As the two men left the room they were passed by Kendrick.
"Uh, sir, excuse me," we may have a situation here." He seemed a little uncomfortable.
McGruder was instantly alert. "Dilworth, Lee, hold on a second. We may need you." He turned to the young agent. "So, what's going on?"
Kendrick shrugged. "Well, we aren't sure it's anything, but, well since the bus came…"
"You mean the kid's school bus?" interrupted McGruder.
"Uh, yeah," Kendrick continued. "Well, since then several cars have driven past the house, real slow. I mean, before the bus there wasn't a single car on the road. But now… who knows what it means?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" barked McGruder. "Is there a threat or not!"
Kendrick was sheepish and shot an apologetic look at Rachel. "Well sir, all of the cars, they're all, um, well, um, driven by women."
Rachel snorted. "And God knows there have never been any women assassins or suicide bombers."
"Not women with little kids in car seats."
Rachel's lips began to twitch. "You let the kids see your gun when Owen got on the bus didn't you?"
"Yeah, how did you know? The kid wanted it to look like I was his bodyguard, we, ah, were just having fun."
McGruder stared at Rachel. "What's that got to do with anything?"
Rachel closed her eyes and shook her head. She patiently explained to the assembled men, "This is a small town. Men in black suits with guns are not normal. When Debbie..."
"Who's the hell is Debbie?" McGruder interrupted.
"The bus driver. When she saw that gun, she probably got on her cell and alerted the other moms. This is big time gossip; you can bet everyone who could would drive out here to check things out. I'm surprised none of the neighbors have called."
The men in the room looked at her disbelievingly. Rachel cocked her head. "I should explain that I've already had two phone calls this morning about Hood's arrival in the middle of the night. Trust me, this is a small town everything gets noticed and commented on."
McGruder suddenly laughed. "Yeah, you're right. I've lived in DC to long. Forgot what small town mentality is like. Dilworth, Lee, go ahead and take off. Kendrick, tell the others to stand down. I don't think we need to worry about repelling any invaders." He gave Rachel and Hood a long look. "The Director and I won't be much longer here."
Rachel and Jacob sat tensely staring across at Frank and McGruder. Finally, McGruder broke the silence.
"You know Frank; I'm really not sure what to do here."
Frank was confused. "What are you talking about? You were the one who engineered this meeting."
McGruder was thoughtful. "About Young and Hood. I meant it when I said that she's wasted in the EPD. I don't know about you, but I actually read those reports she filed after all those cases. She's been doing damn good work that has nothing to do with being a bodyguard or a handler for some time now."
"As for Hood, I've been reviewing his status. I honestly don't think he needs a bodyguard. Hell, that extremist group hasn't been heard from since the bombing. As Young pointed out, the other threats to his life are short-term, when he's in the middle of a case. Once the case is over, so's the threat. And in a lot of his cases, there's no threat at all. Yeah, he needs someone to watch his back when he's in the field, but not necessarily a bodyguard." He looked at Rachel. "A damn good agent for a partner should do the trick."
Rachel felt her stomach tighten. Was McGruder suggesting what she thought? As for Jacob, he was just confused. What was McGruder getting at?
Frank was intrigued. "So exactly what are you suggesting?"
"Lee and Hood already work out of your office. You yourself pointed out that Young is already acting as lead agent for the unit. Why not make it official? Transfer her out of EPD and into the Director's office."
"Actually, it's not a bad idea. But what's with the hesitation? Suddenly afraid to give up an asset?"
"Nah, more like I'm afraid you'll be pissed at me when you discover that I've off-loaded what would be a scandal in my division onto your office."
Frank looked at him in bewilderment. "What are you talking about? What scandal?"
McGruder nodded toward the pair sitting motionless before them. "Word gets around they're lovers while she's in the EPD, that's a bona fide scandal, a firing offense. In your office," he shrugged. "They wouldn't be the first pair of agents to get together. Hell, he's not even an agent. Some gossip, but no big deal as long as they're discreet. But, didn't seem right for me to foist the situation on you without fair warning."
Frank was in shock. "What do you mean lovers? You spent the whole drive down here convincing me that Dilworth's charges were a load of crap. That Jacob and Young have a purely professional relationship."
"Look, when Dilworth unloaded on me last night, I pulled Lee in for a long talk. The man's not stupid, and he's been working closely with these two for months now. Honestly, just the fact of Lee told me a lot about their relationship."
Frank grunted a question in response to that statement.
"I mean it," insisted McGruder. "Think about it, if they were involved in some kind of affair, do you think they'd welcome a third person onto the team? Lee told me that you left it up to Hood, and that Hood and Young had no hesitation in agreeing to his assignment."
"Then what the hell are you talking about?" Frank demanded, "Are they involved or what?"
McGruder looked at Frank for a moment and smiled. "I read people, pay attention to details. It's pretty clear to me that the two of them are in love."
"What?"
"First of all, when Young here was getting the boy off to school. What were you looking at?"
Frank thought for a moment, "I don't know, her and Owen, I guess?"
"Typical," responded McGruder. "In a group, people look at whoever is talking. I," he said, gesturing to Jacob, "was looking at him. And he," McGruder smiled, "was looking at her like she was the answer to a prayer."
Jacob squirmed as all eyes in the room suddenly focused on him.
"And her! She was too damn careful not to look at him, and when they sat down on that sofa, she kept as far away from him as possible. Afraid of giving something away."
McGruder shrugged, "If they are lovers, it's recent, maybe since she's been down here on leave. If they're not lovers right now, it's a pretty good bet they will be by the time Hood's suspension is up. That's why I think it would a good idea to get her out of the EPD as quick as we can."
Frank turned to the pair sitting silently in front of them. "Jacob," he said. "What's going on? Is he right about the two of you?"
Jacob sat silently, trying to decide what to say. He and Rachel had agreed not to lie, but did Frank really need all the details? It was one thing to admit to being in love, but being lovers? No, that was private, that was for Rachel and him alone.
"What do you want to know Frank? If I love Rachel? If she loves me? Then yes, McGruder is right, we are in love." Jacob smiled at Rachel, reaching out and taking her hand in his. "We've been in love for quite some time, but, we never said or did anything about it. We ignored what was happening and lied to ourselves about our feelings."
"Rachel," he looked at McGruder, "because she has too much respect for your rules. And me," Jacob heaved a sigh, "I was too afraid to admit that I could care about, be close to another woman. Afraid to fall in love again. Then Rachel almost died and over the last seven weeks we both realized that we couldn't ignore what we felt for each other. That being together was more important than her job, or my fears."
Frank shifted his eyes to Rachel. "Young?"
"Jacob's right," she said softly. "We, I've, well I'm not sure when things changed. I just know that, I love him and that's what matters. That I love him and he loves me."
Rachel blinked quickly forcing back tears. "Before I got shot, all that mattered to me was being Special Agent Young. Being the best the FBI had. Now, that's not as important. I mean, I love my job and working with Jacob, not because I love him, but because the work we do is so vital. But now, it's just as important to me to be Rachel and to have a life that includes Jacob. If I can't be both, have both, I'm prepared to give up Agent Young."
Jacob quickly pulled Rachel to his side and put his arm around her. "Does that answer your question?" Jacob asked Frank. "Satisfied?"
Frank sat thinking. He looked over at McGruder in exasperation. "What now? Obviously she can't stay with the EPD."
Rachel stiffened in Jacob's embrace. "Sir, if I could ask a favor? Not for me, but for Jacob and for my father mostly."
"What's that?" Frank wanted to know.
"My father is a retired field agent. He still has friends in the Bureau. I'd rather not have him be faced with the gossip that his daughter was fired for sleeping with her assignment. Plus, I don't want Jacob to be embarrassed by that same gossip. If I could, I'd like to resign." She looked to McGruder, "You'll have my letter of resignation by the end of the week."
Jacob started to protest, but Rachel silenced him. "No Jacob, we agreed? Remember?"
Frank shifted uncomfortably in his chair while McGruder shook his head.
"Not so fast missy, no one's saying anything about firing you."
Frank protested, "Ty, she's violated the rules of the EPD, you said yourself it's a firing offense."
"Only if they were lovers while she was acting as his bodyguard. They say they weren't and I believe them." McGruder looked at him levelly. "But the girl's right, that's what people will say if you fire her now. Do you mean to say, you'd subject your friend's wife to that firestorm of gossip?"
"Wife?"
"They're in love, remember? I figure the moment you fire her, he puts a ring on her finger. Hell, probably the only reason they're not talking marriage now is they can't figure out how to do it and keep it quiet."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Simple," said McGruder. "Like I said before, what's a scandal for the EPD is a minor piece of interesting gossip for your office. Transfer her, give her a promotion, and put her in charge of the unit."
He shot Jacob and Rachel an amused glance. "Who's to say when the relationship began, under your watch or mine? As long as she doesn't turn up pregnant any time soon!"
At this, Jacob shifted uneasily and Rachel turned a bright pink. Frank and McGruder both narrowed their eyes at them.
"No," said Frank, "Jacob you idiot, what the hell?"
"Do not tell me you two have been acting like a pair of irresponsible teenagers!" thundered McGruder.
Rachel, who was now not just pink, but bright red with anger, erupted. "Stop it! It was bad enough that we had to discuss our feelings for each other with you two. I admit you had the right of know. But this! This is too much. If," she glared at McGruder, "when," the glare transferred to Frank, "I'm pregnant, it will NOT be the concern of the Bureau."
Frank tried to interrupt, "well actually,"
Rachel held up her hand. "No, it won't, because the moment I, we, find out I'm pregnant Special Agent Young disappears. Rachel Hood then shows up in some nice safe suburb," Rachel looked at Jacob and smiled, "maybe even in Deale, to await the birth of her child."
Jacob smiled back, "You really think you'd like that? To live here in Deale?"
"Yeah, this place drives Special Agent Young nuts, but Rachel thinks it'd be a great place to raise kids"
Frank cleared his throat loudly. Clearly there were things about the relationship between the special science advisor to the FBI and his bodyguard of which it would be best to remain officially ignorant.
"Ok, that's what we'll do. Ty, you get the paperwork on your end started this afternoon, I'll do the same. I think we can get this all wrapped up in a few days." He stared at the young woman then smiled. "Guess I'll have to get used to calling you Rachel. Any idea when you'll be back on the job?
Rachel relaxed, the morning had been quite eventful and she was glad it was just about over.
"Soon, sir," she replied. "My surgeon and physical therapists have signed off on me. I just need to complete the psych evaluation. I was supposed to do that this week, but had to cancel when Alex was called out of town. I rescheduled for next Wednesday, so sometime by the end of next week, if I pass."
"Hmm," murmured McGruder, "that close? That's actually pretty handy."
"Now what?" asked Frank in exasperation. "I thought we were done here?"
"Sorry Frank, I know we agreed that Hood doesn't need a bodyguard, but until we get back to DC and officially get him off the books of the EPD, I need to have a bodyguard for him."
"No way," objected Jacob, "I will not have Dilworth within a mile of me!"
McGruder shot him an irritated look. "I kind of realized that. I only need someone for a day or two, and it's a damned waste of time for my division since it's only a formality. So, I figure I can just provisionally re-instate Young here. As soon as he's off my books, she can be un-re-instated."
"I can't go back on duty, I don't have a weapon," Rachel protested.
McGruder considered this for a moment, "what do you use? A Glock Compact 17? And you are right handed aren't you?"
Rachel nodded.
McGruder stood, and reaching under his jacket, he unhooked the pancake holster from his belt and handed it and the Glock it contained to Rachel. "Fine, you can use my weapon. Try not to draw it since you're only provisional. There's gonna be paperwork for the both of you to sign, so I'll have a courier deliver that and pick up the gun in a day or so."
Rachel gaped at him. "Sir, I can't, I mean."
"Why not?" demanded McGruder. "Don't tell me you're having psych problems?"
Rachel shook her head. "No, it's just, this is going to cause a lot of comment in town, me suddenly showing up armed."
The men looked at her with puzzled faces. Jacob asked the question that was on all of their minds.
"Uh, why should it be that odd? Don't people know you're an FBI agent?"
Rachel sighed. "Not exactly. I didn't want to have to talk about what happened to me, so Alex and I kept things a little vague when people asked."
"Rachel, what exactly do people think you are?" Jacob asked.
"Not a special agent. Mostly the idea is that I'm your personal assistant or something and I injured my leg in a car accident."
Rachel glared as Jacob and McGruder burst out laughing.
Even Frank was smiling. "Why do they think that."
Rachel shrugged. "Like I said, this is a small town. Everyone knows Jacob works with the FBI and when Alex told people I worked with her brother, they all assumed, I mean, it never occurred to anyone that I could be a special agent let alone a bodyguard."
Frank shook his head, "But the car accident?"
Rachel grinned. "When people asked about my leg, I just said it was an accident. After all, it was. Sofia meant to shoot Wynne, not me. I let them fill in the blanks."
McGruder snorted. "Well, the good people of Deale are about to get an education. Young, first thing I want you to do is pay a courtesy visit on the head of the local police. Needs to know he has a member of my division working in his jurisdiction."
Rachel gulped, not looking forward to what was coming. "Yes sir!"
Frank stood. "Well, are we really done now? We can leave?"
McGruder nodded, "Sure, Young, walk out with us."
Rachel slid the pancake holster onto the waistband of her jeans and followed the two men out of the room, Jacob trailing behind her.
"So, Young," McGruder asked, "what's the program for today?"
"Sir, first a visit to the local LEO's. Then," she paused, "ah, Hood and I will run a few 'errands' around town."
McGruder cocked an eyebrow quizzically.
Rachel sighed, "He arrives here in the middle of the night and in the morning armed men in black suits show up. Half the town is going to be convinced that Hood is a threat to the country and the other half is going to think he's actually under arrest. Best to get him out in public and put the rumors to rest. Besides," she added thoughtfully, "it might be a good idea to stay on the move as much as possible today and tomorrow, make it harder for the media to track him down."
McGruder nodded his head approvingly and slapped Frank on the back. "Good plan, told you, girl's smart as a whip."
Frank just shook his head. "Jacob, Rachel, take care. And, Jacob" he added, "behave yourself!"
Jacob and Rachel stood in the doorway, watching as the members of the security detail snapped to attention and ushered the two men into the waiting SUV's. As the vehicles left the driveway, Jacob carefully closed the door and leaned against it.
"Can you explain to me exactly what just happened here?" he looked at Rachel in amazement.
Rachel just laughed, "I think, Dr. Hood, you're going to have to reevaluate your attitude toward miracles. 'Cause I think you having your ass saved by a Prince of the Catholic Church and the Bureau deciding that they don't care that we're in love definitely qualify as miracles."
"I think, Special Agent Young, that you may have a point." He reached out to pull Rachel into a hug. "You just…ouch," he complained as the gun on Rachel's hip dug into him. "Sweetheart, can't you take that thing off?"
"Sorry, Jacob, but, I really shouldn't. I mean, I'm back on the job and yes, I know it's just a formality and all, but still." Rachel trailed off, looking at Jacob uncertainly.
Jacob understood. "But still, we've been handed a windfall, I agree, we need to learn how to play within the rules that Frank and Ty gave us." He smiled down at her, "We have to learn to be discreet."
Rachel was relieved. "That's what I feel. Last night, this all seemed like an impossible dream. Now I can barely believe how lucky we are. It seems almost ungrateful to not to follow their rules."
Jacob laughed softly. "So we go back to you being the practical one?"
Rachel gave Jacob a quick kiss. "Guess so, and the practical thing to do now is get ready to get out of here for the rest of the day."
"You weren't serious about that were you?"
Rachel looked at him in surprise. "Of course I was. We have to visit the local LEOs, so we might as well spend the rest of the day out, until we have to pick Owen up from school."
"And the errands?" Jacob said grumpily.
Rachel smiled wickedly. "We do have some shopping to do that we most definitely can't do in Deale."
Jacob looked a question.
"Well, if we walk into a drug store in Deale to buy some condoms it will be all over town in a heartbeat that we're sleeping together."
"Not at all discreet," Jacob agreed "So how far afield do you think we need to go?"
"Annapolis?"
Jacob burst out laughing. "I'll bow to you understanding of the small town mentality." He pulled Rachel close, ignoring the feel of the gun between them. "Probably just as well we get out of the house, get away from temptation," he said as he nuzzled her neck.
"Jacob," Rachel scolded him with mock severity. "You heard the director, behave yourself!" She pushed Jacob away with a smile, "Come on, let's get ready to go."
A few minutes later Jacob was amused to see that Special Agent Young was ready to leave the house. Rachel had pulled her hair back into a tight pony-tail and had topped her jeans and t-shirt with a navy blazer, the better to conceal her weapon. In her hands were her sunglasses.
"So," Rachel asked briskly, "what car should we take, your Mustang or Alex's minivan?"
Jacob gaped at her, "what, you've been driving around in a minivan?" He started laughing.
"Quit that," Rachel said, swatting him on the arm. "It's not like I had a lot of choice, I mean, most of the driving I do is chauffeuring Owen and his friends around. It's practical, Ok?"
"I don't doubt it, but I can't wait to tell Felix."
Rachel sent Jacob her best glare, "Hood, that information is on a need to know basis, and Felix does not need to know."
Jacob grinned and leaned forward to kiss her on the nose. "Ok, that's one secret we'll keep from Felix. Let's take the Mustang."
Rachel held out her hand, "Fabulous, keys please?"
"Keys? Sweetheart, you know I love you, but you have to be kidding! There's no way you're driving my Mustang."
Rachel crossed her arms and gave Jacob a level look. "Yes I am driving. It's my job to drive you. Furthermore, I know where we're going and you don't. It would inefficient for me to be constantly giving you directions. And finally, you are a terrible driver."
Jacob sighed as he recognized the stubborn look on Rachel's face. They'd be there the rest of the day unless he agreed.
"Fine," he conceded grumpily. "But I warn you, one scratch and you'll be sorry."
Rachel laughed as she took the keys from his hand. "Why, what did you have in mind?"
Jacob pulled her to him and lightly bit her ear lobe. "I'm sure I'll think of something," he whispered.
