Authors Notes: Figured you girls would like two chapters. ;) Try not to kill him for the last chapter, eh?

Thanks Scarlett for the beta-ing.

By nine she was on the plane, sinking lower in her seat. She'd had to turn off her cell phone and was sure Sands had tried to call her by now. Hopefully, his number was in her database. Not that she didn't know exactly where he was. She had a good idea anyway.

She closed her eyes, trying to relax. Things had gone from bad to worse overnight, and Cerise saw no stopping it. She wasn't sure she'd make it much longer without having a complete breakdown. Never mind that Sands seemed to be on the road already. She didn't blame him in the least for his actions as of late, but the only thing she could do was stand by him and remind him she was still on his side. She was one of the few people who knew his secrets, and his sins, and still gave a damn.

She leaned her forehead against the window pane and tried to figure out what the next plan of action was. She guess Sands would tell her. Then she mused silently about what he'd think of the fact that she'd followed him to Mexico. Not that she was left with much choice, but she supposed on the one side it was a better idea for her to be there in Mexico with him.

By the next afternoon the sun was riding high as she moved down the street, she finally found out where he'd be from a former 'friend', Franky. Meeting up like this would be interesting, to say the least. But it was better then calling, she figured... at least in her opinion. She liked to surprise him.

She walked into the restaurant and her eyes fell on his table at once. There was a young woman standing behind him, her arms wrapped around his neck and leaning into him. She wasn't surprised. A little annoyed, but not surprised. She walked towards the table, not speaking until she was standing directly in front of them. By that time, both of them had turned their heads in her direction. "Contact, Sands?" Cerise asked in a blank tone.

Sands felt the desire to blink as he heard Cerise's voice. He shoved the surprise back from his tone and replied slowly, "You could say that, Stone." He offered her a grin but her response was pulling out the chair in front of him.

Rosa had eased back, obviously feeling that Cerise was a threat. Cerise liked that, it gave her an edge. Cerise leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her stomach and giving the young woman a patronizing smile. "Hey, sweets," Cerise said to the waitress, "Why don't you leave us alone for a while? We've got to conduct some business."

The girl actually turned to Sands for his say. Sands sighed mockingly and waved her off. "Later sugar lips."

Rosa huffed and turned on her heels, walking away. Sands didn't speak until he knew she was gone for good.

Then he leaned over the table, speaking lowly. "What are you doing here Cerise."

"Backing you up," she replied, taking a mini recorder out of her pocket. She slammed it down on the table and hit the play button. What he heard was the phone call she'd received.

When it finished, he sat back, "Well," he said dryly. "They're quiet serious, aren't they?"

"Yes," Cerise muttered softly, looking around the room.

"So is this why I couldn't get a hold of you last night?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was on a plane. I left as soon as I could manage," she told him, spotting Charlie looking through the window at them. "Who's the kid?" She turned back to him.

"Franky's nephew, he's playing seeing eye dog," Sands grinned. "Might just get rid of him now that you're here." He gestured it off.

She sighed and sat back in her chair, eyes on the table. She really didn't have anything to say, she was too drained.

"Let's get out of here, Cherry." Sands said, standing. He moved around the table and held out a hand. Cerise sighed and grabbed the recorder, taking his hand and standing.

Rosa watched as the two left the restaurant, Sands' arm around Cerise's waist. Rosa glared. That was the last straw, she turned to her friend now for revenge.

They met Charlie outside. "Who's this?" he asked, looking over Cerise.

"Does it matter?"

"You think it's wise to be running around with women?"

"Kid, do you wanna get shot?"

Charlie shut up, mumbling a "no".

"Then keep your mouth shut," Sands commanded.

Cerise shook her head, hiding a grin. With a moan, Charlie turned and headed down the street in the direction of the hotel. Sands and Cerise followed him at their own pace, Sands' arm never leaving Cerise's waist as they leaned on each other, both exhausted, mentally and physically.

They tumbled through his motel room door. By the time they'd hit the wood lined hall, Cerise couldn't keep her hands off of Sands. "You know, the whole bad ass black ensemble is really a turn on," she teased him, running her hands through his hair as he slammed the door shut with his foot.

He tossed her a sexy grin, well aware that her tone was teasing. "That's why I perfected it, darlin'."

"I see, and the girl at the restaurant?" She toyed with unbuttoning his black shirt as she kissed his neck.

He drew in a sharp breath and groaned, sagging slightly. "Are you going to reprimand me for a little harmless flirting?"

She stopped kissing his neck and looked up at him, fingers curled around the collar of his shirt. "Harmless flirting, Officer Sands, I'm afraid I know you better then THAT."

He gave a sheepish grin in way of a reply and grabbed her by the waist, slipping his fingers under her shirt to dig into her side. She squirmed, ticklish. "No matter how many waitresses I've shagged in the last three years, I still love you." She pinched him in the shoulder and pulled away from him.

"Cheap shot, buster," she replied, moving towards the bed, pulling off her blue T-shirt as she went. Sands groaned again, dropping his head. "What do I have to do to get back on your good side? Get on my hands and knees and beg?" he asked, turning the lock on the door and moving forward.

"You may end up on your hands and knees," she replied, glancing over her shoulder. She stopped at the bed, waiting for him with her back to him. "Oh, come 'ear wench!" He knocked the chair in front him out of the way and grabbed her by the waist.

He kissed her neck, slipping his hands under her sports bra, cupping her breasts a moment before pulling the bra off and tossing it behind him. He ran his hands over her stomach, fingers lightly tracing the flesh. She shivered, leaning her head back, and he captured her lips, kissing her hard. His fingers found the button and zipper of her jeans, and he undid them, sliding them down her waist, taking her panties with them. He planted a trail of kisses down her spine, pausing at the small of her back to leave an especially lingering hot kiss there.

She kicked off the jeans and knickers and turned. He laid her out on the bed, his hands traveling from her feet to her thighs, his whole body following the movement as he was on top of her. A hand pulled the elastic out of her long hair, before running gently over her shoulder. She began unbuttoning his shirt. She yanked the shirt off his shoulders and ran her hands over his lean chest. She leaned forward and kissed his shoulder.

Sands ran his hands down her waist and took her firmly. Turning her over beneath him, he kneeled on the bed, straddling her body. She lay on her stomach, arms tucked under her head, letting him do what he wanted. He ran his hands slowly over her back, caressing ever scar, feeling her shudder under his touch. He grinned crookedly and leaned down, taking his time to kiss and lick each one.

She whimpered, wiggling beneath him and when he'd reached the scar on her neck, he turned her over again, kissing her throat and working his way down. She reached up and undid his belt, pulling it from his slacks. She slung it around his neck when he leaned back and drew him close to her, kissing him roughly. He returned the kiss, removing the belt from his neck and tossing it to the floor, one hand helping her undue his pants. She pushed the pants and his boxers past his hips.

"Need something?" he whispered her in her ear.

"Don't be so fucking cruel!" she hissed, as he slid a hand down her stomach, causing it to turn.

"I've always been cruel," he replied smoothly, sliding down the bed with his hand. He slipped off the foot, pulling her with him by her ankles, bringing her hips to the end of the bed, before discarding his pants and boxers.

He ran his fingers up and down her legs, allowing his sense of touch to compensate for his lack of sight. He spread her legs apart, leaning forward and kissing her pelvic area. She gasped, leaning back into the bed. Holding her by her upper thighs, he leaned even closer and kissed her clit. She arched, drawing in a breath, her fingernails digging into the bedcover.

He licked lightly at her, feeling her squirm. Her breathing deepened and she twisted under him. He held her firmly to the bed, hands on her legs, his tongue lightly grazing over her entrance.

She moaned, fingers running through his hair. He smiled to himself, and slipped a finger into her. Massaging her core, he sucked on her clit, drawing forth another moan.

"Sheldon..." she moaned, biting her bottom lip.

"Yes?" He breathed on her. She looked up at him panting.

He drove her towards climax and she arched, breathing hard, until the total sensations shattered her body, causing her to cry out. He didn't stop until she fell back onto the mattress. She lay there, spent, breathing hard and deep, eyes closed. He crawled up beside her, pulling her back onto the bed. She finally opened her eyes and looked at him.. "Any good?" he asked, grinning cockily.

"You have to ask?" she breathed, almost glaring.

"No..." he breathed.

"I didn't think so." She touched his face. He smiled and rolled over to lay on top of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her ears, breathing softly after each. She closed her eyes, just taking in his scent and staying in the moment. He pulled her closer to him, and felt her warmth radiate against his chest. They lay there for a long moment in the darkness of the room, in each other's arms.

He sat up a bit, and positioned her legs up to bend at the knee as he half-laid between them. She moved her legs enough to give him room. He buried his face in her hair, while he slowly pushed into her. She arched slightly, biting her lip to stifle the moan. He ran his thumb over her lips to stop her from biting it. "Don't you remember what I've said about biting your lip?"

"It's a hard habit to break," she breathed.

"I'm sure it is..." he said, holding himself deep within her.

"I'm breaking it..." she whimpered in protest.

"Good girl." He moved slowly out of her, and with the same speed, pushed back into her. She moaned, fingers digging into his back. He began his rhythm just as slowly as he'd started, anticipating her every reaction.

She withered in sheer, pleasurable agony. He whispered softly in her ear, "more?"

She nodded, swallowing. "Yes," she managed to get out.

He thrust in hard and deep moving faster. She gasped, arching sharper and as her fingers gripped his hair tightly.

He moaned and bit at her ear. She twisted under him, the climax nearing. Releasing his hair, she moved her fingers to his back. He keened, going faster. She cried out as the orgasm hit her, her nails biting into his shoulders. He moaned loudly, pulsing into her.

She dropped back onto the bed, gasping for air. He was breathing hard, not yet ready to leave her, enjoying her scent. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. "I love you Cherry..." he breathed into her ear.

She breathed deeply, then replied. "I love you Sheldon, very much."

"I know..." he replied. He stretched out beside her, pulling her into his arms. She snuggled against him, eyes closed, and they both drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

The explosion was enough to get his attention. He turned from the safe door, pulling the black ski mask off his head and slidding the AK-47 off his shoulder.

Sammy stood from his spot in front of the safe and turned. "Now what?!" Sammy snapped irritably.

"Just keep working on the fucking lock!" Sands snapped, moving down the hall. He rounded the corner at the sound of gunfire and came face to face with Rick.

"We've got serious fucking problems!" Rick shouted.

Sands looked past him and saw the legion of soldiers. "You fucker, you were SUPPOSED to keep an eye for this shit."

"Yeah well, Sammy apparently tripped some kind of alarm."

Sands shoved the other man behind him and opened fire on the soldiers, dropping a few.

Rick ran back down the hall towards Sammy, leaving Sands to defend the three man party. One of the three remaining soldiers got too close as Sands discovered he was out of ammo. He lashed out with the butt of the gun, striking the man across the face, before shoving it into his gut. He pushed the man away from him as another solider swung his own gun.

Sands ducked the strike and came up, grabbing the man's arm and throwing him into the wall. He sent a kick to the man's spine, insuring he'd stay down before turned his attention to the other two soldiers. The first was recovering the from the blows he'd received courtesy his gun. He went after Sands with a large knife. Sands felt it graze his shoulder, but he grabbed the man's arm, jerking back sharp and hearing the joint dislodge as he kicked the man in the knees.

Shoving the man in his grasp away, he pivoted on one foot in a sharp roundhouse and broke the standing man's neck.

Grabbing a second gun from one of the fallen soldiers, he sprinted back towards the safe in time to see Sammy jerk open the large door. But it was in vain. A sharp alarm began blaring. Sands charged into the walk in safe, straight towards the back, and took a syringe of acid from Sammy, breaking the lock on the smaller lock box. Jerking it open, he grabbed the folder of papers from within and slipped it into his knapsack.

They heard yelling in the halls behind them, and all three of them searched for an escape. Sammy spotted the large vent grate. Rick pulled the safe door closed as a shower of bullets began to rain down on them. Sammy pulled the table over and took the grate off the vent before climbing inside. Rick followed. As leader, it was Sands' duty to insure his men got out alive, so he was the last to go through.

"See the world, travel to exotic locations, have exciting adventures," Sands mocked as he crawled along behind Sammy and Rick.

"I think the fucking Company should work on their slogan a little more!"

Sammy snorted from the front of the group.

"Aww, come on Jeff, you don't find this exciting?" Rick asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Oh yes.... getting my ass shot at is an adrenaline rush."

"I always thought so." Sammy called from the front, turning left. "Wonder how the ladies are fairing?"

Sands snorted in reply to Sammy's question. "Probably got them on the run too."

They reached another grate and Sammy scanned the halls below before pushing the grate to the side and rolling out. Rick and Sands followed, all three looking up and down the halls for any sign of more problems.

Another explosion to their left told them what they wanted to know. They turned right and ran for the staircase. Sands turned at the bottom and grabbed a frag from his belt, pulling the pin and tossing it down the hall. Then he turned and ran up the stairs, following the others.

They came out on the roof of the Parisian building. "Oh, this just keeps getting better and better," Sands stated, looking over the edge of the roof to the Seine below them.

"Feel like a swim, old friend?" Sammy asked, clapping Sands on the back. Sands was about to answer when the sound of soldiers rushing up the stairs got their attention. Rick opened fire, but the soldiers answered with an equal assault.

Sammy shoved Sands behind an air condition duct, saving his comrade from being shot up. They leaned against it, listening to the assault, but when they heard Rick scream in pain, Sands tried to shove past Sammy to help. "NO! We can't help him now!" Someone had grabbed Rick, dragging him towards the stair.

Rick was still screaming in pain, shouts in French declaring they'd taken a prisoner. "Nous avoir pris un prisonnier!"

"We can't fucking leave him behind!" Sands screamed.

"And we can't help him! We're grossly outnumbered!" Sammy said, bringing logic into the situation. He shoved Sands towards the edge of the roof as another round of bullets began, and pushed Sands over, jumping after him. They plummeted into the cold water

Sands came to with a rush of air from his lungs, feeling as if he'd plunged into deep water. He sat up, breathing deeply, sweat beading down his face. He ran his hand over his forehead and fought to slow his breathing.

By the cool breezing that was seeping through the half open window, he registered it must have been night. He felt a hand on his arm and jerked.

"Shelly?" Her soft voice brought it all home and he collapsed back, breathing hard. He felt her lean over him, a hand on his chest. "Where were you just now?" she asked softly, pushing the hair out of his face with her other hand.

"Paris." That was all he had to say. Out of all the operations he'd carried out in France, only one stood out.

"Sheldon," she said gently. "That was never your fault."

He shook his head slightly. "Didn't matter, I was team leader, it was my duty to get them out alive."

"And you did your job.. you led the operation to retrieve Rick, and you got him out alive."

He strained a wry expression. "Just let it be, Red, I don't really wanna think about it."

"Alright," She muttered, nestling into him again.

"What time is it?" he asked her.

"After ten... you slept all evening."

"And you?"

"For awhile," she answered. He kissed her on the top of the head, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, but didn't answer.

Sammy tossed the cigarette away as he looked up at the exterior doors. Sarah came through and saw him lounging against the front of the pickup truck. She smiled and moved towards him, pulling her coat tighter, the December air chilling the night. A week till Christmas.

"Hello Sam," She said, stopping in front of him.

He looked up, blue eyes peering through black bangs. "Sarah."

"Waiting for me?"

"I'd wait a thousand years for you," Sammy replied. Sarah blushed. It was on and off again relationship, neither could let go of.

"How's Richard?"

"Good." Sammy replied with a brisk nod, glancing at a car pulling out of the parking lot. "But that's not what I was waiting for you for."

"No, I didn't think it was," Sarah said softly, looking down at the snow at her feet.

"Where are they, Sarah?"

"Mexico," Sarah answered in a mere whisper.

Sammy swore. "Why?"

"That's where it all began," Sarah said, speaking Sands' own thoughts.

Sammy looked up at the dark night sky with it's snow tinted clouds, a slight orange from the street lights surrounded them. "You know what this means, don't you Sarah? Agent Sands was on temporary suspension."

Sarah nodded numbly. "He went AWOL... he'll be arrested for leaving the country on Terrorist charges..." She raised her head looking at Sammy. "He went to save his little girl! You can't blame him, Sammy!"

"I don't, but it'll be me who goes to retrieve him. I'll have to arrest Cerise for following him. This is serious, Sarah."

"Would you really arrest them for going after Lily? Sammy, you'd do the same if it was Richard."

Sammy sighed. She was more then right. He wouldn't arrest them, even if the Company threatened him. "But I'll still have to go down there..."

"Why? Can't you just let them do this!?" Sarah demanded.

Sammy looked at her, meeting her eyes. "Not alone. We don't abandon our own, remember?" Sarah smiled slowly. "What about you, Sarah?"

She sighed. After her argument with Sands, she'd had a lot of time to think. "I'll go with you," she said finally. "I can't leave Jeff's side. I didn't in Culiacan and I won't do so now."

"Good. We leave tomorrow. It'll be nice to get out of this snow."

She kicked it with her boot. "You're telling me."