Thank you for your kind works. While I have written this story quite a few years ago, it is great to edit and remember it again. Your feedback is much appreciated!

Chapter 5

Bobby and Tara stood at the entrance of the large store, waiting for Megan to come out. They arrived at her apartment just in time to see her walking into the nearest grocery store. They decided to let her finish her shopping before talking to her. They never considered the freezing wind that blew all around them.

"Maybe we should get inside? She just got here, we won't miss her." Tara's teeth chattered and Bobby nodded his head and was about to follow her when his phone ringed.

"Yeah, Myles?" He asked.

"We have a problem." Myles sounded mildly amused and Bobby frowned. "We have been following Brian Ford for a few hours and it seems like he's stalking your paramedic friend."

"Stalking?" Bobby looked around him and immediately recognized Myles' car, the blond agent appeared to be busy reading the paper.

"D is inside, following him around the store. Mr. Stalker spent the morning watching her apartment and then followed her inside the store, I suggest you'll go and get her." Bobby nodded his head and hung up.

"What's wrong?" Tara followed him into the store.

Bobby shook his head in anger. "Her ex is following her."

"Okay, let's split." She turned to the left and Bobby hurried towards the fruits and vegetables section, hoping they haven't missed her. He walked around the store when he heard Tara's voice from a near isle.

"Megan?" She practically squealed and Bobby suppressed a grin. "Megan Paul?

Megan turned around and looked at the woman who stood beside her. Grabbing a bag of groceries in one hand and a few bottles of mineral water was hard enough without being bothered by some stranger. Her eyes narrowed and she dropped one of the bags. "Who's asking?"

Tara moved closer, lifting the bag that fell on the floor. "Don't you remember me? It's Tara."

Megan smiled a little. "I'm sorry. I think you're confusing me with someone else…"

Bobby approached them, walking quickly. From the corner of his eyes he noticed D who nodded his head towards the right. Bobby looked to his right and saw Brian Ford standing in the other corner, hidden by a pile of perfectly organized beer bottles.

"Tara…" Bobby hurried towards the two women, effectively hiding them and Megan's surprise from the stalker's eyes. "I've been looking for you. Who is this? A friend of yours?" He pulled out his badge and presented it to Megan. Her eyes looked at him in disbelief and she shook her head.

"What the…" Bobby held his hand up, stopping her from speaking further.

"Megan, someone is following you." Tara whispered. "You should come with us."

"I have to pay for that stuff." Megan whispered, looking alarmed and stressed.

"I'll take care of it." Bobby took the bags and looked at Tara. "Get her to the office. Jack and Sue should be there already…" He trailed off when he noticed D hurrying towards them. He moved pass them and headed towards the exit. "It doesn't matter anymore." He said. "Come on, pay for the stuff and let's get out of here." Megan followed him to the cash register.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked.

"We just need to ask you some questions." Tara answered.

Bobby smiled, hoping to reassure her but she narrowed her eyes and turned away from him. He was about to speak when his phone rang again.

"D?" he asked and then shook his head. "Okay." He hung up. "They lost him."

When she woke up at ten after a two hour nap she never imagined that her day would take that turn to the worse. She and James were sitting in a conference room and their new 'partners' asked them all sorts of questions. Did they really expect her to remember every call she ever had? They admitted they were having very little progress and it didn't reassure her at all.

And after everything, she still felt betrayed. She told her partner something and he told the entire bureau. She shook her head, she was starting to like him, their shift passed quickly and she realized that she enjoyed his company. And then she found out he was an FBI agent.

"Of course there were some violent acts against paramedics." James said. "It happens almost everyday. Someone thinks we drive too slow, someone thinks we talked not so nice to his wife. It happens all the time."

"There's nothing specific you remember that happened lately?" Jack asked. "Threats, e-mails, strange phone calls to the station?"

Megan and James shook their heads. "It's hard to remember. We don't really pay attention anymore." She said.

"Megan, there is a lead in the case but we need your help." Sue said, approaching the subject none of the men wanted to talk about. Bobby moved uncomfortably in his seat.

Megan raised her eyebrow and Sue continued. "We have a suspicion that the latest shooting may be personal. We would like you to set a meeting with your Brian Ford and see if we can get any information."

Megan stared at her for a moment. "I don't get it, you want me to talk with my ex boyfriend?"

Bobby cleared his throat. "It's a long shot but we know he flew in two days before the first shooting and tried to contact you. Maybe he's angry and taking his frustrations out by shooting your friends."

Megan sighed and lowered her head to her palms. She mumbled something and Sue smiled when she felt the vibrations. "You have to look at me if you're talking." She said gently and Megan raised her head, question in her eyes. "I'm deaf, but I can read your lips."

Megan regarded her with surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Sue smiled and motioned her to continue. "I said that he was the one who left and that I should the one running around with a gun."

Sue chuckled and touched her shoulder. "Will you please give it a try? We'll have our people all around, you won't be alone."

"Alright…if he calls me again I'll set up a meeting." Megan closed her eyes. It was unbelievable. She finally managed to close the door to her past and here it was once again open. She opened her eyes and looked at Jack and Bobby. "And you guys realize that I won't let you near the Ambulance anymore. You're not trained enough."

Bobby's eyes narrowed and Jack smiled. "Why won't you teach us yourself, Sheila?"

I told you personal stuff and you couldn't keep it to yourself."

"It's my job, Megan, we already discussed it…" Bobby answered his voice wary.

"Can we go home?" Megan interrupted, effectively stopping him from talking. "The night shift starts in 6 hours, we've been here all day and I want to get some sleep."

Jack nodded his head and Megan rose from her chair, heading outside. James followed her after nodding his head. Bobby sighed and Jack chuckled. "I think you're in the dog house again, Bobby."

Bobby shook his head. "She has one hell of a temper, mate. I should probably get used to the dog house…"

Sue felt Levi nudging her foot and glanced up, smiling at him. He grinned back and raised his hand, signing and talking at the same time. "Do you want to grab some dinner?"

She considered the offer for a moment. Their lunch plans went down the drain while they worked on the case. Eventually, they all had some sandwiches delivered and she was quite hungry. "We haven't had our lunch yet." She said.

He pursed his lips, smiling. "No, we didn't. I'm buying." He said. "It's a good offer; I might not make it again."

"What kind of a restaurant?" She asked.

He motioned his hand towards her. "You decide." He knew he just dug himself in a hole when her eyes sparkled with mischief. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her answer.

"There is a new Italian restaurant I wanted to try." She said. "It might be a little expensive." She cocked her eyebrow at him and he laughed.

"Somehow, Miss Thomas, I expected nothing less from you." He offered her his arm after she put on her coat and they left the bullpen together.

Bobby lowered his legs from his desk and chuckled to himself. "They didn't even say good night."

"Is it just me or did they become much more annoying lately?" Myles said quietly. He was surprised at the sounds of agreement from his colleagues. "Right…"

Jack led her inside, his hand resting on the small of her back. Sue tried hard to keep her face forward. The touch was not foreign to her, they used to walk like that all the time and the contact was reassuring and comforting. She suppressed a shudder when they reached their table and Jack moved his hands upward, caressing her shoulders as he helped her to remove her coat. She smiled and thanked him. He grinned and his eyes sparkled with something she never saw before, she grinned back and watched quietly when he asked the waiter for some more candles so that Sue could read him better.

Sue read the menu quietly, using the time to compose herself. Her resilience to Jack Hudson's chocolate eyes seemed to weaken in the past few weeks. She started to imagine how those eyes will look in a different light, how his eyes will turn darker and focused when they dance together, she would lean her head on his shoulder and trace his chest with her palm, feeling the steady beating of his heart.

His touch startled her and she felt her face flushing scarlet, thankful for the dim light. He smiled at her and for a sudden moment she had a feeling that he could see right through her, that he could see everything she wanted but didn't know if she could ever have. He had a precious place in her heart, did he know that? Did he know how much she wanted and feared the change that was occurring between them? She knew that the only thing that was constant is change, she knew they were changing? Was it better for them? Was it better for their job?

He squeezed her hand lightly, moving his fingers to caress circles inside her palm, the movement exciting and familiar at the same time. It was a gesture of care, of desire. Could she realize everything he wanted from that simple touch? He sighed, he knew they were about to move forward, he wouldn't push it; he would try and let it happen naturally. For now, he just wanted to spend some time with her. "Sue, please don't think." He spoke and signed at the same time. "Let's just have some fun."

She smiled and her entire face seemed to brighten. They placed their orders and enjoyed a quiet conversation about nothing and everything. He was amazed by the amounts of things he didn't know about her and was more then happy to learn.

Their evening ended early then they both wanted it to end. He drove her back to the bureau so that she could take her car. "Drive safely." He smiled, reaching to hold her in his arms for a moment.

"Be careful, Jack." She asked quietly. "Feel free to call me if you want to talk."

He winked at her. "Even in the middle of the night?"

She pursed her lips. "Yes, even in the middle of the night."

"I'd hate to wake you up. But I promise to call you if I need you. Will you call me too…if you need me?"

She smiled and he cherished her image in his mind as he drove home and changed his clothes, preparing for the night shift.