I know its been a while since I've updated the story and I apologize for that. I've been very busy but I am going to try and get another chapter out some time soon. Well enough from me, here is the chapter you have been waiting for.

It had been a few months since I joined the program. The trial started in New York and I went and testified. It wasn't the easiest thing to do and going back for that one reason kind of took me back to the old days. After I testified I watched the news as we all awaited a verdict. I had started to slowly adjust to the new daily schedule of my new life. It wasn't easy but Mary and Marshal tried to make the transition as easy as possible. Once a month I'd get a visit from Marshal in the form of a boy's night. I knew this was his way of keeping tabs on me and what I was doing in my life but it was nice to be able to hang out with him because he seemed like a very cool guy. At first it was just he and I but eventually it was he and I along with some of the guys from work. My favorite visits though were the visits from Mary. A couple of times a week Mary would stop by and we would go out and have lunch. It was nice to just talk. This was another way of keeping tabs on me but I was fine with that because talking with Mary helped a lot.

I was going about my daily schedule. I had just got done helping a customer when I looked up and saw Mary walking over in my direction. I smiled and waved at her. I held up a finger and I went and found my manager and told him that I was going out to lunch. I then went and found Mary and we headed out of the store.

As we walked into the diner we sat in the same booth that we always did. Sitting there made me feel comfortable. I was at ease when I was out to lunch with Mary. I don't know what it was about her but something about her seemed to gravitate me towards her. As I was thinking about this I had realized that I had zoned out and I was hoping that she that she hadn't but I had no such luck.

"Hey space cadet" she said as she slowly waved her hand in front of my face.

"Is everything ok?"

I snapped out of it and I looked at her and I just smiled.

"Yeah, everything is fine Mary."

She looked at me with disbelief before she let a slow smile creep across her grin. Her grin got a little bit bigger before she finally let out what she was thinking.

"You're thinking about a girl, aren't you?"

I didn't know how to respond to that question. Of course I was thinking about her but I couldn't tell her that. She was my WITSEC inspector. I only thought about her but I couldn't tell her that because then our lunches and her checking in would come to an end. I didn't mind her company at all. I enjoyed the time that I spent with her.

"No, there is just a lot on my plate right now. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts."

She just nodded but I knew she didn't believe me. She was getting ready to tell me something though. I could tell something was a little off. I held the eye contact before continuing.

"is there something you want to tell me?"

She broke the eye contact and looked down at her plate of food. She pushed the Macaroni on her plate before she looked up at me again.

"There was an incident they were transporting Ventura."

I looked at with a look of confusion and disbelief.

"What kind of incident Mary?"

She looked up at me as if she had broken something of value to me. When I saw that look it answered my question completely.

"He escaped….but the agents in New York are sure that he hasn't left the state yet which means we still have time to get you somewhere safe."

I looked at her with disbelief. I felt a little bit of fear. What was I supposed to do? These people want me dead and for all we know they could be in New Mexico right now. Mary saw the look on my face. She placed her had on my hand and it made me look up. She gave a weak smile.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise."

I returned the smile but I knew that if these guys wanted me badly enough, not even the wrath of Mary Shannon could keep them away. After a few minutes of just sitting there I paid the bill and we got up and left. As we pulled up to the Home Depot I let out a loud sigh as I got out of the car. Mary got out and came around to my side of the car. She smiled at me.

"Don't worry, nothing is going to happen, you'll be fine."

She gave me a hug which caught me off guard because it was a little out of character for Mary. I returned the hug and then waved as I headed back into work.

It had been a couple of days since I had lunch with Mary. All I could think about was that Frankie Ventura could be anywhere right now. I felt like being out on a jog wasn't really the safest thing for me to be doing but I didn't want to just be cooped up in my apartment all day going out of my mind. Here I was on this beautiful day worry about some lunatic to jump out of nowhere and take me out. As I was headed up to the stairs to my apartment I saw something that stopped me dead in my tracks. My door was wide open and I saw that there were things on the floor that weren't there before. I moved towards the door slowly and cautiously. As I move in I feel someone grab me from behind and tackle me. As I rolled over I felt a fist connect with my face. I threw the figure off of me and as he fell he pulled me down with him. I postured up and I repeatedly punched him. I picked him up and shoved him into the wall. I picked up a hard covered book and swung the book with as much force as I could. The book connected with his heads and he went down. I ran out of the apartment as quickly as I could.

I made my way down to the WITSEC office and headed up to the right floor I burst in and brushed past Marshall and Stan as I made my way to Mary's desk. As she looked up the smile on her face quickly disappeared as she looked up and saw me. I put my hand up to stop her from speaking.

"One of Ventura's goons was in my apartment and attacked me. They're here in Albuquerque and they know exactly where I am but I'm done running and hiding. I'm ready to get rid of this problem once in for all."

She stood up and moved over toward me and placed a hand on my shoulder and then patted my shoulder before looking at me again.

"Calm down Shawn, we'll figure something out but I can't let you go and I'm not going to turn a blind eye to you going and doing something stupid. Why don't you come into the conference room and you can tell us what happened to you."

I just nodded in agreement. What else could I have done. I went with her in to the conference room and sat in the closest chair. I looked down at my shirt and saw that there was blood all on my shirt. I looked over at Mary and gave a look I haven't given in a while. I knew she saw fear in my eyes because I saw a little bit of fear in her eyes. I gave a weak smile.

"Now what?"

She walked over to me and sat on the table.

"Well we are going to have to relocate you..."

Marshall interrupted her before she got to finish saying what she was going to tell me.

"But that might take a little while so for now just hang tight and I'll see what I can do about finding you a place to stay tonight."

And with that Marshall was out of the room and it was just me and Mary alone in the room. I made my way over to the window but then turned around and sat next to Mary. She got up and left the room for little bit but then she came back and had her purse.

"Come with me, I know a place where, for now, you'll be safe long enough for us to figure something out."

I followed her down to her car. While I got in her car she was on the phone and when she hung up she smiled at me and then started the car. The ride was a quiet ride until we finally got to where we were going. I looked over at Mary.

"Where are we?"

She looked over at me.

"This is my place; this is the safest place for you to be right now."

She looked like she had seen a ghost or something so to cut the tension in air.

"If you wanted me to go back to your place could've at least bought me dinner first."

She smiled and rolled her eyes as she got out of the car. I followed behind her. As I walked in I Looked around and took in the feel of the place. She walked over to me with a new shirt and pants.

"Sorry if they are a little big, I wasn't sure what size to tell my mom but hopefully I was close. There's a belt in case the pants are a little too big."

I nodded and headed to the bathroom to change. When I came out she was sitting on the couch and looked like she had changed her clothes as well. I walked over and sat on the couch next to her. She explained to me what was going to happen next and I just nodded and silently listened.

After a little while she headed off to bed. Before she got far I grabbed her by the arm and I pulled her into a hug. When I pulled away I was as serious as I had been up until that point.

"Thank you Mary, not just for the clothes but for everything you've done for me."

She smiled and nodded and then she walked back to her room. I laid down on the couch and slowly drifted to sleep. I wasn't sure what was going to but I knew that at this point I wasn't going to back down from anything that was going to head my way.

I know that I made Mary come off as super compassionate or a little out of character but I'll get down the character's personalities down as story moves along. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading my story. I'll try to respond to reviews as soon as I can. Feel free to suggest ideas or something you want to happen in the story and I'll take any suggestions that may be given. Thanks again for reading my story.