Chapter 2

The Fight

She heard the slide of the key as it went into the lock and her body stiffened at the sound. The only thing she was thankful for right now was that she had not been tied up. She heard the key turning slowly and she heard as the latch disconnected. The trunk lid began to rise and she was ready for him when it opened completely.

Emily's foot connected with man's face throwing him back onto the ground, holding his broken nose; and she scrambled to get out of the trunk. She made it out and started to run in the direction she thought would be heading back down the mountain. The man grabbed her ankle pulling her legs out from under her. She felt the pain as she fell onto the jagged rocks, feeling them slice through the skin of her bare arms. She felt around her for a rock big enough to do some damage. Her hand closed around a rock and she flipped herself over quickly and swung at the man's head, making contact. She swung again, this time harder and she felt him collapse on her legs. She held on to the rock and kicked her legs until she was free of his weight on her.

The only thought she had was that she needed to get away. She needed to get as far away as she could before he came to. So she ran the best she could on her wobbly legs. The adrenaline pumped through her body and she knew it was the only thing that would keep her going.

If she had been thinking clearly she would have checked the car for a jacket and her guns but she wasn't thinking as clearly as should have been so she just ran. At least he had left her boots on her feet; she would need them to cover the terrain they were in.

She didn't know how long she had been running or if he was coming after her. She just kept going; moving further away from the fate she knew probably had been destined since the beginning. How many times had she beaten that fate? How many times had she proven to herself that her life was not predestined? That she had a choice of the outcome? Would it be different this time? Would she make it out the other side? Could she last through the night? She knew the temperature was going to drop past freezing this high up in the mountain. She wouldn't be able to make a fire to stay warm, he would find her if she did. She would have to come up with some other way to keep herself from freezing to death. She couldn't bear the thought of her friends finally finding her in a heap on the ground. The thought that she wasn't strong enough to stay alive even after getting away from the UNSUB was not one she really wanted to think about.

She had no idea what kind of wildlife was up here. What was she up against besides a deranged lunatic? There were miles and miles of trees all around her, maybe she could use this to her advantage. She noticed most of them near her were Douglas fir trees and Aspen trees. The Douglas fir trees were huge, she would guess that they were hundreds of years old, Reid would know, she would have to remember to ask him later.

She was tired and weak and cold; she needed to find some sort of shelter before the temperature dropped anymore. She found a large tree and climbed as high as she could get until the branches were too small to be safe to climb on. The tree was full and it kept the wind from cutting through to her core. The branches were full of pine needles that poked her but she didn't care as long as she stayed alive she would endure anything she had too. She leaned her back against the trunk of the tree, resting her head against the rough bark.

Her senses were heightened, her ears picking up on sounds she would not have normally noticed. She may not have been able to see very much because of the darkness of the night but she could hear every little movement below her. She heard the rustling of the leaves and the twigs snapping, from what she wasn't sure. Was it the UNSUB or was it a wild animal searching for food? She listened, trying to keep her breathing regulated and quiet. The air was thinner up here then down in town, she was getting used to the difference in the altitude and hopefully as she made her way back down the mountain it would become easier to breathe; if she made it back down.

She heard the sound of the twigs snapping getting closer. She heard his rugged breathing, it was shallow and pained. Good, at least she had hurt him; not enough to stop him but maybe enough to slow him down enough for her to get ahead of him again. She pushed her body as close as she could to the tree trunk and sat as still as she could. She glanced down and saw him moving about thirty five feet below her.

"I know you're out here sweet thing. You can run but you can't hide forever baby. I'll get you if it's the last thing I do and when I do you will regret you ever raised your hand to me. I'll show you just what I do to bitches that don't know there place. I know you have seen my handy work and soon you will experience it firsthand." He yelled into the wind.

Emily sucked her breath in and held it. She watched as he walked further away into the dense forest of trees. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this with her and her baby's life intact, but she knew she had to try. She would not go down without fighting for their lives.

She decided to stay up in the tree until daybreak dawned and then she would make her way as quietly as she could and as far as she could down the mountain. She listened until she could no longer hear the UNSUB and then she listened for the sound of him returning. That sound never came and she closed her eyes, resting her head against the trunk again. She needed to reserve her strength for whatever lied ahead. She prayed the team would find her before it was too late.

A/N: Okay folks let me know what you think so far. Your reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!