It was early morning as Lincoln drove the SUV. The night before had been somewhat of catharsis for him. Opening up about Veronica was something he hadn't expected to do. But it felt good to talk about her with someone who wasn't close to the situation, someone who hadn't felt the loss as well. It gave him the chance to say the things he needed to say without worrying about the pain that someone like Michael or LJ would feel as they listened. He didn't have to be strong or tough. He didn't need to put on a false demeanor, shielding those he loved from his own hurt. Maybe someday he would find the courage to share his thoughts and feelings about his pain with them, but he wasn't ready and quite frankly he didn't know how.

The road was clear as he drove. There was very little traffic. If things continued this way they would get back to the safe house tonight quicker than he had expected. But he wasn't anxious to get back. He enjoyed being in Jane's company and wished they had one more day together. Was he being selfish for not wanting to rush back to his family? Was it wrong to want to enjoy more time with Jane?

And what about Jane? Would she stay with them for awhile or run off to join the spy game? And why should he even care?

When he met her she ran him off the road. He couldn't wait to be free of her. And now all he wanted to do was spend more time with her. None of this made any sense. Was it because he had been away from women for 3 years and longed for the company of a beautiful woman? Or was there something about her, something that made her stand out and made him take notice?

Did the reasons really matter? All Lincoln knew was that being with her felt good. Somehow it felt right. Again he was confused, struggling with his guilt and his own personal desires. Either way he knew he needed more time to get to know her.

He looked over at Jane. "So what now?"

She gave him a puzzling look. "What do you mean?"

"What are you going to do? Are you going back to the anti-company?"

"Well, that's what I do," she replied.

"But why? Why did you even join the company to begin with? Look at what they do. Why would you get involved in an organization like that?"

She laughed. "Lincoln, it's not like I knew what they were really about. I was working for the FBI and my friend…"

"The guy you were in love with?"

"Yes," she said. "He was recruited by the company. See, they recruited some FBI agents. He was the top of our class. He was great with a gun. Could shoot accurately from a farther range than I could. I was third in our class…So after they recruited him, he recruited me. The company doesn't tell you upfront what they do. But I learned that they have more power than the FBI, which was very appealing at the time."

"So it's like a step up from the FBI."

"You can say that... So I was intrigued. I thought I was defending our country in the best way I could. But then after some time I found out that they had their own agenda. And people I knew started to disappear. Then I learned some things. I realized that their power was corrupted by greedy men who wanted their own power. So I left and joined the anti-company. Fighting against everything they stood for. So you see Lincoln, it's not like I'm a bad girl turn rogue. I didn't leave the company because I didn't like how I was treated or that the benefits weren't good. I left because I didn't like what they stood for."

"I didn't mean it that way. I never saw you as a bad girl," he said then he started to feel frustrated. He didn't mean to offend her past, he was more interested in her future. The conversation was going in the opposite direction and he needed to turn it around. "But what are you going to do now?" he asked again. "Do you really want to go back to the anti-company? Do you really want to keep fighting?"

"Like I said before, it's what I do."

"That sounds like a cop out," he blurted not meaning to sound harsh, but he was not one to mince words and time was running out on their little journey. Desperation started to seep in.

"Tell me how you really feel," she said joking.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to offend you."

"I know," she said grinning. "But please don't tell me to be a check-out girl at the supermarket again," she said jokingly.

"I'm sure you have other skills," he looked at her. "You know martial arts, right?"

"I'm a 3rd degree black belt in Judo."

"You can teach Judo."

"I don't know Lincoln. I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm a woman living in a world without a home, without family, without ties. I guess, the world is open to me. But where would I go?"

Jane looked at Lincoln as he studied the road. Lincoln, tell me to go with you and I'll go. We've just met and yet I feel like I know you. You're the only man that has made me feel in such a long time. It may work out with us, it may not, but I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Tell me to go with you and I'll go. I know it sounds crazy, but I'll take that chance with you, what else do I have? I have nothing, no one. Tell me to go with you and I'll go.

Jane's words rang in his head. Where would I go? His first instinct was to say, Come with me. But that was silly. How could he ask her that? She would think he was mad and maybe he was. It was irrational. But irrational seemed to be his middle name. Always acting without thinking things through. But that got him in trouble. And he couldn't offer her anything except more trouble, because that's what he was good at.

He took a deep breath before choosing his words. Before being his irrational self. "Like you said, you can go anywhere. But I hope…" he said and turned to look at her "that you would at least stay in touch with us. You're kind of like family now."

"You mean like a step-sister," she said, trying to read his mind.

"Yeah, exactly."

Their eyes met and he could feel himself getting sucked into those beautiful blues. Then his eyes wandered to her mouth. ah…those lips Jane. You're killing me. He turned his attention back to the road.

"Plus," he said. "I'm sure Michael and my son will want to get to know you better. After all, you know a lot about the old man and I'm sure they would like to hear about him."

That wasn't what she wanted to hear, but she smiled and pretended like she wasn't disappointed. "Sure, I would like to get to know your family better also."

"So does this mean that you're not going to run off and join the anti-company then?"

"I don't know. The anti-company exists to fight against the company and maybe by bringing down Reynolds, we are one step closer to doing that."

"Let someone else fight for awhile. You've done enough. Give the information to one of the Senators that are working for the anti-company and let them handle it."

"I would like to see it through."

"But what if the company doesn't come crashing down? What if the company finds a way to disassociate themselves with Reynolds? Then what? You can't keep this up forever." Jane don't go. We have so much unfinished business.

"I understand what you're saying. But I need to evaluate my options. And I don't really have a lot right now." Lincoln I don't have anything. Give me something to live for instead of something to die for.

"You make it sound like you don't have a choice," Lincoln said.

"I feel like I don't."

"Every decision you make is a choice. If you don't want to live fighting all the time then don't."

"You make it sound easy."

"Jane," he said and turned to her. "Life is too short to be unhappy. So the question is, are you happy doing what you do?"

She looked down, trying to figure out how to answer that question. She had lived with hate and anger for so long that it had become a part of her. It had grown on her like a second skin and she didn't know how to shed that, especially on her own.

"It's not a hard question," he said. "You're either happy or you're not."

"I don't know."

"I'll take that as a No."

"What do you think I should do?"

"I already told you. I think you should retire from the spy game. It doesn't suit you."

"And how would you know?"

He shook his head and grinned. He really didn't know. He just knew he didn't want her to walk away from him. It seemed as though they had opened up a can of worms. Feelings started to brew inside and he needed to know if there was something more or just the emptiness of his heart filling his mind with unrealistic thoughts, with a hope he didn't deserve to have. Plus he enjoyed talking to her. Without her he didn't have anyone to share his thoughts with. Was he being selfish? Probably. But she wasn't happy living this way. And he wasn't happy at all.

"I guess I really don't know. But from the short time we've spend together I see a lot of goodness in you and I would hate for something bad to happen to you. I just feel like you should be happy, that you should settle down with someone and have a chance at a real life. You owe it to yourself to have something more than hate and anger. And plus," he turned to look at her, "I like it when you smile."

She broke out in a smile as she looked at him.

"See, the smile suits you," he said. "I like it better than the serious all-business look you had when we first met. And maybe when you leave the spy game you'll smile more often."

"You think so, huh," she said grinning.

"Oh absolutely. You're unhappy doing what you're doing. So why not give it up and risk being happy. Then you can smile all the time."

"Well how can I say No then," she said jokingly. "So," she said studying Lincoln, "How do I find this knight in shining armor that's going to keep me smiling?"

"I don't know. But you're attractive. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard."

"You don't know anyone I could meet?"

"I wouldn't introduce you to anyone I know. They're not good enough for you. Although my brother has better friends. Intelligent, successful. Or we can just get you a male order husband," he said jokingly and smiled.

"That'll work. Why didn't I think about that," she said laughing.

"Either way, I just hope you'll do something else besides going after the company. And if you need any help settling down, and getting acclimated to a life without fighting, I'll help you. After all we're sort of like family now and that's what family does—they help each other."

"I'd like that," she said.