AN: late update, feel bad, but hope it's a good one, will be writing more asap

Chapter nine
Double down
Hold it straight

It was one of those days. Julianne opened her eyes staring at the ceiling trying to control her breathing once again. This was the third time this week the nightmare would take hold of her and wake her, even if she knew that the dreams were real events, it still terrified her to know that one person could be freed.

Though Julianne was told never to tell Elizabeth about it, it still made the pit of her stomach tighten. Ever since she was little, the fear would creep up in her head and the horrid events would unfold in her mind.

Julianne got the news about his parole, but even as she sat in her bed looking to the bedroom door she could hear Elizabeth's alarm clock. Julianne had never felt more alone in this, when her cousin Penny was taken by Gary Margolis, and for the rest of her life it would forever replay in her dreams.

Closing her eyes Julianne kept taking calm breathes, her hands running through her hair, the light sounds of Elizabeth moving about her room. Julianne slowly opened her eyes to the bedroom door.

"Hey Jules, we've got a runner…" Elizabeth's voice was calm looking over her sister. "You okay?"

Julianne moved on the bed, using her hands to lift herself up. "I'm fine Liz, I'm still reeling from the fair last night." Julianne tried her best to put on a smile.

"Okay, I'm making some tea, you want any?" Elizabeth held the door frame studying her sister.

Julianne nodded. "I'll love that, I'm gonna quickly shower before we leave." Her hands ran into her hair again looking over the worry lines on Elizabeth's forehead.

"I'm going to start on that tea, did you have fun last night?" Elizabeth smiled, but the smile dropped quickly. "You really okay?" Elizabeth added feeling her hand rubbing the door.

Julianne bit her lip before getting out the bed. "I'm fine, just better make a move before Ray gets mad." Her hand reached for her bathrobe.

Elizabeth nodded closing the door, Julianne sat on the bed staring at the door. Her hands kept touching her sheets feeling her heart beating rapidly in her chest, it was getting harder to hide from Elizabeth, but she had to try.

The drive to the office was silent, Julianne felt happier that Elizabeth chose to drive, but even happier that she seemed to take the hint that Julianne wasn't in a chatty mood.

The drive was somewhat comforting, watching the world passing by and Julianne rested her head against the glass trying all she could to push her thoughts away. Even if she could manage the small task of deflecting her fear, she knew work was going to be the best thing to keep her distracted.

"So you going to tell me what's eating up at you?" Elizabeth tried to smile, but her attention on the road was hard for Julianne to read.

"I'm fine," Julianne finally said seeing the building coming into view, her hands still neatly on her lap she kept her eyes forward.

Elizabeth was used to Julianne's episodes, since she was little Julianne was always the way she was. "Well if you say do." Elizabeth dropped the matter, even if she asked again; she'd know Julianne wouldn't give her a straight answer.

"Yeah…" Julianne waited for Elizabeth to park the car before jumping out, it wasn't that she was avoiding her sister, but she couldn't face anyone right now without thinking they'd see right through her.

Elizabeth locked the car after getting out, she knew she was going to have a long day but smiled seeing Pete pulling into the parking space next to her. "Morning…" He smiled getting out his car heading for Elizabeth.

"Morning," The sound of her voice was shrugging off all the worry about Julianne. "Nice day."

"It looks that way," Pete kept smiling, he held a brief case while starting to walk in sync with Elizabeth into the building.

Elizabeth opened the door for Pete walking in before him, "Well I am just hoping for an easy day, but I don't hold my breath." Her eyes studying over Pete, he was seriously cute.

Pete pressed the button for the elevator, his attention still on Elizabeth waiting for the lift to come down. "Well I have my fingers cross for you too." He opened the door for her.

Elizabeth laughed. "I'd like that," Her hand was playing with the buttons before looking at Pete through her lashes, "Want me to push your button for you?" Her voice was smooth.

Pete let out small chuckle, "If you insist." He gave her a wide eyes grin. Watching as Elizabeth pressed the buttons before turning to face him full on. "So you have any plans tonight?"

"Well if I'm not still working, no." Elizabeth smiled, her hand moving to her pocket while trying to keep cool, "Any reason why you ask?"

"Well wondering if maybe you were free for dinner sometime?" Pete asked watching Elizabeth's reaction.

The elevator slowed down, Elizabeth felt completely dumbstruck, but watched him opening the door. "I'd love to." She finally said feeling herself trying to hold back a grin. "I'll give you my number." She took a pen from her purse quickly taking the back of his hand writing the digits of her number she knew off by heart. "Call me."

"I will," Pete stepped out of the elevator giving Elizabeth one more look over, he couldn't stop himself grinning, "Have a nice day."

"You too." Elizabeth closed the elevator door feeling it moving up, she quickly jumped up and down dancing around feeling like a complete dork.

Julianne watched as the elevator doors opened, she glanced up from her computer seeing Elizabeth grinning from ear to ear. "You talked to the guy downstairs?"

"Yup and he asked me on a date, well dinner, but it might as well be a…" Elizabeth paused seeing Ray looking his grumpy self, "Hello Ray." Elizabeth smiled trying to calm her smile, "So runner?"

"Jules fill Liz in; the cons will be here in the next ten minutes, so get them briefed up when they get here." Ray barked in his usual manner before heading back into his office.

Elizabeth glanced over to Ray's office, but attention back on Julianne she gave her sweet smile to her sister. "So the file?" Her hand held out looking over her sister with a sweet smile.

"Oh," Julianne gave a shy smile, picking up a file handing it to Elizabeth. "But this case looks like it's going to be the one."

"The one?" Elizabeth glanced over the basic, "Guy shot himself in the ass…" She let a small giggle slip.

Julianne nodded, "Well it was a creative escape." Julianne now looking around her computer for a pen, she never thought she could hide so much from her sister, but it was getting easier.

Elizabeth reached into Julianne's hair pulling the pen from behind her ear, "You sure you're okay sis?" Elizabeth asked softly feeling Julianne take the pen from her.

Julianne looked up to Elizabeth for a second, "Just get the guys briefed on the new runner." Her eyes now snapping back to the computer screen, she felt Elizabeth's weight shift off the table as she didn't say anything else walking away.

Lloyd was the first to walk into the office; he felt his eyes pull to Julianne behind her desk. He took a step forward feeling Elizabeth's hand on his chest. "Woah there," Her voice was cool as she held out a file. "You might want to sit when reading this." Elizabeth gave him a reassuring smile as she now handed files to Erica and Shea behind Lloyd.

"See this is what I'm talking about!" Lloyd sounded startled, "I need to know how to defend myself!" His eyes were looking over the confusion written all over Elizabeth's face.

Shea laughed, "He wants to know some fighting moves…" He cleared the confusion. "If you start something on the inside, you'll catch a beat down." His voice was directed at Lloyd.

"I don't want to start something on the inside; I want to be able to defend myself when we're working cases." Lloyd's eyes shifting from Shea to Elizabeth standing still feeling lost. "Not to remind you we're a gun short."

"Hello!" Elizabeth waved her hand looking offended by Lloyd's words.

Lloyd glanced to the emotions written like a children's book on Elizabeth's face. "Well no offence, but you're still in training."

"Not everyone is Damien Fontleroy." Shea stated, his eyes looking to Elizabeth standing with her hands on her hips, he could see the gun holster behind her denim waistcoat, "And I'm sure Liz can handle a gun properly."

"It's not just a runner, danger lurks everywhere. It wasn't a runner who tazed me last time."

"You're still whining about that?" Erica said from a desk, her face not looking that bothered with the conversation.

Elizabeth inhaled looking over everyone; it seemed Lloyd was pulling on this subject more than needed. "I'm suffering from PTSD, whining is part of the healing process." He snapped while watching Erica, his eyes shifted to Elizabeth still standing with her hands moving to her pockets on her jeans.

"Okay I got a move for you here," Shea said after slapping his hands on the table, he got to his feet seeing Lloyd following suit.

"Okay let's do it!" Lloyd moved to stand in front of Shea; he seemed too excited for this.

Elizabeth glanced from Shea to Lloyd, in her stomach was a feeling Lloyd won't be smiling too long. "How about a bouacha?"

"I don't know what a…" Lloyd started before Shea made the move clear hitting him. "Halleluiah! That's stings me." Lloyd was holding himself looking scared.

"That's a bouacha…" Shea looked smug now.

Erica rolled her eyes getting to her feet finally opening the file in her hands, "That's enough." She stepped forward going over to the desk, "What we have today? Travis Muncey…" Erica looked over the file, "No rap sheet?" Her eyes were going to Julianne, who was running about keeping busy.

"He was arrested six weeks ago, in possession of a stolen handgun, he escaped while awaiting trial."

Erica let out a giggle, "Get this one, He tucked the handgun in his pants and shot himself in the butt." Erica felt giddy; this case was so going to be a piece of cake.

"Slick call that a practical right there," Shea felt smug, he relaxed on his chair looking up to Elizabeth.

Erica kept reading from the file, but Elizabeth's eyes shifted over to Julianne looking nervous, "Why are we going after this guy it's kinda insulting!" Erica added, Julianne moving about.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, we get one month per fugitive." Shea pointed out, "The degrees of difficulty have nothing to do with it." He leant back feeling calm.

Lloyd inhaled; he glanced from Erica to Shea, "Don't jinx us Shea." He pointed out calmly.

Shea scoffed at Lloyd, "Please this is the easiest month ever." Shea rested his hands behind his head.

Lloyd didn't like this, he felt like he was in a room full of idiots. "Shea! You don't enter a casino from the main entrance, you don't make a bet with a fifty dollar bill, and as Kenny Rodgers made it abruptly clear you don't count your money at the table. Stop jinxing us!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, it wasn't long before Ray filled in everyone on the whole case, and being that it seemed this was the real deal.

Walking into the break room, Elizabeth turned to see Shea standing behind her, "You had to hurt him." Her voice was calm turning around to face Shea.

"Well he goes on like a broken record." Shea picked up a mug to pour himself a coffee, "But you know I'm still onto you girl."

Elizabeth pulled her own mug of coffee close to herself, she shook her head letting her hair bob from one side to another, "I have no idea what you're going on about…" Her eyes were going to the only exit, "But if you wanna join me for a smoke." She stopped seeing Erica poking her head in.

"We've got a location to go to," Erica said looking at the coffees in hand, "Heading out now." She pointed while making a move to quickly change out of her prison clothes.

Shea placed the coffee down, "I know something's up, and I always find out the secrets." He moved from the break room to the changing room.

Elizabeth stood still looking down into her coffee, she quickly moved out of the break room, if she had to smoke quick, she was going to. She knew Shea wasn't the kind of man to always find out what is being hidden.