The couple who was not traveling together arrived in Davos late in the afternoon. She took a shuttle to the ski resort and easily found the house phone. Nicky called Ben's room but there was no answer. She was still tired despite the sleep she'd had on the train. Her body ached for a bed, for Ben to hold her, to feel like there hadn't been a need to run last night.

Looking around she found a seating area tucked in a corner. Oversized and overstuffed furniture dotted around one of the many large fireplaces the enormous lobby boasted. She took off her coat, and took a seat, confident in her being hidden. Lauren was a guest here and hadn't invited Nicky. So here in Switzerland, Nicky hid from Lauren.

She pulled her coat back to her and reached in to a pocket for her phone. She dialed Ben.

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A woman with an earpiece pushed back from her computer and turned toward her superior.

"Sir, we have an incoming call on Ben Carpenter's cell."

"Let's hear it," he replied

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The phone rang 5 times and she was ready to hang up when he finally answered.

"Ben, it's me. Where are you?"

"Hi! I can't really talk now." He was in the car and shot his sister a sidelong glance. "Lauren and I just did a quick tour of the area. Let me call you when we're back. About 10 minutes."

"I'm in the lobby." She told him. "By the fireplace with the animal carvings."

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The agent typed on her keyboard and looked back up to her boss.

"Call came from Davos Ski Resort. Switzerland."

He nodded, pleased. "Find out who we have in that area. We need eyes there. Check the hotel records there and in the area. And fax her picture over to Davos—the hotel and local authorities. If she's there we need to find her. "

She got right on it.

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Going to put the cell phone back in her pocket turned into an entirely event then she'd planned. Dropping the one phone in she realized that it had company. Her heart pounded as she palmed it and knew immediately what it was. The fact that it had found a home in her pocket at some point meant that he was near. Here. It could only be Jason.

For two minutes she held it in her pocket, refusing to take it out. It hadn't rung or shook and so she held it, swallowing hard, refusing to look around.

And then it did ring. And Nicky jumped.

The volume was set on too high of a setting for her to let it ring without causing a distraction. Purposeful. She took a breath and, shaking, opened the phone. She found she couldn't find her voice.

"You got out just in time." His voice. "Good job."

Her face peeked around the chair she was sitting in but she didn't see him among the skiers bustling around the busy lobby. "Where are you?" No emotion Nicky, she told herself. All business. Good.

"Right here." She felt his body warmth immediately push out the chill of the empty space that had been next to her. But she couldn't look at him yet. Instead, quietly and slowly she hung up the phone and left it next to her, keeping her head low and her eyes averted.

Awkward silence as she tried to gauge her emotions. Too tired to process she veered from anger that he'd put her on that damn bus to begin with, that he hadn't known her or wanted to; fear that he was here and what that meant; sorrow—heartbroken to know that just his presence made her forget her current feelings for another and longed for him to recognize her again. And in last place, joy. Joy to see him in front of her, alive and unharmed.

She cleared her throat and fought tears. "Why are you here?"

"Nicky—" He began.

"Sophie." She corrected and turned sharply to face him.

"Right." He'd named her. One of three identities he'd given her through the Seville contact. And he smiled to himself. "I think that one was my favorite." Back to serious. "You've been made."

"What…? How…?" She looked around the lobby again eyeing the people, looking for trouble.

He wouldn't tell her about her tail, her apartment, the explosion. Not now. "It doesn't matter now, we need to go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" She was incredulous. Did he really think she'd follow that blindly?

"You used my contact in Seville. You trusted that." He paused. "Trust me now."

Nicky stared at Jason, her chest heaving while her heart pounded and she tried to sort through the pieces. IF she'd been made then yes she had to go, Ben would be in danger. But if she was SAFE….but had she felt safe? Why did she take the bag with her? Why not go home last night? She looked at Jason and into his eyes. He'd never lied to her. He wasn't lying now.

In that moment Ben walked in, and eyed the interaction between Nicky and the strange man nervously.

"Everything okay here?" He looked at Nicky.

Nicky was lost. This was too much at once and she couldn't find one clear thought. "Hey...yeah." Her tone was too wispy and unconvincing. Ben knew there was something wrong but before he could do anything about it Jason stepped forward and put out a hand while throwing a quick look at Nicky.

"Hey, how are ya?" He offered easily, negating the tension in the air. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm John." Jason waited for his reply, allowing him to fill in the pieces. After all, didn't everyone know a John?

"Ohh, shit," Nicky muttered and turned away.

"John? Your broth--?" Ben looked from Jason to Nicky with his huge smile broadening. "Well, that's great!" He strongly took Jason's outstretched hand and pumped it. "Nice to meet you, John."

Ben looked to Nicky, taking her scowl for disdain over her brother's appearance. "Did you know...?" he asked her.

Looking directly at Jason she answered with a sharp and clear, "No." She fumed inside. Ben shouldn't be involved in this.

"Well look," he looked to Jason. "Would you give us a second?" He asked Jason, pulling Nicky to the side.

"Sure, that's fine," Jason replied, backing up slightly, surveying the lobby.

"Stay here." Ben told her as they stopped near the wall. He put his hands on Nicky's shoulders and spoke to her emphatically. "Talk to your brother."

"He's not---" Nicky bit her tongue. What was she going to say? That he wasn't her brother? She found her words. "He's not...easy…to talk to."

"Try." He smiled at her. " Our room is 4112." He slipped her a key card and she tried to smile. All she'd wanted ten minutes ago was to be with him and now she wanted him to be as far away as possible. Far away and safe. "Meet me later for a drink and tell me about him. Maybe bring him along." He looked back over his shoulder at the athletic looking man who had sat in a stuffed chair with his back to the wall, people watching.

Nicky sighed. She nodded at him and rested her forehead against his chest. "You don't think it's…strange ? Him just showing up like this?" She whispered. What brought him to Switzerland? Why not Rome? Why now? She realized in a flash that something had happened. Something Big. And she trembled.

Ben felt the shudder and gathered her in for a hug. "I think you do what you have to for the people that you love." He smoothed her hair. "He's your brother. You told him about our trip and this is where he came--he obviously wants to make things right. Hell, he traveled all the way here to talk to you." He pushed her back slightly. "Sophie, you know how much I want you to be happy. And it just has always seemed like your family problems got in the way of that. Now's your chance to put it all behind you. Make peace." He told her, seriously.

She grinned, looking up at him. He was genuine and wonderful and even now made her smile. "You are so corny." She laughed.

He did too as he pulled her in for a long kiss. Then, pushing her hair back off her face. "I'll see you tonight. Go."

She looked at Jason who'd been watching them intently and then back to Ben. She knew what had to be done. "Yeah." She nodded. "Just…." She was frozen, staring up at him. "Wait…" She wrapped her arms up and around, held him tight and kissed him, trying to convey what she'd never said, hadn't been able to say, hadn't been sure she felt.

This time it was Ben who pulled back first and he held her chin, watching her. "You okay?" His eyes searched hers.

"Mm, hmm." She smiled at him and wiped a tear. "I just…I'm so glad I met you."

"Now, who's being corny?" he laughed. He pointed toward Jason. "Now stop stalling. Go. I'll see you later."

"Okay," She whispered. Only she knew she wouldn't. Ben strode through the lobby and Nicky watched until he was gone. She reasserted her bag on her shoulder and walked back to Jason, hating herself more and more with each step. She wouldn't meet his gaze. "Where are we going?"