-1"What!" Jimmy practically yelled, as Kenny filled him in on the Samantha situation, and what Oslo had said. "You're just getting around to telling me this now? What the hell were you thinking?"

Kenny gritted his teeth. "I was doing what the school wanted, while they looked into it. We didn't want her to have to go through anything else that might traumatize her. She's been through a lot, and there wasn't any proof."

"Do you believe her?"

"Yeah. A 14-year-old couldn't make this up, and you didn't see her," Kenny trailed off. "But what's the point of dragging a 14-year-old through this if there wasn't anything to go on. We're going to get her some counseling, while the school deals with this Jordan Bradshaw kid."

"That's a start," Jimmy conceded. "Is she okay? How did Max take it? I know it's a sensitive subject for her."

"She's doing okay, and just wants Jordan's friends to leave her alone. Max is dealing with it pretty well, but I wish she didn't have too. Especially now after everything else. I want her to have some peace for once."

Jimmy nodded. "You both have had a rough go of it for a while, but Max is pretty tough. I don't think that she is going to fall apart."

"That's what she keeps telling me, but it kills me to see her struggling like this."

Jimmy nodded. "Tell her to get better quickly. We all miss her around here. Now, I want to know more about this Bradshaw and his friends."

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"The time is coming," a voice rang out. "We need more blood to complete our rituals. We need more girls!"

"I know the one I want," another voice added. "The little bitch is making my life difficult at the moment."

"Is she ripe?"

"She's younger then the others, but her spirit is enviable. She'd be the perfect sacrifice for our God. He'd consume her, and spill his strength onto us. She'd be our crowning achievement."

"You'll need to bring her to us."

"Not yet. She'll be the final one, the one that will push us into greatness and immortality."

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"I'm bored," Nate whined, looking outside at the snow. "Can I go build a fort? Please?"

"Yeah. I'm tired of geometry," Samantha declared tossing her pencil down. "And it's Saturday. We'll put on lots of layers to stay warm, and we'll even take Emily if you want to stay inside with Lindsay."

"Tell you what," Max finally settled on, knowing that they all needed some fresh air after being cooped up inside all morning. "I don't know how good I'll be in the snow, so why don't you and Nate go find some warm clothes. You have to promise me you won't wander off, and come in when you get cold. Em and Lindsay are both sleeping, but thanks for the offer."

"Yea!" Nate cried, jumping up. "I'm going to get my coat!"

"Um, Aunt Maxie?," Samantha asked, lingering. "Are you ever going to be able to walk without a cane again?"

"I hope so," Max replied honestly. "And I'm working on it. The doctors seem to think so, but it's just going to take some time."

Samantha nodded. "I'm scared that something else bad is going to happen."

"Nothing will," Max promised, as Samantha joined her on the couch. "I know life hasn't been great lately, but I won't let anyone hurt you again."

She shook her head. "I'm not even that scared of Jordan and his friends. The really stupid part is that I'm scared of what a lot of those jerks I go to school with will think of me. I don't even like most of them."

"I know the feeling," Max agreed pausing. "After I was raped, the last thing I wanted to do is let people know. It made it seem more real somehow, and I didn't want that. I wanted to forget, and all I could think is that I should have fought harder to get away from him. The thing is sweetie. It's better when people know. They can help you, even if they don't always know the right thing to do or say. There will always be a few jerks who try to make you feel bad, but that's what they are, jerks."

"Did people do that to you?"

"A few," Max trailed off, thinking of Danny's trial. "But a lot of other people made up for it."

"Like Uncle Kenny?"

Max nodded. "Yeah, and he'll be here for you too. Both of us will."

Samantha nodded. "Should I have done more to get away? To stop him? Should I have never even talked to him? Why did he pick me?"

"You did everything right," Max promised. "You got yourself out of a situation before it became irreparable. I don't know why he picked you. Sometimes these things are just random."

"Will I have to see him again?"

"I'll do my best to make sure that you don't have too."

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"Go home," Jimmy told Kenny later that day. "The snow is coming down heavier, and we can pick the rest of this up in the morning."

Kenny looked up from the files on his desk, and nothing sounded better then taking a hot shower, seeing his family, then ravishing his wife. "In a minute. Look at this."

"What?" Jimmy asked, picking up the articles that Kenny had printed off. "That explains the skinning at least, to some degree. Any word back on the knife, ring, or the latest two victims?"

"Carter's still working on them," Kenny verified. "And Skeeter's thumbing through the missing person reports again. Oslo is getting together a list of sophomores who ordered school rings."

"Good, but you're all going home now," Jimmy said. "Keep an eye on your niece if this Bradshaw kid is involved, and keep this quiet."

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"This doesn't taste bad," Samantha conceded, biting into the chicken breast. "I'd give it an eight."

"I'll take that as a good thing," Max replied, as she cut Emily's food for her. "You guys set with everything . . . I think I hear Lindsay. Be right back."

Limping stiffly toward the playpen, she smiled down at her daughter. "Hi there, Sweetie. Eew, you're wet. Come here."

Cautiously lifting Lindsay into her arms, as she gritted her teeth in frustration as they made their way to the changing table. "There."

Leaning up against it, she changed the diaper quickly as Lindsay began to make much happier sounds. Tickling the infant's stomach, Max smiled, as her daughter laughed. It's worth it, she thought, even if I have to use this cane forever, having Lindsay is worth it. I'd even have another, and I'd love to give Kenny another son after losing Josh. Our beautiful little boy . . . I miss him. I'll always miss him.

"You look a million miles away," she heard Kenny say, breaking into her thoughts.

"Just thinking."

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Sorry about today."

"Hey, you had a job to do. I know how it works."

"You miss it. Jimmy wanted me to tell you to hurry back."

Max smiled up at him. "We never really finished that discussion . . . a lot's happened since then. How's the investigation going?"

Kenny regarded her thoughtfully. "It's going . . . I need to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"Later," he said, hearing a crash downstairs. "I'll go check on that, if you're okay up here?"

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Jimmy stood in the empty office later that night, as reread the reports that had been compiled over the day. Skin the bodies in honor of the snake, he thought, and they want to sacrifice young women right after they give up their innocence? Bastards, sick sadistic bastards. Sighing, he turned his thoughts to Samantha Richardson, and how Jordan Bradshaw tried to rape her.

"I can't believe in coincidences anymore," he spoke aloud. "We're bringing this kid in tomorrow if he ordered one of these rings."

Leaning back against his chair, he continued to read the reports.

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"Hmm," Kenny said kissing his wife. "I wanted to do that all day. Actually I just wanted to be here with you and the kids all day. I missed you."

"I missed you too, so did they," Max said kissing him back. "You want to see what I learned today while they were outside?"

Kenny grinned at her. "Am I going to like this?"

She smiled back at him. "Just watch and don't say anything. Okay?"

"Are you going to put on a show?"

"Sort of," Max said, as she untangled herself from him on the couch, and rose to her feet shakily. Dropping the cane to the floor, she took a tentative step away from him and she concentrated everything on moving her leg. Limping, she made it across the room to the other couch, before collapsing down on it. "I've been working on that one."

Kenny crossed the room to her quickly, and couldn't wipe the grin off of his face. "Max. When did you find out you could do that?"

"All this physical therapy wasn't for nothing," Max said grinning back at him. "It's a start, but it's nice not to feel so gimpy anymore."

"You're perfect," he countered, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"And you're biased. What did you want to talk to me about earlier? You look exhausted by the way."

"I got to investigate a crime scene, dig through reports about a snake crazed cult, watch Carter do an autopsy, do division with Nate, geometry with Samantha, listen to Em babble, change Lindsay, and I got to see you walk without a cane. It's been a full day, Honey. Oh, and I told Jimmy about Samantha. Don't be mad."

Max pulled back from him slightly, and tried to come up with something to say. "Why? I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Nope. Just listen okay?," he said, as he filled her in on how Jordan's behavior and how it was similar to the Moneviles cult members. "What do you think?"

"The bastard was going to," Max trailed off thinking of the skinned victims. "He was going to do that to her? Oh god."

"We're gonna stop him. He isn't ever getting near her again. Don't panic."

"I'm not . . . I'm just really pissed. Maybe if we just reported what he tried to do earlier. those other girls might be alive."

"We're not playing the what if game again, Max. We did that enough with Josh."

She nodded slowly. "She was so lucky to get away from him. What are you going to do? What can I do?"

"You're on leave," he cut in. "For good reason, so you are going to stay out of it. Take care of them, Honey, and concentrate on getting better. Let me take care of this one. You've been through enough."

"Don't patronize me," she retorted.

"I don't want you involved in this! It's too dangerous."

"Oh? So now I'm not capable of taking care of myself? I'm not a child, Kenny."

"Yeah, but we've got four here that need you. Max, I can't do this if I have to worry about you too. You're in no condition to go chasing some cult kids. We both know that, and I know that you're more then capable of taking care of yourself. Can we stop fighting now?"

"We're not fighting," Max sighed. "What do you want to tell her?"

"Nothing yet. There isn't any reason to scare her until we know for sure. You okay with that?"

Max bit her lip. "Would she be safer knowing? If Jordan is involved in this, what about his friends? The ones still in school?"

"I think she'll steer clear of them on her own," Kenny replied, pulling her closer to him. "We won't let anything happen to her. I promise you."

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"This is ridiculous," Dr. Jackson Bradshaw blustered. "My son would never be caught up in something like this!"

"Do you know where he was the night of January 8th? That was the night that Allie Meade was killed," Jimmy replied. "And we're not accusing your son of anything."

"Is this because of what the school claimed that he did to your deputy's niece? If it is, you can expect the biggest lawsuit you've ever seen," Jackson replied flatly. "Jordan is a good kid, and he is not capable of this. If you even suggest that he is part of this you'll regret it. I'll make sure of it."

"Don't threaten me Doctor," Jimmy replied, staring the man down and not liking the vibes he was getting from him.

He took a step closer. "I can make things very difficult for your wife at the hospital Sheriff. Don't make me do that."

"Get out of my office."

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"I can't believe that you're cooking," Max said with a grin, leaning against the counter carefully. "It's so quiet."

"I drugged them," Kenny replied, looking her up and down. "You look pretty hot in those fleece pants by the way."

"You should see what's under them."

Kenny tossed the spoon down on the counter, as he turned to look at her. "You're awfully frisky all of the sudden, not that I mind. You wanna go back upstairs?"

She smiled slyly at him. "What about your pancakes?"

He kissed her quickly, and lifted her into his arms before replying. "They can wait. You can't."

"Mmm," she groaned, as he kissed her neck. "Kenny."

He pulled back slightly, and stroked her cheek before leaning in to kiss her again. "Damn it!"

"Shit," Max agreed, as the phone rang and Lindsay's cry pierced the air. "I think that'll wake everyone up."

"Here," he said, tossing her the phone. "I'll see if I can quiet her up before someone thinks the world is ending."

She smiled at him, as he departed. "Hello?"

"Max? I didn't wake you up, did I? How are you feeling?" Jimmy asked, feeling a little guilty at calling at eight on a Saturday morning. "I haven't seen you in awhile."

"I'm feeling fine," Max insisted, steadying herself against the counter again. "And I've been hiding out I guess. What's going on?"

Jimmy paused, knowing how she would balk at too much coddling. "I'm sure Kenny filled you in on the Moneviles. How's your niece holding up?"

"Okay," Max replied, thinking of what Kenny told her last night. "This Jordan though . . . do you really think that he's part of this cult? That he wanted to do that to her?"

"He fits the profile," Jimmy verified. "It isn't for sure yet, so there isn't a reason to worry yet."

Max bit her tongue. "Okay. I hate doing nothing though, especially when it's my family."

Jimmy paused, knowing that she was thinking of Josh as well as Samantha. "I don't want to see you anywhere around here until you're a hundred percent healthy. I don't care if Kenny has to tie you down because your health is the important thing here, Max. That said, we miss you around here, so hurry it up a bit."

That's something else we have to talk about, Max thought, thinking of the conversation she and Kenny had a few days before she went into labor. "I'm working on it, and the less I have to use that cane the better I feel. I assume you're looking for Kenny?"

Jimmy paused. "Yeah. Is he around?"

Max glanced up, as he came into the kitchen carrying a freshly diapered Lindsay. "Sure. Hold on. It's for you. Jimmy."

"Trade?" he asked, taking the phone and passing her Lindsay. "She looks hungry to me."

Max smiled up at him. "Are you sure you just don't want to look at my breasts?"

Kenny grinned back at her, "Jimmy? Hi. What?"

Max glanced up, and tried to gauge his expression. I bet our day together gets wrecked again, she thought, as Lindsay began to feed.

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"Dr. Brock," Jackson Bradshaw called. "I need a word with you."

Jill paused in her rounds, as she turned to look at the chief of staff. "Jackson. It's been a long time since I've seen you here on a Saturday."

"Yes," he agreed. "I've spoken to the hospital board, and we're suspending your privileges immediately pending an investigation into your medical practice."

Jill stared at him like he had lost his mind. "What?"

"I believe I made myself clear. I suggest that you clear out of here before I have you thrown out. Good bye, Dr. Brock."

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"Jesus," Kenny said under his breath, taking in the newly skinned girl sprawled out in front of the statue. "This is the fourth one, in less then a month. He's getting bolder though, leaving her out in the open like this."

"I want a tail put on this Jordan Bradshaw," Jimmy said coming up behind him. "Reports say he got one of those school rings, and his father . . . He seems to be the type that would cover up his son's indiscretions."

Kenny nodded, as Carter and his team loaded the body into the van. "What about this Garret Vessella? Any link between the two of them?"

Jimmy shook his head. "No, not yet. I want to pick his brain some more about the Moneviles and his involvement with them."

Kenny turned away from the body being loaded into the van. "Any word on the second two yet?"

Jimmy nodded. "An id came in this morning. Both are fourteen, and reported as runaways a few weeks ago. Cousins. Kerry Henderson and Jane Roberts, both from Rome."

"Shit."

"Yeah. Skeeter is looking for links between them and Allie Meade."

"And Bradshaw," Kenny added, not liking the stirring in his gut. "Why don't we just drag him in here and scare the shit out of him until he starts talking?"

"I want him cold, that's why we're putting a tail on him," Jimmy countered. "I know you're worried about Samantha, but nothing will happen to her."

Kenny looked away quickly. "That's what I keep telling Max, but it's hard to believe that when these bodies keep turning up."

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Max silently cursed Kenny, as she tried to deal with the two screaming kids in front of her. "Em, sweetie, look at me. You're fine. Look. Here's Cookie Monster. You love Cookie Monster, and he's on the band-aid too. See?"

Em clutched her plush Cookie Monster to her chest, as she watched her Mom stick the band-aid on her leg. "Mama?"

"See," Max repeated, trying to keep the stress out of her voice. "You're good as new, and you get to wear him on your leg."

Emily giggled, as Max tickled her stomach. "Mama, I wanna color."

Max pointed to the box of crayons on the floor, as she hefted Lindsay into her arms and sat back down on the floor. "Over there. Ssh, Lindz. You're not wet or hungry. I'm here. Everything is fine."

Bouncing the girl gently in her arms, Max leaned up against the couch and closed her eyes briefly. Hearing Lindsay's cries subside, she let out of sigh of her own. I want five minutes of peace, she thought.

"Aunt Maxie," Nate called, running into the living room. "Aunt Maxie! I think I broke something!"

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"Nothing so far," Skeeter announced. "At least superficially. No shared hobbies or interests, and they didn't even live in the same town. Physically they were all small girls, but that's about it."

"There has to be something," Kenny stressed. "Something that made them desirable for these sacrifices. Was there anything that tied the victims from ten years ago together?"

Skeeter shrugged. "Nothing concrete. Just the fact they were on the fringes of society, and that they wouldn't be missed right away. All three of these girls, well their parents didn't seem all that concerned when they disappeared."

Kenny nodded slowly, trying not to think of Samantha. "They weren't the happiest of people either, coming from mostly broken homes and stuff. Easy to pick off."

"That describes most teenagers I know," Skeeter said dryly. "It seems that they just find these kids at random, and do this."

"And that makes our job that much more difficult," Kenny finished, as Jill came storming in toward Jimmy's office. "She looks pissed."

Skeeter yawned, as he looked at the clock. "It's way past time to go. You want to get out of here?"

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"He can't suspend you for no reason Jill," Jimmy insisted. "We'll take him to court, and it'll get over turned. There is enough conflict of interest to ensure that."

"Really? I've done some operations and procedures that the hospital has frowned upon," Jill countered. "Jackson Bradshaw has enough sway to make sure that I never practice medicine again."

"He's an asshole."

"He's doing this because you're investigating his son for these murders," Jill stated. "He's trying to scare you off by doing this to me?"

"Jill," Jimmy said, pausing not wanting to lie to her. "Yes."

She nodded slowly. "Don't let him."

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"Hmm, I didn't hear you come in last night," Max mumbled the next morning, as she rolled onto her side.

"I didn't want to wake you up," Kenny replied, hating how this case was keeping him away from her and the kids. "I didn't know how late it had gotten."

"Hmm. I miss you . . . Did you find anything out yet?"

"Nothing that connects the four so far. This sucks Max, especially if it's Jordan doing this."

"Do you think that it is?"

"Yeah. Honey? Are you all right?"

She smiled sleepily at him. "I'm good. The kids were wild yesterday, I think you have the easy job right now. Murders and all."

He stroked her cheek. "I want to be here Max."

"I know. I've never been a housewife before, even if it's just temporary."

Kenny paused, "Yeah. We never finished talking about that."

She looked up at him, "I know you want me to stay home with the kids, you've made that perfectly clear to me."

"I want you safe."

"Kenny," Max replied, sitting up, "I know that. I don't know if I can though. At least without being completely miserable and possibly going crazy."

"Is that how you felt yesterday?"

"Oh, I wanted to kick you yesterday for leaving me alone with all of this," she admitted placing her hand on his chest. "You know I love being a mom and your wife. I'd even have another child, despite what happened last time….I know there was some internal damage that is healing. But I need something else. Can't you understand that?"

Kenny took her hands in his before saying anything else. "Max, Honey, I get it. You're a great Mom, the best I could of ever asked for…You're a great cop, but…yeah, I want you to be a stay at home Mom."

Max bit her lip, and tried to keep her temper in check. "Do you even know me?"

"I know you better then anyone, and I've seen you become this incredibly warm and loving mother over the past few years. I love this side of you. I love you. The kids need you here."