A/N: Yep, you guessed it, more angst. Thank you for the follows and reviews.

Clarisse's foot met the thick side of Baron Von Troken's stomach, hitting a rib in the process. "One last kick just because." She glared down at the man before turning her attention to her daughter.

"Are you alright, Darling?"

"Fine, Madre." The young woman nodded and moved to her mother's side.

Clarisse quickly grabbed the blankets from the bed, handing one to her daughter and wrapping the other around herself. "Come on then. We have to hurry before the rest of them show up and we're trapped again." She grabbed the young woman's hand and practically drug her along as she moved as fast as she could out the door.

"I'm frightened, Madre."

"So am I, Darling, but we have to keep moving." Clarisse squeezed the hand she held as she continued to hurriedly move through the cold corridors of the old manse, praying that they would make it out without being caught.

CnJ

Joe blinked several times behind the black lenses of his glasses. Surely he wasn't seeing what his mind said he was. "Stop the car," he ordered, immediately opening his door and getting out almost before the car had fully stopped.

"Clarisse?" he called.

Clarisse stumbled just as she heard her name and cried out with the pain of the gravel digging into her hands and legs. Lying on the dirt road, she tried to catch her breath and fight the pain she was in, but it was so hard, all she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep.

Joe ran to the two blanketed figures ahead of him, his wife and his daughter. "Clarisse," he shouted when he saw her fall, his pace growing faster.

"Padre!" the young woman cried out from her place beside her mother.

Joe stopped and knelt down beside Clarisse. "Rissee," he whispered as he caressed her hair back from her face then looked up into the teary eyes of his daughter. "Mi pequeño." He smiled tenderly before returning his attention to Clarisse.

Gently lifting Clarisse into his arms, he carried her back to the waiting car. "Take them back to our home then call for Father Juan and old Doc."

Clarisse clung to Joe as best she could, struggling to fight against the darkness closing in on her. "No, don't leave me."

Caressing her cheek with his lips, he sighed, "I have to, Rissee. I have to go with the others to make sure those two miserable lowlifes are taken care of." Joe placed Clarisse carefully on the seat. "I promise I'll be home as soon as I can. I'll be careful." He smiled and kissed her forehead, the smile belying his anger.

"Padre, I'll take care of her." The young woman wrapped her arms around her father's neck.

"I know you will, pequeño." He kissed the young woman's forehead. "Hurry now, I have to go," he urged her into the car and closed the door, banging on the top of the car to signal the driver it was safe to leave.

"Now," he growled as he turned to face the direction of the manse. "It's time for a little pay back."

CnJ

Joe couldn't believe it, the place was empty. Not a soul could be found, although they did find blood on the floor of the room Clarisse had been held in.

"Damn it!" Joe slammed his fist against a wall. "How the hell did they leave so quickly?"

"I don't know, Joe." His companion frowned. "As old as this manse is, I would say there are underground passages that they escaped through. They could even still be here but hiding in the passageways."

Joe growled and walked toward the door he'd came in through. "I want this place turned upside down," he shouted over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Joe. We'll take care of it. I know you want to be the one to, well you know, but you need to be with your wife right now."

"I want to know when you find them." Joe's green eyes flashed with anger.

"Joe, you can't do what you're thinking. She won't be able to overlook it."

"She'll understand." Joe argued.

"No, she won't, and you know it."

Joe closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. "I know. Just make sure we never have to worry about them again."

"You know that we will once we find them." The older man squeezed Joe's shoulder. "Remember, I'm the one that taught you."

"I know, and I do remember. If I didn't, I wouldn't have called you in." Joe smiled sadly at his mentor. "I'll be going now and thank you."

CnJ

Juan held the young woman as she cried into his chest. "Shh, you're both safe now, and old Doc is with your Madre." He kissed the girl on the head the looked up when he heard the door open.

"José."

"Juan." Joe greeted his childhood friend, opening his arms for his daughter who rushed toward him.

"Oh, Padre," she cried into his chest as she clung to him.

Joe wrapped her tightly in his embrace, kissing the top of her head as he smoothed her hair with his hand. "Shh, mi pequeño. Padre's got you, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you or take you. You'll never have to hide who you are, ever again."

"I didn't mind, Padre. I understood why you and Madre couldn't tell anyone about me," the young woman whispered against her father's chest.

"I know that, Pequeño."

"José." Juan gently interrupted. "You need to go to Clarisse. I'll stay here with your pequeño."

Joe looked at his long time friend, his worried green eyes searching his friends soft brown ones for the truth he wasn't saying. "Thank you, Juan." Kissing his daughter on the forehead, he let her go and made his way upstairs to the master bedroom.

"Uncle Juan?"

"Yes, Pequeño?"

"Madre," the young woman's voice shook. "Padre won't know what to do if something happens to her."

Juan held out his arms for his god daughter and held her close as she leaned into his chest. "I can't make promises, but I do know that old Doc cares very much for your mother and is going to do everything he can to make sure she's alright."

"Yes," was her simple reply, muffled against his chest. "Uncle Juan?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me about them."

"I've told you all the stories I have about them."

"I know, but tell me again."

Juan smiled and kissed her head. "Alright."