Truly sorry for the incredibly long wait on this story. I don't know how I let this story slip from my mind. I was just so busy with my other ones. So many things are swirling in my head, and I need to get them on paper. Sorry again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. It starts where the last one left off.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ghost Whisperer at all.

Jim wasn't sure how he was going to fix this. Sam was capable of anything. This, he knew. It wouldn't be enough to just call the police. Sam was conniving and can turn the situation around to make Jim look like that guilty one. Banking on everything, it seemed as if Jim was fighting a losing battle, and soon, there would be nothing left to his name.

_o_

It was late. Midnight-ish, maybe. It didn't really matter. Jim's head was a commotion of thoughts. All he knew was that is was late, and he should be sleeping. But, how could he drift off to a subconscious state when his mind wouldn't take a rest? Jim sighed before looking over at his sleeping wife. A relationship that had started off so counterfeit, is now blissfully genuine. The feelings that stirred in Jim's heart every time he laid eyes on Melinda were so warm and natural - as if he was meant to love her. Never did he imagine they would come this far. And for Sam to just walk up and try to take it all away? No, this is how it's supposed to be.

Jim sighed and gingerly ran his hand through Melinda's hair, reveling in the silky texture. One of her best features, he thought. If Sam had a problem with Jim, he should take it up with him. There was no need to bring people he loved into this hasty fight that didn't even make sense in the first place. What did Jim do that was so bad - bad enough to want to hurt him and destroy what he worked so hard for? Why was Sam full of rage? No answers came to him. All he comprehended was that he would take the beating, because it would snow on the hills of hell before he ever let anything happen to Melinda. With that final thought, Jim soundlessly lifted himself off of the bed and left the bedroom.

The kitchen was his destination, since he needed a cold drink. He pulled out a water bottle from the fridge and took nice, long gulps to help soothe his troubled mind. He felt the cool liquid travel through his esophagus, down to his stomach, and it helped him relax a bit. Jim made his way out of the kitchen and into the living room, where he went over to the huge window. He gazed upon the bustling city of Grandview. It looked so calm, so oblivious to the dangerous people within its barriers. If only the city knew what kind of people lived in it. Jim sighed and contemplated what he could do to get rid of Sam. Only one solution came to his mind.

"Jim?" Melinda spoke quietly.

He whipped around to see a sleepy Melinda looked at him. She looked adorable with slightly droopy eyelids and ruffled hair. Jim smiled to himself. How lucky he was to have this sleeping beauty in his life.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Jim asked softly, pretending to scold her.

A smile broke out on her face.

"I woke up, felt around, and you weren't there. I thought something bad might have happened." she answered.

"Aww, someone couldn't sleep without their teddy bear?" he mocked with a smile.

"If someone's teddy bear didn't leave the bed, that someone could have still been asleep right now." she smiled.

Jim smiled at her comment. He walked over to her and gently pulled her to him.

"I don't know where your teddy bear went. He was just here." he looked around stupidly. "I suppose you'll have to sleep alone."

"Hmm, I guess I'll have to." Melinda walked out of his embrace. "Well, if you see my teddy bear again, tell him that I don't want him anymore. He wasn't as cuddly as I like."

She walked back into her bedroom. Jim grinned and quickly followed her. Once he was in the room, he tackled her to the bed. She fell with a squeal and landed on her back, facing Jim. He laid on top of her and smiled.

"Your teddy bear was hurt, but he sent me instead." he said.

"Well…I don't know." she replied with a smile. "I'm looking for cuddly. You don't seem very cuddly seeing as how you just attacked me."

Jim moved up the bed and laid down with his head on the pillow. He held out his arms.

"I can be very cuddly." he spoke innocently.

"I'll be the judge of that." Melinda grinned as she climbed into his arms.

Jim held her close to his body, breathing in her scent. He was sure more than ever that he was willing to fight tooth and nail for Melinda's safety. It seemed like the only way, even if he had to lose everything, including his life, to do it.

"What's wrong?" Melinda whispered.

"Nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" he said almost convincingly.

"Jim, I know you." she looked up at him. "You're tense and even though you try to play it off, I know something is deeply bothering you. So talk to me."

Jim sighed. She read him like an open book. Barely anything got past her. One of the perks to being soulmates, right?

"I was just thinking…" he hesitated. She stared at him patiently, encouraging him to go on. "I was thinking about Sam. I know he's smart, so he'll find a way to rip apart my whole life until I'm nothing. And when that time comes, you'll be ready to move on and find someone else."

Even as he spoke the words, he didn't truly believe them. Melinda wouldn't just pick up and leave after all that's happened. Would she?

Melinda wasn't hearing this. She gingerly pulled out of his arms and clambered into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him straight in the eyes.

"You're all I want, and it's not because you have money or power. It's because you are amazingly smart and incredibly caring. You're also insanely hot, but that's beside the reason." Melinda smiled. Jim rolled his eyes and smiled, too. "Jim, I love you. No matter what Sam does, that will never change. I'm here to stay."

Jim was swept up by her declaration of love. He pulled her head to his and kissed her passionately. This was his girl, and no one was going to take her from him. He pulled away a few minutes later.

"Mel, I want you to know that it might get dangerous, but that's not a reason for me to run." he looked down at his hand, which was resting on her thigh. "I want you to know that if it comes down to it, I'd give my life to make sure you are safe and always will be."

"Jim, please…" she said in a shaky voice.

"You need to know this might not end the way you want and-"

"Stop talking like that." she shook her head. "I don't want to hear it."

"Melinda, you need to hear this." he gently grabbed her upper arms. "Sam is capable of anything, even murder."

That did it for Melinda. Tears spilled over the rims of her eyes, running down her cheeks, and dropping like drizzle onto Jim's lap. The word 'murder' ripped at her heart. Life without Jim would be no life at all. Whether they were together or not, she had Jim for the past six years, and it is pretty much a foreign concept to live without him. Jim moved to wipe away her tears, but she quickly got up from his lap and left the bedroom. In slight confusion, he followed her. She went to the kitchen.

"Melinda, what are you doing?" Jim asked as he watched her grab a knife from the holder.

She positioned the knife in front of her, ready to stab herself in the heart. Jim looked at her tear-streaked face with fear.

"You want to leave me. You're gonna let Sam take you away from me! You're just gonna give up! Well, I'm not going to watch you die. You can watch me." Melinda plunged the knife toward her heart.

Jim was fast enough to grab her hand. She struggled against him. He had never seen her like that, which deeply frightened him.

"Just let me do it!" she cried. "You're going to leave me. I don't want to live if you're going to die, Jim. I don't want to live without you."

He grabbed a hold of the knife as Melinda sank to the floor. His own eyes filled with tears as he watched the love of his life cry in agony. It broke his heart to see her so scared. He dropped the knife onto the counter and knelt down to her. Her body shook with sobs. Jim's vision blurred with tears as he pulled her into his embrace. Melinda clung to him as she cried. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to see him dead. If that's how the fight would end, she'd take her own life just to spare herself the despair she'd have to deal with. Jim was her love, her anchor, her life, her soulmate. She was nothing without him.

Jim effortlessly picked Melinda off of the floor and into his arms. She looped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, wanting to be as close to him as she could get. He silently carried her to the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and loosened his grip on her. Melinda was reluctant to let any kind of space penetrate between them, but soon let him go just enough to look at him. His face was damp with tears. She gingerly wiped them away. Jim smiled at the gesture and returned the favor.

"I love you." she whispered in a quivering voice.

"I love you, too." he responded strongly.

Jim held her safely in his arms as the couple drifted into a dreamless sleep, both reluctant to wake up the next morning.

Morning had came faster than either had liked. Jim was the first to get up. The clock read 6:22am. The two of them had to be at work soon. Jim stretched a bit and suddenly realized a heavy weight on top of him. He looked down to see Melinda draped over him, holding him protectively, even as she continued to slumber. Jim ran his fingers through her hair.

"Mel," he spoke quietly. She stirred a little, but remained asleep. "Mel, wake up, honey."

Melinda moaned a little as she shifted her whole body onto his. She finally opened her eyes to see that she was lying right on top of Jim. A smile formed on her lips.

"Hi, handsome." she said.

"Hey, beautiful." he kissed her forehead. "Remember that place where we keep our paychecks? Well, we need to go there soon."

"But I don't wanna." Melinda groaned. "I want to stay here and play with you."

She sat up on top of him and ran her hands over his bare chest. She leaned down and kissed his neck. Jim's hands automatically grabbed onto her hips, raising up the huge T-shirt she was wearing.

"Mel, please don't do this to me." Jim groaned.

"But you seem to like it." she whispered as she felt his body react to her.

Jim sat up, so Melinda was now sitting on his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled her T-shirt off, leaving her only in her panties. She felt Jim harden even more under her.

"Come on, Jimmy." she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her chest against his. "We're the bosses. We can be a little late."

She kissed him gently on his lips. She felt his hands roam around her back, so she kissed him again, a little longer this time. Suddenly, Jim placed his hand on her upper back and pushed her against him. He groaned as he felt her breasts against his chest. Melinda slightly wriggled against him. Jim captured her lips in a heated kiss. And the next hour was spent in pure bliss.

_o_

"Jim," Melinda mumbled. "we're going to get caught."

Melinda was perched on her desk with her legs wrapped around Jim's waist as he kissed her fanatically. One hand was on her neck, keeping her lips close to his and the other caressed her leg. Melinda had her hands on the back of his shoulders as they made out on her desk. Jim pushed her skirt up a little and caressed her upper thigh.

"Jim," she moaned against his lips, but pulled away. "This is highly unprofessional."

"That's part of the fun." he breathed with a grin and kissed her again.

Melinda moaned again as Jim's hand reached her underwear. Having sex in the office was definitely exciting, and the thrill of being caught at any moment intrigued her, but she knew Jim was only doing this because of what happened last night. They were making love for what could be the last time. If it was going to be the last time, Melinda wanted it to count.

Somehow, they ended up on the floor during the process. Jim rolled off of Melinda, breathing heavily. They were wearing matching dazed expressions.

"I love you, Melinda. Remember that." Jim looked at her.

"I love you, too." she looked back at him briefly before cuddling up to him.

Work was pretty slow that day, and rain was coming down heavily on Grandview. But, the rain was the least of their worries. The same thing that was on Jim's mind was the same thing that was on Melinda's mind. Both had a feeling of dread, but didn't admit it to each other. The fear of what Sam was going to do was starting to affect them; it was getting too hard to deny. What seemed like a lifetime later, lunch rolled around.

"So, do you want to go out for lunch?" Jim asked.

"Oh, no. I already made plans with Andrea to have lunch. I'm sorry." Melinda apologized.

"It's alright." he smiled. "Go have fun. And be careful."

"I will, I promise. You be careful, too." Melinda kissed him for a minute before leaving the office.

Jim sighed and watched from the window as she ran to her car, trying to avoid as much rain as she could. She jumped in her car and drove away safely. His stomach gave a loud grumble, and he chuckled to himself.

"Time for food." he mumbled to himself.

He grabbed his coat and wallet, then walked out the door. Out in the parking lot, the rain was relentless, making it look like the city was just a big blur. Jim made his way to his car, silently deciding where he wanted to eat. About a foot away from his car, Jim collapsed to the ground, after being struck on the head by something hard and heavy. The impact was gradual. And the last thing on his mind…

…Melinda.

How was this chapter after a long, long wait? I hope you enjoyed it. I try my best to make it great. Please review, or you'll never know what happens. Yes, I am evil. Thanks guys.