A/N - Thank you for the warm welcome!

This Story was posted about 10 years ago on another Sue Thomas forum. I am not editing it and re-posting here. Hope to have quick updates.

English is a second language for me, so please excuse mistakes. If you feel anything is too glaring, let me know.

Enjoy, Bell

Chapter 2

December 19th

The morning was grey and cold and promised to be rainy as well. Levi cuddled on the cold floor and Sue looked at her watch again. It was already half past eight, Jack was late. He was supposed to finish the night shift around seven and be home around seven and a half. Sue sighed and was about to get up when the object of her musing showed up in front of her, looking tired and wet.

She saw the surprise in his eyes and for a moment considered fleeing away from the stairway. But the surprise was gone and a content smile appeared on his face, lightening his tired features. He moved his left hand in his wet hair, fully aware that he was dripping water all around him. He didn't care what she was doing outside his apartment door, didn't care for the horrible last call that lasted an extra hour, didn't care that he had a meeting in an hour and a half. She was there and it was all that mattered.

She smiled, handing him a cup of coffee. His brown eyes were focused on her and she gazed back at him. Her heart was pounding, the heavy weight that settled in her stomach now lifted. She was relieved, after a sleepless night, to know he was alright. "I'm afraid your coffee is already cold." She knew her voice was shaking and that her words were less clear than usual, her emotions transparent to all those who wanted to see.

He reached out for her hand, pulling her to a standing position. He wanted to hold her close. Her hand settled on his cheek, it was warm against his cold face. In her imagination there was a line that they always saw but never crossed, the line that always kept them apart.

He was standing on that red line again. The line he knew he couldn't cross, the risk he never dared taking. It might destroy them, it might kill their friendship, kill them. But in moments like these when the heat from her body warmed his cold one and his face was so close that he could see her luminous eyes that were so perfect…why couldn't he just step over that line?

Her hand dropped to the side of her body and she sighed. "I better get going, Jack."

He had trouble in clearing his throat. "Tha…thanks for the coffee, Sue. I'll be over in an hour or so." She nodded her head and started walking down the stairs.

He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. He hated watching her leave and a sudden realization sunk in his heart. She rejected the job in New York and stayed in DC. His heart raced suddenly, how long did he have before the next proposal? A sense of urgency moved him forward, following her down the stairs, almost running.

She was nowhere in sight and he bit his lips in frustration, the rain dripping around him.

"This is Megan Paul, 28 years old. Finished paramedics and search and rescue courses and has been working as a paramedic for the past five years."

"That might explain her cold manner." Jack grinned at Bobby.

"What's wrong? Did someone actually saw through you and turned you down?" Myles took a swig of his coffee and smiled sweetly at Bobby's annoyed face.

"Let's just say that Crash here doesn't like his new partner." Jack said. "He thinks she's cold hearted."

"I don't think you can be cold at this kind of a job. You must have some compassion." Sue smiled gently.

Bobby shook his head. "I consider myself a good judge of character, Sheila, trust me she's cold."

"Well, we had SOG running around you last night and they haven't noticed a thing." Dimitrius sighed.

"Well, the previous attacks happened while the paramedics were actually on the street." Sue said. "Jack said he spent most of the night in homes or the hospital. It's not easy to shoot a paramedic when he's inside a building."

"Thomas has a point." Myles flipped through a stack of papers. "Attack number one happened at a car accident scene. The same goes for the shooting two nights ago."

"So basically, our shooter aims for the worst calls. The paramedics don't have time to look around their shoulders."

"I talked to the district manager." Dimitrius spoke. "He ordered all the paramedics in DC to wear bulletproof vests. They didn't like it very much, said they have enough equipment to handle with. Whatever happens they can't stop working and we have to find this guy before this escalates any further."

"That sounds like one hell of a party."

Bobby grunted in response and Megan looked at him quietly. He seemed to be angry with her and kept his silence since the beginning of their shift. Sighing, she ringed the doorbell again hoping someone inside would hear it. Inside the large house was obviously a huge party and Megan just considered kicking the door when a young man opened it, looking at them with a frown.

"Did someone call an ambulance?" She asked.

The young man shrugged and Bobby rolled his eyes. "Mind if we have a look, mate?"

He shrugged again and Bobby pushed around him, walking inside the loud living room. They scanned the room and Megan shuddered. "I feel sorry for the parents." Bobby nodded in response and then pointed at a young man who hurried towards them.

"I need help! It's my girlfriend she passed out."

They entered a large bedroom and looked around. Megan wrinkled her nose; the entire place reeked from alcohol. Reading her mind, Bobby walked over to the window and opened it before turning to face the girl who lay on the bed. He met Megan's eyes and they both started to shake her awake.

"You, what's your name?" Bobby asked the boyfriend.

"Billy."

"So, Billy, what were you doing here?"

"We were just having fun, man, she drank a little."

"Define a little." Megan raised her head while checking for pulse.

"Just one beer, I swear."

"And then what happened?"

"You know…" Billy shifted from one leg to another. "We got all turned on and then she passed out."

"Besides the fact that she's unconscious…" Megan pinched her shoulder one more time, trying to rouse the unconscious girl. "Did anything else happen?"

"She said she couldn't see clearly, she threw up."

Bobby handed her the oxygen mask when his eyes picked up a small bag with white powder. "What have we got here?" he picked it up, waving it in front of Billy's eyes. "You better tell me what is that stuff."

"It's not mine. A friend gave it to me."

Bobby opened the bag and smelled it. "Do you have any idea what this is?" He asked Megan.

"Let me guess, it has no smell." She sighed. "Hey, Billy, did you know that rape drugs are illegal in the United States?" She asked and Bobby felt a strong feeling of nausea attacking him.

"I suggest you make yourself comfortable while we call the police." Megan said, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

"So, was it good for you? Sleeping around with an unconscious girl?" Bobby approached him, his eyes dark with anger.

"I didn't do anything; she passed out before I even touched her!" Billy shrank in his chair and Megan reached her hand to stop Bobby from approaching him.

"DCPD will be here in two minutes; we can't stay here and wait for them."

Bobby glared at her. "He'll get away!"

"He won't. It's his parents' house." Bobby just stared at her and she motioned him to look at the pictures on the walls. Bobby identified the blond jerk on one of the pictures. He nodded his head, helping her to secure the girl's limp body to a stretcher.

"By the way, Billy, her I.D says she's sixteen. Maybe you should pick your friends better next time…" and with those words they were out the door, hurrying towards the ambulance.