My Beloved is Mine
M7 does not belong to me, just using the characters for fun! No copy right infringement intended. Forgot to mention in part 1 of course that the ATF universe began with Mog! She's awesome to share!
This is a sequel to "Two as One Flesh"- it won't make a whole lot of sense if you've not read that story first. Again, this one is dug out of the old files.(seriously was written about 14 years ago!) All mistakes are mine.
Part 1
Chris Larabee frowned and drummed his fingers impatiently on the arm of his chair as he listened to Judge Travis speak.
"What do you mean you want my team to leave it alone?" He finally interrupted unable to control his rage any longer.
"Just what I said Chris," the Judge tried to sound sympathetic, but he knew there wasn't much that would sooth the agent.
"This woman!" Chris shouted now. "Comes into my life intending to put a member of my team in danger, disappears after her arrest, and we are suppose to just leave it alone?"
"Chris, please." The older man pinched the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to ward of the oncoming stress headache. "It is out of my hands," he admitted.
Chris just stared. "Out of your hands?"
"Yes, it seems that Miss Billings managed to file a legally binding affidavit before her disappearance. She laid out everything she knew about Desmond and it is enough to help put him away for good this time."
The Judge met Chris' gaze. "She would only get probation anyway. The higher ups are more concerned with," he paused looking discouraged. "With election year and the gun controversy. They want you focused on illegal weapons- not, in their words, a `harmless fugitive.'"
"Harmless?" Chris couldn't believe this. He stood and walked over to the Judge's window looking out at the city. He dug his hands deep into the pocket of his black jeans fearing if he didn't he might hit something.
"Judge, this woman is obsessed with my team."
"I know Chris, and that is the other reason they want you to leave the case alone. They think you are too close to it."
Chris bit back a retort and ran his fingers through his hair. Forget the pockets he was gonna punch whatever he damn well wanted to now. 'Too close to it?' he thought, 'no, the girl had only been stalking him for up to 4 months before he even met her. Too close to it?' He turned back to the Judge.
"So what now?"
"You get on with your other cases. There is an outstanding warrant out on her, but she would be out again in no time. Try to forget about it."
"Yeah right." He slammed the Judge's door behind him and walked briskly from the building to his truck. It had been two weeks since the Desmond/Smith sting. Chris still could not believe he had been so easily set up. Kara Billings. The mere thought of her name sent shivers up and down his spine. She had been working for Jack Desmond all along and almost got Ezra killed by blowing his cover. The way Ezra told it, she had a change of heart and saved his life in the end.
Of course, they all realized why now. She was obsessed with them, with him. Chris focused on his driving for a minute blocking out the disturbing thoughts. He turned into the parking garage and found his parking space. Checking the various vehicles he knew everybody was back from lunch and would be anxiously waiting to hear what the Judge had said to him. Stepping into the elevator, he angrily punched the button for his floor. As the elevator began to move his thoughts once again went to Kara.
The shock of seeing his picture all over her apartment was still raw. He would never admit to the others exactly how shaken he actually was. He was their leader and the six men he had handpicked for his team relied on him for direction. They were family, admittedly severely dysfunctional, but they were family. It filled him with fury that they might now be in some kind of danger from this psycho. His mind drifted to the picture she had sent right after she had disappeared. He still had no clue how she had managed to have it taken.
The thought of being watched unnerved him and not knowing where she was now or whether or not she was still watching his team made his skin itch.
Ten minutes later Chris stood at the conference table waiting for his team to settle. They knew the news was bad just from the expression on his face.
"So?" Vin sat closest to him.
"We are suppose to let the matter drop," Chris told them simply, then waited for their reactions. For a moment the room was silent. Seven men looking angered and shocked.
"What do you mean we are suppose to let the matter drop?" J.D. was the first to voice his confusion.
His hair needed cut again Chris noticed, distractedly.
"In the words of Judge Travis, 'it's out of our hands.'" Chris went on to explain his entire conversation with the Judge.
"You mean they don't care that this psycho bitch is stalking you?" Buck was astounded.
"It's not that they don't care," Josiah answered for Chris his voice resigned, "it's that they care more about the politics of the moment."
"That's not fair," J.D. protested.
"Life is not fair my young friend and anyone that tells you different is trying to sell you something," Ezra drawled bitterly.
Several heads nodded agreeing with his cynical assessment.
"What do we do now?" Nathan asked looking to Chris again.
"Well," Chris sat down and put his hands on the table. "We get on with our cases like we were told." Before anyone could speak up he went on, "but I'll be damned if I'm going to just ignore this situation. I want you all to keep your eyes open. I want calls put in and favors collected. We can't actively go after her, but we are not going to wait and be sitting ducks. I want to find her. Keep it subtle, don't get caught and above all, if you find anything bring it to me immediately. I don't want anyone going off on their own here. We don't know how dangerous Billings is."
His gaze fell on Ezra, he knew it was hard for Ezra to see Kara as dangerous seeing that she saved his life. "She may contact you Ezra."
"Well she will not find a sympathetic ear with me, you know that."
Chris nodded, knowing he could trust Ezra. They had had enough friction when it came to trusting each other. He didn't want one woman to screw things up again. "Alright, get out of here and get back to work," he ordered, his voice slightly lighter then when the meeting had begun.
In his office Chris sat at his desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out the picture of himself kissing Kara . They had been on one date and he kissed her goodnight at the door. How she got a picture of it he didn't know. Anger welled up inside him again. He would not just forget about it, he couldn't.
Kara sat in her rented car watching as Chris pulled out of the parking lot and headed back toward his office. She didn't follow him. He was good at his job and she knew that if she pushed him he would spot her with no problem.
Absently she ran her slim fingers down the silver chain around her neck, until they found the bullet attached to it. She fingered the cold metal and smiled. Her gift from Chris.
Chris. Her mind drifted to her memories with him. The feel of his hand in hers, the soft touch of his lips on her cheek. Sighing she started the car and turned towards her latest hotel.
She was managing quite well on the leftover cash that Jack Desmond had given her not to mention the handful of stolen credit cards she had acquired.
Pulling into the closest parking space, she hurried to her room and locked the door behind her. She dumped her bag and keys on the dresser and stood there a moment examining herself in the mirror.
Her hair was now a soft ash blonde, and cut in a simple chin length bob. She had invested in a pair of colored contacts so now her steel gray eyes shone a deep brown. She'd even gone the extra length of purchasing a pair of non,-prescription glasses. It amazed her the difference these tiny changes made.
Glancing at a photo of Chris she had tucked into the edge of the mirror she smiled.
"You would know me anywhere wouldn't you love?" She touched the photo gently then turned and flopped down on the bed. She grabbed the phone and set it on the bed in front of her. She took a deep breath and picked up the receiver. She dialed the number from memory.
"Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. How may I direct your call?" The uninterested voice repeated words that no longer had any meaning.
"I'd like to speak to Agent Chris Larabee please," Kara spoke softly.
"Who may I tell him is calling?"
"Mrs. Larabee."
"One moment please."
Chris was at Vin's desk going over some paperwork with the sharpshooter when he heard his phone rang. Using the phone on Vin's desk he picked up his line.
"Larabee."
"I have a call from Mrs. Larabee for you sir."
The room began to spin "Who?" His voice cracked.
"Mrs. Larabee. Shall I put her through?"
Chris looked around willing the room to be still. He began to snap his fingers at J.D. trying to get the young agent's attention. He ended up with everybody's attention as he said, "Yes put it through…I need a trace!" He yelled before the connection was complete.
J.D. began frantically hammered on his keyboard as Ezra, Buck, Nathan, and Josiah simultaneously reached for their phones.
Vin stood beside Chris leaning in slightly so he could hear.
"Larabee?" Chris answered tentatively.
"Hello Chris."
Immediately he waved at J.D. to make sure he had started the trace. J.D. nodded, his black hair falling across his forehead as he stared at the screen in front of him.
"Kara." Chris kept his voice steady.
"I miss you."
"Kara listen to me, you need to turn yourself in." Chris had no idea what to say to this woman.
"Do you miss me?"
"Kara, listen to me."
"Did you have a good talk with Judge Travis?"
All color drained from Chris' face as his eyes met Vin's.
"Shit!" Ezra mumbled his hand over his receiver.
"10 seconds," J.D. whispered for Chris to keep her talking.
"How the hell?" Chris started to let his anger take over, but a look from Josiah calmed him. "It was okay," he managed.
"You looked good. I miss you." The line went dead.
"DAMN! Tell me you got her?" Chris yelled as he slammed the receiver down.
J. D. held a hand up and tapped at the key board with the other. The entire office held a collective breath.
"Got her," he exclaimed with excitement. "West Side Motor hotel."
"Let's go!" Chris paused only long enough to grab his keys and was still the first one to the elevator.
"I'm riding with you, Cowboy." Vin entered the elevator right behind him.
It took ten minutes for them to get to the hotel, pulling in like it was a major raid. Chris and Vin burst into the main office. The clerk looked startled, only to become more terrified when he saw the other five agents spreading out around the motel. He cooperated immediately, directing the men to room 111.
Chris wanted to be the first one into the room. He put Vin and Ezra opposite him, the others stood back in a ready stance. He inserted the key into the door and cautiously swung the door open, his gun drawn.
"Shit!" He swore as he searched the room, she was gone.
Vin and Ezra followed him into the room while the others kept watch outside.
"Well, she was definitely here. " Ezra gingerly picked up a photo and handed it to Chris. It was an 8x 10 copy of the photo of him kissing her.
"There's something written on the back," Vin pointed out.
Chris flipped the picture over and read the back out loud.
"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine," he frowned and looked at Ezra.
"It's from Song of Solomon," Ezra explained. "It's a book in the Bible."
"From the Bible?" Chris looked incredulously at the hand written words, trying to process them. "This is from the Bible?"
Ezra nodded grinning slightly. "It's basically a book about two lovers, and it looks like our girl has read it. "
"Better than wine eh?" Vin read over Chris' shoulder, "Buck is going to love that line."
"Great," Chris muttered.
tbc...