Rescue Me
Chapter one
God, it felt good to Nick Stokes to be out on his own, away from the stress of the lab for a whole month. It was Catherine and the team, including Gil; as a parting gift before he left, that all pulled together their resources and bought him this trip to the Rockies to hike the rugged trails. Four whole weeks of fresh air and sunshine, barbarically beautiful cliff edges to climb and the physical exercise needed to banish all thoughts of his partners death a few weeks ago to a place in his heart that won't so easily rip open and seep anew each time Warrick's name is casually mentioned.
Nick rolled into a spot at one of the many scenic drop off points that encompasses the whole Rocky Mountain National Park. He loved to breathe in the fresh mountain air. As he looked around he was surprised to see only one other car in the lot. It was the off season as it was mid-December, and cold enough to 'freeze a sneeze' as his grandma use to say. There was something off about the car… He walked quickly over to it to check. The engine was off, the car hood freezing cold to the touch…yet there was steam on the windows.
Cautiously he tapped on the window. "Hello? Is someone in there? My name is Nick Stokes, I'm with the LVPD crime lab. Hello?"
He thought he heard a moan. "Can you open the car door, please? I just want to see that you are alright."
He heard the unmistakable sounds of someone scrambling with the door handle. A moment later it popped open and Nick got a good look at what would turn out to be both the best and the worst thing that happened to him.
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She looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties, Caucasian female, approx. 5'4" without heels, and probably would barely touch 99lbs soaking wet were it not for her hugely pregnant belly thrusting forward to demand attention at that very moment.
"Ma'am?" he repeated softy, so as to not spook her. "My name is Nick Stokes. I am an officer with the LVPD. Do you need some assistance?" His voice was calm and reassuring. She seemed to be in a state of near panic and close to hyperventilation.
"I'm…my name is…Em…Emily…Trenton…" this was said through gasps and moans as she clutched at her belly. Oh, boy. Are you serious? Nick thought, as he pulled out his cell phone and asked her "How far apart are your contractions, honey?"
"I…I don't know…oh god!" she wailed the last phrase as a gush of fluid puddle the floor of her car. Nick quickly dialed the parks emergency hotline and gave the rangers the pertinent information.
"Come on sweetheart, let's get you over to my SUV where you can lie down and be more comfortable." He chuckled at the shocked look on her face. "You can trust me darlin', I am one of the good guys. My mama raised me right, and my boss would have me locked up with a horny cellmate if I so much as looked at a woman with disrespect." She stared at him for a long moment before a particularly strong contraction made up her mind for her. He helped her swing her legs around and with the utmost care, swung her up in his arms. Lord, there would be hardly anything to her if it weren't for the baby, he thought to himself. After depositing her onto the folded down back seats of the SUV and folding some of his sweatshirts to use as a pillow, he called the ranger station to check on the status of a rescue unit.
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Emily heard the man's voice rise in anger and felt a frisson of fear make its way down her spine. Before it could grow into a full grown panic attack a strong tightening heralded another contraction in her womb, and she let out a groan of agony. This ceaseless ebb and flow of pain took her mind off of the fear of meeting this new man, and the possibilities of what he could do to her…hadn't she found out what men were like, what they are capable of, early on in her life? She had to stay focused, had to stay strong for her child, she had run for so long and was so tired.
If he found her…NO, no she would not dwell on those thoughts. If she were found this time, there would be no other time, she would be punished…and this time, she would not survive.