Me and mom watched the news. We watched the news a lot recently, because of the suspected serial killer running around the city killing teenaged girls, and leaving them in public parks with their hands and feet bound together.

"The following images are deeply disturbing." The news anchor said, "Police are asking for the public's help in solving the savage murders of Kendra Plant, Hope Caesar, Juliet Prang, and Amy Yi. For Network News Eight, here is Fred Nesbruck, with Chief Criminal Investigator Khristopher Panes. Fred?"

"Thank you James. I'm with the Toronto Police Service's Chief Criminal Investigator. With the recent murders in the city, he is busier than usual. Is there anything you can tell us about the motives of the killer?"

"Thank you. Unfortunately, we do not have enough information to work with, which is exactly why we're asking for the public's help."

"Are you saying the investigations unit has no information?"

"We have information that we are currently still analyzing, but it always helps to have as much information as possible."

"What can you tell us about these murders? How can a person prevent this from happening to them?"

"Well, we believe that young women; specifically women in their mid to late teens are being targeted. The coroner's office reports that the cause of death in each case is severe trauma. We are encouraging teenagers to never walk to or from school alone, always walk with a friend and tell someone when you are leaving and when you are expected to arrive. With the help of the Strategic Response Unit, and the Anti-Crime Unit, both Durham and Centennial Colleges, along with the University of Toronto are providing self-defense training workshops. We also encourage all members of the public to report suspicious activity to the police so it may be properly investigated."

"Is there any recent information that you can share with the public concerning the case?"

"It appears that the person involved his 'marking' the victims by writing the word 'Goddess' on the woman's chest."

"Thank you Mr. Panes, back to you Fred, for sports."

I looked over to mom, who was looking over at me.

"That's sick." Jules said, "That's why I became a cop."

"Mom, I have to tell you something."

Then a knock came at the door.

Jules got up and answered the door. Sara came in.

"Hey Mrs. Perrasmith." She said, as she came in the door.

I stood up and walked up to Sara and Jules.

"Hey," Sara said to me, in a cute, sly voice, "You told her?"

But before I could answer, Sara kissed me.

"Oh, wow…" Jules said, as I kissed Sara back.

We stopped. I tried to evade Mom's eyes, but she caught mine, as I stared into her eyes.

"I'm…" I started.

"You and Sara?" Jules asked, without really saying it.

"Yeah." I answered.

"That's a lot to process." Jules said, as my cellphone rang.

"Hello?" I asked as I answered it.

"Megan," Ed's voice said, "We got upped to shift early."

"Alright. I'm coming in."

I hung up the phone.

"I got to go to work." I explained to mom and Sara.

Sara kissed me on the cheek and said, "Go get 'em babe."

Yes, Sara- make it worse…

Once at work, I noticed a lot of the SRU Teams were here. After getting dressed I reported into Ed and the rest of the team.

"SRU debriefing in five in the auditorium, let's go." Ed said, as we followed him.

In the auditorium we found a bunch of seats together and sat down. Once all the SRU Teams were seated, the Commander took the stage.

"Thank you for all coming in on such short notice, I won't keep you long. As all of you should know, there is a serial killer in the city. Mayor Rob Ford, along with the recommendation of the Board of Governors of the Toronto Police Service has suggested that the entire police force be put on high alert until the person responsible for the killings is behind bars. This means extra regular officers will be on duty. All threat level red 911 and dispatch calls will be responded to by both regular and SRU teams. The Strategic Response Unit will have two additional teams on duty as well. One Team will be on continuous patrol, while the other three will respond to call level red calls. Several media and online personalites and outlets are referring to the murderer as 'The Goddess', 'Goddess killer', et cetera. Please direct all questions to your respective team leader or Sargent."

Everybody started to leave, including Team One.

"Sargent Greg Parker, Team Leader Ed Lane, and Officer Megan Perrasmith, can you please come here?" the commander asked us.

"What's going on?" Spike asked, as he and Brad stood up.

"Couldn't tell you. You know something?" I asked.

"Nope." Spike answered, as he and Brad left.

I stepped onto the stage. Knowing that everyone but us was gone, I came out and bluntly asked, "Commander, what do you want?"

"I want you to listen, Officer Perrasmith."

"Ok." I answered, as the command has never spoken to me like that before.

"We know about your…" The commander started.

"Therapy?" I finished, "A little too late there, commander. My therapy is finished. I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"It's not that it's…" the commander started again.

"We know you're gay." Greg finished.

I stared into the eyes of Ed, Greg and the commander. How do they know? I haven't even told anyone yet, unless…Kiera…

"We know you're seeing someone too." Greg continued, "Which is fine. I have nothing against that. We're just requesting that you keep your gender bias and preference out of the workplace and not let it color your decisions in the field. Understand?"

"How do you…?" I started.

"We just do." Ed said, "Don't ask, it'll make it more complicated."

"So what?" I asked, as I ran the information through my head, "I'm gay. Yes, I'm gay. I'm dating a woman. I love her. You're telling me I can't use my own personal experiences, which is a requirement, when negotiating?"

"We just don't want you to be perceived wrong, that's all." Greg explained.

"So, wait, I'm talking down a suicidal teenaged boy because he's sexually confused, and I can't tell him that I'm gay, and that it's ok to be?"

"No, what I mean, Megan, is that you need to work on how you're going to integrate that experience into your negotiations without it trying to feel like you're pushing your beliefs onto someone else."

"You're thinking that I could convince someone to be gay?" I asked, "All due respect Sarge, but it's not a choice. It's the way people are- it's the way I am."

"And I wouldn't change it." Ed replied.

"Team One, hot call!" Winnie yelled over the intercom, "Man reporting that his daughter was followed home from school- could be the Goddess killer."

"Winnie- what do we got?" Greg asked over the radio, as we deployed.

"A young woman named Abby is currently being followed home from school. She used her cellphone to call her dad, and the dad called 911."

"Address?"

"Sending it to your PDAs." Winnie replied.

"Eddie," Greg said, "I'll head over to the home, get as much info as possible. Spike, get a GPS on Abby's cellphone, and see if you can get her on the line."

"Winnie, we got a last known on Abby?" Ed asked.

"When she called her father, she was walking south on Dundas."

"Tough neighborhood." I suggested, "It fits."

"Alright, me and Megan will go to the girl. Spike will cover intelligence and will speak to Abby if he can. Brad will second Spike."

"Copy that Ed." Brad replied.

We continued driving, and soon we were on Dundas.

"Ed, check your PDA- I got a picture of Abby."

I pulled out my PDA, as Ed was driving and took a good look at the picture, and showed it to Ed.

"What was she wearing today boss?" I asked.

"The father says that she had gym class last, so she might've changed- hard to say. She has a carrier style backpack…."

"Hold up, Ed- stop." I said, as I grabbed the last bit of info from Greg.

I got out of the truck, and went towards a dropped backpack.

"We got a white carrier style backpack here boss," Ed explained over the radio, "Any ID Megan?"

"ID in the backpack confirms its Abby's."

"Step on it, team one." Greg pushed us.

We got back into the SUV, as I threw Abby's backpack into the rear seat.

"Alpha unit proceeding south on Dundas, we got GPS bravo?" I radioed Spike.

"It's a pay-as-you-go phone, no GPS. I'm listening to her call she made to her father, see if we can get any location hits."

"I got Abby on the line!" Brad exclaimed over the radio.

"Spike, patch us in." Greg asked, as Spike ran the call so we can all hear the conversation over our headsets.

"Abby-" Brad started, "My name is Brad Mattice, and I'm with the police Strategic Response Unit. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Is it safe for you to be talking to me?"

"I think so."

"The man- is he still following you?"

"Yes."

"How close is he to you?"

"About 20 feet."

"Ok, that's great. You're doing great Abby. My team-mates, Megan and Ed, they'll be there soon to help you, but I need to know where you are."

"Bike path of off Dundas going south."

"Up here, Ed," I said, as we pulled up to where the bike path said, "Brad- where exactly?"

"Ok, Abby," Brad spoke again, "My team is really close but we need to know exactly where you are. Look around- what do you see?"

"I see- trees. A lot of trees. They're pine trees."

"Pine trees…" Spike repeated over the radio, as Brad continued to reassure Abby that she was going to be ok, "That bike path goes right through the tree plantation where they cut down the Christmas trees. That's gotta be it."

"Copy that, on our way." Ed said, as we ran down the bike path, in full gear with firearms.

We continued on. After a slight bend in the path, I could see Abby's outline, slowly walking away, and a tall heavyset man between us.

"Megan, you cut through the trees and pass the man, and secure Abby." Ed informed, "I will come behind and secure the suspect."

"Ed, please be careful." Greg requested.

"I'll do my best boss."

I silently ran into the trees and got up to Abby. She must've heard the branches against my uniform as she looked right at me. I put my index finger to my mouth, as a sign to stay quiet.

"I'm on Abby's nine." I muttered into the radio, "I've made contact. Ed- you in position?"

"Copy that- on three- two, one…"

In one movement, I leapt out of the trees behind Abby and quickly moved her into the treeline and stayed in front of her.

Meanwhile, Ed came behind the suspect and yelled, "Hand's where I can see them, do it now, do it now!"

"Strategic Response Unit- show us your hands!" I yelled.

The man brought his hands up, as he stayed in one place, as Ed put a pair of cuffs on him.

"Following girls around eh?" Ed asked, "You the guy we're all looking for?"

I looked over to Abby who looked scared, so I came closer to her and said, "It's going to be ok, you're safe now."

"Boss, suspect in custody." Ed said.

"I'm not a suspect." The man said.

"Why you following a girl around?" Ed questioned.

"I wasn't…"

"If you weren't following her, than what where you doing, following the same path as her from her school?" I asked.

"Look-" the man said, "My name is Chase Prang- that was my cousin that was killed. I saw a girl walking alone- I just wanted to make sure she got to wherever she was going ok, ok?"

"You should have asked her first, if she wanted a chaperone." I suggested.

"I was just trying to do the right thing. Can you take the cuffs off now?"

"Nope." Ed said, "We're just doing the right thing."

After shift, I was making my way back home, when I received a call over the Bluetooth system in the truck. I quickly looked at the caller display on the radio before I answered.

Sara.

"Hi." I answered.

"Hey you. What's up?"

"Not much, on my way home. Look about-"

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Sara apologized, "I should've waited until you gave me the call clear."

"It's ok." I said, "The brass at work has me under a microscope because they found out about you."

"What?" Sara asked, "Because you're gay, or because you're dating me?"

"A bit of both."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"No," I said, "I love you."

"I love you too. My place tonight?"

"Why not mine, seeing as my mom knows now, right?"

"Ok."

After I got home, and changed, Sara came over and had dinner with us. Mom seemed to accept the revealed secret and Sara.

"So, Sara, what do you do?" Jules asked.

Sara gave me a sideways glance with a smile. I laughed, hoping mom wouldn't catch it.

"I mean, other than my step-daughter." Jules clarified.

"I'm a paramedic."

"Oh, do you know Steve?"

"Steve Hall, from the 'Hat?" Sara asked, "Yeah, I know him."

"Yeah, that's him. I went to high school with him." Jules answered.

"Oh, is he you're…ex-husband?"

"No…"Jules started," Megan, you didn't tell your girlfriend?"

"What?" Sara asked.

"Sara-"I started, "My dad- he was a cop. He met my mom when they were both in Team One of SRU."

"Where is your dad?" Sara asked.

"He died."

Sara got up and gave me a hug. "I'm sorry, hun." She said.

"You really do love each other?" Jules asked us.

"Yeah." I said, as I kissed Sara's hand, "I do."

"Then hold onto it, Meg. True love only comes once in a lifetime."