He sat back in his chair and smiled at the memories of last night. The sight of her being cut with a knife, the blood dripping from her arm was too much for him to bare. Seeing her being loaded into the ambulance, knowing she was in pain, he only wished he'd been the one to administer it. He smiled at the thought of what he had planned for her. The fear he was going to place in her heart, the pain, and the her death.

It would be pay back for all the things she'd done to his family, the things she'd taken away. Nobody would be able to protect her, not her brother, coworkers, or boyfriend. In the end she would have no one, he would take all of them from her. He pulled out the special paper he had bought just for her and loaded it into the printer and turned on his computer. Time to start, he laughed at the memories of the night before. Good times!

XXXXXXXX

Sydni opened her eyes slowly, squinting at the sun streaming through the window. She rolled over to look at the clock, eight am, memories of the night before started to flood her mind. She had a vague memory of singing in Spike's truck on the way home from the hospital. She didn't remember much else, she eased herself out of bed. Planting her feet on the floor, she started to stand and the room started to spin wildly, two strong arms snaked around her waist. She opened her eyes and was starring into brown ones, Spike eased her back down on to the bed.

"Thanks. How long have you been here?"

"All night. Breakfast is ready."

"Oh..."

Sydni tried to stand up again and didn't fair very well this time either. Spike wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her down stairs to breakfast. She suddenly had a flashback to the night before of Spike undressing her and putting her in her pjs, of her asking him to stay with her and hold her, and her saying I love you. Sydni looked at Spike and lost her footing. He quickly wrapped his other arm around her to steady her.

"Are you all right?"

"Ummmm...yeah..."

"Are you hurting?"

"Not too bad. Thank you for staying last night and taking care of me. For fixing breakfast this morning. I'm sure you have things to do today..."

Spike leaned over and kissed her "You're welcome and I'm right where I want to be."

After they cleaned up from breakfast they got ready for the day. The plan was to stay around and let Sydni rest, she was still tired and weak from the night before. The went up stairs to the home theater and watched movies, Sydni fell asleep midmoring with her head on his shoulder. He pulled her over into his arms, laying her across his lap, so she'd be more comfortable. Spike nuzzled her ear and whispered "Wake up sleeping beauty, let's go get some lunch."

Sydni woke up and smiled at him, "Sorry, guess I was more tired that what I thought." She leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips caressing his face. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, running his hands through her hair. She moaned and ran her hands up and down his shoulders. He shifted positions and laid her on the couch, and laid on top of her. She ran her hands under his shirt, never breaking the kiss. She placed kisses along his neck, while he unbuttoned her shirt.

The ring of Spike's phone interrupted them both and stopped them. Spike grabbed his phone irritated at the interruption, "It's my ma...I've got to take it."

He rolled off of Sydni and walked away, she just laid there for a few minutes trying to gather her thoughts. Spike came back into the room looking upset. "I've got to go...it's my dad."

"Is everything ok?"

"No, he's being taking to the hospital."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Spike looked at her with longing in his eyes "Yes, No...I want you to go but you need to stay here and rest."

Sydni got up to get her shoes "I'm coming with you."

Spike looked at her gratefully, they were out the door in ten minutes and on the way to St. Luke's hospital. They were there for hours, Spike's dad was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was going to be in the hospital for a couple of days but he'd be okay. They grabbed a quick bite to eat before they headed back to Sydni's house.

They sat on her front porch talking for ten minutes looking at the stars and the moon. Spike reached out to hold her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"Thank you for coming with me today. It meant a lot to me."

"I was where I wanted to be Spike."

"I know how I feel about you, I don't want to see anyone else. I've fallen in love with you..."

Sydni turned to look at Spike she placed her fingers on his lips to silence him "I don't want to see anyone else either...I love you too"

Spike pulled her into his arms and kissed her, "I was so afraid you didn't feel the same way..."

"I was fighting it, not many men can handle a women law enforcement agent."

"It scares me but I also love it about you."

The sat cuddled on the porch for a few minutes longer, "Can you stay tonight or do you need to go home?"

"I need to go home and stay with ma."

"I understand...I love you Miachelangelo."

"I love you Syd."

Spike made sure she got into the house safely and then left for home. Sydni went through her mail, bills, bills, advertisement, etc. She came across a letter that had her name and address on it but no postage. She thought maybe one of her neighbors had dropped it in her box, maybe an invitation to a party. She opened the envelop and pulled out the paper

Bitches get stitches! Too bad not from me! Hope it didn't hurt too bad! Trust and Believe pain is coming!

What I'm going to do to you won't be able to be stitched up!

You're own brother and boyfriend won't recognize you when I'm done.

Sydni folded the paper back up and stuffed it into the envelop and shoved it in the desk drawer and slammed the drawer shut. She couldn't lose her cool, she had to stay calm. She heard her phone beep and went to get it out of her purse thinking it was Spike letting her know he had made it home safely. She had gotten a text, she opened up her texted message expecting it to be from Spike instead it was from an unknown number.

See you got my note! How rude of you to put it in the desk drawer! Sleep well tonight since your boyfriend didn't stay.

Sydni deleted the text message, she dead bolted the lock on the front door and made sure the alarm was set for the whole house. She went up stairs to her room, shut and locked the door pushing the dresser in front of the door. She took out her off duty gun and loaded it, slid the rack making sure there was a bullet ready to fire. She got ready for bed when her phone rang. She stared at her phone with a small icy sliver of fear in her heart.