Thank you for continuing to read this story! I know that last chapter was brutal, a little redundant, and heart wrenching all at the same time. In mulling over that chapter, I just couldn't think of a realistic way that Olivia could beat Lewis in her current situation. My goal is to always let the characters write the stories, and I felt that was simply where Olivia's head was at. I appreciate all of you who read it and gave me your honest feedback. You have been so encouraging and helpful!

And finally: many, many months later - here we are. Sweet Sixteen.

"Yes or no, it's a simple question," Amanda snapped.

The middle aged man standing behind the counter shrugged. "I get lots of customers. You expect me to remember all their faces? All their names?"

Nick shook his head in disgust. "Forget it, he doesn't know anything."

Amanda offered a tight smile. "Here's my card. If you see him – call me?"

The bald guy shrugged and took the card. "Sure. You'll be the first one I tell, sweetheart."

Amanda followed Nick out the door, hot on his heels. "You want to tick off every person in Jefferson County?"

Nick bristled as he opened the door. "That guy didn't care about Liv, and he wasn't helping."

"What, you're a psychic all the sudden?" Amanda retorted as they slid into the car.

Nick snorted. "Brian's idea won't work. This is too much ground to cover."

Amanda's lips thinned as she turned on the car. "I'm all ears if you have a better idea." Silence filled the car as they debated the thought internally. Truth was – there was no good idea. Everything took too long. Everyone was trying to make up for the months they had been trailing behind Lewis. Forget one step behind – they were a few hundred miles behind. No one wanted to admit this was a losing battle. But no one was going to give up either.

"I'm gonna grab some coffee at the next stop." Amanda adjusted her sunglasses. She was grateful for them. People took her more serious, and they hid the circles under her eyes. "It's been a long day."

Nick glanced at the clock reading 11:00 AM. The day was somehow dragging but flying by at the same time. "There's another one coming up on the right."

Amanda held back a sigh as the sixth gas station of the afternoon came into view. "For this to be the middle of nowhere, they sure as hell have a lot of gas stations," she mumbled as she pulled in.

Nick reached for his seatbelt release, and Amanda put her hand on top of his. "Why don't you sit this one out? They probably don't know anything. I'll just give him the pictures, grab a coffee, and come back out."

He opened his mouth to argue, but Amanda shook her head. "We've been gone for a few hours. Check in with Detective Stiles and see if there's any updates." Amanda smiled tightly. I'll grab you a sandwich while I'm in there.

Nick held her gaze for a moment before relenting. He nodded his agreement, the atmosphere too thick for the words he wanted to spit out.

"We're gonna get him. It may not be today – but we'll get him."

Nick bit his lip as Rollins stepped out of the car. He wanted to yell at her, but this wasn't Amanda's fault. It was his. He had failed his partner, and Olivia had been the one to pay for it. If he ever saw her again, he didn't think he'd be able to look her in the eye. With a heavy sigh, he reached for his phone. Maybe Stiles and Cassidy were having better luck.

"I don't want to go."

"I don't recall asking."

"You're not being realistic," she protested with a quivering voice.

Lewis raised an eyebrow. "Say that one more time, sweetheart."

Olivia swallowed and tried to muddle through the fear clogging her brain. "My feet break open all the time. I'll never make it, and your back hurts. You can't help me if I fall."

He pursed his lips. "You think I forgot? Sweetheart – I was there. I heard your sweet screams bounce off these lovely walls as blood poured from your feet. I've seen you walk enough since then to know this won't be pleasant for you." Lewis' voice turned harsh. "If you think your pain will change my mind, you are a fool," he hissed. "And you have a lot of places that aren't bleeding. Unless you want that to change, you had better get ready."

Olivia's lip quivered at the threat. She swallowed hard and pushed the words from her throat. "How am I supposed to get ready?"

Lewis nodded to the supplies in the corner of Olivia's room. "There's blankets and towels. Cover your feet so at least the cuts won't get dirt and sticks caught in them. While I don't care if your feet hurt, I'd rather not deal with amputation."

The color drained from her face. Surely, not even Lewis would do that. She'd be just a useless lump of flesh to him then. But then again – was now any different?

He set his jaw as his prisoner made no attempts to move. "Look, you are filthy. You are covered in bodily fluids, your hair is stringy, and I can smell you from the other side of the house. Like it or not, we're gonna get you clean the old-fashioned way. It may not feel as nice as a hot shower, but I promise I can make it a whole lot worse the longer you dawdle."

Anger and fear wrestled within her. He couldn't have just gotten a place with running water. She would take a cold shower over a hike through the woods. She wasn't looking forward to it, but Lewis was getting dangerously close to exploding. She was much too sore to deal with his temper today. "Can I use the duct tape?"

A bell rang against the door as Amanda walked inside. This gas station was smaller than the other ones, but thankfully cleaner.

"Cash only," A voice barked from behind the counter. A quick glance found an older man with salt and pepper hair sitting on a stool with a book two inches from his nose. A fan blew into his workspace, but judging from the matted hair sticking to his neck, it wasn't helping much.

Amanda squared her shoulders at the sight. This was going to be just another dead end. "NYPD," she introduced with a show of her badge. "Do you have a few minutes?"

The man dropped the book a few inches and rolled his eyes. "This isn't the city. You lost or something?"

Amanda forced her growing irritation down as she reached for the well-worn photo she kept in her pocket. "We're looking for a detective who was kidnapped from New York and brought up here. Have you seen this man? He's the one who took her."

The man's bothered expression changed into one of surprise. "Charlie?"

Amanda froze. "Charlie? You've seen this man?"

The man's eyes focused on the picture. "He has a beard now. Not a full one, a little scruffy looking. We laughed about it. He said he wished he could move some of his chest hair to his face." He looked up at Amanda with a squint. "You must have the wrong guy. He was funny."

The bell rang through the store, and Amanda had her gun unholstered before the man even stepped inside.

"Whoa! What the – "

"I'm sorry," Amanda breathed as she put away her gun. "I thought you were someone else."

The blonde guy flipped her off and moved to grab a drink. "You're lucky I don't call the cops on you, crazy bitch."

Amanda rolled her eyes and turned back to the cashier. "Look, this is a very dangerous man who has been on the run with this hostage for five months."

The cashier crossed his arms, doubt evident in his face.

"She's pregnant," Rollins implored.

The cashier narrowed his eyes and looked back down at the picture. "He was here yesterday."

"Tell me everything. Please," Amanda implored. "The cop that was taken – we work together."

The man waited a beat before nodding. "There's not that much to tell. He came in for some cigarettes and alcohol. Needed some gas."

"Did you see his car? See what way he went?" Amanda's voice rose with the hope coursing through her.

"Are you two gonna gab all day?" the guy complained behind them, holding up a can of soda. "You're making me late for work."

Amanda rounded on the stranger with a scowl so deep it created lines in her face. "Look, if you don't shut your mouth – I'll make you late for a whole lot more than work. Got it, wise ass?"

The guy held up his free hand with a glare. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he muttered.

Amanda set her jaw and turned around. "What was he driving?" she repeated.

The man shrugged. "It all blurs together. I think it was a black car? Two door, maybe?"

"Hey wait, was it a Chevy? With white marks on the driver's door?"

Rollins frowned and turned back around to the guy who was suddenly not as annoying. "Why?"

"I – um – " the guy stuttered as he looked back at Rollins' gun.

Amanda forced a smile and hoped it was reassuring. "I'm a cop." She pulled out her badge and held it open. "This man is a serial rapist who is holding a pregnant police officer hostage. Anything you know would help." She waited a few heartbeats for a response, but the newcomer didn't seem very trusting. Clearly this man would not be helpful if she didn't calm him down. "I'm Amanda," she offered.

"Steve," the guy answered with a wobbly smile.

"Steve," Amanda repeated softly. "I can tell you are clearly a responsible man who has good values. I believe you want to do the right thing here. Have you seen this man? What happened to the car?"

The guy licked his lips and took another look at her badge. "The car almost ran me off the road. It was late last night. It was supposed to be my night off, but one of my buddies on third shift got sick. I covered for him."

Amanda smiled. "That's real nice of you," she commented with a southern drawl. Guys always went for that kind of thing.

Steve's chest puffed out. "I'm just nice like that."

"I bet you are. So can you tell me more about what happened?"

"Uh yeah, I guess." Steve put his free hand in his pocket. "It was about thirty minutes away from here. I had just left my house, and there's this big curve that's really dangerous. One of them places you can't be going forty miles an hour. You'll end up in the ditch."

Amanda nodded and bit her lip to keep from interrupting.

"Anyway, I was coming around that curve and this black car came out of nowhere. It was all in my lane. I swerved to keep from hitting it, and the idiot honked his horn like it was my fault."

Amanda pulled the picture off the counter and handed it to her new friend. "Was it this man?"

Steve's mouth dropped. "Wow! You must really be good at your job. That's definitely the guy."

"Listen to me very, very carefully." Amanda took a step forward and pulled out Olivia's picture. "He kidnapped this woman five months ago. He has moved her all over the state, and we're having a really hard time finding her. She's in danger, and she is pregnant. This man has killed people before, and I don't want that to happen to her. Do you?"

Steve's eyes widened. "No ma'am. Not at all."

Amanda inwardly rolled her eyes at how fast this man's personality had changed. As needful as it was, he was also becoming a little nauseating. She would handle it, though. Especially if it meant helping Liv. "We think he is holding her in a rundown house or cabin that has no electricity or running water. He recently bought tarps, tools, and towels. Yesterday, he went to a store three hours away from this gas station. If he passed you late last night, the place he's keeping her at could be close."

"Pregnant hostage?" Steve repeated slowly, horror slowly coming over his face.

"Steve," Amanda said firmly. "I need you to stay with me. If you live around here, you know these woods better than any cop does."

His eyes widened as a lightbulb went off. "Fifteen minutes away from my house is a creek. My dad used to take me fishing there as a little boy."

Amanda sighed and rubbed her head. "I don't care – "

"But wait!" Steve interjected. "This storm came out of nowhere once. The car was too far away, there's not a lot of places to park. My dad said he knew of a place. We walked for about ten minutes, and found this run-down cabin. It was super old and kinda creepy. It wasn't that great. The roof leaked, and there was no running water or anything. I remember that because we were thirsty, and we couldn't get anything to drink. The place was full of cobwebs, too. Even the people that live here don't go around that place. There's just something not right with it."

Her eyes burned with relief. This could be it. "Steve, on behalf of the NYPD, I need you to call your boss and tell him you won't make it in today. You need to show my friend and I exactly where this place is."

Steve's eyes rounded with a shake of his head. "I'll get fired, miss. I can't lose my job."

Amanda opened her wallet and put a $10 bill on the counter. "Keep the change," she spoke to the cashier. "And thank you for your help. That should cover this gentlemen's Diet Coke."

"But I can't," Steve protested as Amanda pushed him out of the store.

"This cop has been tortured and raped for five months. Forget about your job, Steve. You're gonna be a hero today." Amanda walked him towards the car, the coffee and snacks completely forgotten.

"How much further?" Olivia grounded out.

"Just up ahead."

Olivia rolled her eyes. Lewis had been saying that since they left the cabin. She chanced a look down at her feet and frowned. She looked ridiculous. Thick towels had been wrapped around her feet and were being held in place by the ever convenient duct tape. How ironic. The towels didn't seem to be helping that much. Her feet hurt a little more with each step, and she was sure that her wounds had opened by now. "Ow!" Olivia howled as she tripped over a branch. Her body collided with the unyielding ground a moment later.

"Maybe if you watched where you were going, that fall could have been avoided."

Olivia grunted her response, grateful her cuffed hands had mostly broken her fall. She flexed her newly injured ankle and cringed. What other injuries was she going to have to endure?

"Get up." Lewis towered over her. "I'm tired of this."

"You and me both," Olivia retorted. "I think I twisted my ankle."

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Well then get up and keep walking. Maybe you'll twist it back."

Olivia glared her response. "If I can't stand up, how do you expect me to walk?"

Lewis stared down at her in distain. "You're resourceful. Figure it out."

Olivia set her jaw at the backhanded compliment. Lewis made no moves to help her up, and the air was growing thick with his impatience. Exhaustion was creeping behind her, ready to slip into her skin and settle into her bones. She had to get moving. The sooner it was done, the sooner she would hopefully be able to nap. She bit her lip and glanced around. A semi sturdy tree was just a few feet away. It looked pretty solid. There was a decent chance it could support her fat self. She frowned. Did she really think she was fat? Where had that come from?

"Today, Olivia," Lewis growled.

With a nasty glance to her right, she hobbled to the side and reached for the tree. Her hands gripped the rough wood, and she shakily raised herself to a standing position.

"Well, would you look at that."

"Are you going to mock me the entire way?" Olivia grounded out.

Lewis reached for her arm with a chuckle. "Careful, detective. Wouldn't want to let me know I'm getting under your skin."

"I think it's up there." Steve leaned forward in the seat. His shaky finger pointed between the detectives. His wariness had turned into excitement after his boss let him off the hook. Not that it had been an easy phone call. The boss had argued for a while about being short-handed, but two minutes on the phone with Amanda had him singing a different tune.

Nick straightened in his seat. "Which side?"

"Ah, right. No! I mean it's on the left, right after that hill. It's hard to see. Just looks like some dirt on the side of the road.

Amanda met his eyes in the rear view mirror. "So it's right after the hill…on the left side?"

Steve nodded his agreement with a sparkle in his eyes. "I steer clear of that cabin, but that creek has some good fishing.

Amanda slowed the car to a crawl as they reached the top of the hill. "How far away is backup?"

Nick tapped his fingers against the door. "Forty-five minutes." He knew it took some time to assemble a team of officers and those officers were flying towards them, but it seemed far too long. "Captain said to wait until they show up."

Amanda exchanged a brief look with Nick. They weren't waiting for backup.

"There!" Steve howled.

"Dude," Nick protested with a glare. "Right in my ear?"

Amanda squinted against the sunlight. "There's nothing here."

"Wait, I see tire tracks!" Nick pointed a few yards ahead. Dirty tire tracks stretched from a sandy patch to the middle of the road.

"That's the spot!" Steve announced proudly. "You pull in there, drive straight for a few minutes, and bare left at the trees."

"Bare left?" Nick turned to face their new guest. "What's to the right?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "The house."

Amanda pumped the brakes. "Why would we go left if the house is to the right?"

"Because the house is in the middle of nowhere. That's why you turn left at the trees. There's nothing around that place. If that's where your friend is, they'll see you coming long before you actually get to there."

Amanda sighed and turned on the disguised road. "Guess we're baring left then."

"See? I told you we were almost there," Lewis huffed as he dropped the bag to the ground. "Now get in."

Olivia hobbled to the creek's edge, captivated by the running water. It had been so long since she had been outside – really outside. She was usually just shuffled from the car to the door. It was so beautiful. She could even see small fish swimming happily on their way. A fluttering in her stomach pulled her attention from the captivating view. What was that?

"Turn around." Lewis grabbed her arm and reached for the cuffs. "You know what happens if you try something dumb?"

Olivia nodded, still distracted by the odd rumbling in her stomach. Besides, Lewis was full of threats. She had heard them all before. Well, most of them.

"Strip," Lewis ordered, pocketing the silver bracelets. He cocked an eyebrow at the crestfallen expression on her face. "You can't bathe with your clothes on. There is no one out here, and I've seen it all before." Lewis pulled the gun out of his waistband. "So strip."

She massaged her purple wrists before letting them fall to her side. She didn't know why she was fighting this. He had seen it all before, and he was far too irritated from his back pain to consider pushing him.

Lewis eyed her carefully as she peeled off her shirt. Her shaking fingers reach for her pants. He waited for her to pull them down, but there was nothing. She was making no further effort to undress. "Fighting me today is not a good idea, Olivia." Not that saying that had deterred her before, but he was really not in the mood for her today.

Olivia stared down at her stomach in confusion. What was wrong with her stomach? Was it the vitamins?

"What are you doing?" Lewis muttered. "I'm not standing here all day."

She heard his frustration but couldn't move. It felt like she had swallowed butterflies whole and they were just flying around in her belly. She had felt it before, mostly in her dreams, but she hadn't paid it any attention. She didn't understand what it was…until now.

"Do you know how many places I can shoot you without it being fatal?" Lewis threatened.

A wave of protection fell over Olivia, and she squared her shoulders. "Sorry, got a little dizzy," she lied. Her pants fell at her ankles while one hand held her stomach. "So now what?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you, sweetheart?" Lewis walked up behind her, running his finger down her back.

Olivia swallowed and recoiled from his touch. "I can't really bend over."

Lewis chuckled in her ear. "Junior has really taken off lately, huh."

Her hand tightened on her belly, acutely aware of how naked she was. "Just tell me what you want me to do, and we can get back to the cabin."

"I want so many things, sweetheart," Lewis whispered as his hands moved lower. "I wonder if I could get you – "

Olivia jerked forward and winced as a rock poked her foot through the towel. "I'll figure it out."

"I thought that would do it," Lewis replied dryly. "Grab that bag first."

"What bag?" Olivia turned back to Lewis and followed his gaze to the brown bag laying on the ground. "Why?"

"Why do you always ask so many questions?" Lewis retorted.

Olivia held up her hands in surrender and moved towards it. With a grunt of effort, she pulled the bag towards her and raised her eyebrow. "Soap?"

Lewis shrugged as he leaned against a tree. "Picked it up last week. Figured we would need some. Use what's in there and don't come out until you're completely clean. And take those nasty clothes in there with you."

Her ankle throbbed as she moved back towards the creek. Between her feet and her belly, she sure as hell wasn't bending over to pick up her clothes. She'd fall over half-way down. Olivia shuffled through the dirt until she reached her clothes. She could do this. Olivia lifted her foot and kicked at her shirt. If she couldn't use her hands, at least she could use her feet. It may take some time, but like Lewis said – she was resourceful.

Amanda pulled the keys from the ignition. "Steve, can you hand us those vests in the backseat?"

Nick glanced at his phone as he unbuckled. "They're still thirty minutes out."

Amanda pushed her door open with more force than necessary. "That's too long."

Steve's eyes grew wide. "Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to wait for that back-up?"

"Just shut up and hand us the vests," Nick interjected. "And no matter what, you stay in this car until we come back. Do you understand?"

"I really don't think – "

"Then don't," Amanda said with a smile. "Just hand over the vests."

Steve's face fell into a pout. "Shouldn't I get to see the action? I don't want to be stuck here."

Amanda rolled her eyes and reached for the vests herself. "If things get ugly, you don't need to meet a stray bullet. Just stay here and stay quiet."

Nick set one foot outside the car and paused. "Hey man, you've done something important. We are only here because of you. And if we find her – you've rescued a cop."

Steve offered a half smile. "Just doing my part, detective."

Nick reached for the bullet proof vest and stepped out of the car. They were going to find her this time. He could feel it.

Her teeth chattered. Her butt was numb. Her feet pulsed like someone had stuck a cattle prod in her soles and left it there. Goosebumps were raised all over her skin, but Olivia didn't mind any of them. The trees were beautiful, and there were so many colors to see. Her world had been gray and red for a long time. She would enjoy color while she had it. Plus, she almost felt like a human again. Even if she was in the middle of a creek, at least she was clean. Her wounds still stung from the soap, but at least they were also clean. Some of them didn't look as bad as she expected while others hurt just to look at.

Her hair had gone from long strings of crust to one long and smooth mane. Olivia closed her eyes for a few moments, enjoying the luxury of being clean without Lewis doing the job. She should probably take the towels off her feet to clean them too, but she already felt like she had been run over by a semi. She didn't have the strength to battle her open cuts today. Plus, Lewis would surely clean them with alcohol later. A shudder ran through her. It would be painful, but walking barefoot back to the cabin after her feet had been softened by water would probably end up being more painful.

Olivia glanced at the plastic bag floating beside her. The current was slow enough that she had been able to keep it close to her. She had been surprised at the bag's contents. Lewis had not only grabbed body soap and shampoo, but bottles were name brand. She thought it was a little odd. Then again, what wasn't odd where Lewis was considered. Olivia pushed the thought out of her head and reached for the crusty clothes. She needed to get them clean before Lewis got antsy. He was already starting to pace, and he wouldn't let her sit here much longer.

She opened up the soap once more and poured it on the clothes. The clothes were a lot dirtier than she had realized. The material had turned almost a murky brown. Her tired fingers worked the soap into the fabric, watching the white suds turn into tan foam. Her lips curled. She wasn't sure which color was worse.

"So how do you want to play this?" Amanda buckled her vest as she stepped into pace with Nick.

"We get her out." Nick's lips set in a thin line.

"Something tells me we need more than that," Amanda replied dryly.

Nick shook his head and picked up the pace. "We figure out if they're in the house. If they are, we get her out. If they're not, we play twenty questions with the hoodlum you picked up."

"The hoodlum?" Amanda laughed. "That's what we're calling him?"

"Oh come on," Nick scoffed. "He's falling all over you."

"That's because I used my sweet ol' southern charm on him." Amanda grinned and moved her extra clip of bullets from her back pocket to the side pocket.

"Whatever. Let's just find Liv so we can all go back to normal."

Amanda eyed Nick. "Are you jealous?"

Nick laughed. "Jealous of what? That guy has to sit in a police car for hours while we work on a hunch." He squared his shoulders. "I don't care about Steve. Let's just hope this turns out to be something."

"What are we going to do if it's not?" Amanda countered.

"Like I said, we'll play twenty questions with your new friend. They have to be around here somewhere."

Amanda nodded her agreement. Silence settled between them, their unspoken agreement they were too close for anymore banter. It was an uncomfortable silence; it could almost be cut with a knife, the tension was so great. They knew what was ahead of them, even if they refused to voice it. They would either find another dead end, or they would find themselves in the fight of a lifetime. And it wasn't even their life at stake.

"I think the clothes are clean," Lewis pointed out, his voice carrying from the side of the creek. "Time to get dried off."

Olivia glanced up at him. "Dried off with what?"

"There was a towel underneath the bag. It's still over there." Lewis motioned towards the heap of material beside him. "I could bring it to you – but it's so much fun watching you work for it.

Her stomach rolled at the thought. Just standing up was going to give him a show, much less walking over to the towel. She didn't even know how she was going to get up. She had almost fallen on the slippery rocks when she walked into the creek. Now that she was perched on a rock, she wasn't entirely sure how to maneuver herself off. Even the rock she was sitting on had turned slippery with all the soap she had used. She really did not know how to this was going to work.

"Here."

Something hard scratched at her arm, and Olivia jerked away from it.

"Calm down." Lewis rolled his eyes. "It's just a stick." He had ventured to the very edge of the creek and was offering an admittedly sturdy looking piece of wood. "Take it."

The stick was a nice length and would help her balance. Given its source though, suspicion raised within her. "Why?" the words fell from her lips before she could stop them.

Lewis didn't meet her eyes. "If you fall, you could hurt the baby. Just take the stupid stick."

She didn't need to be told again. She had no desire to fall with all these rocks. Her fingers curled around her new friend, and she stuck it down into the water until it hit bottom and seemed somewhat reliable. She could do this. She moved her feet into position and tried to plant them against the rocks beneath her. She shakily pulled herself against the stick and felt it bend before she even made it an inch into the air. This would be harder than she thought.

A hand came into her peripheral view, and she looked up with wide eyes to see Lewis standing in the creek a foot away from her. "Come on." Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but something in his eyes changed her mind. He was tired. She was tired. She may only be here because he had made a decision and beat her into submission, but in that very moment – they wanted the same thing. Olivia reached for Lewis as her other hand held firmly to the stick. They worked together until she was fully upright and exited the creek with only a few slips. As soon as they were clear, Lewis quickly disengaged himself.

She made no comment as she moved towards the towel, a breeze sending her teeth chattering again. Olivia tried not to dwell on Lewis helping her up or the warmth of his arm around her. It was just a moment of…what exactly? It was definitely not tenderness. Could it have been humanity? Was that even possible? Olivia shook her head in an attempt to dislodge the confusing thoughts. Her head was becoming a scary place.

Amanda and Nick crawled towards the house, keeping as low as possible. It was just how Steve had described it. The place was creepy and abandoned. There also happened to be a dull black car parked beside it.

"We're almost out of the grass. It's just open out here, how are we going to get close without him seeing us?" Amanda whispered.

"There's a lot of windows, maybe we should…Do those windows look weird to you?" Nick hunched down.

Amanda squinted against the sunshine, trying to see what he was looking at. "I can't tell."

"Didn't Lewis buy wood? He could have boarded up the windows."

"It seems risky to run up to the house on the assumption he can't see us. Lewis could shoot us before we make it to the door, and he'll be gone before backup gets here."

"You have a better idea?" Nick inquired. "I'm not leaving her here. Not when we're this close."

Amanda chewed her lip in contemplation. "We should spread out so he can't get us both."

"Steve said there was only the front door." Nick pulled out his gun. "If we use the car, you can cover me till I get to the windows."

This was still a terrible idea. Then again, they didn't teach you this kind of thing in the police academy. They tried, but no one could tell you how to sit still and let your friend get hurt. They had waited long enough. It was time to bring Olivia home.

Olivia clutched the towel around her, cold seeping into her pores. Even with drying off at the creek, water droplets from her hair continually seeped into the towel and kept her shoulders damp. Maybe she could talk Lewis into starting a fire when they got back. Anything to get rid of the chill.

"We'll grab a bite to eat when we get back." Lewis broke the silence, tapping against the ground with Olivia's confiscated stick. "Maybe try one of those peanut butter and honey sandwiches?"

She stumbled forward, ignoring his comment. She was so tired and cold. All she wanted was her bed.

"Thought you would feel better after getting all cleaned off." Lewis moved in beside her, offering his best grin.

"I'm cold," Olivia mumbled.

"Want me to warm you up, sweetheart?" Lewis teased. Any pretense of gentleness had been erased, and the mocking warden had returned.

"No. I want something other than a wet towel that covers half of me."

"You could always put on these wet clothes." Lewis lifted the gray material in the air with a shrug. "Doubt that will help you warm up though."

"Its fine," Olivia muttered. "We're almost there."

"Could always warm you up a different way," Lewis suggested with a twinkle.

"You will hurt your back."

Lewis chuckled. "Look at you getting all soft on me."

"I am not," Olivia said firmly. "Just reminding you that you wanted to take it easy."

"True," Lewis conceded. "But it doesn't hurt my back to lay down. I've gotten used to our bed."

Olivia stiffened. She hated those words. She hated the truth behind them. But most of all, she hated what happened in that bed.

"Pretty sure we'll need to clean off your feet once we get inside." Lewis wiped off the sweat from his forehead. "They're probably pretty gnarly by now with all that walking."

She offered no protest. Anything she said would only spur him on. It had taken her far too long to figure that out, but she had finally learned her lesson. Keeping her mouth shut would work in her favor today. Maybe he would get bored.

"This doesn't make sense!" Nick threw the half-empty water bottle on the ground. "They've clearly been here for a while. Why aren't they here? Where else could they be?"

Amanda fought the helplessness rising inside her. She turned around in the kitchen and did a half take at the vitamins lined up on the counter. This had to be the place. "Surely they wouldn't just leave all this here. The car is still parked outside."

Nick shook his head, an ache settling into his chest. "Lewis abandons cars all the time. He knew we were coming."

"That's impossible!" Amanda argued, an edge to her voice. "We didn't even know we were coming"

"Well – "

"Sh," Amanda interrupted, pulling Nick down at lightning speed. She pointed at the kitchen window. "Is that who I think it is?"

Nick pulled her hand off his vest with a scowl. "If you let me up, maybe I can check." He pulled himself up so that just his head was above the counter. He froze at the sight of two people moving towards them. "Is that Lewis?" he hissed.

"We have to hide, he'll kill her if he sees us." Amanda didn't wait for a response. She grabbed Nick's vest again and pulled him into the living room. "Bathroom, they shouldn't go in there."

"Wait, wasn't that Liv? I'm not just – "

"Shut up!" Amanda glared. "It will be better to take him down if he doesn't have Liv right beside him. We've been waiting to do this for months. Stop screwing around and get in the freaking bathroom."

"Home sweet home," Lewis bragged. He threw open the front door and ushered Olivia inside. "Let me guess – bathroom? All that water, your bladder must be knocking." He pulled the door closed behind them and fished for the key in his pocket.

"I'm fine," Olivia said stiffly. "Can I go get a blanket?"

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Lewis wrapped an arm around her after locking the door. "Nervous all this skin is gonna turn me on?"

Olivia shied away from him, averting her gaze. "I'm just cold."

Lewis laughed, a bitter noise rattling from his chest. "You're always cold."

"Just one blanket." Olivia pulled the damp towel around her tighter. "It will hurt the baby if I get sick."

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Fine." He grabbed her arm before she could move away from him. "Cuffs first."

Olivia's shoulders slumped. She hated those things.

He pulled her hands forward and closed the metal around her wrists, causing the towel to fall to the ground with a whoosh. "Oops." Lewis winked. "Guess I get another show. Must be my lucky day."

Olivia's lips curled as she shuffled past him. The soaked towels still wrapped around her feet left large water marks as she moved towards the kitchen. Maybe she would get lucky and Lewis would slip on them and knock himself out.

Lewis watched the way her body moved into the kitchen and whistled after her, chuckling at the way it made her jump. Who said laying low couldn't be fun.

"He is a dead mean!" Nick raged. "He's making fun of her for being cold? And did he just whistle?" his voice turned hoarse.

Amanda pulled him further into the bathroom. "He will hear you!" she scolded. "He's closer to Liv than we are. We have to wait."

"Are you kidding me?" Nick turned back to her, his face turning red. "We're not waiting anymore."

"You know I'm right. We didn't come all this way for him to shoot her before we get Liv out." Amanda pulled out her cell phone. "It's been twenty minutes. Back up will be here soon."

"If he lays one finger on her, I'm not just sitting here." Nick protested with a scowl.

Amanda didn't point out that Lewis had already done a lot more than simply lay a finger on her. Olivia sounded so defeated. Her voice was smaller and riddled with pain. Amanda had never heard anything like it. "Lewis will pay for what he's done. But we're gonna do this the right way. Liv has suffered enough." She chanced a glance in the hallway and took a breath as Lewis stepped into the kitchen. He hadn't heard them.

"Not hungry?" Lewis tilted his head. They had been sitting at the kitchen table for about ten minutes. His sandwich had been gone in minutes. He had a few crumbs left, be he wasn't that frugal. He frowned at the mostly whole sandwich across from him. Why were women so difficult?

Olivia stared down at the sandwich. She didn't know if she didn't like it, or if the baby didn't like it. Either way, she wasn't gonna eat something to turn around and throw it right back up.

"I don't get you." Lewis leaned back in his chair, oblivious to the detectives tiptoeing into the next room. "You complained when you didn't get food, but you complain when I feed you. You throw a fit when there's not healthy food for the baby, but you refuse to eat it when it's here. If I weren't so even tempered, I'd force feed you the sandwich."

Olivia snorted. "Even tempered?"

"Oh look at who found her tongue!" Lewis smirked.

Amanda flattened herself against the living room wall a few feet away from the kitchen doorway and wished she could unhear the stilting conversation a few feet away.

Nick stepped out of the hallway and took a look towards the window. He nodded. Back up had arrived.

Amanda set her jaw and took the safety off her gun. It was time.

"You do have a nice tongue," Lewis continued with a smirk. "Especially when you rub it – "

"I need the bathroom," Olivia interjected with gritted teeth. She had no desire to hear his twisted praise about her tongue.

Lewis tilted his head towards the doorway. "I'm not stopping you."

Olivia pushed herself to feet, grateful her hands were at least cuffed in front of her. She did her best to stifle her groan, but based off the grin on Lewis' face – she didn't do a good job of it.

"Sixty seconds." Lewis folded his hands. "Or I will make excellent use of that soft tongue of yours."

Olivia moved away from the table and used the wall for support. His threat didn't bare comment. They both knew Lewis would do what he wanted. And they both knew Olivia wouldn't even reach the bathroom in sixty seconds. Their outside venture had drained all the energy she possessed. Not that she had much to pull from in the first place.

Olivia pulled herself into the living room with a grunt. At least Lewis had cut off those stupid towels from her feet. From what she could tell, he hadn't even cut her when the towels came off. Olivia took another step and saw something move to the left of her. "Wh – "

Amanda shook her head and put a finger to her lips. A relieved smile tugged at her lips. It was really Olivia. Her skin had lost a few shades of color, and her cheeks were sunken in a little – but it was her.

Olivia stared at Amanda in utter confusion before seeing Nick move towards her. She shook her head. It couldn't be her partner. Was she dreaming again? She didn't remember laying down. Maybe she fell when getting up from the table and was knocked unconscious. Rescue was nothing more than dream. Lewis was too smart. They would never find her.

Amanda stepped away from the wall and motioned for Olivia to come towards her, away from the doorway.

Olivia's gaze darted between Amanda and Nick, desolation sweeping over her. Is this how delusional she was? A black blur moved past the window to her right, and her eyes moved to follow them. Her lips parted. Was that someone else?

Nick and Amanda exchanged confused glances as Olivia's focus remained on the window. It was one of two that had not been boarded up in the house, and it provided a clear view of ESU getting into position. They needed Liv to move.

"Thirty seconds!" Lewis called from the kitchen.

The three detectives jumped, and fear beyond comprehension settled in Olivia's eyes. They couldn't wait anymore.

Amanda grabbed Olivia, not prepared for the shriek that followed. They had just cleared the doorway when all hell broke loose.

"Police!"

Olivia's shriek elevated to a scream as the door flew open. She closed her eyes as people flooded into the room. There was too much going on. Gunshots rang out, along with a door being slammed…or was that something falling over? Olivia didn't understand what was happening. She just wanted to go to the bathroom.

Olivia tried to pull away from whatever was holding her in place, but the hold was unrelenting. She had to get back to Lewis. He would be mad. Sixty seconds had come and gone. He should be here, pulling her into the torture room by her hair. But he wasn't. Olivia's head pounded. There was too much noise and too much dust to make sense of anything. She could hear Lewis yelling. More footsteps and gunshots rang through the house. People were talking to her. Maybe she should try to eat the rest of that horrid sandwich. Maybe everything would go away if she just went back to her sandwich.

"Liv!"

She looked up, dropping her hands for a moment. She squinted through the sea of colors and tried to distinguish shapes. Her vision focused on someone racing towards her, and she shrank against the wall. It wasn't her fault. She had tried to go back to Lewis, but something wouldn't let her move.

"Olivia," Brian breathed. He was feet away from her, but the look in her eyes made it seem like an ocean separated them. "Liv, it's me. It's Brian. You're safe."

She blinked against the haziness in her brain. "What?" she croaked.

"She's in shock."

Olivia jumped at the voice in her ear. How did all these people get in here?

The female EMT took a step back. "I'm sorry, Detective Benson."

"Wh – what? I don't understand." Olivia lifted her hands and rubbed her head again, hoping to make the nightmare stop.

"You didn't take the cuffs off?" Brian thundered as he saw the metal circling Liv's wrists. "And what the heck is she wearing? You can't get her some clothes?"

"There wasn't time," Amanda countered. "And all we can do is get her more blankets. They just wheeled Lewis out. Things were hectic."

"Lewis? I have to go," Olivia tried to twist out of Amanda's grip. The room narrowed as Amanda tightened her grip. "No, you don't understand," her voice cracked. "He'll hurt me."

Brian's eyes widened as he glanced between Nick and Amanda. This wasn't how anyone pictured her rescue going.

Nick took a deep breath and stepped into Liv's line of sight. He fought the tears as her confused eyes settled on him. Her shoulders were both slumped with defeat and rigid with pain. She hadn't exactly fought them, but she sure wasn't helping them either. It was like she didn't believe any of this was happening. Like she had just given up on them ever coming for her. His resolve to keep it together was crumbling. The last ten minutes had felt like a ten hours. So much had happened, but Olivia wasn't processing any of it.

He took a step forward and cursed under his breath at Olivia's wince. "Lewis is dead, Liv. He won't hurt you anymore."

"He won't die," her voice rattled. "Just let me wake up. I know this isn't real."

Nick moved a half step closer. "Liv," his voice softened. "This is not a dream. We're really here, and Lewis is really gone."

Olivia's confusion grew. Gone? She saw Nick move closer, and she braced for pain. She eyed him cautiously as he held up a key. His fingers shook as he slid it into the cuffs and pulled them off. Olivia looked down as her purple wrists were exposed. Teary eyes looked up a moment later. "Nick?"

"Liv," his voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

Olivia searched his face and found no malice. There were no lies, no mockery. It was just pure regret. It was her partner. Her face crumpled. "Nick." Sobs heaved from her chest. Her world tilted, and she felt her knees buckle. It was over.

Tears leaked from his eyes as he caught Olivia. He pulled her close and held her as her body shook with the force of her heartache. "It's going to be okay, Liv." He set his chin on her head. "It's over."

Brian stepped back from the touching scene. He didn't know if he could do this.

"You all right?" Detective Stiles whispered.

"I didn't see you come in."

Detective Stiles looked down and cleared his throat. "She's been through hell. It's going to take some time for her to figure this out."

Brian nodded his agreement, his eyes still on Liv. He should be over there. He should have been the one that caught her when she fell apart. After all, he was the first person to notice she was missing. Brian pinched his nose. "I just wasn't expecting this," he admitted.

"What part?" Detective Stiles inquired. "The scars, the belly, or the haunted look in her eyes?"

Brian scanned the room, dried blood evident in too many places. "All of it."

"Rescue isn't always glamorous." Detective Stiles patted him on the back. "Go get your girl. She needs you, even if she doesn't know it."

Brian squared his shoulders. The annoying detective was right. He would be there for her, even if it killed him.

"Liv?"

Olivia looked up from Nick's embrace. She looked a mess. Snot dripped from her nose, and tears stained her face. Brian didn't care. She was alive.

Brian moved towards her cautiously with his hands up. "Hey," he smiled softly.

"Brian?" Olivia whispered.

He nodded, taking note of her white knuckles clutching Nick. "The EMTs are ready for you. Can I help you to the ambulance?"

Amanda held up a hand. "We need them to come get her. Liv's feet are bleeding."

"He cut them. They break open all the time."

Brian's jaw tightened at the despondent tone in Liv's voice. Good thing Lewis was already dead, or that comment alone would have him seeing red. "The second ambulance is pulling in. I got her." He waited until Olivia nodded before stepping forward.

Olivia let go of Nick and winced as Brian's arm went around her shoulders. Fear ebbed at her, like watching the ocean tide crawling closer to a prized sand castle.

Brian didn't comment at the shudder rippling through Olivia. She was clearly in a lot of pain and terrified of being touched. All he could do was move slowly and hope he didn't hurt her more. He gently bent down and put his other hand behind her knees. He gave her a moment to breathe before lifting her into his arms. It was a good thing he had taken his anger out at the gym; this was a lot easier than it had been last time. He knew she had probably lost weight in their time apart, but he didn't want to dwell on that. He just needed to get her better.

Olivia leaned her head on Brian's shoulder, letting his smell invade her senses. Her head rocked against him as he walked them towards the door. "Where am I gonna go?" she whispered. "My apartment is gone, isn't it?"

Brian stepped outside and offered a tender smile. "Don't worry about it. You can stay with me, Liv. We'll figure it out." He squinted as the ambulance carrying Lewis' remains pulled away from the house.

"Brian, you don't have to do this. I don't even know if I'm – "

"We'll figure it out," Brian repeated. The second ambulance came into view, and he tightened his grip. "Is it okay if I ride with you?"

A sob caught in her throat. It had been so long since someone had asked for her permission. She couldn't stop the tears. She buried her face in his shirt, her shoulders shaking as she cried for the third time in ten minutes. Olivia nodded her answer as Brian carried her towards freedom. That fleeting feeling of hope had just become a whole lot stronger.