"This is my case!" Stacy Calbot informed the Mountie.

"But," Benton Fraser tried to reply.

"No," she interrupted. "It is mine."

She marched out the office, Diefenbaker following her out. Ray looked at Fraser and shrugged. Fraser sighed.

Stacy strode down the street, her braid flopping at her back. Diefenbaker walked alongside her. She noticed him and stopped. He did too.

"Quit!" she said, glaring down at him. He only stared at her with his blue eyes, head cocked to one side.

"What's the use?" she said, throwing her hands in the air. Benton Fraser appeared at the corner, spotting them. Stacy started walking again, ignoring Diefenbaker.

"He won't stop," Fraser called from behind. Stacy picked up the pace, but Diefenbaker stayed close. She reached the bus stop and sat down on the bench. Diefenbaker lay at her feet. Fraser arrived but remained standing.

"What is with you?" she asked Diefenbaker, behind forward and holding his jaw so he could see her speak. He just stared.

"He seems to think you need protection," Fraser said. Stacy shook her head.

"Then he's wrong. I am a tae kwon do expert and a trained cop," she retorted. "I do not need any protection," she mouthed to Dief. He whined.

The bus pulled up and the door opened.

"Bye," she said, boarding the bus. Dief followed with Fraser in tow.

"What the …," the bus driver exclaimed. Fraser read his nametag and took off his hat.

"Mr. Demonte, this animal will not cause any trouble," he told the driver, who turned and watched Dief lay down in the aisle next to Stacy.

"He'd better not or you all are off!" he responded, muttering under his breath.

"The bus came to a sudden halt further up the road. Stacy arched her head to see the problem. Two men were arguing in the street, one with a gun. Another man advanced toward them.

Stacy leapt to her feet, Fraser and Dief directly behind as she disembarked.

"Stop! Police!" Stacy yelled as she ran toward the trio. The man with the gun fired, missing her shoulder by an inch. She sprinted for him when he shoved the man he'd been arguing with to the ground. The gunman and the other man took off for the alley, grabbing a little girl standing on the sidewalk. She screamed.

"Damn!" Stacy muttered as she followed, her hand on her weapon.

"They killed my wife and now they have my daughter!" the man on the ground cried as Fraser helped him up.

"We'll rescue her," Fraser assured him, watching Stacy and Dief turn the corner.

Stacy summoned all her strength to keep up with the men. Dief sped in front of her, biting down on the pant leg of the man hauling the girl. He struggled with Dief but kept his grip on the girl, yelling for his partner.

The gunman halted to grab her and throw her over his shoulder. He pointed his gun at Dief just as Stacy lunged at him. A bullet grazed her cheek and she winced.

The gunman turned and ran. Stacy briefly closed her eyes and raced after him, focusing on the scared little girl in his arms.

She finally caught him and dove at his legs, bringing him down. He tumbled, losing grip of the gun and the girl. Stacy rolled with him, instructing the girl to run. They wrestled for the gun and he regained it first.

"Too bad you don't know who you're dealing with," he growled, shoving the gun in her face. Their eyes locked and she brought up an elbow, knocking his wrist as the gun fired, slamming into her shoulder. She bit back a cry and forced the gun away, striking his jaw. The blow startled him and he felt back. She pounded him in the chest and doubled over, blood from her shoulder oozing onto his shirt.

Fraser found the frightened little girl in the corner crying and Stacy straddling the man, his face in the pavement and hands behind his back. Stacy grimaced as the pain overwhelmed her.

Fraser assumed control, taking the man into custody, just as Ray and other officers arrived on the scene. The father scooped up his daughter, both crying and hugging. Dief appeared at Stacy's side as Fraser helped her stand.

"I wish I had killed him," she groused after Fraser relayed the background story from the father to her.

"No you don't. Justice will take care of him," Fraser replied as the paramedics arrived to take her to the hospital.

"Whatever," Stacy tautly said as she was treated and loaded into the ambulance.

"You want me to take you to the hospital?" Ray asked Fraser, looking in Stacy's direction. Fraser shook his head and Dief whined.