AN: Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy this chapter..please R&R!

Luica and Luka sat in front of Viktor's desk, beat up and bloody. "I see she hasn't forgotten any of her training. That's very good."

"The police showed up, we had her."

"Do we have her home address?"

"No, it shouldn't be hard to track her down."

"The sooner we have her, the sooner I can go ahead with my plans."

Viktor smiled at himself, he had been waiting to make her his since she was fourteen, he had planned on marrying her when she turned eighteen, but her running off like she did messed up his plans.

XXX

"I really don't want to go into protective custody."

"Please, for me Kendall so I know that you're safe." He pulled her into his arms.

"Do you honestly think I can't take care of myself?"

He looked into her eyes. "I'm sure you can, but these are some dangerous men.."

She laughed. "Have you forgotten, that I've known them since I was young. I know exactly what they are capable of!"

She turned to walk away from him, she didn't want to run and hide. His arms wrapped around her waist. "Tell me what they did to you, to make you run."

"I planned on leaving when I was eighteen. I found out when I was sixteen, Viktor had my father killed so he could marry my mother. When I was almost fourteen my mother died in a car accident, I found out on the same day that I found out about my father, that he had my mother killed. He planned on forcing me to marry him when I turned eighteen. I ran. That's the short story."

"Kendall.."

"This is too much drama for one person to handle, if you want to turn and walk away..."

He turned her round to face him. "I'm not going anywhere! I'm right here by your side!" He kissed her.

"Spike.."

"You need to pack some bags, someone will be coming to get you and taking you to a safe house."

She closed her eyes, walking into her bedroom, pulling out her suitcase, packing her clothes. She had a feeling she wouldn't be seeing him for a very long time, which could mean death to a new relationship.

XXX

The black SUV pulled up to her house, she was standing at the window, looking out, she felt trapped. She wasn't asked if she wanted this, she was told, it was like she had no control over her life anymore. Spike's arms were around her waist, she leaned back against him.

"It's going to be okay." She didn't say anything, she walked away from him, he grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards him. "Look at me! You're going to be safe."

She kissed him, walking out dragging her suitcase behind her. The agent, threw her suitcase in the back of the SUV, she climbed in, they drove off. The agent drove out to the out skirts of town pulling over, he pulled a gun aiming it at Kendall.

"Give me your phone."

She reached down putting her hand into her purse, pulling out her own gun, in one fluid movement she shot the man in the hand, he screamed dropping the gun. She grabbed the gun, throwing it in the back, she got out of the backseat, she pulled the injured man out of the driver's seat, she handcuffed him, throwing him in the back of the SUV, she headed back towards town.

XXX

Spike climbed into his truck, getting ready to head home, when his phone rang.

"Ed?"

"Kendall, never showed up at the safe house."

"She left with the agent, that showed up this morning." Spike's heart started beating faster.

"We're going to find out what happened."

Spike ended the call, driving straight to the Barn, hoping that they were stuck in traffic.

XXX

She knew where she had to go, she peeled into the parking lot of the Barn, slamming the SUV into park she left it running when she got out. Spike was just getting out of his truck when she pulled in, he stopped when he saw the SUV. She saw Spike running towards the SUV, she stepped in front of it, she launched herself into his arms.

"What happened?"

"The agent pulled over, and aimed a gun at me. He wanted my cell phone, I pulled my gun and shot him in the hand. He's in the back of the SUV, handcuffed."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!"

He kissed her, holding her tight in his arms. They looked up as more black SUVs pull into the parking lot, they came to a screeching halt around them.

Team One jumped out, running towards the couple. "What happened Kendall?" Greg asked.

She filled them in on what had happened, handed off the fake agent. She had Spike take her back home, she wasn't leaving now for a safe house, she didn't care. She was quiet on the way home, leaning against the truck seat she closed her eyes. He took her hand in his, bringing to his lips, he kissed it, she looked over at him and smiled.

XXX

They pulled into the drive, she opened her door getting out of his truck, he took her hand leading her to the front door. It was slightly ajar, Spike pushed her behind him, she rolled her eyes.

"Do you have a gun?" She asked.

"No.."

"Good thing I have two!" She pulled one out of her purse and handed it to him, she pulled another out of her ankle holster, He raised his eyebrow at her. "What? A girl has to be prepared!"

He still insisted on going in first, her house was trashed, sitting on the counter were pictures from her childhood. She closed her eyes, hiding whatever emotions they evoked. Spike walked up looking at them, then looking at her, he touched her arm.

"Are you okay?"

"No, my step-father is trying to turn my life upside down. I'm not going to let him win!"

"Kendall..."

"If you knew half the hell he put me through..."

"Tell me...let me help you."

"I can't...some of the things he made me do at fourteen..."

She closed her eyes, trying to reign in her emotion, get control of herself. She opened her eyes looking at him, his arms were around her, he pulled her to him.

"You don't have to be strong all the time, it's okay to let go, and show some emotions."

"I was taught at an early age...Tatianna..showing emotions are for the weak! You always have to be strong, never depend on anyone but yourself!"

He cupped her face. "I know you've had to be strong your whole life...it's okay to let someone else carry your burden."

Something inside of her broke, some great emotional damn burst, for the first time in her life she cried. He pulled her into his arms holding her tight, whispering words of comfort. As fast as she started crying, she stopped, she pulled away, drying her tears. She looked at him, his brown eyes looking at her with concern.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to loose control."

"You don't have to apologize..."

They just stared at each other, he gently pulled her back into his arms, kissing her, she melted into him. It felt good to loose control, to let her emotions out, instead of holding them in. She pulled away from him, looking at the pictures he's selected, each held a strong memory for her, and that's why they'd been left.

"I'm calling this in." Spike pulled her outside while he called the intrusion in. She sat down on the steps, wishing she had some chocolate to eat, she's always been a stress eater.

He sat down beside her, putting his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, his free hand pulled her face to his, kissing her. Three black SUVs pulled up, Team One hopped out, running towards the front of the house.

"You guys okay?" Ed asked. "Heard the call on the radio."

"We're fine. It was Viktor Stivos, he left pictures from Kendall's childhood as a calling card. They trashed her house."

"Tell me about the pictures Kendall."

"There was one when I was 3, right after my father died, to remind me when he took charge of my life, the next one was at age 8, to remind me I was being groomed for the family business, then age 14, dressed up for a dinner party, where I was forced to lure a grown man to my room, so they could kill him, then my 16th birthday with the car I was given, the one I used to fake my death."

She closed her eyes, so she wouldn't have to see the disgust in Spike's eyes, she got up and walked away. Standing at the edge of the yard, looking into her garden, trying to erase the long ago memories, she had kept buried for so long. She felt his arms on her waist, he turned her around, his hands were entwined into her hair.

"Kendall, I had no idea...what you went through...:

"Spike..I know it's a lot, again if you want to walk away...I understand."

"I'm not going anywhere." He kissed her.

"I'm glad you're staying." She smiled at him.

"We need to find a safe place for you to stay."

"I have another place I can stay, where I'll be safe."

"Where?"

"A cabin out about a hundred miles from here. It's under another name."

"How many names do you have?"

She smiled at him. "Just enough to keep me safe."

XXX

She pulled her hair up into a messy bun, pulled a hat on, she dressed in baggy clothes, took a cab to a storage unit. She went in, opened the safe, pulling out a fresh ID pack. She smiled looking at the licences: Jordan Mc Atee. She shoved the papers into her purse, she pulled out a wad of cash, grabbed the keys to the truck. She opened the garage door, jumped into the truck, and pulled out. She shut and locked the garage door, heading to Spike's house.

He was waiting outside for her, when she pulled up, he threw his bag into her truck, kissing her. "Who are we today?"

"Hi, I'm Jordan Mc Atee, nice to meet you."

She drove the hundred miles to the cabin, her hair still hidden under the hat. She stopped in the little town, picking up groceries from the town store, they climbed into the truck, finishing the drive to the cabin.

"How long can you stay?"

"As long as you need me?"

"Spike, you can't give up everything to stay with me. What about your job...your parents?"

"Your safety is my job, my parents will be fine."

"But.."

He cut her off with a kiss, I'm going to keep you safe.