Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. If it did, John and Joss would still be together on the show.

Pre A/N: Okay so this is where the slightly A/U part comes in. This chapter is basically a recreation of Number Crunch with a few minor changes including the fact that John's identity is still hidden. It was a suggestion by ASomberCareese to show John and Joss connection further. Enjoy.

Chapter 2 - The Cabin

John watched as the two sisters scurried away to the car he had provided them. After disabling the would-be murders, they had tried to offer him the money as compensation for his help. He refused of course; they would need it to start fixing things and living their lives.

The wind began to pick up, dropping the temperature even further. It didn't bother John. All his military training taught him how to take the right precautions to steel himself against the elements. The ski mask he was wearing to hide himself from the perpetrators would protect him as well. With another number saved, he was ready to head home and get some sleep.

As he took a few steps towards the deserted road, John saw lights coming from behind him followed by loud crunching. He saw a black SUV coming towards him and stopped in his tracks when he recognized the driver.

His old employer Mark Snow exited with an evil smile gracing his lips. The opening of the passenger's side door caught his attention and when he saw who the occupant was, he grew angry. Detective Joss Carter pulled her coat closer to herself as she approached the front of the car. John was upset that Snow would stoop so low as to use her morals to his advantage. Using underhanded methods such as that was something he had come to hate during his time in the CIA.

Even in the darkness, John couldn't help but notice how much more beautiful she was without the help of make-up. He had to shake those thoughts away as he tried to figure a way out of his current situation.

"Hello John" Snow greeted him with false sincerity.

He remained careful. "Mark."

Joss looked at the two men as they exchanged greetings, unsure of what she had done. When she recognized the other man's voice, she was taken aback that it was the stranger who she had grown fascinated with in the last few months. This couldn't be the monster that Snow warned her about. What had she done?

"I would have thought you would have had a cabin in the woods somewhere, Montana maybe." The tension was so thick. Even with the temperatures continuing to drop, neither man was ready to make the first move.

"What do you want Mark?" His eyes once again drifted to Carter. He could see the turmoil that she was going through on her expressive face. No, he couldn't be angry at her trying to do what she thought was the right thing. It was just who she was and he wouldn't fault her for that.

"It's time to come home John." Joss looked over at Mark's smug face. It could only mean one thing, the real reason why the CIA was so adamant with finding him. They tricked her. John knew something about his bosses that they didn't want to risk getting out to the public. Mark wasn't planning on taking him alive.

"You know that will never happen." John made a small move to reach for the pistol that was hidden in the waistband of his slacks. The only thing that was hampering his escape was the headlights of the cars. If he could take them out, the cover of darkness would provide him the exit he need.

The next events happened in a flash. Evans's silenced bullet dug into John's side. He grunted and just as he fell to the ground, he pulled out his pistol. He began unloading rounds into the head lights while being careful not to hit Carter. One bulb exploded but before he could successfully take out the other one, another bullet ripped through his leg. John had to bite back the immense pain as the second light was destroyed. The forest was now his advantage as he struggled to push himself off the ground and make his way out of sight.

Disoriented by sudden darkness and unexpected gunshots, Joss peeked out from the cover of the car door. When she looked over at Snow, she could see that he was upset that John had managed to escape. She felt a confusing mix of emotions at that moment, the main one being the obvious guilt over setting up her mysterious vigilante. As the snow began to pick up, Joss noticed a faint trail of footprints escaping into a heavy wooded area.

Knowing that it was only a matter of time before the falling snow would cover his tracks, Joss crouched from Snow's view and began to give chase. Because of her military training in adapting to the environment, the dark didn't pose a problem to her either. Her police issued pistol was tightly clutched in her hands as she pushed through the trees, following the quickly fading trail.

Her thoughts went back to their meeting at the masquerade party. John didn't seem like the dangerous type then either. Despite the fact that their identities were kept a secret, she still felt completely safe in his presence, especially in his arms when they danced. John was someone that she could relate to, possibly more than any man she'd ever known, including her ex-husband Paul.

Now he could die if she didn't find him and get him some help.

The cold air was slowing down the bleeding but it was also making it hard for John to move. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping him going as far as he did. He felt awful for leaving Joss behind. If he hadn't been shot, John would have grabbed her and got Carter the hell out of Snow's clutches.

A few feet more of crunching snow and the adrenaline wore off, forcing him to lean against a tree. It was growing darker as his vision began to blur. The hand that was forced up against the bullet hole was drenched in his blood. The snow beneath him was stained red with each drip.

Even through his haze, John thought he heard approaching footsteps. He tightened his grip on the 9mm pistol in his hand.

"Freeze!" Yelled the voice closing in. John couldn't stop the smile from breaking on his face when he recognized the owner.

Even in his current state, he had to be a smartass. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think Detective."

Relief flowed through her body as she replaced the pistol in her holster before rushing to the body that was leaning against the tree. Joss had to fight the feeling of disgust when she saw the pile of red snow just under John. When she was within reach, Joss put a hand to his shoulder as she maneuvered to John's front. She wanted to get a better look at his injuries. "How are you feeling?" Without waiting for an answer, Joss draped one of John's arms over her shoulders and tried to take his weight. "We've got to get out of here. Snow is going to find you soon enough." Joss pulled until he was back in a standing position.

John grunted as the action irritated his injuries. "Yeah, he's a persistent bastard that's for sure." If she looked under the ski mask, Carter would have seen that he was smiling.

The wind began picking up speed and as he looked at the woman next to him, he saw that she was ill prepared for the environment with her thin jacket. John wanted to tell her to forget about him and to get herself someplace warm but he knew that she wouldn't listen. Her stubbornness matched his own.

After a few feet of dragging John, Joss saw something in the distance. Getting closer, she saw a log cabin. "Thank god" she uttered as she looked over at John. Even though she felt that he was keeping his weight off of her, his eyes were closed. She panicked and began to shake him. "Hey, don't go to sleep. We're almost to shelter." When he didn't answer, Joss tried to hurry faster. Looking at the darkened windows, she could only hope that someone wasn't home because she didn't have time to play twenty questions.

Reaching the front porch, she quickly knocked on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?" When she didn't get an answer, Joss pulled her hand inside the jacket's sleeves before punching through the glass so she could reach in and unlock the door. She opened the door and before heading inside, checked behind her to make sure they weren't followed. Her body was beginning to grow tired from having to carry twice her body weight but she knew she had to keep going. "How are you holding up?"

John had been quiet since she had found him. "I'm just peachy" he whispered, his eyes still closed. It was good that at least he was still talking. She could not let him sleep until she had tended his wounds

Inside, there was a small entryway that included some tables with vases of flowers and portraits. Joss's eyes scanned each room she passed. The first one was a small kitchen that looked to be properly stocked. Another area had a fireplace with a few couches surrounding it. Joss steered John over the short distance before carefully dropping him on the couch closest to the fireplace. When he sank into the cushions, John groaned as he adjusted his body to be in a more comfortable position. She worked out the crick in her neck from carrying him before starting a fire. Looking back to John, Joss began shaking him by the shoulders because his eyes were still closed. "Hey, hey." Grabbing his attention was getting harder. "I'm going to take off your coat okay?"

"Aren't you going to take me out to dinner first Detective?" Joss rolled her eyes because even though John had two holes in him, he had to tease her.

Her jacket came off and was then tossed haphazardly in the corner of the couch. She unbuttoned the sleeves of her blouse before rolling them up to her elbows. "Like I don't feel bad enough. I know it was a joke but still…"

"It wasn't your fault" John tried to reassure her as she looked around the room. There were no family photos or really personal decorations, just a few more swap meet pictures and some antlers over the fireplace.

Joss could only hope that the place was stocked with a medical kit or John was going to be in real trouble. "I'm going to get you some water and see if I can find a first aid kit okay?" John just nodded his head and she went in the direction of the kitchen that they passed. Everything was clean and in its place just like the living room. Joss wondered if the place was up for sale or something because it really seemed like no one was living here. Realizing that wasn't important, she looked in the upper cabinets and found some glasses to get him something to drink.

Under the sink, Joss found a white basin that she would use to help clean up the blood. It was filled with lukewarm water and she threw in a dishtowel. Having quite a bit to carry, she first took the drink to John. Making her way back at to him, he appeared to still be awake but fighting a losing battle. She walked up and gave him the drink. "Here you go."

John took the water gratefully and drank the whole thing in one large gulp. "Thanks." He then returned it to her.

"No problem." Joss then thought about her next move. The coat and shirt had to come off but she would have to do the deed herself. She pushed the coffee table over after putting the cup on top of it to give her some room. Before reaching for the first button, she lifted a finger so he would see. "Not a word okay?" There was no doubt that John was a human dictionary of clever comments. When he nodded, Joss eased his upper body up as she slipped her hands into the sleeve pockets to push down until it pulled around his waist.

Joss's eyes widen at the sight of blood that completely soaked through his shirt. There was a moment where she questioned how she would be able to do this without making things worse. Back in the army, she used to interrogate high profile prisoners. Joss only got basic medical training that would come in handy when it came to handling cuts and bruises but not something as severe as gunshot wounds.

John groaned when he noticed the painful look in her eyes at the sight of his injuries. This wasn't her fault. He caught her off guard by grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze before pulling away. That small touch brought back memories of their dance together, the unknown feelings brewing between them.

Unable to address what it was just yet, Joss slowly pulled her hand from him. "Once I see how bad it is, I'll see what I can do to patch you up."

"The bullets went clean through. If you bandage me up…" he took a quick intake of air. "I should be alright."

"You're lying" she countered. John was trying to spare her the grief of fixing him up. "All that blood won't just go away John." Instead of arguing, Joss went to the bathroom. She was annoyed by the fact that John was making light of the situation. First things first though, she had to clean the wounds so Joss detoured back into the kitchen to get the basin and towel that she left behind. When she came back to the living room, Joss could see through the dim glow from the fire that John wasn't moving. She quickly put the basin on top of the table. "John?"

Not getting a response, she slowly approached him. She wanted to get a better look at him but the mask was in the way. For the first time in a long time, she was afraid. If John died because of her, she would never forgive herself. Reaching to his wrist, she wrapped her index and middle finger around the pulse point and was relieved to feel his heart beating strong. The hand then inched its way up his arm, hoping to remove the mask to give her a glance at the man that had managed to sweep her off her feet. Joss was right at the bottom of his neck with her fingers twitching in anticipation over the reveal.

Her thumb and index finger tugged on the mask slightly before Joss sighed and pulled away. Even though she was extremely curious and John was at his most vulnerable right now, her morals wouldn't let her take advantage of the situation. Something inside told her that this would not be their last meeting and she needed to patch him up so she could look forward to the next. Joss lowered her eyes to the floor in an effort to keep her focus on the task at hand. She needed to get his dress shirt off to get to the wounds. She leaned forward again and tugged it from the waistband of his pants before Joss began unbuttoning it. Every bit of skin that she exposed had Joss sucking in a breath. Even though John was slightly older than her, he had taken care of himself.

John's chest was flat and there were taut muscles in his arms and stomach. Joss didn't want to admit it but she was impressed. It wasn't something that she normally cared about when it came to men but she couldn't help but appreciate that he still took the time to take care of himself. Another thing that caught her eye were the faint scars that were all over him. They looked to be a combination of knife and bullet wounds.

Reaching the last button and undoing it, Joss finally got a good look at the wound and breathed a sigh of relief that the cold air outside seemed to have slowed the bleeding down to a crawl. She made the hole in his slacks bigger and saw the same from the second wound. There was still no way she would be able to stitch everything up herself.

John was right. The best idea would be to bandage it up until he could get back into the city for proper care. She pushed back until she was on her knees then turned her body so that she could grab the basin and put it on the floor next to her. The dish towel was soaked inside the warm water then Joss wrung out the excess. Looking up to his face again, she tenderly brushed it against the wound. As soon as she made contact, John's stomach flinched involuntarily. Even though Joss knew he wasn't dead, it was still a relief to see him move.

With every swipe of the towel, the water took on more of the red tinge from his blood. As the wound finally became clearer, Joss brushed it with her fingertips, again causing John to flinch. Just as John said, the bullets went clean through so she wouldn't have to worry about retrieving it. She didn't know how long she took but she was finally finished with the first part of her job. Now she just needed to cover the hole so that he could get it stitched later.

Leaving his side again, Joss first emptied the basin before washing her hands. Once again, she refilled it with lukewarm water and brought it back to the living room before going to the bathroom. Joss first looked in the medicine cabinet. Much to her dismay, it was empty. There wasn't even a prescription bottle of some kind. She moved to the bottom of the marble sink and opened the cabinet doors there. In front of her were a couple of cleaning products for the toilet. Pushing the bottles to the side, Joss saw the familiar white box with a red cross towards the back.

An overwhelming sense of accomplishment filled her as she retrieved the first aid kid then rushed back to John. "Looks like there's enough bandages here to prevent any more bleeding," she commented to him when Joss returned as she looked inside the box. There were gauze, linen, alcohol, scissors, bandages, and disinfectant. Joss went through the process of cleaning the wound again, this time with the alcohol to prevent any possible infection.

John flinched again but still didn't wake up. Putting protection on the wounds was the easiest part of the whole ordeal. Joss was relieved for the reprieve. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was head home and fall into bed.

The gauze pads were positioned first before Joss taped them into place. After deeming her work satisfactory, she leaned up against the side of the arm chair. She was happy to finally be able to treat the wounds. Maybe she would just rest her eyes. When John was conscious again, she would be sure to get answers out of him.

Joss didn't know how much time had passed since she brought John Reese to this cabin in the woods. The first thing she heard was the crackling of the fire. She groaned a bit as she began moving her body. Joss was quick to notice however that she was no longer in a sitting position. When she opened her eyes, she found herself on her back lying on top of the couch that sat across the now empty arm chair.

Reminded of the night's events, Joss quickly stood up to look for John. Calling out his name as she searched the kitchen, bathroom and closet, she found that she was all alone. Defeated, Joss returned to the living room and dropped down on the couch again. In her haste to find John, she had failed to notice the small piece of paper left in his place.

Joss slowly approached the note, as if the wrong move would cause it to disappear into oblivion. She picked it up and read it.

Detective, I must thank you for tending to my wounds. Even though it's not exactly a proper goodbye, I have to leave you to make sure that you are safe tonight. I know that Snow will confront you about what happened but I also know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself.

Joss found herself blushing unexpectedly at this comment.

On the table near the front door, I left you a set of keys to a car that will be delivered to you. You can use that to make it back to the city.

I'll call you soon.

John

It felt like the weight of guilt was slowly lifting off her shoulders as she reread the note. Even though she was saddened by the fact that he had left while she was asleep, at least he was safe. Snow would have moved from here hours ago to continue his search for John.

Joss grabbed her coat and just like he said, there were keys on the table by the front door. Her vigilante had escaped again and she still had no idea what he looked like.

This wouldn't be their last meeting. Just maybe when she saw him again, she would finally see his face.

Post A/N: So yes, this was only a two parter. I'm apologize that this isn't really a Valentine's Day story but I just couldn't seem to come up with one. Thanks again to ASomberCareese for the prompt and list of ideas along with SWWoman for the beta of course.