P A S S A G E
Sequel to Privilege
(temporary title)

A/N: WaT premieres on Sunday the 24th! Though I wish they'd kept it on a Thursday. Oh well, they moved my Sunday shows to Thursday, so I guess it all works out in the end.

This chapter was hard to write, and I don't really know why. It was harder to keep everybody in-character than it normally is. But I hope you guys like it, and as always, reviews are appreciated!

C h a p t e r S i x
Angels

. - . - . - .

By the time Dina got home, Samantha was again sitting at the kitchen table, both hands wrapped around the coffee mug in front of her. She handed a second mug to Dina, who took it gratefully and fell into an empty chair.

"How'd it go?"

Dina shrugged. "It's necessary. Not that my feet care."

"I can imagine."

This time the silence was more peaceful than awkward.

"I hope Kelly wasn't too much trouble."

"Not at all. She's a very sweet girl." Pause. "She likes you, you know."

Dina looked up, met her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Longer silence. Both women sipped their coffee, lost in their thoughts.

"Agent Spade?"

"Samantha.

Dina hesitated, then smiled a little. "Samantha, I don't understand why you're so good to me. I'm a screwed-up ex-whore who probably caused you a lot of trouble, and now I can't even seem to…" she shrugged.

Samantha rested her mug on the table. "That's who you were, Dina, not who you are. I admire you. No, I do," She added, when Dina laughed. "I wouldn't have been strong enough to do what you did. Really."

"Thanks."

"I mean it. So you can stop thanking me and apologizing every time I talk to you! You make me feel like a saint or something."

Dina shook her head. "No, an angel. Like that TV show that used to be on."

"Touched by an Angel?"

"You watch it?"

"Sometimes."

"Me too. I used to wish that one day… are you sure you don't have wings?"

"Not unless they've grown while I've been sitting here. Anyhow, you didn't need an angel. You did what you did by yourself. I just helped the legal process along."

"Well, thank God for that."

They smiled at each other, and laughed. In her room, Kelly blinked sleepily and smiled.

. - . - . - .

Danny was tired. He'd talked about the case, his friends, the hospital, what he'd eaten for lunch, even the weather. No response from the girl on the long white bed. He was a patient man, but even he had his limits this late at night, especially after getting up so early that morning. And by now he was worn out.

He stood up, stretched, and pulled his coat on, not looking at Carolynn as he spoke to her. "Well, time for me to go home. We don't all get to spend our days moping in bed. Gotta go back to work tomorrow, see what I can do for poor old Mr. Henley. But I'll try to stop in again; you ain't seen the last of me."

He picked up his briefcase and paused, looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, and he sighed. "Take care, kid."

Then he turned, and left the room.

He trudged down the hallway, turned left, waited for the elevator. He was halfway across the waiting room, heading for the door, when he saw her.

Cai Sanford sat cross-legged in a chair in the corner, twisting a rubber band between her fingers. Danny hesitated before making his way over to her. He stopped in front of her, and she looked up.

"How is she?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"She is… not going to die."

Cai nodded and looked down. "That's good."

"Yes, it is." Noticing that she was alone, he asked, "Where's Kylar Rose?"

Cai seemed surprised that he remembered her newborn's name. "She's at home with Rissa."

"You're living with your mother now."

"Yeah."

He nodded. "Is she here?"

Cai shook her head.

"Does she know you are?"

Another negative.

A pause. "Does Carolynn?"

One more shake of the head.

Danny considered the girl in front of him, then made a decision. "You should go home. It's late and visiting hours are long over." He himself had only managed to see Carolynn though the influence of his friend who worked in the hospital, and his badge. "There's nothing you can do for her now."

She nodded, but did not move from her seat.

His voice was gentle. "C'mon. I'll give you a ride. Okay?"

"…Okay."

"Then let's get going." He took her hand and pulled her up off the chair, and she smiled weakly at him. He held the door for her on the way out, and led the way to his car.

. - . - . - .

He'd followed the waitress back to her apartment building. Samantha, he assumed, was still inside, and when she left she would probably go straight home.

He had found, recently, that he no longer required much sleep. Adrenaline, secrecy, and the need for vengeance and satisfaction made a killer cocktail. He therefore had the rest of the night to discover exactly who his pretty little waitress was, and how she might help him get to Samantha.

Dina, her name was. Odd name. Vaguely familiar, actually. Dina what?

She had a kid, that much he had understood from her phone conversation. A kid currently being watched by Samantha. Kailey, was it? No, Kelly. And since when did Samantha baby-sit?

Young mother, night waitress, friend of an FBI agent. Probably no man in the picture, based on his observations, but he would have to make sure.

When enough time had passed, he walked casually to the door of the building and scanned the list of names, one next to each button. Which might be Dina's?

Conner, Williams, Hayes, Kingston… Kingston. Why did that…?

Oh. He blinked. Dina Kingston. No way. He smiled to himself, tucked his hands into his coat pockets, and walked away.

. - . - . - .