Chapter 13

Nicole rolled over in bed, and looked at Munch. She glanced over at the clock and it was four in the morning. There was no way she was going to go back to sleep. Her head was still slightly bugging her. But it wasn't anything major.

Just like today wasn't going to be anything major. Or so she thought.

She decided to get out of bed and have some coffee. It was the least she could do. She slipped out of Munch's hold, gently trying not to wake him. Once she was out she looked at him; he was just so handsome.

Soon as she was out of bed she got dressed and headed to the kitchen, while pulling her hair up into a ponytail. She walked over to the coffee maker and opened the cupboard to make coffee.

Great, she thought, there was none. Sighing, she thought that there would be no harm in running down to the corner store and grabbing some coffee. She walked over and grabbed her wallet and keys. Thanking God that Munch had gotten her a key cut.

Once out of the apartment, the wind blew her hair around. She held her Jean jacket closed and made her way down to the corner store. Only thing she didn't like was just how quiet the city was. It was an eerie quietness. And it sent shivers up her spine. Something she wasn't accustomed to.

Nicole took a deep breath, and picked up her pace. She figured that Munch wouldn't notice she was gone, for twenty minutes. He was still asleep when she left the apartment.

She wasn't even half way to the corner store before she felt a pair of hands grab her around the waist and pull her into the back ally. Now she was regretting getting out of bed.

This definitely wasn't going to be a good day.

She tried to fight the guy off but he punched her in the face. She felt her knees about to give out on her, when he grabbed her hands and held them above her head, and pinned her against the wall, "You bitch. You bitch, what were you thinking?" he asked.

The voice seemed familiar, and she tried to make him out, but his face was dark. Then her brain screamed at her, it was Ken Jackson. The abusive ex-boyfriend. The exact same one that her partner Lee Roberts, saved her from.

"Get away from me," she heard herself scream. She was now sure that this was not going to go over easy.

"I'm not going anywhere. I came to get you back and that's exactly what I'm going to do." Jackson said.

With her hands pinned above her head, Nicole didn't have too many options. She tried to muster up the strength to use her legs to kick him but they just weren't cooperating.

Nothing seemed to be cooperating with her. She looked him in the eyes, trying to show no emotion. "I am not going with you. I left you. Now let me go." She stated.

She felt like her organs were twisting and flipping inside her. If it was any consolation, she had every right to leave him. But this time, there was no one to help her. Why did I have to leave the apartment?

Jackson was inches from her face and she could smell the booze on his breath. It didn't really surprise her, after all that's how he spent all his free time. Drinking. Nicole turned her face away from him; the smell was enough to make her puke. He grabbed her face and turned it back toward him. "Leaving me was the worst mistake you ever made, Nic," he said.

She looked him straight in the eyes, the best she could. Holding down the urge to puke. "Didn't it ever clue in, that Lee stopped you from killing me? That night you tried to kill me. Now tell me that wasn't enough to make anyone leave."

If looks could kill, it would have dropped him in his spot.

Jackson stared at her, dumbfounded. "I never meant to do that. But you made me so damn angry. You know you shouldn't make me angry."

She shook her head, "Angry? All I did was have a beer with my partner after a case." She tried to get her arms down, but they were still pinned above her head.

"A beer? You were doing more than having a beer. I always knew there was something going on between you two." Jackson said getting a firmer grip on her arms.

Great, she though, he's getting angry. She softened her look the best she could. "There was nothing between me and Lee, Ken. I lost count how many damn times I've had to tell you that." Her temper and fright were getting the better of her.

"Don't bullshit me, Nic. You really expect me to believe that all that time you spent with him after work, you were only having a beer?"

There was no way to get through to him. "I'm not bullshitting you. I wouldn't."

"Damn right, you wouldn't because you know what'll happen if I catch you with another man, don't you?" Ken asked. But he didn't give her a chance to respond. "I'd have to hurt you, Nic, and I really don't want to do that. I just want you all to myself."

She felt like a breath was caught in her lungs. "Ken let me go. I have to get home." She heard her self say. It was like she was watching it. Not being there.

"Home? Yeah, let's go home. You and me. We can work this out there." he said.

She shook her head, "You're not going anywhere with me."

"The hell I'm not!" he screamed. "I came all the way here to be with you. You're not leaving me again!"

"I left you long ago." She answered, "And you came all this way for nothing. Go back home."

"I'm not going anywhere without you, Nic. I love you, don't you see that?"

"But I don't love you. I want you to leave me alone."

"No! You belong with me and nobody else." he said and tried to kiss her.

She turned her head; she was repulsed. "Ken, get your hands off of me. I don't belong to you."

At this point, Jackson was beyond pissed and when Nicole turned away from his kiss he went ballistic. "You bitch!" he screamed and slapped her hard across the face.

She lost her balance and fell to the ground. She looked up at him, and then took off running. She had to get away from him before he tried to kill her.

Nicole ran as fast as she could out of the alleyway. She glanced back over her shoulder and noticed Jackson wasn't far behind her. She tried to pick up her pace and lost her balance again in the process. Jackson caught up to her but before he had a chance to grab her, Nicole rolled over onto her back and kicked him as hard as she could away from her.

He was sent toppling backwards. She took that chance and stumbled back up and took off running again. She wasn't sure where to go, but it was anywhere but where Jackson was.

Nicole was a little disoriented and wasn't quite sure where she was at the moment. She rounded a corner and glanced back to see where Jackson was. He was no where in sight. She took that opportunity to stop and catch her breath and figure out where the hell she was.

Just then she realized she was running in the opposite direction of Munch's apartment. Great. There was no way she could turn around and go back. Not with Jackson lurking somewhere in the shadows.

Nicole looked at the street sign and realized she was heading in the direction of Jamie's apartment. She didn't live too far from Munch. She had to get there, then at least she'd be safe.

/Chung Chung/

Fin and Jamie were sleeping soundly when they were awakened to someone pounding on the door. Fin looked at the clock and noticed it was after 4 am.

"Who the hell is that at this hour?" Fin grumbled. He got out of bed, threw on a pair of boxers and grabbed his gun.

Jamie got out of bed, too. She put on a pair of underwear and Fin's shirt. Then she grabbed her gun and followed him out into the living room.

The pounding was becoming louder and more excessive. Fin looked through the peep hole. "What the fuck?" he said and unlocked the door. "Nic, what's going on?"

Nicole rushed into the apartment. "Shut the door and lock it." she ordered. Fin hesitated for a moment. "Quick! Do it now!"

"Nic, are you alright? Did you and John have a fight?" Jamie asked setting her gun down on the table. She noticed the bruises on Nicole's face. She had to ask the question, although she didn't believe for a second that Munch hit Nicole.

Nicole sat down on the couch, while Fin disappeared down the hall to put on some clothes. "No. I couldn't sleep and went out to get some coffee. I was attacked."

"Attacked? Do you know who he was? Could you identify him if you saw him again?" Jamie asked as Fin came back into the living room.

"Yeah, I know him." Nicole said as the tears filled her eyes.

Jamie sat down on the couch and pulled Nicole into a hug. "Who was it? Who hurt you?"

"His name is Ken Jackson. He's my ex-boyfriend from Dallas. I don't know how he found me."

Fin looked down at Nicole. "Do you want me to call John?" he asked.

Nicole nodded and Fin went to the phone. "I was trying to get home before he woke up but I ran in the wrong direction. That's why I came here."

"It's okay. I'm glad you did. You'll be okay now."

Fin called Munch and told him what was going on. Munch couldn't believe it. He didn't even know that Nicole had gotten out of bed. Fin hung up the phone and turned back to Nicole and Jamie. "He's on his way."

/Chung Chung/

Ten minutes later Munch was at Jamie's apartment. Fin let him in and he went right to Nicole. "Why did you leave the apartment?" Munch asked.

"I couldn't sleep and I wanted to get some coffee." Nicole said burying her face in his chest.

Next thing they knew they heard another banging on the door. The banging echoed through the apartment. And was consent. Plus there was a muffled yelling on the other side. They all looked towards the door.

Fin picked his gun back up from the table that he set it on and walked over to the door. He looked through the peephole and saw the man pounding on the door. "Open the fucking door." Jackson screamed.

Nicole clung to Munch, "Don't let him in." she heard herself say. "He's nuts. Like as lost his marbles, gone off the deep end. Just plan nuts."

"I think we know what nuts means." Jamie said and looked at Fin by the door. "Fin get away from the door."

Fin backed away as Jackson started to kick it. "Let me in!" he continued screaming.

Nicole looked at the three of them, "Isn't they're same way we can just get him to leave?" She asked, "Then again, how the hell did he find me?"

"He probably followed you when you took off down the street." Jamie said as the kicking on the door got louder.

Nicole looked at Jamie, still clinging to Munch; "He left me alone for a year and a half, and now he's back."

"Yeah we kinda figured that. In case you haven't noticed, he's in the process of booting down my door." Jamie stated.

Nicole held back the tears, "Shoot him then. Or let me."

Jamie was starting to get annoyed with this whole situation. She desperately wanted to help Nicole anyway she could but this asshole was definitely getting on her nerves. Jamie walked over to the table and picked up her gun. She turned to Nicole and held it out to her. "You want him dead? Here take this. Cause if you don't do it, I will."

Nicole looked at the gun, and took it. Sure as hell this had to be justifiable homicide. He did attack her right? And she had the marks to prove it. And he did chase her here. She let go of Munch reluctantly and walked up to the door.

Mistake one million and two.

"Open the door." She said looking at Fin.

Fin went to unlock the door but Jackson finally kicked it in and burst into the room. Nicole started firing. Jamie's gun was fully loaded and Nicole didn't stop firing, not even when the gun was empty. Jackson fell to the floor, with his chest full of holes.

She held the gun still at eye level, shaking. "Is he dead?"

Fin looked down at Jackson and then back at Nicole. "He's got eight holes in chest, I don't think he's gonna be walking away from that."

Munch walked over to Nicole and took the gun from her hand. Then he turned her around and pulled her into a protective hug.

The dam was finally broken. Tears made their way down her cheeks. In all they years that both Fin and Munch had worked with her. Not once had they seen her cry.

While Munch was taking care of Nicole, Fin went to call in the incident and Jamie went to get dressed.

In all the years that Nicole had dealt with shit that was thrown in her face, she never felt this scared. Yet, she knew everything was going to be fine.

It still scared the hell out of her.

Munch had finally calmed Nicole down by the time Warner and Cragen arrived. Warner tended to the body, while Cragen walked over to Munch and Nicole. "What the hell happened here?"

Munch looked up at Cragen. "Captain could do this later. She's still a little shaken."

Cragen looked at Nicole and then across the room to where Fin and Jamie were. He walked over to them. "You wanna tell me what happened?"

"That guy followed Nic here, he busted my door down and she shot him. Nothing more." Jamie explained.

"What the hell was she doing here at 4 in the morning?" Cragen asked.

"She told me she was going to the store for coffee and that guy attacked her. She got away and he followed her here. The rest you know."

Cragen turned and looked at Fin. "What are you doing here at this hour, Fin?"

Fin didn't have an answer. He looked at Jamie who in turn looked at Cragen. "Ever since I was shot he's been staying here with me. He was asleep on the couch when Nicole started banging on the door."

"I see." Cragen said not believing for a second that Fin was sleeping on the couch. But he wasn't about to say anything. As long as the relationship didn't effect his squad he didn't have a problem with it. "Well, you four will have to fill out statements about what happened. Come down to the station when you're ready."

"Sure thing." Jamie said.

Cragen left, along with Warner and Jackson's body. Fin and Jamie walked over to the couch where Munch and Nicole were still sitting. "Captain wants our statements." Fin said.

"Why don't you guys go ahead? I want to talk to Nic." Munch said looking at them.

"No problem. We'll see you guys later." Fin said as he and Jamie left Munch and Nicole alone to talk.

Nicole looked at Munch. She didn't even realize that she was still shaking. "You said you wanted to talk to me?" She asked. The words all but floated from her mouth.

"Yeah I do. Who exactly was that guy?" Munch asked.

Nicole looked down at her feet. She searched for the words, "He… he was my ex from Dallas."

"You're ex? You were actually in a relationship that psycho?" Munch asked. He couldn't believe it. The Nicole that he knew would never put up with any kind of abuse, but then again he didn't know her when she lived in Dallas.

The tears came again; she put her head in her hands, "Yeah…" she paused. "It's not that I wanted to be in a abusive relationship with him. I… I… I never through I would end up in one. But… after the 'honeymoon period' he tried to kill me. And… I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my old partner." She added, and the tears just couldn't be stopped.

Munch pulled Nicole into yet another protective hug. "Shhh, it's alright now. But remind to thank your old partner if I ever meet him."

TBC…