AN: Thanks for the reviews..Here's the next chapter.
Early the next morning Cascade was damp, dank, and cold. Swollen storm clouds blanketed the sky threatening to release a fierce rain. Thunder rumbled so loudly it shook the windows of the loft.
Jim and Blair were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Savannah had not yet woken up, but just to make sure she was still around Jim had peaked into her room earlier. Savannah was snuggled under his robe and the blanket sleeping soundly. He silently wondered how long it had been since she had a good night sleep. That had been twenty minutes ago.
Blair took a sip of tea and put the cup down. "So what are we doing?"
Jim swallowed the piece of bacon he had been chewing on before answering. "We go down to the station, take her statement and then she goes into protective custody while we pick up D' Angelo."
"Protective custody?" Blair asked in disbelief. "Jim she's never going to go for that."
"She doesn't exactly have a choice Chief."
Blair sighed and sat back in his chair.
Jim looked over at his friend. "You getting attached to her?"
"I like her yes, but that's not it."
"Then what's up Chief?"
He sighed again. "She came on to me last night."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Blair relayed everything that had happened last night, including the story that Savannah had told Blair about her friend.
"D'Angelo forced her to watch?"
Blair nodded.
Jim leaned forward on his elbows. "I don't know what to say Chief. I mean the good news is now we can get him on murder charges."
"Yeah, but the bad news is that D'Angelo knows this and is probably going to do whatever it takes to keep that from happening." Blair finished for him.
"He's going to try," Jim stated. "But with her being in protective custody that's not going to happen."
"Come on Jim, what about what happened with Maya?"
Jim scoffed. "Chief Maya gave away her own location."
"I know, I know, but think about all the resources D'Angelo has," Blair tucked a strand of curls behind his ear. "Don't you think she'd be safer with us?"
"No, I think she'd be safer at an undisclosed location with multiple officers watching over her."
"Jim, come on."
Jim held up a hand to silence his partner. "Shh." He used his sentinel ability to listen for Savannah. Her heartbeat was suddenly pounding wildly. He heard her crying, but whether she was awake or asleep he wasn't sure. He got up and started for the stairs.
"Jim what is it?" Blair asked following.
Jim looked back at him. "Let me handle this one Chief. Two of us might be too much for her at the moment."
Blair nodded and Jim hurried up the stairs. When he arrived Savannah was on her right side, shivering fiercely. Sweat had matted her raven hair to her face. Jim sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Savannah," He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Savannah wake up."
Her eyes fluttered opened. She jerked away from his body and pushed herself against the headboard. Her eyes had become wide and frantic, searching back and forth to figure out where she was.
"Whoa, Whoa, calm down. You're safe."
Savannah didn't say anything. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would burst through her chest. Her chest felt tight and her body just wouldn't stop shaking.
For a moment Savannah thought she was back with D'Angelo. She thought he was sitting there, waiting for her to...
"Savannah," Jim's voice cut through her thoughts.
She turned her head towards him, eyes still wide, heart still beating harder than a rock drummer slamming on his drums.
"Are you okay?"
Slowly she nodded. "F..f..f..ine."
"Are you sure."
She nodded again. "Yeah." Savannah threw the covers off of her. "It's hot."
Jim realized Savannah was still wearing his robe. It was a thick, fleece material. He could see how she was hot. Taking another look at her face, he realized that her cheeks had a very ruddish tint to them. "Are you feeling well?"
Honestly Savannah's body was achy, and weak. She felt as thought she was on fire. "Do you have anything lighter I can put on?"
Jim nodded. "I'll be right back."
Savannah lay on her side as Jim walked out. She pushed the fleece cloth back from her legs and loosened it a bit around her waist so that air would circulate. She felt nauseous and not surprisingly, tired.
Jim came back in a few minutes later with a cool cloth and a large blue t- shirt. He handed Savannah the cloth and she gratefully took it, wiping her face, arms and legs. Then she gave Jim a slight glare.
"You know this isn't a peep show," She snapped. "I can still dress myself."
"A thank you would have been appreciated," Jim stated sarcastically. "But I'll just wait outside the door." He turned and walked out.
After Jim left her alone, Savannah stripped out of the robe and wiped the cool rag down the length of her body. By the time she was finished the rag was warm and she felt a little cooler, and a lot better.
Savannah threw the over sized t-shirt on. It fell to her knees, but it was loose and cool, and that's all she cared about at the moment.
"You can come back in now," She called out. She knew Jim was waiting outside the door.
Jim entered a moment later. Savannah was sitting on the edge of the bed. Jim sat down next to her. The fact that she scooted a few inches away wasn't lost on him.
"How are you feeling now?" He asked.
"Better." She replied. "Thanks."
"Your welcome." Then Jim added. "You still look a little flushed."
He went to put a hand to her forehead, but she pulled away. "I'm fine!" She snapped.
"I didn't mean to.."
Savannah cut him off. "Don't worry about it."
He nodded. "Listen I want to take you down to the station today. We'll get your statement and then put you in protective custody before we pick up D'Angelo."
"You mean I'm not staying with you?" Savannah half yelled. "Protective custody wasn't part of the deal!" She jumped up from the bed and started pacing. "He'll find me in protective custody. He'll find me and kill me." She shook her head. "No way, the deals off."
"Savannah calm down," Jim said walking over to her.
"Don't tell me to calm down," She yelled, backing up from him. "You have no idea what you're asking of me. I'm not going into protective custody, now or ever!" Savannah wrapped her arms around herself hugging herself tightly.
Jim took another step towards her and Savannah took a step away.
"I'm just trying to help," Jim said, holding up his hands in surrender.
Thunder resounded through out the loft and all the lights went out, leaving them in a silhouette of darkness.
"What's going on?" Savannah questioned frantically. "What happened?"
"It's all right, it's just a power outage."
A minute stream of light flowed through the darkness. "You guys okay?" Blair asked.
"Yeah Chief, we're all right."
Blair walked over and handed Jim a flashlight. Jim flipped it on and there were two rays of light in the room. Jim aimed the beam towards Savannah. She wasn't standing where she had been a moment ago.
"Savannah?" Blair called out.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the room just enough for them to see Savannah huddled in the corner with her face buried in her hands.
"Savannah!" Blair repeated in an alarmed tone. He ran over and kneeled beside her. She was shaking uncontrollably. He put a hand on her shoulder. Savannah shrieked and pulled away from him.
"Get away from me!" She pushed Blair so hard that he fell on his butt. Savannah jumped up and ran past both men out the door.
Jim immediately took off after her. Blair wasn't far behind. By the time they got to the top of the stairs Savannah was already half way across the living room.
"Savannah stop!" Jim yelled.
"Damn she's fast," Blair stated.
Savannah didn't hear their words. After the lights went out she only saw D. D was standing over her, just like the first time. She couldn't let D hurt her, not now, not ever again. She'd die the first.
Savannah ran out the door into the pouring rain. She ran directly into the middle of the street. She was confused, disoriented. She stopped, not knowing which way to run.
A horn blared and Savannah felt something hard impact into her side. The next thing she knew she was lying on the sidewalk staring up into Jims face.
"Savannah are you all right?" He asked in an alarmed voice.
Blair's face appeared next to Jim's. "Savannah?"
They both seemed so worried about her. Why would anyone worry about her? Savannah didn't understand it.
"Savannah can you hear me?" Jim asked.
Savannah nodded. "I'm all right."
"Don't move, I'll call an ambulance," Blair told her.
"No, I'm fine." She said as she started to push herself up.
Jim put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. "Just relax."
She sighed. "I'm fine, really. Just help me sit up."
Savannah held out her hands, Jim took the left and Blair took the right. The gently eased her up. She smiled at them. "See no dizziness, no blood, I'm fine."
"Well I wouldn't say no blood," Jim told her. He gently twisted her arm so that she could see the gash that was on the inside of her forearm.
"Okay, so a little blood, but I'm still fine."
Sentinel and Guide exchanged a glance. Savannah was acting as though nothing had happened.
"Hey is everything all right?" An elderly woman asked walking up to them.
"Yes ma'am, everything's fine," Jim told her. He pulled his badge out of his pocket. "I'm Cascade PD. I have everything under control."
By this time a considerable amount of people had circled around them.
"Can we please go back inside?" Savannah pleaded.
Jim nodded and then scooped her up off the ground.
"I can walk you know."
"Enlighten me," He replied.
When they were back in the loft Jim set Savannah down on the couch. She was shivering, but this time from the cold. All three of them were soaked from head to toe. Blair took the blanket he had used from last night and wrapped it around Savannah.
"Thank you," Savannah whispered. Back in the secluded darkness of the loft her heart was racing again. She told herself to shake it off. D'Angelo wasn't anywhere near her. He had no clue as to where Savannah was.
"Savannah what happened back there?" Jim asked sitting next to her.
Jim didn't need his sentinel ability to see her tense up at the question.
"I don't suppose you'd accept teenage hormones as a viable answer would you?"
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Early the next morning Cascade was damp, dank, and cold. Swollen storm clouds blanketed the sky threatening to release a fierce rain. Thunder rumbled so loudly it shook the windows of the loft.
Jim and Blair were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Savannah had not yet woken up, but just to make sure she was still around Jim had peaked into her room earlier. Savannah was snuggled under his robe and the blanket sleeping soundly. He silently wondered how long it had been since she had a good night sleep. That had been twenty minutes ago.
Blair took a sip of tea and put the cup down. "So what are we doing?"
Jim swallowed the piece of bacon he had been chewing on before answering. "We go down to the station, take her statement and then she goes into protective custody while we pick up D' Angelo."
"Protective custody?" Blair asked in disbelief. "Jim she's never going to go for that."
"She doesn't exactly have a choice Chief."
Blair sighed and sat back in his chair.
Jim looked over at his friend. "You getting attached to her?"
"I like her yes, but that's not it."
"Then what's up Chief?"
He sighed again. "She came on to me last night."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Blair relayed everything that had happened last night, including the story that Savannah had told Blair about her friend.
"D'Angelo forced her to watch?"
Blair nodded.
Jim leaned forward on his elbows. "I don't know what to say Chief. I mean the good news is now we can get him on murder charges."
"Yeah, but the bad news is that D'Angelo knows this and is probably going to do whatever it takes to keep that from happening." Blair finished for him.
"He's going to try," Jim stated. "But with her being in protective custody that's not going to happen."
"Come on Jim, what about what happened with Maya?"
Jim scoffed. "Chief Maya gave away her own location."
"I know, I know, but think about all the resources D'Angelo has," Blair tucked a strand of curls behind his ear. "Don't you think she'd be safer with us?"
"No, I think she'd be safer at an undisclosed location with multiple officers watching over her."
"Jim, come on."
Jim held up a hand to silence his partner. "Shh." He used his sentinel ability to listen for Savannah. Her heartbeat was suddenly pounding wildly. He heard her crying, but whether she was awake or asleep he wasn't sure. He got up and started for the stairs.
"Jim what is it?" Blair asked following.
Jim looked back at him. "Let me handle this one Chief. Two of us might be too much for her at the moment."
Blair nodded and Jim hurried up the stairs. When he arrived Savannah was on her right side, shivering fiercely. Sweat had matted her raven hair to her face. Jim sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Savannah," He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Savannah wake up."
Her eyes fluttered opened. She jerked away from his body and pushed herself against the headboard. Her eyes had become wide and frantic, searching back and forth to figure out where she was.
"Whoa, Whoa, calm down. You're safe."
Savannah didn't say anything. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would burst through her chest. Her chest felt tight and her body just wouldn't stop shaking.
For a moment Savannah thought she was back with D'Angelo. She thought he was sitting there, waiting for her to...
"Savannah," Jim's voice cut through her thoughts.
She turned her head towards him, eyes still wide, heart still beating harder than a rock drummer slamming on his drums.
"Are you okay?"
Slowly she nodded. "F..f..f..ine."
"Are you sure."
She nodded again. "Yeah." Savannah threw the covers off of her. "It's hot."
Jim realized Savannah was still wearing his robe. It was a thick, fleece material. He could see how she was hot. Taking another look at her face, he realized that her cheeks had a very ruddish tint to them. "Are you feeling well?"
Honestly Savannah's body was achy, and weak. She felt as thought she was on fire. "Do you have anything lighter I can put on?"
Jim nodded. "I'll be right back."
Savannah lay on her side as Jim walked out. She pushed the fleece cloth back from her legs and loosened it a bit around her waist so that air would circulate. She felt nauseous and not surprisingly, tired.
Jim came back in a few minutes later with a cool cloth and a large blue t- shirt. He handed Savannah the cloth and she gratefully took it, wiping her face, arms and legs. Then she gave Jim a slight glare.
"You know this isn't a peep show," She snapped. "I can still dress myself."
"A thank you would have been appreciated," Jim stated sarcastically. "But I'll just wait outside the door." He turned and walked out.
After Jim left her alone, Savannah stripped out of the robe and wiped the cool rag down the length of her body. By the time she was finished the rag was warm and she felt a little cooler, and a lot better.
Savannah threw the over sized t-shirt on. It fell to her knees, but it was loose and cool, and that's all she cared about at the moment.
"You can come back in now," She called out. She knew Jim was waiting outside the door.
Jim entered a moment later. Savannah was sitting on the edge of the bed. Jim sat down next to her. The fact that she scooted a few inches away wasn't lost on him.
"How are you feeling now?" He asked.
"Better." She replied. "Thanks."
"Your welcome." Then Jim added. "You still look a little flushed."
He went to put a hand to her forehead, but she pulled away. "I'm fine!" She snapped.
"I didn't mean to.."
Savannah cut him off. "Don't worry about it."
He nodded. "Listen I want to take you down to the station today. We'll get your statement and then put you in protective custody before we pick up D'Angelo."
"You mean I'm not staying with you?" Savannah half yelled. "Protective custody wasn't part of the deal!" She jumped up from the bed and started pacing. "He'll find me in protective custody. He'll find me and kill me." She shook her head. "No way, the deals off."
"Savannah calm down," Jim said walking over to her.
"Don't tell me to calm down," She yelled, backing up from him. "You have no idea what you're asking of me. I'm not going into protective custody, now or ever!" Savannah wrapped her arms around herself hugging herself tightly.
Jim took another step towards her and Savannah took a step away.
"I'm just trying to help," Jim said, holding up his hands in surrender.
Thunder resounded through out the loft and all the lights went out, leaving them in a silhouette of darkness.
"What's going on?" Savannah questioned frantically. "What happened?"
"It's all right, it's just a power outage."
A minute stream of light flowed through the darkness. "You guys okay?" Blair asked.
"Yeah Chief, we're all right."
Blair walked over and handed Jim a flashlight. Jim flipped it on and there were two rays of light in the room. Jim aimed the beam towards Savannah. She wasn't standing where she had been a moment ago.
"Savannah?" Blair called out.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the room just enough for them to see Savannah huddled in the corner with her face buried in her hands.
"Savannah!" Blair repeated in an alarmed tone. He ran over and kneeled beside her. She was shaking uncontrollably. He put a hand on her shoulder. Savannah shrieked and pulled away from him.
"Get away from me!" She pushed Blair so hard that he fell on his butt. Savannah jumped up and ran past both men out the door.
Jim immediately took off after her. Blair wasn't far behind. By the time they got to the top of the stairs Savannah was already half way across the living room.
"Savannah stop!" Jim yelled.
"Damn she's fast," Blair stated.
Savannah didn't hear their words. After the lights went out she only saw D. D was standing over her, just like the first time. She couldn't let D hurt her, not now, not ever again. She'd die the first.
Savannah ran out the door into the pouring rain. She ran directly into the middle of the street. She was confused, disoriented. She stopped, not knowing which way to run.
A horn blared and Savannah felt something hard impact into her side. The next thing she knew she was lying on the sidewalk staring up into Jims face.
"Savannah are you all right?" He asked in an alarmed voice.
Blair's face appeared next to Jim's. "Savannah?"
They both seemed so worried about her. Why would anyone worry about her? Savannah didn't understand it.
"Savannah can you hear me?" Jim asked.
Savannah nodded. "I'm all right."
"Don't move, I'll call an ambulance," Blair told her.
"No, I'm fine." She said as she started to push herself up.
Jim put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. "Just relax."
She sighed. "I'm fine, really. Just help me sit up."
Savannah held out her hands, Jim took the left and Blair took the right. The gently eased her up. She smiled at them. "See no dizziness, no blood, I'm fine."
"Well I wouldn't say no blood," Jim told her. He gently twisted her arm so that she could see the gash that was on the inside of her forearm.
"Okay, so a little blood, but I'm still fine."
Sentinel and Guide exchanged a glance. Savannah was acting as though nothing had happened.
"Hey is everything all right?" An elderly woman asked walking up to them.
"Yes ma'am, everything's fine," Jim told her. He pulled his badge out of his pocket. "I'm Cascade PD. I have everything under control."
By this time a considerable amount of people had circled around them.
"Can we please go back inside?" Savannah pleaded.
Jim nodded and then scooped her up off the ground.
"I can walk you know."
"Enlighten me," He replied.
When they were back in the loft Jim set Savannah down on the couch. She was shivering, but this time from the cold. All three of them were soaked from head to toe. Blair took the blanket he had used from last night and wrapped it around Savannah.
"Thank you," Savannah whispered. Back in the secluded darkness of the loft her heart was racing again. She told herself to shake it off. D'Angelo wasn't anywhere near her. He had no clue as to where Savannah was.
"Savannah what happened back there?" Jim asked sitting next to her.
Jim didn't need his sentinel ability to see her tense up at the question.
"I don't suppose you'd accept teenage hormones as a viable answer would you?"
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