Time for some action! TheDistantDusk and Breanie have been amazing at editing and making suggestions for this chapter. Also Seriously Sam has some great thoughts and suggestions. All of them are legends and I'm so thankful to them.

Thank you for all the kind reviews and messages. You all are amazing and I truly appreciate all the support and kind words. It really encourages me to keep working on this story and make it as good as I can!

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Harry tried to walk as quietly as he could into the little flat above the garage. He had stayed at the station way later than intended. There had just been so much to cover. His partner, Seamus, had waited for him well past the end of his shift. They'd talked about everything Harry knew about Ginny, discussed what had happened to her, laughed about her choice of weapon. There had been a detour to the lab to hand over the evidence Tonks had collected, but in the end, Harry and Seamus had ended up at their desks researching possible kidnappers.

They played with the assumption this wasn't the perp's first time. From the way Ginny made it sound, her kidnappers had been finding other women too. Again another assumption was that they were selling their kidnapped victims. Ginny had sounded like a special case, picked for whoever the ring leader was, but Harry knew in his gut that there must have been others. So they started searching the database for known traffickers. The problem was there were too many unknowns. For starters, their area of attack. Ginny had said she had been in London heading home from the gym when she'd been attacked. So the question was, how did she end up halfway across the country?

Seamus had suggested these guys worked in multiple locations and brought their victims back to a select destination, but they couldn't be sure; Ginny was a special case. The distinction added so many layers and questions to the mystery. Did the "Boss" know Ginny? Had he been watching Ginny, and did he tell his men to grab her for his sadistic desires? Or had she just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the appeal the "Boss" was looking for?

They'd gone round and round with their options, trying to come up with anything to narrow down their searches. But nothing helped. It was well after ten when Harry and Seamus left the station. And now it was well after eleven when he snuck into his flat.

Harry went in under the assumption Ginny had gone to bed early. After all she'd been through, there was no way she wasn't out cold. He reached his dresser and slowly pulled open the drawer where he kept his old joggers and shirts.

He pulled off his dirty top, throwing in the direction of the hamper (and more than likely missing). Next were the socks and trousers. He took a seat on the sofa, pulling off each sock one by one before standing back up to start at the button of his trousers.

"Woah, Harry!"

Harry jumped as he spun around to see Ginny sitting up in his bed, her hair mussed and eyes wide as she flicked on the side lamp.

"Ginny!" Harry's hand jumped to his heart. It was beating so hard he thought it might jump out of his chest. "I thought you would be sleeping."

Ginny gave him a self-deprecating smile. "I thought so too, but apparently, my mind had other plans. Every time I fall asleep." Even in the minimal light of his bedside lamp, he could see the haunted expression cross her face. "I just… I see it all again, but I don't get out. I don't manage to —" Her breathing was becoming labored, and her body started to shake.

Harry didn't plan to walk over to her. He didn't think about the fact that he was crawling half-naked into bed with Ginny. All Harry knew was that he couldn't stand to see her in such distress. He wanted to help her, make her feel safe again. So he brought her into his arms, holding her close to his chest as she started to cry.

He lifted her in his arms, keeping her close, before placing her back down onto his lap. She clung to him, her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck Harry couldn't have escaped even if he'd wanted to. His hand came to her back, rubbing soothing circles that created wrinkles in her shirt.

"It's gonna alright, Gin," he whispered into her hair. "We're gonna get you home. Back to your family, and everything will go back to normal." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I've got you."

He held her as her trembles slowed and then stopped. She released a deep sigh, her breath warming his chest before she pulled away, leaving him cold. Her eyes lifted to his. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry all over you."

Harry shook his head, his fingers lifting to brush away a stray hair that had stuck to her cheek. "You never have to apologize for needing someone, Ginny. We all need someone, and I'm happy to be your someone."

Ginny pursed her lips as she nodded. "I can't — you are — thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. I want to help you, Gin."

She held his gaze, the deep brown seeming to pull him into their depths. There was something so hypnotic about her eyes. Harry had never been so enchanted by someone's eyes. But Ginny's were just so… incredible.

He hadn't even noticed himself leaning towards her until he was halfway to her lips. With a jerk, he pulled himself back into reality and adjusted his course, so he kissed her forehead.

Ginny let out what sounded like a content sigh before she lay her head back on his chest. Harry kept his arms around her as they lay in silence. The only sounds came from their breathing and the hum of the cold box in the small kitchen.

Harry slowly leaned back against the headboard, the wood cooling his bare back . Bare back…. He was shirtless. In bed, with a kidnapped survivor…. What the fuck was he doing!? He was a professional, and this crossed every single line!

"Hey, Ginny?" Harry spoke quietly, not wanting to scare her. She didn't move; rather, her breathing came out smooth and rhythmic. Harry silently cursed. She'd fallen asleep on him.

He was torn between being happy that she'd finally felt safe enough to sleep, but the other half… The other half of him was screaming how bad it was for him to get this attached. Harry wasn't so blind to his emotions that he didn't realize how Ginny was worming a place in his heart. He knew better than that, though. Harry knew better than to grow attached, but with Ginny…. Fuck, he couldn't help it. She was just so sweet, kind, adorable, funny, and at that moment, he couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit in his arms.

He let out a long sigh through his nose. Tomorrow he was bringing Ginny home. Tomorrow she would be safe with her family, and he would only focus on her case. Keeping her separate from him, having that distance, would help him get back to normal. He had to lose this… this keen attention towards her and find a way to compartmentalize it all.

Ginny let out a cute little snore that made Harry smile. She truly was adorable. Harry shifted his body, so he was lying down on the mattress. Ginny's arms stayed wrapped around him. Despite being asleep, she seemed attuned with his movement, and her head rolled to lay on the crook of his arm.

Harry considered trying to break from her hold, but that part of him that cared too much for her wouldn't allow it. So instead, he pulled the comforter up around them and closed his eyes. They had a long drive tomorrow, and they both needed a good night's sleep.

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Harry leaned against his car, waiting for Teddy to let go of Ginny. In less than twenty-four hours, Teddy had decided Ginny was the best person in the world, and the fact that she was leaving ruined his young life. Tears were flowing, and his wails echoed like a siren.

"Teddy, luv," Tonks tried to soothe the rampaging toddler. "Ginny can come back any time she wants."

"No!" Teddy shook his head, holding tightly to Ginny's leg. "She stays with me."

Ginny ran a hand through Teddy's brown locks. She bent with her knees, so she and Teddy were closer to eye level. "Can you look at me, Ted?"

Teddy sniffled into Ginny's trousers before pulling far enough back to look at Ginny. "Ginny, no go."

"Ginny has to go." Ginny pulled Teddy into her arms. "But I promise when I get this all cleared up, I'll come for a visit. I'll even bring my niece Victoire so we can have a big fun play date." She pressed a kiss to Teddy's forehead. "Would that be okay?"

Harry couldn't take his eyes away from the scene. The way Ginny was with Teddy… fuck, it was one of the sweetest things he'd ever seen. The simple fact was that Teddy loved her so much after so little time. To be fair, Harry was in the same boat. Ginny was incredible. Harry was tempted to cling at her leg and beg her to stay too.

Teddy scrunched his face in consideration, his dark eyes shining with unshed tears. After a second, he nodded reluctantly. "Soon?"

"As soon as I can, mate," Ginny promised with a final kiss to the boy's head. Teddy sniffed but nodded. He released Ginny's leg and pouted over to his mother, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders in support.

Ginny rose up to her full height and moved over to Harry. Her smile was wistful. "He's so cute."

Harry looked over her shoulder at his godson. Teddy was trying to convince his mother he deserved a biscuit after such a hard morning. "He's the best." He looked back at Ginny and smiled. "But I'm excited to meet the famous Victoire! From the way you talk about her, she and I will become instant best friends."

"I don't doubt that," Ginny laughed. "Your charm is practically irresistible."

A kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttered through his gut at her words, but he ignored them. After last night… Harry had been dealing with complex emotions. There had been a line crossed last night. If he'd stayed professional, he never would have crawled into that bed with her. Never would have held her. But despite going against his own code, Harry didn't regret it. Not after knowing it had helped Ginny feel better. Feel safe.

She had told him that morning after breakfast. Ginny had pulled him aside as he'd been heading to start the car. Her small hand had wrapped around his and dragged him into the foyer. "Harry, I just wanted to say again… Thank you for last night. It really helped… Having you there…Thank you." Her eyes had bored into his, and he hadn't been able to pull himself away from her until Tonks had asked about snacks for the trip.

It was like she had magical powers that drew him towards her. He'd wanted to tug her into his arms at that moment and probably would have if Tonks hadn't distracted him.

He shook himself out of his reverie. These thoughts needed to stop, especially because, after the next five hours, Harry was unlikely to see Ginny for a long time. He brought his attention back to her, and her smile almost sent him back down the rabbit hole. Try as he may, Harry couldn't resist smiling back at her. He pulled open the passenger door. "Your chariot, my lady."

Ginny laughed again, sliding into the seat. "Thank you, my good sir!"

Harry shut the door and gave himself a second to lean against it. He just needed to keep it together for five hours, and then she would be safe, and he could — no, he would — move past this… this little crush he was forming.

He got into his seat and started the ignition. They gave the car a moment to warm up, sitting in a comfortable silence until the Bluetooth connected to his phone. Harry hadn't thought to pick a playlist in advance, so the music picked up where he'd left off. He could feel his cheeks heating as Ginny turned to look at him with an assumed look.

"So you're a Britney boy and listen to Taylor Swift?"

He shrugged, trying to keep his expression impassive. "She makes me feel things."

Ginny threw back her head, hitting the headrest. Her laughter echoed in the small space. "God," Ginny said through her chuckles. "You are too good."

That fluttering started back up in his stomach, and Harry had to force himself to ignore it. Deciding that music was the answer, Harry turned up the song. "If you think I'm good now, just wait until you hear my rendition of All Too Well. There won't be a dry eye in this car."

Somehow Ginny's laughter became the best music in the car.

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Harry didn't expect it. He didn't expect these bastards to track Ginny. It was foolish and naive on his part, but he hadn't expected them to come back for her. But based on the car tailing them down the freeway, they wanted to take her back.

"Alright, Ginny," Harry kept his tone calm as he looked in the rear mirror. "In the glove compartment, there is a gun —"

"I'm sorry?" Ginny's head whipped to look at him. "A gun?"

"It's my service weapon." Harry veered to the right, getting directly in front of another car. Their stalker swerved into the same lane, getting right up behind the other vehicle. "And if that car follows us for any longer, we may need to use it."

"Someone has been following us?" Ginny asked, her voice going monotone. Harry glanced over at her. She'd gone starch white against the leather seat; her hands clasped together so tightly Harry thought she must be losing feeling.

He reached over and separated her hands, taking one in his own. "I've got you, Gin. I won't let anything happen to you."

There was a tremble in her hand that relayed her nerves, but her grip was firm as she squeezed his hand. "So, what's the plan?"

"I'm going to lose them." Harry put his foot down on the pedal, swerving into the right lane of traffic. He checked behind him and saw the black Volkswagen copy his move.

"Do you think they've been following me this whole time?" Ginny asked; the tremor in her voice made Harry's heart ache.

He brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing the back of her freckled one. "Even if they have, they won't get you. I'm going to call Tonks to warn her."

On the steering wheel, he pressed the voice activation key. The sound dinged, and Harry requested to call Tonks. The ringing phone echoed in the speakers as they waited for Tonks to pick up. After the sixth ring, she answered.

"Harry? What happened?"

"Tonks, we are currently being followed, and we don't know if your house has been compromised."

There was a long moment of silence before Tonks let out a deep breath. "Okay. Okay."

Harry's gut twisted. If something happened to Tonks or Teddy… It would be his fault. He brought Ginny home with him. Instead, he should have found a safe house for her. Really he should have ignored her request for no cops and taken her into the station. But he hadn't been able to betray her like that. There had been such an overwhelming desire to protect her that he'd put his family in danger. He wanted to kick himself. If anything happened…

"Harry." Tonks' sharp tone came through the stereo. "Stop thinking like that. Teddy and I will be fine. You did the right thing."

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. She knew him too well. "I —"

"Stop!" Tonks cut him off. "Teddy and I are gonna be fine. You just focus on you and Ginny. I'm going to take Ted to an old friend of mine. He'll help us. Actually, you should come to him too!"

"Where is he?" Harry didn't know or care which friend she was referring to, as long as it meant getting them all back together and safe.

"I always meet him in Leeds, but knowing him, he'll have some sort of bunker we can hide out in."

"Okay." Harry pulled the wheel sharply to the left, heading across two lanes before sailing smoothly down the off-ramp. He merged into the street traffic quickly and headed to the North ramp. "Where in Leeds do you meet?"

"We always meet in a local coffee house, but I think this time we'll find a more secluded location." Harry could hear Tonks moving around on her end. She told Teddy to pick a few toys for a fun car trip.

"Text me the meeting point. I'm going to start heading North," Harry told her while merging back onto the freeway. "I'll hand Ginny my phone, and she'll set up GPS."

"Sounds good." Tonks sounded far from the phone as if she'd put it down. "Be safe, and if I call, pick up."

"Got it." Harry ended the call with his thumb. He looked into his mirror. He couldn't see the Volkswagen, but he doubted they'd given up. If they were willing to follow her from Sheffield, there was no way they'd give up after a few twists and turns.

Harry glanced at Ginny. Her posture was stiff, but he could see the hard, determined set in her expression. "What can I do?"

"I want you to keep an eye on our back. Let me know if anyone starts following us again."

Ginny nodded solemnly. She gave his hand a final squeeze before turning her body to watch out the back window. "How will I know that they're following us and not just driving in the same direction as us?"

"I'm going to take some detours that most people wouldn't bother with," Harry said, sliding into the middle lane before putting his foot down.

Harry had taken a driving class back in his days at the MET. It had been focused on advanced maneuvers for extreme situations, and this was Harry's first time needing to use it. He glided between cars, changing lines with sudden but precise moves.

"There is a black Volkswagen that keeps coming into the same line as you," Ginny said, her leg bouncing rapidly.

"I figured as much," Harry muttered as he steered sharply into the far left lane right before the exit marked Chesterfield. He followed the roundabout until it took him onto a two-lane road. He got stuck behind a box truck going under the speed limit. Cursing under his breath, Harry veered over into the oncoming lane to try and pass just as Ginny let out a loud cry.

"He's coming up fast! I think he's gonna ram us."

Harry didn't hesitate. He sharply veered into the opposite lane and floored it. They sped past the truck, narrowly making it back in his proper lane before an oncoming car crashed into them. He kept his foot down, the speedometer going well over one hundred and fifty. He took a right-hand turn, heading down a residential road.

"Is it still just one the car?" he asked, not taking his eyes away from the road in front of him.

"Yes, and they're gaining on us again."

Harry cursed and looked in the rearview; they was gaining fast. Their car must have had some improvements made to it because there should be no way it should be keeping up with his car. "Alright, Ginny, it's time for that gun to come out."

She spun in her chair to look at him. "Really?"

Harry didn't need to look to know she was panicking. He took one hand off the wheel for a moment to squeeze her knee. "It's gonna be alright. You're just going to use it to scare him."

"Right." Ginny's breath came out shaky, but her body leaned forward to open the glovebox.

"Have you ever shot a gun before?"

"Not a gun per se." Ginny's leg started bouncing again. "But my brothers and I used to shoot little toy slingshots at each other."

"Good enough," Harry said as he swerved around a car turning left. "I want you to aim it out of the window and just shoot towards them. I'm hoping it will scare them off enough to back off."

"Sure, sounds easy." Ginny let out a nervous laugh. "So, um, it's just pointing and shoot, right?"

"First, turn off the safety, but after that, you've got it."

He could see Ginny opening the compartment before reaching inside. Her hand was trembling so badly he could tell even just out of the corner of his eye. He put a hand on her knee and squeezed. There was nothing he could say to make this situation better, but at least Harry wanted to convey he was there with her.

"Got it." Ginny held the weapon with timid fingers. "So I just open the window…"

"Point and then shoot."

She let out a long breath before nodding. "Okay."

Harry could see a stop sign coming up at an intersection. He didn't let up on the gas; instead he angled the car to perform a tight turn. "Hold on for a second; this might get a little rocky."

Ginny's free hand gripped the middle console with a death grip as Harry jerked the wheel to the right, cutting off an oncoming car. Their muffled honking meant nothing to Harry as he picked his speed back up, only to take a sudden left turn. Ginny slid in her seat, but she kept a hold of the gun.

"Are they still following us?" Harry asked as he followed the side country road.

Ginny spun in her seat. "Yeah, but they are a bit behind now."

"Alright." Harry bit his bottom lip as he considered their options. "Alright, Gin, it's time to scare them. Use the gun."

She wheeled back around to face the front, taking a second to breathe before turning to her right and rolling down the passenger window. "Where do I aim?"

"Just anywhere near their car should work."

Wind loudly blew through the open window, deafening the radio and engine. Harry kept his eyes on the road, on the lookout for any other cars or sudden turns.

Bang.

The gun's blast sounded louder than ever before as Ginny fired at the car. Harry listened for the sound of squealing breaks, but there was nothing. He chanced a glance in the mirror. Their stalker hadn't been deterred by the bullet. If anything, they were gaining on them.

"Fuck!" Harry's body jerked forward as the bastard rammed into their bumper. "Ginny, can you get another shot —"

He didn't finish his sentence before another two shots were fired off. Harry heard smashing glass. Another shot, and this time he could hear that tire squeal he'd been looking for. Checking in the mirror, the Volkswagen had a smashed-out windshield and was slowing down. Even in a quick glance he could see the deflating front tire. He looked over at Ginny, who was still leaning out the window, the gun trained on the Volkswagen.

"Ginny, you got them!"

She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide and jaw set. "I was always good at hitting my brothers while they were trying to run away."

Harry could have sworn his heart stuttered in his chest. With her hair wild from the wind, determined look, and the gun held confidently in her hand… Harry could feel himself getting turned on. He turned away, feeling his cheeks heat.

He heard Ginny's window closing, and the cab felt silent despite the guitar riff rolling from the radio. Neither of them spoke, both lost in their own thoughts. Harry was trying to calm his racing heart… and racing hormones. He couldn't explain why seeing Ginny look like that had affected him so much, but if he was honest with himself, he had always found her attractive. Even in those first moments, he'd seen her beauty underneath the dirt, but he'd been able to push it away to focus on the situation. But right now… Harry's willpower against her was wilting.

"Did Tonks ever text you the location?" Ginny asked, startling Harry out of his thoughts.

"I — um — I didn't feel it vibrate, but how about you check?" He maneuvered a hand into his pocket to pull out his mobile. He passed it over to her without taking his eyes off the road.

"What's the passcode?"

"Huh? Oh! It's Teddy's birthday. May second."

He listened to the music as Ginny found her way to his texting app. The sweet melody sounded so out of place after what they'd just been through.

"She texted, 'The Forge Inn. Aislaby. Rent a room.'"

Harry let out a long sigh. "Sounds like we've still got a bit of a drive." He chanced a glance over at Ginny. His gun lay on her lap pointed towards the window as she put the address into his maps app.

"It says just over two hours." Ginny looked up at him then, her face flushed from the wind. "Sounds like we'll have plenty of time to enjoy your Taylor Swift renditions."

That made him laugh. "That's a given." He let out a breath. "That was some really impressive shooting, Ginny."

She shrugged like it was nothing. "As I said, I was the best at hitting moving targets."

Harry shook his head. "No, that was just incredible. You are incredible." His last sentence came out sounding wistful even to his own ears. He cleared his throat. "I'm gonna stay on back roads. You're in charge of keeping anyone off our tail."

"Aye Aye, Captain Potter!" Ginny gave his shoulder a little friendly tap. "We make a really good team, don't we?"

Unable to resist looking at her, Harry was nearly struck dumb by her crooked smile. She was truly gorgeous. A simple beauty that was so rare. She raised a hand up at him, palm facing him. Harry snorted but accepted her high-five. "We make the best team."

Ginny's smile went wide, showing her teeth. When Harry was about to pull back, Ginny's fingers closed around his. Her small hand fit so perfectly in his large one. Her gentle squeeze made butterflies flutter in his gut, and he had to force himself to turn back to the road. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and this time it had nothing to do with danger. It had all to do with her.