"Connor? Is that really you?" Rori's hands trembled and she had difficulty holding on to the phone.
"Mama? You comin' get me?"
"I'm trying to find you, baby. I don't know where you are, but I'm looking. I won't stop until I find you."
Jason pulled the phone away from Connor and yelled into the phone. "Out of the kindness of my heart, I let you talk to the kid. He's okay. Now, stop looking for me 'cause you won't find us. We're leaving the country and disappearing."
Daniel took the phone from Rori, who stood rooted to the ground. "Jason? All we want is Connor back. Leave him someplace safe and we'll get him and let you go. Rori just wants her son."
"You think I'm giving up my son? You guys try to find me and I'll make sure she never sees him again. In fact, I'll make sure she never sees anything else, ever again!" Jason lowered his voice to harsh whisper. "I found her once, I'll find her again." He hung up.
Rori sagged against Daniel, her muscles no longer able to support her. Daniel dropped the cell phone and grasped her arms to keep her from dropping to the sidewalk. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed in his grip. He slipped his arm under her knees and carried her over to the rented SUV. He managed to open the back door while still cradling her in his arms, laid her down on the bench seat and crawled in on the floor beside her.
"Rori." He gently tapped her on the cheek. "Rori, wake up."
She moaned and turned her face away from Daniel's hand. "Connor, stop. Mommy's trying to sleep," she murmured softy.
Abruptly she sat up, disoriented. "Daniel, where's Connor? I heard him!"
"It's okay. You're okay. You just got a call from Jason and you talked to Connor. He's fine."
Her eyes, enlarged with fear, turned from blue-green to green as Daniel watched, fascinated. "He's close! I can feel it, Daniel." She placed her hand over his on her face and leaned into his caress, seeking comfort from his touch.
"Jack should be coming back in a few minutes. Maybe this guy is the one we've been looking for." Daniel sat next to her on the seat and pulled her up tight against him.
"For crying out loud, Daniel! Every time I leave you two alone for a few minutes, you've got your hands all over her. Get a room and get it over with!" Jack grinned, watching Daniel squirm with embarrassment.
"Jack, it's not like that." Daniel told Jack about the phone call and the threat that Jason made.
Jack threw one arm onto the roof of the car as he leaned into the back seat, listening to Daniel's explanation. As soon as Daniel finished, he straightened up and shoved both hand into his pockets. His jaw muscles twitched as he thought about that little boy who was taken from his mother. He would get Connor back so Rori wouldn't have to go through what he and Sara had been through. No parent should ever lose a child. Breathing deeply, he leaned back down to speak to Daniel.
"Yeah. Well, this Geraldo Muñoz is the father of the one we're looking for. His son was in prison in Florida at the same time Jason was. He's now living across the boarder in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. He gave me the address and directions. He's not too crazy about the idea of his son associating with Jason. It seems that Jason was the one who talked him into breaking-and-entering in the first place."
Jack looked at his watch. "Look, it's getting late. Let's go find a hotel for the night, get something to eat and we can cross the boarder tomorrow morning. That should give Jason enough time to get to his friend's place and we'll get Connor."
XXXXXXXXXX
Rori tossed her bag on the sleek, black lacquered dresser. Jack had insisted on the best hotel in Laredo, while she didn't care where she stayed because she knew there would be no sleep until her son was in her arms again.
Had it really only been two days? It felt like years. Her arms ached with emptiness. She felt she was missing a part of her, as though an arm had been ripped off. She curled up on the bed, hurting beyond tears.
Daniel entered through the connecting door between her room and the one he shared with Jack. He stopped, leaned against the doorframe, hands tucked into his pockets, and watched her. Her hair was draped around her face, hiding her eyes from him. He crossed the room silently and sat beside her on the bed. Reaching down, he drew the hair off her cheeks so he could see her eyes.
Her eyes opened and stared vacantly past his shoulder, filling his heart with icy pain. "Rori, we'll get him back."
He watched her eyes focus on his for the first time since he entered the room. Blue…her eyes are blue when she's sad.
Her voice revealed no emotion. "I can't cry any more, Daniel. There's no feeling left. I think I died inside."
Daniel moved his hand from her hair to her cheek. His thumb moved softly across her cheek as he gathered her up in his arms and rocked her as a father would an injured child, while she clutched his shirt in desperation. He cradled her head, and murmured nonsense words into her ear as she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
He held her close long after she had relaxed the grip she had on him. He laid her back on the pillows, removed her shoes and pulled the comforter up under her chin. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, lingering for a while, feeling the texture and warmth of her smooth skin with his lips. He sat up and started to leave, when her hand darted out to grab his wrist.
"Don't leave me alone." She whispered hoarsely, her eyes still closed.
Daniel removed his glasses and his shoes and lay back down on the bed beside her. She turned toward him, silent tears glimmering under her closed eyelids, and tucked herself against his side. He pulled her closer, carefully avoided her injured arm, closed his eyes, and gave in to the pull of exhaustion.
XXXXXXXXXX
Jack returned to their room and flung open the door. "Lucy, I'm ho-ome!"
No response. Jack set down the bags filled with the Mexican food he'd bought, the enticing aroma wafting through the room, and peeked into the bathroom, expecting to find Daniel in there. Empty. He headed over to the open door between their rooms and walked in to find Daniel and Rori asleep together - again.
"Oh, Danny, I hope you know what you're getting into." Jack whispered as he turned back to his room and shut the door.
XXXXXXXXXX
Daniel dreamed about holding Sha're again. He could feel her hair caressing his cheek, but she smelled wrong – good, but not like he remembered. He felt her lips softy pressing against his neck and working their way around to his ear. He could feel her warm breath and he quivered as her teeth tugged tenderly on his ear.
Daniel bolted upright and gaped down at Rori. "Don't do this again, Rori."
"I'm not teasing, Daniel. I want you to make love to me – now." She reached up with her good hand and attempted to pull him back down.
"This is not a good idea. We both have so many emotions running through us, especially you, and this could be such a huge mistake." Daniel turned away from her and swung his feet off the bed. He glanced down at his watch and pushed the light on – 2:13 am.
"Daniel, please make love to me. I need you to make me feel like I'm still living – that I've not lost all ability to feel."
"Rori, I don't do therapy sex. Hell, I haven't had any sex in years! I may have forgotten how!" Daniel folded his arms across his chest and pinched the bridge of his nose.
She raised her eyebrows slightly and grinned at him in the soft glow of the street light coming through the window. "I'll remind you how it goes. It's like riding a bicycle, you never forget."
"No, Rori. This is sooo not going to happen." God, now I'm channeling Jack. Daniel walked toward the connecting door and put some space between them before he turned back to her again. "Rori, I'm really attracted to you and I think we might have something between us, but this is not the time to start. Good night. I'll see you in the morning."
He stepped through the door into his own room and she heard the click of the door closing.
"You lied. You promised me you wouldn't be a gentleman next time," she whispered to the closed door.