After tossing and turning for a couple hours, Kate lost patience and decided to go ahead and get up. She rolled over, leaning her head on Rafe's huge shoulder as she stared at her clock.

0233. Damn. Well, since I can't sleep, may as well check on Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan. Even if they won't accept my help, it doesn't mean they can stop me from keeping an eye on them. And, at the very least, I can keep The Watcher away.

Kate rolled back to the other side of the bed and landed gently on her feet, listening as Rafe stretched and yawned on the bed behind her. She studied the big dog over her shoulder, her eyes drawn to his massive jaws as he yawned widely. Big white canines and incisors flashed in the light as he closed his jaws and watched her calmly.

Rafe is definitely coming with me. No one in their right mind will screw with me when he's walking next to me.

Fifteen minutes and a shower later, Kate was ready to go. She called Rafe to her side and carefully buckled on his harness.

It was a very nice harness, made of heavy, thick leather straps lined with silver rivets. The loop for the leash was between his shoulder blades, made of heavy duty stainless steel that would never break under even the most extreme force that the big Rottweiler could exert. Rafe's ID and rabies tags were attached to the front of his harness, where the straps were connected with another stainless steel loop across his broad chest, the design similar to that of a breast collar for a horse.

Kate hooked him to the leash, also made of leather with a stainless steel clip. The leash was twice as thick as the harness's straps. It had to deal with more stress than the harness did.

Kate walked to the door with Rafe at her side, opening it and walking out as she pulled it closed behind her. She locked both deadbolts, striding confidently to her truck with Rafe in perfect stride as she unlocked the doors and opened one for Rafe.

With one powerful leap, the Rottweiler launched himself into the back of the cab, waiting until Kate unhooked his leash before setting his front paws on the center console and staring out the windshield. She closed the door, walking around and getting in as she started the truck and put on her seatbelt.

"Hold on, Rafe. We're going for a ride." Kate said as she put the truck in drive and shot out of the driveway, her mind sharp as she headed into the unknown.

Twenty minutes later, Kate turned and drifted slowly down the street for the apartment building that contained Dr. Brennan's residence. Her sharp eye picked out Agent Booth's Toyota, as well as Dr. Brennan's car. Booth is staying with his partner. He has no idea that not even he can defend her from what is to come.

Kate found a spot and parked, hopping out of the truck before she released Rafe, hooking him to his lead before she closed and locked the doors. With the Rottweiler at her side, she walked into the building, nodding at the guy at the desk before she entered the elevator and headed to Dr. Brennan's floor.

It took the tough female soldier less than fifteen seconds to find Brennan's apartment. Her instincts on alert, she prowled quietly past the door, listening, watching, and feeling everything around her. They're asleep. No problems yet. But he's watching...waiting. He's nearby.

Kate looked at Rafe, kneeling next to him and whispering, "How many people are in there right now, Rafe? How many can you smell?" The dog turned, walking silently to the door and lowering his head as he took a few deep, quiet breaths, his focus almost unnerving as he identified the unique individuals in the apartment. He came back to Kate's side, picking up his right forepaw and tapping it against the floor twice. Kate nodded. Confirmation. Booth and Brennan. They're all right...for now.

Satisfied, Kate turned and started to head back to the elevator, and then her instincts went wild. She ground to a halt, Rafe leaping in front of her in an immediate defensive reaction as she calmed her mind and identified her problem.

He was moving, and moving fast. Son of a bitch. He saw me. He saw me come in here. Damn it to hell...

Moving swiftly and without hesitation, Kate released Rafe and hissed, "Rafe, watch them." The Rottweiler whined, trying to get on the elevator with her, but she wasn't about to leave her two charges unguarded. "RAFAEL! WATCH THEM!" She snarled, her eyes flashing as she stared her beloved guard dog down. With another whine, he backed off, planting himself in front of the door as she hit the button to go to the lobby.

Not good...not good, not good, not good...I really wish I hadn't left my sidearm at home...God, this is about to get REALLY bad...

The elevator doors opened, and as Kate stepped out, she swiftly scanned the area, her eyes falling on the man that was sitting at the lobby desk. She caught her breath when she saw his head lying on the desk, his eyes open and staring as blood dripped from the awful wound to his neck as she thought, Oh shit…

The whistle of a blade in the quiet lobby was Kate's only warning. Sheer speed was all that saved her life.

She hit the deck, the blade grazing her left shoulder as she went down. A fraction of a second later she was on her feet, her own switchblade in her hand as she found herself face to face with The Watcher. Wearing a mask and wig, no less, she thought as she feinted to the side and lunged for him.

He managed to grab her, spinning her around as both blades flashed in the light. They wound up tumbling into the elevator, Kate managing to hit the button for Dr. Brennan's floor as she got thrown into one of the walls. Getting back to Rafe was her only chance.

The fighting was fast and vicious in the confined space as the elevator made its way to Dr. Brennan's floor. Both of them managed to graze the other several times, and Kate was trapped against the back wall as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. The Watcher had her by the throat, and he turned and threw her through the doors as the opened.

Kate hit the ground hard, rolling back to her feet as The Watcher charged off the elevator after her. She immediately yelled, "Rafe!", trying to leap back but hitting a wall as her attacker lunged for her.

A vicious snarl ripped through the air as the one hundred-ten pound Rottweiler crashed into The Watcher, burying his teeth in the man's left shoulder and knocking him flying just before he could get to Kate.

Kate raced after them as The Watcher managed to slam the knife into Rafe's side, the big dog leaping back with a howl of pain as the man got to his feet and ran for the stairs.

Despite his injury, the big Rottweiler charged after him with a snarl of fury, racing down the stairs behind the man as The Watcher ran for his life. Kate was right on Rafe's heels as Booth came crashing out into the hallway, his sidearm in his hands. He caught a glimpse of the soldier disappearing into the stairwell, and he and his partner immediately charged after them.

They had descended about two flights of stairs when Rafe stumbled, falling down and slamming shoulder-first into a wall with a yelp, Kate dropping to a knee next to him. I can't leave Rafe! But I can't let The Watcher get away.

Without a second thought, Kate threw her knife as The Watcher turned to descend another set of stairs. It caught him in the left shoulder, bringing him to a halt with a cry of pain before he pulled it out and threw it back. Kate ducked, the blade burying itself in the wall about six inches above her head as The Watcher disappeared from her view.

He's going to get away...this time. But I stopped him. I stopped him. He didn't kill anyone tonight. I can live with that.

Kate gently stroked Rafe's head, calming the dog as she studied his injuries. He had a broken foreleg and a dislocated shoulder from the fall, as well as the stab wound to his side. "C'mon Rafe. Let's get you to a vet."

Kate had just picked him up when Booth and Brennan caught up with her, their eyes wide as Booth asked, "Holy shit, what happened to you?" She shook her head as she carried Rafe to the access door leading to the next floor. "The Watcher was here. Can you get the door? I need to get Rafe to a vet. He's been stabbed."

Booth opened the door for her as Brennan studied Kate's injuries. "The dog is not the only one. You need to go to a hospital." Brennan said as Kate headed for the elevator. "I will. After I take care of Rafe. I'd be dead without him."

As Kate got on the elevator with the anthropologist, Booth pulled out his cell phone and called it in before joining them. "This just got a lot more serious, Sergeant Bell." Booth said, his dark eyes filled with suspicion as he studied her.

"I know. I tried to tell you how dangerous he is. You didn't want to listen." Kate said as the elevator doors closed and it started going down. "Sergeant, something tells me that you have a personal issue with this 'Watcher' fella. Mind telling us what that is?" Booth asked, still studying her.

She looked straight into his eyes, watching him without fear as she said, "In due time, Agent Booth. In due time."

As they all fell silent, Kate thought, Rafe and I bought them a few days. With his injuries, The Watcher is going to have to re-think his plan of attack. At least we have a little more time. At least we have a few days' grace while he decides what he's going to do. We need all the time we can get, or we're all dead. He definitely wants me dead now. I did what no one else did...I hurt him. I hurt him. He's going to make me pay for that.

An odd smile crossed her face, sending a chill through Booth and Brennan when they saw the look on her face. They looked at each other, both of them wondering what Kate was thinking about. She didn't notice their looks, nor would she have cared if she did. She was thinking about the upcoming showdown with The Watcher.

Bring it on, Watcher. One of us is going to die before this is over. You better be ready for war. I owe you for all the innocents you've slain. I'm waiting, Watcher. I'm ready.