Words- Chapter Twelve- A dream come true… a nightmare I wish that wasn't…

Detective Mal Fallon- Hope, Maine- The Holton Household

I don't know where I was going.

But again, I was running, and running after the woman that I loved.

Except this time, she was running away from me.

Her shimmering brown locks were barely out of my grip as she darted down the street. I don't know where we were. I just know that it wasn't San Francisco, Maine, Alaska, or anywhere else I'd seen in my life. Everything around us seemed so bleak and inevitably pointless, though- because I was really only focused on her.

"Natara, where are you going? What's wrong, sweetie?" She kept running and running, and I could sense she was out of breath.

"I should have known better! It was you.. All along, and it was you!" She screamed that at me, hyperventilating. "I-It was you!"

"How could you say that? I love you. With all of my heart!"

"Love me? How could you continue to lie to me, Mal!"

I couldn't believe the sight that was awaiting me, at the very end of our street. Shawn Mallory, before he turned psychotic and horrific looking. His limp was still there. But the ghostly white hair, the pale shade of his lips, and his overall just eerie way of expression, it was gone. It looked like the first day I met him.

What I saw next… it made me want to vomit. Natara ran into his arms. "Shawn, thank god you're here!"

I froze in my tracks. Their lips touched and I felt my legs quicker. I knew it was a nightmare. A bad dream. It had to be. There was no way it was anything close to being real.

They kept kissing and touching… and believe me, I reached out with my hands, gripping for her with all of my might. "Natara!" I screamed.

And everything became booming loud. And his hair grew lengthy and white- how I knew it to be. I just knew I kept reaching for her… screaming her name… begging for her to come back to my arms…

And then.

"Mal! You're hurting me! Stop it!" I felt a warm sensation all around me as my eyes peeled open. I was on top of Natara and as soon as I saw the pained expression on her face, I moved to the other side of the room.

"What the hell was that?" Her face was pretty still and in the dark, I could still see her terrified expression.

It remained even after I released my grip on her.

"N-Nat… I am so sorry. It was another nightmare, and I-"

She interrupted me with a soft, but intense kiss on my lips. "Mal, it's alright. We're on edge. Don't say sorry. I'm just worried about you. Are you okay?"

Natara. Such a beautiful, understanding woman. It seemed as though I couldn't be any luckier. "I'm fine… it's just weird. I never had nightmares when I was growing up, and not when I became an adult either. I don't know how to explain it."

She took hold of my hand and led me back towards the bed, pulling me into her arms. "You don't need to explain it. It's just probably a result of the fear you're feeling right now."

"I'm not scared." I replied abruptly.

"Sure. Say that. Just know that even I, the impenetrable Natara Williams am afraid right now. Being scared is okay sometimes."

I shook my head at her attempt at humor. Her soft stomach became my pillow. Terrified I was crushing it, I only rested my head lightly. But she wasn't complaining at all. "You're hilarious, Natara. But on the other hand… don't quit your day job."

She playfully slapped my arm. If only she knew that it didn't hurt me in the slightest. "You, Mal Fallon, are a jerk. Remind me again why I associate myself with you."

I raised my head and took her into my arms instead, planting a series of soft kisses along her jaw line to her forehead. "Because, Natara Mansingh, I love you, and would do anything for you." I planted one last kiss on her tiny, soft lips and locked my gaze with hers.

"Anything?"

I nodded.

"Then shut that sexy mouth of yours, and kiss me."

I shook my head at her and did as I was ordered.

Detective Blaise Corso- SFPD HeadQuarters

"Alright. I'm exhausted. And I'm tired of this!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as we realized we hit yet another dead end.

So far, the only lead we had was the strange, anonymous letters that Mal had apparently been receiving in his work mailbox. As I continued my tirade, powered mostly by frustration and pure exhaustion, an angry Acting Captain Anders stormed through the bullpen.

"Everybody, I need for this nonsense to cease! The feds are doing the best they can to locate Detective Fallon and Agent Williams! And I already said, working on this case is not permitted!"

I was still fueling from my recent outburst. Anders wasn't going to stop me. "Captain, I'm sorry. But according to you, the feds are also searching for the high-profile Shawn Mallory, who wants nothing less than to watch Natara and Mal suffer. But you want us, their friends and coworkers, to sit in the background and do nothing?"

"Blaise, please, understand my limitations and the personal relationships are exactly why you cannot be involved… You all have towering stacks of paperwork on your desks due to me by the end of the day, no exceptions! Do we have a clear understanding?"

I was about to protest, when the Captain interrupted me.

"If I have anymore resistance from anybody on the matter, and if there is any, and I don't care if you're off-duty or otherwise, I will have your badges."

That shut me up pretty quick. But not quick enough.

That day, on my lunch, I approached a tired-looking Detective Redbird with a coffee for him. And an idea. "Hey Redbird, come here."

The break room was pretty deserted, except for an off-duty officer taking a nap in the corner. You would be surprised on how often that happens.

"Blaise… Again, I'm really sorry about barging in on you and Oscar the other night- Don-"

I couldn't believe he was still talking about that. To me, he was being an idiot. To even suggest that I was having a secret affair with Oscar was a ridiculous, unreal idea. And when it came down to Oscar hitting on me, and me rejecting him, he brought up Mal. Everybody was an idiot, in my professional opinion. My obvious heart's choice was right in front of them. "Shut up, Jeremy. Listen, I need your help. It's a giant risk… but… here's the thing. I know that Mal would risk his badge for me. He would do way more than that. If you help Oscar and I… it would be an amazing favor."

I watched his eyes narrow in on something near my feet. But in reality, he wasn't looking at anything- just zoning out. "You heard what Anders said, though. It isn't an option. I've worked for this." He lifted his jacket so show the inside, where the badge was clipped. "Worked hard… and I know that you and Mal were like that…. But… I don't know. I feel like they're going to locate those two. You know? I feel like in my gut, they're safe."

I laughed. "Oh god, you're starting to sound like Mal…"

Special Agent Natara Williams- My Own Thoughts

My heart slept next to me.

Soft sighs and snores echoed throughout the thick shadows of an eerie house.

I desperately wanted to shake Mal's shoulders and wake him up. I was scared. I wanted him to hold me, which he already was, but I still didn't feel safe.

That's how horrible Shawn Mallory made me feel.

Delicately, I pushed my heart's arms away- separating myself from my thick wall of safety.

The darkness of the hallway called to me. And I couldn't tell you why. I wandered into the kitchen and poured myself a chilly ice water, analyzing the last note I received, one last time. After this, I planned to toss it in the garbage, and return to my heart's arms.

Afraid

I, being a profiler, always wanted to decipher from scratch. That is- not assume things. And cover all bases.

Afraid

Was it a statement or an accusation?

Afraid, Unloved, and Infidelity

I had begun to truly pick apart everything from the meaning to the typestyle. And then, I heard a sharp whisper behind me. And glass and water flew in every direction.

Author's Note:

I'm sorry this chapter sucked. I'm tired. It's two in the morning. Enough said. Hahah, please review and don't be shy, ladies and gentleman. Oh my, that reminds me, I have this new prof that says "ladies and gentleman" every two seconds, he also asks us if we agree with him whenever he says ANYTHING. Sooooo weird. Anyways…

I will try to update again either tomorrow or on CoD Monday. Enjoy the rest of your weekends, readers and Maltara enthusiasts.

Review Replies:

Molly: Yes, the popular vote according to reader reviews said that Blascar was a no-no. Hahah, but there is SOMEONE for Blaise. You're going to have to wait and see who :0

Lisa: Thank you SOOOOO MUCH. I have a thing with writing. I write and write and write and after like an hour I'll be like "Gee, my head hurts…. Oh… you just wrote like twelve chapters… explains it. Hahah .But yeahhhh there's some more Maltara coming…. A lot of it…

NiekaWow: Thanks soooo much! It's totally cool. Hahahaha I'm a maltara girl too… but am definitely still pro-'jeraise'. Question: Can we use 'redbird' instead of his real name. IT'D BE REDBLAISE

The Sarcastic Polar Bear: Thank you! I have read some of your stuff on here and what I have read is amazing. Hahaha I know im kinda rude. I don't ever review…. But still, thanks so much!

Katie: hahahah you funny. MALTARA MALTARA MALTARA. You're funny. Keep watching for updates. Haahha the maltara in this chapter was specifically for you

Jade: Oh wow thankkkk you! That's soooo nice of you! Im going to update as much as possible.

Tori: Yeahhhhh I forgot about oscar too. Natara Needs to forget about oscar mostly though lol