Chapter 35

A full two weeks had passed since the late night escape from the hospital, but very little had been accomplished on the case. The bombings had stopped as suddenly as they had started, giving residents a false sense of security

With nothing to go on, the FBI could only wonder if the bomber had packed up and moved elsewhere. While Jack and Bobby kept them informed of what was going on, the isolation meant there was little Hannah and Myles could do to help.

While the tall New Englander spent most of his time working out on the weight equipment in the garage, Hannah had taken the time to learn her way around the house independently. Thanks to Ruth's help and her own determination, she was beginning to feel more confident in her abilities.

Though her new friend told her that Myles' efforts were helping him regain the strength he'd lost in the explosion, the fact that he continued to avoid her caused her to feel a bit melancholy. Hannah couldn't help but feel that her co-worker's persistence with the therapy exercises Gabe had given him was primarily a reason to avoid her.

Hannah tried to tell herself that her sadness was due to the jealousy over the possibility he'd be able to return to the bureau without her. But deep down inside her, she knew it was something more.

They'd experienced a life-changing event together that no one else really understood. While Myles had been essentially immobile during the time they were trapped, Hannah knew she'd relied on him just as much as he did on her that night.

There were many times that she'd wanted to give up but Myles had been there, pulling her back. Recalling his statement on the hospital patio the evening before they fled, Hannah knew he'd saved her life just as much as she'd saved his.

"Hannah, can you get the round pie plates from the third shelf in the pantry?" Ruth's distinctive voice interrupted her musings.

"Sure," Hannah agreed with a smile as she made her way towards the garage. Feeling her pulse quicken and her stomach start to flutter, she paused in the doorway. Get a grip! she admonished herself sternly as she drew a fortifying deep breath. You're a grown woman, not some teenager with a crush.

Pulling open the door slightly, Hannah listened for any sounds on the other side. She expected to hear the clanging of the dumbbells as Myles worked out, but the garage was quiet.

Did he leave? Hannah wondered, unable to recall if he'd come through the kitchen while she and Ruth had been working. A frown creased her forehead as she felt her insides twist uneasily. What if he hurt himself? she panicked, throwing the door wide.

"Myles!" she called loudly as she stepped tentatively into the garage, her ears straining for any sound he was in trouble.

"What?" Myles demanded sharply from right next to her, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Oh!" Hannah gasped as his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back against him steadying her. Gulping air back into her lungs, she stated breathlessly over her shoulder, "You do enjoy doing that, don't you?"

Her simple comment reminded both of them of when Myles startled her in the basement of that building. Almost as if her mind was on remote control, Hannah flashed through various sounds and textures of she remembered from that fateful night. Coming across the pile of debris, trying stubbornly to remove the concrete and metal from his legs, shutting off the gas line, waking up on his strong chest.

The memories stirred a growingly familiar sensation insider her as she leaned into his embrace, comforted by his warmth. Her heart pounded in her chest as Hannah felt his warm breath on her cheek. She didn't even know she'd turned slightly in his arms, her mouth closing the distance towards his, until she felt his hand in her hair.