Before the blowout with the new therapist, home life had become somewhat of a ritual. Annie rarely spoke to Jimmy. It was too hard for her to maintain the energy she needed to keep her emotions locked in AND deal with her feelings toward him. So she chose to close off entirely.

Jimmy was dealing with the silent treatment for now. But it was getting old.

Highway 59 seemed the most confused. He adored Annie but he had grown close to the dominance and fair guidance of Jimmy. The stress was beginning to show on him as he would pace between the two throughout the night. Jimmy would read on the couch while Annie sat on a bar stool in the kitchen messing with her lap top. The poor dog had worn a path in the floor going back and forth.

But that night after the blowup over her new therapist, she could not concentrate. It was pushing Jimmy's buttons. He was so aggravated he had to get away. "I am going to pick up some dinner for us. What would you like?"

Thrilled at the thought of some quiet solitude to think, she mumbled, "Barbeque Ribs."

"From Gabby's? That is across town! Nevermind…fine. I'm taking 59." He stormed out maintaining composure long enough to not slam the door as he left.

The dog was agitated about leaving her behind. He was still upset about her kidnapping. But Jimmy wanted the company so he yanked 59 after him. "Come on big guy, she is fine! You do not want to hang out with that. Trust me. Now go get in the truck." He opened the door for him to jump in.

Meanwhile inside, Annie plopped onto the couch. Her headache had not subsided from earlier despite taking two aspirin. If anything it had worsened. She rubbed her temples and tried to clear her head. But her thoughts were just running wild.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there trying to calm herself down. Things were not getting better. She felt like she had been treading water and the silence of the loft was making her itch.

Finally she could take it no longer and decided that a shower would be the best way for her to wash off her headache and the weight of the world she had loaded on her back.

She stood under the spray of warm water allowing it to wash over her. She was starting to feel relaxed and calm… back in control.

Suddenly a sound came from the other room as she was drying off and she was back to the night of the kidnapping.

Annie grabbed her robe and clutched her towl as she frantically slid across the tile floor to hide behind the sink. She curled up as tight as she could and shut her eyes hoping the sound would go away. Shaking convulsively, she had absolutely no idea where she was.

The terror was so intense, she never heard Jimmy calling her name.

It was 59 who finally pushed open the bathroom door to find her hiding and he freaked. He ran out to get Jimmy, barking and dancing. Once his point had been taken, he sprinted back in to console her but she would not look up. He panted and barked and nosed through her hair, anything to get a reaction from her. But Annie just shook violently and tried to become more invisible.

Jimmy walked through the door confused and concerned. The dog had clearly been frantic. When he saw her his heart dropped and he scrambled to be next to her.

It made for a crowded corner with Annie, 59 and Jimmy all vying for space.

He grabbed her physically and slid her to him with his good arm. It was a struggle but it was all he could think to do. "Boots, it is me. Me and 59. You are safe. You are okay. Shhhhhhh. It is just us, Boots, just us…" He rocked back and forth trying to squeeze her closer and closer. He could feel her shaking convulsively.

Wasn't she prescribed some sleeping pills? Something to get ahold of this terror she had immersed herself in? And how was he going to find these and hold her close at the same time? He had to break away.

Slowly, while whispering kind words, he unwound himself from her and began to look frantically through the cabinet over the sink. There, in the corner, he found a new bottle. The label read "Valium" and the prescription date was approximately five weeks old. It was clearly what he was looking for.

When he opened the bottle, it appeared that not one pill had been taken. Once he read the label, he offered a pill to the shaking blonde marshal still at his feet. She just stared at him wide eyed but he took control. He quieted his voice and calmly stated, "Take this." She did as she was told.

-\\-

It took 20 minutes before the drug finally had an effect. Annie peeled herself out of the bathroom corner and tip-toed past Jimmy into her bedroom to change into some comfortable clothes.

Jimmy had been sitting on the side of the tub wondering what to do. He was shaken by Annie's reaction and felt helpless to get her through it. Ultimately HE had not been here when she was kidnapped. He was comfortable in knowing it was not his fault but he wasn't sure how she felt about that. Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Can you take me to see Melanie tomorrow?" she was uncharacteristically meek sounding.

He looked up at her to gauge this new reaction. She looked broken.

"Come here," he patted the tub ledge next to him. "Sit-down for a sec."

She did.

"You okay, Boots? You wanna talk about anything?"

She shook her head, "No."