First Date

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"O! beware, my lord of jealousy;
It is the green eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on.
~William Shakespeare, Othello

Chapter 15

As her hand made contact with him Hank instantly anticipated a reaction, maybe Roy stopping her, Roy being hit and moving backwards but what he didn't really expect was for Roy to stand fast and take it. But that's exactly what he did because he knew she had a right to be upset and angry. Right now was not about them but about their children. As soon as she finished swinging she started to collapse in sobs and Roy was right there to catch her. With Hanks help they moved her to the couch in the living room.

The police commotion had died down and emptied out, the engine and squad also gone, leaving only the detectives behind with a couple of uniformed officers. Roy sat beside her and simply held her as she cried.

"We'll find her Jo," he whispered to her.

"Oh God Roy what if they don't," she said looking into his eyes. "She's our baby." Her body shook with the tears and terror at not knowing where her daughter was.

Hank stepped back into the hallway suddenly feeling like his presence was intrusive, taking Chris with him they headed towards the kitchen.

Joanne leaned heavily on him and continued to cry, "I can't lose her. I don't know what I'll do."

He pulled her away from him and held her by the chin, "Don't Jo. We can't think like that, not ever. We'll get her back." We'll get them all back, he thought to himself.

Kanda laid Jenny down in the bed and she began to cry, clinging to her. She was so tired that she wasn't really even awake. It was more like a bad dream. Without asking and frankly without caring she moved onto the bed with her and held her close. Adler watched her with a little indecision in his mind but eventually chose to leave her alone for the moment to quiet the child down. He wasn't in a hurry knowing that tomorrow they would be boarding a plane and be out of the country for good. Turning to leave the room he went back down the hall to check on Johnny. Satisfied that he was quiet he stood in the kitchen and watched down the hallway for any signs of trouble. The gun held close to his chest.

Kanda cradled her closely as if her very life depended on it. She heard him leave and said a silent thank you prayer. Lying there many things went through her mind, how to get to Johnny, how to get Jenny out quickly but as the warm body next to her snuggled closer she felt herself drifting off. Just a few moments and she would feel better then she would figure out the next step.

She was awakened by a tug on her arm. Her dreams were of love and when she rolled over for that fraction of a second she expected to see Roy but Adler's face brought her back to a cold hard reality. He pulled her off the bed and back into the hallway keeping the gun at her side as the ever constant reminder of who was in charge. Her heart was beating out of her chest and her breath quickened. She had to regain control to make it through this and not endanger the others. Maybe if she just did what he said he would keep his promise and release them tomorrow.

He pulled her into the last bedroom down the hallway and closed the door. She heard the clicking of the lock and knew that her fate was now sealed. Part of her wanted to scream and lunge at him risking being shot instead of going through this but her heart turned to Roy and how much she loved him. She wanted to see him again, to be with him. Somehow she had to get through this.

Lowering the lights down he guided her to the bed and with a gentle push on her shoulder he forced her to sit down on it. Her breaths were quick now and that only roused his desire for her even more. "Relax my dear this is our time together now. No more interruptions. Just you and I." As he laid her back onto the bed he brushed his lips against hers and she closed her eyes to fight back the tears that wanted to come so desperately.

Johnny had heard the footsteps moving back again across the floor as he stood very still watching the door knob just waiting for it to move again. But instead the feet continued to move, and then two sets continued down the hall. His heart was pounding knowing what was happening. It was time, ready or not he had to move now. Taking a small backpack from one of the clothing boxes he put his needed supplies in it and headed up the stairs, moving carefully to avoid the looser boards and their squeaking noises.

In his hand he pulled out a long wire that he had removed from a broom handle. Placing it in the lock he very quietly picked the lock until he heard it click. Listening for any sounds he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Closing it back he pressed in the lock once more then slipped into the kitchen and around the corner. He needed some supplies from here also.

Items in hand he began the move down the hallway. The first bedroom on the left was Jenny and she was sound sleep. He wasn't ready to get her up yet but he had to know where she was. Even though he wanted to swoop her up in his arms and protect her he settled for a kiss on her head then was back out of the room. That only left one room, the one at the end of the hall. The one with noises coming from it. Johnny swallowed hard not sure what he would find happening in the room but knowing that he had to stop it. She was his sister and that bond would move them past the concept of embarrassment. Running the plan though his mind one more time he took a deep breath and turned the door knob.

Joanne wouldn't let go of Roy and Hank was personally beginning to have some issues with it. He wasn't a mother and there was no way he could imagine exactly what she was going through but he still felt that she was taking advantage of Roy's compassion and his own feelings of helplessness. She looked entirely too comfortable and content in his arms. Coming from the kitchen he handed them both a cup of coffee as Carter came over to update them.

He knelt down beside the couple, "Roy, we're heading out but I'm leaving an officer here with you tonight. I've got some leads to track down okay?"

Roy just nodded knowing that nothing he said would make a difference anyways.

"Stay put so we can reach you," he added only hoping that he medic was listening to him. What he didn't tell Roy was they had been looking into Kanda's work at the hospital and a Dr. Adler that she worked for and trained under had not shown up for his shift this evening. He wanted to check it out first then go from there.

Not getting a response he looked up to the taller dark headed man, Roy's Captain at the station. Hank nodded and shook his hand as he stood up. "Let us know if you find anything out," Hank said.

"We'll keep you posted," Carter said then left.

"Roy?" Roy looked up. "I've given Chris some dinner but he's still pretty shaken up."

Roy looked up at his son coming in from the kitchen but Joanne beat him to it as she jumped up and grabbed him. She was taken aback that after hugging her he pulled away from her and went to his dad's arms. Hank braced himself for world war three as Joanne stood up and watched them.

A part of her understood what they had been through together and she simply went back to the couch letting Roy take her back into his arms. She had no intentions of stirring up trouble since this was right where she wanted to be.

She tried to imagine that she was with the one she really loved, that it was his hands roaming her body but she instantly knew she couldn't do that. Someday she hoped to be with him, lying beside him and there was no way that she wanted this memory to invade that special time. She pushed him to the deep recesses of her mind wanting no association of him and this room or this man.

His hot breath was on her neck and she struggled to tell herself that she could do this, for Johnny and Jenny's life, she could get through it. Anger which had been buried below the layer of fear started to punch its way through. With every touch it strengthened as it no longer listened to her common sense which told her to be safe. As the buttons of her shirt were being undone her eyes opened and she could see the gun on the nightstand. It was not within her reach. Wanting to scream, her heart called out to Roy with every fiber of its being to please save her.

But the layer of fear was now threadbare and tattered as self preservation took over and she started to struggle under his grasp. He actually looked surprised until the smile came across his face. "My dear, participation is welcomed but not required."

"Please don't do this," she said with more anger in her voice than fear.

He took her by the wrists and held her down as he got right in her face, his hot breath on her lips. "Now, now," he whispered. "Let's not forget what is at stake here. Do you really want to risk their lives over something that could be so pleasurable to you?"

That did it. She knew then that there was nothing sane about this man and she had to get away. He was straddling her at her lower waist as he bent over her. Gritting her teeth in anticipation of the pain that was to come she summoned all her strength and kneed him right in the groin with her casted foot. As the wave of white intense pain came over him his grip on her was gone. He rolled over and she finished pushing him off of her as she leapt off the bed from the other side.

He was on his side but not down for the count just yet. His hand found the nightstand for support but it also found the gun. As fury came across his face Kanda realized that he as between her and the door. She also realized now that she was fighting for her life as she saw the look in his eyes.

Just as he was trying to stand up and get his grip on the gun handle the door opened and everyone was shocked to see where the other one was. Kanda stood to Johnny's left, over by the closet and his heart was in his throat as he saw her shirt opened, the tears in her eyes, and her hair all discheveled. Adler was to his right, leaning on the side of the bed and nightstand with a combination of pain and rage on his face.

He quickly pulled the gun in front of him but it was in his palm wrong and he wasn't able to fire instantly. Kanda ran across the room to Johnny and as he pushed her behind him he pressed down on the handle of the kitchen fire extinguisher.

"Get Jenny," he said as he rapidly moved forward putting the spray all over the man's face. The problem was that he didn't know where the gun was anymore.

Adler screamed as the foam burned his eyes momentarily blinding him but he continued to correct his grip on the gun. Not able to see he simply fired randomly and Johnny hit the ground.