Authors note:

I don't own any of the characters, I am just taking them out to play. Bwahahahah. Also of note My story takes place after the series ended (much later)

Chapter 1

Wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, Bill Maxwell leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes picturing the hallway he just ducked out of barley avoiding several bullets. It was a Long hallway about 10 feet by 6 feet crossed at the end by another hallway. One door maybe two.

"I really hate this stuff," he grumbled as another bullet ricocheted off the wall just above his head. He returned fire using the last of the cartridge, then pulled the empty case out replacing it with a new one as he heard the gun man retreating.

He brought the gun up and tried to relieve some of the tension out of his shoulders. This whole scenario had gone out the window the minute they entered this mad house. First they got separated in the initial gun battle. And second he couldn't figure out where Ralph was. It should have been easy to find him, and that had Bill worried, not knowing where Ralph was even if his best friend and partner had the suit on. Maily because even with the suit he had some vulnerabilities.

"This cat and mouse game really stinks," he thought as he quickly looked around the corner, no one was there. "Really stinks, shooting blindly in a direction, especially when he didn't know who was in that direction". But it's what he had to do, If he came around a corner and hesitated he would be killed, but he also knew a shot aimed a little high… He shook the thought away. "Wasn't going to happen, Maxwell," he whispered " ya gotta stay focused here, the kid can take care of himself".

Bill tried the communicator again but only received static. "Damn something must be messing with the signal" he pushed the thing back into his pocket before calling out his partners name.

When there was no response he slowly stepped out and made his way down the hallway with his back up against the wall scanning in front and behind him as he moved.

"Ralph" He whispered harshly as he approached one of the doorways. A bullet from inside the room was his response. "This is getting old real fast." He grumbled before stepping into room and firing at the source of the bullet. Instead of hitting a person though Bill watched as an image of himself reflected in a mirror shattered into a million pieces. Movement in the hallway quickly registered that the gunman had slipped out the other doorway. Bill quickly turned back to the hall and fired missing the person as they ducked into the next hallway.

"Damn"

Nearing the end of the hallway he could hear the other person just around the corner. He checked his gun before proceding "damn only one shot. "Sloppy Maxwell real sloppy" he cocked his gun then taking a breath turned the corner took aim and fired. The bullet hit his target dead center this time, much to Bills horror as instead of the gun man it was Ralph at the receiving end.

"No" Bill rushed over to his friend catching him before he crumpled completely to the floor. His mind was reeling as he tried to understand why the suit didn't it work. "Stay with me Ralph" he said as if the words themself could stop the blood. Franticly he tried to stop the bleeding, He didn't understand. Ralph had the suit on; the bullet should have just bounced off.

"No don't do that," Bill ordered his dying friend as Ralph started to lose conscience, he could see the pain and confusion in Ralph's eyes and it tore at him. Not now, not this way, he told who ever would listen trying to hold back the wave of emotion that threatened to take over.

"You can rest when this is over kid. I promise, just don't give up...Don't… giv.." Commotion somewhere in the house stopped him. As he listened Bill could hear sirens outside. " Ralph, the Calvary is here we are going to get you out of here…Ralph?!.." The younger mans unseeing eyes stared back at him. He checked for a pulse when he found none he sat back against the wall and the world around him swirled forcing him to close his eyes as everything faded to black.

Bill was awake, despite the darkness that surrounded him, he knew that much. The pounding in his head and sore muscles from sleeping on the couch testified loud and clear that he was awake. "I really need to tell the kid to get a new couch" He groaned as he rubbed his head then stopped. Ralph his mind raced as he sat up quickly ignoring the pain that came with the sudden movement, the images of Ralph dead still very real. He looked around; relizing he was in Ralph's living room he let out the breath he was holding, last night filtered back to pushing his dream away. He had stayed after watching a late game with Ralph, with the councilor out of town and Ralph's car at the school it made no sense for him to go home only to turn around a few hours later to take Ralph to school the next day.

At least it did then. Now stretching the kinks out of his back it didn't seem like a very smart idea. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 5:45. He couldn't go back to sleep even if he tried, he knew that dream would be waiting for him just as it had the last few weeks. Rubbing a hand over his face Bill leaned forward on his knees. Each time he knew it was a dream, but it felt so real the whole thing…Ralph dying, the blood everything. But it was a dream… had to be, and there was no other explanation.

He looked in the direction of his partner's room. "It was a dream" he whispered to himself, not sure who he was trying to convince. It was just a dream he repeated the mantra he had become used to saying but he had to be sure. Slowly he got up from the couch and crossed the living room till he stood just outside Ralph's door which was slightly ajar. He strained to hear any movement coming from the room only relaxing when he heard Ralph's alarm go off and his friend turning it off mumbling about a few more minutes and his mom. Quickly he retreated to the hall Bathroom not wanting Ralph to know he was there.

Once there Bill turned on the faucet then watched the water as it faded and he was again standing in that hallway Ralph's eyes staring at him, cold, empty, and lifeless. They seemed to pull at him, pulling him closer, and he let himself be pulled feeling his body sink to the floor his only support was the wall. He reached out toward his friend only to let out a shout pulling it back when Ralph turned towards him.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE…..

"Just a few more minutes' mom" Ralph groaned as he rolled over and hit the snooze button putting an end to the annoying sound invading his sleep even if it was temporary. Movement out side his door brought him fully awake till he remembered his partner had stayed over. He listened as the bathroom door was shut and the water turned on then lay back down.

Way too late, He stayed up way to late for a school night. Never again I don't care how good of a game it is, no more especially on a school night, He told himself. He was just getting to old for this stuff. He laughed at that. He knew that promise would be broken many times in the future just as it had in the past 10 years. And it was worth it every time. He had to admit, it was fun just hanging out with Bill, Ray and even Tony or should he say special agent Tony Villicanna. That made him smile more, He still couldn't believe it even though both him and Bill had been there every step of the wa….

The sound of something crashing brought him out of his thoughts and to his feet and a shout sent him to the bathroom door.

"Bill" He knocked on the door getting no response he tried the handle. " Damn locked," He reached above the door jam for the key to the door but it wasn't there. "Bill, you there, the doors locked,open up" He called knocking and trying the handle again. "C'mon Bill talk to me partner" he waited for a response and was about to try to break the door down when he heard movement then the door being unlocked and opened.

"Hold your horses Ralph, geez can't a guy get some privacy."

"Bill what was all that noise"

"what noise"

"What noi… Bill it sounded like someone was being murdered in here"

"Murder, what.. whe... Bill looked back over his shoulder then cleared his throat rolled his shoulder " Oh that..um well...Well you see I saw a spider"

"A spider"

"Yeah Ralph a spider…a really big one too" Bill held up his hands as if to show how big "this spider really was really bi…and I must have spilled some water on the floor, because when I saw it I jumped and slipped that's all" Bill stepped out of the way in to the hall so Ralph could have a better look.

Ralph shook his head at the water on the floor but that wasn't what bothered him. What bothered him was Bill lying to him. He could always tell when his friend wasn't telling the whole truth and after ten years of running scenarios and such he could read his friend pretty good despite the tuff guy image he paraded in front of the rest of the world. Something had scared him and whatever it was it scared him bad and it wasn't a spider.

"You saw a spider and slipped"

"That's what I said what you a parrot now repeating everything I say"

"Bill I.." He ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh dropping the subject, he had to let Bill tell him in his own time what was bothering him. "ok a spider" he finished stepping into the bathroom and strted to close the door but Bill was still standing in the way staring at nothing "um Bill," he waved his hand in front of the older mans face trying to get his attention " You sure your ok"

" Uh… yeah I'm fine like I said I saw a spider and…."

"Ok Ok I get the point, But I need you to either come in or leave. And I prefer the later.." he paused waiting for Bill to step out of the way " so I can get ready for school"

"Oh" Bill stepped back into the hall "yeah sure, how about I go make some coffee" he finished as Ralph shut the door.

"make it strong, I'm gonna need it."

" Sure Kid" Bill stood for a minute then headed to the Kitchen. Kicking him self the entire way for letting a stupid dream bother him so much. He knew the kid saw right threw that spider story. What was I supposed to say to. He thought as set up the coffee pot, then turned it on before sitting at the kitchen table putting his head in his hands "you see Ralph I had this dream where I shot and killed you." Yeah that would go over about as well as a bull in a china shop. The images from his dream came back and Bill shook them off. Get a hold of your self Maxwell it was just a dream a big stupid dream, you can't let it bug you, if you do, you make mistakes and mistakes can get people kil… Bill stood up quickly and walked over to the fridge "Food that's what we need" He said out loud as he opened the refrigerator, keeping his thoughts from going down that road. "a good breakfast to boost the old blood sugar".Bill glanced at his watch 6:00. "yeah plenty of time to fix one of the famous wild Bill omelets" good thing the councilor went shopping before she left. He thought as he started to pull items out of the fridge pushing his dream to the back of his mind forgotten at the moment as he started making breakfast.