Title: Desperate Measures
Chapter 11 – Wrong Us – Shall We Not Avenge?

"Yes tomorrow's the start of brand new week," Donna mumbles to herself about an hour later; her mind still reveling in the wonderful bond they had really forged the past few days, drawing them even closer than she thought possible. She thinks back to their date the night before and Ed's expression after he had eaten the snail and snickers to herself, just as he enters the kitchen.

"Care to share?" He warmly requests.

"I'm thinking of making you snails tonight."

"Very funny," he quickly deadpans. "So hear anything more from Greg?"

"No you?"

"No. Guess Ida really is gone and…and yeah that's it…it's all over now. I'm sure he would have said something more if she was still around," Ed ponders, not knowing the real truth.

"And for that I am thankful," Donna replies, her mind inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. "So what's on deck for today?"

"More of what we did last night," he playfully suggests as his lips nuzzle her ear, his warm skin teasing hers.

"I am not burning these waffles," she offers a teasing pout and he slightly smirks.

"Okay so what can I make?"

"Well…"

But breakfast was almost ready and it was time to sit down, enjoy and just relax. The day ahead was spent going back to Donna's and finishing up with the apartment, then leaving it completely empty at the end of the day.

"Definitely a great argument for a new apartment," Donna smirks as she stands in the doorway of the spare bedroom, looking at all the boxes. But as she allows the images of her packed up belongings to fade and the image of her the first night after their forced marriage to arise, she sees herself sitting on the bed crying. She quickly swallows back a sniffle, feeling Ed's warm hand on her waist. "I remember that night."

"Never thought we'd get to this point," Ed admits in a soft tone. "Figured I wake up the next morning and you'd have been long gone…moved across the country or something."

"Part of me was tempted," she sighs as she leans into his waiting embrace. "But I've never run away from a fight and wasn't about to start – not when I had so much to stay and fight for," she concludes, her hand squeezing his and her eyes closing for a few seconds as he plants a firm kiss on the top of her head.

"Well I'm glad you didn't leave," he confirms as she turns and looks at his serious expression. "Come on, let's get to bed," his hand gently squeezes her arm, "we have an early day tomorrow."

"Sleep time it is."

"Sleep? Who mentioned sleep?" Ed playfully wags his brows, garnering an eye roll and smirk from his wife.

"You are trouble you know that," she quips as they leave the room and turn off the light.

"I know…wanna punish me for that?"

"Yes I do."

XXXXXXXX

Monday morning arrives to find both of them up early, wanting to start the new week with a new routine; both of them dressed and heading out to enjoy an early morning jog and some friendly banter; coming back to a quick shower and a brief but nutritional breakfast and then out the door heading to the barn.

"Okay so barring any late hot calls, I'm making dinner tonight," Ed tells Donna as they near the underground parking lot to the SRU headquarters.

"Really?"

"Snails," he grins, earning a playful swat to his arm. "You don't feel like eating a rubber band for dinner?" He deadpans.

"I'm sure whatever you make will be wonderful," she praises as he stops the car, both of them exchanging a loving kiss under the narrowed gaze of a hateful rival; carefully concealed. "See you tonight," she tells him, thinking in her mind the day ahead would go according to their plan.

"Love you," Ed mentions warmly.

"Love you too," she replies in haste as they both get out and head for the elevator doors; two loving smiles adorning their faces.

The main structural clean-up was mostly done and it was now left to the interior crew to finish up and restore it back to the way it was; Tom having texted Donna to tell her that renovations were ahead of schedule and they wouldn't have to be meeting elsewhere. The two of them part ways, Donna heading to find Spike about her paperwork status and then Tom; Ed heading for the men's locker room and being greeted by his best friend.

"Well well well," Wordy greets him with a wide grin. "Someone had a great weekend."

"I haven't even said a word, how can you tell?" Ed asks in surprise.

"Trust me I can tell."

"By a smile?"

"Well it's not like you've come in here with that kind of smile on a daily basis."

"Not yet," Ed chuckles.

"Okay so how was…you know Saturday night?"

"Almost as great as Friday morning."

"Almost?"

"Well you know…hard to beat the first time right?" Ed grins. "Yeah it was…" he pauses as he looks over at Wordy who was watching with an eager smile. "Like I'm gonna give you details."

"What? I would."

"You would not."

"Details? What kind of details?" Sam asks walking into the room.

"Ed's first time with Donna."

"Damn only five minutes late and I seriously missed the sex talk again?" Sam mockingly groans making Wordy snicker and Ed just roll his eyes.

"How about I leave and he gives you some pointers?" Wordy teases Sam.

"Funny."

"So how was your weekend?" Wordy turns back to Ed.

"We had a great weekend actually. I think once we knew Ida was gone for good it kinda cemented things. We were over at her apartment, moving stuff and then we agreed to find our own together…yeah it was pretty great."

"Well I for one am happy for you and now with Donna getting all her stuff back and everyone on the mend it's just concentrating on…"

"Building a lasting marriage," Ed ponders with a thoughtful glance as Wordy nods. "What? It's great okay," he smirks.

"Trust me it suits you and I'm happy for you both. Okay so…" is all Wordy manages before the all too familiar 'team one hot call' is heard overhead and they are sent scrambling; Ed asking Sam how he was feeling after recovering from his minor wounding after Thursday's showdown.

"Boss what do we have?" Ed asks in haste as they hurry toward the basement where the waiting trucks were; Spike sitting out one last time to ensure Donna's paperwork was in order.

XXXXXXXX

"This place is looking better," Donna walks up to Tom, commenting on all the work that had been done by the restoration crew over the weekend. "Ahead of schedule. What?"

"From the cryptic smile I can tell you had a great weekend," Tom greets Donna as she enters the team three debriefing area.

"Cryptic? Tom I am genuinely happy that this place is…"

"Oh yeah it's this place making you that happy. So how was your weekend? Did you have great make up sex?"

"I am so not discussing that with you," she replies in haste. "But yeah the weekend itself was nice…pretty great actually," she answers with a smile, followed by a small frown.

"But?" Tom prods.

"No it's just…I honestly never thought I'd fall in love so fast," she admits with a light sigh. "It's amazing and scary at the same time. Just never had good luck with men you know…remember what's his name?" She smirks.

"Ed's a solid guy and not going to just up and leave, like what's his name. I think he's proven that," Tom reminds her warmly. "And how was date night?"

"Wonderful. Seriously it was…I think the best date I have ever been on," Donna replies with a warm, genuine smile. "We laughed, we talked…we really connected. We talked food, sports…just…everything. It was so natural and…yeah amazing. Gosh listen to me."

"You're happy. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"I sound like a teenager," Donna gently groans, her smile, however slow to fade as she remembers Saturday night.

"Trust me it's healthy. And did you get everything taken care of with your apartment?"

"Yup. I got my deposit remainder and gave the keys back last night. Now we want to find our own place and start fresh."

"Well I'm happy for you two," Tom assures her. "Okay so what's on deck today?"

"I hafta go and find Spike and see what else I need to do…I know he said I hafta go to Immigration and file something in person but if it clears all this up then I'll do it. Any issues I need to take care of first?"

"Nope in fact…" Tom starts only to hear the 'team one hot call' announcement overhead and both exchanged somewhat worried glances. "Back to normal I see."

"I hafta see Spike before he goes. Talk to you later," Donna nods to Tom and then hurries to find Spike.

"Donna."

"Spike I heard the call and…"

"They'll borrow Rylie from Troy's team for this call if necessary. I need to finish this up."

"You sure you're okay to stay and help with this?"

"One last time right?" Spike counters with a friendly smile as he looks up at Donna. "You guys have a nice weekend?"

"Yeah it was nice to just rest and…you know do normal stuff together," she remembers fondly before Spike's silent stare pulls her back to reality. "Sorry," Donna stammers a bit sheepishly. "Daydreaming. Okay so what's left for me to do?"

"Okay so you assigned some cases over…"

"And now I need to get them all assigned back to me right?"

"Sorry," Spike nods with a small frown.

"No that's okay, I had planned for a mostly administrative day. Trust me knowing that this is my choice and that I'm not forced to sit at a damn desk all day is actually comforting. Have all the employment sanctions been lifted?"

"They will be once you…" Spike pauses a he reaches over for a file and then hands it to her, "take this to Judge Newsome, who thankfully managed to emerge from this unscathed," Spike states with a small smile. "He's been told about them already and knows you're coming. You need to have them officially stamped and then…welcome back."

"Thank you!" Donna exclaims as she gives him a warm hug and small peck on the cheek. "Really Spike…I can't tell you how much I appreciated all this. Okay so what do I do first?"

"Well the Judge isn't in until about nine so…"

"Right, case files first. That I can handle," Donna hurries from the room, calling Betty to bring all the files back that she had taken a few weeks back. She watches Ed, now dressed in full SRU gear rushing for the elevator, catches his eye and offers him a small warm smile before the doors close and he's taken from view. Her heart settles upon the small smile he gave her in return, her mind wandering a tad before she quickly snaps back to reality; telling herself the faster she gets all her paperwork done, the sooner she's back in the field, at Tom's side leading her team.

"I wonder what Ed's gonna make for dinner," she absently ponders as Betty arrives with all her files and the busy task of transferring everything back to her name begins.

XXXXXXXX

"How ya feelin' today?" Greg asks as they ride in the elevator down to the concealed parking lot.

"Better. Glad this place is almost back to normal."

"Glad almost everything is back to normal," Greg infers about Donna's paperwork.

"Trust me we're both glad on that front. She's just not the domestic stay at home wife you know."

"Yeah but you like that."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Ed replies with a grin. "So Ida…"

"Yeah we need to talk about that," Greg replies in a hushed tone, his expression instantly serious.

"Boss I'm getting an in progress 9-11 call from…" Jules pipes up as they reach the trucks. "The hostage taker…he's escalated…he shot a guard."

"Let's go team one!" Ed growls as they break apart; the discussion about Ida Logan put on hold until after their first priority was complete. But there was something in Greg's tone and expression that starts to force an uneasy feeling to grow in the pit of his stomach. Had Ida really been spotted in Ireland? Or was she still here? Or did she go elsewhere? Or was there someone else…his mind races for a few seconds with unanswerable questions until Wordy in the passenger seat makes a comment to the rest of the team and his mind snaps back to the task at hand.

"No he's already escalated," Ed reminds them all firmly. "We need another entry point. Sam."

"On it," Sam replies as they near their intended destination.

As he brings the truck to a halt, Ed's eyes dart nervously around, a recent habit inflicted upon him by Ida Logan.

"Ed…"

"Yeah," Ed looks at Wordy with a nod before they both get out and get on their final gear.

"Eddie, take sierra one position up there. Jules stand by sierra two but if the other one's a female I might need you at my side. Wordy…Sam…"

Ed quickly takes out his sniper rifle, his orders clear and his mind knowing exactly how to dictate his actions. Despite the fact that he was still a bit sore from the fight the week before, the fact that he was in the field and not really worrying that much about Ida having a target on his back, he was able to push through the lingering pain and concentrate on getting the job done.

"Sierra one in position," Ed tells his team as he lines up the male gunman in his sights.

"Hold position Eddie," Greg instructs. "Sam where are my eyes?"

"Almost there boss," Sam replies as he and Wordy silent work to get the small hole drilled and the cable inserted. "Okay Rylie should have eyes in the truck now."

"Rylie?"

"Got it. The female is partially hidden in the southeast corner. Ed?"

"No joy on her…sticking with the male target; he's got the main gun. Boss on your call."

"Okay…let's see if we can end this peacefully."

XXXXXXXX

"Winnie, tell Tom if he's looking for me that I am going down to Immigration to file these and get my life back."

"Copy that," Winnie replies with a hearty smile. "How do you like married life so far?" She asks before Donna can completely escape.

"It's…amazing," Donna answers in truth. "I know there will be tough times ahead…ups and downs like everyone else has but we both want this to work so I know it will. Alright I'll be back soon."

Donna takes her files and heads toward the elevator and down into the parking garage; Spike still diligently working away in his little computer room to restore every last word that Ida's main computer man Miles O'Grady had subverted. He looks over at a file and then frowns; it was the confirmed ID's of all those that had a part in storming the barn last Thursday. Something Donna had overlooked in her haste in wanting to get to the Judge and her life back in order. He couldn't blame her for that, but makes a firm mental note to bring it to her attention as soon as she's back.

Donna heads into the Judges office with her paperwork, feeling her nervous anxiety rising a little as the last time she was in this exact same spot she was being told that she was being deported and that was it.

"Glad you got this all straightened out."

"I'm just glad you're here to help with all this."

"Yeah…me too," the older man sighs as he looks at her thoughtfully. "So that's for this paperwork…and the other?"

"What other?"

"The license for the marriage of convenience?" Judge Newsom asks carefully. "I can make that void also if you'd wish."

"Actually no that's staying in place," she answers with a smile.

"Oh so it really was planned?"

"Well we just rushed the process a bit," she replies knowingly. "No regrets for that from either one of us."

"Well then I'll extend my belated congratulations and say all the best. Welcome back Sargeant Sab…Lane."

"Thank you Sir," she extends her hand, taking his and giving it a firm shake.

"Everything is back to the way it was before."

"Thank you again."

Donna finally takes her leave, her smile even bigger than before; exiting the building and completely unaware that not long from now her world was about to be turned literally upside down.

"Enjoy your happiness now Sargeant Lane," Ida hisses from her hidden vantage point. "In an hour you'll never smile again."

XXXXXXXX

"Boss he's stalling for time," Ed huffs over the headset.

"Agreed," Sam pipes up. "The longer we wait the less time that guard has."

"Mary is not agreeing with us," Jules ponders, her voice pausing for a few seconds over the headset. "It's as if…"

"She's waiting for something," Wordy concludes.

"Okay let me t…"

"Boss!" Sam hisses.

"I see it… Eddie?"

"In position," Ed replies as he and the rest of the team watch the male hostage taker pull a pregnant patron from the scared group, place her in front of him and start yelling at Greg, pointing his gun at her swollen belly.

"Boss…"

"Look I know that's not what…"

"I want you all to DIE!" The male gunman shouts as he pulls back on the trigger, Greg knowing what was coming next.

"Scorpio."

It was a split second only but Ed's finger pulling back on the trigger was faster than the male hostage taker, the bullet embedding itself into his head, his body falling clear before the woman and her unborn child could be dealt harm. Sam and Wordy rush in to subdue the female gunman and the once tense crisis was finally brought to the only end written for it.

"Eddie…"

"Yeah boss…coming down. Is SIU here already?"

"Just pulled up."

"Okay on my way down."

Leaving his rifle exactly as is, knowing the drill all too well, Ed gives the scene one last glance before he takes his leave and slowly heads for the elevator to go down; wanting to get SIU over with and then get a few groceries and head home to make dinner for his wife.

XXXXXXXX

"Everything is done, thanks to you Spike," Donna replies as she nears Spike who was talking to Winnie at her desk.

"Welcome back," Spike smiles broadly.

"Thank you."

"Did you see the file I left you in the team three briefing room?"

"No…what's it about?"

"We got the ID's from the shooting here on Thursday. Thought you might want to see all we took down."

"Love to."

XXXXXXXX

Ed emerges from the building with his rifle in his right hand and bag in the other. He glances over at the dark sedan and the two waiting SIU officials and frowns. "A second gentlemen," he tells him as he hands them his stuff and heads over to Greg.

"Eddie?"

"Boss you wanna talk about Ida?"

"Yeah we um…" Greg mentions as Holleran nears them.

"Good work Constable Lane," Holleran praises. "Parker, I need a word."

"Of course. We'll talk about that back at the barn," Greg assures Ed.

"Okay," Ed replies with a small frown as he turns and heads for the darkened sedan, pausing before he climbs into the backseat, his weapon stowed in the trunk; his mind anxious to get this over with and get home.

XXXXXXXX

"Is this everyone?" Donna asks as she nears Spike, still hanging around Winnie's desk.

"Yeah why? Who's missing?"

"I just thought that we'd have gotten lucky and taken out Miles O'Grady as well; you know the pain in the ass that started all this with my paperwork."

"Isn't he there? I thought…" Spike mumbles as he flips through the pictures with the names stamped on them. He finds a picture and then pauses. "Odd."

"What?"

"I thought we had him…his voice was on the security tape just before the power is cut," Spike thinks back. "You sure?"

"You can't miss the Celtic tattoo on his right hand. We took out most of her top guys…I just wanted them all. Damn Mickey Boyd isn't here either. But maybe they ended up in Belfast along with Ida."

"So you know she's there now? That's one less thing to worry about," Spike mentions, making Donna look up in haste, an instant twinge flaring up in her stomach.

"Yeah…but you knew that too right? I mean Greg would have told you also; or maybe you told him?"

"Greg never told me that. The last time Greg and I spoke about Ida's whereabouts was on Friday and we were…"

"Friday? The first text from Greg we got was on Thursday and he confirmed she was seen leaving for Belfast and then on Sunday morning that she…arrived…Spike?" Donna asks as Spike presses the speaker button on Winnie's phone and dials Greg.

"Winnie?" Greg's voice is heard. "What's going on?"

"Boss I'm here with Donna," Spike pipes up. "Did you text her or Ed on Thursday telling them that Ida was leaving and then on Sunday with a confirmed sighting of Ida in Belfast?"

"No, in fact when Ed's done with SIU he's coming back and then we're going to talk about it. But I figured it wasn't that big a deal to you both since I got a text back saying…" Greg explains.

"Greg, neither Ed nor I texted you back on the weekend," Donna assures him.

"What? Okay…wait a sec…you're looking for who?" Greg pauses as they hear a man's voice in the background. "Constable Lane just left."

"Greg, what's going on?"

"Ah Holleran. It seems SIU sent another team for Ed but he just left with…wait….oh no…"

"Oh my god Ed!" Donna half shouts as she pulls her phone, panic instantly racing through her entire frame as she tries to dial his cell.

XXXXXXXX

"Gentlemen…" Ed pipes up from the backseat as he notices the SIU driver turning down a dead end street.

"Almost there Constable Lane."

"Almost where? This is a dead end," Ed mentions with a panicked feeling.

"You're right it is…" the passenger replies in a low mocking tone as he turns around with a silenced gun in his right hand; the right hand with the unmistakable Celtic tattoo on it. "For you."

*bang*

A/N: Surprise! (Runs and hides – blaming the muse for the final twist!) Okay so you didn't think Ida gave up that easily did you? Some MAJOR angst and peril coming up next as Ida tries to make her final move (yes it will be the final one hehe). So thoughts on what she has planned for Ed to get back at Donna one last time? (obviously no deaths – gah you know me by now right?) Please do review before you go and thanks so much!