Yes, I know all of you are sitting there thinking, "Wow, holy long chapter! You need a life, girl!" But if you read through to the end, I promise that you'll think it was all totally worth it. /Nod nod/ Well, I hope anyway.Okay, then, read away!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, still, except for half the rights to Agent Kylie Jackson…the other half of her goes to my friend Tabby, whom I sat up with for half the night putting this girl together.
Dedication: To Tabby, because she helpedwith Kylie and helped me getthrough this crazily hard chapter. Thank you for all your help, all the late-night sob sessions (poor Kate!),you're completely insane,and I love you to bits! Besides, I'm sure half the reason we get along so well is because we're both nuts. :)
Chapter 10:
Changing the Rules
Within fifteen minutes, David and several other agents were in a parade of three police cars screaming toward Second Street. David was on his cell, trying to talk over the noise of the screaming sirens. "No, I need to speak to Don Eppes—no, Alan is his father. I need Agent Eppes. Yes, I know you have his cell phone number. So do I. He isn't answering it. No, I don't know why. Look, can you just put me through to his room! It'll be either room 112 or—yes, I know it's not your policy, but this is official business…FBI business." His dark eyes snapped as he argued with the receptionist on the other end of the line. "Okay, okay, fine, I'll just try his cell pho—thank you!" As she put him on hold, he collapsed back against the seat. "Remind me to arrest her when we get back to the hotel."
"On what charges?" An officer in the front seat queried, wondering if the agent behind him could possibly be serious.
"Lack of intelligence. I don't know, I'll hunt something up." The phone suddenly connected.
"Hello? David?" It was Don's voice, and from the sound of it, he knew something was wrong.
"Don, I just got a call from Terry. She found something at the brother's house."
"What is it?"
"That's just it, her phone died out on her. I don't know what happened, but I think I heard shots. I'm worried about her."
"Where are you now?"
"With some Pittsburgh agents on our way to Second Street."
"Good. As soon as you find—"
The phone cut him off with a familiar sound—the beep of his call-waiting. "Hang on, Don, I've got a call. It could be her." He disconnected quickly, "Sinclair."
"David? David, it's me. I'm fine, don't worry." Terry's voice came over the line.
"Oh, thank God. Where are you?"
"I'm at the drugstore down the block from Johnnie's apartment."
"What happened!"
"Someone shot my cell phone out of my hand."
"My lord, are you okay?"
"My hand's bleeding, but I'll be fine. I think it might need some stitches. Someone just wanted to scare me."
"Someone with a heck of a shot. Are you sure--"
"I'm fine!" She cut him off with a laugh, but it sounded breathy and forced to him. "Just...come and get me, okay?"
"We're on our way--turning onto Second Street right now." He answered calmly.
"Thanks, David."
"No problem...stay on the phone, Terry."
"I can't. I'm out of change. You're almost here, anyway. I'll be waiting in the-" The phone cut her off, but David, in the screeching police car, had just pulled into the parking lot and he could see her through the storefront window. Her right hand was curled around the now-dead phone and her left was wrapped in her dove-grey fleece scarf.
He hopped out of the car and hurried inside, "Terry!"
"Hey." She turned, relieved. "I think I'm going to need a new phone." She dug around in the pocket of her jacket and produced the shards of her phone.
"Don't worry about it. Your cheek is bleeding, too." He pulled a tissue from his pocket and brushed at the two tiny crimson trails. "Let's get you to the hospital. You're going to need stitches."
"Call Don, will you?"
David suddenly remembered that he had left Don hanging on the other line of his cell phone. Swearing under his breath, he dialed Don's cell phone, placed a hand between his partner's shoulderblades, and began to guide her out the door. "Don, I've got her. She's fine." He said as soon as Don answered.
The older agent's voice was shaky. "Can I talk to her?"
"He wants to talk to you." David handed Terry the phone as he helped her into the car.
She took it awkwardly with her right hand, "Hey, Don."
"Terry, thank God you're alright. What happened?"
"Someone shot my phone out of my hand. I didn't get a visual."
"That's alright. Where are you heading now?"
"To the hospital, then back to the hotel. Should be no more than a couple of hours."
"Be careful, okay?"
"Always." She hung up the phone and handed it back to David. "Thanks."
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By the time they returned to the hotel two hours later, Terry's hand had been neatly stitched and her cheek glued closed. She'd been instructed to return the next morning for bandaging, which she was less than thrilled with. Don immediately caught her arm as she came near and drew her close, carefully inspecting her stitched hand, turning it over and over. Then he let out a shaky sigh of relief, finally convinced that she was okay.
"Don, I'm sorry. I swear, I was paying attention and I was being careful, I just--"
"Sh, Terry, it's okay. I know you were careful; you always are. Just...I'm glad you're alright."
She smiled at him. "I'm fine. Exhausted, but as capable as ever." He still hadn't released her hand, and she didn't even pretend to want him to.
"David, would you please see if you can catch my father and Charlie? I think they're down in the restaurant...Charlie isn't answering his phone. Again."
David nodded. "Back in a few, then." And, with that, he disappeared.
Don sank into the softness of the pillows, feeling his heart rate finally slowing back to normal.
"Are you okay?" Terry asked, concerned. "You look really pale."
"Fine. You really had me scared."
"I'm sorry." She sat down, never releasing his hand. "I got to a phone as quickly as I could."
"I know. Stop apologizing, Terry." His hand tightened gently around her.
Terry smiled. "Okay."
"Let me check your cheek."
"It's okay, Don. I'm fine, really."
"Terry..." He said warningly.
She sighed, blowing her bangs off her forehead in frustration. "Okay, okay." She leaned over, tucking strands of blonde behind her ear to expose the gash.
It was long and deep, but the hospital had promised, she explained, that the scarring would be minimal. Don's thumb gently caressed the cut, running tenderly over the shiny glue.
"It's really okay, Don. I promise." She said again, trying to pull away from his gentle touch.
His hand held her fast. "Hold still."
"I'm okay!"
"You're stubborn." His hand slid slowly around to settle across the back of her neck, pulling her gently toward him.
"Am not." She argued automatically.
"Are." His lips were just inches from hers.
"Okay, maybe I am." She breathed. His hand applied a hint more pressure, and she complied with his unspokend command, moving to close the distance between them
"Hey, anyone in there? Terry? I forgot my key, can you let us in?" David's voice, accompanied by a loud knock, made both of them jump and pull apart, only seconds from the kiss she'd been dying for.
Terry straightened, eys wide, breath fast. "S--sure, David." She called, avoiding Don's eyes. He caught her shirttail as she passed, and for just a second, their gazes met. Then she pulled away and hurried to answer the door.
"Thanks, Terry." David gave her a friendly grin. "Look who I found in the lobby. He waved somebody behind him through the door. "Don, Terry, this is Special Agent Kylie Jackson. She's going to be transferring to LA in a few months, so I thought she might like to get to know some of her soon-to-be coworkers."
"Sure, bring her in." Don waved her through the door.
The girl was tall and slim, beautiful. She carried herself with an inexpressive grace, but her posture showed just a hint of insecurity. She was dark-skinned, but lighter than David, with a ready smile and an innocent air. For some reason, she struck him as familiar. It took him a few minutes to place her--she bore a striking resemblance to Rachel Luttrell, an actress on several TV shows and movies his mother used to watch. She was undeniably gorgeous.
"Hey." She greeted them with a decidedly Pennsylvanian accent.
"Hey, Agent Jackson. I'm Don Eppes; these are my partners, Agent David Sinclair and Agent Theresa Lake--"
"Terry, please." The woman broke in, earning her a teasing grin from her boss, who was quite enjoying her discomfort.
"And this is our consultant, my brother Charlie, behind you; and my father, Alan."
The new girl nodded at each in turn with a friendly, sweet smile and then handed Don a single thin folder. "Jessie asked me to drop this off for her; it's all the information my department could find on Jonathan Baxter. It's not much, he had a pretty clean record. None of his credit cards have been used in the last seventy-two hours. The only useful thing we could find was that his bank account was emptied approximately eighteen hours before he disappeared."
"How much was in it?" Don asked, flipping absently through the pages.
"We're working on that." She shrugged. "Banks can be pretty touchy when it comes to giving out their customers' information."
"Tell me about it." He mumbled, recalling several instances when he'd dealt with his own batch of not-so-pleased bank tellers.
"Okay, then. Since you're under my care for now, Agent Jackson, why don't you take David and head down to the bank. I'll call and have a warrant for the information ready when you get there."
She nodded. David, for some unexplainable reason, looked less than thrilled as he followed her out.
Don looked through the folder for several more moments before he noticed his partner's strange quietness. "Hey, Terry. Are you okay? You're really quiet. I mean, you're not upset about what—"
"I'm fine." She interrupted him, blushing nervously. Quickly, she changed the subject, "You'll never guess who I saw today."
"Who?" He humored her.
She was smiling again. "Doctor Coursen."
"Really?" He couldn't understand her exuberance.
"Yeah, and guess what he gave me."
"What?"
"Here." She hurried into the other room and returned pushing a wheelchair. "I know it's not a great alternative to having your freedom, but it gives you the option of leaving this room."
"I'll take it." He said, grinning. "In celebration, I'm taking all of you out to dinner!"
"You go ahead, Donnie. We just ate." Alan said, glancing around for his youngest son. "I guess Charlie's working on his equations again. He must be in the other room."
"I already ate, too, Don. I appreciate it, though. I think I'm going to take care of some paperwork, okay?"
"Sure, sure, ruin the party, David. Terry, you up for dinner?"
"I'm all for it."
"Yeah! Hey, Dad, don't go yet. I need help changing...I'm not going to dinner in my pajamas."
"Sure, Don." Alan closed the door he'd just opened and hurrying back to shuffle through Don's suitcase. Terry excused herself as well, locking herself safely in the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, the pair was making its way to the lobby, where a small, nice little steakhouse had set up shop. Don talked excitedly; glad to be out of the small, cramped bedroom. Terry, on the other hand, was uncharacteristically quiet.
Once they were safely seated, Don leaned across the table. "What's wrong?"
"With me?" She trailed a finger absently around the rim of her wineglass. "Nothing, why?"
He gazed at her levelly, waiting.
Terry sighed and toyed with her napkin. "I don't really want to talk about it. I'm sorry I'm not very good company tonight."
"I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend time with." He said honestly. When her head came up sharply, he locked their gazes together and held them. "Terry, about what happened upstairs earlier..."
Oh, god, he's going to apologize. He's going to tell me that it was all a mistake and he hopes I know he didn't mean anything by it...I don't think I can take that. Please, God, please... She licked her lips nervously, waiting for him to continue.
"I'm sorry."
She let out a shaky breath, looking down at her plate. "I'm not." She said, knowing it was too quiet for him to hear.
"What, Terry?"
"I said I'm not sorry!" She exploded in a soft tirade. "I have waited for ten years for you to do something like that, and the first chance you get, you apologize!" She threw her napkin down on her plate. "What do you want from me, Don! An apology? A--"
"Terry! Terry, stop! That's not what I was apologizing for." He leaned across the table to clasp her hand in his gently. "Will you let me talk now?"
"Yes." She said sheepishly, closing her fingers around his to prevent him from pulling away.
"Good. Now, as I was saying...I am sorry, Terry. I'm sorry things are so awkward between us these days. I'm sorry I'm not better at expressing my feelings. I'm sorry I led you on so long. I'm sorry for a lot. But I'm not sorry for what almost happened upstairs. Okay? Is that fair enough?"
She nodded, releasing the breath she'd been holding. "That's fair."
"Good." He released her hand and sat back, a look of contentment on his face. "Hey, food's here."
The scrawny blonde waiter set small glass dishes of salad on the table before the pair, and Terry dug into it, glad to have something to do with her hands. She avoided his gaze until her plate was clean and then she took a roll from the basket in front of her, absently tearing pieces off and popping them into her mouth.
"Terry, would you relax? This is supposed to be fun, remember? A celebration."
She chuckled, but met his gaze. "You're right." She offered him a small, insecure smile.
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By eleven o'clock, the pair was making its way back upstairs. Terry had loosened up a little over dinner, and they had returned to an almost comfortable companionship. When they reached their rooms, all was silent. Terry leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Do you want me to wake your father so he can help you change?"
The feel of her lips so close to his ear sent shivers down his spine. "No, just help me onto the bed and hand me my pajamas, I can handle it."
"Are you sure?" She asked, skeptical. He gazed evenly at her, one eyebrow raised slightly to answer her question. "Okay." She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. She hauled him gently to his feet and settled him at the foot of his bed. Then she sifted through his suitcase and removed a pair of plaid pajama pants and a sleeveless tee shirt and dropped them in his lap. "Good luck" Was all she said before disappearing into the bathroom with her new pajamas—black flannel dotted with tiny pink hearts. She was determined not to freeze tonight.
"Are you okay?" She called softly through the wood, not wanting to barge in on him.
"I'm dressed, if that's what you mean." He responded quietly. She emerged, her clothes tucked under her arm. He was propped up and tucked into bed, dressed in his pajamas, his clothes folded neatly on the floor beside him. She smiled and shook her head.
"You never cease to amaze me."
"I should hope not. Come on, Amityville Horror is on."
"Are you serious? Don, it's eleven-fifteen and we have to get up in the morning."
"So? Come on, Terry, you have to live once in a while." He patted the spot to his left. With a shrug, she complied, climbing up from the foot of the bed to settle down beside him.
"I haven't ever seen this movie." She confessed as the opening credits flashed across the screen.
"You haven't?" His eyes widened. In the dim half-light of the TV screen, they were dark enough to pass for black.
"Nope, never." She settled back against the headboard, and he grinned at her.
"It's a great movie. It's old and the special effects kind of suck, but it's pretty creepy."
Half an hour later, she had to admit that he was right. Terry was a horror movie buff, but she preferred the kind of movies where the horror was…visible. The creepiness factor of an unseen haunt, she decided,intensified the terror.
Halfway through the movie, when the commercials came on, she rounded on him, smacking him gently with her pillow, "You moron. If I can't sleep tonight, I will make it my personal civic duty to make sure you don't, either."
"I thought horror movies didn't scare you." He teased, eyes dancing.
"They don't. Not normal ones. This is just…freaky."
"It's not that bad, Terry."
"Yes, it is!" She yelped quietly. "I hate sneaking-in-the-shadows-doing-creepy-things movies. It scares me."
"We can shut it off." He offered seriously.
"No, now I have to see how it ends." She mock-pouted.
He hesitantly slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Will this help?"
She snuggled down against him. "No, now I won't be able to concentrate." She muttered, but too softly for him to hear. She didn't want him to pull away.
"What was that?"
"I said yeah." She watched an ad for an online dating service flash onto the screen. A dark-haired muscley man had his arms around the waist of a tiny blonde, who was gazing up at him adoringly. "Do you think those things really work?"
"Online dating? Sure, if it's the right guy and girl. Me, I prefer to have someone to hold, but to each his own." He shrugged. "You?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm a hopeless romantic, but I've always thought…love is not something you can just create through letters and pictures. You need to feel it, to touch it. You have to see it in someone's eyes, to watch them express it through their actions and the subtle things. Computers can't do that."
"Hm…" He answered thoughtfully, his arm tightening slightly about her shoulders. "Very romantic."
"See, what did I tell you?" She lifted her head, which she had just settled to his shoulder, to search his face.
His arm tightened more around her, drawing her closer to him. She turned willingly. In the flickering light from the still-droning TV, she could see his eyes studying her. She offered him a small smile, saying what words couldn't. He leaned down, she stretched up.
Millimeters from her lips, he whispered, "No David to interrupt this time."
"Nope." She answered.
And then he kissed her.
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So there you have it. I bet you're all on cloud nine (you'd better be, that kiss scene was a pain in my rear to write…but, man, I loved it!) but I have just one more thing to say, and it's actually /gasp/ serious!
I make it a point to never beg for reviews, though I love them and can never get enough of them. But now I'm asking for feedback, for both Tabby, who is both Kylie's co-creator and my friend, and myself. I would like to know as you get to know Kylie over the next few chapters (she's now a permanent addition to our library) what you all think of her. Just point out anything you think might need some improvement or what you like, just to let us help develop her character. I think you'll come to like her.
Okay, on to the REVIEW REPLIES:
Denaliyasha: Oh yes, we evil authors are entitled to at least three cliffhangers per story, didn't you know that? So that leaves me with one left to go…. /angelic grin/ Don/Terry fluff is my specialty. There will be enough to stuff a pillow or 200 by the end. I promise. Thanks for the review, as always.
Liason4life: Of course I had to leave it there. :-D Cliffhangers are tons of fun when you're on the writing end of them. Bet Don's reaction was pretty predictable, but it was so much fun to write. There, I've updated, and more is on the way. Thanks for the great review.
SD: I'm really glad you like it, and I'm sorry this chapter was so much later than I'd wanted it to be. I scrapped it about halfway through and started over, and I like the end result much better. I'm glad you understand. Here's the next chapter, hope it was worth the wait. Thanks for all your reviews, hon!
MissCongeniality: Yes, and another one, aren't you proud of me? I'm glad you liked it…I almost left the whole "I love you" in there, but I decided that was too much for the UST at that point. Oh, dang, I didn't worry you? Very much faith you have in me, young Jedi. (Sorry, too much Star Wars lately…) You don't think I'd kill Terry? She is one of my favorites, so that makes her a prime target for killing, in my book. /innocent face/
MissCongeniality: Glad you found my home page…I'm having so much trouble with my computer that I can't post prom pictures yet, but they're coming. Sorry…small towns suck, do they not? I can't wait to get out of mine. I'm in PA. Cheerleading is a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. I am free now, I'm done/Screams enthusiastically/ I'M FREE! FREE, I TELL YOU, FREE!
Jill: Don't beat your computer, Jill darling. It's not good for it. I have placed the kiss, no more violence to the computer or your dear authoress…she wouldn't appreciate that much. DON AND TERRY FOREVER! I have a brother, but he's nothing more than a pain in my butt. :-D No, I do love him, somewhere deep in my heart.
Piccolo Chic: I'm glad you love it, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're going to get at least one more cliffy by the end. I just can't help myself! Yeah, I was that way about Charlie/Amita for a while, but I got over it pretty quick—mainly just because he's so cute when she makes him nervous. /laughs/ Hey, thanks for the tip, I'm gonna do that. I love it! Thanks for the review, too.
Lime: Here's more…and Terry. I think you can put it together. Hee hee…I was really going to have her tell him she loved him, but I took it out because it was so much more dramatic. And I love drama. I've updated, and it's only been a week, so I did pretty good that time. :-D But I love cliffhangers, Lime. They're so fun to write. Thank you for the great review, and I hope you like this chapter as well as the last one.
Randa: A heart attack? Those aren't good. Hope you're okay, lol. :-D Does this make up for it? ;) Glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for the review!
Cora Clavia: Now that's what I love to hear. I'm so glad you enjoyed it enough to actually sit and read the whole thing…I'm so flattered. Was this chapter what you had in mind (and don't worry, lots more kisses on the way, I just wanted to end it there and leave the rest up to your imagination…;) )? I hope you liked it. An A? That's better than I ever did in school. :-D . Thanks for the great review, you really made my day.
ollie xox: hee hee…my turn. /Stands up/ Hi, I'm Kass, I have issues with the season finale and all the writers on CBS this season but I'm really glad they renewed the show. I write for therapy and I love it when people enjoy my stories. /Points to mongoose/ and I'm scared of him.
Anyway, glad you liked the chapter, hon. Thanks for the review, you made me laugh like crazy. (Maybe because I am….)
SD: I'm glad you liked it, and I'm sorry I left you hanging…I hope that this chapter makes up for it. Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.
SD: I'm so glad you're enjoying it…it's okay that you write lots of reviews, I certainly don't mind! My mother thinks that they didn't give us any closure on Terry because they're going to keep her character and just replace Sabrina Lloyd…so there will be someone else playing Terry. I don't know how I feel about that…I guess I'll have to wait and see how it comes out. I like your idea, though…heh, that would be a bit of an uncomfortable moment for them! Your reviews can't be too long, I love them! Thanks again.
SD: As I said, I really love your idea. In fact, I dug out all my S1 tapes so I could look for Sniper Zero and memorize the end scene. I've already begun the story, but it's title-less…got any ideas? I'm so flattered that you think I'd be the perfect writer for it…you have no idea what that means to me. And never be sorry for long reviews, because I love them to bits. Really. I read them all several times as I write for encouragement. I'm so glad you like it!
KarateMom: I'm so thrilled that you liked it. As I told Cora Clavia up there /Points up to CC's review reply/ I just love to hear that my story's captivating enough to make someone want to sit and read the whole thing. And some of the chapters twice? That just makes me unbelievably excited. Don't worry, as long as I'm as addicted as I am to the show, I will always write Don and Terry fics, because they were my favorite pairing and they'll always be perfect for each other…I don't want to see him with anyone else. Don't apologize for being loyal and devoted! I like you all the more for it! Come join our support group, 'tis growing daily. We're all crazy, but we're fun anyway. :) I am so glad you're enjoying it so much, and I'm really glad everyone liked the last chapter so well, because I was really nervous about it. I hope this one comes across well, too. Thank you so much for your great review, you made me grin all day long every time I thought about it. :D (Wow, your reply was really long! Heehee…)
EclecticTrekkerHey, thanks! Wow /Admires all her great gifts/ Hm…I've never had pudding skin singles, but hey, if it's chocolate, I'll take it. I'm glad you liked that "Why don't you ask Terry out!" line, I just couldn't resist it. I could just see the look on Charlie's face as he said it.
Yay, another person for the support group! We need jackets or something. I know, the finale…don't even get me started on that. Between that and the NCIS finale this year, I feel as though CBS is on a personal vendetta to kill all my ships. /Pouts/ But thanks for the awesome review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one.
CityGirl928: We're all interesting in our own way, right:D Thanks, I'm glad you liked the tension last chapter…this chapter was really tension-full-ish. I didn't mean it that way, it's just how it happened. I love to do that interrupting to my characters, although I'm sure they're not too pleased about it…./innocent whistling/ But I finally got a tender moment in with no interruptions /parties/ You make me smile every time you review, girl, because if what you write isn't supposed to be funny, it's sweet enough to keep me grinning all day. I love your reviews, and thanks so much for your support!
reannablue: I'm glad you like it. Here's some more, I hope you like it as well as the rest! Thanks for the review!
SD: Hey, I like reviews, I'm not going to complain! Here's the next chapter, I hope it was worth the wait.
MissCongeniality: Hey, girl. I'm sorry you're depressed. I thought American Idol was kind of sucky this time…and I've been depressed all week about the events of NCIS, so we've been on pretty much the same boat. Hope this chapter helps to brighten your day a little bit and thanks for the wishes on graduation…just 14 days left!
charliemyhero: I'm so glad you like it…suspense can be fun, and at least this time I didn't make you wait a month for an update! (I've done that before…/hangs head in shame/) Thanks for the great review, I hope you liked this chapter as well.
Thanks, everyone, for all the wonderful reviews. Take care, and until next time.../superhero voice/ behave and stay safe!
Sila