Luke kept looking at Emily as he poured himself a coffee. It was four days after the incident, and she was not even looking at him. This was not good. He wasn't entirely sure why he even cared, but it bothered him to think that she was angry at him. He'd gone over that incident in his mind a lot since it happened, and he couldn't get her terrified expression out of his head.

"Excuse me," Emily said, reaching past him to put back a mug.

"Nope," he commented, taking it out of its spot.

"Why? Is that not its home?" she challenged.

"You don't put used mugs back with clean mugs."

"I didn't use it."

"You touched it."

"The handle," she said, irritated.

"Doesn't matter. It gets cleaned."

"What, do I have a disease or something that I don't know about?" she huffed.

"Would you want to use a mug that's been mauled by someone multiple times?" he countered.

"People touch the handle on a mug!" she exclaimed. "That's expected!"

This was better. This was more normal. Luke was watching her now, and he was glad to see she was at least talking to him again. If he'd known all it took was to start bickering with her, he would have done it days ago.

Lucy was the one who came over and took the mug from Luke's hand and licked the rim. They both stared at her.

"There," she said after. "Now it deserves to be cleaned. Problem solved." She walked off with it, taking it back to the dishwasher. Emily was staring after her while Luke's eyebrows were raised in surprise.

"Well," she said. "I guess that's that then."

"I guess so," he agreed. She moved to go around the counter and clear off some tables. Luke opened his mouth to say something else, but he closed it again without a word. This was a step in the right direction. He wasn't about to backtrack and make it worse because he couldn't shut up. He'd take what he could get.

...

"You coming tonight?" Lucy asked, shrugging the t-shirt over her head over top of her tank top. Emily shook her head in return.

"Not tonight," she replied. She was still miffed at Luke and didn't want to be around him.

"You missed the other night, though."

"I know."

"Did Luke do something?" Lucy asked, adjusting the ball cap on her hair as best as she could.

"No," Emily answered quickly. He only nearly knocked me off a cliff and made me think about bad memories for days afterwards. "He didn't."

"I think he feels bad, though," Lucy said. "For whatever it is he didn't do."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on," Lucy laughed. "When has he ever saved the last bit of coffee for anyone? Or brought out something he made for any of us to try?"

Emily did not want to admit that she had noticed him do this. She knew it wasn't in the norm for him either, but she wasn't about to admit that. The coffee had been good, and the brownie had made her weak in the knees, not that she'd admit that either.

"I guess he's just in a good mood today," Emily shrugged. "Have a good game." She was ending this discussion now.

"Aw, come on," Lucy wheedled. "Just come!"

"No."

Tito was out now, fully dressed for the game. Luke was behind him. Mei was meeting them there with Nathan after a school thing.

"You coming?" Luke asked Emily. He already knew the answer, though.

She shook her head, and he just pressed his lips together and nodded.

Baby steps. He had to be patient. He knew she'd come back around eventually. He was surprised how much he wanted her to, though.

...

The next day, Emily could tell Luke was in pain. Curiosity got the better of her. She found him unloading his truck and groaning in pain.

"What did you do to yourself?" she asked him. He turned to see her, and a look of surprise flitted across his face.

"Nothing," he answered. He did better at keeping his grunts of pain to himself.

"And those noises you just made were..." she trailed off, giving him a pointed look.

"I'm fine," he insisted. He eyed the last box on the tailgate. He knew he couldn't do it. He had thrown out his back at the ball game the night before. It was so stupid, really. He sometimes was stuck thinking he was in his prime and could do anything.

"Well," she said, moving to clap him on the back and making him inhale sharply from the pain. "Good luck with that last box then."

He watched her walk away before he went to get Tito to help him.

...

Emily did her best to get over it, and she did. It had been an accident, what Luke had done. He hadn't really tried to kill her. He would not have helped her back up, if that was his endgame. The week had gone by, and she was feeling better about everything. She kept thinking about him being in pain the day before, and she wondered what was wrong with him.

It was Sunday, but Emily was aloof with the free time on her hands. She went to see if Gil was around to distract herself with a game of chess. She went into the diner and noticed that Luke was not there. The giveaway was the fact that Tito was out front helping Lucy.

"Where's Luke?" Emily asked.

"He threw out his back," Lucy answered, rushing around. "He's out for the day."

"Threw out his back?" Emily echoed. So that's what had been wrong with him.

"At the game the other night," Tito offered. "He wrenched it pretty good trying to get that fly ball. I'm amazed he even got up off the ground."

"Is he okay?" Emily questioned, feeling concerned. If he was not at work, then it had to be bad. Luke did not miss work unless Mei threatened to physically hurt him.

"I'm sure he's fine," Tito shrugged, going back into the kitchen. Lucy was still running around.

"Has anyone checked on him?" Emily asked.

"We're his employees, not his nurses," Lucy replied. Emily looked over at the door to Luke's apartment above them. Her mother had thrown out her back a few times, and there were incidents where she'd been found face down on the floor because she had fallen and no one was there to help her get back up until hours later. Emily made her decision and started towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Lucy asked, noticing.

"Making sure he's okay," Emily answered.

"Oh, I wouldn't..." Lucy started, but Emily was already through the door and heading up the stairs. She braced herself for what she might find, but she was surprised at how clean the kitchen was when she reached it.

"Hello?" she called. There was silence, which made her feel nervous. Was he sleeping? Or had something worse happened? "Luke?"

A noise in the bathroom down the hall caused her to investigate.

"Luke?" she said again, knocking on the door.

"Yea?" he asked back.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't answer right away, and Emily was about to just go in there when he finally spoke again.

"Not really," he said.

"Do you need help?"

"Some assistance might be needed," he answered. She pushed the door open, and she found Luke lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. He was shirtless, but his pants were still on.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I was trying to get a hot bath to help with the pain, but this is as far as I got," he answered, looking at her.

"Oh dear," she said, kneeling next to him. "How can I help?"

"Maybe get me into a sitting position," he suggested. "The floor is killing me."

"Okay."

She eased her hands under his back carefully and lifted. He made a groaning sound as she got him upright and leaned against the vanity.

"I heard you did a number on yourself trying to catch a fly ball," she said.

"Yup," he nodded, wincing.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Right shoulder mostly. Shoots down my spine."

"Does soaking usually help?" she asked.

"Usually. A little anyway. Better than nothing."

"Okay. Well, allow me," she said, going to turn the taps and get it going. He watched her, wondering what had made her come up to find him. Was he finally forgiven for the incident a week earlier?

"Thank you," he said when she turned off the taps and turned to him.

"You tell me if it's too hot," she instructed.

"Yes, Ma," he joked. She gave him a look, and he made an apologetic face back. She helped him get over to it, and he sat on the edge of the tub, thinking.

"I can leave now," she said. Touching his skin was an interesting experience for her. It was a little confusing, if she was honest.

"Just hang on," he said. "I'm gonna need help getting back out. I can feel it."

"Oh," she said, feeling her cheeks get a bit hot. That would be super awkward. He surprised her by swinging his legs over, pants on and all. "What are you doing?"

"They'll dry," he commented. He groaned again as he got settled in the tub.

"I'll just, uh, be out there," she said, going to leave.

"Okay."

She closed the door behind her, wondering what she was doing. He was her boss after all, but she wasn't one to not help someone just because they were her boss. She sat at his kitchen table and pondered on the situation she found herself in. She couldn't help but notice the few scars he had on his chest and back, and she wondered where they had come from. She looked around, seeing no photos of anyone or anything except for the one of Luke and Mei standing in front of the diner, which she assumed was taken after they had bought it.

"Emily?" Luke's voice called after about twenty minutes.

"Yup, coming," she answered, going back to him. "Did it help?"

"Not really," he answered. "I'm stuck."

"All right," she said, bracing herself and reaching to grab his arms fireman style.

"Ahhh geez," he groaned, standing up now.

"You'll know better than to do those fancy moves next time," she said.

"That's not helping me now," he pointed out. He stepped out, hands on her shoulders for balance. He normally hated being vulnerable or needing help, but getting help from her wasn't bothering him as much as he thought it would.

"Where to next?" she asked.

"I gotta dry off somehow," he sighed.

"Here," she said, moving him backwards to the toilet and sitting him on it. "You should be able to reach like this." She grabbed a towel and put it next to him on the vanity to use when he was done. Luke found himself feeling something, but he wasn't sure what it was he was feeling. It was like the night he'd seen her in that red dress. It took him off guard. Her hands on him felt really nice, which he couldn't help but notice.

"I'll leave you to it," she said, stepping back out. It took him longer than he liked to get out of his wet pants and dried off. He pulled out a pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt from the hamper and put them on, not caring if they were deemed "dirty laundry" or not. He wasn't gonna go out there in a damn towel. He was walking stiffly and slowly. Getting old was a bitch.

"Do you have a heating pad or something?" Emily asked.

"Closet," he gestured. She went to get it and returned with it in her hands.

"Pain killers?" she asked next.

"Took one already."

"Then let's get you comfortable," she suggested. "Couch or...?"

"Bed would be better," he gestured.

"Okay. Lead the way."

He shuffled down the hall ahead of her like an old man. Thankfully, his room was tidy. He wasn't one for clutter or a mess. He fell face first onto his bed, groaning again. He did his best to get into a good position, but nothing seemed to feel right.

"I don't want to brag," Emily said, "but I am excellent at back massages. You can ask my mother. Her back went out all the time."

So that's why she had come. She had experience and was worried about him. He thought that was very sweet of her.

"You can try," he said, muffled by his mattress.

"All right. Don't take this the wrong way," she said, and he wondered what she meant until he felt her sit on his lower back.

Oh.

It took him by complete surprise. The only person who had ever done that was Annie.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, having felt him stiffen after she sat on him. She knew it looked bad, but it was the best way to access his back. In her mind, at least.

"Yea," he said, turning his face so he could breathe. "I'm okay."

"Tell me if it hurts too much," she ordered. "Just relax." He closed his eyes as her hands started pressing into his shoulder blade and spine. She wasn't kidding when she said she was excellent at this. He didn't say anything for a while as she worked his back over. It did feel a bit better when she stopped.

"Well?" she asked, hands hovering.

"It's a dull roar now," he answered. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. He felt her place her hand on the hollow between his shoulder blades briefly and gently before getting off him and going to get the heating pad ready.

"Ohhhh yea," he said when she placed it on him.

"I don't really want to leave you alone," Emily commented, sitting beside him now. "Not if you can barely move."

"I'll be all right," he said. "Mei'll be home soon."

"Right."

She wondered if he noticed the way she had touched his back before getting up. She wasn't even sure why she had done it. It was something her mother had done for her all the time to show comfort, and it was something she had done to Nathan to soothe him. It was habit she guessed.

"Okay," she said. "I'm around if you need me."

"I appreciate that," Luke replied, looking at her. "And thanks. For...everything."

"You're welcome."

She left before it got any stranger between them. She went down the stairs telling herself she had only acted as a concerned friend. Well, they weren't really friends were they? Concerned citizen then.

"Well?" Lucy asked upon seeing her come out the door into the diner.

"He's all right," Emily answered. "Should be back together in a day or two."

"Good," Lucy nodded. She kept looking at Emily until Emily smiled brightly and left to continue her day off.

A Few Days Later

"You're smiling," Emily noted as she looked at Lucy, who was indeed wearing a dreamy smile on her face.

"Huh?" she asked. "No, I'm not."

"Smiling isn't a sin," Emily teased. "But a secret smile...that's worth talking about."

"I'm just in a really good mood today," Lucy shrugged. The construction crew came in then, and Emily noticed Lucy look at Brent and then pretend she didn't look at him. Interesting.

Emily did not pry. She understood a person's need for privacy. She was beginning to feel close to Lucy, though, and was happy that something was going her way.

"Ahhhhhh shit!" someone hollered from the kitchen, making Emily jump and the construction boys crane their heads to see what was going on. She wondered if Luke had thrown his back out again. He had recovered in two days like she had predicted. He never mentioned her coming to help him, and she didn't bring it up either. It was a silent agreement between them.

"SHIT!" the voice yelled again. The door banged open, and Luke stood there looking back and forth between Emily and Lucy.

"Which one of you is good with blood?" he asked.

"Oh God," Lucy said, gagging and turning away.

"That would be me," Emily said, holding up her hand.

"Come on then," Luke gestured, letting go of the door and disappearing. Emily held her breath as she followed. What had Tito done to himself?

"Aw man," Tito moaned. He was lying on the floor and holding his left hand close to his chest. There was a big puddle of blood on the counter that was dripping onto the floor. Emily swallowed. She worked to keep her head focused and not jumping to a memory.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He got cocky," Luke answered. She caught sight of the knife on the floor beside Tito now.

"Oh no."

"I've never done this before," Tito said from the floor, his voice a whimper.

"First time for everything, bud," Luke sighed. "I've got to take him to the hospital. Can you clean up in here?"

Emily caught sight of Tito's thumb and almost threw up. It was still attached, but it was very cut open.

It was all too much. The blood. The moaning. It happened whether she wanted it to or not.

Flashback: 2008

Emily looked up as Nick came into the bar dressed in his policeman uniform and smiled at him as she set her drink down.

"Aren't you on duty?" she asked, going to hug him. He hugged her back tightly.

"Yea, I am. I just wanted to swing by and see if you could watch Nate this weekend? I kind of got a hot date," Nick said, blushing a little.

"Nick Charlton!" Emily exclaimed, swatting him playfully. "You got a girlfriend and didn't tell me?!"

"Just a date," he corrected quickly. "It might not even go anywhere."

"Right," she said. "Sure. You're hot stuff, you know. Some girl would be a fool to let you walk away."

"I wish I was that confident," Nick sighed, ruffling her hair and making her complain and smack at his hands. He still treated her like a little sister sometimes.

"Yes, I can watch him," Emily said after fixing her hair.

"Great, thanks." His phone went off, and he looked at it, frowning. "I gotta go deal with this. Talk soon?"

"Yes. Go," she said, waving him off. "Talk soon."

Nick made his way to the exit, and within moments, there was a sound of a gunshot followed by two more and screaming. Emily felt as though everything was in slow motion as she got off her bar stool and made her way to the door, pushing past the crowd that was gathering there. She immediately saw Nick lying on the ground covered in blood, but he was still alive.

"NICK!" she screamed. She got to him, landing on her knees and grabbing at his hands. "Nick!"

He coughed and choked, but his eyes never left hers. His blood was everywhere, and now it was on her hands.

"Nate," he managed to say.

"I got him. I've got Nate. Just hang on, Nick. Hang on!" she shouted. But he couldn't. She watched him die in front of her, and there was nothing she could have done to stop it.

Present: 2015

"Emily?" Luke's voice was saying again, and she finally looked at him. "You good?"

"Yea," she nodded. "Go."

He looked hesitant, and she wondered if he could tell she'd just had a flashback. She turned to find rags to clean up the mess while he bent down to Tito, who was still moaning.

"Keep pressure on it," Luke ordered Tito, handing him another rag. He helped Tito up, and they headed out together. He did throw one last glance at Emily, and he could see her hands were shaking. He locked it away to talk about with her later.

"Oh, God," Lucy said again, her face hovering over the swinging door.

"It's not that bad," Emily replied.

"Are you kidding? It smells disgusting," Lucy gagged again.

"We better shut down for a bit til this is cleaned up well," Emily said.

"You're right. I got it," Lucy said, disappearing. Emily could hear complaints of those she was locking out. She worked steadily, ordering Lucy to find bleach and other cleaning agents that would help. She also found gloves, which she handed to Emily.

"This is so repulsive," Lucy commented as she watched Emily clean. "I'm so glad I'm not a doctor or a nurse. I feel like I could actually faint."

"Then don't watch," Emily replied, laughing a little bit. She was trying to get out of her head. Nick wasn't lying there dead in front of her. She was simply cleaning up after an accident. Tito was fine. He'd be just fine. She was surprised at how much worry she felt for him since she hadn't spent much time with him. He always had a joke or two or that beaming smile when he noticed she was stressed out. She got thinking that maybe she should spend some more time talking to him.

Because sometimes people were there, and then they were gone, just like that.

Evening

Luke had dropped Tito off at home where his wife fawned all over him. He gave him the next few days off, and he drove home. He kept thinking about the look on Emily's face. Something had happened, but she was good at hiding it. Well, not as good as she thought she was, but almost.

He found her working with Mei while Nathan was in the back cooking.

"You could have left it closed," he said.

"We got it covered," Emily shrugged. "It hasn't been busy anyway."

"Well...thanks."

She gave a small smile, and he could tell she hadn't quite recovered from earlier. He went to check out the kitchen for himself and found it spotless. Nathan was wiping things down and getting ready for closing.

"Is he okay?" he asked, seeing Luke.

"Yea, he's fine. Thanks for coming in on your night off."

"Anytime," Nathan replied. He wrung out the rag and draped it over the sink, grabbing his backpack and heading out the door to the front. Luke stood and looked at where Tito had been lying on the ground earlier. He had his own memories of blood and people groaning on the ground, but it was mainly because he'd put them there.

"I've locked up," Emily said, breaking into his memory train.

"Thanks."

She patted the door frame and went to leave when he called her back.

"Yea?" she asked, looking at him hesitantly.

"I just want to make sure you're really all right," he said. "After today. It was a lot."

"I promise I'm fine," she told him. "But I do have a question."

"Go ahead."

She went over to one of the tables and reached underneath it, pulling out the gun he'd hidden under there and setting it on the metal table with a bang.

"Is there a particular reason you've got guns stashed around here?" she asked, looking at him. He swallowed. He had put two guns in the diner in places he could easily access them if trouble came looking for him. One was in the kitchen where she had just found it, and the other was under the counter by the cash register.

"Like I said," he explained. "I've been robbed."

"Taking your hat is worth putting a bullet in them?" she asked, raising a brow.

"No, it's for the real robbers. It's only a matter of time before they come," Luke shrugged.

"You're serious," she said.

"I am."

"Are you a criminal? An ex con?"

"No," he snorted.

"Military?"

"Getting warmer."

"You know what? I don't want to know," she said, holding up her hands and dropping them. She started to walk away again.

"I was a cop," he said, making her stop. This was not something he ever told people, and he had no idea why he was telling her. He guessed it was because he didn't want her to be afraid of him. All he ever wanted for Mei and his employees/friends was to keep them safe. If his enemies Danny or Emile or Han ever figured out where he was and came after him, he didn't want to be caught sleeping.

"You were a cop?" she asked, looking at him. He nodded. She didn't know how to feel about that.

"A good cop," he said, reading her mind. "Not a dirty cop."

"Are you in hiding?" she asked. As he contemplated his answer, he knew that she was right. He was in hiding, in a way. He and Mei had their insurance with that blackmail CD, but you just never knew.

"Luke?" Mei said, poking her head in. "I'm going upstairs."

"Okay," he nodded. She looked at Emily and the gun on the table and then back at Luke, concerned. "We're good here."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yup. Go on."

She hesitated briefly before leaving them alone.

"She called you Luke," Emily said, realizing. She had never heard Mei address Luke until this moment, and she had called him by his first name.

"She did," he agreed.

"So she's not your daughter."

"No."

Emily knew there was a story there, one that she wanted to hear, but then he might ask her about her story, and she was nowhere near ready to share it with him or anyone for that matter.

"Okay," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Luke was stunned. She didn't ask who Mei was to him? She didn't ask more about the guns and if he was hiding? What the hell was going on here?

"Wait, wait, wait," he said, going and putting his arm across the doorway so she couldn't leave. This made her feel a bit of anxiety, and she worked to keep it down.

"Luke," she tried.

"You ask me some loaded questions and then just walk away without getting the answers?" he asked. "No way. I don't buy it."

"It's your business," she said quietly. "It's not mine. Now please, let me leave."

He removed his arm, and she left without another word. He was convinced more than ever that she was hiding something, that she wasn't about to risk exposing it just to hear what he had to say.

Luke seriously wondered what had happened to her.

...

The next day, it was busier than normal. Of course it was, because Tito wasn't there. Luke was hurrying around and doing his best, but it wasn't enough. He decided he needed help.

"Hey, Emily," he called over the door. She turned. They had been friendly with each other so far that day, but she was extra guarded around him now, he could tell.

"Yea?"

"I need you."

"I...I can't cook..." she started.

"I'll cook. You prep," he cut her off. "I need the help. Come on."

"What about Lucy?" she tried.

"Lucy would end up cutting off her entire hand and join Tito in recovery," Luke answered.

"Thanks a lot, Luke," Lucy said, feigning outrage.

"You know I'm right," he argued.

"I do," she nodded. "Em, you're the better candidate."

Emily didn't really want to be trapped in a small space with Luke all day, but he was her boss, so she couldn't argue.

"Fine," she sighed. He handed her an apron when she got back there, and she tied it tight.

"Just cut those up," he gestured to the one side. "Measure stuff out as I tell you. And once in a while, stir those pots."

"All right," she said. It seemed easy enough. They fell into a rhythm, and she found herself almost enjoying the different style of work.

"Tito better watch out," Luke joked at one point. "You're not bad."

Emily just smiled. She hadn't known what to say to him at this point because she knew he was curious as to why she stopped wanting answers the night before. She worried that talking would make him bring it up again. She did notice that the gun was back under the table. She had to admit it had been quite the shock to see it there. It had been pure chance that she turned her head while on the floor scrubbing and saw it stuck there.

Luke wondered what she was thinking. She didn't say much, so he figured she didn't want him to ask her questions. He noticed she was cutting the carrots a bit roughly and awkwardly, so he wiped his hands on the towel and went over to her.

"Here," he said. "This is easier." And without even thinking, he put his arms around her to take her hands and show her.

Emily felt surprise when he stood behind her and put his hands on hers, adjusting them and the knife easily. At first she had the urge to break free, but then she realized it felt...nice. It was not threatening, and his hands were light on hers, not gripping.

"See?" he said, bringing her attention back to what he was showing her. "It's faster this way."

"I see," she murmured.

Luke realized a little too late what he'd done. He turned his head the same time she did, and for a moment they just looked at each other, their faces close together.

"Sorry," he said, releasing her hands and taking a step back. "I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay. Thank you for showing me," she replied. He nodded as she turned back to her work, and he went back to what he had been doing. He kept having to force his focus to come back to the task at hand instead of thinking about what her hair had smelled like and what it would have been like to kiss her. He had not expected to feel like that, and he had no idea what to make of it. He realized now it was the same feeling he'd had when she helped him with his back.

Emily kept her head down, but she was thinking about how close he had been to her. It was the first time in a long time she'd been close to someone without feeling afraid. It was nice.

...

"So what's your story?" Nathan asked Mei. He was on his back on the ground while she sat on the swing. It was one of those rare moments where they both got time off and weren't throwing a ball at each other or going over math equations. He appreciated her friendship a lot, and they were now at the point where they were going to share their life stories.

"Long story short, I was trafficked here from China by the Triads to count for them, and the Russian mafia tried to kill me because I wouldn't tell them the code to a safe, but Luke saved me. We left, and now we're here."

"Are you for real right now?" Nathan asked, twisting his head to look at her.

"Yup."

"Shit."

"It's all right. Luke is like my big brother, or my friend. My mother died, and I don't know who my father is. I didn't want another parent anyway. This arrangement has been working great," Mei finished.

"Wow. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Now, what about you?" she asked, putting it on him so she didn't have to talk anymore. It was making her feel surprisingly emotional.

"My dad died when I was eight. Aunt Emily took me in," Nathan replied. He did not share the rest of the story. He knew Emily would murder him.

"Your mom?"

"She died in a car accident when I was four."

"So we're both tragedies," Mei gestured.

"Seems that way," Nathan agreed.

"How did you end up here?"

He knew that question was coming, but he had an answer for her.

"We both just needed a change," he said. "A fresh start. This seemed like a good place to do that."

Mei nodded slowly. She wasn't an idiot. She knew it was code for they were running from something, just like she and Luke had. She didn't pry or push, though. She knew he'd tell her one day when he was able to.

...

Emily breathed in slow through her nose and exhaled out her mouth just as slowly. She was lying in bed in the dark, and it was one of those nights where everything just seemed to come back. She couldn't close her eyes without seeing him.

Roger.

The fear and anxiety rose, but each breath kept it at bay. She didn't want to think about Roger, but when Luke had practically hugged her from behind earlier, it had made her think about how it was in the beginning with Roger. It had been all cutesy and funny, flirty and soft touches here and there. It was all good until it wasn't.

She touched her abdomen absently where her scar was. She was safe here. She knew she was. She was being paranoid, thinking he was out there somewhere. He'd have given up, hopefully. She had been very careful. He would not find her here.

That's what she desperately hoped, anyway.