Author's notes:

I want to thank you all for continuing to follow this story. I also want thank those who leave anonymous comments because I can't reach you personally. We're getting very close to the end. It's been a long time coming. I hope you enjoy this next installment.

Chapter 26

Mike hung up the phone, exhaling a deep sigh. He leaned back in his desk chair, scrubbing his face with the palm of his hand. Ricardo Gomez was dead. Lexi was alive, injured and in the hospital, but alive and expected to make a full recovery – at least physically. No one knew how long it would take to recover emotionally, if ever. He stared at the envelope that he had propped against the base of his telephone. The information it contained, the heart-felt message in Lexi's own handwriting, corroborated the information Marco had just relayed to him. His previous anger, anger that bordered on outright rage, was slowly melting into something else… something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Pity? Sympathy? Maybe even a twinge of admiration? He shook his head as if the movement might clear the confusion, allowing his true feelings to be sorted so the strongest might move to the forefront. Mike Stoker was a man who was always in control, but it seemed to him he had lost control of every aspect of his life after meeting Alexia Lopez. One thing was certain, he was definitely feeling a sense of relief.

A shuffling sound behind him reminded him of his young house guest who was obviously awake from his nap. Now he had the unenviable job of telling Antonio that his mother was back in the hospital. How much bad news could one little boy handle?

"Did you have a good nap?"

"Mm hmm," the tyke responded as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his small fists. "Your telephone is really loud."

Knowing that the little boy had given him the perfect segue into the conversation, he reached out for his young charge. "That was your Uncle Marco on the phone just now," he said, pulling Antonio onto his lap. He felt the little boy completely relax against his chest and he thought his heart would burst. While his emotions might be in turmoil where Lexi was concerned, there was no doubt what he was feeling for her son.

"It's 'bout my Momma, wasn't it?"

How did such a young child grow so wise in only five years? His entire life, Mike Stoker had been a man of mystery. He had often been told by high school coaches, fire captains, and others in leadership positions that they had difficulty telling what he was thinking. Now, this sensitive little boy could read him like a book.

He shifted Antonio onto his left thigh, so the toddler was able to see his face. "Yes, it was about your Momma, but everything is going to be okay, alright?"

Clouded hazel eyes stared at him, brimming with unshed tears. "Did she leave me again?"

The engineer managed to keep his usual stoic face, but inside, his heart was shattering. He had to finish this quickly. He knew that the child just needed to know basic facts, not gory details. "No… No, Antonio, she did not leave you. She had an accident and she's at Rampart Hospital where Nurse Dixie and Dr. Brackett are getting her all bandaged up. She's going to be just fine and right back at home with you soon. In fact," he said, lifting the clefted chin of the dark-haired child when his face began to droop, "she's going to be better than ever," he said, grinning as a smile slowly tugged at the corners of Antonio's mouth. "You know how she's been kind of in a bad mood lately?"

"Uh-huh," the little boy responded, his face suddenly looking a bit rosy. "A REALLY bad mood."

Mike smiled. "Yea… a really bad mood with everybody… not just you, buddy," he said, running his hand across the child's mussed up hair. "Well, Nurse Dixie and Dr. Brackett are going to fix that, too," he explained, his own smile matching Antonio's more enthusiastic one. He felt his heart slamming inside his chest. He wasn't sure why he said that to the hopeful tyke, but he hoped he was right.

"When's she comin' home?"

Mike pulled the child into a gentle hug. "Soon, buddy. But… since your grandma is going to stay at the hospital with your momma tonight, how would you like to have a sleep over with me, huh?"

The youngster hopped off Mike's knee and pumped his arms in the air. "Can I really?"

Mike laughed out loud, energized by the child's exuberance. "You bet! Your Uncle Marco said it was okay. He's on his way over here with your pajamas and then your Aunt Beverly will pick you up tomorrow."

"Can we watch Rudolph tonight?"

Mike stood up, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He hadn't planned on watching children's Christmas cartoons on his off night, but his heart quickly melted as he looked into the excited eyes of his young friend. "Of course. Why don't we order some pizza for dinner and then we'll make popcorn and hot chocolate to snack on while we see what our favorite reindeer is gonna be up to, alright?"

Antonio wrapped his small arms around Mike's waist, burying his head into Mike's flannel shirt. "Thank you, Mr. Mike, thank you, thank you!"

The engineer returned the youngster's affection, pulling him into an embrace as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "You're welcome, Ant."

"I'll be soooo good and… and… You know somethin'?" He asked, his eyes looking up with a sparkle Mike hadn't seen in a long time.

"What's that?"

A toothy grin lit up the little boy's face. "This is my bestest day ever in my whole life and that's a long time now 'cause I'm five. It's jus' like havin' a real daddy. That's what I asked Santa Claus for and he brought you to me. And it ain't even Christmas yet."

Mike's heart ached, but he knew he needed to stop Antonio's runaway train of thought. "Listen, Ant," he said, making sure he could see Antonio's face. He had to know that the little boy understood what he was about to say.

"It's just for a day, alright? It's not forever."

Antonio pondered what his friend was telling him. "I know… but it can be forever on the days I get to see you, right? And then when I don't see you, it isn't."

Mike offered him an affirmative nod. Somehow, in the mind of this child, he had it all sorted out.

"That's right, buddy."

Antonio leaned into Mike once more, lingering a little longer this time. "Know what else?" He asked, his voice muffled by Mike's shirt.

Mike smiled, even though the child couldn't see him. "What?"

"I love you, Mr. Mike… With my whole heart."

E!

Her head was throbbing, her body aching, and the pounding in her ears maintained a steady rhythm of pain. She could hear someone moving around her and fear instantly gripped her soul. She could tell she was in a bed but when she tried to move her arms, she couldn't. She was restrained and panic washed over her like a tsunami. She tried to open her eyes, but her left was too swollen, a sensation all too familiar to her. Her right eyelid seemed too heavy. Her breaths were coming in rapid succession causing the pain in her ribs to increase with each inhalation.

She released a soft cry when a hand suddenly caressed her forehead.

"Sssshhhhh, you're safe now. He's not here. He can't hurt you," the voice crooned. It was a familiar feminine voice but sounded far away. "Can you wake up for me, Lexi?"

The friendly voice faded as the effects of the sedative overtook her once more.

Feeling gentle fingers lightly pressing her wrist, she wondered how much time had passed. Minutes, hours, days? She didn't know. Again, she tried to open her uninjured eye, succeeding only enough to allow the slightest bit of light in. The searing pain was more than she could bear, and so she allowed her eyelid to shut. She felt dueling sensations – the need to flee tempered by the desire to believe the smoky voice crooning to her. "You're safe now, Lexi. Just rest. No one will hurt you.

She listened to the words, finally recognizing the voice that belonged to the soft fingers brushing her hair, carefully avoiding her injured eye. She felt her chest tightening, longing to respond, but her panic was rising along with her level of consciousness. She remembered pulling the trigger, but had the bullet done the damage she had intended? She couldn't remember. What if he had gotten away? Had he found Antonio? Had he harmed her mother? If her plan had completely failed, then her family was in even more danger.

"Lexi Lopez, listen to me. You need to slow down your breathing." Dixie felt pity for the woman who seemed more like a wounded, frightened animal than the brave young woman she knew her to be. Realizing that the restraints were probably causing her a great deal of anxiety, the nurse used both hands to gently hold the petite, restrained hands. "Easy, sweetheart. You're safe. You're in Rampart Hospital and he can't hurt you."

Lexi held tightly to Dixie's hands, clinging as though her life depended on it. She tried to lick her lips, but her tongue was dry, and her lips were swollen and cracked. In a raspy voice, she uttered one word, knowing that the matronly nurse would understand that it was a question, not a statement.

"A-Ant-no?" she managed, raggedly.

Dixie squeezed her hands softly. "Your handsome little boy is safe and sound, Lexi. In fact, from what I understand, he's having a great time with Mike Stoker. He's just fine; don't you worry about him."

Lexi's addled brain took a few moments to understand the words that she had heard. Was it true? Was Antonio safe from Ricardo? Was Michael really taking care of him for her?

Her chin began to quiver, and her face burned as her salty tears ran across her swollen face, finding even the tiniest injury she had endured at the hands of her tormentor. Images assaulted her brain in unbidden flashes. Ricardo had assaulted her, battered her body, violated her repeatedly… she felt the cold metal of the gun in her hand, the sounds of pounding on the door, the ringing in her ears was deafening and the smell of gun powder tickled her nostrils as darkness claimed her yet again.

"LEXI! C'mon, honey… open your eyes for me. It's Dixie and you're in Rampart. He's gone. He can't hurt you or anyone ever again," Dixie said in a raised voice. The sedative should have worn off by now – a fact that was concerning the seasoned nurse.

The former Army nurse thought of how many times she had been in this position with a soldier in Korea. How many young men had cried out like wounded animals, wailing in their sleep? Eyes wide in fear, staring into nothingness, yet seeing horrors no one else was able to see. Battle fatigue was what she had been taught to call it. She had also heard it called Shell Shock. But the symptoms she was seeing in Lexi now were exactly like what she had seen during the war. Those injured young men, forever scarred by the trauma of war, seemed to have one foot in the present and the other in the heat of the battle, reliving the terrifying events and feeling the horrific pain of the injuries that had brought them into her care. Lexi Lopez was no different. Her injuries were different, and her battle had been closer to home instead of in a foreign land, but the mental war she was fighting was identical.

Dixie continued her ministrations, calling Lexi's name in a raised voice and repeatedly telling her that she was safe. She lowered her face closer to Lexi's ear. "Ssshhhh, it's okay, Lexi. As soon as you wake up a little more, I can release these restraints. Dr. Brackett didn't want you to pull your IV loose."

"Wu-ter," she whispered in a raspy voice.

Dixie gave her hands a quick squeeze before releasing them to fulfill the request. She poured ice water into the plastic cup, added a straw, then pushed the button to raise the head of the bed. "Okay, I've got a little water here for you. I'm sure your throat is parched. I don't want you to get choked and start coughing with those broken ribs," she explained.

"Open your mouth just a bit and I'll give you a tiny sip from this straw."

The caring nurse placed her manicured finger over the top of the straw before pulling it out of the cup. As soon as she saw Lexi's lips parting, she placed the bottom end of the straw carefully in her mouth, waiting for the feel of suction before releasing the contents. She watched as her patient savored the cooling trickle of water, then repeated her actions a few more times.

"Are you waking up, Lexi?" Dixie inquired, knowing that the sound of a person's name seemed to bring them into a more wakeful state. When her patient gave an affirmative nod, and swallowed another sip of water, Dixie set the cup back on the bedside table. "Alright, let's get these off of you so you'll be more comfortable, then I'll let Kel know that you're awake."

Lexi felt like a weight had been lifted from her body when she felt the restraints release. Her arms fell to her sides, feeling heavier than she had ever remembered. She peeked around the room, hoping, but not expecting, to see anyone else there. She had lost her family, of that she was certain, but if Dixie was right, if Ricardo couldn't hurt her, then he must be dead. That meant that she had saved her family. She probably would never see them again, knowing that her mother would not forgive her for committing a mortal sin, but at least they would be able to live their lives unthreatened by the man she had spent years fearing. She relaxed a little more, sinking further into the hospital bed. Spending the rest of her life in prison would be worth it all.

Dixie pushed back through the door and quickly picked up the cup of water. "More water?"

Lexi shook her head, the sensation causing pain through her neck and head.

"Are you hurting?"

"Lil… it's… 'kay," she mumbled.

"I'm sure Dr. Brackett will order something for your pain, but he wants to talk to you first."

As if on cue, the dark-haired physician walked into the room. His steely-blue eyes scanned his patient, then a soft smile formed. "Well, you're looking better than you did the last time I saw you."

Lexi tried to smile but couldn't quite complete the task.

"You've been asleep for quite a while, young lady. That's good, your body needs rest to heal. You've got a concussion, a couple of cracked ribs, and a fractured eye socket, but you should heal up just fine with a little rest and some of your mother's TLC," he said with a sparkle in his eyes.

Lexi struggled to say what was on her mind, but she knew her physician needed to know the truth. "She… not…here," the young woman whispered, turning her head away from the two medical professionals.

Dixie and Dr. Brackett exchanged knowing glances. Dr. Brackett propped himself on the bed. "You've been in Rampart for over 20 hours, Lexi. Your entourage had our waiting room full for several of those hours. I finally had to send them home. You were so upset and exhausted, that I sedated you. Unfortunately, I also had to order restraints because you were fighting us a little, which is very understandable in your situation. Dixie and I both went home for the night and we just came back on shift. Dix, even got herself assigned to the floor to take care of you. And, you've had a security guard outside your door this whole time. I was asked to make sure that no one but medical staff spoke to you until Lieutenant Crockett is able to talk to you about what happened yesterday."

"I… killed…"

"No… No, Lexi, you didn't kill anyone. Crockett will explain it all to you. And after he talks to you, your family will be allowed to visit. If I don't let your mother in here soon, she's going to break down this door," Kel said with a slight chuckle.

Lexi's mind was reeling. She had pulled the trigger, hadn't she? She heard the shot. She saw Ricardo fall backwards. She had heard someone say that he was dead. Memories from that event flooded her mind. Then the last statement of her doctor sank in. Her mother wanted to see her. She felt her eyes begin to burn and her throat started stinging. Was it true?

"Ma-ma… here?"

"She slept in the waiting room last night," Dixie added. "I gave her a blanket before I left."

Kel looked up at his favorite nurse, wanting to reunite the mother and daughter as soon as possible. "Dix, would you go call Crockett and let him know that she's awake. I'm gonna let Ms. Lopez visit for just a minute before he gets here." He would make sure no questions were asked, but she was his patient, and it was his job to take care of her to the best of his ability. His professional judgement told him that Maria Lopez was the best medicine for this patient.

Dixie nodded, patting Lexi's hand one last time before she left to fulfill the order. As soon as the nurse was gone, Dr. Brackett moved closer to the head of the bed so that he was in her line of sight.

"Lexi, I know you're in pain right now, and I'll get you something for that just as soon as Crockett leaves. Do you think you can make it that long?"

"Yea."

"Good girl. And I want to be the first to tell you how much I admire your bravery. I don't know everything that happened yesterday, but I have an idea of why you were there. I respect you for how much you love your family and believe me when I say this… Your family loves you more than you could ever imagine. Nothing I said would make Ms. Lopez go home last night. Marco finally left, but it was reluctantly. And he's probably back out there," he said, nodding his head in the direction of the waiting room. "You'll likely be with us a few days and then you can go home and…" he hesitated, watching her closely. "And really start living again." He lightly squeezed her shoulder. "Let me go get your mother."

Lexi fought back the tears. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her, a pulse of heat brushing against her chest. What would she say? What if her mother had waited at the hospital just so she would have the opportunity to tell her how disappointed she was in her only daughter? She closed her eyes, willing her breathing to slow down. She had to be ready for whatever lay ahead. Dr. Brackett and Nurse McCall were professionals, but they didn't understand the intricacies of the Lopez family.

In the waiting room, Maria Lopez was startled awake by a gentle tap on her shoulder. She blinked her eyes until the familiar face of her oldest son came into focus. "Marco?" She straightened herself into an upright position, feeling the aches of having slept in a chair most of the night. "Any news?"

"I just met Dixie in the hall. She said Lexi was awake and Dr. Brackett was with her. She was going to call Crockett so he can talk to her then maybe we can see her."

"Where's Beverly and Antonio?"

Marco offered her a calming smile. "My beautiful wife stopped by the cafeteria to get us some coffee. Figured we might be here for a while," he said, taking a seat beside her. "And Ant spent the night with his favorite engineer." Marco chuckled. "I think Mike is kind of enjoying his time playing uncle."

Just as Beverly rounded the corner, Dr. Brackett exited Lexi's room, heading straight down the long corridor. The two reached the waiting area at the same time.

"Good morning," Dr. Brackett commented, nodding as he offered his greeting. He crossed his arms over his chest, a sure sign that what he was about to say was of utmost importance. "I know you're anxious for news. She had a pretty restless night, from what the night shift told me. She is awake now. We've been able to remove her restraints; she's no longer confused nor having nightmares. If those things return, then we might have to restrain her again, but I really hope we don't. She's in some pain but I need to wait until Crockett talks to her before I give her anything for that. She understands and has agreed. You've raised a very strong and brave young woman, Ms. Lopez."

"When can we see her?" Maria asked, never hearing the compliment.

"Mama," Marco began, "You know we have to wait until Crockett does his interview."

Kel held up his hand. "I've reconsidered. I'll let you have a quick visit, maybe a couple of minutes or so. I think she needs to see you all just as much as you need to see her. Just remember, no questions at all and say nothing about what happened yesterday."

"We understand," Beverly commented, passing coffee cups to Marco and Maria. She knew how important it was to allow the police investigation to take precedence. Asking questions could cause false memories to be implanted in Lexi's vulnerable brain. She would make sure that didn't happen.

"Okay, I'll walk you down there," the physician said, placing one hand in his white coat pocket as he turned to lead them down the hallway.

When he reached the door to her room, he knocked and hesitated a moment before entering. He didn't want to startle her.

"Lexi, you have a few visitors, but I can only let them stay a few minutes," the dark-haired physician explained, stepping aside to allow the Lopez family to enter.

"Crockett is on his way," Dixie announced from the open doorway.

Lexi peered through the swelling on her face and braced herself for the tongue-lashing she assumed was coming. She saw the pained expression on her mother's face, the unshed tears welling up in her dark eyes, and she felt like a small child again. She wanted to sink into the mattress to get away from those eyes. Perhaps it would have been better if Ricardo had killed her.

Maria, unable to speak past the lump in her throat, ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair, brushing a few strands off her face. She bent down, kissing the forehead of her youngest child, her only daughter, silently praying that Lexi might feel the love she was unable to verbally express.

Marco stepped up behind his mother, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder and offering his sister a warm smile. "We love you, Lexi. Don't ever forget that. Everything will be just fine; you'll see."

Beverly stood on the opposite side of the bed. She was accustomed to seeing the battered faces of young women who were rescued from the streets, those who had nearly succumbed to the cruel reality of sex trafficking. Even though Lexi was now her sister-in-law, Beverly still saw her for what she truly was – a young woman who was no longer a victim; she was a survivor.

"Lex, don't try to talk, honey. And we aren't here to ask you any questions. In fact, we never will and that's our promise to you. We're here to let you know that we love you; we're here to support you; and we will do anything and everything we can to help you. Antonio is safe. He knows you are in Rampart and that Dr. Brackett and Nurse McCall are making you better so that soon you can return home to him."

Lexi felt as if her face was on fire. Burning tears were streaming down her cheeks. She felt the gentle touch she knew so well as her mother used a tissue to soak up the dam release of emotions. She closed her eyes and relaxed, nuzzling into the ministrations of her mother while Maria continued stroking her hair and caressing her face.

Marco glanced at the two medical professionals standing by, then nudged his mother. "We need to go now, Mama. She needs to rest, and Lieutenant Crockett will be here soon."

Maria sniffled, then kissed her daughter once more. "Love… you," she whispered, struggling to get those two words out.

"We'll be back to see you soon," Beverly said, knowing how much Lexi needed something to hold on to, something to fight for. "And next time, we'll bring you a get-well drawing from Antonio."

"Love ya, sis," Marco added, wrapping his arm around Maria's ample waist, realizing that she wasn't going to leave without a little prodding. "We'll be back soon."

Dr. Brackett walked out behind the trio, while Dixie stayed behind to help prepare her patient for her upcoming interview with the detective.

As the small group walked down the hallway, moving out of hearing range of Lexi, Beverly spoke for the group.

"She looks better than I expected."

Dr. Brackett's mouth twitched slightly as he turned to address them. "She's been through hell, but she's young and strong. With support from you all and the rest of her family and friends, she'll make a full recovery. I can recommend a therapist when-"

"We have one," Marco interrupted, remembering the counselor with the Bohemian-style office. He and Beverly had been helped by her and he knew that Lexi would feel comfortable with her, as well.

"Great," the physician commented. "Maria, why don't you go get something to eat. I know you've been here all night. As soon as Crockett finishes his interview, I'll let you all visit as much as you want."

Maria, still lacking her voice, hugged Dr. Brackett, standing on her toes to plant a kiss on his handsome face. The stern physician felt the blush coloring his cheeks. He reached for both her hands, offering them a gentle squeeze.

"You're welcome," he said softly.

"I'll buy you breakfast, Mama," Marco said, ushering her towards the elevator.

Marco pressed the button to call the elevator to the fourth floor, but when the doors opened, Lieutenant Crockett was standing inside.

"Hello," the ebony man spoke, holding his tan jacket open with his hand propped on his hip. "I understand our girl is doing better."

Maria greeted him with a hug. "Thank you, Lieutenant Crockett," she offered in a raspy, emotion-laden voice. "Thank you for saving her life."

"And for taking out Gomez," Marco added, extending his hand to Crockett when Maria pulled away.

"I've rarely had to draw my weapon," the lieutenant acknowledged, "even rarer to have to pull the trigger." He glanced down at his feet, choosing his words carefully. "But when I've been forced to do it… I can honestly say that I've never had to regret it. And I'm sure as he-… ahem, heck, not going to regret this time, either." He turned to walk down the hall towards Lexi's room, then glanced back over his shoulder. "I won't be long."

"Take your time, Lieutenant," Beverly said, as a friendly nurse stepped onto the elevator with them. "We understand how important your interview is," she added as the metal doors closed.

Crockett continued walking down the hall thinking about what he had just said to the Lopez trio. He knew he wouldn't regret taking the life of Ricardo Gomez, but it also frightened him a little when he realized that what he was feeling was a sense of accomplishment. He knew he had done the world a favor, probably saving multiple lives by taking one. Under any other circumstances, he would feel a hint of remorse, but not this time.

When he reached Lexi's door, he took a cleansing breath then knocked before entering. He cracked open the door, announcing himself first.

"Lexi? It's Crockett," he said, pushing through the door.

The image of the injured young woman assaulted him. Her bruising was much more pronounced, and the swelling seemed worse. He gulped, forcing the acid in the back of his throat back down into his stomach. He never grew callous to seeing the fairer sex beaten like the loser in a boxing match. But at least he had the consolation of knowing that her former pimp would never touch her or any other woman again. Seeing Lexi gave him the assurance that he would never have regrets for taking the life of such a wicked monster.

"How are you feeling?"

"S-sore," she said, wincing when she turned her head farther so she could see him better. "You, um, gonna a-arrest… me?"

He offered her a slight smile. "No," he said, taking a seat beside her and reaching out to hold her hand. "I came to explain what the evidence shows happened yesterday."

"I… I ki-… killed-"

"Shhh," the officer whispered to her. "I said I wanted to tell you what the evidence shows. Now you listen to me closely, Lexi. My report explains why I used deadly force against him. And the evidence backs up my report. It verifies that Gomez was going to kill you – his fingerprints are on the gun – so my training kicked in and I immediately, uh, neutralized the threat… I shot him. I'm sure you just went there to collect your belongings. He probably wouldn't let you leave. He assaulted you and was about to shoot you when I heard you scream and… and I drew my weapon and charged through the door. I had to take him out, Lexi and because I did, you… and many other folks are safe now."

Lexi stared at the lieutenant, confused by what she was hearing. She tried to put the pieces together in her somewhat groggy brain, but the pieces just didn't form the picture she remembered.

"But… the gun…"

Crockett never missed a beat.

"That gun was probably stolen a long time ago; Gomez likely bought it on the black market. It wasn't registered to anybody. The only fingerprints on it were his."

"But… my…"

"Your fingerprints were not on that gun, Lexi. Do you understand what I'm trying to say to you? The only prints lifted from that weapon were his. Not yours… his, Lexi. He assaulted you and I believed he was going to kill you. The evidence backs up my belief. Therefore, I followed agency protocol and I used justified lethal force."

Crockett watched as the wheels began to turn inside Lexi's head. It seemed that she was finally understanding what he was trying to say to her. She began to sniffle, and her breath came in short gasps that caused increased pain in her midsection. She wrapped an arm around her aching side, choosing not to speak until the pain subsided.

"But… I know… I… I remember…"

"Trauma can cause your memory to become… kind o'… jumbled. I'm telling you what the evidence shows, Lexi. It's what the evidence… is proving… happened." He emphasized his words, watching her mouth open slightly with the realization of what he was saying. Not being charged in Ricardo's death was miraculous… but her relief was short lived. What about her other confession to the Lieutenant? Ricardo had told her that both she and Bri were guilty of abuse of a corpse when they had helped hide the bodies of the two young girls in the cactus garden. Was that just another of Ricardo's lies, another threat he used to manipulate them and keep them imprisoned in psychological chains? But, if it was true, had she inadvertently implicated her best friend in a crime that would send both of them to prison for a very long time?

"Did… you… fin'… the… um, b-bodies?"

Crockett, well-trained in interrogation techniques and deceptive body language, saw her visibly shaking beneath the white cotton sheets. Her voice was barely audible as she turned her head away from him. He knew the question she was asking was not the one that would give her the answer she both desperately needed, and greatly feared.

He reached his large ebony hand out and covered her small tan one. He had to choose his words carefully. "Lexi, the entire property is being processed as a crime scene. It's going to take several days. But to answer the question you asked, yes… yes, we did uncover the two bodies you informed us about. They've been sent to the medical examiner to verify the cause of death and hopefully, to provide clues as to who they were so their families can be notified. Bri is being interviewed as we speak. We're hoping she can remember some detail that might help us with the identification. Every square foot of that property will be processed in case there are other bodies that you ladies may not have known about. But let me assure you of something, Lexi." He waited for her to turn her battered face back in his direction. "Your information will allow those two girls to be given a proper burial and give their families closure. Ricardo Gomez was more evil than I ever imagined, probably the most evil… piece of… crap… I've ever known. I know how devils like him work and I have no doubt that he made you believe that you and Bri are in some kind of trouble for helping him hide those bodies. I promise you that is not true. The two of you were only kids, Lexi, and you were forced to participate in the burial. Neither of you ladies did anything wrong. You are not in trouble, no matter what he told you. He was a cruel liar… among other things… and anything he told you about you being culpable in the act was just another one of his lies."

"Really? I'm… not… goin' to… jail?"

"No… No jail for you, Lexi. The California Bureau of Investigation will want to get a statement from you about the two murdered girls, but they'll understand if you don't remember much from yesterday because of the trauma," he added, knowing she would catch on to his hint. "… but once Dr. Brackett releases you, you'll be free."

Free. Lexi relaxed back into her pillow. She was about to be free. Truly free. It was a concept she hadn't thought about since she was just a girl of fifteen. She was free from the streets, free from her pimp, free from worry about her family being hunted, tortured, and killed by Gomez and his lackeys. Free to spend time with Antonio and the rest of her family. Free to one day laugh and live and… Love. Free to love…

"I'll go now and let you get some rest."

Crockett stood up, seeing the faraway look on her face. He knew she was lost in her own thoughts, but he also knew that she had understood him. She knew the truth of what had happened, and that meant she knew exactly what he had done. He was trusting her with his reputation, his career, and his freedom. Law enforcement officers did not last long when they went to jail for being dirty cops. He didn't consider his actions dirty, merely giving lady justice a bit of assistance, but there were plenty of people who would disagree with what he did. He had taken a huge risk by his actions the day before. He knew that there were only 3 other people who knew the truth about what he had done. One was deceased, and the other two, John Gage and Lexi Lopez, he truly believed would carry the information to their graves. He also knew that Lexi was aware that she had been given another chance – and she wouldn't waste it.

E!

John Gage pulled his jacket a little tighter around his thin frame. The late December wind was unusually cool for Southern California, causing the paramedic to shiver as he walked the short distance from the station parking lot to the locker room. He knew the wind was not the only thing that would be cold for the next 24 hours. He had never had to work Christmas Eve with Roy because the department's single paramedics, himself included, had always volunteer to swap shifts with the men who had families, particularly young children when their shift fell on the special date. But the flu was making its rounds within the department this year and the senior medic had been unable to find another paramedic willing and able to swap shifts. Roy had been in a foul mood on the last shift because of the predicament and he knew this shift would be even worse. He hated the thought of Joanne having to play Santa Claus alone. He knew Roy was going to miss out seeing the joy on his children's faces when they woke up on Christmas morning to find all their gifts under the tree. These were times his best friend would never be able to get back. Most of the citizens of LA County never gave a second thought to the sacrifices that first responders and their families made to ensure the community remained as safe as possible. In fact, they rarely thought about any of the first responders until someone had a crisis and needed assistance.

Now, to add insult to injury, Johnny was the last man to arrive for shift which meant he would be assigned latrine duty. It was shaping up to be a truly miserable shift.

Steeling himself to endure Roy's negativity, he pushed through the locker room door just as their normally quiet engineer released a laughing curse.

"What the hell?" Mike questioned, holding up a tiny navy-blue sock.

Chet, never one to miss a chance for a little good-natured station ribbing, waxed his mustache with a knowing grin. "Damn Stoker, you know they say that there's a correlation between the size of a man's foot and the size of his-"

"Keep it up, Kelly, and I'm gonna shove my size 12 shoe up your-"

"Roll call in 5," Hank yelled from the other side of the door. He had no idea what was going on in his locker room and he knew he probably didn't want to be a witness to it. It sounded like a little harmless bantering between friends and he smiled. He was glad to have such a cohesive team, especially when they had to work on a holiday. "Twits," he mumbled, shaking his head with a chuckle as he headed back to his office to grab his clipboard, thankful for even a tiny sense of normalcy.

Inside the locker room, Marco, who was already in uniform, walked over to the place where Mike was holding up the wayward sock.

"Glad you found Antonio's missing sock," he said, snatching the garment from Mike's grasp.

"But," Mike began, reaching back into his bag to retrieve a pair of socks. "How'd it get in the side pocket of my bag? And why didn't I see it last shift? He spent the night at my place over a week ago!" He was puzzled about why the child had stowed a single sock in such a random place.

Roy, the only father in the room, patted his engineer on the shoulder in a show of support. "Stoker, those are the words of a childless bachelor. Kids put things in strange places, my friend."

Johnny's trademark grin spread across his face. His partner was in a better mood than he had expected. Maybe that meant that he had found someone to split his shift since Roy had obviously not found a replacement. He continued getting dressed while he listened to Roy share tales of raising two children. After all, he hoped that maybe one day he and Lily might have a family. And if their future kids took after their father, he knew he was going to be in big trouble.

"I've found Jennifer's dolls tucked inside my shoes, Joanne's car keys inside a cereal box, and when Chris was a toddler, he tried to flush his Tinker Toys down the toilet." Roy laughed, the memories lighting up his face. He loved his children, even when they were behaving like tiny terrors. "And there was even one time when Joanne told Chris to put his shoes up and the poor kid, being half-asleep at the time, put both shoes in the refrigerator!"

"Geez, talk about toe jam," Chet quipped.

"Shut-up, Kelly," the other men all said in unison.

As the men all meandered into their positions for roll call, Johnny took his place beside his partner. His curiosity was getting the better of him regarding Roy's improved mood. He leaned over closer to Roy's ear so the others wouldn't overhear their conversation.

"I'm sorry you won't be home to see the kids when they wake up in the mornin'."

"No worries. I'll be there," the older man said, standing at attention when he saw their captain exiting his office.

"But… How?"

"Brice is gonna work a split shift for me and Dwyer. I'm leaving at eight tonight and then Brice will work until eight tomorrow night when Dwyer comes in to relieve him for the last twelve hours of B-shift," Roy explained hurriedly while Hank reviewed his notes. He wished he could see the look on his partner's face.

"Well… a'right," Johnny whispered, genuinely happy for Roy to be able to spend Christmas morning with his family. But as the explanation replayed in the junior medic's brain, his lopsided grin faded fast. He clinched his teeth together, lowering his voice. "Wait… Brice? Brice? Roy! I can't believe-"

Hank looked up, noting Roy's slight smirk and the reddening face of his youngest crew member. He could only assume that Roy had informed Johnny of who his temporary partner would be for the last half of the shift. He wanted to laugh but thought better of it. "John? Did you say something?"

Johnny stiffened up, pursing his lips. He quickly cut his eyes at his partner before answering his commanding officer. "Oh, uh… I was jus' wishin' Roy a, um, a Merry Christmas Eve, Cap."

"Well, that's the spirit, Gage," Hank responded, taking a few steps to reach the opposite end of the line-up.

Johnny felt a tension headache beginning to throb in his temples. The Walking Rulebook was going to be his partner for the last twelve hours of the shift. He leaned over one more time, making sure Roy could hear him. "At least, I'll get to drive the squad!"