A/N: A heartfelt thank you to those who continue to read and/or review this story. Thank you for sticking with me. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it (sorry for the sub-par writing). You're all the best.


CHAPTER 28

JAMES Allister was a name Severide and Dawson hoped they would never hear again. After what he had put Shay through with the pictures of Devon and blowing up Devon's truck, he should have been locked behind bars. Instead, he had lain low, giving the police the slip, and making everyone believe he was long gone.

And now he was alone with Shay.

Dawson looked at Rafferty who was being examined by another one of the resident doctors at Lakeshore. She was in a hospital gown, and had an IV in her arm for fluids. The doctors who had come in and out of Rafferty's room in the past hour had all expressed concerns of a concussion and advised her to stay awake, even though she looked dead tired.

As the doctor left the room, Lindsay and Antonio entered, followed by Severide.

"Hey Allison," Antonio said. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Rafferty answered. "But I'll feel better once we find Leslie."

"We are going to do everything we can to find Leslie," Lindsay reassured. "We just have a few questions. Are you up for that?"

Rafferty pointed to her bandaged head. "Can't sleep anyway. Even if I could, I don't think I would be able to with Shay still gone."

"Can you tell us what happened from the beginning?" Antonio asked as he got out his notepad.

"Yes. We responded to a call. When we got there, it didn't look like anyone was there. We both looked around. I suggested I would head back to the Ambulance to make sure we got everything right. Shay said she would continue looking. When I got to the Ambulance, I radioed dispatch. They told us the address was correct and to abandon the call. I radioed Shay to come back, and then I felt someone grab me from behind and put a cloth over my nose and mouth."

Rafferty paused before she continued to tell them the rest of what happened. She told them how when she came to she was zip tied to a chair in an abandoned room and that Shay was still unconscious, and also tied. How the room was prepared with floodlights. How after they both were conscious, this man walked in the room and Shay immediately identified him as James Allister. How he had gotten angry and hit them over the head with the end of his gun. And finally, how he had a police scanner and heard Chicago PD talk about finding the Ambulance, how he panicked because of Rafferty's bluff about there being a secret GPS in the ambulance, untying her and throwing her into a room where he again hit her over the head with the gun.

"You shouldn't have bluffed," Severide said once Rafferty was finished talking. The tone in his voice sounded angry. "Shay could have still been with you if you hadn't bluffed!"

Rafferty became flustered as Dawson shot Severide a look. Even Antonio and Lindsay noticed.

Lindsay looked at Rafferty and then at Severide. "Why don't you take a break, Kelly? Grab a coffee. Go for a walk."

Severide could tell Lindsay was not asking, and he complied, quickly leaving the room.

Dawson could tell Rafferty was feeling horrible about the whole situation.

"Maybe he is right. Maybe I shouldn't have bluffed. I just didn't know"—

"Hey," Antonio said gently. "You did what you had to do to keep both of you alive."

"Antonio is right," Lindsay said. "You did nothing wrong. We will find Leslie."


DAWSON quickly made her way out into the hall, and quickly scanned the hallway to see if she could find any signs of Severide. In the distance she could make out a tall man, with salt and pepper colored hair and ran after him.

"Kelly," Dawson said, trying to grab his attention as she maneuvered her way through people. "Kelly!"

Severide abruptly stopped walking and turned to face Dawson.

"What the hell was that in there?" She asked.

"Shay's still missing," Severide answered. "She's out there somewhere with some lunatic."

"Do you think we all don't know that? I am just as worried as you are. But saying what you said to Allison…"

"I may have been out of line," Severide began to say.

"May have? You were."

Severide shook his head. "But Rafferty jeopardized Shay's life. If she hadn't said anything about an imaginary GPS, they would still be wherever they were."

Dawson rolled her eyes. "And if Rafferty hadn't bluffed, we would still not know where they are or who had them. We'd be looking at drug dealers and gangs—not Allister."

"Look, I am glad Rafferty is safe. I am. I'm just worried about Shay. And no offence, but its not like Shay and Rafferty were particularly close. They were just ambulance partners."

Dawson bit her lip. She knew Shay and Rafferty were more than just ambulance partners, that they were lovers. She also knew first hand how hard it was to work with a person you were romantically involved with. Out of a technicality and bad blood between Austin, she was allowed to be a candidate on Truck 81, even though she was involved with Casey. If anyone had found out that Shay and Rafferty were an item, Rafferty or Shay, would be transferred out of 51.

Dawson grabbed Severide's arm and dragged him into a quiet corner just to make sure no one could listen in. "This does not get repeated anywhere, okay?"

Severide seemed confused, but he nodded his head. "Okay."

"Shay and Rafferty are together. They have been since San Antonio. So if you think for one minute Rafferty isn't in anguish over this, you are wrong."

Severide took a step back. He couldn't imagine Shay and Rafferty sleeping together, let alone being a couple.

"Shay told me in confidence," Dawson stressed. "This is only between the two of us."

Severide nodded his head.

Dawson looked Severide directly in the eye. "We have a better chance of finding Shay now then we did this morning. Remember that."


SHAY opened her eyes, not remembering falling asleep (or being drugged). Regardless, she was in a new surrounding, both her hands and feet were bound, and she was lying on a cheap mattress.

She struggled to put herself upright, to get a better view of where she was. It was a small room, with two nightstands, a TV that looked like something her grandfather had owned, and a door that lead to a bathroom. She figured she was in a cheap, probably hourly, motel room.

Shay turned her attention to the front door, hearing the knob turning. Allister opened the door and came in holding a tray of cups and a bag of fast food.

"I hope you like McDonalds," Allister said as he closed the door. "It was the only thing nearby."

He took off his coat and made his way to the bed. Shay watched him carefully, her body tensing when he approached her with a drink in his hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Allister said. He said it so innocently; that if Shay hadn't known better she would think he actually wanted to help her. "I know I got angry before but that was because of that other stupid bitch, but with her gone, and now it being just the two of us…I feel much more relieved."

Shay felt her heart and stomach drop. Rafferty had been on her mind since she woke up. She had hoped it was just a terrible nightmare, but now she knew.

"Here," He said as he put the straw up to her lips. "Drink. You're probably really thirsty."

She was. She dying of thirst, but she didn't want to take anything from him.

"Look Leslie, we can't stay here long. If you don't drink or eat something you will get sick and die, and I won't be able to help you. So please, drink. I promise. It's just Iced Tea."

Her mind was shouting for her to take the drink, and she finally gave in, chugging it.

"Good thing I bought a large," Allister joked. He grabbed the bag of food and pulled out some fries and a burger. "Now, will you be a good girl and eat something for me?"

Shay was able to hold the burger with her hands. With every bite she took, she felt as though she was betraying Rafferty. She couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face.

Allister tenderly wiped the tears away, even though Shay flinched every time he touched her.

"I know you're sad," Allister started to say. "But I'll grow on you, and before you know it you'll forget about Allison. Just like you forgot about Devon. And you'll be better for it. We'll be better together."

Shay looked down at her half-eaten burger while Allister continued to talk about what he had planned for the two of them. She had heard him talk about Hawaii, or even Mexico, and how happy they would be. But all she could think about was Devon and Rafferty, and how they both died of gunshots.