The next morning, Mac was awakened by someone ringing his doorbell. He looked at his watch and it was 3am. He thought it must be Karen at the door. He did not know of anyone else who would be here this time of the morning. He got up and headed for the door. He looked out the peephole just to make sure, and it was Karen.

Mac opened the door. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted to see you," Karen replied.

"Come on in."

Karen went in and Mac closed the door. He looked at her and realized she was not looking very playful. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you, Mac," Karen said.

"Well, come on."

They went into the bedroom. Mac got into the bed and held the covers up for Karen. She took her shoes off and got into the bed with her shorts and t-shirt on. Mac hugged her to him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I talked to Mister Crenshaw yesterday," Karen said. "He wants me to leave Monday."

Mac sat up and looked at her. "That soon?"

"Yes. I thought it would be at least two or three more weeks, but he wants me to go now. Can we spend the weekend together somewhere?"

Mac frowned and shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he said. "I'm going to have to go to West Virginia tomorrow."

"West Virginia? Why?"

"Because that is where one of our suspects lives. And then I have to go to Ohio and Nebraska too."

"Then you'll probably be gone when I have to leave for L.A."

"I don't know. I have to go."

Karen sat up and touched Mac's face. "I don't know if I can do this and be away from you," she said.

Mac kissed her hand. "Karen, this is a great opportunity for you," he said. "You'll gain a lot of experience and you'll boost your career."

"And lose you? I would give up my career to keep you. Don't you know how much I love you? You don't treat me like one of the guys. You treat me like a woman and you make me feel special and beautiful."

"I want you to feel like that because you are to me."

Karen looked down and Mac raised her chin to see tears on her face. "Don't cry," he said. He wiped the tears off her face. "You are not going to lose me. Don't you know that?"

Karen put her arms around his neck and they shared a long kiss and lay down on the bed. Mac pulled the covers over them so they could feel like they were the only two people in the world, hidden from the rest of the world.

When Mac woke up the next morning, his phone was alarming that it was time to get up. He pulled the covers off his head and turned the alarm off. Karen grabbed him in a tight embrace. "I'm not letting you get up!" she said.

"Hey, you're going to cut off my oxygen that way," Mac replied. He snuggled back under the covers with her and pulled her close to him. "I have to get up. I have to get to the office and get things in order to go on to West Virginia."

"I know but I don't want you to."

"Maybe I'll be back before Monday."

"I hope you are. I don't want to leave without you being the last person I see."

Mac looked at her and kissed her. "I'll be out there to see you."

"How long?"

"I don't know. I'll probably surprise you."

Mac got up and got a shower, not without any interference from Karen and then they went to breakfast. Mac dropped her off at her apartment since it was not time for her to be at work. They stared at each other a moment. "I love you," Karen said.

"I love you too," Mac replied. He kissed her and they lingered. "If I don't get back before Monday, you just remember that I love you."

Karen kissed him again and then got out of the car. "I'm going to miss you," she said.

"Me too."

Karen closed the door of the Avalanche and went on into her apartment building, unable to keep her tears from flowing. She had never felt about anyone the way she felt about Mac, and she had never had anyone love her the way he did. She was certain that he loved her but she knew what distance could do….but she also knew what kind of man Mac was and he would never betray her.

Mac sighed as he headed on to the office. He did not want Karen to feel insecure or lonely. He had never loved anyone like this since…Claire. He had even thought about taking an extended leave and just going to L.A. with Karen but he knew he could not do that, especially for a whole year. A year was a long time.

Mac parked in the parking garage at the lab and went up to his office. Jo came in there as soon as he sat down. "So, you're leaving later today?" Jo asked.

"Yes," Mac said. "I have to get everything in order."

"I told Ellie that I would be gone for a few days."

Mac nodded. "Just be ready. I have our plane tickets. Our plane leaves at eleven. We have to get all this done and make sure we have all the files together before we get on there."

"I'm working on it."

Mac finished all his reports and got all his files together in a briefcase and Jo was ready as well. He had brought his suitcase to work so he would not have to go back and get it. Jo also had two bags. Mac stopped in the lab where Danny and Lindsay were. "Keep this place going while we're gone," Mac said.

"We will," Danny replied. "You can depend on us."

"I know I can."

Mac and Jo went to the elevator and went down to the lobby where Don was waiting to take them to the airport so Mac's Avalanche could stay in the parking garage. When they arrived at the airport, they got their bags checked and went through security and then sat down at their gate.

"I think I have to go to the bathroom before we get on this flight," Jo said. "I'll be back."

Mac got his phone out and called Karen. "Hello," she answered.

"Karen, I'm at the airport," Mac said.

Karen was silent for a moment. "I hope you have a nice flight."

"Don't worry about me. I love you."

"I love you too."

"How is everything going this morning?"

"Just preparing to move and talking about my duties when I get there."

"Karen, don't be depressed about it. Just think of the career opportunity this is for you."

Karen sniffed. "I'm trying to," she said.

"Don't cry. Please, just don't cry."

"I can't help it. I'm going to miss you."

Mac frowned. He had never seen her cry in all the time they had been together but then again, they had not been apart either. "I'll call you when I get to West Virginia," he said. "And I'll call you when I get to Ohio, and Nebraska."

"You're just trying to make me smile."

"Yes, I am. I don't want you to be unhappy."

Karen sniffed again. "I'm not unhappy," she said. "I don't know why I'm crying like this. I know that I should be happy about this and that when I get back, we'll get married and live happily ever after."

Mac smiled. "Yes, we will, so wipe your eyes and stop that crying."

"Okay. I'm going to be strong."

"Good. I have to go. They're about to be ready for us to board."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Mac ended the call and turned his phone off. He knew he would have to turn it off on the flight anyway. Karen put her phone away and then she burst into tears again. She was in her office alone so she did not care if she did cry. No one would see her anyway. She had finally found a man that she loved and now she had to leave him. She was afraid Jo might try to take him while she was gone. Would she do that? She did not think Mac would give in to that anyway.

Jo came back from the bathroom. "I just hate going to the bathroom on a flight," she said.

"Me too," Mac replied.

Their flight was announced and they got in line. "It's been a while since I was on a flight," Jo said. "I just basically don't even like flying."

"I don't care too much for it either," Mac said. "But it's better than driving there."

"Don't even say that."

They were soon on the plane and found their seats. Mac put his briefcase in the compartment above them and Jo put her carry-on bag and then they sat down. "I hope no one gets this seat beside us," Jo said.

"Why?" Mac asked.

"Because I would just like a nice quiet flight without some stranger sitting here telling me about their perils of life."

Mac smiled. "Do you always get one of those?"

"Not always, but I usually wind up sitting beside someone who wants to tell someone all their troubles and they pick me for their psychiatrist."

"Maybe you look like a psychiatrist."

"I don't think so."

"Maybe it's your Southern accent. You just sound friendly."

"Is that right?"

"I think so."

Just then, a man came to the seat beside Mac, which put him in the middle. Jo was beside the window. She smiled as Mac had to adjust a little as the man had no regard for Mac trying to use the armrest. The man who had sat down beside him was sweating and looked like he had been running. He leaned back on the seat. "OH, I am so glad to finally be on this plane," he said. He looked at Mac. "Don't you just hate it when you're late for a flight? You're trying to get here and you get stuck in traffic with some new cab driver who doesn't really know where he's going."

"Yeah, I hate it," Mac said.

"And not only that, there's not another flight for at least ten hours so if you miss this one, you have to go back through all that miserable traffic trying to get home and by the time you get there, it's almost time to come back here anyway so you might as well have stayed in the airport."

Mac thought he did not want to hear all this, and the guy was talking loud enough that it sounded like he was trying to tell everyone on the plane. "My name's Roger," the man said.

"Mac."

Roger looked at Jo. "Oh, my name's Jo," she said.

"You folks are going to West Virginia?" Roger asked.

"Yes," Mac said.

"Don't you just love those mountains down there?"

"I haven't been there."

"Well, let me tell you, they're not exaggerating the beauty of those Blue Ridge Mountains. It would be a holiday if it weren't for the hassle of trying to get there. Then I only have two days there and really don't have time to enjoy the mountains because I'm working. I get to look at them out the window of an office while I'm imprisoned there for two days."

Mac scowled. He thought this guy needed a new job. He and Jo would land in Charleston, West Virginia and then drive to Buckhannon which was where they were going. It was several miles on an interstate and then several more miles on a highway. He dreaded that long drive but at least there would be no snow.

Mac leaned back in his chair as the plane started moving. The takeoffs were usually the worst for him. If he could make it past that, he would be alright the rest of the flight. He tried not to act nervous and tried not to clinch the armrest. "Do you fly a lot?" he asked.

"I fly every week," Roger said bitterly. "Sometimes I think I might as well be a flight attendant. What are you going down there for?"

"I'm a detective. I'm going down there to talk to a suspect."

Roger was surprised by that. "Wow. And I thought West Virginia was nothing but mountains and countryside."

"I'm sure it's more than that."

"I wouldn't know since I never get to explore it any. I did meet a woman down there once and we hit it off pretty well. I went to a bar that night and got so drunk I couldn't even get up the next morning." Roger laughed. "Imagine what they said when I walked in at almost Noon."

Mac rolled his eyes and looked at Jo who was laughing to herself. Mac nudged her with his elbow. She could not help but smile. "You're no help," he said quietly.

"Hey, this one's yours," Jo said. "And you're doing an excellent job."

The plane stopped at the end of the runway, and Mac knew they were about to accelerate down that runway. He always hated when the plane hit that speed to leave the ground. He felt like he was trapped against the back of the seat as they were going straight up. It was not a pleasant experience to him.

Soon, the plane started down the runway and Mac leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes. He was sure he could feel that they were riding down that runway on rubber tires and bouncing along, and then the pilot accelerated and Mac felt the nose of the plane raise up. He swallowed hard as he knew what was next. Then they were leaving the ground and he felt like they were going straight up. He thought no matter how many times in life he went through that, it would still be horrible. Finally, they leveled off and Mac relaxed as he heard that ding that meant they could relax.

Mac blew out a breath of relief. "Hey, you don't like take-offs?" Roger asked…loudly.

Mac looked at him. "I can't say I do," he said.

"They don't bother me. At least I'm on my way now. I don't have to drive all the way down there."

Mac thought he was glad he did not have to drive all the way down there but if he had time…maybe he would not mind it. Jo was looking out the window wondering if Mac was really in love with Karen. He was away from here now and she thought maybe she could talk to him about it. Did he really love her or was he just enjoying the sex? Jo was sure they were having sex. Karen had seemed very sensuous toward Mac in that diner. Jo wondered what she did when they were alone.

Jo looked at Mac. "So, how are things between you and Karen?" she asked.

Mac looked at her a moment. "Great," he said.

"Are you in love with her?"

"Yes, I am."

"I'm sorry if I'm being nosey but I'm just wondering. You never tell anyone anything and I just want to know."

"I 'do' love her. I asked her to marry me."

Jo could not hide her shock at that. "To marry you? Already?"

Mac nodded. "Yes. I love her, and she loves me. I've never met anyone like her."

"Mac, you haven't known her long."

"I've known her long enough. You don't have to know someone forever before you know whether you love them or not."

"It didn't help Russ and me to know each other a long time."

Mac thought he was tired of hearing this story. He thought Jo made it seem worse than it really was. He had met Russ and he was not a bad guy. He wished Russ had not died the way he did but there was nothing he could have done about it.

"Mac, don't you wonder if she's really the one you want?" Jo asked.

Mac looked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, don't you have any concerns or doubts?"

"Not really. I don't see anything that I don't like about her."

"Nothing? Come on, Mac. There's always something. What is her one little flaw that you don't like?"

Mac scowled. He did not know if he liked this conversation. "I don't know," he said. "But if there is something I don't like about her, it's none of your business."

Jo looked at him. "I'm your friend, Mac," she said.

"You're nosey, Jo."

"This is going to be a long flight and it's going to be a long drive if we don't have anything to talk about."

"Can't we talk about something else?"

"I don't know of anything else I want to talk about. This subject is driving me crazy."

"You can't stand not knowing."

"I just want to know if you're happy."

"I am."

"Come on, Mac, this is me. What is there about her that you don't like? Or that just irritates you just a little?"

Mac sighed. "She doesn't have much self-confidence. She's never thought she was beautiful, and I think she is insecure about being over there and trusting me here without her."

Jo frowned. "Really? Wow."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, she quite a beautiful lady. Why is she so insecure?"

Mac shook his head. "I don't know. You know how things from the past can affect you for years to come."

"Yes, I do. That's unbelievable. I've always thought that if I looked this way or that way, I would probably think I was beautiful, but I think I would probably find something wrong with myself then too."

"I guess everyone has something about themselves that they don't like."

"What do you not like about yourself?" Jo asked.

"I'm short," Mac said.

Jo almost laughed out loud. "What?"

"I'm not tall."

"You're kidding."

"You know I'm not tall."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I'm not tall. What do you not like about yourself?"

"I hate my hips. Since I had a child, they've never been the same."

Mac smiled. "That doesn't matter, does it? No one looks like they did when they were a teenager…unless they have help," he said.

"I guess you're right but I wish I could be slim at my hips again."

"I don't like my middle name either."

"What is your middle name?"

Mac looked at her. "Never mind."

"You're not going to leave me hanging like this, are you?"

"I shouldn't have even said that. It's been a source of teasing and embarrassment for me all my life."

"Oh, Mac, come on and tell me."

Mac looked at her. "Llewellyn."

Jo stared at him a moment. "What?" she asked.

"You heard me. I'm not saying it again."

"Llewellyn?" Jo whispered. "Oh, my word. How did you wind up with that?"

"I've often thought my mother must have wanted a girl and played a dirty joke on me, but she said I was named after her grandmother."

"Looks like she could have saved that for your sister. Do you have a sister?"

"Yes."

"What's her name? Roy?"

"Jo."

"I'm sorry. That just sorta slipped out."

"They called me Lulu in the Marines."

Jo stifled a laugh and looked out the window trying to imagine Mac being called Lulu as he was running the course. Mac looked at her. "I don't know why I'm telling you this," he said. "You've got the biggest mouth in New York."

Jo's mouth dropped open. "Mac Taylor. I do not. You must have me confused with Don."

"Just don't spread that around."

"You were called Lulu in the Marines? Did Howard Bailey call you that?"

Mac frowned. He had not thought of Howard Bailey for a while. "Yes, he did," he said. "And then it was found out when I joined the N.Y.P.D."

"Have you heard from Howard Bailey lately?" Jo asked.

"No but I know he's still out there."

"You think he's going to show up again?"

"I'm sure of it."

"I don't understand that, Mac."

"I don't either but until one of us is either in jail or dead, he's not going to give up."

"You should let someone know if you hear from him again."

"It's my problem, Jo."

"Not when he's threatening your life. He broke both your legs, Mac. That is not something to take lightly."

Mac looked at her. "I didn't take it lightly. I already told him that if we meet again, I'm going to kill him…and I meant it."

Jo stared at him a moment. "So you intend to kill him?" she asked. "You shouldn't be telling me this."

"He's not going to leave me alone, so if I have to, I will."

"Mac, we can catch him and put him in prison."

"Really? We didn't get him last time. He has ways of getting to me."

"I hope he doesn't get to you again."

"Me too but you never know what is going to happen."

Jo hoped Mac did not have to go through anything like he did last time he met Howard Bailey. It was almost too much for him.