Chapter 6
~*~*~*~
Redemption comes in many shapes
With many kinds of pain
~ Dolly Parton, 'Travelin' Thru'
~*~*~*~
"If you must leave the house, a GPS unit has been placed on the car…" the agent continued, reading off a several page long list of all the things Kim could and could not do when she went undercover later this morning.
By no leap of the imagination, the list of things she wasn't allowed to do was much longer than the things she could.
Kim nodded her head again that she understood as yet another one of the many agents surrounding her as of late continued droning on and on. She spent a greater part of the morning prepping for the undercover operation listening to how things would work while she was living in the house. It took all of her willpower to not roll her eyes at the agents who were acting like she was getting a week long stay at the Plaza rather than essentially being under house arrest with the off chance that her unbalanced former boyfriend would orchestrate a home invasion while she was around.
Agent Archaki, or Agent Acne, as Kim had now come to mentally refer to the pocked marked faced man who seemed to relish ordering her around, pointed to the aerial map that looked like it was taken from Google Street Finder, and instructed, "Now the house directly behind the one where you and Agent Fitzgerald will be living will have two agents working round the clock to monitor things."
Sighing heavily, Kim evenly replied, "I get it. I'll be under surveillance at all times. I can't do anything or try anything without everyone knowing."
"You've been given a chance here, Ms. Marcus," Agent Archaki replied, giving her a hard, pointed look. Kim guessed that this was his first case and he wanted to yield his newfound authority whenever and wherever possible. Giving her a stern look, Archaki continued, "I suggest you cut the attitude and appreciate what a great chance you've been given."
Kim resisted the urge to roll her eyes that she was being lectured to by a man who was at least ten years younger than her and looked like he was wearing his first ever suit that was one size too big. Instead she gave him a tight smile and nodded her head.
Satisfied that his words were heeded, Archaki continued listing the Bureau's 'Do's and Don'ts.'
The truth was, she did know what a rare opportunity she was given but she was tired of being talked down to for the last week. All she wanted to do was get started with the operation. When she first realized what Delmar wanted her to do, she was nerve-wracked just thinking about having to see Jimmy Wright again; but now knowing that she was going to be in such close proximity with Martin, her emotions were somewhere between anxiety and yearning.
As Agent Archaki read through the list of rules, Kim sat back in her chair and glanced out one of the windows to the hallway where she spotted Martin talking with Delmar and Jack Malone, their heads bent in deep conversation. She had met Jack Malone the night she came to the bureau office to give her testimony on how Elber had threatened her mother in order to get her to vote 'no.' She remembered how disappointed she had been that Martin had left without saying goodbye, leaving Agent Malone to arrange for her ride home.
She studied Martin's face as he listened to whatever Delmar and Malone were telling him. A small smile tugged on the corner of her mouth at seeing him looking as bored and frustrated as she felt. She liked that Martin was often easy to read, so open and upfront about what he was feeling or what he felt. It was one of the first things that drew her to him…
~*~
Kim trudged along behind Martin as they made their way back towards the cabin. He was ahead of her, holding his cell phone up high, searching for any trace of a signal.
She wrapped her arms around herself, still shaking from the events from earlier. She couldn't believe that Bobby Elber was dead, her heart still pounding in her chest worried that they would eventually connect her to him. She suddenly was grateful that she had thought to put the money in her storage locker. If the FBI felt compelled to search her house, they wouldn't find anything. She reminded herself to keep her story simple and do her best to appear sympathetic and vulnerable.
She studied the back of Martin's head and prayed he really did believe her story. It wasn't the truth but close enough so she wouldn't forget the details. Elber really did approach her in the parking garage but instead of handing her a bag with her mother's broach inside, he had handed her a bag of cash. She still remembers her heart racing at seeing so much cash – it was close to five thousand – and Elber's gravelly voice saying that there's was twenty more if she'd only vote 'no' during the jury deliberations. Seeing all those bills she also saw all her problems disappear: her mother's nursing home situation, student loans, she could finally get a new car that didn't require constant upkeep. It would have been so easy to just say yes but she quickly declined, shoving the money back toward Elber. She was all too intimate with the law and didn't want to take any more chances. But he refused, telling her to hold onto it for 24 hours, think about how that money could help her improve her life and, more importantly, her moms. He stepped back and told her he'd get in touch with her again soon to see if she changed her mind. By the time he showed up at her house the next afternoon, she had decided to not only keep the money but was also now savvy enough to get him to raise it.
Mentally working out the details of the story she told Martin once more, she looked up in time to see him glancing at her over his shoulder, a concerned expression on his face. She liked that he was constantly checking up on her, making sure she was okay. She offered up a shy, grateful smile indicating that she was holding up fine and he nodded, returning his attention to his cell phone.
"I usually don't get reception out here," she shared. Martin stopped and turned to look at her questioningly so she explained, "I have to go a bridge a few miles down the road to make a call."
He worked his tongue into his cheek, frustrated. "Great." He dropped his cell into his pocket. "Guess I can stop wasting my time. Thanks." He jerked his chin indicating that they should keep walking.
She got in step behind him and together they made their way over the rocky terrain. The distance didn't seem as long when they were running for their lives but walking back she realized they had covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. She gave herself mental props for her athletic ability considering her small feet and short legs.
Martin paused after he stepped over a steep ledge and held out his hand to help her down. Normally, she would have had no problem maneuvering her way over it but she still smiled and accepted his assistance. When she was over, he gave her a shy smile and continued walking. She wasn't used to a man like Martin Fitzgerald appeared to be, a gentleman, chivalrous. Generally she was drawn to the bad boy, dark and dangerous, the kind of man who always kept her life wrapped up in drama. Normally, she wouldn't give a guy like Martin the time of day, but in this moment, his type made her feel very safe.
It was an unusual feeling for her, but she liked it all the same.
She knew they were getting closer to her uncle's cabin when the air grew thick with smoke. They climbed over a fallen log and she spotted the small cabin engulfed in flames, black smoke billowing out from the heat-shattered windows. It was surprising how much noise a fire could make, crackling and popping as the fire rapidly consumed the wooden structure. Her chest constricted tightly at seeing the safest refuge of her childhood disappearing before her very eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Martin giving her a sympathetic look.
"I'm sorry," he softly whispered.
She couldn't bring herself to speak so she nodded her head gratefully. He removed his hand and started down to his car with her following behind him. They kept a safe distance from the burning building, the heat from the flames warming them as they passed.
She heard a beep and saw the trunk of Martin's car pop open and he reached in to grab something. She stepped over as he pulled out a small, red bag with the easy identifiable white cross on the side indicating a first aid kit.
Slamming the trunk closed, he stepped around to the front of the vehicle. Setting the bag on the hood of the car, he unzipped the top flap, pulling out gauze and ointment. She was instantly reminded that this situation wasn't all about her: he had been injured in his fight with Elber and risked so much to keep her safe. Shaking herself free from her self-pity, she took a deep breath and joined him alongside the car.
"Let me," she gently insisted, holding out her hand to take the materials from him.
"I can do it," he feebly argued.
"It's the least I can do considering you just saved my life," she quietly replied, unwavering. He finally conceded, surrendering the supplies to her before carefully sitting on the hood of the car to let her do her work. Tearing open an antiseptic packet and pulling out the pre-moistened pad, she gave him a shy, flirty smile. "You're like my own Knight in shining armor."
He shook his head, smiling lamely. "Hardly."
She liked that he seemed uncomfortable with her compliment so she decided to let it rest there. As she gently pressed the pad against his temple that had the largest gash, he winced in response. She nervously bit her lip and softly murmured, "Sorry."
"It's alright," he breathed.
Stepping closer in order to get a better angle on his head, she wordlessly took his chin in her hand and turned his head so she could examine his injuries a bit more thoroughly. He had a large gash but the rest were relatively small scrapes. She continued gently cleaning the area and said, "It's not too deep. I don't think you're going to have a scar."
"That's good, I was worried about my modeling career," he joked.
She giggled knowing that he was trying to lighten the moment but wondered if he truly knew he was handsome enough to be one as well.
She patted the gash a few more times. Satisfied that the bleeding had stopped and she'd done as much as she could, she moved her hand away from his face and said, "All done." She shifted her head to look directly at him and added, "I'm no nurse, but I think it'll hold you until a paramedic arrives."
Her eyes darted to his and it did not escape her attention that his eyes had grown dark and he was eyeing her a little hungrily. She briefly wondered if he noticed the same look in her own eyes. She also became achingly aware of the close proximity of their bodies, the sexual tension rolling in large waves between them. They stared at each other, sharing a look that lingered long enough to make them both blush.
Martin broke the moment first, straightening up and clearing his throat. "Um, thanks."
"No problem," she murmured, gathering the used pad and gauze to toss in the trash later when there was a large crackling sound behind her. Turning around, she saw the roof of the cabin collapse. She was so distracted by the heat between her and Martin she almost forgot about the burning cabin.
Martin pulled out his phone again, looking thankful for the diversion.
"I was serious, you're not gonna get a signal; we're pretty far out in the woods," she reminded him. Her eyes shifted to the smoldering cabin and she added, "I'm sure a ranger will spot it and call it in to the fire station."
He held the phone up high and squinted to read the screen. "It's not just that, I really need to talk to my SAC and tell him what happened."
"If you really want to make a call, we're going to have to drive to get a signal," she said, zipping the First Aid bag back up.
Martin hesitated, glancing at the burning cabin, his tongue darting out of his lips as he pondered their options. He was quiet for a beat before shrugging, "Well, there's no way of putting the fire out ourselves. The sooner we make a call for help, the better the odds thathelp will come sooner rather than later." He pulled his keys from his pocket and straightened up saying, "Let's go."
He started back to the driver's side of the car when he swayed a bit and placed his hand on the hood of the car to steady himself.
"I can drive," Kim said as she held out her hand for the keys.
"I'll be fine…" he tried to argue, when he winced and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"You've done enough heroics today," Kim gently said, trying to be persuasive with someone that despite sharing something so intense with, she really didn't know very well. "Besides, it'll be easier since I know exactly where to go."
Opening his eyes and blinking, he backtracked, "Maybe you're right. My head does hurt." He held out his hand and deposited the keys into the palm of her hands. "Thanks."
She waited until he moved around to the passenger side before stepping to the driver's side and sitting down. She smiled to herself realizing the pedals were very far away from her feet so she reached under and pressed the button to adjust the seat and moved it forward. It took a few attempts to get the seat adjusted just right and when she was done, she glanced at Martin who was watching her bemusedly.
She tilted her head, embarrassed. "Curse of short legs."
He just smiled and remained politely quiet.
After checking the mirrors, she carefully pulled the car back and away, glancing sadly at the cabin before driving off down the dirt road to the main highway. They drove in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. She stole a quick glance at him, wondering if he was having any doubts about her story, to see him just staring sadly out the windshield. He seemed a million miles away and she knew that she was the furthest thing from his mind. After all, he had just killed a man in a brutal and violent way – and as relieved as she felt to know Elber was out of her life – she imagined it had to be difficult for someone like Martin to deal with.
She returned her attention to the winding road when her stomach growled - loudly. She tensed up, embarrassed and opted to ignore it in the hopes Martin was too pensive to hear it either.
She knew she had no such luck when Martin snickered and reached in to the backseat and grabbed a plastic bag. He set it on his lap and pulled it open. "I picked up some snacks on my way here." She glanced at him quickly, pleasantly surprised. He pulled out a chocolate chip granola bar and held it out for her as he added, "I knew it was going to be a long drive."
She laughed and gratefully accepted the snack. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, she tore the wrapper with her teeth and said, "Sorry, I haven't eaten all day and I tend to get hungry when I'm nervous," she paused and cheerfully added, "Or anxious, happy, sad, bored..."
"Woman after my own heart," Martin replied as he unwrapped his own granola bar and took a bite.
A short while later, they reached the bridge and Kim pulled the car over to the side of the road. Martin happily commented that he now had a signal and stepped out of the car to make what seemed like quite a few phone calls. He left his car door open and while she couldn't hear whom he was talking to or what he was saying, judging by the inflection of his voice, he was weighed down by having the conversation.
As she waited, she polished off the granola bar and snuck a peak into his bag. She spotted a bag of BBQ chips and eyed it covetously. She looked over at Martin who noticed what she was looking at and motioned for her to go ahead and take the bag. Grinning at him thankfully, she grabbed the bag and happily ate the salty treats when suddenly several forestry and fire trucks sped past them, headed towards the cabin.
She looked over at Martin who was following the vehicles with his eyes. He ended his call and got back in the car, telling her to go ahead and turn around so they could head back.
Later, as the firefighters and local rangers contained the cabin fire, local PD and EMT's arrived and it was chaotic to say the least. While a large group was actively working on containing the fire so it wouldn't spread into the forest – thankfully it had rained the night before so the foliage was still pretty moist – Martin had led the rest of the people into the forest, towards where Elber's body was located.
Kim sat in the passenger seat of Martin's sedan, answering the occasional question from a uniformed patrolman or park ranger. In the background, she saw Martin and other officers emerge from the forest and begin searching Elber's Jeep, pulling out various weapons and pieces of paper that they read through carefully. Occasionally, someone would look over at her with a questioningly look on their face and her heart would race and her stomach would tense up, wondering if they'd realized the truth about her. But her panic was always alleviated when Martin would send a small smile in her direction, assuaging her fears.
Sinking into the seat, she watched Martin as he handed business cards to various members of law enforcement and after a long discussion with the coroner, he handed him one as well. She wondered how long they would be here, the daylight softening to a pale pink as the sun started to set, when Martin walked over, opened up his car door and sat down.
"Are we leaving now?" she asked; her gut tense with worry again.
"Yeah, you're gonna need to talk to the DA's office when we get back to the city," Martin replied, putting the car key in the ignition. He noted the worried look on her face and assured her, "It'll be fine. Just tell them what you told me."
She nodded, praying that she could convince the DA as easily as she did Martin. In the back of her mind, she conjured up the story she weaved for Martin earlier to review it once more when she spotted her red Volkswagen.
"Maybe I should drive myself…?" she trailed off remembering her keys were in the cabin, now a pile of ash and singed timber. "Never mind, I'll need to get my spare key from home."
"Hang on," he replied, rolling down his window and calling over a uniformed state trooper. He pulled out another business card and pen and started scribbling on the back of it. The officer came over and Martin handed him the card, saying, "Will you please radio back the tow service coming for Elber's Jeep and ask them to also tow the VW bug to this address?"
"Sure thing," the officer replied, nodding obligingly at Kim before stepping towards where his truck was parked.
When he was gone, Kim smiled gratefully at Martin. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he replied as he reached over and pulled his seatbelt on. "You've been through enough already, no need for you to worry about your car, too."
She grinned at him, a part of her softening at his thoughtful gesture. She nodded to where the officer was standing near his truck with his cell phone pressed against his ear and reading the information off the back of Martin's business card and said, "You sure are good at handing out those business cards."
He turned the ignition and the car roared to life. "It's the easiest way to give people my contact info so they can reach me for questions about the case, prep for trial or anything else they might need me for."
"I see," she murmured, a playful tone in her voice. He put his hand on the back of her seat and shifted to look out the rear window to make sure no one was in his way. Admiring his profile and the way he carried himself with ease and confidence, Kim found herself flirtatiously asking, "Can I have one?" He gave her a curious look so she clarified, "You know, in case I have questions or need you for anything."
He paused, looking at her with an inscrutable expression on his face before replying, "Sure." He reached into his pocket and his face fell. Shaking his head and chuckling, he said, "Sorry, it looks like I'm all out."
Smiling, she teasingly grumbled, "Story of my life."
~*~
Sighing, Kim felt melancholy remembering how Martin used the cards as a pretense to see her later that night. Standing on her porch, he looked at her so shyly and full of affection that it made her heart ache to know he would never look at her that way again.
She noticed some movement in the hallway and looked again through the windows where she spotted Martin looking as tired and bored from all the instructions being decreed upon him as she was. At that moment, he glanced over at her and they shared a mutual look of sympathy before his face went hard again.
At that moment, Martin's discussion with Delmar and Jack was interrupted by a familiar face: Danny Taylor. Danny's eyes darted between her and Martin and a peevish expression crossed his face. Danny told the men something and then stepped out of her eye line before the door to the conference room opened up and he entered.
"Archaki," Danny coolly greeted the agent who was just finishing debriefing Kim. She looked over in time to see Danny eyeing her steadily as he moved towards where Archaki stood.
Kim squared her shoulders, her entire body wound up tight at seeing Martin's partner and friend. She followed him with her eyes, anxious by his presence.
"Taylor," Archaki greeted, shifting a sheath of papers around before jamming them into a file folder. Grinning, he tucked the folder under his arm and asked, "How's the gift hunt going? Did you find one yet?"
Kim watched as Danny gave Agent Acne a confused look. "Come again?"
Archaki smiled in response. "I heard your wife asking a couple of people on our floor about that Ariel doll."
Kim noted that it seemed like Archaki was trying to act as though he and Danny were friendly but judging by the coolness emanating from the lanky Latino, they were acquaintances at best. She restrained a smile at knowing she wasn't the only one who found Archaki annoying. It made her wonder if under any other circumstances she and Danny would've been friends.
Skeptical, Danny shook his head. "Still working on it," he replied with a clipped tone of voice.
"Understood, amigo, gotta keep that gorgeous wife of yours happy," Archaki responded.
Her eyes narrowing as she observed, Kim noticed that while Danny didn't reply to Archaki's comment, there was a glint of over-protectiveness in his eyes…like he doesn't appreciate it when any man "notices" his woman and the conversations she has around the office.
Archaki chuckled uncomfortably when it clicked that Danny had no desire to engage in banter with him. "I hear you're getting dragged into this case, too." Danny nodded slowly, his jaw tight. "So, what brings you here? Need me to give you some…"
"Actually," Danny shot Kim a look, "I'd like a moment with her alone." He turned back towards Archaki and flatly added, "You can leave now."
Archlaki's eyes darted between the two of them before stepping back and replying, "Sure." He nodded at Danny and started walking to the door, looking annoyed that he was not so subtly reminded of his junior agent status by being dismissed from the room. "I have to make a few calls anyway."
Kim watched as Archlaki left and found herself actually wanting him to stay – if only to have a witness around. As soon as the door clicked shut, she inhaled a shaky breath and shifted her attention to Danny.
He gave her a hard stare as he pulled a chair out and sat down across the table from her. Time seemed to slow as he kept his gaze trained on her face before his eyes drifted over to her shoulder. "How's the shoulder?" he asked, seeming more idly curious than genuinely concerned.
She inhaled a shaky breath, determined to not let herself be intimidated by the brusque agent as her hand automatically flew up to touch the healed wound. With as even a voice as she could muster, she replied, "It's fine. It's healed."
He nodded and they simply sat there, staring at each other for a long beat, the air heavy with tension. She got the sense he wanted something from her but what exactly she wasn't sure so she made a guess.
"I'm sorry about…" she paused, unsure exactly how phrase it, so she finished, "what happened."
"What happened?" Danny repeated, working the words over his tongue as if trying to decipher a coded meaning.
She gnawed on her lower lip and decided to try another tactic. "I just want you to know I wasn't going to really shoot you. I was just so scared and nervous… I panicked."
"You 'panicked'?" he repeated, incredulous.
"I'm trying to apologize," she said, bothered that he wasn't giving her any leeway. She knew her tone sounded much harder and defensive than she wanted but this was extremely difficult for her and she didn't like how miniscule Danny managed to make her feel. "After all, I never actually even aimed at you and I was the one who got shot…"
"You're damn right you were the one who got shot," Danny snapped, his voice filled with venom. "You ran from two federal agents and then pulled a gun on them, what the hell did you expect to happen?"
Thrown off balance by Danny's directness, she shakily stammered out, "I don't know what I was thinking. My fear just took over."
"You were just lucky that Martin fired first," Danny cautioned; his words level and tight.
"Are you just here to make me feel worse about what happened?" she asked, doing her best to not shirk away under Danny's icy glare. "Because I already feel bad enough; I don't need someone to remind me how I screwed up."
"Good, that's what I want you to remember when you're around Martin," Danny replied, his gaze locked on hers. "Because if you screw with him in any way, any way at all, I'll do everything in my power to make sure that this 'sweetheart deal' of yours falls apart."
"Is that a threat?" she asked, her emotions running the gambit between afraid and offended but mainly leaning towards the former.
"No," he replied, a dark grin on his face. "It's a promise."
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A/N: I'm not sure she wants this title I am bestowing upon her, but Anmodo totally deserves co-author credit for a big chunk of the Danny/Kim interactions. Her insight and contributions are totally invaluable and I'd be lost without her. Thank you!
Finally, huge thanks to those of you who are reading and a bigger thanks to those of you who review. Thanks so much!
