Disclaimer: Much as I truely wish I did, I don't own Cruel Intentions, or any of the characters originated therein. I'm just borrowing them. No money is being made from this work of fiction.

Ending Up Here

"Oh, God," Dana whispered as her face went pale. She was staring at nothing in particular, but her eyes were intense. Sebastian wondered if she was realizing what he was, realizing how Dean Concaid was always a step ahead of them as if he had some sixth sense.

"Why don't I go check out the cars? Make sure no one put a tracking device on any of them," India offered and turned to walk away before she got a response.

What happened next was so quick that it left Sebastian dazed. Dana reached for gun on in her left holster with her right hand, cocking it as she pulled it free. India suddenly had something in her hand and began to turn. Dana was looking at her now and didn't waste time on trying to get a kill shot as she fired three times in quick succession as she moved the gun. The first bullet tore through the smaller woman's thigh and took her right leg from under her and spun her forward. The second slammed into her stomach almost dead center and stopped her forward momentum but she was still making the effort to throw the black object in her hand until the third shot. The third bullet ripped into her chest just to the left, tearing through her heart, and slammed her down on her back. She wasn't dead yet, but she had dropped what looked like thin black jagged edged circular objects. Sebastian wondered absently if those were really martial arts stars.

Dana was already in motion, screaming "move!" as stepped over India, who was gasping out her last breaths. Ten seconds, Sebastian thought numbly as he watched her gasp and spasm. A person could live without their heart beating for approximately ten seconds. Everyone around him started taking cover and someone roughly shoved him behind a car. He tore his eyes off the dying woman and found Dana again, who had pivoted and was already shooting at people who were out of Sebastian's range of vision. She leaped into the air and landed on the hood of a car and slid across it diagonally, all while firing. Someone was firing back, but he heard a few grunts that let him know that she and the others had hit a few of the people shooting at them. She hadn't stopped sliding until she fell over the side of the car and landed roughly on her back. She'd done that so she could keep firing, he realized absently, without paying attention to where she was going. She quickly reloaded as she rolled onto her stomach and began shooting under the car, aiming, Sebastian guessed at the legs of their attackers. The woman was moving with an impossible combination of speed, confidence and skill, making decisions at lightning speed. It was over before he could process it. Dana stood up and casually brushed the broken glass from the shot out car windows off her clothes. Not even sparing a glance at India's body, she looked around.

"Anyone one hit?"

One by one, everyone called out that they were okay.

"Clair, tie up the loose ends," she said quietly and watched as the redhead went to make sure all their attackers were dead, prepared to shoot any who weren't in the head. As he watched the woman move methodically and cold bloodedly, Sebastian couldn't help asking himself if he was going to end up a loose end that needed to be tied. "Fucking psycho," she muttered, "only a fucking psycho would follow you into a damn war zone to try to kill you." Sebastian found himself absently nodding in agreement with her angry pronouncement. Of course, Sebastian thought Dana was a bit psychotic too.

"How'd you know," Sandy asked, clutching her computer like it was a shield as she stared down at the dead body of a woman that she had once called a friend.

Dana smirked humorlessly. "Elementary, my dear Watson."

Sebastian looked around at all the death and destruction surrounding him and wondered, for the hundredth time, how the hell had he ended up here. Kathryn. I always said she'd be the death of me one day.

"Hold him down, Kathryn!"

Kathryn looked over at the small blond, shocked by the commanding tone of her voice. "I'm trying! It's not like I'm that fucking big! Son of a bitch is the size of a small elephant."

Annette was trying to pull a bullet out of the man's leg, and he wouldn't stop flailing as Kathryn clutched his leg, nails digging into his skin, trying as best as she could to hold down a man well over twice her size. It wasn't the pain that had him in this state. It was the delirium from the infection caused by having the bullet in his leg for over two days. Right now he seemed to think that he was being eaten alive by army ants.

Annette looked at her apologetically. "I wish he'd just pass out already."

"Why didn't you say so," Kathryn asked as she released the man suddenly and sent an elbow smashing into his temple. He was out like a light. He still muttered and twitched, but it was nothing compared to the full on flailing of a moment ago.

"What the fuck!" Annette looked horrified.

Kathryn blinked at her in surprise. "Did you just swear," she asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. Annette Hargrove – Kathryn still thought of her as Hargrove, despite that she'd been married for over ten years – cursing was right up there with Elvis being spotted in an Arby's having lunch with aliens. In all these years, she'd only heard it once… the night that Sebastian had called her Kathryn thirteen years ago.

She merely shrugged as if it were no big deal. "What can I say? You and Sebastian have been a bad influence. How did you do that?"

"Sebastian talked me into taking self-defense when we started college. He was over protective."

"I don't know why," she muttered as she got back to work digging the bullet out. Kathryn didn't bother to ask her for clarification. "Almost there…"

"He's coming to. Want me to hit him again?" She sounded almost hopeful. She needed to take her aggression out on something and ranting at Annette just wasn't doing it for her anymore.

"That… won't… be… necessary," she said as she finally pulled the bullet out and held it up in a bloody grip, a triumphant look in her eyes.

Kathryn didn't care if it was necessary, just if she could get away with it. She didn't vocalize that though, instead she cocked her head and looked at her unlikely friend and ally critically. The small blonde looked like something out of a horror movie. Her hair was messy and tangled, she was covered with blood splatter and her shirt was torn. Not exactly what you'd expect a person who graduated at the top of her class at Johns Hopkins to look like. "You seriously need a bath."

Annette frowned and looked down at herself. "Yeah, I kind of do, don't I? But it's not like you look much better, princess."

Kathryn rolled her eyes and hissed, "don't call me princess. It's queen to you, cherry."

"Well, I'm not a 'cherry,' thanks to..." Gun fire outside cut her off and made them jump. "You think they're coming back," Annette asked, her eyes trained on the door.

"I don't see why not. I don't think Tarzan here is much of a deterrent anymore." She gave the last of the men who were supposed to be guarding them a sour look.

Annette laughed and earned a dirty look from Kathryn. She shook her head at the look. "I don't know why I like you now. I couldn't explain it in a thousand years."

Kathryn cocked her head in surprise. "You like me? Did you get hit on the head?"

Annette shook her head, amused. "I know. It's crazy, but it kinda snuck up on me over the past twelve years. It's the damnedest thing."

Kathryn looked away and realized that the feeling was mutual. How the hell had that happened? Maybe it was the twelve years of sharing a secret. "Well, I guess there are worse people I could be trapped in an abandoned building in the middle of a war zone and awaiting imminent death with. Hell, you might even be in my top five. But if you tell anyone I said that, I swear I'll rip out your liver."

Annette laughed and Kathryn smirked. How the hell had they ended up here anyway? Oh yeah, she thought sarcastically. Sebastian, former stepbrother/lover. Of course.

A/N: Hey I'm back! I hope you enjoyed this new beginning. Please let me know what you think... that is assuming that you've forgiven me for the last chapter of Love & War. I hope that soon all will be made clear in regards to why I ended it the way I did.

Yes, Kaila, Sebastian was in shock. He couldn't believe that she could just walk out on him like that. Poor sap.

Thanks for the SalvaVeritate!

-Angie