Before leaving, they took a DNA swab from Rai, and fingerprinted her, so they would be able to rule out any trace they'd found in her apartment that had come from her. Since he'd been at the apartment, Nick's prints and DNA would also have to be ruled out, but he'd been printed when he was hired, and his DNA was already on file from the Kristi Hopkins murder that he'd come with a breath of being arrested for.

They stopped at Sara's apartment and picked up Monte, who would not stay in the back seat of the Tahoe. He'd climbed over the seat twice, struggling with his broken leg into Rai's lap, when she finally gave up and let him stay up there. The dog was so happy to see her; his tail didn't stop wagging as he looked out the side window, then back to Rai, to lick her face, giving her sloppy wet dog kisses. Rai was so happy to see Monte, and relieved that he was aright, she didn't notice that Nick hadn't said two words since leaving the lab.

In his driveway, he put the truck in park and shut off the engine. Rai opened her door and helped Monte to the ground. The dog took off as quickly as his bum leg would allow, headed to Nick's postage stamp sized front lawn. She watched Monte scamper and smell for a moment before she realized Nick hadn't opened his door. Hadn't even moved since he cut the engine. She looked over at him. He was staring straight ahead, hands still on the wheel, his arms stretched out, as if he was trying to push himself away.

"What?"

"You gonna tell me about the swab? Or what's 'not gonna happen'?" He quoted Sara's words in the lab parking lot. "I can't help you though this unless you tell me." He turned his head toward her, and Rai saw something in his eyes she hadn't seen before. Anger.

She swallowed hard. "I didn't want them to take the vaginal swab."

"Why?"

"Because" she looked away, her eyes finding Monte, rolling on his back in the grass. "Because, all I kept thinking about was that girl you told me about, that Kristi, and I thought..."

"You thought if they took the swab, I'd be a suspect for your rape." He closed his eyes, again cursing the decision he'd made to walk into Kristi's house. "That's why you asked for Catherine, because she got me cleared once..."

She nodded and turned back to meet his eyes. Most of the anger had gone. "Yeah, but she told me that if I wasn't accusing you, it'd be alright."

"Ok." He loosened his grip on the steering wheel, letting his hands fall into his lap. "What were you and Sara talking about?"

Rai chewed her bottom lip; she didn't want to tell him. "I was worried about you." She said finally, and looked at her feet, unable to meet his gaze.

"Me? But Catherine told you..." she interrupted him.

"Not that." Her mouth moved, forming words with out voice, as she tired to find the words. "I thought...you might...leave me." She looked at him, he was speechless. "Aren't I 'damaged goods' now? I thought that maybe you wouldn't want me anymore, after...this. That's what Sara meant when she said 'that's not going to happen'."

The truck was silent. After a moment he asked quietly: "Do you still think that?" She shook her head.

He tried to say 'ok' and be done with it, but he couldn't. He was hurt that she would think that. He fought with himself, he had no idea what she was going through. Instead he only climbed out of the truck and walked around it, opening the back door behind Rai to grab her suitcase and the box of her other things. Rai sat in the truck, motionless, watching him in the side rear view mirror. After he shut the Tahoe's door, he looked to her. "Come on inside."

The living room was cool compared to the heat of the Tahoe baking in the Nevada sun. Nick took the baggage to the bedroom while Rai got Monte settled, pouring him a bowl of water. Monte's fun in the grass had been thirsty work, and he drank good and long from the bowl. When he was done, he investigated Nicks living room, smelling everything his nose could reach. It was about twenty minutes before Rai realized Nick hadn't come back from dropping off her suitcase, and she walked toward the bedroom to find him, Monte right behind her, smelling and wagging his tail.

She found him in the bedroom, laid out on his back, in the middle of the bed, one arm flung over his eyes. Her head tilted and she licked her lips. She hadn't wanted to tell him, and now she was sorry she hadn't made up a lie. Taking the few steps to the bed, she gingerly crawled up next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. His hand came down and curled around her waist, pulling her tighter to him.