Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it, thanks for the recs so far thinking on them

Longer update, but don't expect too many of these, class's start and I have to prep for them.

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Carter woke up in a cold sweat looking around it took him a minute to realize that he was in Ty's guest bedroom. Something was nagging him as his heart rate accelerated. Why did they take the guys family? How could they? If the guy was in protective custody then his family should have been.

Grabbing for his cell phone on the nightstand, Carter ignored the aching pain his arm and side from the sudden movements. Dialing Maynard's cell phone Carter cursed himself for not figuring this out before. Why hadn't Dean or Ty thought of it? Dean was the cowboy who was probably eager to get back to work. Ty, Carter justified, was probably too worried about his own problems, as he had been for awhile. Distracted enough to miss a glaring detail that was never answered, how did this happen.

"Maynard." Maynard's sleepy voice came over.

"How was the family kidnapped?"

"What do you mean?" the Captain asked sitting up in bed hoping he wouldn't wake his wife. Looking at the bedside table, the alarm clock showed in big red numbers that it was 4 in the morning.

"They were in protective custody right?"

"Yeah. The group was able to find out what hotel the feds had the family in. They injured both guards."

"But how did they find out where the family was being held?"

"They are investigating that now."

"it's an inside job. Do they know you sent a team in undercover?" Carter said sure it had to be an inside job. It was the only way the location could have been leaked. Someone was working with the Patriots.

"No. They asked for our help and I told them you were out of commission."

"Are you sure they wouldn't know you sent a team in?" Carter asked one more time. It was the worst possible situation for someone to go undercover with the same identity only to have the identity blown before they reintegrated themselves with the target.

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Ty knocked on the door of his contacts apartment. Dean stood next to him, out of view of the peep hole.

"Who is it?"

"It's Ty, Rick open the damn door." Ty said smiling.

"I don't know a Ty."

"Sure you don't asshole. Open the door is this how you welcome a friend."

Rick opened the door and saw Ty and Dean standing in the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"I just got out." Ty said, "finally got to make my way back here."

"Who is he?" Rick asked looking at Dean.

"A friend he's cool. We were in the service together. Same squad and all. He gave me a ride back."

"What happened to you after the trial?"

"Man they had some old charges on me. I got moved back to face those cases. And it was decided that I would best serve my time in Florida. Fucking hate Florida."

"And you got out?"

"yeah they couldn't keep me forever. I got a good lawyer who got my sentenced reduced because of some mistake the cops made."

"Come in." Rick said deciding that discussing business in the hallway wasn't the best idea.

Dean and Ty walked into the small apartment taking a seat on the small couch.

"Hey man do you have any beer? I haven't had a cold one in a long time." Ty asked Rick.

"Sure." Rick walked into the kitchen grabbing a beer. He wasn't sure if he could trust Ty yet. But he owed Ty. Ty took a fall for him on the case. Rick was suppose to be at the meet not Ty. But Rick had gotten food poisoning right before the deal was suppose to go down. Ty went for him, and was the one who took the fall.

"So what are you doing here?" Rick asked handing Ty and Dean a beer.

"Looking for some work." Ty said, " I just got out and I got nothing man. No one left to work with. Seems like everyone got busted. I was hoping that you and the crew might have some space for myself and Dean."

"You know we don't like new faces."

"Dean's a good guy. The best. I trust him with my life. Did over in the first Gulf War. The idiot saved my life a few times."

"What does Dean do?" Rick asked looking over the man sitting next to Ty.

"I'm an explosives expert and can fix any gun you need fixed. I also have some medical training." Dean answered.

"Do you agree with our ideology?"

"Of course I do or I wouldn't be here. When Ty told me about you guys I knew I belonged here. That's why I gave the sorry bastard a ride all the way here." Dean answered smiling, "Someone has to help take this country back from the socialist before we turn into USSR. They might have won the cold war after all, if we don't do anything. And don't get me going on the current military leaders. A bunch of pussies."

Rick smiled at the younger mans rant. "I'll see what I can do. I need Dean's full name."

"What for?" Dean asked.

"Background check. Ty I'll also need to know what prison you were in."

"sure no problem. I was in administrative segregation from day one. I was too dangerous for general pop. But there are a few people who will vouch for me." Ty wrote the prison information down as well as Deans full name.

"You got a place to stay?" Rick asked taking the paper from Ty.

"Yeah we had enough money for a hotel room."

"Write that information down too."

"no problem." Ty gave him the information.

"shouldn't be but a day or two. I'll go give the boss the information."

"Who is running things now?" T y asked.

"Sanchez."

"really."

"Buddy got killed. Bastard blew himself up trying to make homemade C4."

Ty and Rick both laughed, Dean joined in shortly after the two started.

"Looks like you all might need my man Dean after all."

"Looks like it if he can do what he says he can." Rick turned, "You can stay here as long as need be. I have to get to work." Rick said leaving the room to go change. As far as Rick was concerned now, he could trust Ty and if Dean was Ty's friend then he could trust him too. It was up to Sanchez if they could be trusted enough to join the Patriots.

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Carter's next call was to Jamie she was awake thankfully.

"Jamie I need you to run down information on the guards that were injured during the kidnapping. Background information, bank accounts, anything and everything. If you need help contact Maynard he'll get you a tech person. I think Gina is available again." Carter said.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Something isn't right. It was all too easy for them to kidnap the guys family."

"I'll get on it. Anything else?"

"Not right now." Carter answered.

They both hung up and Jamie started working on tracking down information. Maynard had already contacted Gina about helping out with the search. Jamie was well into the search, putting her own problems on hold, when Gina showed up and introduced herself.

"How long have you worked with Carter?" Jamie asked Gina as they were both typing away searing for more information.

"Off and on since he started doing the undercover work."

"was he always like this?"

"You mean dedicated to the point that he works himself into the ground trying to get the bad guy."

"Yeah."

"Ever since I knew him. But a few people I've run into worked with him before, well before his wife died, and they all say he was a good cop and a great guy. Not as hardcore back then as he is now."

"he was married?"

"I guess. I don't know much about him before now. Just some stuff I heard from some of the guys."

Jamie thought about the information she had gained from Gina. Carter was married, and his wife had died. That would explain why he lived for the job, there was nothing else to live for. But it did not help her in deciding if he would be ok with her and Dean's relationship? Things took off during the break from work. She couldn't block out the thoughts of how they had finally decided that they were going to give it a try.

After Dean left her apartment upset, it took her only about thirty minutes to realize she had been stupid. There was nothing for her to do for the next few weeks, and she was interested in where Dean came from. Maybe even see what a real family looked like. So she rushed over to his apartment bag packed for a week.

Dean had been surprised when she opened the door. She knew it by the look on his face, which was quickly followed by a smirk when he saw she had a duffle bag in one hand.

"Change your mind?" Dean asked.

"I can always use some practice on my undercover work. What better then a nice safe environment like your family? "

"And you want to know where I came from."

"there's that too." Jamie admitted.

"You are in luck I was just getting ready to leave." Dean said walking over to the couch to grab his own duffle bag.

"How do you want to play this?" Jamie asked.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked honestly not sure what she meant.

"Are we friends or are we dating?"

Dean laughed, the loaded question was back again. Friends meant he was not interested anymore, dating meant they probably would be more then friends. "You know Carter will kill us if he finds out? He's probably kick both of us off the team."

"I know. And it's a chance I'm willing to take if you are. But we can't let this interfere with work. No one can know, which means no more making out on the job unless it's part of a cover."

"Fair enough." Dean said accepting her offer and giving into her finally.

"So does that mean I'm going in as your girlfriend?"

"Yeah." Dean said pulling her to him, kissing her deeply.

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After Rick left Ty and Dean looked around a bit, finding nothing interesting the two men returned to the shared hotel room.

"This sucks." Ty said sitting on one of the two beds in the hotel room.

"Why because you don't get to be with Melissa?"

"No because this place is a dump. I always get stuck in the dumps. There are cockroaches in the bathroom."

"it's homey." Dean laughed sitting down. "It won't be long anyways."

"I hope."

"Afraid Carter is going to steal your woman away."

"No." Ty said honestly.

"How is he doing anyways?" Dean asked.

"He's fine. Quiet and a little different than he is at work." Ty paused not sure if he should tell Dean or not, "did you know he was married?"

"no. he never mentioned it to me." Dean answered. "Why did he tell you?"

"He didn't mean to. Melissa was trying to get to him and she asked him. He told her he was married and his wife died."

"Wow." Dean was leaning against the headboard, "That explains a lot."

"Yeah. I think I saw a picture of his wife on his laptop."

"Possible." Dean said, "I've caught him a few times watching a video, but he always turns it off before I got to see it."

"Wanna watch some TV on our nice bolted to the table TV?" Ty said changing the subject they really should be focused on the mission. Any slip could be disastrous better to stay undercover the entire time.

"fine with me. I just hope the pizza gets here soon enough." Dean noted the change and decided to leave it.

The two men watched TV and ate pizza the rest of the night both of them enjoying the calm before the storm. They knew starting the next morning it would either be the beginning of their mission or the end of their life. The work they did before they went undercover would decided which fate awaited them.

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Carter was unable to get back to sleep after his phone calls with Maynard and Jamie. Unable to rest, and unable to turn his mind off he decided it was better to find something else to do. It was time to get back on his feet and force his body to recover so he would not have to sit at the sidelines anymore. Walking out into the kitchen he got a cup of water, taking his pills, and drinking the water he looked outside. The sun was just starting to come out. It was a beautiful site to take it, something he usually allowed himself since he was usually awake at sunrise.

It was a start of a new day, new troubles to come and add to the old troubles. Another day without his wife, and even though it was a long time since she had been alive it still hurt. Shaking those thoughts from his mind he was not sure what to do, but he needed to do something. When he heard an alarm clock go off down the hallway he knew what he could do. Opening the fridge he found the ingredients he needed. Looking around the kitchen revealed a well stock kitchen. Potts and pans, and a variety of ingredients and spices, more than a typical kitchen would hold.

Melissa quickly showered after turning her alarm clock. When she exited the shower she could smell eggs and bacon being cooked. She smiled, it had to be Ty doing it. Quickly drying off she dressed and walked down the hallway expecting to find Ty cooking a meal for her.

Instead, she saw Carter standing over the oven flipping an omelet.

"Good morning." She said smiling at him. She walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I hope it's ok. But I was bored so I thought I'd cook."

"Sure it's no problem." Melissa said pleasantly surprised. Ty was far from a good cook, but she never told him that. But whatever Carter was cooking smelled delicious. "You know how to cook?"

"Yeah. I actually was a line cook before I became a cop."

"Really?"

"Paid the bills while I was in college."

"Where did you go to college?"

"UCLA." Carter answered.

"What did you go to school for?"

"Criminology. How about you?"

"Photography and design." She answered. Remembering the dinner party later she said, "I have some friends and family coming over tonight for a dinner party. I have room for one more. Would you join us?"

"If you don't mind." Carter said feeling uncomfortable. It had been a long time since he had been in that type of environment when he wasn't undercover.

"Not at all. I am going to the market later to pick up some stuff I need. Would you like to come?"

"That would be nice." Carter answered wincing when he moved wrong.

"Great. We'll eat, change your bandages and then go to the market." Melissa said as Carter placed a plate of food before her.

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Jamie was in the kitchen of the safe house eating one of Carters fruit cups, when she heard Gina call out to her.

"I got something." Gina called.

Jamie walked into the work area, "What's up?"

"Well it wasn't any of the agents that called any known or possible contacts with the Patriots."

"I assume this means you know who?"

"Not yet. But all of the numbers called by the agents over the past few days I've run down and came up with nothing. It would be helpful if we had a number to track to anyone associated with the Patriots. However, there was a call made from the hotel room to an associate of the patriots, a William Schwarz. He worked with a Marcus Sanchez, who is now believed to be the head commander of the Patriots."

"From the hotel room?"

"The main bedroom to be exact." Gina said.

"So it could have been one of the agents?"

"Wrong hotel room."

"What?" Jamie was confused.

"They are keeping the informant in a different hotel."

"Don't they usually try to keep the informant with their family to make them happier and more cooperative."

"typically, but sometimes for whatever reason they don't. One reason could be that it is deemed too dangerous to have the entire family in one spot, especially for groups who don't just kill the informant but the family as well. Or the informant can choose to not have their family with them." Gina answered.

"Do we know what the case is here?" Jamie asked, then she answered her own question a second later, "The patriots don't kill innocent people, well not the family members. Awhile back there was a person who was working against them, not someone in their group, but someone helping them. They were going to turn evidence against them. Before he got a chance to give his full story the Patriots killed him in his own backyard. The family was there too and they didn't kill them. Didn't even touch them. Actually had the wife take the kids inside before they killed her husband."

"So we can assume the FBI was not the cause of the separation."

"No." Jamie said, "How long would it take for you to run down the agents on the husband?"

"Not too long."

"let me know what you find. I'll start working on the husband."

Jamie walked away, dialing Carter's cell phone.

On the sixth ring he finally answered, "Carter."

Jamie heard noise in the background, sounded like running water, "Where are you?"

"in the shower what do you have?" carter asked, one hand holding onto the towel rack to keep himself upright. He was in pain from rushing to grab the phone. He jarred his ribs, and the wound on his abdomen.

"Gina tracked down all the numbers called by the agents who were guarding the family. Home phones, cell phones, and work phones, nothing came up. But we thought it was strange that the FBI kept the informant away from his family. The Patriots aren't known for killing the family, as well as the informant. There are cases in the past were they actually had the family leave before they killed an informant."

"So the informant requested his family be held in a separate place."

"yes. There was also a phone call made from the informants hotel room, the main bedroom to be exact."

"Do we know who made the call?"

"No Gina is working on that now."

"Let me know when you have something." Carter said resisting the urge to rush into work, but there was nothing he could do. Gina was the best at the computer work, and Jamie would keep him informed.

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Dean answered the knock at the door of their hotel room. Ty was in the shower at the moment. The guy from earlier Rick and another guy were at the door. Dean stepped aside to let them in looking outside to see if there was anyone else.

"It all checked out." Rick said leaning against the wall.

"Ok." Dean said looking at them. They didn't look happy.

"But Sanchez isn't ready to bring someone new in just yet. He doesn't trust you." The new guy said looking at Dean. "He has a task he wants you to complete, something to help gain his trust."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"We are a little short on funds since our banker has been away on vacation." The new guy continued, "We have some product to be sold, that will help replenish the funds. But the problem is that we cannot move it right now. The feds are watching us closely. So we want you and Ty to take the product to the people we supply and collect the money for us."

"Is that all?" Dean said surprised it was an easy task.

"no. we also need a explosive device made. Rick can give you more information on it. But we need it by tonight."

"What for?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Just trying to figure out what I'll need to make it." Dean said.

"Rick will give you that information and he has the supplies as well. He'll take you to a warehouse where you can build it."

"Fair enough anything else?"

"no."

Ty walked into the room dressed. "What's up?"

"They don't trust me. So they want us to do a few things for them." Dean said not taking his eyes off the new guy.

"Like what?" Ty said showing that he was upset.

"Run some drugs for them, and build a bomb." Dean said as if it were nothing.

"You know this is some bullshit." Ty snapped, "I did time for you and when I come back you don't trust me."

Rick jumped in, "Ty it's not you we don't trust. It's your boy. Sanchez doesn't feel comfortable with new faces."

"You are right he is my boy and I thought my word might mean something since I did time for you. But I see all your talk about brotherhood is shit."

"don't go there." The new guy snapped.

"Ty relax." Dean said, "We'll do the damn job it's nothing man. Really."

"Just some bullshit." Ty said shaking his head.

"Then it's settled?" Rick asked.

"Yeah." Ty said still angry.

"Good." The new guy stated, "Rick why don't you take Dean here to the warehouse and help him. They can run the drugs later when he's done with the bomb."

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