Hello Everyone! I know it's been AGES since I posted an update, but I haven't given up! We start again with the Season 2 Episode "Monsters." Enjoy!

Daniel Sousa sat in the back of his cab, bouncing his good knee impatiently as he waited for traffic to start moving again. He was supposed to meet Peggy at Anvil Studios to hear Whitney Frost make a statement about the sudden disappearance of her husband and several council members. He wasn't sure if Whitney would even show, but it was the only lead on her whereabouts that they had so far, and Whitney had Dottie. Daniel pressed his lips into a grim line. Dottie was either being tortured by Frost, or being turned against them. Either option was bad, particularly for Peggy. He knew how Dotties capture smote Peggy's conscience. At the heart of Peggy's personal code was a deep love and value she placed on life and on second chances. She believed she had no right to take a life unless absolutely necessary, even a life as horrific as Dottie Underwood's.

Daniel looked at his watch, anxious to meet up with her. They hadn't spoken about their near kiss, and it had been two days since it happened. He had fought the urge to just grab her hand and lead her off to a private place where they could talk about it, but the job came first, and there was a million things to see to. He also wasn't convinced that she even wanted to talk about it. She had been professional with him, calm and collected as they worked together to try to fix Dottie's tracker, with not a hint of either affection or discomfort. She had made herself unreadable somehow. He sighed, if there was even a possibility of her having feelings for him, he wanted to hear it from her own lips, and he had a feeling it may take more time than he would like.

His Mother's voice floated through his head, a memory from childhood; Daniel, if you're going to be successful in this world, you need to learn to communicate. Never assume others know what you mean or how you feel. Daniel rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. How do you communicate with someone who doesn't want to talk?

Finally, the cabby pulled over, "Anvil Studios sir." Daniel paid him and got out. He spotted Peggy in the gathering crowd ahead of him. She had her thinking face on, staring beyond the gates where Whitney would supposedly arrive, her fingers running absently over her chin. He watched for a moment, her stillness a rare thing to behold. He knew that her mind was methodically sorting through clues, details, and plans, and that she would have a good idea where to go from here. He shook his head, she was a force of nature, and he was willingly getting swept right along in her wake. He smiled to himself, and started forward to meet her.

Peggy saw him approaching and gave him a quick smile that he promptly returned. Focus on the task at hand Peggy. You do nobody any good if you let yourself get distracted. Her chest tightened. She knew she couldn't ignore what had happened forever, she just couldn't think about it with so much else at stake. She had no idea what she would say. She couldn't deny her connection with Daniel, but the consequences should their relationship fail made her shudder. She needed Daniel, she didn't want to lose him as one of her closest friends and most reliable partner. Not to mention that thus far, any man who had ventured closer to her heart than friendship had met a terrible end. Even Jason's predicament only happened after she had kissed him. She blushed to think of it, having kissed one man and nearly kissed another so soon after. What kind of woman was she turning out to be?

"Any sign of her?" Daniel asked as he arrived.

"Not a thing, but I've only just gotten here. She's due to meet the press any time now." Peggy's eyes scanned the area, searching, shoving her thoughts away for another time.

"Wait here she comes."

Whitney Frost, dressed in widows black, came walking serenely through the front gates to meet the press guarded by several armed security officers. The crowd shuffled around with low murmurs until all were quiet, waiting for Whitneys statement.

Whitney made a show of pulling out her handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes as she began to thank various people for their support. Peggy rolled her eyes.

Daniel watched, mesmerized as Whitney gave a heart wrenching account of what had happened to her husband and his associates, "Wow, she is a really good actress," he said not taking his eyes off her.

Peggy glanced at him and then at Whitney, a surge of jealousy clenching her stomach, "Oh please. If I could spit I would." Daniel glanced at her, and she looked down quickly, what had gotten into her? Daniel looked back at Whitney.

"She killed them," He said with grim certainty as he listened to Whitney give her statement.

"And half the council," Peggy said with spite, "And no one questions her story for one second."

As though she could hear her words, Whitney looked up and met Peggy's gaze. Daniel looked at Peggy, her eyes were like steel, meeting Whitney's stare steadily.

"But there is one thing I know," Witney began, never looking away from Peggy, "I will not be broken by this tragedy, I will come through this stronger than ever. This I promise you." With a sniff and fabricated tears, Whitney turned and walked back behind the gate away from the paparazzi. Daniel's stomach had turned to ice. This woman wasn't giving up, she had nearly killed Peggy once before, he couldn't bear to watch it happen again. Peggy turned on her heel and walked towards the cab waiting at the curb. Daniel gritted his teeth and followed her.

"Do you think she killed Dottie Underwood too?" Daniel asked as they walked.

"Dottie is nothing if not a survivor, I won't believe any stories of her demise until I see a dead body before me." Her stomach tightened. If Dottie died it would be entirely on her. Peggy had killed people in her life, but never had she murdered anyone. She could already feel the guilt building up inside her, but she pushed it down forcefully.

"Even then I might not believe it."

"If Whitney truly is a genius she will know that Dottie is worth more to her alive than dead. We must find her Daniel."

"I didn't know you cared so much."

"I'm the reason Dottie was set loose in the first place, Whitney will try to use her against us if she can. Mr. Jarvis is trying to fix the transponder linked to Dottie's necklace, I'll check his progress."

Well let me know what you find out." He hesitated, feeling desperately awkward but forcing himself forward, "And then.. We should probably…" Peggy's face began to turn a shade of delicate pink, "Talk."

"Yes, agreed-"

"You know about.. Things."

"Yes." Peggy was blushing furiously, refusing to meet his gaze. He nodded and headed towards the car. Peggy watched him go, her emotions a perfect storm inside her. She wanted him, against her better judgement she wanted him, but the very idea of moving forward made her feel ill with fear. A twinge of pain in her side distracted her for a moment, her hand coming up to press into the area that had been wounded during her fall. It was healing nicely, but still caused her a great deal of discomfort. More than she thought it should be. Not for the first time, she considered seeing a family friend who was a doctor in New York, Just to be certain things were healing as they should be. She shook her head, there was just too much to do. It would have to wait. As Daniel pulled away, Peggy sighed. Her life was nothing if not an adventure. But she was getting tired. She stepped wearily into the cab and headed back to the lab.