Yeah, not much happens in this chapter. I do know where this is going now, thanks to FallenStar08, who unwittingly gave me the idea for the rest of the story. Thanks, love! :)

So, even though this chapter is pretty low on plot development, please review anyways! It makes me write faster. :)

When Sam arrived at Jules' house, she had managed to tidy herself and the house up. The broken glass was thrown away, her blood was scrubbed off the floor, and her attacker's blood was put in a small plastic bag for evidence. Jules was wearing a turtle neck and jeans, effectively hiding the worst of the bruising. She had wiped the blood off her face, only a slight nick was left, and most of the bruises were hard to see.

About 30 minutes after her phone call, there was a knock on the door. She pushed herself off her chair lethargically, still feeling the effects of having her head bashed in. Or at least, that's what it had felt like. Jules made her way over to the door, peering trough the peephole in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. Seeing that it was indeed Sam at the door, she unlocked it and opened it. She opened her mouth to speak, but Sam took one glance at her appearance and beat her to the punch.

"Who the hell did this to you?" he asked angrily, reaching out and gently pushing her bangs back to get a better look at the extensive bruising. He gently ran his fingers over her cheek, where the worst of the damage was. He cursed under his breath, anger and worry clouding his features. "That son of a bitch...."

Jules had to forcible stop herself from shivering. Now was not the time to lust after a co-worker. Taking a sharp step back, she interjected, "Sam, I'm fine, I just—"

"Don't even try," he cut in sharply. He stepped over the threshold, closed the door behind him, and steered her back into the seat she had just evacuated moments ago. "I know you're not fine, and I know you're hiding something from me. Just tell me what happened, and then I'm taking you to the hospital."

She glanced at him with reproach, but she was secretly grateful. She didn't want to make a big deal of the incident, but it was best to err on the side of caution. Jules didn't yet know the extent of her injuries, and she was not one to complain. Having someone take her forcibly to the hospital would ensure that she wasn't badly hurt, and she wouldn't feel like a wimp. Even with this said, she wasn't fond of the idea of telling Sam she was attacked in the middle of the night.

"Jules, just tell me. I'm going to find out eventually, and you know better than anyone that keeping secrets like these never helps anyone in the long run. What the hell happened?" he stated, breaking her long silence.

She carefully wiped her face of all emotion, she didn't want to him to see how much this had shaken her. Meeting his eyes, she said simply, "Someone caught me off guard last night. He must have been waiting here. I don't know who it was, he was wearing a mask, but he was about 6'7" and 300 pounds. I got him in the nose, though, and I have a sample of his blood bagged for the lab."

The look of sadness and worry he gave her nearly broke her heart. Sam opened his mouth, seemingly to search for something to say, but he couldn't seem to find any words. Instead, he pulled her to her feet and enveloped her in his arms, trying to offer some comfort. It was as though he could tell that she was hiding her unease. As Jules dropped her head onto his chest tiredly, Sam squeezed her reassuringly, unwittingly putting pressure on her sensitive ribs.

She couldn't help it, she flinched and inhaled sharply. Sam leapt back, looking horrified. Casting her a worried glance, he asked anxiously, "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The corners of her mouth twitched in the resemblance of a smile. "I'm fine, just a little sensitive."

He looked at her once more, still worried, but he let the matter drop. "Let's get you to the hospital," Sam murmured affectionately. "I'll drop you off, then I'll take the sample to the lab and let the team know what happened."

Jules shot him another unhappy glare, unimpressed.

Guessing the cause of her doubts, Sam sighed, "You can't expect me not to tell them what happened. Come on, let's go."

She shook her head in resignation and waited at the front door for him. He didn't keep her waiting, less than a minute later he was back with the blood sample. He led her outside, tensely waiting for a falter in her stride that wasn't going to come.

Jules was silent during the drive to the nearest hospital. She was trying to get used to this new feeling, the feeling of unease and fear. She was part of the SRU, fear wasn't something she was supposed to feel. She was supposed to be stronger than this, this wasn't supposed to shake her. Instead of responding to Sam's attempts at a normal conversation, she just stared blankly out the window.

They arrived at the hospital, and Sam killed the engine and looked at her in concern. It wasn't like Jules to stay silent for so long. "You want me to come in with you?"

Jules paused while undoing her seatbelt, unsure of what she wanted. She wanted to appear strong, but she desperately wanted and needed the support he offered her. Weighing her options, she finally answered timidly, "Walk me in?"

He nodded, apparently relieved. Sam stepped out of the car, and he followed her into the hospital. Jules waited in the emergency room silently with Sam seated beside her, his hand resting on her arm. That simple gesture did more for her than words could say. He was her rock, and he always would be.

Finally, a nurse called her name and she stood up gingerly. Sam got up as well, preparing to drive to the station. She turned, smiling in thanks before following the nurse out of the waiting area.

TBC

Thanks for all the reviews, you guys rock! I'll try to update soon, promise!