The meal went comfortably until Joe asked Ben what he did for a living.

"Right now I'm working for NBS banking," Ben answered.

"What sort of work do you do there?" Joe asked.

"I'm currently designing their new high rise."

"I didn't know they were building," Joe said, surprised.

"Well, actually the location and date is under wraps."

"So you're an architect?" Lorraine asked. At Ben's nod, she gestured in the direction of her daughter. "Perhaps you could design a counter Micki couldn't fall into."

"I'd take that challenge," Ben laughed.

"Are you feeling any better sweetheart?" her mother asked. "Maybe you should go to the Doctor - you might have broken something."

"Form the looks of the medicine in Ben's pocket, I'd say she went," Joe spoke up.

Ben gave Micki a look which spoke volumes.

"I have something to tell you guys," Micki began hesitantly. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to worry." She paused a moment, gathering her courage.

"Speak child," Joe urged.

"Well, Monday, I had a knock at my door after I took Carey to the station. I thought it was Ben, so I opened it - and I know it was stupid - without checking. It as Frank and he'd come looking to talk to Carey. He pushed his way in. When I tried to call the police, he pushed me away from the phone.

"You know how Aunt Marina's counters were - well, I hit my back on the corner and cracked a couple ribs."

Silence followed her admission. Then both her parents began speaking at the same time. "Did they catch him? What else happened? Did he do anything else to you?"

"He didn't do anything else," Micki assured them both. "I think he wanted to scare me more than anything. The counter thing was an accident."

"What did the Dr. say?"

"He kept me for two days and then we came here."

"Surely, she shouldn't be in a cramped vehicle for so long after that," Joe said, directing his gaze at Ben.

"Well, Sir, I figured if I didn't drive her, she'd try to do it herself. It was all I could do to rent the van so she could at least lie down. "

"You still should have told us," Joe insisted, his disappointment evident.

Ben's eyes dropped to the level of his plate.

"He wanted to," Micki spoke up. "I asked him not to, but he talked me into it anyway."

Ben smiled reassuringly into her eyes.

"Do the police have those boys?" Joe asked.

"Actually, we don't know." Ben answered. "I came in just in time to see....them there, and then they ran off. I haven't talked to the police since that night."

"Surely you can't go back to that house - two young girls - until they're caught."

"Mom, I'm an adult. I'll be fine. It's not as if they broke in. I opened to door for them."

"All the more reason," Lorraine insisted. "Since you opened the door, how do you know that they wouldn't have broken in?"

"Carey has school as soon as break is over and I have work," Micki said, trying to sound reasonable. But the expressions on her parent's faces didn't budge.

Ben spoke up. "My family owns several apartments which are well guarded. You and Carey are more than welcome to stay there."

"Where did she stay when she got out of the hospital?" Lorraine'd asked before Micki could answer.

"She stayed at my house."

Your house?" Both parents spoke in unison.

'I assure you Mom and Dad, it was perfectly respectable. The maid lives there, so we were chaperoned. And the house is big enough tat it is possible not to run into each other all day."

"You must be some architect," Joe spoke up.

"Honestly," Ben said. "They belong to the family."

"What exactly does your family do?" Joe had to ask.

"They're into real estate and construction."

Joe sat and thought for a minute. "You wouldn't happen to be one of the Kingston Corp., Kingsley's would you?"

"Well, Yes, actually," Ben said. "My grandfather started the business, and my father's been running it since Granpy died."

"Do you know that your grandfather built this house?" Joe asked, excitedly. "I was reading the journal, your family's business is doing very, very well."

Micki looked stunned from one to the other. "Wait a minute," she murmured, interrupting the flow of the conversation. "What are you saying?"

"Old Ben here is a millionaire!"

"Uh, actually, that would be my father," Ben inserted. His words were lost on Micki, however. Her gaping mouth snapped into a thin angry line before she stiffly excused herself and disappeared out the back door.

-- -- --

Ben stared after her in silence, while both Lorraine and Joe glanced his way. "Excuse me," he murmured and walked out of the door. He found Micki on a small patio deck at the rear of the house. Her arms were wrapped about her shoulders, and she gazed up at the stars.

"Micki," he softly called her name. "What's wrong?" When she didn't reply, he reached out and touched her arm. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine!!" She snapped, turning. Ben blinked at her vehemence.

"You might have told me!" she said.

"Told you what?" Ben asked.

"That you're filthy stinkin' rich!" she said, head thrown back as if she meant to declare it to the universe at large.

"Oh Micki," Ben closed his eyes. "Is this going to be a problem? If it's any consolation, it's my father's company. It won't be mine for a long, long, long time to come I hope."

"Ben, that's not the point. You could have told me," she persisted, again turning her back on him.

Ben sighed. "Micki, listen. I wouldn't expect you to tell me what your father does for a living unless I asked." He reached out and spun her to face him. "Am I going to have to wait 4 more months for you to get over this before I can ask you to marry me?"

Micki's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped.

Ben's smiled confidently. "You don't have to answer right now, but your deadline is before we leave here Sunday. Now, close your mouth. A bug might fly in."

Micki's eyes filled with tears and she turned her back to him again.

Ben's smile faltered. "Micki?" he called uncertainly.

Ignoring the pain of her ribs, she pushed passed him and ran into the house and up the steps leaving one very stunned Ben standing on the patio.

When Micki ran through the den and up the stairs, Lorraine and Joe shared at look born of years of understanding.

"I'll talk to Ben," Joe said, rising from the table. Lorraine nodded and headed upstairs.

"I'll talk to Mick."

Joe stepped through the door and out onto the patio where he found Ben, sitting, staring up at the night sky. Wordlessly he settled beside the young man, patiently waiting.

"I'm sorry about this, Sir." Ben said softly.

"No reason to be sorry," Joe chuckled. "Unless you keep calling me Sir. Call me Joe."

"Okay, Joe," Ben smiled slightly.

"Nice night out, isn't it?" Joe broke the silence this time.

"Yes it is," Ben answered, then continued. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Well that depends," Joe said. "What did you say to her?"

"Actually, I guess in a round about way, I asked her to marry me." Ben answered, embarrassed.

Joe considered this thoughtfully. "She's a lot like her mother," Joe started. "I take it she didn't know about your family?"

Ben shook his head.

"Well then, right now," Joe continued. "She's trying to get used to that. You have to go slow with her. Take the time to really learn one another."

Ben smiled. "I guess asking her to marry me was exactly the wrong thing to do."

"Just about," Joe agreed, patting him on the back. "Just about."

Meanwhile, Lorraine discreetly knocked on Micki's room door. Without waiting for an answer, she pushed it open. Micki was lying across the bed with a pillow pulled over her head. Lorraine couldn't restrain a smile; this was the same thing she'd done as a child when she was upset.

"Micki?" she called softly into the room. "Micki, honey," she settled onto the bed, resting her hand lightly against her daughter's back. "You'll always be my baby, you know that. No matter how old you grow, or how far away you move. I'm always here to talk if you want."

Micki rolled over and looked up at her mother. "Mom, I know," she responded, sniffing. "Why do men have to be so frustrating?"

Lorraine laughed, and scooted further on the bed. "It's in their nature. Funny thing is that they don't even realize it."

Micki nodded. "Too bad there isn't some pill we can give them to make them act reasonable."

Lorraine laughed with her. Then grew serious, "Want to talk about it?"

Micki looked at her mother for a long moment, then her face crumbled in frustration. "OK, so I don't know what it is, exactly. He just makes me so mad sometimes!"

"What did he do to make you so mad?" Lorraine asked.

"Well," Micki looked sheepish. "He asked me to marry him."

Lorraine's brows raised. "Whoa. Well, honey, he obviously cares for you." She was trying to sound reasonable, even though she thought his question had been a bit sudden. "Is it that you don't feel that way about him?"

"No, it's not that I don't care for him. I do. A lot. But I've only known him a few months. That's just not long enough to establish a good foundation for a marriage."

"Oh, I see," Lorraine was silently cheering her daughter's good sense, but... "You don't know for sure if he's the one yet?"

"No," Micki tried to clarify. "I couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to be with forever. We have lots of fun together, and I think we really...connect. But, I've never met his family and I didn't even know about his father being a millionaire."

Lorraine frowned at that. and nodded to herself. "Yes, there are things that you have to talk about. But when you find the man you want to marry remember compromise. You are not going to have the same personalities, maybe not even the same priorities. Do what's right for you, honey."

"Thanks Mom," Micki said, putting her arms around her mother.

"Want to talk to Ben?" Lorraine asked softly.

"I guess I should," Micki gave a self deprecating laugh. "He probably thinks I've snapped."

Lorraine smiled. "I'll send him up, okay?" Lorraine stood and walked toward the door. Then turning back, "This door stays open," she said firmly. "It's not that I don't trust you. But Mel will be home soon and I don't want to give her any ideas."

A minute later Micki heard Ben's footsteps coming along the hallway. She felt a twinge of nervousness as he approached. She swallowed, hoping it didn't show too much.

Ben stopped in the doorway and looked across at her. She smiled and patted the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did earlier," she said.

Ben settled beside her, seemingly unsure of where to begin. "Micki," he began hesitantly. "I don't want to rush you into anything. I guess... I just automatically assumed that my feelings were yours."

Micki looked down at her hands. Ben reached out and placed his on top of hers. "Why does it make you uncomfortable when I tell you how I feel about you?"

Micki did not look up. "I don't know."

Ben waited.

"Maybe it's because I'm not sure how I feel about you?" she asked, uncertainty.

Ben touched a hand to her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. Micki found herself lost in his gaze, helpless; she couldn't pull away. And that frightened her because it left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

His hand dropped away from her chin. "I already know how you feel about me," he said. "I just have to convince you of it."

"You sound very sure of yourself," Micki taunted him. Taking the conversation in this direction was something she could handle.

"Yes," Ben agreed. "I am."

"And how can you be so sure?" she asked slyly.

"This," he said, slowly leaning in closer as if to kiss her. When he was centimeters away he stopped and looked at her with a mischievous light in his eyes. "Perhaps we shouldn't," he whispered, barely touching her lips.

Micki's half-closed eyes flew open, but she didn't move away. "Shouldn't what?" she asked, innocently.

"Tempt fate," Ben answered at a longing look at her lips.

"I'm not that kind of girl," she whispered back.

"I know," he answered. "I know..." Then the distance between them was gone. The kiss seemed to go on forever. When they pulled away, Ben moved toward the door and sat on the floor, trying to clear his head. What had they been talking about anyway? He couldn't remember, so they began making plans for the next day.

It had been Joe's suggestion that Micki fly back home and remain at Ben's home, while Ben and Carey drove back. At first Micki had objected, but with her parents and Ben arguing against her, she didn't stand a chance.

Carey hadn't been told of the incident with Frank, and the next day Micki's plane was due to leave before Ben and her parents were due to visit Carey's family. Micki had been even less happy about that. But there has simply been no other flights.

Ben and Joe drove Micki to the airport. She'd said her good-byes to her mother and to Melanie at home. And to her father at the gate. She'd been unsure of how to say good-bye to Ben, considering her father was standing right there beside them.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll see you later on tonight, or when you wake up tomorrow."

She smiled at him, silently thanking him for his understanding. After giving her a quick hug, he watched her walk through the doorway leading to the plane.

He turned when he heard Joe laughing near his shoulder. "You could have given her a real kiss. I know she wanted you to."

Ben simply grinned. This time Joe was wrong. A kiss was exactly the last thing she'd wanted. Perhaps he was learning. Changing the subject, he turned in the direction of the row of rental agencies lining one wall.

"What say we go see if I can give this van back without a fight."

Micki's flight had lasted just over 40 minutes. Since she had no luggage, she'd been able to get a cab and arrive at Ben's home almost exactly one hour after she'd originally left Va.

The house was quiet, and she wondered where Angelina had gotten to. Ben had promised to call and let her know that Micki would be arriving back early. Perhaps she'd found it necessary to go out. Dismissing the strangeness of being alone in Ben's home, she went in search of a phone.

Her first call was to Carey. She let her know that she was okay, despite the fact that she wouldn't be riding back with she and Ben. Carey'd been full of questions. But Micki didn't want to tell her over the phone, but promised that she'd explain everything when she got home.

An hour later, Angelina still hadn't returned. Micki was beginning to worry. When the knock came at the door, she breathed a sigh of relief. But when she glanced through the window, she saw a strange woman and a strange car on the other side.

"Yes?" she called, opening the door only a crack. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, an obviously came from a cultured back ground. Despite her perfect appearance, the woman couldn't hide her look of surprise at seeing Micki.

Then, just as quickly as her surprise had appeared, the woman dismissed her and pushed the door fully open. Micki wasn't able to put up must resistance.

"Where's Michael?" The woman asked, gazing around the still house.

It took Micki a moment to realize that Michael and Benjamin were the same person. So after a second's hesitation she answered. "Oh, he's out for a while. Would you like to leave a mess --"

The woman cut her off. "Do you know when he'll be back?" she asked condescendingly.

Micki paused, looking the woman over consideringly. Then deciding that insulting someone who just might be one of Ben's clients was not a good idea, she plaster a smile on her face.

"Excuse my manners. My name is Nichola Dupree, and you are...?"

The woman ignored Micki's proffered hand. "Stephanie Cartright." She spoke as if Micki should have recognized the name.

"Well, Stephanie. I can call you Stephanie?" Remaining polite was a difficult battle, and saccharine sweetness leaked into her words. "I'll be sure to tell him you came by."

Stephanie cleared her throat delicately, and turned her back on Micki. "Angelina!" she called and set off through the house.

"Pardon me," Micki began to worry. She really hoped this wasn't one of Ben's relatives, but on the other hand, she couldn't let a strange woman simply wander through his home. "Are you in some way related to Ben?"

Stephanie stopped and turned to look at her. "Surely you don't mean Michael?" she asked, amusement in her voice.

"As a matter of fact I do," Micki answered. "Are you a relation of *Ben's*?"

"You're not the maid are you?" Stephanie asked, no longer amused.

"No, I am not," Micki stated clearly.

Humph! Stephanie made a sound in her nose. "I'm not a relative."

"Then, I don't think you should be wandering around in his house like this." Micki decided to let the chips fall where they might. She'd had enough of this arrogant woman.

"Do you know who I am?" the woman fumed, almost stomping a foot.

"If memory serves, you said Stephanie Cartright." Micki's tone bordered on outright sarcasm. "So, Stephanie, *Ben* isn't here. I think it would be best if *you* leave. When he returns *maybe* I'll tell him you came by."

Stephanie's face hardened in fury and quick as a flash, gave Micki a sharp slap across the cheek. Micki gasped in surprise. But not to be outdone, she returned like for like and slapped the woman back.

Beneath the elegant exterior, lay the spirit of an alley cat. Growling in fury, the woman attacked. Her purse first came down about Micki's head and shoulders, no doubt it would leave bruises. But then she felt into her, knocking the both of them to the floor.

Stephanie quickly got the upper hand, straddling Micki's mid section, she continued to swing her purse. Micki's ribs cried out in protest, but she refused to be beat up by some slob. If this woman was a client, she'd surely lost the account for Ben by now. She had no idea how he might react to that, but she'd be darned if she were going to get beat up to boot.

Rolling over on the woman, Micki punched her in the eye. She never saw the woman's leg come up. Micki tumbled off of the woman and landed flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her. Moving wasn't exactly an option for the next few minutes.

Stephanie took advantage of the fact that Micki was, for the most part, incapacitated. "Michael Kingsley and I go way back," she said. "He's my fiancé and *you*, whatever you are fired!! He'll have no more need of your services since I'm back home now."

"That's not possible," Micki whispered through gasping breaths.

"Oh?" the woman replied. "Who do you think decorated this place? I did it for us." The woman's expression became more sympathetic. "You were just a distraction until I returned. I allow him that; we have an understanding. Now, I want you to go. Right now."

Micki eyed the woman a moment longer, then painfully tried to sit up. Stephanie reached out a hand to offer her assistance. It took every once of her self control, but she accepted the help.

"You know, you put up one heck of a fight," Stephanie said. "Let me call you a cab."

-- -- --

Micki said nothing, but watched the woman go, dazed. She was numb. Even the awful pain in her side was a dull ache against the shock of what Stephanie had told her. Moving through the house, she gathering the few things she'd brought with her.

She gave the driver her address automatically, and when she got home her mind couldn't extend further than simply getting inside the house, closing the door and slumping against it. Gazing across the room, her eyes settled on the spot where Ben had kissed her and the tears began to fall. Heaving sobs wracked her body as she cried out the pain and frustration.

When there were no more tears, another sort of pain took over. The pain in her ribs was so sharp that she literally felt nauseous. She fumbled around in her purse for her medication, only to find that it wasn't there. Her mind refused to remember where it was. Perhaps Mrs. Henderson, next door would have something. But how could she get there?

Coming up on unsteady feet and only half double over, Micki opened the door. She was surprised at how dark it was outside. When she went towards the steps her head began to swim. Grabbing onto a pole to steady herself, she decided to go back into the house.

When she tried the door, it was locked and the keys were inside. Kicking herself for her stupidity, she turned back out and faced the graying skies. Glancing toward the large hedge that separated her yard from Mrs. Henderson's, she focused her mind on getting to that point.

She steadied herself for a moment, and then headed off in that direction. A few more yards. If she could just make that final few yards.

Ben and Carey arrived back shortly after dark. The temperature had dropped significantly, and the sky held the promise of a storm.

Stephanie Cartright was waiting for them.

"Stephanie?" Ben asked in surprised confusion. "What are you doing here?" Then noticing her black eye. "What happened to you? Where's Micki?"

Stephanie looked at him sweetly. "One of your little friends and I had a disagreement."

Ben and Carey looked at each other. "Where's Micki?" Ben asked again.

"If you're talking about your little tramp, I kicked her out. I told her about us."

Ben jumped into action. He ran up the stairs, two at a time, yelling for Angelina. She insisted that she hadn't seen Micki all day, only Stephanie. Ben then tried to call her. No answer.

To Carey it appeared that at this point Ben positively panicked. "Something's wrong," he murmured.

"Ben?" Carey asked cautiously. "What's going on?"

"Since when did you change your name?!" Stephanie exclaimed, becoming irritated. "Aren't you even glad to see me? Your old friend? The one whom, I might add, just did you a great big favor."

"Shut up, Stephanie!" Ben said with a fury that made Carey jump. "If anything has happened to her I will never forgive you." Grabbing his keys, he ran out the front door. Carey was hot on his heels.

He set new speed records to reach her house. No lights were on inside or out, and the wind was really beginning to pick up. Carey could practically feel Ben's tension in the air. Her own worry combined to form a tight knot of fear in her chest.

The front door was locked. Ben unable to while Carey fumbled with the keys, took them from her hands and unlocked the door himself. There was no movement.

Carey stepped around him to turn on the light and promptly tripped over Micki's purse. The content were scattered all over the entryway; her keys were among them. Carey ran toward the back of the house, searching each bedroom carefully. She returned with reluctant steps to the front of the house, and Ben.

Reading the answer in her face, he bent over Micki's purse and began to carefully replace the items. Carey tried not to notice that his hands shook.

"Any ideas?" he croaked.

"She may have gone next door," Carey said, not very hopefully.

"Okay," Ben nodded, placing Micki's purse on the sofa and following the young woman out of the door. Carey directed them off the porch and across the yard. When they reached the hedge she spotted Micki's shoes, partially visible near the large bush. She gasped in shock, rushing to her cousin's side. Ben was there right with her.

Quickly, taking inventory, Ben checked her vital signs. She was very cold, and badly bruised, but breathing. "Get an ambulance," he ordered huskily, cradling Micki's unconscious form in his arms.

Carey sat mutely. "Carey! Call 911!!" He yelled, his voice snapping the young woman out of her stupor. As she took off, the rain began to fall in large cold droplets. The sky was completely black. He hugged Micki more closely to him, trying to infuse his own warmth into her body.

The ambulance arrived minutes later. Ben was still holding her. The EMT watched him carefully as he slipped her from his arms, promising him that he was just going to check her out.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Ben was asked.

Ben looked nervously away from the EMT, ran a hand through his damp hair. "N-no," he said. "I can't"

The EMT turned to Carey then. She gave Ben a strange look, but answered, "No."