The Last One She Expected (closed for lmcms)

[Armphid]

The room was full of desks and all of them were occupied with detectives in their rumpled, off the rack suits. Uniformed sergeants and a few regular officers sat on extra chairs pulled in or on the corners of the desks themselves. At the front of the room was a large rolling white board. Posted to it were the photos of six women, all pretty and adult. Below each picture were gruesome photos of what they'd looked like when they had been found. There were also notes and a map pinned up on the board as well.

In addition to the police officers, there were three others in the room not normally here. They had been called in for this case to lend their expertise and assistance in what the department now knew were the actions of a serial killer. The leader was a man in his late 30's, broad shouldered and tall, with short cropped hair in the traditional Bureau cut and combed back away from a notable widow's peak, a tightly trimmed goatee was around his lips and on his chin. His hair was dark, as were his eyes, and his expression was severe. His second was an attractive woman, also in her 30's, with a slender and tightly muscled athletic frame. Her features were sharp and well defined, keen hazel eyes under honey blond hair.

The third was a man also, notably younger than his peers. He was 27, though he looked younger than that, almost as though he should just be out of college. His features were handsome, clean and masculine without being hard, and with a firm jawline. His eyes were a clear and deep green and his chocolate brown hair was in a simple parted style, though it was a bit longer than fit the conservative hairdo. He was tall as well but with a leaner build than the older man; rather like a fencer or a swimmer than a linebacker. Like the others standing he wore a suit and a shoulder holster, strapped to it his badge and ID as an FBI agent in the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

The older man, Special Agent Michael Rosenberg spoke up, "Our unsub is a Caucasian male between 40 and 50 years of age. His hair may be receding or graying and he will make no attempt to disguise it if it is. He will be wearing a wedding ring but is not currently married; he will be known by those around him to have had a very messy divorce."

Special Agent Anna Marshall picked up there, "He'll be known to have strong opinions about marriage, divorce, and likely be a strong pro-life advocate. He will display slogans on any vehicles and his workspace. Despite this, he will not have an active part or attend the meetings of any organizations devoted to those subjects, nor will he attend church. Male co-workers and associates will know him for biting or brutal personal and sexual comments made about female co-workers, customers, and associates made to them but never to the women he insults and despises. He has a job that allows him to hear a great deal of information; a bartender, barber, waitstaff, or other service career. He will not be a manager or supervisor. He may have held a position of that kind in the past, failed badly, and will be known to talk about it." She cleared her throat, "He will drive a station wagon type vehicle, probably having had the same one for many years, probably white or silver."

The younger man, Special Agent Tim Douglas, went from there. "The unsub feels wronged by society, particularly by women and feels the "natural order" has been disrupted. He sees himself as an avenger, punishing divorced women whose situation reminds him of his own divorce or ex-wife in some way. All of the victims thus far were women who were considered to "do well" from their divorces and all kept their married name even after separation." His voice was a crisp and clear tenor, his speech precise. "The victims also have had connections to groups like the League of Women Voters, NOW, even the Girl Scouts. He feels these groups take rights away from men to give them to women, and has likely voiced opinions about them to others before."

Tim went on, "This man will be generally well known in his area though he will not have any real friends; people may note that no one has even been in his house and that he routinely will make promises to attend local events and get-togethers but never actually does so, always bringing up an excuse." The agent slid his hands into his pockets, "He likes to appear upfront and direct but avoids confrontation and immediately folds when presented with resistance in public. His killings are the only place where he asserts himself, his rage and frustration vented there when he feels he cannot express it adequately in other ways."

Agent Rosenberg spoke up once more, "The Unsub is a home body, he does not go outside of his areas of comfort, his house and his work, most of the time. The victims all disappeared from the same neighborhood over the last few years, but three have vanished in the last two months."

Agent Marshall took a deep breath, "Something has triggered him, set him off, and he's going to keep taking victims with less and less time between them. He'll also be getting bolder; anyone he takes now is someone who will be missed soon after being taken. We need to pay attention to any missing persons reports that come in, even those that don't normally meet the needed time windows."

Agent Rosenberg then nodded, "Your lieutenant will brief on our measures from here and Agents Marshall, Douglas, and myself will be in the field as well. Thank you all for your time." The three FBI agents filed out of the room as the police lieutenant rose; as they already knew what he was going to say, having made the arrangements with her beforehand. "Well. They're taking it seriously now, at least."

Anna nodded, "Only took six bodies, I suppose I should be impressed."

The brown haired Tim grimaced and shook his head, "I'm not surprised. Unless they had the right last name, no one here was going to care if someone went missing or turned up dead."

Anna almost smiled and looked over at her friend and colleague, "You are the local boy, I guess you'd know. Have you even been back here since you went to college?"

He shook his head again. "There wasn't anything I wanted to come back to."

"Unfortunately, we need you knowing who the players in town are and where the likely places may be," Agent Rosenberg said. "The two of you get out there with the cops in that neighborhood. He's going to grab someone soon and we need to get after him as soon as he does."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen Campton was tired and worn out as she went to the diner a few blocks from her house she was too tired to cook dinner and this place had always served up a good hot meal. Her ex-husband was taking her to court again saying as a secretery she didn't need alimony she thanked God every day they had never had children.

Before getting out of her older model mustang she had gotten for her 21st birthday she looked into the mirror at her warm brown eyes and made sure her long chestnut hair wasn't a complete mess. If Ronald kept trying to drag her over the coals she would be grey before her 28th birthday and that was less than a year away. Getting out of the car she straightened her suit and went inside she smiled at the staff. Carrie her favorite waitress and one of her friends came to take her order.

"Hey Noreen how's it going today?" Carrie asked cheerfully and Noreen winced. "Oh shoot is Ronald trying to get out of alamony again I swear after 3 years he should just let it go. Heck if he did you might beable to find someone and remarry so he wouldn't have to pay I say it's own selfish fault."

Noreen laughed at this and felt much better she knew coming to the diner was a great idea. "You're a treasure Carrie my normal please."

"Coming right up doll." Carrie replied and went to turn the order in.

It was dusk by the time Noreen left the diner all she could think about was going home soaking in a bubble bath then crawling into her nice warm bed and sleeping for a week. As she went to unlock her car she dropped the keys and had to bend to pick them up. "Shit today is not my day." she mummered.

As soon as she rose an arm wrapped around her waist from behind and she screamed as loud as she could on instinct before and clamped over her mouth. She kicked for all she was worth but her frame was slight and she wasn't that tall standing at 5'6. She kicked and fought as her attacker dragged her backwards. She felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and everything faded to black.

 

[Armphid]

Water, ice cold and brutal, splashed onto Noreen. It was dark wherever she was and there was a strange smell in the air; a metallic scent that it took her a few moments to identify.

Blood.

"Awake now, aren't you, bitch?" Her hands were tied and lifted up over her head; her arms having been tied to a low rafter. Light suddenly blazed to life, stinging her eyes, coming from a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling of the old root cellar. It was an old fashioned one; the walls were not concrete or block but bare clay dug out and shaped into the room. Wooden beams and rafter criss crossed over her head to form the support for the house above and tools hung from them here and there. There was a large white freezer down here also, ugly stains on the sides of it, the cable fed up into the ceiling where the electric wired in.

The man in front of her was older than her by at least fifteen years, probably closer to twenty. He was barely an inch taller than her but very broad in build and body; thick with muscle but with a slight paunch as well. His hair was a thin, light brown, streaked through with gray and white, receding back to about seven inches above his eyebrows. His features were plain save for the hate in his eyes and the wicked sneer on his face. He lifted a hand and let it fly, a backhanded slap striking her across the face. "Answer a man when he talks, bitch!"

She'd seen him before at the diner. He was a cook there, but not the head cook, nor was he one of the owners. His name was Carl. "Always showing up in your husband's car, spending your husband's money, you filthy fucking whore!" He punched her in the stomach this time. "I've had enough of it. Enough of your stealing, enough of society letting bitches like you take what a man's earned! And I'll let them all know, all the bitches, all the bitch-men who let it happen. I'll send them a message with what's left you of you, skank." He leered at her, grabbing the neckline of her blouse and ripping downward, "Once I'm done with you."

~~~~~~~~~​

The sleek sedan pulled up to a halt by a black-and-white police cruiser in the diner parking lot. Agents Marshal and Douglas got out and walked over, the blond woman waving to the two cops, one approaching the FBI agents and the other still talking with a young woman. "Officer," Anna looked at the girl, "You have something?"

"Maybe." The older man shrugged, "Her name's Carrie, waitress here. She was leaving for the day when she recognized this car." He pointed to a muscular and polished old school Mustang. "Says it belongs to a regular who left about an hour ago, but the car's here. The car belongs to a...Noreen Campton."

Tim was looking at the car. It was gorgeous. "Vintage muscle car belonging to a woman, that's unusual. Can I speak to Carrie?" The cop nodded and Tim went over to the young woman, "Excuse me, Carrie?" She looked up at him and he showed her his badge, "I'm Special Agent Douglas with the FBI. Officer Clark says you're worried about one of your customers."

"Oh!" FBI? What was going on here? "Uh, yes, Sir, Officer, uh-"

"Agent, please can you tell me more about Miss Noreen Campton and why you think she's in trouble?"

Carrie fidgeted, though she felt a little odd talking to the FBI guy. There was something familiar about him. "Well, she'd never just leave her car here. And if it wouldn't start, she'd have let us know she was leaving it. I mean, it's one of her real prides. And she's had trouble lately, her ex, I mean, over her alimony." Anna's head jerked up from where she'd been talking to the officers and she walked over. "She gets a lot out of him but he's always fought it. He just lost a case against her but he's appealed. So when I saw it I here I just worried that maybe..."

Tim couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was text book perfect. He looked over at Anna. "The car would be a particularly strong symbol and offense."

She nodded, "Right, it'd set our guy right off; big, masculine machine like that. Carrie, I'm Special Agent Marshal. Can you think of anything else odd that happened tonight?"

Carrie bit her lower lip, "Well, Carl wasn't feeling too good, I guess. He left early tonight." Her eyes went wide. "H-he left a little while before Noreen finished her dinner...oh, God! You don't think-"

"Carrie, please just listen to us and answer our questions." Tim was pretty sure but he wanted a little confirmation. "Carl, he's older?"

"He turned 50 a few months ago, yeah"

There was the trigger event. "Grey or balding?"

Carrie's eyes were growing wider. "Y-yes."

Anna stepped in, "What does he drive?"

"S-some old station wagon, the thing's broken down I don't know how many times. He says he can't afford to get a new one because of the alimony he pays his..." Carrie lifted a hand to her mouth, "Oh...oh, God..."

"Carrie, please, this is important." Tim looked at Anna who nodded, "Do you know where Carl lives?"

 

[lmcms]

Noreen was dizzy and in pain the cold water made her shiver. She could smell blood and assumed it was her own. She head a voice but couldn't quite make out the words and there was a bright light that made her head hurt worse. She slowly opened her eyes to try to get a scense of where she was. Everything was a bit blurry but started to come into focus about the same time she realized her hands were tied above her head. There was a man in front of her he looked familiar but before she could put a name to the face she felt like she had been hit by a mack truck across the face.

"Answer a man when he talks, bitch!" He growled at her spitting a little.

She moved her face back to look at him and was stunned when she realized it was Carl but then he had always seemed a bit odd to her. She listen to him ramble on and would have doubled over when she recieved the punch to the stomach expect her arms were tied above her head. He kept threatening her and ripped her shirt but then someting dawned on her. He had refered to her baby as her ex's car .

"Fuck you that car is mine. My dad gave it to me for my 21st birthday. You got a problem with the car I drive fuck you." She spat at him and blood mixed with her saliva from when he had back handed her earlier.

He didn't bother to back hand her this time. He punched her with all his weight behind it. She saw the punch coming and tried to turn away but it was no use it landed squarely on left eye. "Watch your mouth bitch or I'll get real creative with these tools."

Noreen saw the tools and they looked none to fun to her. She still would have popped off if she could have but another punch came landed on the right side of her jaw making even her opening her mouth hurt more than was worth the effort. His threats or what felt promises became more crude as he went on talking about how he planned to use her body and teach her place how it was a man's world and she was lucky to live in it. On and on most of it was drowned out by the pain and the ringing sound in her head but she caught snatches here and there as he raved at her. When he worked himself up to high he would start ponding on her again. She grew more and more fearful that the next rage would be the one that killed her.

She closed her eyes and prayed for a saviour.

 

[Armphid]

The house was an older two story home on the edges of the neighborhood; it had been there for almost 90 years. It had seen better days. The houses on either side were for sale as were many others on this street; with the economy as it was, they had been vacant for some time.

Making it perfect.

The two agents shut the car doors quietly and stepped towards it; their eyes scanning for any signal or sign. Anna licked her lips, "Enough space to hide any noise. Old place with stout walls; muffles sound naturally anyway." She looked over at her colleague. "Cops?"

"On their way," Tim answered. "But if they come in lights flashing and sirens blaring, he'll kill Noreen Campton." The younger man rolled his shoulders and nodded. "...Think you can get his attention? Keep him talking?"

The blond nodded. "Be careful, Douglas."

~~~~~~~​

Carl cracked a knotted rope across her ass, laughing as she jumped and wriggled. "Dance pretty, don't you, bitch? I like this cute little ass of yours. Maybe I'll keep that part." He gestured to the freezer, "I have souvenirs from the other bitches after all."

Noreen's torn blouse hung off her shoulders and her skirt had been cut away, leaving her legs bare, her panties still on. There were bruises on her; her eye blackening, her lips split and bleeding.

He came around front, grabbing her face, "But maybe. Maybe if you're sweet. If you're a good bitch, if you know your place, tell me you're a dirty, trashy, worthless little slut. If you give me a good, nice, eager fuck like I know you want to give me, and I'll-"

The doorbell rang.

For a moment, both killer and victim were frozen. Then his hand clapped over her mouth, his eyes wide. The doorbell rang again. Carl's eyes darted here and there. There was a pounding from up above; someone knocking firmly on the door. A voice, a feminine voice, came faintly from above, "Mr. Carl Groveman?"

The cook licked his lips again and dropped the rope, sticking his hand into his pocket and pulling out a rag. He forced Noreen's mouth open and pushed it into her mouth before she could scream; choking off any noise she might make. "You keep your bitch mouth shut. You keep it shut or I'll make it so much worse for you."

He stepped back and lifted the rope, tying it roughly around her head to keep the rag in place. "You keep your bitch mouth shut," he said again. Carl stepped away from her and went up the stairs. She heard the floor creaking above as he walked across it. Heard the door opening and then voices, muted, the words indistinct.

Then there came another sound. A faint creak of wood and with it a rush of cold night air coming down into the root cellar. Like many of it's kind, the clay dungeon had steps that led to the back of the house and a pair of doors that opened onto them.

Tim Douglas moved with steady, sure silence down the stairs. He could hear Carl and Anna talking above; the man's voice agitated. She wouldn't be able to stall him for much longer.

He stepped down into the root cellar and Noreen could see him. Tall and rangy, gun held forward with both hands to steady it, keen green eyes looking and finding her.

Tim glanced at the stairs and stepped over to her, slipping his firearm back into the shoulder holster, "Noreen Campton? I'm Special Agent Tim Douglas. I'm going to get you out of here, just keep quiet, please." He spoke in a whisper as he reached up and grabbed a pair of garden snips from one of the rafters.

He stepped up beside the lovely, beaten woman. She was pretty; he hoped he could keep her that way. Tim reached up with the snips, slipping the edge under the ropes keeping her arms up, "When I cut them, lean against me," he whispered. If she fell and Carl heard it...

The snips worked once, twice, three times before the rope frayed and split enough to let her arms come down. He caught her with one arm, setting the took aside and then reaching up to undo the knot of the rope tied about her head. "Come on. Let's get out out of here, ma'am."

Supporting her, Tim moved to the stairs that led up and out. Up above, Carl's voice suddenly bellowed out. "I don't have to let you in, I don't have to do anything! You bring a warrant or you get off my property, you bitch!" The door slammed and his feet stomped across the floor above them.

Tim gently pushed Noreen off of him and onto the steps, pulling his weapon out. "Don't worry," he whispered. "He won't touch you again. I promise."

The door to the basement crashed open. "She's gone, bitch. Stupid whore should know better that to try and trick a man! But she'll be back," he started down the steps, "filthy stupid cunt, so it's all over for you."

His feet hit the clay floor and he looked up to see Noreen gone from where she'd been bound. "NO! No, you fuck cow!" His eyes then saw Tim standing there, Noreen behind him.

"FBI. Down on the ground. Now." Tim was proud that neither his hands nor his voice shook. He wasn't the guy on the team that usually did the physical confrontation thing.

Carl snarled and lunged, his hands reaching for something in the rafters.

There were two sharp, thundering blasts and he jerked and fell. Up above, the front door smashed open, "Douglas!"

The acrid scent of cordite hit Tim's nose as a faint tendril of smoke came from his gun in the cold air that was pouring down around him from the drafty steps. "We're all right, An-uh, Agent Marshal."

A moment later she was coming down the steps, her own weapon drawn. From beyond the house there was the sound of sirens. Anna reached the bottom of the staircase and looked down at Carl, then up at the rafters. "Had a sawed off shotgun up there, Tim." She looked over at him. "You made the right call. Is she all right?"

Tim looked down at Noreen. "She will be. She needs to be checked out."

Anna nodded, "Take her out of here. I'll stay with him and handle the cops."

Tim took a breath and nodded, sliding his gun back into his holster again. "Yes, okay." He'd never actually...he didn't regret it but..."Come on, Miss Campton. You're going to be okay."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen was in shock everything was happening too fast. As they got two where the moon light could touch them three things hit her at once, She was still gaged, she was naked, and the man at her side was her old friend Timmy Douglas. She pulled back as he tried to lead her further out of the cellar that had been her torture chamber for the last few hours.

She brought her hands up and began tugging on her gag so she could attempt to speak. Timmy finally saw what she was trying to accomplish and quickly helped her remove the gag.

"Timmy." She said and it came out slightly gargled.

She knew nothing that came from her mouth would make scense so she looked at him pleadingly and motioned over her naked body to indicated she wanted to be cover before going out into the world.

 

[Armphid]

Timmy?

He stared at her for a moment; his face a study of shocked non-comprehension. No one had called him Timmy in years, not even his parents. So why had she-

God. She knew him. And...and he knew her, he was sure of it now. Now that he looked at her, really looked at her...

"Nora," he gasped. "Good God, Nora, I-"

Tim then looked down at her nakedness again and he blushed before looking away. Nora. Noreen Campton was Nora Peters, his friend from high school, his secret crush from back then.

And she was naked, hurt, and needed his help.

"It's all right. Here." He pulled his suit coat off and draped it over her. "This'll do until we get you out there, okay? The EMTs will have blankets and we'll get you wrapped up. Just, um, just stay close to me and I'll...I'll make sure no one sees anything they shouldn't."

Other than him.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen tried to smile as he called her Nora everyone had stopped a long time ago because Ronald thought it was proper enough and she should use her given name. She was relieved he was here and too hurt or scared to be embarassed by her appreance in front of him.

When he drapped his jacket over her she nodded her appreciation before huddling against his side and letting him tenderly wrap his arm around her to guide her out of the torture chamber and into the crisp clean night air. She inhaled deeply and wince and the pain it caused in her side. She could hear the sirens as Timmy lead her around the house slowly careful of her tender aching body.

When the EMTs passed her a blanket and tried to take her from Timmy she gave a startled scream of protest reaching for him and clinging to him in anyway she could. She did not want to let him out of her site the last time she had done that she had never seen him again. That was not the only reason he had also saved her and she was still scared and wanted hger saviour that she had prayed for close.

 

[Armphid]

God, he shouldn't be enjoying this. Feeling her close against him, huddling to him, it was...he felt terrible that she was scared but also glad that his presence helped her this way. Should he feel that in this circumstance?

They moved around the old house to the front, two squad cars and an ambulance there already. Tim held up his badge for them to see as he advanced, "Officers, Agent Marshall is inside with the suspect, if some of you can secure the scene. I need to help Miss Campton."

Campton...Ronald Campton? Was that who she'd married? Not for that long, it seemed.

"Come on, Nora, we're almost good to get out of here." They reached the ambulance, a pair of EMTs advancing on the rescued woman. One, a woman, held out a blanket and Tim took one end of it, wrapping it around his accidentally rediscovered friend.

He'd never imagined he'd see her again. Much less in any kind of situation like this. What should he even be saying?

"Miss, we'll help you from here," the EMT said, "if you'll-" the moment she took Noreen's arm and tried to move her into the ambulance, the victim let out a shriek and jerked away from the stunned medical professional.

Tim flinched at the sound and then blinked as she clung to him, her hands almost digging into his arm and her head burying into his shoulder. Warring thoughts and emotions flooded him; he should go with her if she was this freaked out, he should stay to help Anna, Rosenberg would be here soon, so would the lieutenant, but he should check out the scene before it was polluted...

He reached out with his other arm, putting it around Noreen. "It's okay, Nora. They'll help out." Tim looked back at the house and made his choice, "Officers, I'll be accompanying Miss Campton to the hospital. Please inform Agents Marshall and Rosenberg."

He might catch hell for it. But she needed him right now.

Tim helped Nora into the ambulance, the EMTs keeping a wide berth as the female one sat in back as well, starting to ask her questions about how she felt and what had happened. He encouraged her to answer; he didn't want to risk that she was bleeding internally or anything like that.

The other EMT climbed into the driver's seat after shutting the doors, the emergency vehicle letting out a single wail as it pulled out and away from the place where Noreen almost was killed.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen was becoming adjitated with everyone as the ambulance pulled off the female EMT kept asking questions and Tim kept telling her "It's okay you need to answer these so they can help you." but none of them seemed to understand talking hurt. Her jaw was swollen and she was sure a few teeth were loose at the very lest.

She kept looking for something to write with and on as they tried to make her talk becoming even more upset with the situation she finally turned to Tim hit him, rather hard considering her ingories. When he finally looked up at her in the eye she cicrle the side of her face and made the sign for pen and paper that everyone knew hoping he would finally get the hint and everyone would stop telling her to talk.

Talking hurt far more than the effort was worth. She looked at Tim pleadingly. She was happy to see him she had always been half in love with him she just wished that their meeting was under better circumstances like when she was dressed and could talk and not covered in bruises.

 

[Armphid]

Tim didn't understand why she wasn't talking. Maybe he shouldn't have come. She seemed to remember him and victims often didn't want people they knew to be aware of what had happened to them; especially if it was sexual in nature. Perhaps he could try to get up front and leave her back here alone. "She really does need to know. I'll go up front so you don't feel-"

And then she hit him. A sharp, ringing slap across the cheek that made the EMT lean back in shock. Tim stared at her for a moment; his face stunned and utterly confused. "Nora, what was..."

He blinked as she gestured at her face and made a circular gesture, then mimed holding something small in her other hand, poking at it with her fingers. No, not poking. Like she was-

"God damn it, I'm an idiot. I'm sorry, uh, here." Tim reached into a pocked and pulled out his own notepad and pen. He filled past pages that he hoped she didn't flip back and look at; his notes on this case as well as others in the past. "Here, use this, please."

The EMT then let out an exasperated grunt, "Of course! Your jaw...hell, I'm sorry, ma'am. Go ahead and write your answers to what I answered so far then. I'll wait."

As she scribbled madly, Tim reached up and rubbed his face. For her condition, it was a hell of a slap. His ears had popped. "I've had crazed killers hit me and it wasn't that hard," he said, offering her a smile and hoping that it wasn't too soon to try and do that. "You've still got a good arm."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen made sure he was looking at her closed her palm and made a circular motion over the center of her chest hoping he understood she was saying sorry in ASL (americal sign language). She went back to writing her answers down for the EMT giving a full report of every ingory she could remeber obtaining. There was alot but nothing sexual Timmy had saved her from that.

She showed the pad to the EMT who jotted her answers on her own pad. Before long Noreen began to lose consisnous she could hear Tim and the EMT yelling for her to wake up and stay with them but she didn't have the strength anymore she was just so tired physcially and emotionally she just wanted to close her eyes for a second. As her eyes closed the world went blank for the second time that night.

 

[Armphid]

"What's happening?" Tim looked over at the EMT, the woman having laid Noreen back and checking her over. Her hands flew through swift but precise movements, even peeling open the woman's eyes for a moment and checking them with a flashlight. "Is she-"

"She's got a concussion, serious, probably," the EMT answered gravely. She pointed to a corner of the ambulance, "You need to stand over there out of my way, Agent. Hank! Call in female, unconscious, severe contusions and minor lacerations, probable concussion and shock! High chance of internal hemorrhaging!"

The profiler hesitated only a moment before getting out of the medic's way. "Is she going to be all right?"

"She's still breathing, and her heart's still beating," the EMT answered, "but if it is a concussion and we don't get swelling under control soon, it could be bad. Hank!"

The amublance's lights and siren burst into life; blasting the night apart as the vehicle accelerated to dangerous speeds and shot through traffic.

~~~~~~~~~​

He'd lied to stay in the OR with her. Said that they didn't know who her attacker was and he needed to be there in case Noreen said anything that would implicate someone or give them a clue.

An exploratory surgery later, the doctors were satisfied that they'd caught and stopped internal bleeding from a burst vein in her stomach and the medications they'd used looked like they'd reduced the fever and swelling of her brain from the concussion.

Now they just had to wait for her to wake up and see if she'd lost anything or if she was whole.

She was in a private room; Tim had managed to get her that, saying that she might not react well to being around strangers when she came to. Which wasn't a full lie.

She lay there, an IV in her arm, her injuries cleaned, bandaged, and patched, now dressed in a flimsy hospital gown and tucked in. She looked...she looked as pretty as she ever had, despite the black eye and split lip. She looked vulnerable and alone.

But she wasn't. Tim was still there, sitting by her bed in a chair. On the doctor's advice, he'd been talking to her off and on. About anything that came to his mind; apologizing for not recognizing her, for what had happened and not catching Carl sooner, for not knowing she'd been married. He told her about his work, his team mates, even stories about the academy and college.

He knew she probably didn't hear any of it. But that didn't matter so much. Just in case she did, he wanted her to hear him talking and know he was there and she was safe.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen could hear a voice fading in and out of her concious. She wasn't sure where she was only that she was in a lot of pain and didn't really wanna wake up scared of what she would find. Bits and pieces of everything that had happened began drifting into her pain riddled head. She had been abducted and beaten and Timmy Douglas her best friend and secret first love from high school had saved her he was an FBI agent now.

The voice kept coming and going and eventually she reconzied it was Timmy and started to try and wake up but it was so hard and the darkness kept pulling her back promising to keep the pain away. She felt like she was fighting a war and she was the only one on her side except Timmy his voice kept calling to her urging her to come back to open her eyes. She wanted to so badly but the pain scared her everything hurt so bad.

She didn't know how much time had passed but finally she felt herself coming awake and could feel the pain hammering away at her battered body. "Timmy?" She managed to croaked out through chapped lips aching jaw and parched throat as she slowly lifted her eyelids and wandered who's bright idea it was to exchange them for sandpaper.

 

[Armphid]

He was sitting with his head bowed in his hands. He felt powerless, helpless, to do anything to help this poor, beautiful woman who had been so hurt and frightened. Tim had felt that way on cases before but it was worse this time. Because he knew her, remembered her smile and her laugh, how she'd roll her eyes when he geeked out about something, remembered how much he'd like her even though she was so far out of his league.

Tim ran his hands through his hair. Feelings he'd long thought gone had been bubbling back up since he realized who she was. It was making it all the worse that he couldn't do anything. He'd become an FBi agent partly because he never wanted to feel powerless again and here he was. It was like he wasn't even Tim anymore, but back to being just-

"Timmy?"

The name was spoken so softly he barely heard it. Her voice was raspy and rough, dry, and weak. God, it sounded beautiful.

"Nora!" He stood up from his chair and stepped closer to the bed so she could see him, "Nora, you're awake...I-I'm so glad. Yes, it's me, Tim, Timmy, I mean."

He reached out to touch her left hand, just for a moment, and then pulled his away. "How are you feeling? ...Okay, dumb question. But, um, here." The young agent lifted a large spill-proof cup of water with a flexible straw and held it to her lips, "You should at least drink a little, it'll help. If the pain's bad, I'll go get a nurse and see if they can give you some more medication."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen hurt everything hurt but she gladly took a few sips of the cold water and moaned at the feel of her throat being coated with water. She signed for pen and paper her face still hurt to bad to really talk beside forcing a word or two out. When he handed her pen and paper she began carefully writing.

Timmy sorry for hitting you so hard.
Hurts but want to talk to you don't want to sleep again yet.
thank you for being here will you stay with me? for now?

She showed the paper to him a pleading look in her eyes she didn't want to be alone and she didn't really have anyone else that would stay with her. She knew he was probably busy and being here was an inconvience for him bu he was here and she didn't want him to slip away like he had done before. Her biggest fear in that moment was that he was just a dream and when she woke he would no longer be there. It wouldn't be the first time she had dreamed of him coming back to/for her. Only this time the pain made her pretty sure it was real.

 

[Armphid]

God, those eyes begged him to stay even before she wrote it. She was still scared, still worried, and he couldn't blame her for any of that. He probably should stay much longer; maybe until she went back to sleep. He should check in with the other agents, find out what was happening, what their timeline was schedule was now.

"You don't have to apologize," he shook his head, "I wasn't thinking and it was the only way you could get my attention. It's fine." He looked a little rueful. "I should say I'm sorry; I should have caught on sooner. But I was a little surprised by...a lot of things."

He was stalling. He knew which part of her scribbled message was really important to her. And if he was honest with himself, he also knew how he was going to answer.

"I'm here and I'm not going anywhere for now. I'll stay with you, Nora, I promise." He pulled the chair up closer to her bed and repositioned it so she could see him when he sat down and took a seat. "We can talk about whatever you want. Well, you write, I'll talk."

 

[lmcms]

Nora smiled softly at him before wincing at the pain the action caused.

You know while I was down there I prayed for someone to save me I'm glad it was you

She wrote but paused thinking for a moment on how to finish what she wanted to say.

I always thought you would make a good hero
now you're my own personal hero and I'm happy your here.
I missed you when you left and still do sometimes
Even though the situation sucks and I look like hell I am so
happy to see you I wish I could show it without wincing.

She handed the notebook to him so he could read her words and as he took it she could feel a blush working over her body that couldn't be missed even with the bruises. She felt like she was back in high school again but instead of keeping her love of him a secert she was telling him only even now she wasn't really telling him anything. She didn't know how she felt about the man he had became but she was sure if she got the chance she could love the man even more than the boy. Then something dawn on her and she jerked the pad from and in big bold letters wrote: MY CAR? and showed it to him eager to know if her car was okay.

 

[Armphid]

Tim's eyes widened a little and he blushed slightly as he read what she wrote. She'd thought he'd make a good hero? Hell, she'd thought about him at all. And missed him. That...wow.

His answering smile was shy and sheepish but also proud. "I'm glad it was me too. I wish I'd gotten there sooner, and I'm sorry for that but...um, you know, even looking like this...you still look good."

He shrugged and shook his head, "I never thought I'd see you again after I left, you know. But I thought about you too and hoped that...you were having a happy life. I-"

Whatever he'd been about to say was cut off as her eyes suddenly bulged with alarm and she snatched the notepad back from him, writing furiously before showing it to him with those two huge words written on it.

He grinned, he couldn't help it. Carrie at the diner had been right; it was one of her prides and joys. "It's fine. When you were taken at the diner, a waitress called it in when she noticed your car still there. The police took it in to look it over for evidence. They have it and it'll be released to you." He considered a moment, "It'll probably be ready for you to pick up before you're out of here, actually."

Tim leaned forward in his seat, "It's a beauty too. I wouldn't have expected you for a big muscle car like that...but it's cool. Think maybe you can take me for a ride in it sometime?"

 

[lmcms]

Noreen sighed in relief she would have to thank Carrie someday the woman had probably saved her life. On the pad she wrote:

Thank you my Dad gave it to me for my 21st Birthday
he spent years restoring it for me
it was the last birthday he spent with me before he died
and maybe if you stick around I can give you a ride and
maybe if you want cook you dinner when
well when I'm better?

She blushed again and this time looked away embarrassed and sure he would turn her down. Besides she was just a simple Divorcee and a secretary. He had always been brilliant and now he was a big bad FBI agent he probably didn't have time for a nobody like her in his life.

 

[Armphid]

Tim blinked. He didn't know her dad had died. "I'm sorry about your dad, I didn't know. I remember him being pretty cool." And he's restored that beast for her. He'd cared about Nora a lot; but then, who wouldn't?

At the next piece of writing she put down a slow, sheepish smile spread across his face. She was...well, she was offering him a meal to thank him, it wasn't like she was asking him out.

Right? Or was she?

"I'd like that. The ride and the meal." Tim quirked his eyebrows and shrugged, "I've never ridden in a car that cool with a, um, a, uh," just say it, geek. "With a pretty woman before. So that would be really great. And I haven't had a home cooked meal in..."

He leaned back, actually having to think about it. "Last Thanksgiving, I think? It'd be really great to have that to look forward to. Um, for both of us, I hope."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen was about to write something else when her door opened and two people she did not in suites walked in. She instantly became uncomfortable and ashamed of the way her body looked. She had been about to ask Tim to get the nurse but now she didn't want him to leave her alone. She hit the button to page the nurse and wrote meds on the pad showing Tim just as the nurses voice came over the intercom.

 

[Armphid]

"Nurse Greer, what do you need, ma'am?" The voice over the intercom was tinny and slightly distorted.

Tim held up a hand to his colleagues who had entered, "Nurse Greer, this is Agent Douglas in room 222 with Miss Campton. She's asked for some medication, she's in a lot of pain, particularly her jaw which is why I'm asking."

There was a pause and then the intercom buzzed. "We'll get someone down there and see what we can give her right away."

Anna Marshall grinned at her teammate and often partner in investigation, "Sure you chose the right career, Douglas? You'd made a pretty good nurse yourself."

A ghost of a smile flickered over Rosenberg's face, "He doesn't have the legs for it." Then he gestured Tim to come over to where the two agents stood in the doorway.

"I'll be right over here, Nora," he told his old friend. Tim rose and walked over to where the other two agents were standing. They were all still in the room; near the door and off to one side.

Rosenberg looked past Tim at the beaten and bedridden beauty. "How is she?"

Tim shook his head, "It's a little early to tell. She hasn't talked about what happened other than to report her injuries to the EMT and then to ask me about her car. Nora, uh, Miss Campton only talked briefly about her abduction."

The older agent nodded. "The doctors said she's in no danger of further injury or deterioration but I'd like to get her statement sooner rather than later." He paused, "We'll also need your statement and report on what happened."

Tim blinked, "Sir, I only acted as I was trained to do. Do you think-"

"I think you acted just fine, Douglas," his superior interrupted, "but I'd like to have all our ducks in a row in case anyone locally or higher up decides to make any noise."

"I see." Tim hesitated a moment, "Uh, Sir, do you think I could fill out the paperwork here? Miss Campton seems to want someone with her right now, and I'm familiar to her."

Anna raised an eyebrow, "Just from a few hours?"

He flushed a bit, "Uh, actually...I know her from high school." The two others stared at him. "I didn't recognize her name because she'd married and was using her full first name but when I went into the basement to get her out, she recognized me."

The blond woman made a small sound of understanding, "That might help explain why she responded so strongly when the EMTs tried to take her. An existing emotional connection...it could be helpful to her for him to stay here," she looked over at their boss, "At least for now."

Rosenberg frowned but then he sighed. They so rarely got to save someone and help them. It was a precious opportunity. "All right. For now."

 

[lmcms]

Nora knew what they all wanted so as time went to talk to the other agents she quickly wrote out her what she remembered while it was still fresh in her mind. She wrote out how she was abducted what happened when she woke and what she remebered from the time she woke to the time Tim got her to the EMT. It wasn't a lot as she was submerged in pain during that time as she was now but she did her best. Just as she finished the nurse came in with her pain meds and the three agents turned her way. As the nurse inserted the meds into her IV she handed the notebook back to Tim with the arm that didn't have the IV so he could show the other agents.

After she turned the notepad over to Tim she turned her head from the agents and stared out the window of her room lost in the memories now that she had, had to tell it. She had thought talking, well writing in this case, about it would make the terror ease but it didn't it brought it to the fore front of her mind and she shivered slightly. After the nurse left she immediately felt the meds begin to take effect. She could feel the pain easing and she became very tired again. She did not fight it because she was not in the mood to answer any question about what had happened that she hadn't wrote down. Before they could even finish reading it, the three of them, she was once again in a land of dreams were reality couldn't touch her or so she hoped.

 

[Armphid]

Tim looked at the notebook Nora handed to him and tilted his head. It was an account of what had happened. He almost smiled at that; Nora had never been a fool, she knew they'd want a statement while everything was fresh in her mind. "Rosenberg, Marshall, look."

"She wrote it out," Anna mused. She probably hurt too much to talk; the doctor had said it was a miracle her jaw wasn't broken.

As the nurse delivered the pain medications and got Noreen set up, the three agents gathered around the notebook, scanning the pages, making soft comments here and there, noting things they'd want clarified.

As the nurse finished up and stepped away, Rosenberg stepped up to the bed, the others with him. "Miss Campton, I'm Special Agent Rosenberg, this is Special Agent Marshall. Thank you for writing all this down; I know it's been a terrible experience. There are a few..."

Anna smirked, "Looks like we're too late, boss." She leaned over the bed and looked into Noreen's face. Hm, she was pretty. "She's out like a light."

Tim felt a bit of relief at that. Sleep and rest would do Nora a lot better than more questions, even if he knew as an investigator that those were important. "Given the amount of pain she was and the medicines used," he looked at the label on the IV dripping into her, "She'll be out for the rest of the night."

Rosenberg sighed. "Well, it can't be helped. All right, let's leave her to rest. Since she's sleeping, Douglas, let's go get everything filled out now. You can come back here in the morning."

Tim nodded. He'd speak to the duty nurse and see if he could come back when he was finished tonight instead. Just in case she woke up early, or in the morning before he arrived, he wanted to be there.

He probably shouldn't. It wasn't necessarily the professional thing to do. But he wanted to be there for her.