cA/N: Not much to say besides buckle up and enjoy the ride lol. This story has been an incredible journey not only for both Katie and Ned as characters but for me as a writer. I hope you all enjoy this! xx Mariah

Mason slammed the door as he stormed out, locking it behind him. Katie's body ached as she laid there on the floor, her hands unsteady as they silently clawed at the floor. She tried to open her mouth, but she couldn't and not a sound came out, only the sound of her gasps as she tried to breathe.

Another panic attack.

Her head violently quivered as if there was a drill to the back of his skull. Her eyes saw nothing; they had lost all sight of what was and what could have been. Her mouth was open, an eternal silenced scream, blood dripping from behind her teeth and onto the ground.

Katie finally cried when the raw pain inside her was too much to be contained. She cried like her spirit needed to break loose from her skin, desperate to release an elemental rage on the world. She laid there on the floor in her own blood for what seemed like hours. Mason was long gone, she'd heard a car speed off not long after he'd left, but she didn't want to move. She had no inspiration too. As Katie's blurred vision came back to her, she groaned in pain.

It was as if she could hear her father's voice.

You can do it, Katie.

She looked around the room and found the chair was just to the left of her. She reached out and grabbed the leg, groaning in pain as she moved her body onto her stomach. She crawled toward the chair with all the energy she thought she had, gasping as she grasped hold of the wooden leg of the chair.

You can do it, bug. I know you can. His voice said again.

With that revelation of something in her inner mind, she reached for the chair next to her, moving to pull herself up. Pain seared through her ribs better than a branding iron, her mind conceded to the torment, letting herself fall to the floor and sob.

She had to get up. She had to.

Without meaning to, her body curled into something fetal, something primeval, and the pain burned and radiated through her chest. She couldn't do this. She couldn't. The pain increased with waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. She rolled onto her side, a bit of pain relieving as she grabbed hold of the chair. She used every ounce of strength she had to stand up and with shaky legs, she made it to the bed where she laid down until she succumbed to a warm, silent slumber.

When Katie woke again, it was to the fidgeting of the lock. She didn't feel as bad now. Her head wasn't throbbing as much, but her body ached as she tried to move.

Mason was back. The door opened and he had two large white plastic bags filled with different things. The man looked frantic, almost like he'd realized what he'd done to her. "I'm sorry I was gone so long," he apologized, seeing the pool of blood on the floor. "Oh shoot. That's not going to come out." The bed dipped as a cold hand touched her back.

She could barely keep her eyes open, but Mason's hands running over her were like a fire in the night. She wanted to get rid of his hands on her, but she couldn't fight back. She didn't have any energy.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, moving her hair away from her neck, leaning down to press his lips there. "I only meant to teach you a lesson. You're still in love with that police officer husband of yours."

Yes. She was. She was hopelessly in love with her husband still. Mason would never change that, no matter how terrible he treated her.

It took everything in Katie not to say that back to the maniac, but she didn't want to risk getting herself into any further trouble with him.

"I'm going to take care of you," Mason reassured her. "I got supplies. I promise."

Ned was still at the Clancy's household when Jamison got word of where Mason was keeping Katie.

The little weasel had led the cops right to him in a frantic stop at the local drug store. Traffic cams captured Mason, driving a black town car out to an abandoned farmhouse. There were a few other farmers, one had made a call in with a suspicious tip about seeing a girl running through the fields. But it had been lost in the county department before it ever crossed Ned's or Jamison's desks.

Jamison knocked on the front door, stepping back before it opened. Jim Clancy was standing there, his wife not far behind him, curious to see who was at the door.

"Detective," Jim said, nodding to him. "I presume you're here for Ned."

The blond man came to the door a moment later and he stepped out onto the porch. "What are you doing here?" Ned asked.

"We're going," his partner said simply. "The son of a bitch led us right to him. He's on an abandoned property just outside of Brookside, on a Glendale street."

Ned looked at Jim and Melinda, his eyebrow raised. The imprint did prove to be helpful after all, and then he looked back at Jamison. "How did we get the address, anyway?" He asked again. Ned checked the clip on his handgun and then clicked it back into the place with sure, decisive movements. He tucked into his first holster and then checked the second gun he had tucked away in his ankle.

Ned wasn't sure what they find when they finally got to wherever Mason was keeping Katie, but he certainly wasn't taking any chances.

Melinda made a face when she saw the gun, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "I'm gonna go back inside and check on the kids. You guys can talk business. Just bring Katie back, alright? And be safe, all of you."

"I'm always safe," Ned said, nodding to his mother-in-law. "Be sure to tell my mom that when you call her."

"I will," Melinda said, turning to kiss Jim's cheek and wrap her arms around him. It was a silent moment as Melinda held onto Jim, whispering something to him as he stepped out onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind him as she disappeared inside.

There was no way Jim wasn't going to be there for this, especially if Melinda was going to stay home. He wanted to see Katie the second she was found.

"That's where this gets weird. Mason was seen on security tapes at a drugstore," Jamison said. "He was buying a lot of supplies. Katie might be badly hurt, considering what he bought."

That statement caused a sinking feeling in Ned's gut. He knew that they were going to get Katie out safely—there was no other option for an outcome in this situation. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

He would kill Mason for hurting her.

"When he left we caught him on traffic cams like I said," Jamison continued. "We've secured the block. LeTrai is waiting on the scene with two go teams ready. The last step was to just come and get you."

Ned opened his mouth and then shut it when he realized he didn't know what to say. No matter what Mason is doing now to save Katie, he was still a criminal and would have to answer for the crimes he committed.

Still, Ned felt some measure of gratefulness that Mason had stepped up to get the supplies he needed to save Katie and at the same time lead them to the location of where he was hiding out.

"Well I'll be damned," Ned finally said. Jim and Jamison nodded their heads in agreement, and he simply shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what made Mason do it, but whatever it was, I'm glad he did."

He had a feeling both of the other men felt the same way.

Ned sped down the road, passing car by car as Jamison directed him where to go. Jim was in the backseat, quiet, just as desperate as Ned was to find Katie. Ned doesn't care how fast he was going or how sharp his turns are, all he cared about is getting to her before Mason has the chance to hurt her any more than he already could have.

"Turn left up here," Jamison directed and he spun onto the county road. "It's the big property at the end of the road, so slow down." His partner reminded him. "They have the crew set up just down the road."

Ned gripped the wheel tighter as he turned the sirens off, wanting to be discreet about them arriving and not startle Mason into hurting Katie. He slowed down to a stop where most of the other cars were parked and they all got out of the vehicle.

Ned made his way to the front tent where they had heat-radiating camera showing them where Mason and a second person were on the second level of the house.

Katie. He almost wanted to touch the screen he missed her so much.

"Alright, do a perimeter check," LeTrai instructed to a few police officers, including Jamison.

In a large plot of land, somehow Mason's stand out as being off. Maybe it was the way the trees and bushes weren't neatly trimmed. Or the fact that the rickety old house was barely bigger than his own home and it was on a plot of ten acres of bare farming land. Maybe it was the fact that the windows had dark, tightly closed curtains that you had to be trying to peek in to see anything. Maybe it was how it just seemed to exude any sort of light and shutting the world out in a way that just wasn't healthy.

He watched as different SWAT members were clearing different areas of land, getting closer to the shanty house.

"Ned," LeTrai turned to face him and then saw the man behind him. "Jim, nice to see you again, even under these circumstances. You're more than okay to be right here, but don't go beyond the tape."

"Of course. I understand," Jim said, running his hands through his hair. "I just want to be here for… for the after."

LeTrai nodded and turned to Ned. Peering around the side of the tent, both men scanned the old, run-down house to see if there was a good point of entry. Letrai signaled to the other officers in the area and S.W.A.T. team they had brought along; there was a broken window with the latch hanging off just a few yards away from their position.

Ned, of course, was taking point on the team entering the house. No one had even considered trying to talk him out of it. He was a man on a mission, and no one was going to stop him.

LeTrai signaled Jamison and Ned in return, indicating that he had seen the point of entry. Using another series of words, he dictated that there was another one that his team going to go through a few minutes after.

"Got the plan?" LeTrai asked.

"Yes, sir." All of the men said.

LeTrai nodded and both teams flagged to their appropriate sides. Ned was leading team A in through the front door. While LeTrai and Jamison and few others were coming in from behind after.

Reaching down, Ned clicked his radio twice to let LeTrai and Jamison know that they were going in. As soon as he started moving, there would be no turning back. He was going to get into the house no matter what.

No one could keep him from his wife.

The two teams began to move. They were so skilled and professional that not a single sound was made as they closed the distance around the house. Ned raised his gun and checked for just the briefest of moments to make sure that no one was on the other side of the door that he was about to break down. Then he lifted his foot and struck the door, causing it to swing open under the force of the solid blow.

This was it.

When Ned entered the house it was still quiet. His men secured the first floor and Ned dashed up the stairs immediately when he heard his voice.

"They are here," Mason's voice was clear as he walked up the stairs quickly, making sure not to step in the weak spots to make them creak. "I heard them come in. It won't be long now."

Katie whimpered and Mason stayed quiet as Ned made his way toward the left side of the door, where Mason wouldn't see his entry. Jamison and LeTrai came up the stairs a few moments after he was by the door and LeTrai signaled for him to move in.

They had his back.

Ned rounded the corner and Mason spun around, aiming his gun at him. He never hesitated as he held his gun trained at his head.

"It's over, Mason," Ned said.

"You're a fool, Ned Banks. If I don't get Katie, no one does." Mason trained his gun on Ned immediately. Katie's eyes, as tired as they were, were trained on Ned. She was so happy to see him. She couldn't see him get hurt now. "What do you want?" Mason sneered, stepping in front of Katie. "I'm not letting her go."

"Mason, you have choices. If you go easily, this will end better for you." Ned answered, stepping a bit closer to the bed. "My hands are tied if you keep this act up."

"She wants to be with me, can't you see that?" Mason screamed, his hand shaking a little as he itched his head with the gun. He could see that Mason was nervous, on edge. Good. He just wanted to get in this bastard's head and get him to put his gun down. His face was red, his veins sticking out of his neck and forehead. "Step back! I'll kill you."

"Alright. Prove it to me," he replied, tensing up as he stepped back, arms still locked with his gun raised at him. "I don't believe you."

"I see why you married this girl, Banks," Mason chuckled, knowing he could get under his skin this way. "She's a real catch. She's been begging me to just fuck her like she deserves to be."

"Mason, what do you want?" he shouted.

"Temper… temper. What are we going to do with that temper, Ned?" Mason teased, chuckling. He trained the gun on Katie then, his smirk only growing into a full grin. "I'll shoot her if you don't leave. Don't think I won't do it."

"Okay," he said, raising his gun up a bit. "I'll put it down." He went to put it in his holster. "Can you just let me say goodbye?"

Mason aimed the gun at her head as he sat on the bed beside her. He pulled Katie up by her hair, holding her to him. "She's mine," he reminded her, petting her hair as she whimpered against him.

Ned's anger bubbled up and he clenched his jaw, noticing the smile grow on Mason's face. "I know that," he bit back. He couldn't let his emotions get to him. He just couldn't let anything put Katie in more danger. "But I love her."

"No," Mason yelled, shoving her back down as he stood up. The gun was back to him now. That was all he wanted. The gun not to be aimed at Katie. "No, you don't! I love her more than you ever did."

"Falling in love with her was one of the easiest things I ever did," he said, feeling his heart ache the more he looked at how fragile Katie looked as she laid there. She was barely breathing, just ever so often, her eyes barely open as she laid there in pain from whatever Mason had done to her.

"Fine. You can say goodbye as long as you leave," Mason warned, aiming the gun back at Ned's chest. "One bad move and I kill her."

Ned nodded, moving to holster his weapon. As he looked down just for a second, he heard the two pops. Mason had fired at him.

Katie's heart stopped when Mason shot Ned. She watched Ned stumble against the doorway, stunned. Shot right in the chest and stomach. Another pop was sent loud through the air and Mason dropped to the floor with a thud. LeTrai and Jamison came in second later.

"Katie, can you hear me?" LeTrai touched her face lightly, and she focused on his grey eyes. She'd never seen them before. "Katie? Can you hear me, Katie?"

"Yes," she whispered, nodding slowly. She struggled to keep her eyes open for more than a moment. She blinked and then looked over at where Ned was still slumped against the wall with LeTrai by his side. "Ned, he was…shot." She could barely speak. "Is he okay?"

"I think you can speak to him yourself. I'm just glad we found you when we did," LeTrai said, turning to survey the scene with Mason before him.

Ned was kneeling next to the bed a moment later, just barely touching her hand.

He didn't know how comfortable she would be with him.

"Katie," he didn't know what to say at first. "I found you," he whispered, tears springing from his eyes. She touched his face, and he blinked, groaning as he moved closer to her. "I think I peed myself when I heard his gun go off," he said and grinned at her. Her fingers fumbled over his jacket, over the bullet holes, and she felt the vest beneath his shirt. The bulletproof vest. "How nasty do you think the welts will be?" He asked. "I mean, it hurt like a bitch."

She leaned her forehead against his as he moved to sit on the bed next to her. "Shut up," she whispered. "Just shut up, Ned."

He chuckled. He loved her. He loved her sass and her humor, and he'd do whatever she wanted for the rest of his life.

LeTrai brought Ned a blanket and he wrapped it around her, as several different crime scene techs began to come into the room, spreading throughout the house. Medics came in moments later, one coming to Katie and the other going to check the vitals on Mason, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

After a quick look over of all of Katie's injuries and the medic started an IV drip to rehydrate her along with some pain meds, which was when the medic realized none of her injuries were very severe. "She has a few bruised and fractured ribs, which is why it's difficult for her to move but other than that most of her wounds are minor. Lots of bruising and minor lacerations on her face, arms, and legs. She's a little malnourished, but the IV is helping bring her color back now," the medic explained. "Just get a hot meal in her and she'll be okay in a few days. I would recommend being seen at the hospital though tonight for the ribs though. Those can get a bit tricky. You can bring go in on your own time, if you'd like to go home first." He saw the bruises on her sides and her legs and looked at Ned. he medic talked softer now, "should we do a rape kit?"

Then Ned's face was in front of hers, and he cupped her face with one hand. "Katie, baby, are you okay? I need you to talk to me."

Katie snapped back into reality, and she reached out and grabbed Ned's bulletproof vest with one hand to pull him closer. She tightened her fingers in the material and used it as an anchor to hold onto. "I'm fine, I'm okay," she assured her husband. "He didn't get that far." She knew the truth. How far he'd gotten, the way he touched her. Groped her. He'd washed her in the shower. "I don't want to talk about it all right now."

"Okay. You don't have to yet," he kissed her forehead then, picking her up, blanket and all and holding her.

The next few seconds lasted what seemed like an hour. As he held her, she kissed his neck and whispered that she loved him, and he whispered that he loved her back. Nothing would ever get between them like this bastard did, ever again.

After the rescue mission, Katie had stayed overnight in the hospital until her vitals were strong per her father's stern request.

Yeah, even Katie knew she wasn't getting out of that one no matter how long she begged.

Once she had been released from the hospital, Delia had all stayed with them for almost the entire week. Her parents and siblings all made frequent visits too throughout the week, but it wasn't day nine after everything when Katie and Ned actually had a night to themselves.

"I still can't believe you got shot," Katie stood in the doorway of their bedroom, holding a mug of steaming tea.

Ned shifted on the bed and winced when the welt on his side burned uncomfortably. The one on his chest only reacted the same and he groaned. "Babe, how many times do I have to tell you? I didn't get shot—"

Katie narrowed her eyes at him. "I swear to God if you say that you were wearing your vest one more goddamn time, I'll make you wish it was just a vest wound."

Ned held his hands up but couldn't stop his laughter. "Alright, alright. It's just welting though. I'll be up and running around again in no time. Are we just going to forget all the bruised ribs and other injuries you still have?"

She frowned at her husband and slid her hands over her mug as she held it to her mouth. "I'm doing better. The doctor and my dad cleared me," she reminded him, taking another sip of her tea before climbing into the bed with him, she set her mug down and curled against his good side. She was once again filled with relief that everything had actually worked out for them. "And you mean, you'll be running around again after the month's worth of vacation you were given," she stated.

Her voice left absolutely zero room for argument. She had plans for their vacation time, after all.

The high school principal had been kind enough to give her the time off she needed to recover. She was going to be starting two weeks into the school year.

"Of course, Katie," he said. Ned kissed her temple. "That's exactly what I meant. And what was this that I heard about going to the cabin?"

Looking very satisfied with herself, Katie sat up and pulled out her phone. She opened up a text conversation that was with her father and showed her husband the pictures. "My parents stocked up the cabin house for us. We get to spend a whole week and a half down there, just the two of us."

Of course, Ned knew his wife better than that. Smiling in amusement, he asked, "And when is everyone else joining us?"

"Four days after we get there," she said sheepishly. "It lines up with Labor Day. I couldn't help it." After everything that happened, Katie had immediately jumped at the chance to get everyone together for a little vacation. She thought that they all deserved some time for rest and relaxation, and a cabin getaway gave them the perfect opportunity. "But we also get the few days after the weekend is over to be alone too… so just think about it, time alone before and after…"

Ned tenderly pressed his lips to hers. "I think it's a great idea, babe. We all need it some time to heal from all this." Pulling her closer, he buried his face in the side of her neck and gently bit down on the soft skin there. "Plus, it gives me four days to have my way with you before the family gets there and four days after they leave."

"Ned Banks, stop it," Katie giggled and blushed. Her breath hitched on the last word as his hand slid up her side and his thumb brushed the of her breast. "What are you doing?"

He shifted on the bed and turned to tug on the waistband of Katie's sweatpants. "The doctor cleared us, remember?" He whispered. "He said as long as we both take it easy, we should be good."

"I know," she whispered, turning her head to look over at him. "And I want to… I really do, Ned, but—"

"Hey," he pressed a kiss to her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think about it."

"No, Ned, it's okay." Her tears were already falling and he pulled back to wipe them from her eyes.

"It's not okay," he shook his head. "I shouldn't have pressured you when I didn't know how you were doing with all of this." Ned kissed up the column of her throat, lightly sucking on the tender skin. "I just love you, so much. I missed you is all."

"Mhmm, I know. I missed you too, so much, believe me." Katie hummed, touching his face lightly. Her hands cradled his face, enjoying just feeling him against her. "It's not that I don't want to. I just get caught up in my head…" she trailed off, as he turned his head up to look at her. "And when I think about everything that just happened, I can't get into that headspace right now, so if we're going to do anything, we're doing it my way."

Ned nodded and watched her intently. He would anything she wanted. Katie sat up on her knees and moved to straddle him. Ned's eyes darkened when he saw that she had gone sans bra, but he rested his hands on her waist until she was ready to go any further.

"Remember when we first start dating?" She whispered, just as their lips were about to touch. "When we had the clothes-on rule? I think that should be in effect until further notice."

"Yes, I do remember and okay," he nodded, smiling at her. "I can agree to whatever you are comfortable with." Since they had just gotten home from a family dinner at her parent's house, they'd wanted to go to bed, so Ned was shirtless and only wearing a pair of boxer briefs.

Katie was in comfortable clothing, sweatpants, and an old tee. Noticing the way her husband was watching her, she slid her hands up his stomach and over his shoulders.

"Come here," he moaned.

Keeping one hand on his shoulder, she slid her other hand in between his legs. "Oh, do you want something?" she asked saucily. She slowly stroked her hand down against him, building him up again so he would be ready for her. "I think you should be a little more, talkative…"

"Katie, baby," Ned groaned, laughing a little as he watched her, his eyes raking over every inch of her. It made her feel like the only person in the world, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I want you," he reached out to pull her towards him and she shifted toward him, surging their lips together.

"I want you, too," she moaned. Her whole body was tight with need, and she wanted him so badly. Deciding to put them both out of their misery, she swung her leg over his waist and straddled him properly, pressing herself against his chest and rubbed herself against him as she kissed him harder. In one swift motion, Katie ground her hips against him.

They both gasped at the sensation of feeling each other again and stayed still for a moment to relish in it. When he couldn't take it anymore, Ned began to move her hips against him, and she pressed her hands against his abdomen to steady his movements. He slid his hands up her waist and then he cupped her breasts, massaging them firmly. A moan escaped from her and she threw her head back as she bucked against him.

This would take her there. She was sure of it. Her movements intensified and his hips moved against hers. Unable to hold back, they both came as their lips parted, his mouth moving to her neck. He gripped her hips and held her against him. She grasped his hair as he moved to lay her on her back, resting his head on her shoulder and his body next to hers. She curled against him and pulled his face to look at her. She smiled, she'd never loved him more. He brushed her sweaty hair away from her face and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Ned," she whispered.

"Mmm, Katie…?" He eyed her. He knew better than to go into a conversation with her unprepared. He couldn't read what she was going to tell him. "What?"

She sighed in satisfied pleasure. "That was some pretty great we're alive action, now wasn't it?" She finally said.

He smiled pressed his face against her chest to smother his laughter. She was right; it was some pretty great action, and he was glad that they were both alive. "Yeah, I supposed it was." He smiled, biting his lip as he leaned up to kiss her briefly. "I love you."

As they briefly stopped kissing, she smiled and whispered, "I love you too," and then pressed her lips back against his.