Gabriella had a hunch she was the first woman who hadn't leaped tall buildings for the chance to leave a wet spot in Troy's bed. Mostly because when he parked beside her car back in Kelsi driveway ten minutes later, he hadn't stopped looking stunned. Sighing, she mentally went over it one more time. If she stayed at his house she'd probably have sex with him, but if she went out on her own, a psycho might track her down and kill her.

She weighed her options.

"Wait here, I'm going to go in and get your things."

"This is stupid," Gabriella blurted out, "I didn't kill anyone. There is no reason I can't stay here."

"Gabriella," Troy eyes narrowed as he stared at house from the truck. "Did you leave the door open when you left this morning?"

Gabriella tensed as she leaned forward and stared out at the open front door, "No."

Troy reached down under the driver's seat for a small hand gun. "Stay here, lock the doors, and don't leave until I say so."

"Troy."

"Stay put."

He was gone shutting the door behind him and approaching the house cautiously. Gabriella watched from her seat quietly as she bit her bottom lip. Once he was completely out of her sight. The minutes crept by as she watched the house anxiously. She wondered if he was in trouble, if something was wrong.

Just as she was about to lean back in her chair the buzzing noise of his phone startled her and she jerked upright watching it as it buzzed against the dashboard. His phone was in the car. How could he call for back up?

Lifting a hand up to her temple she gently rubbed the throbbing muscle there. She needed to relax. She needed to get a grip. Had she locked the door? That stench made her stomach turn and she held her stomach to sooth the queasiness. She desperately needed an hour, maybe two in a hot shower. Hopefully she'd be able to scrub this unholy stench from her body. Leaning forward she looked at his phone to check the time. Eliot was still in school for three more hours. Surely, it would be enough time to get rid of this smell.

Troy's phone lit up again and Gabriella watched it hum across the dashboard. Her eyes narrowing as she looked back at the house.

"Oh… for God's sake!" she whispered, chastising herself. "He knows what he's doing."

As she watched the house nervously she reminded herself that there was a possibility nothing was wrong and he was simply gathering their things. Then again they only had three bags. Five minutes passed and there was still no sign of Troy or any activity. Was he okay? What if someone had taken him by surprise waiting for her? He could be injured and needing help.

Six minutes.

Seven minutes.

Suddenly an uneasy feeling filled her and she reached for the handle of the door letting herself out of the truck. She listened for noises. She couldn't hear anything. No voices or calls for help.

Damn it. She had to see if everything was alright.

She approached the house quietly and slowly, watching for any sign of movement. Her heart was pounding, but she was determined to help Troy if he needed it. As she reached the side of the house she noticed that the front door was cracked open. Her legs were shaking as she approached the door.

"Troy," she called softly.

There was no answer. Not a sound. She slowly pushed the door open with her sneaker-clad foot, scanning the living room which was empty.

Gabriella hadn't taken more than two hesitant steps into the living room before she was seized roughly around the waist and held fast by a steely, powerful arm. "What are you doing in here?" a voice barked out, cracking the silence like thunder.

"Troy!" she cried in relief. Her knees would have given out from sheer relief if he hadn't had a firm grip on her waist. "Thank God."

He closed the door and brought a hand up to his lips to tell her to lower her voice, "What the hell were you thinking? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"I was worried. Everything was so quiet. I was afraid you needed help."

"I don't usually announce my presence by flipping on lights and making lots of noise. It tends to make the perps flee the scene in a hurry and I actually like to catch them," he informed her dryly.

"Well I'm sorry but I was concerned."

Troy lifted a hand pinched her lips together as he listened to the sounds of the house. "Someone's here."

Gabriella's eyes widen.

"I'm going to let go of you, I need you to run out to the truck get my phone and call Taylor. We need back-up."

Gabriella nodded.

"And this time stay put."

Troy took a step back using most of his body to shield her way to the door. Gabriella made a run for it her ankle pinching slightly with each step. As soon as she was in truck she reached for the cellphone on the dashboard only to find that it was missing.

"Oh God," She cried, spinning around she faced the back seat and stilled when she saw a piece of blood stained paper sitting on the seat with the phone on top of it. Reaching for it she unfolded the piece of paper and looked at note.

Gabriella,

I do all the hard work and you get all the credit. Like father like daughter, I guess.

I'm glad you found my gift.

Just a little gesture to let you know you're on my mind even if we keep missing each other.

Not much time left until I come for you. You're running out of places to hide from me.

By the way, you might want to get your friends husband to a doctor before he bleeds out. Be a shame to lose two loved ones all in one day wouldn't it?

Icy fingers of fear clutched at her throat as she read, then re-read the note.

The next hour rushed by her in a blur, the ambulance, the sight of Troy covered in Ryan's blood as he followed the paramedics outside. Kelsi screaming as she ran onto the front lawn. Taylor and more people in windbreaker jackets appeared out of nowhere filling the house. The yard was flooded with people. All the while Gabriella sat motionless in the front seat of Troy's truck.

He'd been here.

He'd followed her here.

He'd only been here because she had led him right to Kelsi's front door. Tears were falling from her eyes with more constancy, she didn't bother wiping them away. Ryan's throat had been slashed, he'd been the noise Troy heard upstairs. He'd been crawling towards the stairs when Troy found him.

Troy had come running out to the truck grabbing a first aid kit out from under his seat and racing back inside. Gabriella had been hysterical, petrified, and numb from the sharp needles of fear that had been constant. She hardly even knew how she managed to call for help but she had.

The sounds of Kelsi's voice drifted to her ears from the crack in her window. She was asking what happened. Why was no one answering her questions. She demanded to see her husband. Finally someone was rushing her towards the ambulance so she could ride along.

The knock on the window startled her and Gabriella looked over to Taylor who was standing outside the door.

"Mrs. Catania, would you mind?"

Gabriella thought about for a moment, then decided to open the door, "You know I didn't do this."

"I need to see the note. The Sheriff says there was one left in the vehicle while you were both inside. "

Gabriella eyes darted towards the dashboard and reached for it with shaky hands. She shoved it towards Taylor, eager to be rid of it. As if not having it anymore would somehow undo what she'd read.

"Thank you."

"I can't even begin to imagine the kind of pain she must be in," Gabriella murmured quietly.

Taylor stopped mid-turn and faced her again, "I'm sorry?"

"Kelsi," Gabriella said crossing her arms to hold on to herself. "Life in Highland Meadows is supposed to be safe. We grew up together, we all played dodge ball and had sleep overs. I bet most people around here don't even lock their doors at night."

"What are you saying?" Taylor frowned slightly feeling her heartstrings pull at the memories surfacing inside her.

"I shouldn't have come back here."

Taylor let out a sigh as she looked up at the house and then back at Gabriella, "Bad things happen everywhere. There's no such thing as a safe place." With that she walked off, leaving Gabriella alone in the truck.

"Alright," Troy's voice sounded from behind her as he pulled himself into the truck. "We need to do something about that smell," he said solemnly.

"Eliot gets out of school in half hour."

"I know."

"We can't pick him up like this," Gabriella said looking back at his blood soaked shirt and her dirty clothes.

"I know."

Troy started the truck and began pulling out of the driveway. In a matter of minutes they were at his house and he was leading her inside, "You can shower, I'm just going to wash my hands, get a change of shirt. I'll go pick up Eliot, you can stay here."

Troy made his way to the bathroom and she followed removing clothes as she went. By the time he at the sink he barely notice she was close behind him in nothing but her gray underwear.

"I'll be out of your way in a min-" Troy looked up in the mirror just in time to see her naked body get into his shower. "Or you could just make yourself at home."

She turned on the shower and he quickly washed his hands making his way out into the hall he stepped over each discarded garment as he went. He liked the matching gray bra and panties, and thought about how much he would have liked to be the one removing them. Damn. Couldn't he get her out of his head for a minute? He should be back at the crime scenes.

He moved towards his closet removing his shirt and grabbing a new one. For now this would have to do. It had to do. He listened for a moment to the sound of her shower, trying not to imagine what it would be like to join her, washing every inch of her curves with soapy suds. He'd imagined her naked a lot lately, and had the urge to remove his clothes and join her. The clean scent of his soap wafted through the room from the open shower door and he literally heard himself grunt.

She'd be completely covered it when she got of there. For the first time in his life the thought of his own soap made him harder than rock. He could drown in that scent. He needed to get out of here. Quickly he pulled the shirt over his head.

"I'm going to go get Eliot. I'll bring back some food for dinner," he said loudly enough to be heard. "Keep the doors locked."

Gabriella scrubbed herself head to toe four times and prayed that was enough to get rid of the stench. She washed and rinsed her hair again and again. Finally she slipped out of the shower and reached for the green towel on the nearby rack. Wrapping it around herself she made her way out of his bathroom and picked up her discarded clothes.

She didn't have anything else and she sure as hell wasn't putting any of this back on. Or ever again for that matter. Walking across the hall she came into Troy's bedroom. His shirt from earlier laid on the floor. Walking past it she made her way to his closet passing her fingers over a few items. His smell was everywhere. That masculine musk with the undertone of woods and aspen. Reaching for light blue t-shirt she pulled it over herself letting the towel fall down to the floor.

The shirt was roomy, cotton and warm. She hadn't really worn a shirt like this in a long time. With Michael everything had to be silk, lace, tight or skimpy. He preferred his wife to look runway efficient at all times of the day. Even if she was just going to the grocery store she had to put on eyeliner and her best slacks.

Going over to the dresser she opened the drawer and pulled it open revealing more clothing. These were boxer briefs. Mostly dark blue. A few gray ones. Gabriella selected a pair of blues one and put them on. The next drawer were flannel pajama bottoms, she helped herself to a pair of these as well.

Turning around she glanced around his bedroom looking at the simple little notes of Troy. The book on the nightstand. The unmade bed. The socks tossed in the corner with pair of shoes. She picked up the towel and made her way back to the bathroom. She put the towel back on the rack to dry and then spotted a hair brush resting on the sink's counter top.

Picking it up, she looked in the mirror and began the task of brushing out her hair.

Troy was dead tired, the last place he should be was home. He should be at the station. He should be sitting in Taylor office. He should be at the corners office. He should be at the hospital with Kelsi and Ryan. Troy let out a sigh as he thought about diner. About Betty. Poor Betty.

His hands gripped tighter on the steering wheel at the thought. There was so much to do so many places to be and yet here he was with a bag of food and seven year old in his passenger seat.

Then there was Gabriella. In his house. During an active investigation. She'd have question, and as a Sheriff, he couldn't answer them. But his protective streak had returned full throttle, and all he could think about was the pure terror in her eyes when she slammed into him.

"So you're a cop?" Eliot said letting out a sigh as he leaned back in his seat.

"I am."

"Do you have a gun?"

Troy raised a brow as he eyed the boy sitting beside him. "I do."

"Good."

Troy frowned as he watched the houses pass as they drove. "Why is that good?"

"Because you're going to keep us safe," Eliot said quietly. "That's what it's for isn't it?"

Troy shifted a bit in his seat, "Well I never really have the intentions to use it," Troy explained, "I never want to hurt anyone."

"What if they hurt you first?"

Troy shrug, "Sometimes it's not about getting even. My job is to be fair and catch the bad guys. To do that, I have to be smarter than them and quicker than they are. I have to figure out what they're doing and why. "

"My dad hates cops."

Troy lips pulled and he raised his brow as he looked over at Eliot, "Not many people like cops."

When they pulled into the driveway Troy frowned when he seen Gabriella sitting on his front porch swing with a soft, small blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had a beer in her hands a couple of bottles on the table beside her. Her face was pale, her expression apprehensive and he didn't have to guess what she was thinking about.

"Hi mom," Eliot said as he went up the stairs and made a beeline straight for her.

Gabriella's face soften and she opened the blanket to welcome him, "Hey baby," she cooed. "How was school?"

"Jake left early."

Gabriella frowned as she reached her hands up to touch Eliot's cheeks. "I know," she said quietly wiping away a stray eyelash with her thumb. "We have to stay here for a while."

"Did daddy find us?"

The question hung out there for a moment as Gabriella stared at her son. "We're going to be just fine. You hear me," she said bringing him closer to her.

Troy kept his distance as the two had their moment. He watched as Gabriella gently explained that Jake probably wouldn't be at school for a while. How it might be best that he not go to school for a while either. Troy checked his phone messages, two missed calls from his father and couple from the station. Three text messages from Taylor.

Troy closed his phone and eased into the wicker chair near her placing the brown bag at his feet.

"What's in the bag?"

"I hope you're hungry. I haven't eaten all day and I'm starving. I picked up some sandwiches, slaw and fries from the barbecue place."

Gabriella winced as she adjusted the small blanket around Eliot. Revealing to him that she was wearing his clothes. "I can't even think about food. I wonder if I will ever get that image out of my head- or the smell out of my nose." A wave of queasiness moved through her.

"What smell mommy?"

"Nothing Babe, Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Eliot said leaning forward look inside the bag.

Troy reached in the bag and took out a sandwich and handed it to Eliot, "Here you go," he said with a smile as he seen the smile on Eliot's face.

"I get a whole sandwich to myself!?"

"It's only right." Troy said matter of fact as he looked over at Gabriella with a small smirk. While Eliot sat back down and started to unwrap his sandwich Troy nudge Gabriella's knee, "You can't have that much beer on an empty stomach." He slipped a couple of fries in his mouth as he searched for the other sandwiches

"I haven't had enough. So don't even think about taking advantage of me." She watched him unwrap a barbeque sandwich then devour it. He offered her some fries but she shook her head.

"I was worried about you taking advantage of me." Troy said quietly, "Instincts remember."

Gabriella laughed in spite of herself, deciding to change the subject before things got dangerous she let out a sigh and looked over at Eliot. "How long have you been Sheriff?"

"Not long, a year maybe."

"Wow," Gabriella said using her fingers to brush some of Eliot's hair back from his face. "You really jumped into the fire with this one didn't you."

"Considering that not much happens here, yeah." Troy let out a small laugh as he picked up two more fries.

Gabriella was quiet for a while as her mind drifted off into the events of the day. "How could anyone hurt her like that and just dump her like she was trash, out in the open where animals and insects can get to her? Who does that?"

Troy watched Eliot as he enjoyed his sandwich. Not interested in their conversation. "We may never have the answer to that question."

She needed a distraction. She had thought of nothing but the body for hours, so she changed the topic. "So what's your dad up to these days?"

Troy let out a breath, "He's reluctant to enjoy retired life. He's at the station a lot, volunteering when he's not scaring the hell out of the neighborhood kids with his taxidermy hobby."

Gabriella brow shot up, "Taxidermy?"

"What's taxidermy?" Eliot asked looking at the two adults.

"That means he makes creepy little dolls," Gabriella said softly as she reached for a fry from Troy's pile.

Troy pushed the pile more towards her as he picked up his sandwich again. "What about you any hobbies?"

Gabriella was quite for a little while as she thought about it. "I guess, I don't have many hobbies."

"You stopped singing," Troy asked quietly.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulder, "Didn't really have a reason too."

"I'm sorry things couldn't be different," he said earnestly.

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders, "Honestly," she reached for another fry. "I'm over it. I use to wish things were different all the time. I use to dream about coming back, about mom and dad and the good ole days when people cared if I was okay. When the bad guys were easier to spot and didn't smell so nice and take you to such fancy restaurants." The last part was a said in a low mumble more than rant. "The point is God had another plan for me, I won't say his message was kind or loving but there has to be a reason for it. Right?"

Troy was quiet as he watched both Gabriella and Eliot sitting side by side on his front porch. His instinct to protect them back in full force. He'd do anything to give them a sense of peace. A sense of freedom from the life they had been living up until this point. A life were a child didn't worry about being protected and a mother didn't worry about her life being threatened by a man who vowed to cherish it. "It's not fair that you've gone through the things you have. Lesson to be learned from it or not."

He was right, of course. And yet she constantly struggled with the guilt, like being in an abusive relationship was somehow her own fault. It wasn't logical, but logic doesn't always prevail in life. If only it did. "Yeah, well life isn't fair. Sometimes we have to suck it up."

Troy frowned, "Eliot," he said getting up from his chair, "Do you have any homework?"

"Yes," Eliot nodded as he took another fry.

"Finish up here and we'll do it inside at the dinner table, you might not be attending classes for a bit but we going make sure you don't fall behind."

"Okay."

Gabriella watched as Troy made his way inside leaving Eliot and her alone on the porch. Letting out a sigh she leaned forward and began eating the rest of Troy's fries.

Later that night after Gabriella put Eliot to bed she limped down the stairs into the kitchen in search of a bag she could use to ice down her ankle.

"How's your Ankle?" Troy asked from behind her. "I see you're still limping."

Gabriella jerked as she spun around to face him with her hand over her heart. "Jeez." She sighed reaching a hand over her hip and rubbing it gently, "it's sore but it's better than it was. The pain's sort of moved up to my hip, I guess I should probably put more ice on it."

"Back when I was still in rehab for my shoulder, the best way to loosen up a pulled muscle was a nice long massage," Troy said quietly, "I could… I mean if you want I can give you one," he offered, seeming almost shy.

Her first instinct was to refuse, but it sounded too good to pass up. Silently she nodded. Troy motioned for her to go into the living room and once they were there he gestured for her to get on the couch. Gabriella gingerly lowered herself onto the cushions, her body hissing in discomfort as she winced.

Troy followed suit and got down on his knees beside her and his hand hovered uncertainly over her midsection, "Can I?" He asked, seeming uncharacteristically flustered.

Gabriella nodded.

Troy tentatively pulled down the flannel pajama pants revealing his boxers briefs underneath, "I'll go back tomorrow and get some of your things." He reached for the hem of briefs and pulled them down a little exposing her hip to him. "You're bruised," he murmured," lightly tracing his finger over the discolored flesh. "I hate seeing you hurt."

Gabriella was quiet as she laid there on the couch in the stillness of his living room her head resting on her arm as he touched her like he thought she might break. She couldn't remember anyone treating her with such tenderness before, and it left her feeling unbalanced.

"It's nothing," she reassured him. "Go ahead-you can press down harder than that." Part of her wanted to feel the pain. Maybe it was twisted, but she was so angry about everything that had happen today. Everything that happen because of her. She wanted it to hurt. She felt like she deserved it. Sometimes the lasting effects of years of abuse are harder to shake than you think.

But the massage that Troy gave her wasn't torturous. It was anything but. His strong fingers caressed her banged up body carefully, slowly and methodically assessing every inch of bruised flesh before determining where to press down. Somehow he seemed to sense which spots were most tender without her even having to tell him.

He studied her face intently the entire time, watching for any indication that he should stop or back off. He looked at her as though her wellbeing was the single most important thing in the world. Almost instinctually, it was as though he knew exactly how to touch her and how much pressure to apply. He was so in tune with her body it felt almost like they were of one mind.

Troy's touch left her feeling tingling, lightheaded and on edge. She could feel her muscles relaxing but her body was also responding in other ways. It was only an innocent massage. There was nothing sexual about it, and yet she couldn't help but wonder what other miracles those skillful fingers were capable of performing.

She needed a distraction, she could feel her body getting lost in a fantasy of writhing bodies and impassioned moans. Shutting her eyes, she felt her breathing quicken as she pictured her and Troy rolling around in bed naked, their bodies covered in sweat and their limbs entangled. His hands were all over her bare skin, arousing and exciting her. His lips were pressed against hers kissing a slow, steady trail down to her neck, across her collarbone and over her breasts-

"Are you okay?"

Gabriella's eyes flew open. Troy was looking at her curiously and it was then that she realized she was panting with desire. What the hell was wrong with her? "What?"

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, clearly concerned.

Gabriella shook her head, relieved that he'd mistaken her lust for something else entirely. "It feels good," she said quietly.

Troy lips pulled into a small smile, "Feeling better?"

Gabriella bit her lip avoiding the question as his hand stilled on hips, "What happen to your shoulder?"

Troy shrugged and sat up a little straighter, "Wounded in action."

"How?"

Troy shifted a little uncomfortably, "I was shot at by the enemy, got hurt pretty bad, woke up in Germany and was then shipped to back home a week after that."

"Is there a scar?"

Troy nodded, "Yes, there is."

Gabriella pushed herself up gently so that she was sitting up, "Come here," she said gently patting the seat beside her.

Troy did as he was told and took a seat next to her on the couch, he shifted while she reached to remove his shirt slowly lifting it over his torso then his head until it was discarded on the floor. Her eyes skimmed his bare chest landing on the small scar on his shoulder.

"Sometimes it's a little stiff," he said watching her reaction as her fingers gazed across the scar on his shoulder.

"It looks so small," she said faintly.

"Hurt like hell," Troy assured her.

Gabriella hand slowly ran down his arm, as she admire his chest, "A lot's changed in 15 years. Hasn't it?"

"I showed up, that day. I saw you climb up the tree that day, I just couldn't bring myself to go up there after you."

"Excuse me?" He heard the outrage in her voice and he couldn't blame her for it. "You saw me?"

"When you got there."

"What?" She didn't understand. "You saw me, but you didn't meet me?"

"No. I left for campus tour of West Point with my dad."

The anger she hadn't felt at seeing him again after all this time hit her smack in the face. "You went on a campus tour with your father and couldn't spare ten minutes to let me know? So I didn't wait for you?"

"I didn't have to go, but I chose to go on the tour."

She didn't understand. Maybe she didn't want to understand. "You just left? You left me sitting in that tree for hours? You knew I was there, and you just left?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"For whom?" she voice came out in a sharp tone as a scowl wrinkled her forehead. "Not me. the right thing would have been to meet me, and say 'Hey Ella, I'm leaving for a campus tour with my dad I don't know when I'll be back but hey have a nice life in Chicago?' the right thing was not leaving me there, sweating to death in that tree. Waiting for you while you were on your way to West Point!"

"You're angry. I don't blame you."

"Well gee thanks for not blaming me," he reached for her but she pulled away. "Don't." She folded her arms across her breasts. To keep from giving him the throat punch he deserved or to protect herself from the punch in her heart, she wasn't sure which. Maybe both.

"Damn it Ella," he said coming up close to her placing his hands on her shoulders, "I can't get you out of my mind, every night I dream of you and every day I think of you."

Gabriella took a shallow breath, "You hurt me."

He winced. "I know."

"I won't be hurt by you again. I can't be hurt again. I'm tired of being messed with."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Then leave."

"I can't," he said shifting closer to her and celebrating internally when she didn't move away. "And you don't really want me to."

"Yes, I-" she broke off when he gently turned her around so they were facing each other and pulled her into him. "No I really don't."

"Then I'm not going anywhere," He kissed the top of her head softly as they fell back into the couch with ease. "You're safe now."