Into the Quarry

by Demelza

After Goliath and Brooklyn are attacked by a powder that makes them sleep and not wake up, Elisa's hurt and anger drives her to turn to a stranger for comfort... (ALL CHAPTERS POSTED!! -- RE-WRITTEN!!!!)

1. Chapter's 1 to 4

Title: Into the Quarry  (1/3)
Author: Quantara
Email: quantara@nzoomail.com
Rating: R, for violence, strong usage of offensive language, sexual references, and attempted rape.
Distribution: Sure, just let me know. ;)
Disclaimers: All Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Characters here within this story are Copyright to The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Television. Paul Exley is the property of Shortland Street and their owners, Maurice Boscorelli and Faith Yokas are the property of Third Watch and its owners. No infringement of these Copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. All new characters are my creation.
Author's Notes: This is the first part of the trilogy of fics for 'Into the Quarry'. The majority of this story has been re-written and has been beta'd several times over the last three months.
Theme Songs: 'Children', by Robert Miles, 'If That Were Me' and 'Northern Star' by Melanie C (Sporty Spice). Also, some other lyrics are used within the story, they belong to their respective owners (Closer - Melanie C, Glorafilia - Zed).
Dedication: Thanks to my Mum, and also to my friends Skye and Angie for all their help with this fic.

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Edit Notes:

I wrote this fan fiction last year some time, and it surprisingly grew to become one of my biggest writing pieces for Gargoyles (and is continuing to be).

A few notes I thought I'd mention from the backlash when this story was last posted.

#01:  The focus of this story is on Gideon, Elisa, and other *human characters* in the series.
#02:  This is fan fiction.  i.e, FICTION written by a FAN.
#03:  This story is not endorsed by Disney or anyone else...it's purely a work of fan fiction.  (see note #02)
#04:  I believe in criticism of fics, so if you don't like what you see, write me an email and tell me...I'm sick of the idiots that send viruses thinking their point is put across.
#05:  The true answer to: WHAT IS THIS STORY ABOUT?  Is, Into the Quarry is a story about loss, betrayal, love and the destruction of trust among friends. It is not about Goliath finding out Elisa found love in another man, please do not presume anything otherwise.

I have changed a lot of parts in this story, added in new scenes, and totally re-written others.  Some of the plot and story line has changed, also.

Notes, venting and rambling over now ;)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter One
'The Initialization'

March of 2003

The last seven years had seen a large battle ensue between good and evil. The Quarrymen had only just become a 50,000 strong organization for eighteen months before Gideon Winley joined, instantly becoming a key member of the Quarrymen.

Gideon had only just returned from five years policing up in Wisconsin when his best friend since childhood rung him up. Andrew Dougall told Gideon that there were new troubles in the Manhattan area of New York, and that a group he was with called the Quarrymen were fighting against a Gargoyle clan that were trying to take over the city. Gideon didn't care much for it himself, or the gargoyles. After all...gargoyles? They were stone carvings. They weren't living breathing creatures. At least, that's what he believed until he saw video footage recorded by a number of members who were fortunate enough to get that close to record the gargoyles in the first place.

The gargoyles he saw in the tapes weren't stone; they were flesh and blood, living breathing creatures of the night. Beings the Quarrymen were trying to eradicate.  After viewing the footage and believing completely what he had seen, Gideon was invited to participate in his first ever Quarrymen rally, in commencement of his initialization into the Quarrymen organization.

He learned that each meeting of the Quarrymen were held in an old hall not
far from Central Park. It lay a few blocks from a recently out of work subway
station that the Quarrymen's leader, John Castaway, had brought for what would later be revealed as storage facilities, as well as an underground home for many of the Quarrymen members.

Arriving at the old Hall with his friend, Gideon and Andrew made their way straight to Castaway's office, where the leader was direct and to the point.

"Ah, Mr Winley." Castaway greeted him. "Glad to finally meet you." He greeted the thirty-year-old, blue eyed, dark-haired, Wisconsin native.  He extended his hand to him.

Gideon took his hand and shook it, "Mr Castaway."

"Please, call me John." The blonde man replied, he brushed his finger over his thin mustache, "Listen, Mr Winley..."

"Gideon."

"Gideon, imagine for just a moment the benefits of living in a world without these gargoyles. Imagine how safe the citizens of New York would feel once they're eradicated."

"Eradicated?" Gideon mused. "You make them out to be bugs."

"They are. An infestation. One this city can no longer afford to allow to nest and hollow out for their own evil doings. You're a law enforcement officer...you made a vow the day you graduated to protect and to serve...don't you think getting rid of these beasts will be necessary to protect the citizens of this city, to serve them with all honor?"

Gideon casually placed his hand on the gun holstered at his hip, attached to the belt that held up his black slacks.  "Give me a reason why I'd want to help."

Castaway stared at him intently, "I heard you would be hard to convince that our cause is a worthy one."

"Oh I think it's worthy, but persuasion is the key," he smirked.

"How would an initial payment of eighty-thousand to get things started sound?  And an annual payment of thirty-five thousand sound to make you see that these beasts need to be removed from their perches and sent back to hell where they came from?"

"Make it fifty-thousand a year, and my father's quarry company will sponsor your cause."

Castaway smiled, he thought about the offer for a moment, "Very well, fifty-thousand a year and a sponsorship it is. Welcome aboard Mr Winley."  He picked up a three-page form from his desk and handed it to Gideon, "If you'd like to fill out this form, then we'll inform you of your first assignment."

Gideon took the form and looked up at Castaway again, "I hope this has Health and Life insurance's."

"Oh, it does," he smirked, and both men exchanged a grin.

*  *  *

An hour later

John Castaway stood in front of the one hundred and seventy quarrymen, Riley Watson, his right hand associate, had rallied together to carry out the biggest assignment in the history of the Quarrymen to date. The attack was going to be aimed at the head of the gargoyles, the leader, a large lavender gargoyle called Goliath, and his second in command, a brown, beaked gargoyle that went by the name of Brooklyn. The attack was to be silent but deadly, kept hidden from everyone who was not directly involved. In fact, no one, including their targets, would realize until days later the true strength and fullest intentions of the attack.

Castaway stood at the podium before his followers, "My friends..." He begun, his voice deep and loud.  "In three nights time, we shall commence with the first and most triumphant attack we shall ever embark on! Those vile beasts shall be hit, and hit hard!! A swarm of men shall hit the Gathering in Central Park east, attended by three of the beasts. While the rest of us shall set up ambushes to keep the rest of them away from their leaders!"

Cheers echoed through the old city hall, many shouted out 'Down with the Gargoyles' while others called for their eradication and defeat.

"Friends...friends..." Castaway begun, he put his hands up for silence, and within a matter of minutes the hall was deadly quiet. "Tonight, at the break of dawn Mr Winley..." He said, motioning to the hooded man on his left.  "The newest member to our group, shall begin the steps that will ultimately bring the gargoyles down! He will infiltrate, and cause vigorous betrayal like that the gargoyles and humans' that protect them have never before seen! He will lead the Quarrymen to our ultimate victory!"  He shouted. 

Everyone yelled and screamed out 'To Our Ultimate Victory! To Mr Winley!"

Castaway stepped back from the podium, for a moment he stood, smiling triumphantly in the power he had, but soon his smile faded and he turned to Mr Winley, "You better not fail us."

Gideon bowed his head, "We will succeed Mr Castaway. We will succeed."  He turned to the gathering, "For all quarrymen everywhere!"  He shouted.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter Two
'The First Wave Commences'

Three nights later

Gideon and Andrew had gathered a group of six men with them; they were the one's chose to initialize the attack on the Gargoyle leader. Castaway himself, though, would be leading the small group. He wanted to face off with the beast that made him shoot his own brother on the Hunter's Moon those years ago.

It was an hour after sunset, the Gathering in Central Park east had begun a half-hour earlier, with the seven hundred New Yorker's gathered there to meet the Gargoyles' they had themselves sworn to protect and accept as part of their world. An abstract from within the eyes of all Quarrymen. Even the idea of accepting them was distorted in Gideon's mind; he couldn't now, and would never accept the gargoyles. 

The unholy creatures that they were.

There wasn't that long to go before two hundred men would initiate the attack on the Gathering, he smiled to himself. Law enforcement officers had been called in to protect those attending, many of which were members themselves of the Quarrymen organization.

Gideon had heard Detective Maza's voice over the radio, she was talking to her partner, Matt Bluestone. The next wave after the initial attacks tonight were to be against both detectives, sending a ripple through the friendship they had, and Gideon would take his place as her partner. But that was yet to come. Tonight, he had to focus on the objective, taking the leader down along with his newfound friends.

The raging storm that had bestowed itself on the City for the last three and a half days had calmed by mid afternoon, the Gathering was going full ahead, and so were their plans. He looked up toward the sky, the clouds had dissipated and the moon shone through onto the city dwellers below. But though the storm had ended, there was soon to be a storm like battle in itself ensuing between the Quarrymen and the Manhattan gargoyles.

Gideon returned his attention to their leader as he approached from across the road, "Good, you are all here," Castaway said, his face covered by his own hood, marked with red scratches where it would appear he had been scratched with claws, though the markings was merely an etching that had been passed down the generations by the Hunter's since his ancestor's first encounters with the gargoyle they called Demona.

Gideon, Andrew and the others followed Castaway without question as he led them to a parked van. Watson was there, the side door slid open, "Take a hammer each... except you Mr Dougall."

"Why not me?" Andrew replied, looking at the leader, rather than his right hand man.

"You're to go after the Detective Woman. What good would a hammer do for you?" Castaway asked him back, "Keep her away from the leader for as long as you can. She's always foiled our plans, but not this time."

"Very well." Andrew replied, he looked to his friend Gideon then back to their leader, "But where...?"

"Four blocks from here. We traced her call in to her partner. She'll move, but we'll keep you up to date with her location." Watson said, he handed Andrew an ear-piece and transmitter, "You know what this is for."

"Yeah, yeah." Andrew said, taking it from him and strapping the transmitter to his belt beside his holstered Smith & Wesson handgun, he then wired the ear-piece up through his shirt and poked it in his ear.  He took the gun out of its holster and removed the clip; it was full.  He then slammed it back into the gun.

"Everyone has their assignments." Castaway looked at his watch, "It's time."  He stated, motioning for everyone to go to their places and get ready for the ambush ahead.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter Three
'It Begins'

"No, please... leave me alone!" a young, read head woman screamed out as the two hooded men cornered her in the alley.  Up above, one of the gargoyles heard what was going on and came in for a landing.

'The second is removed from duty,' a voice crackled over Castaway and his groups' ear-pieces. It was a victory in itself, so that meant the one coming in to the ally where the 'burglary' was commencing was the leader.  "Everyone get ready," he called into his transmitter, his masked face looked up to the sky just in time to see the massive creature glide in overhead and down into the alley.  "Now!" he shouted into the transmitter again.

It was time.

Once all seven Quarrymen entered the ally, two from the surrounding buildings, and the other five from the entrance way, the would be burglars and woman involved took off past them. "You've got no where to hide now, gargoyle," Castaway laughed, his deep Scottish accent ripping through the air. He motioned for three of his group to find their way further into the alley through the muck and grime that covered the ground and walls alike.

Suddenly a roar rumbled around them, "Gargoyles do not hide...but you may want to take that suggestion."  Goliath, his dark figure and furiously lit eyes, stepped out from the shadows of the end wall of the alley.

Castaway laughed more, "You don't frighten me.  You're a bug to this city, and we're here to eradicate you and your kind!"

Goliath smiled, "Try, but you shall fail."

"Unlikely."  He replied, his voice darker, deeper.  He reached his spare hand into his pocket and threw some kind of dust at Goliath. 

The lavender gargoyle begun sneezing and coughing, "What did you throw at me?"  He roared.

"A little something to help you sleep better."  He looked over to his men, "Do it, now!" He ordered. In an instant the men un-holstered their guns and fired at Goliath, firing darts of some kind. The gargoyle roared in anger and pain, his wings outstretched as he was thrown backwards against the wall from the backlash. The quarrymen surrounded him like Hyena's would their prey.   Castaway pushed past his men, "See you when you wake up." He grinned, pulling out his own gun, also loaded with the darts, and he then fired, getting Goliath in the right shoulder with four of the darts.

*  *  *

A strange feeling went through every part of Goliath's body, his wings, his tail...like a cold shiver going up his spine...for a moment he froze and couldn't move.  His entire body like stone, yet he was still flesh, and could think and hear. Then, as it stopped Goliath looked up at those surrounding him, his body was weak, tired. He felt so drained of all energy. He needed to sleep.  "Noo...can't give in...won't rest..." But his eyes were heavy, disastrously heavy. Then, as he tried to focus on his attackers, he saw one face looking back at him. It wasn't that of John Castaway, but a face he had never seen before.

The man stood only a few meters away, he had a cigarette in the corner of his mouth. As the man raised his fingers to remove the bad habit from his lips, his blue eyes flashed over at Goliath, "Interesting...so big, and yet, so weak." He taunted, dropping the cigarette to the ground and crunching it down with the front of his shoe. "At least we have claimed our rightful justice!"

Goliath stretched his arm to the man, "You feel this is justice? Your leader is the one who is weak, he fights against those who have done no wrong!" But the man ignored him, walking away, past the others there with him.  As Goliath tried to shout out, his thoughts and voice began to cease, the sounds enclosing him in the alley against the wall, fading out.

Footsteps running across the concrete pavement echoed into nothing as the Quarrymen and their leader took off.

*  *  *

Elisa's ear transmitter had static in it for a moment before Matt's muffled voice could be heard, "Brooklyn's down, and unconscious. Lex and Bronx are here with me, I'm about five minutes from your position partner. I'm on my way."

She pressed her finger against the back of it, "No, stay there.  Call Xanatos. Get a chopper in.  But stay with them."

"Copy that, partner."

The ear-piece went silent and Elisa checked the street from the back of the alleyway she'd ducked into from one of the quarrymen's sight earlier.  All clear.  The gun was firmly in her hand, finger at the ready on the trigger.  Thoughts trapping her mind, if Brooklyn was down, what would have caused it?  If he was down after a chase from one of the quarrymen, what would Castaway do to Goliath?  No, she shook that feeling from her mind; Goliath could deal with him no problem.

Taking the deep breath she needed, Elisa headed out of the alleyway cautiously.  She was about three feet out when she felt something knock her in the ankle.  She fell flat on her face, her weapon sliding several feet out of her grip.  She looked up, a blue uniformed quarryman was there, his hood covering his head like the coward she knew he was.  Only his hazel eyes and the outline of his strong jaw were visible.  "You son of a bitch..." she growled.

"Tutt-tutt-tutt detective.  You have to play nice now," Andrew taunted.

"Get out of my sight before I make you wanna beg for mercy."

He crouched down a few inches in front of her as she lifted herself up from the wet footpath, "And how will you accomplish that, detective?"

"Like this," she said, taking a swing and socking him one in the jaw. She jumped to her feet, instantly sharp throbbing pains darted up into her knee, she could barely walk and had to hobble over to her pistol. But just as she reached down to pick it up the quarryman was there and had it in his grasp.  Elisa stood up straight, ignoring the intense pain riding up into her knee cap.

"See, now that wasn't very nice, was it?" He growled, his dark eyes furious.

"You asshole."

"At least I'm not deserting the idealism of the human race and fucking a gargoyle!"

Elisa went to take another swing at him when he grabbed her hand and twisted her arm behind her back in such a hold that she couldn't break free.  He put his other arm around her neck.

"Even if I were, or weren't, I'd rather fuck a gargoyle if humans like you were my only other option!"  Elisa replied. "Now let me go!"

"Or what?  Your 'boyfriend' will come and beat the shit out of me?"  He laughed.  "Vous devez tourner rapidement de vos chemins avant que vous ruinez tout ce qui l'humanité représente! And in case you didn't get that, you must turn quickly from your ways before you ruin all that which humanity represents!"

Elisa brought her elbow back and jabbed him in the ribcage, breaking free from his grip.  She turned around; the coward had disappeared somewhere, somehow. Suddenly fear sat in.  Goliath...she quickly remembered how he'd called her to tell her he was going in to rescue a woman who was being robbed by a group of thugs. That was a few blocks up, and she headed along the footpath as fast as she could.

*  *  *

Andrew had followed her carefully to not be seen again, there, at the end of the alley was the gargoyle, lying on his side.

*  *  *

Elisa increased her pace as best she could and crouched down beside the lavender gargoyle.  "Goliath..." she shook him gently, but nothing. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady.  "Damn it!"  She placed her finger against the ear-piece again, "Matt...Matt...it's Elisa...get that damn chopper here now! Goliath's down!!" She ordered, removing the darts from him. "Come on Goliath...please, please wake up," she asked him, her voice tearful.

*  *  *

Andrew watched for another minute or so, then at the sound of the helicopter approaching, he took off. The mission was completed. And, from what he saw back in the alley, a complete success.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter Four
'The Second Wave'

April 8

Gideon had been following Detective Maza since the initial attacks, his job now was to infiltrate and discover as much as he could about her and the clan she was protecting. He'd followed her to a tall building, thirty-three levels high, it sat amongst the surrounding fifty-something level buildings.  The sign on the outside of the building read, 'Doctor Anton Sevarius, Genetic Scientist.'  Why she and her partner were investigating him of involvement in the attacks was strange. Did they think only he was a Genetic Scientist in this day and age? There were many out there that could do what he did...and better. Andrew Dougall was one himself.

Smiling at the way Castaway had set up tracking devices and bugs on the officers, he kept quiet as voices came over the speaker just in front of him, he looked over at the building, and could see the two detectives standing before another man. What was left of his hair was a thick white, his skin pasty, and yet his smile was smooth and warm. "Welcome to Doctor Sevarius' Laboratories... how can I be of assistance?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

"We'd like to see Doctor Sevarius." Matt was quick to tell him.

The old guy smiled further, "Certainly. Which Doctor Sevarius would that be?"

"Anton." Elisa told him.

"Senior, or Junior?"

"Junior." They both replied.

"One moment."  The old guy replied.  He smiled at them once again before turning around and walking to the desk a few feet away.  After a couple of minutes he came back to them, "I'm sorry, Doctor Sevarius is unable to take visitors for quite some time, he's working on a project that requires his absolute attention."

On instinct Elisa pulled her badge out, "This is a matter of police urgency."

"My kind of woman." Gideon remarked, returning his attention to what was going on.

"I'm sorry, but Doctor Sevarius requested he not be disturbed."

"I can get a warrant if you like.  Instead of my partner and I being here, you'll have over thirty cops turning this place inside out until we are able to 'talk' with Doctor Sevarius."

The old guy let out a sigh of exasperation, "Very well.  You will need to sit over in the lounge while you wait," he told them, pointing over to the small waiting area behind them to their left.

"Thank-you," Elisa told him.

The next half hour Gideon spent listening to Elisa and Matt's conversation about the clan, and how they were all doing after the attack. Specifically the leader and his second-in-command. He learned that the older gargoyle, Hudson, was taking lead again, with another named Broadway working as his second. The statement, 'only until they wake up', being a regular proclamation. He didn't learn much of Elisa herself from within the conversation, other than the clear fact her concerns for the Leader, her 'boyfriend', were higher than that she held for the younger gargoyle.

The two attacks had been gloriously successful, making John Castaway and his followers proud.

Gideon shifted a little on his seat and cleared his throat, he hoped he wouldn't have to wait too much longer, all this pissing around was too much of a time wasting exercise he would rather die than have to sit through.

Just then, things started to get interesting with the appearance of the famed Doctor Anton Sevarius.  "Why if it isn't Detective Maza...how's your brother?" He goaded.

"We're not here to talk about my brother," Elisa snarled. "We're here to question you in regard to a Virus that two of the gargoyles have."

"Now I presume one of the 'victims' was the Great Goliath!" He laughed with a wide grin stretching his rubbery face. "Sorry, wasn't me," he stated after a minute.

"Bullshit! I know it was you that did it to him, who else knows enough about the gargoyles and their DNA to create a virus that'll affect them in the way that it has?!"

"And what way exactly is that?" Sevarius inquired.

Elisa ignored him, "What did you do to them Sevarius? Tell me what you did."

"I didn't do anything to your friends, Detective. Why would I? I harbor no grudges."

"You worked with Demona to create a virus that would destroy mankind...and now you've created a virus to destroy the clan," Elisa replied, she kept her voice calm and cool this time, "I know it was you."

Sevarius grinned wider, "Well, the truth is, all I do here is create and develop Pharmaceutical Drugs. Sure, we do a little research...but that's in the interests of saving lives, not destroying them."

Elisa stood up, Matt, still quiet, stood up beside her. "Sevarius," she begun.  He looked up at her, "I'll get a search warrant and when I find what I'm looking for, you will be held accountable."

"You'll never get a search warrant." Sevarius smirked.

Gideon sat backward against his seat, after a few short minutes the two detectives came out of the building, "Well, that was interesting." He observed, keeping his ears open for anything else that might be said.

"I know it was him," Elisa told her partner.

"We need evidence first to prove that it was. We shouldn't have even been in there questioning him."

"Yeah, a note on that...why was I the only one doing the talking?"

Matt kept silent as they walked over to the car a few feet away from them. Once they'd climbed inside, Elisa started the engine and pulled the car out of the parking space.

"Because I didn't want to get involved in it," Matt finally said after a minute.

"What!?" Elisa exclaimed, stopping the car suddenly, they were now two cars away from Gideon's position. "You're a part of the clan, Matt, how can you not be involved!?"

"I don't know...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that. Just forget about it."

"Damn right I will," Elisa shook her head, slamming her foot back onto the accelerator. The car took off, leaving burnout's behind her as they went.

Gideon followed behind them.  The officers' drove along for twenty minutes or so without a word between them when a call came in over the radio, there was a break in. It was Bluestone's apartment, he smile.  They detectives reached the apartment in record time, Gideon sat in his car as he watched on an LCD screen the two detectives entering the bugged apartment.

"Geez Bluestone, this place is a mess," Elisa said, clearly stating the obvious. Books, papers, and cushion inners were strewn from one end of the living room to the other. The hallway wasn't any better, nor was the master and spare bedroom.

"Yeah, well this time I'm not cleaning it up." Matt told her, not meeting her gaze as he took in a quick overview of his apartment. His TV, DVD and Movie Collection were all missing, along with his Stereo and kitchen Blender.  "An absolute mess."

"Hmmm," Elisa murmured as she found her way over to the sofa, it was shredded and the inner looked half yanked out by the intruders. She crouched down noticing a Logo she recognized on a white slip of paper beneath the corner of the couch. Picking it up she stood back up and took a look at it. She turned the piece of paper over, it was a receipt. "I can't believe..." she covered her mouth, looking up at Matt.

"What? What is it?" He asked, rushing over to her.

"A receipt," Elisa soon said, finally getting the words unstuck from her throat. Her voice was husky, as she still choked on the words.  She shook her head, "How could you have...lied...?"

"Elisa?" Matt took the paper from her hand, after examining it several times, he looked down at her, "This isn't mine."

"Really? Your name and address is plastered all over it...you made a twenty-five thousand dollar donation to their organization, Matt."

"No, I never did! I don't have that kind of cash for starters, and my duties are to the clan, I would never betray them. Not ever!"

"First Goliath cast asleep by something we can't figure out...something that won't let him wake. And now...to find that..." She stepped closer to him, he took a step back in retreat.  Beneath her foot some papers crumpled from her weight and she bent down and picked them up.

"Oh my gosh," she looked at them for a few moments, reading the first few lines, then looked back up at Matt. "You bastard!" she shouted.

Matt shook his head, grabbing the papers, "No! These aren't mine!!" He shouted after looking at them himself.

"You were in on it!" she cried out, "I trusted you! We all did. Goliath, and Brooklyn...they trusted you the most. With their lives!!"

Matt grabbed her shoulders, stopping her. "In on what?" He demanded.

"The attacks, you bastard," Elisa replied gravely. "You're one of them." She shook her head, unable to truly believe what had happened. "You sold out the clan...but for what?"

"You have to listen to me Elisa, they're not my papers. Okay? I'm not part of that group, organization...whatever the hell they call themselves! They're the bad guys...we're the good guys! You've been working with me for the last few years, do you honestly believe I'd sell out the clan!?" Matt argued. He shook his head, "My job, like yours, is to protect the gargoyles, like they do us." He took his hands off her shoulders. "I'd never betray them. You know that."

"Then how do you explain them being here?"

"I can't...whoever broke in here must have planted them. Because I swear to you, Elisa, they're not mine!" Matt said, looking down at her.

Elisa closed her eyes tight, and pulled away, tears streaming down her cheeks as fast as they poured out her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, Matt drew her into a hug. "I just want him to wake up, Matt," she sniffed, her head against his chest. "I sit there...for hours at a time. Just waiting. Praying. I don't want to ever lose him."

"I know partner, I know." He replied, "We'll get the sons of bitches who did this to him, to them both...I promise you. We'll make them pay."

Elisa cried harder, "Just promise you'll bring him back to me."

Matt drew back, Elisa still in his arms, he looked down at her. He stretched his hand out and wiped a tear from her cheek, "I promise." He said, his voice a near whisper.