SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Andaere: Thanks. He is…for now. Thanks for pointing that out. I explore that a bit in this chap. Glad you think so. I will.

DISCLAIMR

Belongs to Stephen J. Cannell and Fox. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. Reference to "Fathers And Sons" as well as "Subtle Changes".

While this was going on, Jackie had stayed late to finish up some paperwork. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Yeah, come in," she invited. The door opened to reveal Rachel.

"Sorry to bother you, Jackie, but I just a got a call from someone over at Jump Street," she reported.

"Jump Street? Is everyone okay?" Jackie asked.

"No. They're not. There was an attack on Tom Hanson's mother's house," Rachel answered.

"Are they okay?" Jackie questioned, quickly standing up. Even though he had dumped her after she had told her boss that Jump Street was still investigating Mayor Davis' son, she still loved him and missed him like crazy.

"I'm afraid not. Jackie…Tom was shot," Rachel announced.

"What?" Jackie gasped. She grabbed her purse and hurried out the door, Rachel close behind. In the hospital, Tom played with the bed sheet.

"What's up, man?" Dennis questioned.

"I just wish I knew who was behind all this," answered as the others came in.

"Don't worry about it, Tommy. We'll figure this out," Mrs. Hanson assured.

"Yeah, man. I'm right here. No one's gonna mess with you again without having to go through me first," Dennis promised, punching Tom lightly on the shoulder. Tom laughed.

"And what is this? Just 'cause you have a common enemy, you guys are all buddy-buddy now?" Doug wondered.

"Things got better after I explained to him that I understood my place here," Dennis told them.

"Your 'place'?" Judy repeated.

"Tom was here first, and he unofficially made you his pack," Dennis said.

"So, if I'm understanding this right, it was a turf thing," Judy commented.

"Pretty much," Tom and Dennis chorused. Just then, the two got looks of confusion on their faces.

"What?" Harry asked.

"What's Jackie doing here?" Tom and Dennis asked together.

"Okay, that's getting spooky," Judy told them.

"What's even spookier is how they knew it was me," a voice commented. The department turned around to see the district attorney and a friend.

"What do you want, Jackie?" Tom asked tightly.

"I heard about the attack on your house. I was worried," Jackie replied. Tom sighed.

"Well, I'm fine. You can go now," he told her.

"Tommy Hanson," Margaret chided.

"I want her out," Tom growled. Jackie and the others gasped as his eyes tinged yellow. Then, he groaned.

"Whoa, easy, bud. Don't go vamp just quite yet," Dennis warned.

"Vamp? What are you talking about?" Jackie wondered. The nurse came in before Dennis could answer.

"I'm sorry. Visiting hours are over. You'll all have to leave," she apologized.

"He'll have a guard though, right?" Dennis checked.

"Of course," the nurse confirmed. With that, everyone left. The nurse beckoned to another nurse, who quickly walked over.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Officer Hanson's in room 203. He's one of us. He was attacked," the other woman told her.

"You want me to watch him?" she questioned.

"Yes," the first woman confirmed.

"Of course," the second woman agreed. Jackie, Rachel, and the Jump Street officers each went to their cars. Jackie fumbled around her purse for her keys. She picked them up, only to drop them on the ground.

"Dang it," she sighed and picked them up.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Rachel questioned.

"Uh, yeah, sure. It's just--what happened back there? Tom--his--his eyes--" Jackie stammered.

"I don't know. That was pretty creepy, huh?" Rachel queried.

"Yeah," Jackie nodded. With a shaking hand, she unlocked her car, and got in.

"Do you want me to drive?" Rachel offered.

"No, I'm good," Jackie assured. She started the engine and drove off. Meanwhile, the officers had returned to headquarters.

"Did you see Tom's eyes? That was freaky," Judy said, shivering.

"I know. I mean--I didn't even think vampires were real. I think it's kinda cool," Doug stated with a grin.

"It's not quite all it's cracked up to be," Dennis told them.

"I don't get it though. How do you guys eat--or feed--or--whatever you call it?" Harry wondered.

"We hide blood in different things, sandwiches, beer, coffee," Dennis answered.

"Oh, you mean like the time you gave him a mug when he was working late?" Judy asked.

"Yeah," Dennis nodded. Then, as he noticed her slightly shaking hand, "You all right, Jude?"

"This is all so much. I mean, I've known you and Tom for a few years, and then this gets dropped in my lap--" Judy began.

"Can you fly?" Doug interrupted excitedly.

"Yes. I just don't prefer to," Dennis answered.

"Does sunlight really kill you?" Harry wondered.

"No. But if we don't have the right amount of blood, it's like a nasty sunburn," Dennis replied.

"Huh," Harry said.

"'Huh'? That's all you have to say?" Judy wondered.

"Well, my grandmother used to talk about people she referred to as "Shadow dwellers", meaning vampires. Though I had never met any, I knew they existed," Harry explained. Dennis nodded. That made sense. He could feel everyone's emotions. Judy was scared, but trying to not to show it, not that he blamed her. It was a lot to take in. Harry was actually as calm as he appeared to be. For some reason, Doug seemed to be excited about the whole thing. Only Capt. Fuller remained rather stoic about everything.

"So Cap, you got anything to say? Any questions?" Dennis questioned.

"Just one," Capt. Fuller said.

"Go ahead," Dennis invited.

"Why did it take you so long to come clean? I would've had your back," Capt. Fuller told him.

"Had my back? What are--" Dennis' question fell away as their captain reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

"What is that?" Judy questioned as Fuller threw the thing at Dennis. "What is that?" Judy asked again. Dennis held it up for everyone to see. It was a silver chain with a heart and a cross intertwining. The officer looked at his superior officer.

"You're a protector," he stated. The man nodded. Back at the hospital, Tom had fallen asleep. Two men crept through the hospital. He had a job to do and he'd see that it was done. From her position in front of Tom's room, one of the nurses glanced down the hall. Then, she did a double-take. She smelled two new people, people who weren't supposed to be here. She alerted her coworker with a soft growl. The two stood at attention. Suddenly, something whizzed through the air and they slumped to the ground. Tom made a noise of confusion as he woke up. There was another whizzing sound and the officer groaned softly as something sunk into his skin. Once they were sure he wouldn't be detected, the men sneaked into the room and pulled the officer out of the bed.

"It was a good idea to steal these doctor uniforms, boss," one of the men said, his voice muffled by the surgical mask.

"Shut up and keep moving," the other man snarled, his voice also stifled. They dragged Tom out of the hospital and into the parking lot where they put him in a car. Then, they drove off. When they got to an office building they parked and then took Tom up to one of the officers, where he was quickly tied to a chair. The men yanked off their masks.

"Wake him up," one of the men ordered. The second man did as he was told and Tom jerked awake. He stared at the men, and his eyes turned yellow as he growled.

"Raymond Crane."