Ok, I won't be able to update until Saturday at the earliest. I'm going to Charleston woohoo! Anyway, just thought I'd leave you with something a little cliffy like I usually do.

P.S.- Please keep reviewing! I love it when people tell me what they think about the last chapter, or what should happen in the next! I consider all suggestions!

Kate stirred. It was hard to breathe, and she could barely feel her legs. She knew her hands were tied, and could tell that she was propped against a cold wall without really waking up. But eventually, as she woke up, instinct gradually took over. She had to get out of here, but first she had to find out where she was. She slowly opened her eyes, first staring at the floor, trying to let her eyes adjust to the darkness in the room. A shiver ran down her spine. There was a feeling that she was being watched. A voice boomed from the other side of the room, excited and sadistic. He flipped on a light over her head, the range of vision just far enough for her to see him.

"Look who decided to join me! I've missed you, Kate." John Anderson was restless. He finally had her, after all this time. She was his now. "I remember when I first saw you. At Harvard." He laughed fondly, "We were both freshmen then. Do you remember, Kate?" She didn't speak. He ran up to her, shouting in her face. "DO YOU?!"

Kate remembered now, but didn't dare say it. He was an outcast, a nobody. But he always tried to be around her, like a little kid following his sweetheart. But he also knew that if he was around her, nobody would hurt him. She would protect him, even if she barely knew he existed. But Kate's boyfriend got tired of it. So Alex decided he was going to make sure that the kid would stay away from his girl. Kate never found out what he did, but she never saw John again.

"I loved you! You were my world! But then he had to get in the way! And then, " He was panting, speaking between breaths, " and then I find out about what he did to you?! He deserved to die!"

"Enough." Kate's voice was the coldest she had ever willed it to be. She finally looked him in the eyes. His stare was cold and angry, but she could still see the fear that was always there. Her eyes pierced back, cutting into him. She wasn't afraid of him. Not then, and not now. He backed up slowly.

"I'll be back." He said roughly over his shoulder as he spun around and walked away. She heard a door open and close, but couldn't see it.

XXX

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU KNEW SHE WAS BEING STOCKED?!" Garrett screamed. Nigel stammered.

"I'm sorry! I wanted to tell you, but she made me promise! I swear!" They were still at Kate's, where they had been for probably only half an hour.

"You should've told someone anyway!" Lily butted in. She and Bug had arrived just seconds after Erica's ambulance had left.

"I know." Nigel was heartbroken. If he had only told someone, this whole thing wouldn't have happened. Kate would still be here, safe. He hung his head. The others suddenly felt horrible about practically blaming him. Besides, other than Erica, he was hit the hardest. Bug walked up next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Nigel was his best friend, and he wasn't going to let him go through this alone.

"Hey, come on, Nige. We'll find her." He spoke softly. "And until we do, I'm sure Kate will be able to take care of herself. You know how tough she is." This fact did little to comfort Nigel, but he tried to smile for Bug anyway.

"I hope so." He whispered.

For two hours Garrett, Jordan, Bug, Woody, and Nigel dissected the house. Lily had gone to the hospital to wait out Erica's surgery. After the scene had been examined on what seemed to be a molecular level, Nigel and Bug went back to the morgue to run tests on samples. Garrett and Jordan stayed with Woody and investigators awhile so they could be the first to know if they got a lead.

"Did Nigel finish the database search for John Anderson?" Garrett asked tiredly as Jordan hung up her phone. She walked over to stand next to him, looking at the house from a distance.

"Yeah. He lived in Little Rock for awhile, but he disappeared sometime last year. The only connection we could find between him and Kate was that they went to Harvard together." Garrett remembered being impressed by Kate's resume.

"Any violations?"

"Nope. The man was squeaky clean. Not even a speeding ticket." Jordan looked at Garrett. "What would push him to this?" Garrett sighed heavily.

"Does anybody really know?"

XXX

"Dr. Sanches? Over here!" Lily half yelled from across the hospital waiting room. A baby promptly started crying. The mother gave Lily a glare, who slipped out of view behind a vending machine where Dr. Sanches had just stopped. She gave Lily an amused look.

"Yes, Miss Lebowski, Erica is out of surgery. And no, you can't see her yet. She's still unconscious." Lily looked at her pleadingly.

"Can you at least tell me how she's doing?" Dr. Sanches sighed.

"Well, considering that her broken rib had punctured her stomach, I'd say she's doing all right. We almost lost her during surgery, but she seems to be recuperating well." Now it was Lily's turn to sigh, but hers was in relief.

"Could you tell me when she wakes up, please?"

"Sure."

Lily walked back to her seat, past the now quiet baby, to whose parents she mouthed a silent apology. They simply shrugged.