She was laying on the floor broken, she knew nobody was coming for her. weather because they didn't want to or they could't find her she knew she was on her own.. She struggled to get up off the floor, but she feel to the ground, her arm was mangled. Tobias was standing over her, laughing at her. Spencer doesn't love you, neither does your brother. They aren't coming for you no one is! Give up, no one loves you! Mack screamed JUST KILL ME!

She sat up in bed, gasping for breathe, drenched in sweat, Eliot sat up grabbing her in his arms. "Look at me, look at me!" Her eyes were still closed and she was shaking. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, she slowly opened her eyes to look at him, her eyes filling up with tears.

"I'm sorry...I..."

Steely blue eyes looked into pale green "It's okay baby, you're okay. Your'e safe!" He stroked her hair, kissing her forehead, she leaned into him resting her head on his chest. She took a deep breathe and licked her lips. He eased her back onto her pillow holding her close to him.

"Do you want to talk about this one?"

She paused for a minute, how could she tell him about this dream without making him feel some sort of guilt. She knew that he held some feelings about not being able to get to her in time. She had no idea, that he and the rest of the team had witnessed her torture. She couldn't tell him, not all of it. She collected her thoughts and picked what parts of her dream to share with him.

"I was back in Tobias' basement, he was hurting me. He wanted me to marry him, I told him he'd have to kill me." She had her back to him, she couldn't look at him, her emotions would give her away.

Eliot pulled her closer to him his gut told him she wasn't telling him all of it, he hated that she wouldn't tell him everything. He hated that he couldn't get to her in time, and that she had to go through such torture. The mental, emotional, and physical abuse she had suffered at Tobias' hands about killed him. She's still going through it every night, he just wanted to take it all away from her. He listened to her breathing even out and felt her body relax as she fell back to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mack woke up alone the next morning, she looked at the clock it was ten. She got up and took a shower, got dressed and went down stairs. She found the coffee and a note from Eliot.

Had some errands to run, breakfast is in the oven, coffee is in the pot is fresh. Love E

Mack opened the oven, he'd made her an omelette and toast. It wasn't a too bad of trade off, healthy breakfast most of the time for sugary treats every once in a while. She poured herself a cup of coffee and found her secret stash of sugar in the cabinet. She finished breakfast, rinsed her dishes and loaded the dishwasher.

Her phone rang, it was St. Peter's Hospital. They wanted to interview her for a position in their clinic, for homeless or poverty stricken families. It intrigued her, it would allow her to help those that needed it. She set up the interview for a hour from then. She ran up stairs and changed clothes, and left Eliot a note.

Had some errand of my own to run! Love Mack

She ran to downtown Boston to St. Peter's hospital, the clinic position was a couple of days a week, the rest of the time she would be on staff as a surgeon at the hospital. The position would start immediately, if she accepted. She asked for the afternoon to think about it, she sat down and made a list of pros and cons. True Eliot probably wouldn't like her working in that part of town, but he'd have to get over it, she was a big girl.

She drove home, walking into the house Eliot was waiting for her. "Where have you been?"

"At St. Peter's Hospital."

"Are you okay?"

"I accepted a job offer with them today. Two days a week in clinic, and the rest of the time as a surgeon."

"I don't think I want you going to that part of town."

"Excuse me?"

"I said..."

"No, I heard you the first time, I just wanted to see if you had the nerve to say it again. Mack gave him a stare that warned him not to say it again. "Not only am I taking the job, you are going to take me to dinner tonight to celebrate. I start immediately."

Mack walked off to call Boston Hospital and resign her position, she still had time on her leave so she was covered. When she came out of the bedroom Eliot grabbed her and kissed her. He took her out to dinner that night, he didn't like her working at St. Peter's but he didn't say anything about it, he was going to be supportive.

XXXXXXX

The alarm went off at five am, Mack moaned rolled over and turned it off. Of course Eliot was already up, probably working out, he was always a morning person. She dragged herself into the bathroom and stepped into the shower, the hot water felt amazing. She got ready for her first day of orientation at St. Peter's, she walked out of the bathroom and smelled the most amazing thing, fresh coffee. She hurried downstairs where she found Eliot waiting for her with breakfast.

"Good morning!"

She walked up to him and kissed him on the lips "Thank you for the coffee and breakfast." She quickly ate breakfast, kissed Eliot goodbye and left for the day. She was excited to be going back to work. She was going to get the cast removed today, hoping the tendons wouldn't be too tight. She wanted to start surgery as soon as she could.

She pulled into the parking lot and checked in, she went down to HR and got her badge. She went to the ER and had the doctor cut off her cast, her arm and hand felt good. The tendons didn't feel tight, she would hit the practice lab to see how it felt. She was ready to start her new job.

XXXXXX

Eliot's phone beeped, he looked down to check his phone thinking it was Mack checking in. He smiled looking down at his phone, he opened his messages.

Is Mackenzie in a safe place? Can you keep her safe?

Eliot's hand shook, didn't recognize the number. He dialed her number to check on her, she answered on the third ring. "Hello, this is Dr. Ford."

"Where are you?"

"On the moon?"

"I'm serious Mack, where are you?" Noticing the tone of his voice, she decided not to play with him.

"I'm at work, heading into a meeting. I"m fine. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just checking on you. What time will you be done today?"

"Around six, why?"

'Don't leave without me, promise me."

"Eliot, you worry too.."

"Promise me Mack!"

"Okay, I promise."

Eliot hung up the phone and called Hardison. "I need you to trace a number for me. Just between us."

"Sure, what's going on Eliot?"

"I just need you to do this for me." Eliot gave him the phone number and asked him to call him as soon as he knew something. He didn't like leaving Mack alone, he was fighting everything in him not to go to St. Peter's and protect her. She'd probably kill him if he showed up before six tonight. His phone rang, it was Hardison.

"It came up as a burner phone, Eliot. I'm sorry. Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"No."

Eliot ended the call, he had to keep her safe if anything happened to her because of him; he couldn't finish the thought. He had to come up with a plan, he slammed his hand on the kitchen island. "Damn it..."

XXXXXXXXXXX

His past was catching up to him, he had a long list of enemies. He had to get Mack to a safe location, she would probably protest but it was for her own good. She just got her life back on track. He should have known better then to get involved with her, he tried to tell her he wasn't a good man, but she wouldn't listen and now she was in danger. How could he be so stupid?

He had made some pretty wrong decisions in his life, some pretty stupid ones too. Loving her was wrong and stupid but it had been right and smart at the same time. He knew he needed to walk away from her to keep her safe, that was the only way, it was going to be the hardest thing he ever had to do. He had to go to Nate with this, let him know about the danger.

XXXXXXXX

She was done almost two hours early, she had promised Eliot she wouldn't leave without him. She dialed his phone and it went straight to voice mail, she left a message. She waited a few minutes and he didn't return her call. She called Hardison and he answered his phone. "Hey, have you seen or talked to Eliot?"

"I talked to him earlier today why?"

"He made me promise not to leave work without him, I got done early, he isn't answering his phone. Can you come get me? I figure as long as I'm with someone he won't be too mad."

"Alright, I'm coming."

"Can you bring someone to take my car home, so I don't have to leave it here."

"Can Parker drive it?"

"Sure!"

Eliot still hadn't called her back, by the time Hardison and Parker got to St. Peter's to pick her up. She left him another message to what the change of plan, and headed home. She thanked Hardison and Parker and went into the house. He wasn't home when she got there, she went up stairs and changed clothes. She went down stairs turned on the TV and fell asleep watching a movie.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The door exploded against the wall at six thirty, Eliot was out of breath and clinching his fists. Mack sat up jumping off the couch, Eliot ran over to her and grabbed her by the arms and shook her hard, his hands leaving marks on her arms.

"What the hell...why did you lie to me?" He growled between his gritted teeth.

"You're hurting me. Let go!" Tears welled up in her eyes.

Eliot let go of her, regretting he was the cause of her pain. "You promised me..."

"Did you check your phone?"

"What difference dose that make?" Eliot pulled out his phone and noticed the two missed calls from her.

"Check your voice mail!" She said in a flat voice.

She walked away from him, grabbed her purse and walked out the door. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere that you aren't."

"Mack, wait come back! Please!"

She ignored him and walked out the door to her car, she got in and drove across town, the last place he'd ever look.