Chapter 4



"Sara, what happened?" Gabriel asked, sitting down on the couch with Meghan on his lap. "Is he dead?"

The female detective shook her head. "When I got there, the house appeared deserted, but I could hear soft cries coming from inside. The door was locked, so I kicked it in."

Danny interrupted her. "How did you know where to find her?"

Sara was silent for a moment then shrugged. "Don't ask me something I don't have the answer to." She knew the answer, but didn't want to try to explain it to him. "I found Meghan in a closet. when I opened the door, she cowered against the back wall of the closet until she saw it was me. She was unharmed, but absolutely terrified."

Gabriel ran his fingers through the little girl's hair. "We missed you so much, sweetie."

"I was sca'ed, Uncle Gabiel."

"I know, sweetie. But you're safe now. You don't have to worry anymore."

Danny took his phone out of his pocket and dialed his boss's number. A few minutes later he returned it to the pocket. Renee was calling everyone to let them know Meghan was back. "When she got off, he told them, "The team will be here soon. Since you got her back, we'll most likely be off the case. I'm glad you got her back."

Caitlyn was the first one to arrive. She smiled at Danny then hurried over to her friends. "Aunt Cai'lyn," Meghan exclaimed. "Aunt Sawa saved me from the bad man."

"I see that."

"That man likes you."

"What?"

"The one by the door. He keeps lookin' at you."

A blush rose in both of the adult's faces. 'Don't say that, Meghan. We hardly know each other."

The young girl shook her head. "Aunt Dakota said that's how Uncle Gabiel looked at Aunt Renee when they met."

Gabriel and Renee were trying to hide their amusement. This little girl was able to see what the adults couldn't. Gabriel shook his head. Maybe adults should listen to kids more often.

Caitlyn and Danny were saved by the rest of the team's arrival. they wanted to satisfy themselves that the little girl was safe now. "She's okay?" Jack asked Sara.

"Yeah. She was terrified when I found her, but unharmed."

He nodded. The door opened, and everyone looked to see who was there now. Dakota, Jason, Darvi, Ian, and Conchobar walked into the house. Feeling it was time for them to leave, Jack rounded up his team and headed for the door. Caitlyn caught Danny's eye, and he nodded at her in farewell.

Renee walked over to her friend once the door closed and put her hands on her shoulders. "Go after him?"

"Huh?" Caitlyn asked incoherently.

"The young agent you couldn't take your eyes off of. The one even Meghan could tell likes you. I wouldn't let him get away."

"You're crazy, Renee. I don't even know him."

"No. Someone asked me once," she said, looking over at Dakota, "'how are you supposed to get to know him if you never talk to him.' I'm glad she pushed me, too."

"Fine. I'll go talk to him. She walked out the door, then hurried down to the agents' cars. "Agent Taylor," she called to him.

When he turned around, she got shy. She looked down at the ground as he walked toward her. "What is it?"

"Uh," she stumbled over her words. "Do-do you think you, maybe you, we."

He interrupted her. "Caitlyn, are you trying to ask me out?"

She nodded and looked up at him. "Y-yeah."

He grinned at her. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Call me tonight. You still have my card, right?"

"Yeah. I'll call you tonight."

He smiled at her then returned to the car. Martin shook his head, then slapped Danny on the back. Caitlyn saw his lips move, but couldn't hear what he said. She turned around and went back up to the house.

Renee smiled at her as she reentered the house.

*******

Renee ran her hand across Gabriel's bare stomach. He grabbed her hands, causing her to look up at him. "Mo Croi," he whispered, their eyes locking. He let go and moved his hands behind her back. Pulling her down on top of him, he whispered, "No one will ever take you from me."

"Nor you from me," she returned, her lips brushing his.

"Don't do that," he growled as he pulled her closer.

"Do what?" She asked with a teasing grin.

"Tease me like that." His lips met hers in a deep, passionate kiss.

"It always gets you to do that," she replied when she finally pulled away.

"It doesn't take that. I'll do it for nothing." To prove his point, he pulled her into another kiss. "See."

"Yes," she said breathlessly. "Show me again."

*******

"Today's the big day, Kota," Renee said, grinning at her friend.

"Yeah." Dakota seemed to be distracted.

"Nervous?"

"Is it that obvious?" Dakota asked with a shaky grin.

"Yes, it is. Don't worry though. Once you see him waiting for you at the front of the church, you'll forget all about your worries. It will just be you and him."

"And more than a hundred other people. Which reminds me, is your dad coming? We never heard back from him either way."

"No. He's too busy. Don't worry, he wasn't at mine either."

"And he still hasn't seen his granddaughter."

"Shut up, or you'll go to your wedding with your makeup only half done."

"Seriously, Renee, you need to forgive him someday."

"Seriously, Dakota, you need to lay off. He's the one who wouldn't talk to me or Gabe. He wouldn't even give Gabe a chance."

"Maybe he's decided to now."

"It's too late now." She stepped away from her friend, "There, it's done." She glanced at the clock. "Meghan get your and Amie's coats out of the closet. We don't want to be late."

"No."

"What?" Renee spun around, surprised by the young girl's refusal. She always did what she was told. "Why not?"

Meghan just looked up at her from round eyes. There was something in them. Renee thought she saw fear there. She knelt down in front of her niece and asked, "What's wrong, Meghan? Why won't you get your coat?"

The young girl's lower lip and chin began to tremble. As tears slid down her cheeks, she said, "A b-bad man is in th-there."

Renee realized what was wrong. It had been three weeks since she had been kidnapped. Her memory of it was still sharp though. "It's okay. No one's in the closet." She walked down the hall with Meghan and opened the closet door. She flipped a switch, flooding it with light. "See. It's safe here."

Meghan tugged on her coat until it came off the hanger then hurried back down the hallway. Renee's eyes burned with anger as she grabbed her daughter's coat. 'That man will pay one day,' she promised herself.

*******

"This is a lovely reception," Danny said as Caitlyn leaned back against him.

"Yes, it is. Renee planned it all herself."

"What was her wedding like?"

"I wasn't there. Didn't know them yet. Heard it was small, very small."

"They eloped?"

"Not exactly. They didn't want it to be a big thing. They wanted to be married before their daughter was born and didn't want to spend a lot of time planning it."

They watched the other guests dance for a few minutes, then Caitlyn said, "You seem distracted. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't tell me that. Your mind is on something else."

He let out a sigh. "I just almost screwed up a case."

"What happened?" She asked, turning her head to look at him. "Me and Martin were just to look in the windows of a suspect's house to see if we could see anything. I thought I heard something, so I entered the house. Without a warrant. Turned out to be a dog whining down in the basement. Should have just left when I realized that."

"What did you do?"

Looked around the basement. Found pictures of young boys this guy was in charge of at his school. A photo album too. There was a picture of our missing boy in there."

"Well, that's good isn't it? Couldn't you use it as evidence against the guy?"

Danny shook his head. "No. It was obtained illegally. I shouldn't have even been in the house."

"Did you get the guy?"

"Yes, thankfully. A few other boys he had known turned up dead. Led us to him."**

"Well, I'm glad you caught him. One less creep on the street."

"I just wish we'd found the one who took Meghan."

"At least she's safe now."

"But what's to say he won't strike again."

"Hey, what's with the serious faces?" Renee broke into their conversation. "Can't you tell this is a party?"

Caitlyn grinned at her. "Of course. And you did a wonderful job with it."

"Then, get out there and have fun."

"We're having fun right here."

Gabriel walked up behind his wife and slid his arms around her waist. She turned her head and smiled at him. "Dakota wants to talk to you."

"About what?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. Guess she'll tell you."

Renee grinned at Danny and Caitlyn. "Go dance, have fun. I'll be back. The friend calls."

Caitlyn chuckled. She knew what good friends Renee and Dakota were. Renee wouldn't wear a dress for just anyone, and she wouldn't be around this many people of her own will if it wasn't for her friend.

When Renee found Dakota, the new bride turned around and smiled at her friend. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Come here," she said, putting her hand on Renee's back and pushing her toward the DJ's table. Renee tried to stop when she realized what was happening, but they were already there. Dakota took the microphone from the DJ and said, "Can I please have everyone's attention?" Once all the guests were quiet, she continued, "I won't hold you up from the party for long. I just wanted to take this chance to say thank you to someone who has been a friend to me for the last," she looked at Renee as she tried to remember how long they'd been friends. "A long time," she said, and everyone laughed. "She's been like a sister for most of that time. Always been there even though she'll tell you I have that backwards. I know it's the best man who's supposed to make a toast, but I just want to thank Renee for everything she's done. That's all." She returned the microphone and walked away from the table.

Renee followed her. "You do have that backwards. You're the one who's always been there for me."

Dakota wrapped one arm around her friend. "I've always known that you would offer your support no matter what. You always offered a quiet strength. You were there."

She held a glass of champagne out to Renee, but she declined. "I can't."

A sneaking suspicion seeped into Dakota's brain. "Again?"

She nodded her head. "Three weeks."

"Congratulations!" Her friend exclaimed.

Jason walked over with Darvi and Ian close behind. "What's going on here?"

Dakota turned to her new husband. "Looks like I'm going to be an 'aunt' again."

Gabriel stepped up behind Renee and slid his hands protectively over her shoulders. He whispered in her ear, "Mo ceileann, mo suil, mo chaill, mo carad."***

She shuddered with pleasure as the words reached her ears. "Why must you do that? You know how much I love it."

"Exactly the reason," he said with a grin.

"Could you two get a room?" Jason asked with a grin.

"You want us to leave?" Renee pouted.

"Not at all."

Conchobar had walked up just as Gabriel whispered the Gaelic words to Renee. He was curious, but didn't want to interrupt the friends' bantering. When a break came in the conversation, he asked, "Where'd ye learn th' Gaelic, lad?"

"My parents had friends from Ireland. Whenever they'd visit, they would teach me some. I decided to increase my knowledge of it on my own."

"Ye are lucky, lad, t' ha'e learned it. No' many still speak it."

Meghan came over to them. "Uncle Gabiel, I tired." She yawned to prove this point.

He looked over at Renee, and she nodded. "We should probably be going. Amie's been sleeping for the past couple hours. We should get her in bed as well." She gave her friends a hug and shook the guys' hands. "We'll see you guys after the honeymoon."



*Mo Croi-my heart

**Without A Trace episode 1.05

***My love, my hope, my strength, my friend