Background

Aldo's safe house in Colorado. Lincoln had already head butted Jane in an attempt to evade capture with LJ, giving her a split lip. Aldo has already arrived at the house. The plan is to spend the night in Colorado before heading out tomorrow. It's still daytime…

Story Begins

Lincoln stood in the shower. The hot water streaming down his back. How long had he been in there? 15 minutes, a half hour. It wasn't long enough.

It had been 3 years since he had the luxury of hot shower, being in a private tub without guards standing over him, telling him to hurry up.

But suddenly he was alone. No brother, no son, just him and realization that his life would never be the same. Being on the run, fighting to stay one step ahead, fighting to reunite with his son, kept him from feeling the pain. Kept him from remembering her, from coming to terms with the reality that all the hopes and dreams he had were no more than streams of water cascading down the drain.

He had his brother. He had his son. But nothing could replace being in the arms of the woman you love. Of feeling the warmth of her tender embrace, the power that comes from her touch.

Lincoln had just finished getting dressed.

He walked down the long staircase feeling a sense of calmness from not being on the run when he spotted Jane at the bottom of the stairs. Her long blonde hair neatly tucked back behind her ears. Lincoln's calm demeanor turned to irritation as he watched her standing there with her arms crossed and a severe look on her face. She reminded him of a guard dog sniffing him out and he didn't like the feeling of that at all.

What was the deal with this chick? Who was she really? And why had my father trusted her so completely?

The thought made him angry and resentful of her. She knew more about his father than he did.

Her eyes watched him move down the stairs as if studying him, profiling him for something. Lincoln didn't know what, but she made him feel uneasy. She gave him a bad vibe.

"Where's my son?" Lincoln growled, his eyes glaring.

"He went out," she replied with an eerie detachment.

"What do you mean he went out!?"

"He left," she said.

Lincoln edged toward her with an angry look on his face, but she didn't flinch. Her demeanor just as cool as before. She cocked her head sideways.

"I want to now where my son is now!" he growled.

"Relax Lincoln. He's with your father. They went for a drive. They'll be back in a couple of hours," her voice calm.

"Where did they go?"

"Your father took him to the mountains. He's safe, don't worry."

"Don't tell me not to worry lady. I don't know you. For all I know you could be lying to me. Now I want to see my son. NOW!"

Lincoln watched as she reached into her jacket pocket and he got edgy.

Was she pulling out a gun? Did she kill my family? Was she about to kill me?

He continued to walk toward her with a quickening pace. He would grab her gun, surely he had the strength over her. Then he would chock the life out of her.

Jane pulled out a metallic object and Lincoln studied it. She flipped it open and pressed a button. It was a cell phone. She handed it to him.

"LJ?" Lincoln said into the phone.

"Hi dad," his voice filled with joy and Lincoln's heart relaxed. "My grandfather is taking me for a drive into the mountains. It's beautiful out here."

Lincoln wanted to tell LJ to come back. He needed to watch over his son every minute. But LJ was happy, feeling a sense of security that being on the run hadn't given him. He just lost his mother. But now he has a grandfather, something he never had before. Aldo could never replace Lisa. Heck, Lincoln couldn't replace Lisa. But LJ was with family and he needed that now more than ever. Lincoln took a deep breath as he listened to his son speak and a moving smile came across his face. Jane studied his expression with curiosity.

"Put your grandfather on," Lincoln said and then heard Aldo's voice. "Why didn't you tell me you were taking my son?"

"You were in the shower. I didn't want to disturb you. Plus I thought you needed the rest and it gave me time alone to get to know my grandson. I've never had the chance to get to know him."

"Whose fault is that!?"

"I know I haven't been around. But I plan to make it up to you son."

"Just have my son back safe & sound."

"We'll be back in a couple of hours. I promise I'll take care of him. He's safe with me."

Lincoln hung up. Jane's outstretched hand reached for the phone. But Lincoln tucked it in his pocket while his eyes locked on hers with satisfaction as she looked irritated. He won the battle of the cell phone. It wasn't much of a battle but nonetheless he won this game with her. He needed to establish dominance over this bitch who kept him hostage in the house. Jane rolled her eyes.

"Lincoln, I'm on your side. I wish you could see that," she said. She touched her bottom lip, wiping off some of the blood, then licked the blood off of her finger.

Lincoln walked to her left and she blocked his path.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Out," he said.

"I can't let you leave."

He gave a frustrated grin and looked away then looked back at her. "Get out of my way."

"There's no place for you to go. Just sit and relax."

"I don't want to relax," he said and stormed past her, pushing past her shoulder. He walked toward the door and she followed him. He reached for the doorknob and she slid her body between him and the door. She grabbed his arm, the one that reached for the knob.

"You're not going anywhere. My job is to keep you safe. I'm here to protect you. You need to cooperate with me Lincoln," she said in a controlled tone.

"I don't need you to protect me!"

The more she wanted him to stay, the more he wanted to leave. Lincoln didn't know where he intended to go. Maybe to take a walk around the house. Maybe just to stand outside the other side of THAT door. It didn't matter, as long as he left that house and got away from her. As long as he disobeyed HER orders.

Fuck her! This bitch isn't running the show! She's not going to tell me what to do!

"You're not leaving this house Lincoln," Jane said, her breath brushing against his skin.

Their eyes locked. Their faces inches from each other, their bodies pressed together. She licked her bottom lip and Lincoln could see a drop of blood clinging to the tip of her tongue as she pulled it back into her mouth. She tasted it all the while her big blue eyes staring into his deep blues. Her breast heaved against his chest. The warmth of her body against his, caught him off guard.