As soon as Jo stepped off the elevator and headed out the precinct doors, a burst of cold wind hit her. She pulled her coat tighter against her and wrapped her scarf around her. Then she started on her way home. Her phone immediately started to ring. She knew who it was before she even answered it.

"Mac Taylor" she said, smiling on the inside.

"Am I really that predictable?" asked Mac jokingly.

"Well generally yes, but it might have had something to do with the fact that you told me you

were gonna call me and talk to me the whole way home" she said laughing.

"Okay, so you got me" said Mac chuckling. "So what's on the agenda tonight for

the always effervescent Jo Danville?" asked Mac, starting a conversation.

"Mac, didn't your mother ever tell you that flattery will get you nowhere?" asked Jo.

"Hey, I thought I was pretty charming" said Mac. Jo just laughed.

"Well my plans include going home and taking a relaxing hot bath, helping Ellie with some

homework, and probably topping it off by watching a little Letterman and going to bed" said Jo.

"Typical night at my place" she continued.

Mac hesitated for a moment and then spoke again. "Well maybe we can grab dinner after work sometime and then it won't be so typical" said Mac.

That lump started to form in Jo's throat again. Was Mac asking her on a date. "Uh, sure, that sounds great" said Jo.

"Great, how's Friday night sound?" asked Mac. "Perfect" said Jo. She knew Mac was probably grinning from ear to ear on the other end of the line. Jo was so caught up in her conversation with Mac that she didn't notice that someone was creeping up behind her. Suddenly she felt something wrap around her throat and she was forcibly yanked backwards. Her cell phone flew out of her hand and hit the concrete.

Her instincts suddenly kicked in and she clawed at the rope around her throat desperate for air.

"Jo, Jo" yelled Mac worriedly. "Jo talk to me, are you okay?" he said frantically.

Jo's vision started to get hazy and she felt like at any moment she would black out completely. Then the assailant kicked her in the back of the leg and she crashed to the ground.

"Ahh" she screamed in pain. She elbowed him in the gut and he released his hold on the rope choking her. He reached down and picked up her phone. "Jo can't come to the phone right now" he said and then threw the phone back down. Mac immediately sprang into action. He needed to get a trace on Jo's phone, and fast. He was relieved to find that Adam was pulling a late night.

He rushed into the AV lab. "Adam" said Mac erratically.

"Yeah Mac, what's up?" asked Adam.

"Jo's in trouble I need a trace on her phone, quickly" he retorted.

"Oh Man" said Adam. Mac handed the phone to Adam and he quickly went at it.

"Hurry Adam" yelled Mac.

"I'm trying" replied Adam. "Got it" he said. "She's on Mercer Street" said Adam. Adam barely finished his sentence before Mac tore out of there.

Jo was still recovering from the lack of oxygen when he came at here again. She reached for her gun, but he was too fast. He kicked the gun out of her hand and backhanded her across the face so hard that it sent her sprawling backwards. Her head smacked the concrete with a crack.

It dazed her somewhat and she could taste the blood coming from her lip. The pain that radiated from the base of her skull was immense, but she somehow managed to regain her composure and kicked him in the groin.

He screamed out in pain. "Oh you're gonna pay for that one Jo" he said sinfully. She raced toward her gun, but he wasn't giving up that easily. He charged at her, and before she could get to her gun, he grabbed her by the back of her jacket and threw her down the stairwell. She landed with a thud at the bottom.

Once again her head collided with the cold hard concrete and the breath was knocked out of her. She opened her eyes and tried to pick herself up off the floor. Her vision was hazy, and as she tried to maneuver herself in the upright position, she not only felt an increasing pain at the base of her skull, but her breathing became increasingly painful and she had to steady herself against the wall. By the severity of the pain, she surmised that at least a couple of her ribs were broken.

Her assailant picked up her gun and headed down the stairs. A wave of panic shot through her, as she heard the sound of footsteps coming toward her. She flattened herself against the wall. Then she swallowed hard as the sound of the footsteps rescinded. "Jo don't think that you can hide from me" he said, anger prevalent in his voice.

She knew that even as dark as it was there was only so much time that she could stay out of his sight. She crept slowly along the wall, hoping that he wouldn't hear or see her.

Mac tore down the streets of New York like a bat out of hell, with his sirens blaring. He ran almost every red light and almost swapped paint with at least five other vehicles. "Come on" he yelled as a car pulled out right in front of him and he slammed on the breaks. "Dammit" he said angrily. He finally was able to get around the other car and sped off again.

When she reached the edge of the stairs she made a run for it. She wasn't quick enough,

however. Her attacker grabbed her ankle and she came crashing down. She screamed out in

pain as her broken ribs ricocheted off the concrete stairs. He flipped her over to face him. She

looked up in to the cold, unforgiving eyes of John Curtis.

"Did you miss me Jo?" he asked chuckling sinisterly.

"You bastard" said Jo gritting her teeth as the pain worsened.

"Is that a no?" he asked sarcastically.

"Go to hell" said Jo.

"You first" he said yanking her up and slamming her roughly against the wall. She clenched her teeth as another wave of pain shot through her body. He then took her handcuffs and tried to put them on her. She wasn't giving in that easily, however. She brought her elbow up and it made contact with his nose. He screamed out in pain, but didn't let up. "You stupid bitch" he said with fury radiating in his voice.

He yanked her arm behind her so forcefully that she thought it might break right off. He cuffed her wrist together and spun her around to face him. She could see the anger on his face and was afraid of what he might do next. He took her gun, which he had acquired earlier, and smashed it into the side of her head, and she fell to the ground motionless.

"Wake up Jo, were gonna have ourselves a little fun" he said with a smirk as he patted the side of her face trying to get her to come to. It wasn't long at all before she started to stir. She tried to get up, but felt very heavy.

She looked up and realized that Curtis was now on top of her. She tried to squirm out from under him, but he was too strong. "Oh, Jo you don't know how long I have waited for this" he said with an evil gleam in his eye. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw the glint of a knife.

Jo had always prided herself on being a very strong an independent woman; above begging to a scumbag like John Curtis, but yet, right here in his moment she felt it was all she could do.

"Please don't do this" she pleaded.

"It's too late for that Jo, you should have just kept your distance, you got too close and now you're gonna pay for it" he said smacking her in the face.

She could feel the salty wetness of tears starting to form in her eyes, but she didn't want to let him, of all people, see her cry. He took the knife and sliced the front of her shirt all the way down, exposing her bra. "Very nice" he said as he ran his hands along her breast. She just closed her eyes and tried to keep her breathing calm, preparing herself for what would inevitably follow.