The sun was peaking just over the horizon by the time the two of them made their way to the hospital a little ways outside Houston. It was unremarkable by hospital standards. The building was large and gray and square and dotted all over with little windows. Cassie swallowed a big lump in her throat as Mark guided the bike into a parking space outside the emergency entrance. She hated hospitals. Deep down she was fighting the urge to run; to tell Mark to turn the bike around, that she'd be fine. But…he'd gone out of his way to help her. Hell, he barely knew her and he'd put himself in danger to save her.

Taking a deep breath, Cassie realized Mark was off the bike and holding a hand out to her. The brunette did her best to swallow down the fear and apprehension that threatened to turn her muscles to jelly and slid gingerly off the bike.

"Careful little girl." Mark said grabbing her around the waist when she teetered.

"I…I'm alright." She began shifting her weight to her good leg and slowly stretching the injured one. "I think I was sitting too long. It got stiff."

"C'mon darlin, let's get you looked at." The big man said softly as Cassie took it upon herself to use him as a crutch. She nodded tiredly and let him lead her up a small ramp and through a set of big glass double doors.

The artificial cold hit them like a gale when the doors slid open and gently blew the stray strands of hair around Cassie's face like they had a mind of their own. She shivered a bit in Mark's arm but directed him toward a chair.

"You stay here; I'll go get you signed in." He said softly. Cassie couldn't be sure but he sounded so concerned. Why would he do this for someone he'd only just met?

A moment later, Mark returned with a clipboard and pen.

"I filled out what I could." He started offering them both to her. "But that wasn't much. You'll have to do the rest of it on your own."

Cassie smiled when she looked at the paper. The whole sheet was blank but the space offered for her first name. Quickly, she glanced over at Mark and scratched out what he'd written.

"My first name is actually Cassandra." She grinned. Mark nodded silently and turned away as the heat rose into his cheeks. The brunette shook her head softly and set to filling out the paperwork. When she was finished she hoisted herself out of the chair and staggered, her damaged leg protesting under her. Again, Mark was out of his chair and had insinuated himself under her arm before she could hit the floor.

"Thanks." Cassie muttered and let herself be set back down in the plastic waiting room chair.

"I better take that up for you." Mark smiled as he looked casually at the forms in his hand. "Light? Your last name is Light?"

"Yes…" Cassie began with a hint of sarcasm. "My last name is Light." She nodded, one eyebrow raised.

"That's sort of unusual is all." He stammered, wilting under the scrutiny of her near patronizing gaze.

"It's not unusual, it's my last name. What's your last name then?" She teased sliding down slightly in the chair.

"Calaway."

"Maybe where I'm from that's an unusual name." Mark made a sour face at her and waved the clipboard toward the nurse's station.

"I'm gonna get you signed in." He grumbled and stalked off for the desk. Cassie watched him get in line behind and elderly woman and a small child wailing in his mother's arms. The nurse looked positively frazzled but she took them each one at a time.

By the time Mark made it back to her, his cell phone had rung three times and the staff had informed him in no uncertain terms that while in the hospital, it was to remain turned off.

After his third warning, he excused himself out of the building to return the calls.

Cassie slid far enough down the chair that she could rest her injured leg on the chair across from her. Already she was bored, antsy, irritated just to be there but she stayed put. She couldn't bring herself to run. Mark had gone above and beyond the call of duty and part of her felt guilty for feeling so ungrateful but she hated hospitals. With every fiber of her being, she hated them. She'd watched her mother die in one and more times than she cared to think about, she'd awakened in one of those horrible little beds all alone with tubes and wires running from her to beeping clicking machines. Nothing had ever scared her like that. Ever.

The worst was the time she didn't even remember how she got there. All she knew was when she opened her eyes to the stark whiteness around her she had lost it. She'd tried to mover her arms and found them strapped down to the stainless steel rails surrounding her. She'd panicked then, fighting and thrashing with everything she had. The nurse had summoned orderlies to hold her down.

Cassie had been so scared when they held her shoulders to the mattress. She'd been screaming but she didn't know what she said. Only later did she find out she was threatening to shove vital parts of their anatomy into other, significantly less comfortable parts.

Part of her could look back and laugh at that part, but only that part. Two weeks later when they'd released her, Cassie found out what had happened. All she had to do was look in the mirror to see it. He'd done it again. He almost broken her jaw and before he took her to the Emergency Room he pumped her full of whatever it was he was taking that week.

She had been admitted as an overdose. Cassandra Light, junkie. Unconsciously, she rolled her eyes at the thought. Never in all her years had she used drugs. But there she was, locked in a psychiatric unit in a section reserved for substance abusers.

It'd taken her every minute of her two week stay to convince them she didn't need to be there. Finally, they had relented and released her into the care of the last person she wanted to see…

"Ms. Light?" A voice broke her out of her revelry. Wearily, she turned to face the person calling her name. Dimly she knew she should recognize him but she couldn't place him. He was a handsome man, blonde hair, blue eyes, with a toned physique, and a kindly smile as he bent slightly as if to check her face; to make sure he was talking to the right woman.

"Officer…" She started, reaching for a name she soon realized she'd never been told.

"Underwood." He smiled wider for a moment then his features contorted into a look of concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…just a little bike accident." She chuckled wryly and hoisted her leg off the far chair, offering him a place to sit down.

"I'm glad I ran into you." He began taking the proffered seat. "We've had some inquiries about you in the last twenty-four hours. It struck me as odd." Cassie went numb as he spoke. She could feel the color draining from her face as she listened to him.

"What sort of inquiries?" She asked timidly suddenly unable to meet his eyes. Officer Underwood shifted uncomfortably in his seat before he continued.

"I received a call from Caroline, she owns the diner in town." He began. Cassie nodded and leaned forward desperate to hear what information he had but afraid all the same. It was as if she knew exactly what he was going to say. "It seems there was a man in there last night shortly before nine asking if anyone had seen a woman matching your description and answering to the name of Casey."

"Really." She said quietly. The officer nodded gravely.

"Caroline said he gave her the creeps. He was jumpy and disheveled like he'd been driving a long time. She said his eyes were glassy. When she said she didn't know anyone matching that description he pulled out a picture and showed it to her. Now Caroline told him she didn't know the woman and walked back toward her back room. She was going to call me right then but he left and since she gets a crazy or two from time to time she didn't think much of it until you walked in later. That's when she called me."

"Did…did she happen to see what he was driving?" Cassie asked quietly, she could hear the tremor in her voice as she spoke. She just hoped the good officer had missed it.

"She didn't mention it, why?"

"Because I was run off the road this morning by a pick up truck."

"Cassie? You alright little girl?" Mark's deep drawl sounded behind her.

Both of them glanced up.

"Yeah, I'm…I'm fine." She breathed but the big man wasn't fooled. Her color had gone again and her eyes reminded him of a doe he'd shot once.

"Mark, how are you?" Officer Underwood asked standing and offering the big man his hand. Mark glanced from the good officer back to Cassie before taking it.

"Just fine David, just fine. How are the kids?" Mark asked congenially as they each took a seat.

"Oh they're getting big." Officer Underwood smiled. "Davey Junior is just dying to see you again." Mark chuckled.

"You tell him I'll be over some time next week. And I'll bring him more autographs."

"I'll be sure to."

"I should have known you two would know each other." Cassie chuckled; the perfectly normal conversation between the two men had assuaged her fears somewhat. Both men turned to her as if she'd grown another head. "This place is so small it would only stand to reason." She explained.

"And how do you know the good officer?" Mark asked her.

"She came into the station yesterday afternoon." David offered helpfully. Cassie shot him a look that would have curdled milk. "She was… ah… getting a feel for town." The big man nodded reasonably. "How'd you meet her Mark?"

"I met him at Denny's Place."

"Ah, that would make sense. When the big man here is in town that's where he spends most of his time." The officer chuckled. "That big old house he's got over there must be six ways from neglected."

"Come on now David, it's not that bad. I've got a cleaning lady."

"Big house, cleaning lady, famous guy…" Cassie trailed off. "I do know where to find'em don't I?" Officer Underwood nodded and slapped his leg. Mark however, seemed to go a bit red.

"Cassie darlin, they're ready for ya whenever you can make it back." The big man offered and stood up holding out a hand for her.

The good officer stood hastily. "I'll let you two get her checked out. Cassie, if you'd come by the station I might be able to give you a hand getting settled in." There was a look in David Underwood's eyes that said he wanted more than to show her the town. "Since big guy here won't be around much." He added grinning. Mark shot him a frown then smiled and shook his hand again.

"Thanks." Cassie muttered. "I'll be in when my bike gets put back together."

"Alright folks, I'll see you around I'm sure." Officer Underwood finished waving as he wandered out the door.

"You ready darlin?" Mark asked. Cassie's eyes had followed the other man out the door. The brunette shook her head slightly and glanced up, reaching with one hand.

"Gimme a hand here, big man." She grinned. It was infectious. Mark found himself chuckling as he hoisted her off the chair and walked her back to triage.

Sixteen stitches later, Mark was her human crutch again as they made their way back to the parking lot.

"So what did the good officer want with you darlin?" Mark asked somewhat tentatively as he lifted her onto the back of his bike.

"Nothing." She blurted. Mark raised his eyebrow. "You people are just too friendly."

"Sure little girl." He shrugged and started the bike. "Where am I takin you?"

"Do you remember a big piece of land about six or so miles down from Denny's?" She asked over the idling bike.

"Sure. It was for sale for close to two years. No one wanted it. The old bastard that was selling it wanted way too much for five or so acres butting up against the highway…" Then he stopped himself. "You bought it didn't you?"

"Damn right, Skippy." She laughed.

"Alright then." He chuckled and pulled the bike out onto the road.