Chapter 19

"Unbelievable, isn't she?" Murdock said as he nudged Face, gesturing to Amy talking on the telephone. Face, sitting beside him at the small kitchen table, just nodded while drinking his own coffee.

He wasn't sure if Murdock meant it admiringly or in true disbelief, but Amy had been on and off the telephone for the last hour. You wouldn't have known they'd only rescued her last night. Face's frustration grew as he watched Amy pace back and forth as far as the telephone cord would allow.

Okay – so Amy was a reporter, but Face thought she might want to take time out to think about what had happened to her. She was acting like nothing had happened. Was she trying to prove something?

Thankfully, Maggie had stopped Amy from leaving Bad Rock early this morning, insisting she stayed so Maggie could keep an eye on her – otherwise Amy would have been driving back to San Diego. Didn't she realise it could still be dangerous for her?

Amy put the phone down and walked over to join them at the table. Face faked a smile, and held out her cup of coffee. She took the cup, smiling back, though not meeting his eye.

"Thanks," she said, taking the chair next to Murdock. "Okay, Zack's gotten hold of our San Diego office and they're going to send someone to get all the arrest details for me." Amy smiled, wrapping both hands around her cup. "So I don't have to go back to San Diego."

Good thing, too, because Face had already decided he wasn't going to let her go back. He'd drag her back to LA kicking and screaming if he had to. To hell with what the others thought.

"Oh, that's great news, Chica," Murdock said cheerfully, patting Amy's arm.

"I know, it's good news," Amy continued. "It means I can go back to LA first and finish the story there." Face watched silently, drinking his coffee, his temper bubbling underneath the surface. First? If Murdock wasn't sitting here, he'd speak his mind about this damn story.

"Zack's also contacting the girls' families, making the arrangements so I can go back and get their stories later."

"Uh, Amy..." Murdock stuttered. "I thought you said you weren't going back?"

She didn't look either of them in the eye. "Not right away, no..."

Face glared at her, but Amy didn't notice, too busy talking to Murdock, trying to convince him why she had to return to San Diego eventually. So Face stood without a word, walked to the sink, dumped his coffee and left the kitchen.

A moment later, Amy came up behind him. "Face, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Why shouldn't I be?" he replied, hating the short-tempered tone.

Amy frowned. "You don't sound alright."

"Okay – no. I'm not alright!" Face snapped. "What the hell are you doing?" He noticed the slight wobble in her expression, her eyes glistening. Instantly regretting his sharpness, he edged closer to her.

"My job!" She glared at him, stepping back, holding a shaky hand up, ready to push him away. "Those girls need their story told so people are aware that it does go on and to stop this kind of thing from happening again. I have to follow this up. This story won't wait. It needs to be printed now - otherwise it won't be worth printing!"

Face swallowed, holding in his anger, his frustration that a part of her was right. But she could give the story to someone else; she didn't have to be so involved. Did she feel she had to put on a brave face in front of the team, in front of him? Was she hiding her true emotions behind this act? Face should recognise it after all; he was a master at it himself. But he didn't like her hiding them from him.

"Get someone else to write it!"

"It's my story. Al's story!" her voice wavered. "I've got to finish this." She glared at him. Although her cheeks looked flushed, her scowl was as cold as stone.

"Why risk putting yourself in danger all over again?"

"Oh, Face, I'll be interviewing the girls' families, not knocking on Harper's door!"

He threw his arms in the air. "Fine. Do what you've got to do." Face turned away, hearing an exasperated response from her. Damn it, why'd she always have the last word? He slammed the door behind him as he marched outside, in urgent need for some fresh air.

For a moment he stood on the front porch, mad as hell. Why did she do this to him? How had he let her affect him like this? He didn't want to argue with her. He uncurled the fist he hadn't realised he'd formed and tried to relax, shake off his mood.

Would it always be about a damn story? What would she put first; the story or the team? And what if they were together.... He shook his head. Shit. He needed to stop thinking like that.

Noticing the van parked by his Vette and BA, with his toolbox by his feet, under the Van's hood, he walked over, glancing around, searching.

"BA, did you leave Amy's car at the hospital?"

"Yeah, we were in a hurry," BA said. "Hank's taking care of it."

"Hank?"

"Yeah, you know, the sheriff."

"I know who he is, BA. Is he bringing Amy's car back here?"

BA shook his head. "Nah, man. Said his guy would take it to LA. He had some business there anyway."

Face frowned, bemused. "Did you... did you organise all this?"

BA winked. "Don't want her going back, do we?"

"Thanks, BA," Face said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Although I'm not sure it's going to do any good. She's talking about going back sooner or later."

BA shook his head, grumbling.

"Maybe she'll come to her senses when she gets back to LA," Face said.

"Just quit blaming yourself, Faceman," BA said, dropping the hood of his van, and wiping his oily hands on a rag.

Blaming himself? Well, yes – that and more. But if blame was what the team thought, then he could hide the rest behind that.

Face started walking down the street, still feeling the need to keep away from Amy so he didn't do something stupid. He had so much going on - frustration and confusion about his feelings for Amy. He really needed to sort things out before he went crazy and found himself in a room next to Murdock's.

He noticed Hannibal and Maggie around the side of her house. Both just talking, and laughing as they spoke. Hannibal had his arm around her waist, while Maggie brushed his jacket, neither dropping their gaze. But Hannibal didn't have to hide his feelings for Maggie; he could come right out with them if he liked. It wouldn't affect the team if he did. Okay – so Hannibal was in the same boat as Face. He could hardly settle down, but Maggie wasn't on the team.... like Amy.

"Face!" Hannibal called out, meeting Face's eye. Face took a deep breath, wondering if this was going to be the conversation he'd been dreading. Hannibal excused himself from Maggie and walked towards him. "Let's take a walk."

"You read my mind, Hannibal."

"We need to have a talk," Hannibal said, lighting a cigar. The two of them strolled away from the house and towards the small town. "What happened to you last night?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Lieutenant. If I hadn't walked in when I did -"

"It was nothing he didn't deserve," Face mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets as he slowly walked.

"Lieutenant?"

"He tossed the bait, and I bit." Hannibal frowned at Face. It wasn't enough and Face knew it. "I just felt that Amy's situation was my fault... And when Max bragged he'd.... raped her, I just...."

"Admittedly, I probably would have smacked the guy, too – although once would have been enough. So I have to ask this." Hannibal stopped walking, looking Face in the eye. "Is there something going on between you and Amy?"

"No!" Face said. "Of course not! I wouldn't do anything to jeopardise her safety, or her position on this team."

"You know, kid, the reason I made the fraternisation rule was so that things like you and Max don't happen."

"I know, Hannibal. I know. And I assure you, nothing's going on between Amy and me."

Hannibal didn't look convinced, raising an eyebrow.

"I swear!"

"That sounds kinda rehearsed, Face."

"It's not!" Face looked him in the eye, his jaw fixed. Well, he wasn't lying – really. They hadn't done anything yet – and weren't going to. "I was tired, and angry, and... it had just been a long couple of days."

"Okay." Hannibal nodded and continued walking. "You just know our situation puts the people we care about in danger. And if that's your reaction to a friend, imagine what you'd do if – well...." Face swallowed, glancing at his feet, the house they passed, the store across the street – anything but Hannibal's eye. "People like Max -"

"Max is an asshole!"

"Even so, people like him – our enemies - want to hurt our friends to get to us. And then there's Decker to think about. If he found proof that Amy was associated to us, he'd have her locked up. He's already breathing down her neck. Decker doesn't need more fuel."

"I understand, but Amy and I are just friends."

Hannibal nodded, as if satisfied, puffed on the last of his cigar, then threw it aside. "Okay, let's get our stuff together. Maggie's agreed to let Amy leave, as long as we keep an eye on her."

Face walked back towards the house with Hannibal. His head still wasn't clear, but he knew what he had to do – bury all feelings for Amy. Build up his internal brick wall. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

Maybe it would be a good thing, Amy getting buried in her work. He could find some venture in LA to lose himself in for a while. Some time apart may do them good.

XXXXXXX

In the back of the van, Amy scribbled in her notepad, making herself look busy. In reality she was deep in her own turmoil of thoughts.

Maggie had been so kind, she couldn't thank her enough. When they'd come to leave, Amy had noticed the closeness Hannibal and Maggie had shared and how open they could be about it. Unlike Amy and Face.

Amy recalled what Maggie had said to Hannibal as he'd gotten into the van, and it had made her smile.

"Anytime, John. You call me, okay?" And Hannibal had grinned.

Thinking about Face now, Amy was relieved he was in his car, following behind them. It had been like he'd seen straight through her earlier. And he was right – she'd already planned to bury herself in this story.... or at least her work. Someone else could write this story, but how else was she supposed to cope? And she was doing this for Al. Had he forgotten the whole reason she'd gone to San Diego in the first place? Maybe this just proved Face didn't take Amy's work seriously and how important it was to her.

He didn't take her seriously.

Well, things had to change. Lately, she'd been relying on Face too much. She had to stand on her own two feet and get over this. She couldn't keep running to him because these feelings were going to make her look like a fool - a broken-hearted fool.

She had to remember - there was no future with Face.

~ The End ~