Chapter 5

McCall took off without conscious thought of where she was going, rushing down stairs and bursting through doors until she was out of the station and across the parking lot. It was almost dark out and she couldn't help but think how scared poor Jason must be right now. She realized too late that her purse was still upstairs and she didn't have the keys to her car. She also knew that there was no chance in hell that she'd go back up for them now. She had her gun and her badge in the pocket of her blazer and a few bucks in the back pocket of her black jeans.

All she could think was that she wanted to keep moving, walking, thinking - trying to get a handle on what was going on. Who were these people? Exactly, what was their agenda? What made them so vindictive? What was their motivation?

Was it rage? Or perhaps some personal vendetta? And what did any of them have in common?

She wanted to stop, to put her back up and fight, but she didn't have a clue who she was fighting or why?

Then she remembered the belt buckle. If she could find out more about the design, maybe it would give her some idea where to start. The dagger through the heart had to mean something. Hopefully something relevant.

Hours passed and still she walked the city streets. The dark night air was damp and the chill passed easily through her lightweight jacket. She never consciously felt it, and though her leg muscles burned and her feet were beyond tired, she just couldn't stop.

The sun had set long ago and the moon was high in the sky. McCall found herself in Sporty's neighborhood and spent the next hour tracking the informant down. When she finally located him at a small jazz club, she sank wearily into the booth next to him.

He stared at her in amazement. "Do my eyes deceive me? Sgt McCall, what brings you to my little piece of heaven at 2 in the morning?" He was unable to hide his shock at her appearance. Her hair was windblown, her cheeks flushed and there were dark circles under her eyes. He wanted to ask her about the bruises and scrapes, but decided she would tell him on her own. "Before you answer that, let me get you something to warm you up – you're freezing, girl."

Too exhausted to protest, McCall simply leaned back on the padded leather seat and let Sporty order for her. The waiter returned shortly with a large brandy snifter and placed it on a small cocktail napkin before her.

"I need your help, Sporty. Do you have a pen on you?"

"Yeah, sure." He handed her a pen and watched curiously as she proceeded to draw on the small white napkin. Curiosity morphed into concern as he noticed that her hand trembled as she gripped the pen tightly.

McCall quickly sketched out the design of the belt buckle and handed it to him. "I need to know whatever you can find out about this." She told him about the scuffle she had trying to get it and described it vividly. "Both Hunter and I think we might have seen or heard something about it, but neither one of us can put our finger on it.

"Drink up, Sgt." Sporty said absently, staring at the drawing.

Hesitantly, McCall sipped at the drink, feeling the potent liquor blaze a trail of fire down her throat and spread quickly throughout her chilled veins. She shuddered and coughed once and then sipped again and again, grateful for the resultant warmth as she waited anxiously to see if Sporty could help.

As she slowly drank, her bruised and battered body began to feel numb as the brandy continued to work its magic at a faster than usual pace since she hadn't had dinner. Distantly she tried to remember the last thing she did eat. She had almost drifted off to sleep when Sporty gently tapped her on her arm. With a start, she sat up straight in her seat. Sporty eyed her with mounting concern.

"Are you sure you're okay, McCall?"

"Yeah," she answered with a shake of her head, trying to rouse herself. "Look, I need to find out what's going on. This belt buckle is the only real clue we have at this point. That, and the phrase, 'Final Judgment'. For some reason, I think that's important. Can you help?" She asked brusquely. McCall was getting her second wind and wasn't in the mood to be coddled.

"Let me ask around. I might know someone. . . "

"No screwing around, Sporty." McCall cautioned him. "This is deadly serious."

"Scout's honor," Sporty promised, hastily raising one hand, a bit taken aback by her tone.

McCall was on her feet, swaying unsteadily before straightening up.

"You were never a scout," McCall scoffed and turned on her heel and started for the door.

Chastised, Sporty dropped his eyes and studied the sketch on the cocktail napkin. He was startled when McCall returned to the table.

"I'm sorry I was a little abrupt," she said remorsefully. "I didn't mean to jump on you. That was wrong of me. It's this case and we do need to find out about that belt buckle." She tried to muster a smile. "And thank you for the drink."

"Can I get you something to eat?" Sporty didn't like the almost glazed look in her eyes and he wanted her to sit back down.

McCall shook her head. "I've got to get going."

"Let me walk you to your car," he offered, rising to his feet. "It's late –" Something wasn't right and he hated to see her leave alone. She didn't look well at all.

"My car's not here." Without waiting for a response, she turned and hurried out into the night.

Sporty stared after her in consternation, and then glanced back at the drawing. He was almost certain he, too, had seen that design somewhere. And he had a bad feeling about the origin of this particular pattern. Some kind of gang, maybe. Or maybe not.

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Without a plan, McCall continued to wander the city streets, hour after hour. She walked on sheer auto-pilot, unable to stop. She was afraid if she stopped, she would be forced to face the anger, the grief and most of all the fear. She knew she wasn't angry at Hunter, not really. He just didn't understand, she told herself, he just wanted to protect her. But that wasn't enough. Didn't he realize that he was in danger as well? And Charlie, and Kitty and Brad? Anyone could be the next target. Then who would protect the protectors? She couldn't just sit around, waiting for the next hit. She had to do something.

She just didn't know what.

So she kept on walking and tried to figure it out.

The little warmth she had experienced from the brandy had long ago left her, but she ignored the cold that permeated her body and refused to cease walking. When a fine mist began to fall, she simply huddled deeper in her blazer and continued on, forgoing shelter until she could get back home. In the very early hours of the morning, she rarely encountered anyone and no one seemed interested in offering her a ride.

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Hunter was nearly out of his mind with worry and guilt. When he realized that his partner had left without her car, he had hoped that she had grabbed a taxi and headed home. He made it to her house in record time and when there was no answer to his knocks, he'd simply used his key and let himself in. Discovering that she wasn't there sent him back out on the streets frantically searching for her.

He went to every one of her usual haunts and any other place he could ever remember her mentioning without any success. Finally he called Charlie and let him know that he had lost her and asked for backup. The fear he felt ratcheted up another few notches when the Captain told him that McCall's purse and keys were still on her desk.

At three in the morning, he was cruising the streets of LA, hoping for a miracle, when his radio crackled to life.

"L-56, come in."

Quickly he snatched up the handset. "This is L-56, I copy."

"I've got an urgent phone call from an "S. James. Can I patch it through?"

Hunter groaned. "Yeah – go ahead."

"Hunter?"

"What is it, Sporty? I'm kinda busy right now."

"Well, it better be taking care of that partner of yours if you know what's good for you." He said roughly.

That got Hunter's attention. "Have you seen her? Where is she?"

"That I couldn't tell you my man, but she definitely wasn't acting like herself." He quickly related his meeting with McCall. "She was looking like something the cat dragged in and I'm telling' you that's not a good look for her."

"Where is she now, Sporty?" Hunter barked.

"She took off. I tried to go after her, but I didn't see her car and no taxi's either."

"Shit!" Hunter swore under his breath. "She didn't give you any idea where she was headed?"

"No. She just wanted to know about that belt buckle."

"Keep looking for her, Sporty. Call me immediately if you hear anything at all – got it?"

"You got it, Hunter." Sporty hung up the phone, hating that he hadn't done more to keep McCall with him. Then he wondered if he really could have stopped her.

Hunter slammed his hands on the steering wheel in sheer frustration. (Dammit, McCall – where are you?)

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Wednesday

By 7 am, Hunter had almost convinced himself that McCall had either been kidnapped, or mugged, even though no ransom calls had been received and none of the hospitals had admitted a patient fitting her description. In almost total despair, he headed back for her house. When he pulled into her driveway and slammed on the brakes, the first thing he noticed was that her car still wasn't there.

Then he detected something on her porch. He threw the car into park and got out. The something was a someone, wearing dark pants and a maroon jacket and sprawled on the steps, in the rain that continued misting down.

Oh God, he recognized that jacket.

Seconds later, he was cradling his partner in his arms, weak with relief. She was completely soaked, her skin cold and white. It took several long moments before his own numb fingers could find a pulse, but he did. She was alive. Checking for and not finding any obvious injury, or new one he amended ruefully, he dug in his pocket for the key to her house and quickly opened the door before returning to her side. He carefully scooped her up and hurried in to the blessed warmth. Thousands of questions rushed through his mind, but he was pretty sure none would be answered anytime soon.

For a moment, he stood uncertainly in her living room. What to do first?

Heat. He knew he had to warm her up and soon. Since she was absolutely drenched already, he figured the best thing would be warm water and moved off to her bathroom. With utmost care, he placed her on the floor and reached in to turn on the faucets and fairly danced with impatience waiting for the water to get to an appropriately heated temperature but not one that would burn. At the last minute he realized he should get her blazer, blouse, shoes, socks and slacks off. Even though she remained unconscious, he just couldn't remove her bra and panties, wanting to leave her with some degree of modesty.

Finally he was able to place her in the water, but found that she was too limp and too small to be left alone if the water got too deep. Knowing that he needed to get her to the hospital, fearful of pneumonia, he stopped the water long enough to call an ambulance then rushed back to the tub and resumed filling it with water. He kept one arm around her shoulders to keep her head above water and used the other to bathe her face with a washcloth. He talked to her continuously, pleading with her to forgive him for his harsh words earlier and begging her to open her eyes, but to no avail.

By the time the ambulance arrived, he could tell she was not nearly as icy cold, but now her cheeks were turning a suspicious shade of pink. Though she remained unconscious, she coughed several times; the sound wet and rattling in her chest.

Hunter heard the paramedics at the front door and shouted for them to come in. They followed his voice and stared at their patient in amazement. Miller and Jacobs worked quickly as they listened to Hunter's report. Jacobs helped get McCall out of the water, while Miller went for blankets.

"Use the towels and rub vigorously," Jacobs directed Hunter, as he got out his equipment.

Hunter did as he was told, chafing the skin in an effort to warm her as well as dry her. As he worked, he told about McCall's assault and that he hadn't seen her in over twelve hours. Miller returned with the blankets and like a well-oiled machine the two paramedics went to work. To Hunter, it seemed like no time at all before McCall was placed on oxygen due to a decreased reading on the pulse oximetry as well as an elevated heart rate. An IV started and an amp of glucose was administered when it discovered that her blood sugar was too low.

Jacobs told him that he could hear rales in her lungs suggestive of a possible infection and her blood pressure was low. She was bundled in several blankets and placed on the stretcher as Hunter hovered anxiously willing her to open her eyes and wishing he could at least hold her hand. Guilt nearly consumed him and he desperately wished he'd been more understanding of all she'd just been through.

Jacobs let him ride in the back and Miller radioed ahead to have Captain Devane notified and request his presence at the hospital. Hunter managed to sit near her head and he cupped one cheek, rubbing it tenderly with his thumb.

"Please, DeeDee, please. Please wake up."

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By the time McCall was wheeled into the emergency room cubicle, her eyes were open but due to the oxygen mask her voice, barely a whisper to begin with, was muffled even more. She tried to call to Hunter, to answer him as he begged her to speak, but was deeply disappointed when she couldn't. Hunter, seeing her eyes open and blinking, felt some sense of relief knowing McCall was no longer unconscious.

"You'll be alright, DeeDee. You'll be fine." The words were mostly for Hunter to reassure himself, but he hoped his partner would benefit from them as well. As the nurses went about their business attending to her, McCall attempted to raise her head to see Hunter but simultaneously, the nurses and the dizzying spots before her eyes successfully kept her down. She was quickly transferred from the ambulance's mobile stretcher to a standard ER gurney. Very soon after, she could feel the pressure cuff being inflated on her arm; the sensations of a stethoscope on her chest and the attachments from the EKG to monitor her heart rate. Before her chest was completely uncovered, Hunter was escorted out to allow her some privacy.

"I'll be right outside, DeeDee." He called to her.

"I know you're worried about her but you you'll have to wait here." ER nurse Michelle Brannon said in a sympathetic voice. "Besides, we need a little more information on your.…." Unsure of the relationship between the two she took a guess. "Your wife, is it?"

Although he loved her deeply, he hadn't made any commitment to be her husband. He thought of how special she was to him before answering. "No, she's my friend. She's my very best friend."

"Okay. We'll let them take a look at her while we go up front to sign some forms. Has she ever been a patient here before?"

"Yeah, she has a couple of times." As he thought of gunshot wounds she suffered in the past; Rick could hear the doctor and nurses talking in the background about pulse rates, and blood pressures. It made him want to stand watch at her side to make sure they'd do a thorough exam as if he were in charge.

"Well, in that case…" Michelle continued. "..It won't take long at all since most of her history is already stored in the system." Rick didn't take a step. He kept his sights set in the general area of McCall. "Sir, is there anyone else we need to get in touch with, like her parents or husband?"

"Um…I, I…" The words didn't want to come as easily as he'd like. "I guess I'm the only one to talk to. Her mother's out of the country right now."

Before the nurse could speak to him again, Sierra Daniels walked up to them. "Rick, what happened? I was just clocking in for my shift when I heard DeeDee was back here."

Sierra had been an ER nurse for the past nine years and had gotten to know Rick and DeeDee quite well as they'd been there as patients themselves and in times of questioning injured suspects or witnesses. Sierra was always there to help whenever she could. She explained to Michelle that she was an acquaintance to Hunter and McCall and told her she'd make sure all the necessary information would be filed. After Michelle left, Sierra escorted Rick to one of the chairs just outside McCall's room where various medical staff members continued to linger over her.

"Sierra." Rick was thankful to see a familiar face. "I don't know what happened. I found her outside; she was passed out on the front steps at her house. I'd been out driving around trying to find her, and when I got to her house; there she was, lying there, unconscious." Rick sighed heavily as the images of his helpless friend replayed in his head.

"I'll go see what I can find out, okay?" Sierra left the very worried Rick alone with his thoughts. He felt himself shake inside with anger because of some of those thoughts. One led him to believe that someone connected with the kidnappings and threats may have brought harm to her. Those involved could have taken her for whatever sick reason and dumped her off on the steps after deciding not to kill her at this point. He shuddered at the idea of some dirty bastard with his hands on her. He didn't know for sure that she'd been taken, and tried to convince himself to douse the images before he lost control.

Another thought…well, rather a feeling he had, was guilt. He felt strongly that if he'd been more concerned with McCall's deep rooted feelings on this case, he would have known right away that she was having a tougher time of it than he thought. He knew she had to have been in a bad way to just walk off and leave her car, but he didn't want to make an issue out of it at the time. He wished now a thousand times that he had.

DeeDee looked toward the direction of which she heard her name. Her eyes took a little time to focus, but she recognized the nurse in the pale pink scrubs as Sierra Daniels. "Hey, DeeDee. How're you feeling?"

McCall spoke softly from behind the oxygen mask. "I'm cold, I feel really dizzy…seeing spots and my ears are ringing."

Sierra tucked the blanket more snuggly around her friend. "That's to be expected. You have a temperature of a hundred and one point three, and you were unconscious for a while before you got here." DeeDee glanced around at her surroundings and realized that she hadn't dreamed it earlier; that she was indeed in a hospital emergency room. "Sierra, what happened to me?"

"Rick found you outside your house on the steps in the pouring rain. He said when he got to you; you wouldn't respond so he got you inside, started to warm you up and called for help." DeeDee tried to recall any part of the moment, but couldn't. "Rick's waiting outside for an update. Since you're about to go for X-rays, I'll bring him to you after you get back."

Within five minutes Sierra was back at Hunter's side with the information she'd gathered. "Rick, I checked over her chart and spoke with her doctor. It looks like DeeDee has bronchitis and it's possible she may also have a touch of pneumonia. They'll do more tests to find out for sure."

Rick heard what Sierra was saying, but couldn't believe McCall could be so sick in such a short time.

"Dr. Kenyon wants to talk to you after they send her up for x-rays." The worried look on Hunter's face remained as Sierra continued, "Dr. Kenyon will make sure she gets the full treatment, Rick. Try not to worry."

Hunter tried his hardest not to break with the question he had to ask Sierra. He still had thoughts of someone purposely hurting her. He choked on his words a couple of times, but managed to ask. "Is there any sign that she was assaulted…in any way?" The word was there, but there was no way he could say the word "rape", not now, not when asking about McCall. He held his breath while he awaited the answer.

"Not yet, Rick, I'm sorry. They're really concerned about her slightly labored breathing. She's awake, but she's not as alert as we'd like. We're trying to regulate her temperature. First the hypothermia and exposure and now the fever due to infection has contributed to the disorientation. The oxygen will help regulate her breathing." Sierra wanted to comfort her friend as best she could and took his hand in hers as they settled into the chairs. "We'll talk to her to see if anyone harmed her. And if so, we'll go through the procedure."

The thought of McCall going through the traumatic procedure crushed his heart. He prayed silently that she wouldn't have to endure such actions.

"Listen, Rick, I've seen much worse than this and they've come out just fine. Have you two been working a lot of overtime…losing sleep over a case, maybe?"

Feelings of guilt and a huge sense of responsibility welled up inside him. "We've been really busy. She had a run in with a guy that kidnapped the wife of an officer and it's hitting us all pretty hard right now – trying to solve the case and all.

"Sierra?" Dr. Kenyon called her over to him.

"I'll be right back, Rick."

Dr. Kenyon scanned the chart as Sierra looked on. "We've finished with the X-rays and she doesn't have pneumonia. But she definitely has bronchitis and is suffering from dehydration. She's pretty exhausted too. What did her partner say?"

"He told me that they've had a very heavy caseload and that Dee Dee's not eating or sleeping like she should."

"I see. Well, we'll have her back in good health soon. I need you to get a bed for Sgt McCall on the medical floor, please. She'll catch up on her rest while spending a few days here."

Sierra remembered the hard question Rick had to ask her and now she had to ask Dr. Kenyon. "Has she said anything about being sexually assaulted? Rick's worried that she may have been attacked and she either made it as far her front steps on her own or was left there." Like Hunter, Nurse Daniels quickly said a silent prayer that her friend hadn't been assaulted.

"No, she wasn't." Sierra sighed with relief as Dr. Kenyon finished. "Michelle talked with her about the possibility, and Sgt. McCall said nothing like that happened. She said the last few hours were hazy, but she was sure that no one had hurt her and we haven't found any external evidence either that would give us reason to think otherwise. She told me that the bruises and abrasions were due to an accident almost two days ago while she was at a social event."

"That's great to hear. Is it okay for Sgt. Hunter to go in for a few minutes?" Dr. Kenyon gave permission for a short visit and Sierra quickly returned to tell him.

With a quick 'thank you' Hunter bolted from his seat and into McCall's cubicle. She looked like a little girl to him; all bundled up in soft white blankets, with a white towel wrapped around her wet hair. The clear plastic mask used to supply oxygen had now been replaced by two tiny tubes in her nose. He could see that her face was flushed, but at the same time he could tell she was shivering beneath the blankets. "DeeDee?" He took a step closer to the bed as her eyes fluttered open. "I'm here, honey." He said to her as moved slightly closer.

It took her a moment to let the swirling circles before her eyes pass before focusing in on him. "Rick?"

"Yeah, it's me. You scared the crap out of me, you know?" He chuckled after his statement.

"I've got you on standby at my hospital bed once again, haven't I?" The regret was evident in her voice. "I'm sorry."

Hunter saw that she was on the verge of tears. He wanted to hold her hand, but he didn't want to disturb the warmth it received beneath the blankets. "You shouldn't be sorry, DeeDee. I only did what I had to……" He paused for thought. "….what I was supposed to do. You needed me and I took care of you."

"I didn't mean to cause you to worry. I…" She hesitated as she tried to put the puzzle together. "I couldn't think…I needed to be alone and I just started walking to clear my head. I didn't want to be at work, but, I don't remember much else after that. I think I talked to Sporty at a restaurant or someplace, but I'm not sure." Frustration began to build within her. "I'm just tired and disgusted with this whole thing." Her voice began to escalate. "We can't get a break! And more people are might be taken every minute! It's all I can think about day and night, and I feel like I'm never going to be able to stop thinking about it, even if we catch those bastards!" Her sudden attack of coughing put a halt to her outburst. As she struggled to catch her breath, Hunter sat on the bed and pulled her up and close to him.

"Calm down and take a slow deep breath." He rang for the nurse who immediately came and gave DeeDee a nebulized breathing treatment that gave her immediate relief.

Sierra placed a gentle hand on her patient's back. "Are you okay now, DeeDee?"

McCall nodded as the wheezing subsided.

"Was it anything in particular that brought this on?"

McCall glanced at Hunter with a look to "Keep quiet", but he paid no attention and answered Sierra.

"Yes, she got upset when she started talking about a case we're working on." Once again Hunter received a disapproving look from McCall, but she couldn't scold him for his honesty and concern.

"That's true, but I'm fine now." McCall replied. She settled back beneath the blankets as Hunter smoothed the linens and Sierra checked the level of IV fluids and the IV catheter taped to the back of her hand.

"I strongly advise that you two avoid any discussion that's upsetting. Stress isn't good for you atall. Have I made myself clear?" The stern look and matching voice coming from Sierra Daniels certainly got her point across. "I've been a nurse for nine years and I don't put up with any of my patients dealing with stress if I can help it. It does nothing but makes matters worse, and hinders the healing process."

Hunter and McCall knew they deserved what Sierra was dealing them. She was right and they had to accept that.

Although stern, Sierra was still sympathetic to her friends. "Look guys, you know I only want what's best. We've known each other for a long time and I know how hard you two work. You get deeply involved in your cases and don't let up. But during DeeDee's stay here, let's try to keep the shop talk to a minimum."

"I'll behave." Hunter replied with a smile. "I'll do my best to keep her calm too." McCall didn't make a comment about what he'd said. She was anxious to ask Sierra how long she'd be staying in the hospital. She hated the idea of being there. "I'm being admitted? How long will I have to stay?"

"I don't have an exact date of your release, but if you behave yourself like your partner has vowed to, and get plenty of rest, I'd say you'd check out of here in two or three days." Just as McCall rolled eyes in frustration, a dizzy spell came over her accompanied by a chill in her spine. She knew then that she shouldn't argue against staying. She hated it, but would deal with it. "Thanks. I'll follow all the rules because I plan to leave within the three days."

"Good. I'll find out what room you'll be in."

As Sierra stepped out, Rick moved closer to DeeDee as she pulled her left hand from the blankets. He took her hand and placed it gently in the warmth of his two large hands. "Would you like me to call your mother?"

"No. Not yet. Maybe later, okay?" Hunter could tell that she was worrying about the case with the most concern directed toward Jason Young.

"Okay, whatever you want, sweetheart." He kissed her hand, and then stroked her cheek with his index finger as he confessed his guilt. "DeeDee, I'm sorry for not paying more attention to how much you've been struggling with this case. I should have been more sensitive about your feelings and I wasn't."

"It's alright, Rick. I don't blame you." She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "I'm just so worried that what happened to Shari will happen to Jason and I couldn't stay cooped up in the office. Now I'm stuck in here and can't help find him." Disappointed with herself she dropped her head as the tears welled in her eyes. "I haven't been doing a very good job lately."

"You're doing the best you can. Come here." He pulled her into an embrace. "We won't let these people get the best of us, okay? We'll find them and they'll pay."

Ten minutes after leaving the room, Sierra returned with the information. "You'll be in room 847." Two orderlies entered to take McCall to her room as Sierra continued. "I've got some other patients to check on down here, so I'll come to your room when I get a break."

"Thanks, Sierra." McCall replied.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later." With that and a smile, Sierra Daniels made her exit.

As Hunter waited outside McCall's room, arms folded across his chest and back against the wall, he thought of the phone call he'd make to Devane. Along with informing the Captain of McCall's eventful night, he'd most definitely tell him that he wanted an officer guarding her door at all times.

While waiting, he saw an aide with a food tray and starting wondering if McCall's food could be tampered with. The idea was scary; scary enough that he had Sierra paged to help him explain the situation to the floor nurses. They didn't find the story unbelievable and were willing to accommodate. They all decided that ordering her meals from a restaurant and having them delivered to a "staff member" or brought by Hunter would be best for her safety. Once inside the room again, he called his commanding officer with the details and asked him to contact Navarro and O'Hearn with news on McCall.

"It's all set. Charlie said he'd get officers to rotate shifts here. I'll hang around too as much as possible, of course." He moved in a little closer while wearing a boyish grin upon his face. "But, since we'll have a guard outside, you'll have to keep it down when you want to get really wild and passionate, okay? No extreme shrieking of delight, I'm afraid. It might be best if you keep your hands to yourself until you're out of this place." His grin grew wider.

McCall knew he was trying to lighten the mood and lift her spirits. "I guess my being admitted into the hospital is totally unfair to the both of us, isn't it?" She continued to follow along. "I'll have a lot of pent up energy to set free once I'm out. Think you can handle it?"

"Try me and we'll find out." He let out a playfully wicked laugh and McCall laughed as well.

"It's so nice to hear you laugh, DeeDee." His tone quickly turned serious. "When I saw you lying in the rain, it scared me so badly. I didn't know what had happened; if those bastards had hurt you…" His voice faltered. "If they'd…."

"Don't say it, Rick. I'm alive, and no one hurt me. Don't put yourself through that, okay?"

He saw that she was concerned for him. "Okay. I'll try not to."

A knock at the door was answered by Hunter. A student nurse entered with a comb and blow dryer in hand. She introduced herself as Ronnie and told them that Nurse Daniels asked her help McCall with her hair. After she finished she excused herself, leaving Hunter and McCall to their conversation.

"Rick? When you talked to Charlie earlier, did he have anything on Jason? If he did, please let it be good news." Her eyes were pleading with him, but Hunter had to disappoint her.

"No, there's nothing yet. The Mayor and his wife will be on the news tonight to ask for his safe return."

Officer Patricia Lewis brought lunch for Hunter and McCall when she started her guard duty. The duo ate and watched the news report together. Although she was deeply saddened by the Mayor and his wife's plea, McCall managed to hold it together. After another half hour of discussing Jason with Hunter, she was finally able to let her body rest and fell asleep. Hunter waited and watched McCall and the television for five hours as she slept. Within that time Sierra Daniels peeked in on them as promised and told Rick to get some rest as well. Knowing that Patricia Lewis was standing guard outside the door, Hunter felt secure enough to take a nap on the small convertible sofa. He knew he had to gain some energy if he was going to go full force on getting Jason home and finding the scum that took him.