All things considered, when she made it into the quiet conference room with Brock and Mandy, Jess wasn't in terrible shape. She still looked like hell. Had for two days and they'd been amazed she kept it together for the sting. Metal didn't have to look hard to see the puffy, red rimmed eyes and anyone could tell she was hanging by a thread.

Logistically speaking, there wasn't much that they needed from Jess at this point, but Mandy had more questions for her anyway, and they didn't want to just leave her alone after what she'd just gone through.

"You ok, ocean-fearing buddy?" Sonny asked, moving in to hug her. "You kicked ass out there."

"I'm ok." Jess's voice was muffled in his front, but Metal picked out the tremor still.

The girl had rocked it. Minus him needing to give her a gentle nudge at the start, something they had fought for until Mandy gave in and advocated for it too, Jess had done everything she was asked. She'd played her part with all the genuine believability that they needed to lull Ellen into believing her daughter didn't have something up her sleeve. And then she got the woman in the alley, playing her role and making her uncertainty work in her favor in giving Ellen the idea that she was in control.

Then Harold had shown himself. As Mandy hoped, the man was arrogant enough to believe he was immune to being found in such a short space of time and never imagined that Jess would fight back by trapping him.

Metal could still hear the change of pitch in Jess's voice as she backed through the dark alley, oblivious to the fact they were waiting in the shadows a few feet from her as she led the scumbags toward the van. She'd started shaking the second she saw him. Metal had to thank the stars that he agreed with Jason from the start that there was no way he should be the one to take Harold if he showed. He would have beat the man into the ground. As it was, Jason couldn't plead total innocence on the amount of bruising that covered Harold's face, but he'd been smart in doing it, so no one questioned it.

"You did awesome." Clay was pulling Jess into a hug now. "I'm really sorry I scared you-"

"No, it's ok," Jess kept her face turned down, hardly managing to make eye contact when any of them tried to. "I'd rather be scared by you than have bruises from that bastard on my arm again."

"Never would have let that happen," Jason said firmly, reminding her that he'd crashed into Harold before he'd been able to touch her. Clay's intention and job had been to get her clear of the struggle zone so she didn't get hurt in the process of securing the bastard.

Jess managed a wane smile at that and she murmured, "That's true."

"Jess, I know you probably want to go home now, and I'm eager to start in on those two, so let's get down to business and wrap this up."

"Ok," Jess moved further into the room, tension slipping from her shoulders once she was surrounded by her family.

When she stopped next to Metal, glancing up with a broken, tired look that prompted him to put a hand between her shoulder blades, he muttered darkly, "As soon as we're done here, you're going home and getting some sleep. Got it?"

Tears surfaced at the suggestion of sleep and Jess nodded vigorously while tipping her head to the side into his chest by way of an armless hug. He couldn't deny the kid a proper one, so he gave her thin frame a comforting squeeze while Trent pulled a chair out for her.

She hadn't slept at all the night before. He knew because he hadn't heard a peep from her. No nightmares, no crying. Nothing until three in the morning when she got out her laptop and that damn mouse started clicking with the telltale rhythm, giving away the fact she was playing a computer game. He would have given her hell for it, but he also knew she needed to find her own way in all this. If playing a game helped get her where she needed to be, he wasn't about to stop her. Instead he tried to feed her before they left for the base again and keep her out of the caffeine.

"So, Jess, I want to get started on questioning Harold and Ellen right away. I was hoping you could think of a few triggers that might put them off balance and get them talking more…"

Unconsciously shifting the rollie chair closer to Metal as he took the seat next to her (same way she had every time they sat in here to go over things for the trap), Jess frowned at the floor. "I know how to make Harold mad. I also know that his ego is the key to avoiding him getting mad about something, usually. If he feels like he's the strongest and smartest in the room, that man can monologue like a MCU villain."

"Hmm," Mandy grew thoughtful. "What makes him mad?"

"Me," Jess said immediately Then she hesitated and chewed her lip before adding reluctantly, "If you need him mad, I could always talk to-"

"Nope." Jason was settled across from her now and his chair did a full pivot to face her. "That's where we draw the line. You aren't goin in a room with that bastard. You've done enough."

"Unless you wanna see his broken nose." Sonny added with an almost happy smile. "I would support that."

There was the tiniest twitch of a smile for Sonny, then Jess sobered completely and said with tired resignation, "But just imagine how off balance he would be if I walked in there!"

"It's alright, Jess," Mandy said wisely. "I'm confident that with the right leverage I can make him talk. What about your mom?"

Emotion flickered through the girl and she started bouncing her knee again, same rapid pace she'd had in the Cafe. Metal had a clear view of her through that window from his 'hiding' spot. He knew how agitated she'd been.

"What about Ellen?" Jess asked quietly.

"What gets under her skin?"

Jess shrugged.

"Basically if you tell her she's a bad person, or call her on any of her bullshit she finds a way to be the victim and make sure it's never her fault, so…however you usually deal with a total gaslighting narcissist."

"Has she ever defended you against Harold?" Mandy framed the question carefully, well aware that she'd tried Bravo Team's patience enough when it came to upsetting the girl.

"No. Not really. Like…she would make excuses for me, sometimes, but ultimately she'd find a way to make it my fault that she was 'defending' me and then blame me if Harold was mad at her."

"Were they at odds often?"

"No. Not that I could see. She would almost always side with him, except for this one time when he was drunk and…and he got nasty for no reason, like, verbally abusive with my sister. Mom stepped in then and he backed off. They honestly have the weirdest relationship. I don't even know how to describe it."

"Does Harold respect your mom?"

"No, not really, but he gets furious if it seems like anyone else is disrespecting her."

"Does she respect him?"

"She seems like she worships the ground he walks on. Nothing is ever his fault, and he's her knight in shining armor."

"Ok. Any tension between them about certain topics?"

"I don't know anymore. I haven't lived with them in forever, but if I had to guess, this whole leaving the country thing is her idea, not his, just the way she talked about it."

"That's fantastic information."

"Harold also really hates the color green. I don't know why, but he hates it. Oh, and he doesn't like being interrupted or corrected. And my mom can spin the biggest sob story of life and make it sound convincing." Jess was growing more monotone by the second, like she was retreating into herself so she didn't have to face anything more today. "If you need Harold or mom to talk I can probably get them-"

"No." Metal surprised himself by how much volume that word had even though it was still carefully said.

"But, Scott I could-"

Mandy looked about ready to accept the offer, but Jason shot her a deadly stare and the woman decided she didn't feel like fighting with Bravo 1 anymore today and said calmly, "I'm extremely confident I can make them talk. Why don't you go home, Jess."

"Are you sure?" Jess asked, obviously tired and not wanting to do it, but throwing all she had left into being ready to talk to her step-dad or mom regardless.

Metal drew her chair back away from the table with one hand as he got up and Jess complied when she noticed his wordless hand motion.

"I'm sure," Mandy answered. "You've done so well, Jess. We couldn't have encouraged them out of the woodwork without them getting suspicious if it weren't for you. Harold was an idiot not to suspect you or to believe that he had no value to us."

"I know I can make him mad-"

The pained, uncomfortable shifting of her brothers went unnoticed by Jess as Metal hooked an arm around her shoulders and started walking her to the door, saying firmly. "You need food. And sleep. Mandy can do what Mandy does. Jason and the boys will help if she needs it."

"I could help!"

"Pips, I admire the spirit, but you already have nightmares and have been running on high stress for weeks now. Don't push yourself to do something that is not necessary."

"I just want this to be worth it." Jess looked over her shoulder, resisting slightly.

"Tell ya what," Jason answered, understanding that stubborn streak in the young woman as well as any of them did. "If Mandy can't make him talk, you can go in there and I'll go with you."

"Ok," Jess agreed, releasing a shaky breath at the idea of going in the same room as Harold just to make him mad. Metal put a tiny bit of pressure on her shoulders, nudging her out the door and she blinked up at him, confused, like she only just noticed what was happening. "Why are we leaving-"

"Because that will be tomorrow," Metal told her patiently. "You are going home, you are eating, You are going to sleep."

"Oh…what about-"

"You'll see them all soon. Let's go. You've done enough. It's ok."

Jess stopped fighting him quickly, letting him guide her through the halls so she didn't have to think about it. She had this lost, sightless expression, as though she were a thousand miles away. Metal supposed she likely was.

After a few minutes Jess heaved a big sigh and said quietly, "I really didn't want to talk to him. I never want to see him again."

"I know, pipsqueak." Metal intoned, opening a door for her and guiding her through it on the way to the parking lot.

"How'd you know?" Jess wondered with a partly hidden yawn.

"Didn't just meet you yesterday and you're usually pretty easy to read."

"Oh. Right."

By the time they were pulling out of the base, Jess's head was leaning against the window of the truck and she was half asleep. Her arms where pulled tight around herself like she was cold so Metal reached over and flicked her seat heater on, then turned on the radio, letting it's volume lull away the silence softly in the background while he drove.

There was no way he wanted to be alone with his thoughts right now.

When they got home he had to wake Jess up. Once inside she headed for the couch and curled up again, closing her eyes as she burrowed under her favorite blanket.

"Stay awake a little longer, pipsqueak," Metal told her as he headed for the fridge. "You need food."

"I'm not hungry," Jess mumbled sleepily.

"You're gonna eat something anyway. Even if it's just toast and yogurt."

"Ok."

The half awake reply ghosted over the back of the couch, hinting that Jess was already nearly back asleep so he grabbed a yogurt and spoon before anything else.

"Here," He tapped her knee. "Jess. Wake up. Eat."

Blearily, Jess opened her eyes and squinted at him, then looked at the yogurt with a confused furrow between her brows.

"What's that."

"Yogurt."

"Oh."

"Take it and eat it, kid."

"Oh. Right." Jess reached out sluggishly and took the food. She just stared for a moment before she drew a sharp shaky breath and whispered, "Scott…I can't. I can't eat. I'll puke."

"Why's that?"

Lifting huge, tearful eyes, Jess mewed, "I just put my mom in jail."

"No. You helped catch her and a wanted criminal. You did the right thing."

"She's still my mom." Jess whispered, her lips quivering as she held in a sob.

"She might have given birth to you, but she's not what a real mom should be."

"No. But she's still my mom."

Sensing that this wasn't going to get them anywhere if he kept contradicting her, Metal nodded and crouched down, taking her hand, saying, "Fair enough, pips. What do you need?"

"I don't know." Jess gulped. "I'm tired. I want to sleep. I don't feel good. I don't want to eat."

"Ok." Metal took it in stride, accepting what she said evenly. "Alright. Will you at least drink something for me?"

"Ok."

Getting up, Metal headed for the fridge and found one of the drinks that Trent had slipped in there for when Jess was having trouble eating food. It seemed to help revive her enough to get her to eat when she drank it.

Once she'd had some of it, she was persuaded to eat a piece of toast, and then the yogurt.

They didn't talk much. Metal figured on letting her decide if she wanted to talk or not. His main concern was keeping her fed, watered and getting enough sleep because there was no secret that Jess functioned much better when all three of those things were looked after.

"I forget you guys were there," Jess whispered, staring at the blank TV screen as she lay still curled on the couch under her blanket. "When Harold showed."

"Figured on that one," Metal told her honestly, sinking down on the coffee table in front of her and resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward and studied her. "We were there all the same. Way closer to you than you probably realize."

"I felt like a scared kid again."

"I know. I heard it. Took all my willpower not to shoot him."

Jess shifted, drawing her lost, tormented stare from the TV. She eyed him curiously.

"Really?"

"Yeah. For real. No making that one up to tease you. I really wanted to kill him."

"Am I a bad person because that makes me feel better?" Jess asked with a small frown.

"No."

"I'm glad you didn't shoot him. If you had, he would have ripped my family from me and even in death would have made me miserable."

"Yeah. That and I didn't want his brains to splatter all over you."

Jess made a squeamish face and whined with the tiniest of smiles, "That is not an image I needed, Scott!"

Smirking just a little, Metal tapped her shoulder and grumbled, "Sit up a minute. If you're gonna sleep out here, I may as well be where I'm useful and can watch sports at the same time."

Without protesting, like at one time she would have, Jess sat up and waited for him to settle before she plopped her head back down onto her pillow which was now resting against his side. He stretched his legs out and put them on the table, tugged Jess's blanket up over her shoulder and turned on the TV.

"What's going to happen next?" Jess asked, getting comfortable and only going still when he dropped a hand onto her head and started fiddling with her hair. Worked like a charm every time. His mom had used the same magic on him when he was a kid and even into his teens. It helped him sleep as a kid, but Jess lost nearly all tension when someone touched her head. Didn't matter who it was. Naima, Jason, himself, Brock, hell even Sonny. Any of them could practically knock her out just by playing with her hair.

"Mandy will do what Mandy does best. She'll figure out what the two bastards know, then she'll find Santino. And when she does, we'll go get the son of a bitch and you can sleep at night again."

Jess stayed quiet for a while and Metal thought she might be falling asleep again until she spoke.

"Sometimes I don't think I'll ever sleep properly again," Jess whispered. "Sometimes I think this is just going to be my life now, and I may as well accept it."

Metal didn't have an answer, so he kept quiet and listened instead, waiting to see if Jess would say more.

"What if Harold gets let go?"

"He won't. Mandy won't let that happen."

"What if my mom gets let go?"

"She won't either."

"He's gotten away with all kinds of shady stuff before with his business."

"The prick wasn't up against Mandy and the CIA then."

Not completely satisfied, Jess went quiet and fidgeted with the edge of her blanket.

"Am I cursed?" Jess asked seriously.

"No. If anything you've got the golden ticket out of the life you could have been trapped in."

"Doesn't feel like it."

"I know. Never does at the time, but you'll look back one day and see how all the blood, sweat and tears brought you exactly where you wanted to be because you were willing to fight for it."

"I'm tired of fighting."

"So don't for tonight. Close your eyes. Go to sleep. You're exhausted, kid."

A shudder rolled through Jess and she whispered thickly, "I really am tired."

That was an understatement, but Metal chose not to answer. Instead he watched the hockey game and kept carding through Jess's hair. She was out in ten minutes.


"You have no right to keep me here." Ellen was sitting at the table in the 'interview' room, hands handcuffed in front of her. She was pale and for the first time she showed a resemblance to Jess with her shaken, almost fearful expression.

Mandy stalked into the room smoothly, closely shadowed by Jason. She figured if the woman had so much ego and narcissism surrounding being a mother as well as a twisted sense of motherhood, having a father figure there to call her out on stuff might put her off balance.

"We have every right to keep you here and you don't leave here until I say you do."

"I don't even know what this is all about! I was just picking up my daughter-"

"Cut the crap. You know exactly what this is about." Jason said with impatient disgust.

Ellen glared at him hotly, clearly remembering him from the hospital.

"You." She hissed. "Where is my husband? What did you do to him!?"

Jason snorted and said, "He's here. In a cell."

"He's done nothing wrong. You can't do this-"

Mandy started laying out pictures of all known associates of Harold.

"What's this supposed to be? Am I supposed to know these men?" Ellen asked stiffly, her tone conveying that of a 'Karen' in a store who wanted to speak to the manager.

"Considering they've been to your house numerous times, I would say yes." Mandy answered calmly as she sat down across from the woman. "What can you tell me about them?"

"I want to speak to my lawyer."

"Not an option here. You're a suspect in aiding in a terrorist attack against the United States of America, and have been labeled a knowing partner in an attempted cyber attack against the Pentagon, in addition being an accessory to the kidnapping of a US citizen."

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about-"

"That's bullshit." Jason snapped. "You know Jess got kidnapped by your husbands old partner earlier this month."

"I beg your pardon?!" Ellen gasped. "She was what?!"

"Don't pretend not to know-"

"I didn't know. What sort of mother do you think I am that I would allow my daughter to get kidnapped in the Amazon?!"

"Yeah. See, if you didn't know, how'd you know it was in the Amazon?" Mandy asked pleasantly.

"Where else would she get kidnapped." Ellen snapped. "She went on that ludicrous trip after I tried to warn her. Harold tried to tell her too, but she wouldn't listen- She never listens-"

"See, and if you were even half a good mother, you'd be asking if Jess was alright, when it happened, who took her, and how we got her back." Jason said hotly. "But instead you're just defending yourself and telling us how it's Jess's fault, not yours. You don't give a shit about her."

Like a stage cue, Ellen shifted into full mama bear mode.

"I-Excuse me?! I love my daughter! Jessica is more precious to me than you'll ever know, you-you bastard. I've been worried sick about her! Where is she?! What have you done to her?"

"Why keep up the act, Ellen?" Mandy asked lazily. Jason leaned against the wall behind them, glowering and brooding. He knew he wasn't supposed to say much. Just enough to poke holes in the woman's idea that she was what was best for Jess. "It's just us. There is no one to fool. Stop pretending that you ever cared about Jess."

"How dare you!" Ellen's face went white with rage now. "How dare you suggest I don't love my own daughter! Everything I have ever done has been to keep Jessica safe!"

"Even if I did believe that…keep her safe from what, Ellen?"

Ego bruised sufficiently, Ellen started to take the bait.

"I'm not a fool, Agent 'Whoever you are'. I know my husband has a history and a past. I have always done what I thought was best to protect Jess in the event that it came back."

"How was letting your husband give Jess up to an old partner as bait protecting her?"

"What are you talking about?" Ellen tried to toss her hair and failed. "Again with the old partner and bait thing! Harold would never give up Jess. He cares for her as I do."

"Don't play dumb, Ellen. We both know you're smarter than that. Harold traded yours and his immunity in exchange for Jess. He gave her up to his old partner Santino when Santino took an interest in your son's computer skills. Only problem was your son didn't want to work for him and so then Jess ended up kidnapped while she was in the amazon and held as leverage to get Jeremy to do the job."

"No. I don't believe it. You're lying."

"Do you want to see the footage?" Jason asked coldly. "We have lots."

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"You know what? I think it's a great idea." Mandy flipped the tablet in front of her around and set it just out of reach so Ellen couldn't turn it off. She played the selected moments, ignoring how Jason tensed with discomfort the second he heard them.

The only time Jess ever really screamed in fear the whole time she'd been held captive was when Bravo got to her and she was confused. Ellen didn't know that. She also won't know who was in the scene. For all she knew it was the kidnappers.

Jason hated hearing it again, even if he knew the kid had been safe and even though he knew he should have been glad that was the only time that. There hadn't been others when it wasn't them. Small mercies.

Ellen's face went white and her lips thinned into a tight line as she watched the footage of dark, faceless figures holding Jess still as she fought and let loose desperate, feral howls.

"None of that is my fault." Ellen stated harshly as she looked away. "I tried to warn her. Tried to get her to come home where she would be safe-"

"You failed her. You let your husband into her life, Ellen. This, this right here," Mandy played Jess's screams again. "This is your fault."

"Shut it off."

"What?" Jason chimed in again, playing his part easily now. "Can't accept the truth of what your husband did? Can't bare to see what you didn't save your child from? Can't accept that I had to save her instead? You're despicable. That girl is more of a daughter to me than she'll ever be to you."

"I said shut it off!" Ellen screeched, hands flying uselessly at the tablet. "TURN IT OFF!"

Unruffled, Mandy turned the footage off.

Ellen heaved a believable sob and rocked forward in her chair.

"You know what kind of monster Harold is." Mandy said quietly. "Why protect him?"

"I…I'm a victim too." Ellen tried, pressing a hand to her forehead and she dropped dramatically. "I-I was scared for my life-"

"Of course you were!" Mandy soothed with understanding. "And see what he did? He hurt your daughter. Help me put him behind bars. Help me get his partner."

"He promised he was done."

"He lied."

"I'm not a bad mother."

"The hell you aren't." Jason snapped, forgetting himself.

"I'm not talking to you." Ellen snarled back, gradually becoming unhinged. "You turned her against me!"

Jason shook his head and grimaced. "You did that yourself with how controlling and toxic you are."

Holding her head up, Ellen stuck to her story, "Keeping Jessica close was the only way I could think of to keep her safe-"

"You didn't want to keep her safe. You just wanted to control her." Jason snapped, forgetting himself. "You don't know what love is, and you don't deserve Jess. I love that kid and she's more of a daughter to me than she'll ever be to you."

"Shut. Up." Ellen hissed. "She is my daughter, not yours. I gave everything for that girl-"

"Not everything." Mandy countered. "If you really want to show her how much you really do love her, help us put Harold away. If you really didn't know what he did to her, prove it. Show us what a good mother you are. Help us put Santino and Harold behind bars. For Jess."

Ellen clicked her jaw shut and leaned back in her chair, quiet.

"You have to guarantee my safety." She said finally.

"Give us your husband and Santino, and you have my word, we'll make sure you're stashed somewhere safe."

And so, Ellen began to talk.


By the time Mandy went into the room with Harold, she was armed with more than enough to flip the man.

It was purposely alone. Jason didn't like it, but he accepted that she knew what she was doing.

"It's about damn time someone came in here," Harold raged. "Who the hell are you? I want to talk to whoever's in charge of this monkey circus."

Jess had been right. He did believe himself the most important thing in the universe, and leaving him to 'marinate' was perfect. His 'innocent' and 'charismatic' demeanor was nowhere to be found.

"I am in charge." Mandy said evenly, sitting across from him and neatly folding her hands. "And I'm your only hope of spending the rest of your days in a nice, warm, safe American prison instead of being shipped back to Brazil, where you're wanted for many, many crimes."

"You don't know shit."

"I know your accent is fake. You spend thousands of dollars working with a coach to hide your true accent. I know that despite your promises to your wife, you're still as much buried in the life of crime as you ever were. I know more than enough to obtain a warrant for all your belongings, your company, all documents, bank statements. I'll have my hands on everything in short order."

"You're bluffing, bitch."

Mandy smiled sweetly, "Oh, but I'm not. You're not the smartest person in the room anymore, Harold, or should I say, Pedro Santino. Raised by your old partner's father, living in the shadow of his son your whole life, taking orders…how does it feel knowing that he's the whole reason you're going down and your little empire is going with you? All because he made a phone call to you and wanted your step son to steal classified information from the US government. You're an accomplice, whether you wanted to be or not."

Harold was turning an angry shade of purple as she spoke and he leaned over the table.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about-"

"Don't waste my time, Pedro . I won't be coming back in this room again. You either talk now, or you'll get passed over to your own government. I hear they want you for calling a hit on a few of their politicians' wives, among other things. What do you think they'll do to you for that, seeing as they're still important people?"

"I have nothing to say," Harold sputtered angrily. "Only that I want my lawyer and for you to tell that little bitch that my wife spawned I'm coming for her. I won't forgive this betrayal and I won't forget."

Mandy got up and headed for the door, saying lazily, "Have it your way. I'll contact-"

"WAIT! Don't you walk away from me ."

Mandy put her hand on the handle of the door and only half turned, eyebrows raised.

"I hold your future in my hands. I'll walk wherever I like. Now are you going to keep wasting my time, or are you going to save your skin by telling us where to find your old pal."

Harold sneered and leaned back, jerking his hands in the handcuffs and saying with false pleasantness, "I'm sure we can have a reasonable and mutually beneficial discussion."


Jess was having a particularly unpleasant dream about running from Harold and Ellen through dark streets and being abandoned by Bravo. She was calling out for them, but they were just out of reach, walking away from her and saying they were done with her and all her drama.

Then the dream changed and she was with them, briefly experiencing relief, only then it shifted because they were working for Harold now, and had been all along in some sick, twisted game.

Trying to twist and back away from the approaching men in the dark, Jess fought to say anything, heart bursting with grief and fear because how could they? How could they do that to her?!

It took all her power to mew out desperately, "No…Clay? Please. Sonny…please- Scott! Not real- please, it can't be real-you wouldn't- no. Not real. Please !"

The realization that it was a dream finally started to kick in and Jess worked to wake up, this time managing to cry out properly this time.

" Scott !"

"Jess…Jess…pipsqueak come on, wake up. You're ok. I'm here. You're safe."

The firm words cut through the dream like a knife, dragging her up and out as someone shook her shoulder gently.

Still half asleep and lost in the dream, but mostly aware she was back in the real world, in her own bed, Jess whimpered out, "You were working for Harold- I don't want you to be working for him!"

"Shhhh, just a dream, kid," Scott whispered and a rough hand passed over her forehead, pushing sweaty hair away. He was leaning over her and, based off the fact there was only a small light coming from the hallway where he'd plugged an almost obnoxiously bright nightlight in for her weeks ago, Jess guessed it was the middle of the night.

"You were all bad guys-"

Jess squirmed, trying to shake off the dream and reaching out to grip his arm.

"Not real. It's ok. Come on. Sit up. Let's get you moving."

Knowing getting up would help shake the dream faster, Jess let him guide her through their usual routine whenever she woke up like this.

She would go to into the bathroom and splash water on her face, do whatever she needed, then she would meet him in the kitchen and he would have tea half made for her. Then he'd wait till she was done, and she would decide if she needed him or not. If she did, much to her humility, she would usually curl up next him and go back to sleep in his room. If she didn't she would either fall asleep on the couch while he read for a bit, or she went to her own room and left the door open.

Nine times out of ten she ended up in his room anyway, regardless of what she picked. She didn't know how that was going to change. It was crushing that she was so infantile about it and needed comfort like a child so much. Scott said it would just take time and not to be so hard on herself.

Easier said than done.

"You good?" Scott asked when she came into the kitchen, his gravelly voice reminding Jess he hadn't slept much either in the last few days.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Uh huh."

"Hate it when they get all messed up like that."

"I know. It's ok though. You and I both know there's no universe where Bravo isn't on your side. Hang onto that and your subconscious will start to manifest it in your sleep too."

Glancing at the clock, Jess saw it was nearly four in the morning.

"Do you think Mandy got anything out of my mom yet?"

"Actually, Jason called shortly before you woke up."

"At this hour?!"

"Yup. Just wanted to give us the heads up that Mandy has both those assholes telling her everything she wants."

Accepting the cup of tea Scott handed her, not too hot and not too cold, Jess gaped at him.

"Already?"

"Told you she was good at what she does."

"Wow. Remind me never to get on her bad side."

Scott snorted and eyed her warily.

Jess had started to know that look. His masks grew thin when he was tired and she could read him better right now.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing."

"I don't believe you."

"It can wait."

"See, now I know it's something-"

"Just- trust me." Scott heaved a tired sigh and growled. "Let it wait."

Frowning into her cup, Jess tried to put pieces together because that look was Scott's worried look, and he usually delayed telling her certain things until he felt like she could handle them, or until he had a plan.

Somehow, Jess knew without him telling her.

"Mandy's close to finding Santino. Isn't she."

Scott stayed quiet and traced the edge of his own cup before giving a single nod as he studied her.

"Is…is Bravo going to get spun up?" Jess asked slowly, connecting the dots faster now.

"Pretty soon."

"Do you know when?"

"No. But likely in the next day or so, tops."

"Oh."

"Jess…we all want to be on this one."

Reading between the lines, Jess tried to swallow the panic in her throat. If they all wanted to be on this one, it meant no one would be staying behind with her. She would be all alone.

"We get this bastard…and we sleep better at night knowing he's never gonna hurt you again, or anyone else."

Again, Scott was tired so Jess could read the subtext better than normal. Bravo wanted revenge. All of them. They needed justice. Who was she to stand in the way of that when they'd taken such care with her, loved her and put her back together countless times.

"I know." Jess whispered. "It's ok. I'll be ok."

"You sure?"

"You can't stay with me forever. I've…I've gotta go back to school soon anyway. Semester starts up in two days."

Scott stayed quiet so Jess finished her tea.

"What do you need," He asked finally when she put her cup in the dishwasher next to his.

Flashes of 'evil' Bravo flicked through her mind and the idea of being alone while Bravo got spun up for an unknown amount of time sent a shiver through Jess.

Without thinking she sidestepped the still open dishwasher and thumped into the large chest, wrapping her arms around his torso.

A lump in her throat made her voice wobble and Jess whispered, "Can I stay with you?"

"Yup."

Maybe she imagined it, because his voice was harder to read even when he was tired, but his tone almost sounded relieved. Like he was hoping she would say that. Then it occurred to her that maybe Scott was still having trouble sleeping too not because of her nightmares, but because of his own . He'd said once before he slept better when she was there where he knew she was safe.

Whatever the case, she was just glad he didn't seem to mind that she took up part of his sleeping space so regularly these days.


"Hey! Kid! Wake up!"

Groggily, Jess rolled over and pulled the covers tighter around her with a grumble. It took a minute to remember she wasn't in her room, but that didn't stop her from being cranky about him waking her up.

"Pipsqueak, I'm gonna douse you with water if you don't open your eyes."

Huffing grumpily, Jess forced her eyes open and whined, "What?!"

"We have a guest staying here for a bit. Come say hi."

"What guest?" Jess was more wide awake now but unwilling to emerge from the blankets yet.

"You'll see." Scott walked from the room and there was a murmur of voices in the living room as he went down the hall.

Heaving a great sigh, Jess dragged herself out of bed, wrapped in a blanket and shuffled down the hall.

All of Bravo was having breakfast already but one body was out of place on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty!" The man greeted with a grin.

Mouth dropping open, Jess heard herself say, "Rob!?"

The 'puma' waved and took a drink from his mug while the rest of Bravo chuckled.

"So here's the deal," Scott said as he brought Jess a plate and steered her to sit down in the empty spot. "I need you to take care of Rob for me. They just let him out of the hospital and the sorry bastard called me to come get him because they won't let him drive yet. Now, I didn't have a choice but to bring him here because he's terrible right after being released from hospital. Does nothing he's supposed to and pushes himself too hard if no one's keeping a eye on him-."

"Are you sure you aren't talking about yourself there big guy?!" Rob laughed.

Scott gave an insulted snort and said, "I am always cooperative with PT and rehabilitation."

"You are so full of shit. You made a PT assistant cry the last time you got shot when they were trying to do your rehab!"

"I did not. That was Jason. I'm always nice to the PTA's."

"I've never made a PTA cry," Jason said, waving it off as he sat next to Jess and set a large glass of water in front of her.

"You did too, brother," Ray commented lightly. "There was that one who was new, and you-"

"Ok, ok, but that wasn't my fault. How was I supposed to know it was her first day and she'd never worked a military base job before!?"

"They contract civilians all the time, dumbass!"

"Ok, the point is, we need Jess to take care of Rob while we're gone," Jason looked down at her and his 'I'm the boss don't push me around' face softened. "Do you think you can do that?"

Jess was still too stunned to speak because she'd fallen back asleep early that morning believing that she'd been alone the whole time Bravo was spun up, and now-

"I'm an easy houseguest," Rob said lightly. "You'll hardly know I'm here, if you're good with me crashing for a bit till I've been 'cleared' by these assholes to go home."

"Y-yeah. I'm good with it."

"Awesome!" Scott gave her a smug side look. "That's settled then. Jess? Get him to take his meds."

"Hey! I don't need-"

"When were you supposed to take them, Robert?" Trent asked with deceptive mildness.

"Mind your own damn business-"

"Jess you ask him," Said Sonny.

"What!? Don't bring me into this!" Jess spluttered, hurrying to stab her breakfast with a fork.

"We need to see if our theory is right." Clay grinned at her with a tiny wink. "Ask him when he last took his meds."

Sighing, Jess flicked a shy, uncertain look at Rob and asked quietly, "When did you last take your meds?"

Rob stared at her, then he looked around the circle at the rest of the smug, growing grins and said, "Now that's just not fair. Alright, alright, I'll take them. I probably should have an hour ago."

Snorting, Scott took a deep swig of coffee and said, "I'll be leaving a list with her when we get spun up, so behave and don't make her cry or a gunshot wound will be the least of your worries."

Rob rolled his eyes and Bravo laughed.

Jess relaxed into the couch and dug into her plate, warm, happy and not worried in the slightest for the next few days anymore.