin' ev'rywhere fer ya...."

"How's it going, Pop!" Wolf greeted, setting the man down in a chair.

Kermit and Savannah looked at each other and burst out laughing. "It's genetic!" they said in unison.

Just then, Jody came in from one entrance, the one closest to the bar where Kermit and Savannah sat, and Peter came in from another. Thanks to the pillers and various shrubbery and potted plants, Peter could only see Wolf and Nicki just as Jody could only see the Griffins - and Peter approaching. She stopped dead in her tracks, glaring at the innocent-looking Mrs. Griffin.

"Will you EVER stop?" Jody Powell demanded of her friend and then raised a hand to halt her friend's inevitable reply. "No, I know you won't."

Peter, meanwhile, began to sit down with Wolf and Nicki, only to notice that peculiar old man next to him. "Hey! Aren't you-" Peter frowned. "You're that guy that was bothering us at the precinct! Look, Mister, I told you, we don't know anyone named 'Art' so why don't you-"

"Pete!" Wolf called. "It's okay. That's me. I'm Art. He was lookin' for me. This is my pop."

"...oh....sorry..." muttered the embarrassed detective. "You know, I never would have guessed...."

He glanced again at the old man, who swatted Wolf on the arm. "Don' call me Pop!"

Peter and Wolf's father studied each other for long moments, finally shaking their heads, uttering a "Naaaah" as the Griffins at the bar fought hysterics.

THE END

Next Story: Homecoming

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