AN – Yeah, took me a little bit longer than I would have liked, getting this chapter out… as it is, its shorter than I had originally anticipated, but what can I do? I took it as far as I could. The story is gonna come whatever way it wants to. (shrug)

Thank to everyone who has reviewed, it means a lot! I'm glad to hear that so many are enjoying it. Brief apology to my betas… I know you didn't get a chance to read this chapter before I posted it, but I hope you'll forgive me! I just wanted to get it out as soon as possible…

I've actually been pretty busy the last couple of weeks… I've written several new stories (which are all part of an on-going series of mine entitled "Reflections") for the new hit WB TV series "Tarzan", which I have completely fallen in love with. I can't remember the last time I was this crazy over a TV show… Not even Wolf Lake sparked this kind of obsession in me, and we all see where that little bit of insanity has led! lol!

FF.Net has finally cried "Uncle" and posted a category for it… The first one, entitled "I'm With You" has just been posted, with "Lies" and "Fallen" to follow shortly… If you are a fan of this show, then please take the time to stop by, read them, and let me know what you think. The next few in this series are already in the process of being created.

Anyway, here's chapter 3…

~*~

Chapter Three

John winced as he flexed the muscles in his forearm. The punctured, discolored area of his underarm complaining against the movement. He turned it over to study it briefly, before dropping his arm and letting his sleeve fall back into place, as he continued with his walk. Watching absently the area in front of his path carefully for any potential obstacles that could trip him, but his mind was elsewhere… As it always tended to be when he was finally alone with his thoughts and haunting memories.

It had been two nights since the incident with Van Halen… two nights since he'd been forced to main-line a pint of wolf's blood. But other than that having definitely been the weirdest thing to happen to him since arriving at Wolf Lake – and there had been plenty events to choose from – he had suffered no ill effects from the experience. Which had been a little surprising to him… he had expected to be at least a little on the sick side as his body tried to fight off such alien DNA, but strangely enough, no such outcome.

Well… other than the fact that he hadn't been sleeping well the last couple of nights. Not that that was anything new. He hadn't really had a good night's sleep since Ruby's disappearance back in Seattle.

But he had been… unusually restless. Tonight having definitely been the worst one so far. Like whatever it was he was feeling was steadily increasing. A pressure that he could feel stirring just beneath the surface.

Stepping over a fallen log, he wandered deeper into the woods. Jeans brushing up against the underbrush as he weaved in and out of the massively tall, slender trunks of the surrounding trees. Faint moonlight filtering through the canopy of leaves at their tops, and casting intense shadows about his surroundings.

He had been following the same path now for the last three nights. He never wandered far, though… Always making sure to be within just yards of his rented cabin. Gun firmly hooked on his hip within easy reach as he attempted to work out his frustrations. Exercising until dawn in an attempt to rid himself of that sensation where he felt like he was about to jump out of his skin… Like he was on some unnatural high, times a thousand.

Maybe it would be a good idea to drop by the local hospital tomorrow. Even though he didn't think that his insomnia had anything to do with the transfusion, it was possible that he might have picked something up. In this town, there was absolutely no telling one way or another.

Coming to a stop so he could lean up against one particularly tall rock formation that was hidden there in the brush, he sighed and rubbed his palm down the front of his thigh. Feeling the thick fabric of his jeans against his skin, and having to fight off – and not for the first time – the momentary urge to rip it away. Feeling for a brief moment an insane desire to free his skin entirely.

Shaking his head, he frowned. Wondering yet again just what the hell was wrong with him.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he tilted his face up and gazed at the small glimpses of the night sky he could see through the trees. The strong curved column of his throat revealed. He forced himself to take in a deep breath. Releasing it slowly in the hopes of relieving his tension.

Sometimes it helped when he was out here. Away from the immediate contact of the rest of the world and its insanities. Sometimes it didn't… but it never hurt to try and see which result he would get.

Fortunately, he received the former, and for a brief moment in time, his body relaxed. Muscles rippling in release as he sagged against the rocks. Leaning his head back to rest against the hard surface, he closed his eyes. Wondering idly if it was possible for him to grab a few minutes of sleep, and whether or not he was actually just far gone enough to allow himself to do that when he was out in the open, vulnerable to attack, and still in a town, surrounded by people that seemed to have some serious – and deadly – grudges against him.

Listening half-heartedly to the sounds of the forest around him, he compromised with the idea of a light cat-nap. Focusing on his breathing as he enjoyed his brief respite from the conflictions that he had been suffering from. Taking in the individual scents of the nature he was standing in the middle of. Trying to see if he could sort through and identify each one. Calling them all by their names.

Suddenly, he tensed. Pushing away from the rocks. Eyes snapping open as his hand reached for his gun. Premonition of attack suddenly roaring to the surface. He was being watched.

He had only that single split moment to react, when a pale form came flying at him. Knocking him around the rock formation to land on his back hard in the leaves.

Body tightening in aggression as instinct kicked in, he used the momentum and rolled them both. Bringing the other person underneath him, instead of the other way around, as they had obviously meant to do.

He became aware of several different things at once… One was that the figure was light and lacked the hardness of a male… second was the slight feminine grunt of surprise and maybe a little bit of pain at his exerted strength. As if they had expected tackling a Seattle P.D. should have produced a different result.

Third was what his senses were already trying to convey to him long before his mind was willing to believe it.

Only then, when he had her pinned to the ground, arms stretched above her head as he leaned upwards for leverage, and staring into a pair of startling silver eyes that had haunted his thoughts and dreams ever since he had first gazed into them, and had now been searching for, for months, did it click with him.

And then he felt as if he had just been hit upside the head with a wreaking ball. In his mind's eye, he had gone over and over different scenarios in which all of his sleepless nights, and frustrating days would have paid off and he would have finally found her, and be able to hold her in his arms again.

This hadn't been one of them.

She went still beneath him. Breaths coming a little fast through a mouth that had been the center of all of his fantasies, as she stared up at him. Silken skin pale, and tears glittering there on lush black lashes like quicksilver. Signs of just how overwhelming it was for her to finally be back with him after almost nine months apart.

Unable to speak and gaze full of overwhelming shock, John slowly, reluctantly shifted his weight. Feeling the way she trembled against him, he loosened his bruising grip around her slender wrists, and sitting up. Bracing his weight on his knees, which he had positioned on either side of her hips. His fingertips slid over the tender skin of her bared forearms. Starting at her wrists and moving down to the tender crook of her elbow. His touch lingering as if afraid to let go.

"Ruby?"

~*~*~*~

It's been awhile, since I could hold my head up high…

And it's been awhile, since I first saw you…

And it's been awhile, since I could stand on my own two feet again…

And it's been awhile, since I could call you…

But everything I can't remember, as f**cked up as it all may seem…

the consequences that are rendered, I've stretched myself beyond my means.

It's been awhile, since I could say that I wasn't addicted…

And, it's been awhile, since I could say I love myself as well… and…

It's been awhile, since I've gone and f**ked things up, just like I always do…

And it's been awhile, but all that sh*t seems to disappear when I'm with you…

And everything I can't remember, as f**ked up as it all may seem…

The consequences that I've rendered... I've gone and f**cked things up again…

Why must I feel this way…?

Just make this go away…

Just one more peaceful day…

And it's been awhile, since I could look at myself straight…

And it's been awhile, since I said I was sorry…

And it's been awhile… since I've seen the way, the candles light your face…

And it's been awhile… but I can still remember just the way you taste…

~ Partial Lyrics from "I'm With You" by Staind ~