Lucky you, two chapters in one night! Like I said, I got a bit of inspiration. It won't be too much longer until the end. I already have the final two chapters written, I just need a lead in to them. Hope you enjoy!


Elena sat rigid at her desk the next morning, typing up a new report. She was exhausted from not being able to sleep the night before. Her resolve to avoid the President had multiplied tenfold.

"You should have been there! It was awesome, yo!" Reno said loudly as he and Rude walked into the office. Elena barely glanced their way. Reno looked over at his silent co-worker, immediately noticing the dark circles and her bloodshot eyes. An uncharacteristic frown came over his face as he marched over to Elena's desk. Elena didn't acknowledge his approach.

"Do you sleep?" Reno asked bluntly. Elena glanced up at him.

"Yes," she said, her fingers never leaving the keyboard.

"Are you sure, because you're looking awfully tired today," he said, concern apparent in his voice.

"I'm fine," she said abruptly.

"I don't think you are," Reno replied.

"It's none of your concern," she said tersely.

"I think it is," Reno replied just as quickly.

"Leave me alone," Elena shot back. Reno grabbed the keyboard and pulled it off her desk, knocking over a pile of finished reports along with a pen holder. Ball point pens scattered across her desk and clattered to the floor.

"Are you even listening to me?" he shouted. Elena looked up at him, her brown eyes wide with shock. "Because I don't think you are."

"Reno," Rude said from his desk.

"Shut up, Rude, we've done nothing for too long," Reno shouted at him, never taking his eyes off Elena. "You are not fine. I don't care if your body has healed. You're not the same Elena as before and I'm sick of this new Elena. I'm sick of seeing that dead look in your eyes." Elena swallowed as she gripped the desk in front of her. Reno had never yelled at her like this before.

"I've tried being nice and taking it easy on you, but it's not working. You've got to quit this Ice Queen act," he shouted.

"What makes you think it's an act," Elena said softly. "You don't know anything." Reno shook his head, a wry smile spread across his face.

"So, you're saying that I've just got to get use to this-, this-, dead-, thing that's taken over you?" he asked.

"You don't know anything," she said a little louder.

"I don't know because you refuse to tell me," Reno shouted back. "I risked my life to pull you out of that building. Rude and I both nearly died making sure that we didn't leave without you, and this is how you're going to be?" Emotions began welling up in Elena. The guilt began trickling back into her. She looked down at her lap, struggling to keep them down. Trying to ignore the pain. But something in her snapped, and she couldn't take it anymore.

"If that's how you feel, then why didn't you just let me die!" she shouted as she looked up at Reno, her eyes blazing. Reno stepped back, not expecting her to have such an explosive reaction. "Why didn't you just let me die!"

"Enough," Tseng said calmly. Reno and Elena looked over at their somber boss, neither noticing when he had entered the room. "Elena, will you please come into my office. And Reno, you can put the keyboard done." Elena nodded solemnly and stood while Reno silently placed the keyboard back on her desk. She followed Tseng into his office.

"Shut the door behind you," he said as he walked around his desk and sat in his chair. Quietly, Elena shut the door, walked over and sat across from Tseng. He silently watched her for a moment, realizing how similar this was to the day she had confessed to him. Only now, she wasn't a nervous wreck. She was silent, dead almost. Elena watched Tseng, regaining her composure and the control she had lost while with Reno.

"I think you should take some time off," Tseng finally said.

"I'm fine, sir," Elena replied quickly, swallowing the panic that was starting to rise again.

"No, you're not," Tseng said. He began rubbing his temple to ward off the headache that starting. "You're not sleeping. It's apparent that you are still emotionally unstable-,"

"I'm fine, sir," she said a little stronger. Tseng studied her for a moment, taking in her dark circles and bloodshot eyes.

"You know, what happened wasn't your fault, Elena. And we all understand how hard it must be for you, even now. No one will blame you for taking a few more weeks off. I think you came back too soon," he said softly. Elena stared at him, completely at a loss as to what to do. "Go home, Elena. Get some rest and get yourself back together. Reno has a point," Tseng continued. "We all miss the old you." Elena nodded.

"I understand," she murmured, still in a daze. Silently, she stood and began walking to the door.

"And Elena," Tseng called. She stopped and turned to look at him. "It wouldn't hurt to talk to someone about what happened. You might find it helpful." She nodded again, then left his office.