Disclaimer: Own no one in the World of Wolf. Original characters, I'll own up to.

Author's Note: Warning: increase in profane language in this chapter – high tension levels.

Chapter 9 - Fallen

Ed stood on the other side of McCoy, uncertain of what the other man was thinking or feeling. The perp they had in the lineup was caught speeding. The relative similarity between the perp and Wendy Douglas's description had a few variations, but was close enough to warrant the call to Lennie.

In the room with him were Van Buren, Borgia, the perp's attorney, and McCoy. The room was too crowded for Ed's taste, but the anxiety he could imagine Jack was feeling was probably even more choking.

"Take your time," Van Buren said in a calm and soothing voice. Wendy Douglas had identified the perp almost immediately. Jack took more time than Ed had expected.

"Number three," he said slowly.

"You're sure?" Lieu asked.

Jack nodded, not taking his eyes on the man on the other side of the one-way glass. "It's number three," he said.

"That's three positive identifications," Lieu said to the attorney.

"Charge him," Borgia said.

The defense attorney shrugged his shoulders. "As if prison's new for him," he said as he left.

"For the charges he's facing, the consequences will be," Borgia said.

Ed noted that Alex took Jack's hand for a moment and gave it a quick squeeze.

Lennie clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder as he led him out of the precinct. "One caught," he said. "The others will fall."

Jack nodded, but Ed wasn't sure if he was listening. The detective wanted to go with them, but his partner had other plans. Reluctantly, Ed said goodbye to them just as Logan handed him a couple of folders.

"Got good news from the 1-6. One of our escaped fugitives from the list was caught - Marolf. Come on. We've work to do," Logan said, pulling him back toward Ed's desk.

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"Do you want the good news or the bad news," Fin Tutuola said as the others gathered around his desk.

Munch spoke up first. "Let's take the bitter pill first."

"We've a problem with the list," Tutuola said as he handed a stack of folders to Stabler.

"You found some addresses, I fail to see the problem," he said scanning through them.

Fin shook his head. "What McCoy gave us and what the M.E.s had, there isn't a match. It doubles the total."

Eliot shrugged. "So, we bring him here and lean on him some."

Olivia spoke up. "Guys, we were lucky to get what we have now. Are you sure pushing him is wise?"

Munch took some of the folders from Eliot, not surprised by the lack of continuity. "Doubt it. So, what's the good news?"

Fin grinned. "Our high profile boy wants to talk. Bragged about some girls and some of them fit our list. Asked him about some of these names and he's playing dumb."

"Maybe he didn't think it was worth knowing," Eliot said. "Either that or he wasn't there."

Marolf's photo was handed to Munch. "He was there," the older man said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"How can you be so sure?" Olivia asked.

"He fits the M.O. that's why," he said.

Fin looked at his partner, knowing why he knew and agreed with him for the same reason – gut instinct. "We have to call him down?"

"Yep," Munch said.

"And if it's just a waste of time?" Eliot said. "We're assuming this creep, who escaped…" He muttered a curse. "Do we have any other possible motives we're not seeing here, on either side of this investigation?"

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"Why does the name 'Barnes' sound familiar?" Connie Rubirosa asked as she went through the schedule.

"Leland Barnes," Alex Borgia said. "He was acquitted not long ago when his case was retried. Two of the witnesses had died –one in a car crash, another of a heart attack; the third was uncertain of her testimony, so…" She paused. "Jack was the original prosecuting attorney in the first trial. I'm sure he would have given Leland the just reward he deserved during the appeal. "

"Alex, there was nothing wrong in the L. Barnes trial. So, you mean to tell me that Harlan is his son?"

"Quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

Connie shook her head. "That's all it is, Alex. Or, do you want to 'help' me with this case's dismissal, too?"

Alex said nothing, knowing she had fallen a few levels in her supervisors' eyes. She knew what she knew, and intuition told her that she was right about this.

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Emil Skoda sat in the armchair as Jack took the all-too-familiar position by the window. This time, the patient leaned his head against the glass, eyes seldom blinking. Emil had yet to win the fight to force Jack to see a doctor for a proper physical check-up. But, that wasn't his primary concern today.

"How was your first meeting with Erin?" Emil asked.

Jack shook his head. "I shouldn't have asked for it."

"Why?"

"I hurt her more, that's why."

Emil anticipated this challenge even if Elizabeth didn't. "How?" he asked.

"She had to relive the wounds I already caused her."

Emil kept a blank face, aware of the erroneous logic presenting itself. "How do you know?"

"I watched her; I heard her."

"Jack, did you talk to her?"

He shook his head. "Elizabeth did. I made her madder at me still."

"Therapists don't get mad," Emil said, "they get therapy." He hoped for a smile in response. No such luck.

Jack sighed, leaning further against the window. "I can't tell her what she expects me to tell her."

"You don't have to," Emil said. "Besides, her expectations are no different than mine – how can we best help you get through this."

"Maybe I'm not meant to." Almost as quickly, Jack added, "I didn't mean to say that, I'm sorry! I just… There's no escape and yet…"

Emil learned they caught one of Jack's captors and decided to address it. "What went through your mind when you saw Harlan Barnes?"

A blank expression came over Jack's face as he replied in monotone. "It's all a lie, a bad sign."

"Of what, Jack?"

"Of the worst yet to come. Barnes? He was the least dangerous of them. Not saying he didn't kill or…, he's nothing compared to…" Jack shivered but refused to try and warm himself. Emil wasn't going to force him either.

Tears streamed down the patient's face as Emil assumed a flood of flashbacks overwhelmed him. This time, rather than slide to the floor into a fetal position, Jack steeled himself as best he could.

"I know you want me to tell you what happened. I know they want me to help them solve this. I know… Yet I don't. The others are still out there and…" He took a deep breath. "Even if I tell you everything about those young women, that won't bring them back. It won't change the fact that they… I should have found a way to… I see them every night when I close my eyes; I hear their final breaths; feel their final touches; smell their fear and dying; and almost taste… I can't let go. I can't.

"I've told you what I could and it isn't enough, I know. They want more and I can't repeat it. Telling you ... Lennie – God bless Lennie! - the hell I've put him through. When I could just as easily go home…"

Emil wondered whether or not he needed to remind Jack that he no longer had a home to go back to, and wondered how the conflict of Erin having to pack up the apartment played into the meeting.

"There's no home to go back to," Jack said. "There's no job to go back to. However, I could…"

The pause forced Emil to sit up straight, fearing that what George Huang said was too true. "Jack, listen to me. You have a family of friends here. You are back here with them and I need you to remember that."

"At what cost to them?" he asked. "At what cost to Erin?"

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Elizabeth watched as the tension slowly dissipated between father and daughter, even as the silence remained. As much as she wanted to initiate the discussion between the two, to put into play what she and Jack had rehearsed, she had to see what steps her patient would take.

Erin spoke up first, and this time directly to her father.

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair awaiting Jack's response. Silence wasn't what either woman wanted.

"To have to take time out to pack away your crap and see the junk you held onto – talk about a waste of time! Talk about why you had to leave someone else to pick up the mess!"

Again, Jack said nothing.

"It's all in storage. Mom wouldn't let me get rid of anything! Her of all people telling me to hold on! Where the hell were your siblings, huh? What about your 'so-called' friends? I can only imagine what your successor had to sort through at your true home!

"If you were going to pull this vanishing act, you could have made it simple for everyone by just dropping dead! No, you just have people wondering where you vanished off to when you were supposedly on 'vacation.' Did your boss really have to threaten you to take a break? Are you that much of a jerk to be shoved onto the wagon for workaholics? No bimbo to drag you out of the office after work like normal people?"

Jack remained perfectly still as the tirade continued.

"No wonder Mom left you! No wonder you're alone all the time with that damn scotch bottle of yours! That's the only reliable thing you have in your life, isn't it? Couldn't be a dead drunk in a gutter, could you?"

Elizabeth felt the anger boiling in the younger woman on the other side of the desk. In a way, she was thankful for the barrier. Then again-.

"Say something, damn it!" Erin said as she stood up then shoved her father out of the chair and onto the floor.

Jack did nothing as Erin's rage poured out in hammering fists and kicking feet. Belatedly, Elizabeth noted the high-heel, pointed shoes. No attempt of defense as years of pent up fury showered onto the once-absent father. Elizabeth tried her best to pull the young woman off only to meet much resistance. For a moment, Elizabeth thought of throwing herself between the two just to protect Jack.

No choice, Elizabeth admitted as she reached for the phone on her desk and call security.

----

Jack knew he deserved it. He failed Erin too many times and this was only a small penance to pay. Never mind the split she caused by her choices and actions.

He noticed she was gone, pulled back by two men.

"No!" He rose to his knees almost instantly, reaching out to Erin, who continued to struggle to get back at him. "No!" he cried again as he found himself pulling from someone now.

They were almost to the door with his daughter. He couldn't, wouldn't lose her. Now on his feet, he charged one of the men, pulling on one arm as he repeatedly struck the other with his fist. "No! Leave her alone!" he said with each hit.

The other man shoved him back, the person behind Jack now wrapping both arms around his chest. "No!"

With all of his strength, Jack rammed into the other man, almost freeing his daughter, almost helping her escape. "Don't!" he demanded before desperately digging his fingers into the man's arm.

Most of the raised adrenaline fought off the flood of memories of earlier fights as Jack's fists flayed wildly, before being pinned to the floor. He stretched out to her with his free arm. "No! Don't! Leave her alone!" Tears burned his face as his heart pounded in his throat. The look on her face!

"Dad!" she cried, arms reaching out for him.

"No!" he cried as the three people vanished behind the slamming door.

He half-heartedly struggled as he was completely pinned down, a needle sinking into his shoulder. "Leave her alone!" he whimpered as darkness crashed upon him heavier than it had before.