"You're going to hate me for getting you into this mess," Diane half wailed this final statement as Tom tried to sooth her.

Leaning back from her just far enough so he could look her in the eyes, Tom never moved his hand from her cheek. Holding her head tenderly, but resisting her efforts to break away from being made to look at him, he spoke firmly, compassionately and sincerely.

"I will do no such thing," he told her, holding her gaze until he felt she started to believe his earnestness.

"I don't hold anything you said or did against you Diane," he continued. "I'm sorry if I was a bit rough." He paused momentarily to collect his thoughts and clarified his comment, "It's just, I had my suspicions about what was going on with you and I wanted to help, but you kept pushing me away. I'm sorry things went as far as they did, but none of it is your fault."

Diane's gaze drifted away at these words, betraying her silent unwillingness to accept their truth. Tom noticed and drew her face towards him again.

"None of it his is your fault," he repeated. "Not one single bit of it. You'll have to trust me on that."

Sniffling slightly as she got her tears under control, Diane unconsciously chewed on her lower lip. Remorse flickered across her face as she thought back quickly on their interactions with Tom "McQuade" Hanson over the course of the last week.

"I'm sorry." She half-whispered. "for all the trouble I caused you."

"Hush." Tom shot back instantly.

"Shh…" Tom stopped her, "Don't say a word, honey. You're fine. You're fine now." He paused, then acknowledged his acceptance of her apology. "I know you're sorry, but it's okay. The important thing is that it's all over now. You and your sister are both safe; your father is never going to be able to hurt either of you again."

Nodding slightly, Diane sighed and closed her eyes. Peace finally began to cross her features at his words. Tom stood up and moved his hands away from her, preparing to leave and let her get some much needed rest. Diane's fingers wrapped around his just before he broke contact completely.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes staying closed with the exhaustion that came from finally letting her guard down, her emotional release and her medication all rolled into one sucker punch.

Tom wrapped his other hand around her fingers, squeezing gently as he moved her arm back down onto the bed. "You're welcome," he said softly.

He turned and moved out of the room, pausing a the doorway before he left and turning around. "Good bye," he spoke softly as he turned again, and closed the door behind him.

Tom stood outside the closed door to Diane's room for a moment. He needed to let her nurses know she'd been up and unsteady so they could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't hurt herself until her sedatives worked their way out of her system. Striding down the hall past the elevator again, Tom felt renewed. He knew what he had to do. He spoke briefly with the nurses at the station down the hall and then headed back to his car. Pulling out of the lot he heading towards the highway that would bring him to the Jump Street Chapel and Fuller's office. Somehow, he knew he'd been right. Things were going to turn out okay with this case.

FINI