I forgot to mention in the last chapter that the story's title comes from the song Signal Fire by Snow Patrol. And I'm too lazy to see if there's a Special Victims Unit in San Francisco, but there is one in this story. I created the detective in this one myself. He's not nice though.

Natara's heart raced at one hundred miles an hour as she approached the crime scene. No, she thought. It can't be Mal.

She pushed past several officers, making her way closer. Blaise stood near a body, and Kai knelt over it.

"Natara-" Blaise began. "It's-"

"...Not him," Natara finished, her voice faint as she looked down at the body. She felt relief soar throughout her. But deep down, her fears continued to grow.

"Same thing," Kai mumbled lowly. Mal's disappearance had taken its toll on each of them. "This guy's been sodomized with a weapon, burned, stabbed-"

His words fell on deaf ears. Natara wasn't listening. This was nothing new.

Her train of thought was interrupted as a detective from another precinct shoved past her. "Secure the scene," he barked.

Natara glared. "Who are you?"

"Detective James Brown, San Francisco Special Victims Unit." He flashed his badge with a scowl. "And what are you doing here? This isn't just a homicide investigation."

"Natara Williams, FBI. We're dealing with serial killers, and I'm a profiler. If there's a problem-"

"No, there isn't," he muttered, stalking away.

"Boy, you dug your nails into him," Blaise whistled.

Natara shrugged. "Does it matter?" She turned abruptly on her heel and walked away, a nighttime breeze ruffling her hair. Everything was so different. She had become used to leaving crime scenes with Mal beside her, but now whenever she saw one of the victims, all she could see was him.

After she climbed into her car, she sat there for a long moment, her eyes closed. Ken's death had been hard on everybody, and Mal's absence merely made matters worse. If he didn't make it, it would be the final blow

He's alive, she assured herself. He's Mal Fallon. He's alive. I know he is. And Mal, I know you're not here now, but I love you.

CoD-CoD-CoD

Blaise watched as Natara left in a rush. She sighed heavily and kicked at an empty garbage can nearby, creating a metallic clanging sound.

While she and Natara had certainly not gotten along from the start, they both knew Mal better than anyone else in the precinct. There was more chance of a snowball surviving hell than the chance of Blaise believing what the others said. Although she tried to convince Natara to go home at night, she herself had spent many nights trying to figure out why they hadn't found him yet.

This case was the first that had truly gotten to her. Most investigations didn't bother Blaise Corso, but this one absolutely did.

CoD-CoD-CoD

In San Quentin Maximum Security Prison, Jacob Fallon sat on his cot as he flipped through a photo album full of Mal's childhood pictures.

Ever since he had learned that Mal had gone missing, he had stayed up late into the night, reminiscing in old times and wishing more than anything that there was something he could do.

The sound of a voice caught his attention. Officer Anna Willis stood outside the bars of his cell. Quickly he stood up. "Anna? Anything new?"

She shook her head. "No. They haven't found him yet."

Jacob closed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists. Anna had been filling him in on the details of Mal's disappearance, as well had some of his other sources. From the way she spoke, everyone had given up. But he hadn't. He had that Fallon gut feeling that Mal was alive somewhere, no matter what everyone else said or thought.

If possible, Jacob would have refused to eat or sleep until he found Mal and brought him to safety. Their relationship had shattered when he was arrested, but he still loved his son, whether Mal felt the same or not. And if the bastards who had taken him had harmed him, Jacob prayed that they would be sent to his prison so he could make them pay.

And he couldn't give up on him.

I know, another short chapter. I'M SORRY! I'll try to make them longer, but hey... still a chapter! Please review!