AN: This is it - I finished! It's been a while since I finished a story and it feels good. I enjoyed writing this and so appreciate the reviewers who pushed me through. Thank you!

Jenna woke on the couch a couple hours later with her head on Horatio's knee. The last thing she remembered was settling there after he spoke to Eric and telling herself that she was not going to sleep. It had been quite some time since she had pulled an all-nighter. Her body would no longer tolerate it. She knew Horatio was awake as his fingers rhythmically ran through her hair near her temple. The gesture comforted her, as did the suspicion that he had remained vigilant while she slept. It felt nice to have a protector and be able to lower her guard.

"Any news?" she asked after taking a shaky breath.

"No." His voice matched her low tone, as if neither of them wanted to break the silence. He shifted under her which she took as an expression of his discomfort, so she rose to a seated position. She leaned forward with her head in her hands, so overwhelmed with feelings of shame and embarrassment that she couldn't face him. He raised his hand, about to put it on her back to comfort her, about to offer encouraging words for the same purpose, when his phone buzzed on the side table. Giving the back of her head one last glance and pulling his touch away, he rose, grabbed the phone, and left the room to take the call. When he returned, mere moments later, he found her position had not changed.

"He's in custody. We need to get dressed and go. I told Eric we'd be there in thirty minutes."

Not looking up she said, "I have a job to go to."

"Not today. You need to give a statement. The DA will want to speak to you. Maybe Internal Affairs."

She lifted her head. "So that's it? Everything is over. My career? The respect of my friends and colleagues? Nothing will be the same once I tell all."

"Women's lives will be saved."

"Women's lives were lost. How many has he killed since I knew what a bastard he was?"

"You knew he was a bastard. You didn't know he was a serial killer. As soon as you figured that out, you stopped him, Jenna. You stopped him."

She stood and walked closer to him, intent on going upstairs to dress so she could face whatever was about to come. He blocked her from leaving the room by placing his hands on her arms. "Jenna," he said.

"Horatio," she looked up at him, "I don't even know who I am any more. I thought I was this tough, take-no-prisoners cop who never let anyone in. Never let anyone help her or, God forbid, save her because she always saved herself. But that was all a lie. I've been lying to everyone; you, myself. I'm weak. I'm a phony. I couldn't stand up to one man. I couldn't fight him and he destroyed so many lives, so many families because of it."

"You did stand up to him. And you did fight him. He never destroyed you and you brought him down. Now you are, by far, the toughest cop I know and you are going to go to the station with me and finish what you started so the Reynolds never sees the light of day again. And I will be right next to you every step of the way." He kissed her forehead, and her cheek, and her lips and she let him, trying to soak up all the strength he was giving her.

"OK," she said. "We'll go do this. I'll try to believe some of what you said to get me through."

"I'll be right there reminding you whenever you forget."

MMMMMMMMMM

The day started early and ended late with the in-between filled with questions and statements, signatures and evidence. And the media. The media? She should have anticipated that. They wasted no time and by noon the story went public. Mark Reynolds' name splashed over TVs and websites. Jenna Eldridge's name remained under wraps for the time being. Word spread that a female Miami-Dade detective cracked the case, and may have been a victim herself. Jenna appreciated the time the department gave her to process everything, but knew that all would be leaked before long.

Horatio ensured that all necessary proceedings for the day took place at the crime lab where he enjoyed a modicum of control. Wilkes and Sargent Bilson stopped by to provide support and offer themselves up for assistance. Jenna was overwhelmed by this, as well as the backing of Horatio's entire team.

Abby brought lunch by after receiving a text from her sister aboutl the developments. They found privacy on the roof to eat and escape before Jenna was summoned to answer more questions, or rather, the same questions posed in a different way.

She declined an offer to confront Reynolds who was housed in a cell in the building. That could wait for another day. Horatio, however, made his way to the killer when an opportunity first arose. To his credit, he only decked the man once, when Reynolds attempted to advise the lieutenant on how Jenna liked a bit of pressure applied to her neck when her sweet lips were wrapped around his cock. After that, Horatio found Jenna taking a break from the District Attorney's probing, pulled her into his office, and wrapped her in his arms for a long, long time.

When they walked through the doors of Horatio's house, the sun had set and the moon casted shadows. Jenna wanted to collapse.

"You should eat," Horatio said.

"I'm not hungry." She slipped off her shoes and rolled a shoulder. "Everything hurts." She looked around, her brain in a fog. Should she sit? She would never get up. Attempt the stairs? Too much effort. She turned her eyes to Horatio who was watching her and seemed to be reading her mind. He turned his palms towards her. She accepted the invitation and fell into his arms.

Jenna did it. She faced her demons and came clean about her past. She still had a career, her sister, the respect of her coworkers. She did not need to live in fear any more. But most of all, most importantly, she managed to hold on to her man. She did not feel overpowered by him, or as if she were standing in his shadow. She felt strong and brave with him by her side.

"What do you need?" he asked across the top of her head.

She tilted her head up to him, "Make love to me."

He didn't hesitate.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you like it!