Chapter Nine

Sky sat in the front seat of the new vehicle. She glanced back at Kadey who was leaning over and staring out of the window at the front gate of Taylor Air Force Base. Kaeden queued up in the line of traffic and rolled down the driver's side window. His employer had provided the clothes they all wore. The expensive silk blouse, linen slacks and high heels she wore cost more than her entire monthly salary working for the District Attorney. She didn't tell Kaeden, but the fact that someone knew their sizes freaked her out. Kadey chose to wear a beautiful pink dress complete with pink patent leather shoes. Whoever purchased the outfit also included pink barrettes for her hair. To say Kadey was excited to be on the 'adventure' would be the understatement of the year.

"Momma! Look, he has a gun!" Kadey pointed to the uniformed guard standing at the gate. Indeed, he had a handgun strapped low against his thigh. The holster was grey and blended with the camouflage uniform he wore. "Yes, I see. That is so he can protect everyone. Just like a policeman, but he's a soldier."

"Airman," Kaeden spoke for the first time since they left the little motel.

"What?" Sky had no idea what that meant.

"He isn't a soldier. He is a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force. He's an airman, but he's also an NCO, so calling him sergeant is more appropriate."

Sky blinked at the information dump. She looked back at Kadey and made big bug eyes at her. The little girl laughed and waved at the 'sergeant' when they pulled up to his location beside the gate. He smiled and gave Kadey a small wave. Kaeden handed over all three IDs, and Sky held her breath.

"Mr. Long, we've been expecting you. If you would pull over to the right please, sir?" He handed the ID cards back and grabbed the microphone that was attached to his lapel. "Taylor, this is Gate One, notify Eagle One that the primary is on base." Kaeden waited for the second lane of traffic to clear and pulled over as directed.

Sky grabbed Kaeden's hand and squeezed it. She glanced back at Kadey who was almost standing on her head looking at the huge overhang covering the gate. She hissed at Kaeden, "Why does he want us to pull over? Who is the Eagle guy? Are we in trouble?"

Kaeden parked the car and turned to her. "No, I'm assuming the 'Eagle Guy' is either their squadron or the Support Group Commander. For an installation this size, I'd wager the Wing Commander is a Brigadier General, so probably a minion detailed to make sure we make it to our quarters and that we have everything we need."

"Are there always so many guards at the gate?" Sky looked back. There were two other airmen or sergeants that she could see. One of them had not only a handgun but a machine gun.

"I don't know. Manning depends on a lot of different things."

Sky watched the sergeant as he walked over from the gate shack. He wasn't looking at them, but at the outbound traffic. He kneeled down beside the driver's side door. "Sir, our Support Group Commander, Colonel Cologne is approaching. We will stop traffic and allow his driver to cross over and come into this lane. Please follow his vehicle to the DV quarters."

A dark blue vehicle approached, and Sky watched as the people at the gate stopped traffic with an effortless command and allowed the other vehicle to swing around the gate shack. The car pulled up beside the new Cadillac. The passenger window rolled down, and a middle-aged man in a uniform spoke, "Mr. Long, Mrs. Long, welcome to Taylor Air Force Base. Please follow me; I'll escort you to quarters."

Kaeden started the car and pulled into traffic after the dark blue sedan. "Just like that?" Sky marveled.

"I told you to trust me." Kaeden grabbed her hand and squeezed it once before he dropped it.

Sky gaped out the window. The base was incredible. Even in the fall, the grass was green and mowed to within an inch of its life. The bushes were all trimmed and neat. Everything was so clean and well maintained. Nothing was out of place. The fastidiousness of the installation had a calming sense of order, and it seemed to surround everything. Cars stopped for people in crosswalks without any prompting, which was baffling and altogether awesome. Brown signs with letters and numbers, not really words, made no sense to her and pointed in different directions, but even those were all the same size, uniform with clean lines and unobtrusive.

"Momma! Look!" Sky whipped her head around to see what had Kadey excited. A row of huge planes sat right off the road where they were driving. "Can we ride in one?"

"Oh honey, I don't think so. Right?" Sky handed that loaded question over to Kaeden for support.

"Those planes are used to take people and equipment all over the world. They make sure all the military people have what they need to do their jobs. If we rode in one someone might not get what they need, when they needed it."

"Oh. Okay. That would be mean." Kadey craned her neck to see the planes as they passed.

They followed the dark blue car through the installation until they pulled up to a small series of buildings tucked under a canopy of old, beautiful trees. The two people in the lead vehicle exited and immediately put on hats. Kaeden put the vehicle in park and glanced at Sky. "Let me do all the talking."

Oh, heck yes, please . "Absolutely." She sure as heck wasn't going to open her mouth and insert her foot. She'd gladly put this all on Kaeden.

They got out of the car as the men approached. Sky busied herself getting Kadey out of the car as the men introduced themselves. When she turned to them all eyes were on her. She squeezed Kadey's hand and glanced over at Kaeden.

"Honey, the Colonel asked if you wanted a tour of base housing and to meet with some of the other wives at the Officer's Wives' Club after Kadey's appointment."

Sky drew a deep breath; obviously, Kaeden was pushed into a corner if she already had to talk. "I really appreciate the opportunity, but we've had a rough couple of weeks. If we could just relax tonight?"

"Of course, ma'am. General Hewitt's protocol office developed a possible itinerary for your stay, but of course, your family comes first." He turned to Kaeden, "Mr. Long, my executive officer, Captain Munson, will bring your luggage inside."

Instead of handing over his keys, Kaeden popped the trunk and pointed out what he wanted the other man to bring in. Once the trunk closed, he put his hand on the small of Sky's back. They strolled down the sidewalk and into the fancy apartment. There was a small kitchen, a living room, an office and two bedrooms, each with their own attached bathroom. Sky and Kadey explored the rooms while Kaeden dealt with the officers.

"Momma, when we go to the hospital, I get to come back here to sleep, right?"

"That's right, baby. We are just going to meet your doctor and maybe do some tests." Sky had to break that to the little girl.

Kadey looked up at her with sad eyes. "But I don't like tests." Kadey associated tests with blood draws and needles.

"I know, but if we have to do tests, we'll ask your daddy if we can get a special treat afterward, okay?" Sky had no idea if that was possible, but there had to be a place where they could get ice cream on the base. God, she hoped there was.

"Chocolate?" Kadey pulled her hand out of Sky's and climbed up on the bed. She sat down and fluffed out her skirt around her.

"If that's what you want, you bet." Sky sat down beside her and gave her a sideways hug.

"Am I going to get my operation here?"

"Yes, I think so, baby."

"Why?"

"Because they can take better care of you here."

"Why?"

"I don't know, maybe the doctors are smarter here?" Sky made bug eyes at Kadey again diverting the little girl's worry. Sky glanced up when a soft knock on the door sounded. "Come in."

Kaeden walked in and sat down on the other side of Kadey. "We are free until our appointment at two. The chief cardiologist will be overseeing Kadey's care. We're clear."

Sky watched as Kaeden picked up a sleeping Kadey out of the back seat of the car. She shut the door and locked the vehicle with the key fob. The appointment at the medical facility had lasted three hours. Not because of any wait, because there was absolutely no waiting for them. They'd been assigned an escort as soon as they arrived at the huge medical facility. Sky didn't have a clue what rank the woman was, but there were a lot of stripes on that sergeant's arm. The woman was professional and courteous while taking them from one spot to the next. By the time they walked out of the facility, they had been to the laboratory to have blood drawn for both Kaeden and Kadey, an EKG done on Kadey and then one final stop for an MRI. That is where they met the chief cardiologist. They called in an anesthetist who gave Kadey a light sedative so she could once again sleep through the entire procedure. For that, Sky was thankful. The loud banging and clanking of the MRI would have terrified Kadey, not to mention the little girl would not have been able to lay still for the extended period of time it took to run the image.

Sky had to acknowledge that Kadey's Air Force doctor was amazing. She'd given him the only copy of Kadey's medical records as soon as they met. Nobody asked about the little girl's last name being different on the records, which was yet another thing that had been weighing on Sky's mind. By the time they left, the doctor's staff had made a copy of all the records and returned the originals to her.

"We will review all the tests and information from the previous doctors, but as I am sure you know, the biggest stumbling block to Kadey's operation is her blood type. Are either of you a suitable donor?" The doctor spoke to them in a darkened room as they watched Kadey in the MRI machine.

"Yes, I am Rh-null." Kaeden's eyes didn't move from Kadey's small form.

"Sir, I'm sure you realize how rare your blood is. I know our leadership would like to encourage you to register with the…"

Kaeden put up his hand and shook his head. "Not possible due to the nature of my position and the risk it could cause to the security of my work."

The doctor let out a sigh. "Figured it was something like that. Otherwise, you two would be registered as a national treasure."

Sky shook herself out of her thoughts and hurried ahead of Kaeden to open the door to the apartment where they were staying. She unlocked the door, pushed it open and switched on the light. Kaeden made his way to Kadey's room and laid her down on the bed. Sky took off her pretty, new shoes, pulled a blanket up over her, and tucked her in. The little girl was exhausted.

Sky followed Kaeden out of the room and shut the door, leaving it open enough so Kadey could see the hall light which she flicked on as she walked past it. Kaeden spoke over his shoulder as he exited the front door, "I'll be right back." She watched out the window as Kaeden walked to the car and opened the trunk. He returned with a small black bag and two big canvas totes.

He placed the black bag on the top of the refrigerator and sat the two canvas bags on the kitchen counter. Sky drifted his direction and watched as he unloaded… groceries?

"There is a ton of food already in the refrigerator." Sky opened the door and pointed to the stocked shelves.

Kaeden shrugged. He carefully inspected each seal on the items he took out of the bag. "Habit. I won't eat anything I don't buy or prepare."

Sky pulled out one of the dinette chairs and sat down thinking back over her association with Kaeden. The stark truth of his words hit her. When they'd been dating, they cooked at home and went out after they ate or he'd pick her up after dinner, and they'd go dancing. Later, during their hook-ups, they barely got out of bed, let alone worried about food.

"Why?"

"Paranoia brought about by a profession that places me in potentially dangerous environments. I'm acutely aware of what can happen if you aren't careful."

"What? You mean like food poisoning?" She could see where that would be a problem if he didn't always have proper refrigeration or cooking facilities.

Kaeden stopped unloading the bag and turned his head toward her. His eyes filled with mirth and he laughed. "Yes, exactly like food poisoning."

He opened a can of smoked almonds and pulled out a tin of crackers. Sky had never seen crackers in a tin before. Kaeden popped the lid and put them on the table with the almonds. He opened several more tins and cans making an impromptu feast out of nuts, crackers, dried fruits, preserved meat spreads and several canisters of chocolate. He opened the second bag and smiled. Kaeden revealed a bottle of dark amber liquid. "Would you like a drink?" He held up the bottle toward her.

"What is it?"

"Irish Whiskey." Kaeden turned on the hot water and let it run. He rummaged in the cabinets and pulled out plates and glasses. Sky watched as he washed, re-washed and then rinsed the dishware.

"I think they're clean." She picked up a macadamia nut and popped it into her mouth.

"Another habit." Kaeden fished the glasses out, poured a small amount of whiskey into each glass, and then put the glasses in the freezer. He pulled out a couple of bottles of water from the bag and opened one for her and one for him.

"Are you ever going to be able to tell me what you do?" Sky scooped up a handful of a dried fruit combo and picked out the mango pieces to eat first.

"Probably not." Kaeden pulled out his phone and frowned at the face of the device.

"Issues?" Sky was immediately on alert.

"No. But my scheduled phone call has been pushed back." Kaeden spread some canned meat spread on his cracker and downed it in one bite. He made and ate six more crackers slathered in meat spread before he started on the nuts and fruit. The man demolished most of the food in record time.

Sky tipped her head and watched him. When was the last time she actually saw him eat anything? The other morning when he'd made pancakes with Kadey. "When was the last time you ate?"

Kaeden shrugged and got up to retrieve the whiskey. He extended one glass to her and took his seat again. "It doesn't matter. I eat when I can. I've learned to deal."

"Why didn't you say something?" Sky took a sip of her whiskey. The strong liquor burned all the way down her throat, and she gasped a breath in surprise.

"Smooth, huh?" Kaeden smiled and winked at her.

"Yeah…totally smooth." Sky sat the liquor back and grabbed the water bottle hoping to quench the fire currently roasting her esophagus.

She elevated the bottle to her lips and drank down half of it. When she lowered the bottle, Kaeden was watching her, and she saw the darkening look of desire in his eyes. She gulped down the last swallow of water. "Want something, big boy?"

He took a drink of his whiskey. "I somehow always want you."

Sky set her water bottle down and picked up a piece of chocolate. "What would you do with me if you had me?"

Kaeden's gaze traveled over her. He shifted in his seat and leaned forward. "Everything. If I had you, and you were mine…" He reached out and drew her hand from the table turning it palm up. He traced his finger across the palm of her hand sending a full body shiver through her. "I've spent so many nights imagining how I'd tease your body, the way I'd take you to the point of losing your mind only to leave you at the edge, teetering until you begged me for release. I'd worship your body, Sky. You'd never doubt that you were the amazing, beautiful woman I see."

Sky pulled her hand back.

His eyes flashed to hers.

"But you won't stay."

"If it was possible?" He shrugged and shook his head not answering his question. "I want you. Both of you, but my life is…"

Sky held up her hand. They'd done this bit before. "Right, I know. Complicated. Look, Kaeden, I get it. I'm a side thing, and Kadey is a child you never wanted. I appreciate you stepping out of whatever spy-thriller movie set your life exists on to help us. Let's just leave it at that. Kadey is having surgery in two days. The doctor said we could go back to our own physician after he sees her at the two-week point post op. So, in sixteen days, you'll be free to do whatever it is you do. I'll go back to the house before the bank repossesses it, pack up and figure life out. We'll be fine."

Kaeden leaned back and diverted his attention out the picture window at the front of the apartment. "If I could change what I am… what I do…"

Sky could feel the pain and regret in his voice, it was that palpable. Whatever kept him from… no. She wouldn't do that to herself again. She stood up and walked around the small table dropping to her knees in front of Kaeden. But she would take her pleasure where she could, and she would try to take away some of the pain that seemed to swamp Kaeden.

For the first time since he joined Guardian, Anubis seriously questioned whether or not he wanted to retain his position within the organization. He glanced up as Sky rounded the table. When she lowered to her knees in front of him, she held his full attention.

"Kadey is asleep." Sky rubbed her small hands up and down his thighs. Her head tipped to the side as she searched his face, appearing deep in thought.

Anubis nodded at her comment, not sure he deserved where her words were leading.

"Come to the bedroom with me, Kaeden." Sky stood and extended her hand to him.

Kaeden stood and glanced at the door. "Let me lock up. I'll be there in a moment."

Sky glanced at the door and then back toward the bedroom. "Don't make me wait too long." She stood up, putting her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down to her. She'd taken off her heels. Her head barely made it to his pecs. Kaeden leaned down. Before he met her lips, she whispered, "We both deserve a few moments in time. The ones we can look back on and remember."

Kaeden let her lead the kiss. She was the one initiating the intimacy, and he'd willingly let her lead after the mind fuck Arnie had laid on her. He remembered a confident woman who wasn't afraid to take what she wanted. Her hesitancy was Arnold T. Cross's fault, and Anubis hated the man for it. Sky's tongue swept his bottom lip, and he opened for her, giving her access and meeting her tentative caress of his tongue. When she pulled away her eyes remained shut; her lips were full and red, and her cheeks were flushed. If there was a way to commit every line of her face to memory, he prayed to be able to do it-and he wasn't a praying man. He didn't have the right to ask God to be forgiven for something he was going to keep doing.

Slowly her eyelids rose. Her pupils were wide, almost consuming the dark brown of her irises. "Don't take too long." She slipped out of his grasp and headed to the bedroom. Anubis made quick work of closing up his remaining food, placing an almost unperceivable mark on each can in an exact location. If anyone were to tamper with his food, he'd know. He locked up and pulled the drapes so no one could see inside. He checked all the windows before he peeked in on Kadey.

Kaeden stepped across the hall and pushed open the door. The shower was running, and the bathroom door was ajar. Kaeden pushed the door open and leaned against the wooden frame. The frosted glass of the shower muted Sky's naked form, but it couldn't take away from the beauty he witnessed. She leaned her head back sending her dark brown hair down her back in a silken fall. She turned to him, opened the door and smiled. He lost his clothes in as much time as it took to cross the bathroom floor. He'd secured his automatic and secondary weapon in the trunk of the car when he retrieved his food.

Sky held the glass door ajar and boldly looked at him from head to toe. He cupped his shaft and stroked it. His desire for her hardened his cock into granite within seconds of seeing her naked and waiting for him.

She backed away, and he stalked forward. "I need you, Kaeden." Sky ran her hands up his chest, the spray of the shower darkening the hair on his chest where her hands roamed.

"Tell me what you need, babe." Kaeden pulled her to him and lowered his lips to hers.

She leaned back in his arms and ran her hands up his biceps to his shoulders. "I want you to lift me up and fuck me against the shower wall. Hard and fast. I want to feel your cock inside me tomorrow morning."

It was a favorite position for both of them, but oh damn, her words. She ramped his need up into the red when she spoke with such bold assurance. She hadn't been this outspoken since he'd left her in Fresno. He was happy to have the old Sky back, if even for the little while he pushed her against the wall.

"Fuck yeah, there's the woman I used to know." Kaeden reached down and grabbed her thighs, pulling her up to his waist. Her small body was easy to lift. Her legs wrapped around him and he felt it as she crossed her ankles at the small of his back. He pinned her back against the wall and lowered to fuck her mouth with his tongue. She met his kiss with a force and desire that activated every memory he had of her. She bit his bottom lip. He pulled away and laughed at the challenge that shone clearly from her eyes.

Sky wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up until she was even with his eyes. "I want you inside me."

"You're not ready." His cock wasn't small, and he'd be damned if he was going to hurt her. Foreplay, in his case, was a necessity, not a nicety.

"Feel me, big boy. I'm wetter than this shower. I'm ready."

Anubis slid his hand down her hip and swept the outer lips of her sex before he entered her with two fingers. He felt her slick heat. Fuck, she was ready.

Sky gasped and threw her head back exposing her neck. She bucked her hips against his hand. "God, yes. Please. Now."

Fuck, the way the woman wanted him, even after all the shit he'd drug her through, it was a miracle given to a sinner. One he'd cherish and protect. "Hang on to me, babe." Anubis waited until she tightened her grasp and reached down to position himself at her core. He cupped her thigh with the other hand holding her up. "Loosen your hold." He leaned forward placing her back against the wall and dropped his head to her shoulder. The tight heat of her sex wrapped around the head of his cock. He thrust up into her. They both moaned at the pleasure of the sensation. Anubis wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other gripped her thigh supporting her on his cock. "So fucking good, Sky. So good." His hips thrust deep of their own accord.

Sky's breath punched out with each collision of their bodies. She used the muscles of her legs to lift and drop, meeting his animalistic rutting of her in a frantic, frenzied climb toward release. Anubis covered her mouth with his when her gasps became words, and the words became too loud. She clawed at his back, and he drove deeper and faster. Sky's body tightened like a bow, seconds before she shattered.

Anubis crushed her to him as he chased his release. Her tight, hot body wrapped around him, depending on him to keep her aloft, safe and satisfied, fed his buried desires, stoking the flames until they were all consuming.

Sky was his, damn it! His and he was fucking claiming her. He thrust as far inside her as he could and lost himself.

The sensation of Sky's hand stroking his back broke through the euphoria of orgasm. He loosened his arms slightly and lifted his head. Sky's eyes searched his. He dropped a soft kiss to her lips. "I think I've become addicted to my daughter's mother." Anubis pressed his forehead against hers. "I want you."

Sky's hand stopped its up and down motion. Anubis didn't open his eyes, he couldn't look at her, wouldn't acknowledge that she might not return his feelings.

She unhooked her legs, and he let her down. "Kaeden, look at me."

Anubis squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. Her voice was so… resolute, he'd fucked up by admitting his feelings.

"Kaeden." Sky's hand cupped his cheek. "I've always wanted you."

Anubis opened his eyes. She had a sad smile on her face.

"I don't know how to do this." Anubis hated admitting his confusion and his weakness, but she deserved to know.

"Neither do I. Relationships don't come with a manual, or if they do, we sure as fruck missed it when they passed them out."

An unexpected bubble of laughter burst out of him. "Fruck?"

She slapped his shoulder and stuck out her tongue at him. "We have a daughter who is a parrot."

Anubis cupped the back of her neck and waited until she looked up at him. "I need to talk to my people. I don't know who is after me." He motioned his head toward the door, "Outside there is a threat against me. They've proven they will kill to get to me. I couldn't live with myself if I put either of you in jeopardy. I'll have to leave you, to make sure the threat is pulled away from you until my company can handle the situation."

Sky leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm not going to lie. I don't want you to leave, but I understand."

"You-"

"Momma! I'm hungry!"

Anubis spun, putting Sky between his very naked self and his five-year-old daughter, who was obviously at the bathroom door, or… fuck, inside the room.

Sky laughed and grabbed his arm, steadying herself. "Okay, baby! Let me get out, and I'll get your dinner."

"Is Daddy in there with you?"

Anubis could see the muted form of Kadey's pink dress and her dark brown curls as she walked toward the shower. Fuck, fuck, fuck! He cupped his cock and balls trying to hide them as he crouched behind Sky's tiny form. His eyes scanned the shower enclosure…looking for an escape hatch. Something… anything! Fuck, he was trapped!

"Ummm… yeah, he's helping me wash my hair." Sky made a face and shrugged at him. It might have been funny if his dick wasn't hanging out in the open with his daughter coming closer.

"Okay. Can I turn on Dora?"

"Sure, baby." Sky opened the door and peeked around the frosted, and steam laden glass. Anubis shuffled as far into the corner of the shower stall as he could and prayed for the power of invisibility. He now understood the definition of complete and total mortification. He heard Sky talking. "You know the rules. Don't answer the door. I'll be out in just a minute."

"Don't forget to tell Daddy I get a treat because of the tests!"

Anubis inhaled and pushed back into the corner praying to every deity he'd ever heard of or imagined that somehow the tile wall of the shower would consume him.

"I won't, and I promise we'll find something special. Now pop on out to the front room. I'll be right there." Sky remained at the door for at least fifteen long seconds before she pulled it shut and spun around. "Well, that was exciting." She blinked before she burst out laughing. "Oh my goodness! You are as red as a lobster!"

Anubis dropped his cock and balls and damn near collapsed against the wall. "That shit isn't funny."

"Yeah, it kinda is." Sky laughed and grabbed the soap.

"No, it isn't!" Anubis snapped up the shampoo and poured a portion into his hand spinning Sky and working the suds through her hair as she washed her body.

"Oh, that's where you're so wrong. It was hilarious! Besides, she didn't see anything." Sky laughed out loud. "The big bad man was hiding in a corner, behind me!" Sky spun and put her soapy hands on his chest as she leaned back into the jets, rinsing her hair and body at the same time.

Anubis watched the suds slide down her skin. Her too thin frame was still unbelievably beautiful. He held the small of her back as she worked the clean water through her hair. When she moved forward, her smiling eyes opened and found him. "That is something I'll need to work on, though. I've never shut a door or locked it."

Anubis shifted her, so he was under the jets. He soaped up as he regarded her. He would love to be the one to cause her to shut her doors, but he had no idea how to make it happen. He needed to talk to Bengal or Alpha, probably both, but that needed to wait until they dealt with the current threat against him and his family. He turned off the water and wiped an area of the frosted glass clean of steam. He peeked out into the bathroom looking for Kadey.

"Is the coast clear?" Sky laughed as she reached around him and pushed opened the door. Anubis jumped back from the open area and retreated into the back corner. It was instinctive self-preservation. Sky grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her as she padded across the tile to the door. She shut the bathroom door and spun around. "You can come out now, it's safe."

Anubis grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. "I don't think you should be enjoying this as much as you are." It had been one hell of a long time since he'd been the butt of a joke and he wasn't sure if he was alright with it. "How are you going to explain me in the shower with you?"

Sky bent over, wrapping a towel around her hair. She stood up and tucked in the end of the towel. "I don't intend to explain a thing unless she asks a question. If she asks, I'll handle it." Sky stopped and blinked staring at the steam covered mirrors above the vanity.

"What is it?" Anubis scanned the room suddenly on alert.

Sky cocked her head at him and gave him a puzzled look. "When Trey wanted to spend the night, I refused to let him. I didn't want to have to explain his presence to Kadey. I just realized what a line of bull puckey I fed him. I just didn't want him to stay because the only one I've ever wanted to have to explain to Kadey… was you."