Chapter 5:

"What do you mean you think we should do nothing?" Jack demanded, staring at Tara who was desperately trying to hold her ground under Jack's menacing stare.

"Sue said in the note that she would contact us. She must have a good reason and I don't think its right for us to push. I'm sure she's alright Jack." He looked at her dubiously.

"I think Tara might have a point," D added, watching Jack's frustration. "Just hear me out. Sue's stubborn and she's tough. She knows how to take care of herself. She also knows that we are here for her. If something is wrong, she will come to us about it, and until we have reason, I think we need to give her space. Just for now. If we don't hear back from her in a few days, we'll call around and see what we can find, alright?"

Jack looked defeated. What bugged him more was the fact that she felt she couldn't confide in him and that she had run off, instead of coming to him with whatever was wrong.

"Fine – we won't search…for now. But I want to call her parents, because if it is something bad, then I want to know." They agreed at the compromise and Jack went to his desk and picked up the phone. Flipping through his phone numbers, he found the one he was looking for. He got the answering machine, but decided to leave a message,

"Hi. This is Jack Hudson. I work with Sue at the FBI. Sue left this afternoon and I, I mean we, just want to make sure she's okay, since we figured you would know where she went. You can call me back at this number. Thanks." He hung up the phone, wondering what kind of response he would receive, if any.

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Sue paid the cab driver and stepped out into the cooler autumn breeze, her bags in tow. Her heart felt a bit calmer, being back home, but was anxious to see anyone who could explain what possibly could have happened, and how her life could have been turned upside-down so quickly.

"Daddy?" She said as she saw the aged man at the door looking as heartbroken as she felt inside. Mr. Thomas ran to his daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "Please tell me it's not true…" she whispered. He pulled back to look at her, the tears running down his own face. He nodded slowly, and turned to see his wife come out to see and comfort her daughter, sobs seeping through her chest, welling up the tears that cried for release. They held onto each other tightly, before walking inside the house.

After Sue's things had been put in her old room for her few nights stay, they all sat down in the living room. The grief filled silence covered the room in darkness, each in their own thoughts, as the phone rang. Overwhelmed, Mrs. Thomas seemed unable to piece together the words, so Sue's dad answered it. After a few moments, his saddened face turned to his two women.

"Sue, your mother and I have some business we need to take care of now… Are you going to be okay here for a bit, alone?" She nodded, still caught up in her own mess of thoughts. He leaned over and kissed his daughter on the forehead, before helping his wife up.

Sue didn't even move from the couch. She noticed the phone was ringing again, as the light blinked and Levi lifted his head. She went over to see who it was, and recognized the number immediately. She could see the answering machine kick in, as she read Jack's words across the screen. Sue wanted to pick up the phone so much and just cry to Jack, but knew that she needed to sort out what happened herself first. She didn't understand how one moment she could be on top of the world, and the next feel like her world was crumbling before her eyes.

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Jack had never realized how slowly two days could pass. Wednesday evening was already upon them and Jack was barely functional and overwhelmed with worry. No one had heard from Sue yet, nor had he heard from her parents. Ted had given them a case that morning, but had requested that Bobby, D or Myles take the lead, since Jack was so distraught and unfocused. He didn't even argue back.

"Any luck on her blackberry yet?" Tara asked as she walked over to Jack's desk, where he sat, lost in thought.

"No. Not even at her parents house either." He answered sadly. "I know something's wrong Tara and I'm powerless to do anything about it." Tara looked at him sympathetically, as his phone suddenly rang. He sighed in relief as he looked at the number he had dialed so often the last few days and picked up the phone anxiously.

"Sue?" He said quickly. The rest of the team crowded over at the sound of her name.

"Hi Jack." Sue's quiet voice responded.

"Are you okay? Where are you?" He asked, still overwhelmed with concern.

"I'm at the airport. I'm back home." Jack could tell something was wrong by the tone of her voice. It sounded hollow, empty – drained of all the fullness and life he had come to love.

"I'll be right there." He responded swiftly, already grabbing his keys off his desk.

"It's okay Jack, I can take a cab…"

"No. Stay right there – I don't want you going anywhere." Jack's heart sunk with compassion as he listened to her dejected response.

"Thanks Jack." She whispered. He hung up and grabbed his coat, flanked first by his coworkers who demanded to know what was going on.

"She's at the airport – I'm going to pick her up. I'll call you all in the morning; I might be in late." He announced without awaiting an answer.

"No worries mate" Bobby told his friend. "We can take care of this murder case. Stay as long as you need, just take care of her. Tell her we all love her and we're here for her." Jack nodded as he rushed out the door and headed for the airport as quickly as he could.