"Any one felt like sharing yet?" Chris asked as Pride emerged from interrogation.

"Not yet. Can't see it happening. They are disciplined and being well paid to keep quiet. Unless Sebastian finds something they will walk. Again." Pride said, his frustration obvious as his faith in Sebastian dwindled. "What are you looking at?"

"Brody's mother sent these files over. It is everything she has on Wallis and his story. She's right, not one scrap of evidence supporting his story. If it weren't for the attempt on Brody's father and the attack on Brody I would swear he was making the whole thing up."

"So we…hang on a sec." Pride said, interrupted by his phone. "Pride…..slow down Brody…..we'll check it out…get some rest."

"Something wrong?" LaSalle asked when Pride hung up.

"Brody thinks one of the files contains bank note serial numbers."

"I think she is right." Patton said wheeling in. "Except it is four files not one."

"Wait how did Brody work this out and how did you work this out?" LaSalle asked.

"Both good questions and in my case important. Actually don't worry about how exactly, plausible deniability and all that, the important thing is that those four files contain the serial numbers that are going to be used on the payroll for four ships leaving dock in the next month."

"A counterfeiting op?" Pride asked.

"Looks that way." Patton confirmed.

"Where do the ships leave from? Pride asked.

"Norfolk and Mayport. I have emailed the names of the ships to you. None of them have received the payroll yet."

"I need to report this to the Director. Christopher, see if you can track down the payrolls. We need to work out if they are switching the notes out in if so if the switch has happened yet."

"On it."

-00-

"How did the Director take it?" LaSalle asked when Pride emerged thirty minutes later.

"Well, he took it. The case has been transferred to Washington." Pride said. "Though we are free to keep investigating the attack on Brody, as long as we feed everything back to Washington."

"So what's the plan?"

"Carry on as before." Pride said. "So what do you have?"

"The good news is that the money for the payroll is definitely legit. Currently it is in lock down and has been for the last two weeks. No one has got near it."

"So the question is are they going to switch it and if so how?" Pride asked as the video conference screen started flashing. LaSalle tapped the keyboard so the screen changed showing an image of Sebastian.

"Hey Pride." Sebastian waved from the other side of the screen.

"What do you have?" Pride asked.

"A name. Well technically two names. A Dylan Roberts and a Sean McCarthy."

"And they are?" Pride pushed, despite feeling optimism as they were both in interrogation.

"The owners of the DNA left at Brody's. In particular, skin cells from under Brody's nails and a hair found in the kitchen."

"Good work. Let me know if you find anything else." Pride said killing the connection before looking at LaSalle. "Looks like we have a break. I'll take McCarthy you take Roberts, let's see if we can get them to name their friend and who paid them." He then turned and looked at Patton.

"Anything from those other files?"

"Nada. But I am still working on it."

-00-

"Merri?" Loretta called.

"Sorry did you say something?" Brody asked looking over to the ME, who sat on the other side of LaSalle's lounge.

"Where were you?" Loretta asked, concerned by the distant look in Brody's eyes.

"Sorry, just tired I guess."

"You sleeping okay?" Loretta pressed.

"LaSalle or Cade told you?" Brody asked looking deflated.

"That you are not sleeping? No. They haven't said anything. I can tell from the rings round your eyes. If you are in pain we can adjust your dosage."

"It's not that." Brody assured her.

"Dreams?" Loretta guessed. When there was no denial she offered. "You want to talk about them?"

"No." Brody answered quickly before adding. "But you are right I am tired. I think I'll go to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Loretta replied. But as the ME watch Brody disappear she quietly asked.

"What demons are you concealing?" As Loretta noticed Cade was hovering in the doorway she looked at him and said.

"Take care of her."

"Don't worry I will."

-00-

Cade was just sitting down for a movie when he heard Brody scream. Flying up the stairs to the spare room he saw her thrash in her sleep. Hurrying to the bed he tried to shake her awake calling out her name. When her eyes finally flew open he wondered if she was going to attack him. However, after a brief moment of confusion she recognised Cade and fell into his chest.

He silently held her waiting for Brody to make the first move. When she had finally stopped trembling she pulled away from him mumbling an apology.

"Don't apologise." He instructed. "I told you I am here for you. You want to talk about it?" When Brody silently shook her in response he offered. "You want me to go?"

"No." She said, her voice shaky. In response Cade moved so he sat next to her on the bed as Brody rested her head on his shoulder. He then silently waited for Brody.

"I thought I was past this." She finally said, her voice defeated and full of sadness.

"The nightmares?" Cade asked.

"And memories."

"You are that desperate to forget?" He asked.

"Yes. Otherwise it seems like he won. He deliberately left scars so I would remember. He said he didn't want a day to go by without me thinking about him. I thought that if I forgot he loss."

"But it doesn't work like that?" Cade guessed.

"No."

"Then use the memories. You survived whatever he did, so you are stronger than him. Remember that."

"You sound like Gibbs."

"Who?"

"The Agent who saved me."

"Well there you go, we can't both be wrong. Come on." Cade said standing. Seeing Brody's questioning look he explained. "You ain't going to sleep anytime soon so lets go watch a movie."

-00-

When Chris entered his house a couple of hours later he silently made his way to the kitchen only to be distracted by the light and sound from the lounge. Wondering why his brother was still up he quietly moved to the lounge surprised to see his brother and partner sprawled out on the couch.

Sensing movement Cade looked at the doorway and place a finger over his lips to tell Chris to remain silent.

"She okay?" Chris mouthed.

"She will be." Cade mouthed back. "You okay?"

In response Chris shrugged. He then pointed upwards and mouthed. "I'm going to get a couple of hours sleep."

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. Next chapter up tomorrow.