Disclaimer: The Sentinel and its characters are the property of Pet Fly Productions

To my sister, Julie, for her help with the opening scenes, her intimate knowledge of her favorite author Nora Roberts was priceless. Love you, always. To my best friend Denise, whose friendship has helped me through the good times and bad. A big thank you goes to the fastest beta in the west, Diane (DJ). However, I'm a stubborn writer and any remaining mistakes are mine. And last but not least to Fess, without her e-mail this would never have been written.

Rating/warning: NC17 for the opening love scene.

Category: Romance/Drama

Spoiler: Simon loses the girl.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Sequel to Vacation and A Fresh Start
By Robin from Florida

The steady rhythm of a heartbeat slowly drew him from sleep. The most peaceful sleep he had gotten in longer then he'd cared to remember. The softness of the pillow his head was resting on registered on his growing consciousness. His hands started to gather more information, with their gentle caresses.

Wondering whether the shivers he felt were from his caresses or the cold made him finally raise his head. What he saw took his breath away. There, lit only by the dying fire, was the face he'd dreamt about so many times. Her face soft with sleep. Eyelashes resting on tan cheeks hid the sparkling blue eyes he could get lost in. Lips that were slightly parted, begged to be kissed.

Another shiver through the small body beneath him shook him out of his study of her. He rose carefully, trying not to wake her and went to the fireplace to add some wood.

A soft moan took his attention away from the roaring fire. A slow smile spread across his face as he watched Andy. She had turned towards the missing warmth, that only moments ago gave the Florida girl the warmth needed, for she was unaccustomed to the weather.

Deciding he would be glad to provide the needed warmth, he eased himself to the rug and gently gathered the sleeping woman into his arms.

Her eyes fluttered open, with a sigh. "Simon?"

"Yes, it's me." He smiled, thankful that she didn't say another's name.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, as she lifted her head to study the man holding her.

"Much better," he whispered, lowering his head to kiss the lips raised to him.

His tongue gently asked permission which was granted without hesitation. The kiss quickly turned from passionate to desperate, only separating when the need for oxygen could no longer be ignored.

"Wow! You must be feeling better." She smiled into the ear next to her lips as the captain nibbled down her neck.

Pulling away slightly, she whispered. "Simon, we need protection." With what could be described as a cross between a whimper and a growl, the captain detached his lips from her shoulder and rose from the nest he had created.

She was surprised at the speed with which he returned and took up almost exactly where he'd left off.

He continued his journey down her body until he reached the edge of the towel still secure around the body he craved. He slid up her body to taste those lips again. As he deepened the kiss, he gently rolled her onto her back. Finally, allowing his body to believe she was actually there beneath him, he pulled away to look into the eyes he so desperately wanted to get lost in.

What he found made his heart fill with joy. Her eyes were dark with passion. Her lips, swollen by kisses, smiled lustfully at him.

His large hand slowly made its way up the side of her body to come to rest where the towel was tucked in.

Her smile grew giving him silent permission to continue.

Simon opened the towel to reveal that it held a precious gift. He found the towel was hiding a slim torso with full breasts that had not seen the sun's rays. It revealed a woman who wore a strapless, one piece bathing suit to sun bathe in. Simon desperately tried to decide what he wanted more. His eyes wanted to continue to watch his dark hand caressing the milky white skin it found under the towel. His lips and tongue wanted some of what his hand was getting. His lips finally won as he lowered his mouth to a nipple eagerly waiting his warm touch.

She arched off the rug with the sensations that Simon was causing. His hands continued mapping her body while holding her wriggling form. His mouth continued to plunder the delicious breasts beneath his roaming mouth.

When her moans had become continuous, he started down her body leaving a warm, moist trail of soft kisses in its wake. He stopped his downward descent only once to lavish special attention to her navel. Simon was enjoying the extra squirming his tongue was causing Andy to make. With her hands, tangled in his hair, she started pushing, so he would continue downwards.

He passed his ultimate goal. Giving slow caresses with his hands and mouth to her inner thighs, they spread easily at his touch. When he had completely nipped, sucked and licked every inch of skin, he returned to her mouth. His lips sealed around hers, stealing her moans, before they escaped into the warm den that had become the center of their universe.

The fire crackled softly, blanketing the two lovers in its soft glow. His dark hands disappeared into her dark hair, as he pressed his body fully onto hers. The contrast between their skin tones softened as she raised her tanned knees so he could settle comfortably between them.

With a whimper and a sigh, they joined and finished the dance they had started so many months ago.

***

When next they woke, the sun was brightly shining. Simon, still holding her tightly to his chest, relished the sensation of her breathing across his skin. "Good morning, baby," he said, then kissed her forehead.

"Morning," she mumbled into his chest. "How long have you been watching me sleep?"

"Not long enough," he smiled.

She blushed, then moved to steal a kiss. However, Simon was ready with a kiss of his own and soon they were kissing with a mixture of passion and comfort.

When they parted, Andy asked. "When do you have to go back to work?"

Simon, not ready to have reality slip back into his life, reluctantly answered the question. "Not until Monday."

Andy was trying to calculate how long they had left when she realized it was Saturday. She stiffened in his arms. "Ohmigod, Darryl."

"Who's Darryl?" Simon questioned.

"Darryl. Isn't that the name of your son?" She replied pulling the towel around her.

"Yes, but..." Realizing what the problem was he tried to calm her. "He only stays over on the weekends because of school." Seeing his words were only making it worse, he continued. "Every other weekend. And this isn't the week end."

She visibly calmed at the new information.

"Why are you so worried about my son?"

"Oh. It's just that this," waving an arm around the den, "is not the best way to make a good, first impression with your son. That's all."

"Don't worry. He'll love you."

She snorted. "I seriously doubt that."

"He'll love you, because I love you."

"Simon." She leaned up and kissed him. "He'll hate me because you love me."

"No, he won't."

Seeing her stubborn lover would not agree she changed tactics. "He would if the first time I met him, I was in your shirt and nothing else." She smiled at the idea of being in one of Simon's big shirts and nothing else.

"You may have a point there." He laughed. His stomach decided to announce it was time to eat by making a terrible gurgling noise.

"I guess this means I've got to feed the big guy. Huh?"

He grinned at the inference and stole a kiss. "Yes, feed me." He snarled playfully. "Although, I don't think there's much to eat around here."

"Oh?" She questioned nibbling on his neck. "I don't know?" With a soft bite she jumped up and ran into the kitchen. "Let me check," she laughed from the kitchen. Her laughter got louder when she heard Simon growling, as he rose from the bed they had just shared. She squealed, with delight, when Simon wrapped his arms around her waist, while she looked in the refrigerator.

His growling stomach broke up some intensely passionate kissing.

"Come on, Simon! Go take a shower and I'll fix us some breakfast."

"I am kind of hungry. I haven't had much of an appetite lately."

Her head dropped with the guilt she felt at those words.

"What? What did I say?" Simon lifted her bowed head with a finger under her chin. "What did I say?"

Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Simon. I didn't know. I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry." She blinked and the tears slid down her face.

"It doesn't matter, Dee. You're here with me now. That's all that matters. I love you." He gently brushed her tears away and kissed her, then pulled her into a reassuring hug.

After long moments, he pulled back to look at her. "You okay now?"

She nodded and gave him a soggy smile.

"Come on, let's take a shower." He leered.

"No way. If we do that, we'll never eat and I'm hungry too. Go on." She paused and patting his bare bottom, smiled up at him. "Hurry back."

***

Simon passed the kitchen with an armload of clothes and towels, heading for the laundry room.

He stepped into the kitchen. "Here," he handed her one of his shirts.

"Are you going to call Darryl next?" She teased, quickly removing the towel and putting the shirt on.

"No way, I'm not sharing," he answered, wrapping his arms around the woman as she turned back to the stove.

"Simon, the food's going to burn if you don't let go." She whined.

"So?" He mumbled, around the skin at the back of her neck.

"So, I'm hungry and so are you." She giggled when his nibbling mouth found a particularly ticklish patch of skin.

"Oh all right," he grumbled. He gave her neck a final kiss, then turned to get the dishes they needed for their meal.

He set the table to his liking, then brought everything to the table, except the eggs Andy was cooking on the stove. She carefully lifted the pan to bring the eggs to the table. As she turned for her first sight of the set table she started laughing and almost lost her hold on the pan.

"Simon what are you doing? Just because I said I'd feed you, doesn't mean I'm not eating," she said, looking at the single place setting.

Smiling so broadly almost every one of his teeth showed, he carefully removed the pan from her hands and dished out all the eggs onto the one plate. He returned the pan to the stove and then pulled the chair out and turned it sideways. He sat down and held his arms out. "C'mere." He smiled.

Figuring out what he was up to she went willingly, straddling his lap as his arms went around her waist.

They kissed, giggled (she did most of the giggling) and ate the first of many breakfasts they would share together.

Like a kid interrupting their parents, the phone rang, just as they were getting into some serious necking. With a growl, he loosened his grip on the woman in his lap and rose to answer the phone.

"Banks, and this had better be good," he barked into the phone. His mild annoyance gave way to concern as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. "I'll be there in half an hour." He carefully hung up the phone and turned to Andy, regret his only expression.

"I have to go to work. I'll pick up some groceries. Will you be all right here for a couple of hours?"

"Don't worry about me. Go, do what you have to do. I'll be fine. Besides, Blair should be here anytime with my Jeep and hopefully some clothes."

Smiling at the understanding woman in front of him, he teased, "What? I like what you're wearing just fine." He pulled her into another hug, reaching under the hem of his shirt to caress her bare butt. He could feel that her wanting clothes was more than just a fashion statement when he felt how cold she was.

"That's what I mean." She extricated herself from the large man. "This outfit is going to get you into a lot of trouble."

"Me?" He questioned with mock horror.

"Yes. You. Go on. Get out of here so you can be back already."

He left her standing in the kitchen and came back with a pair of sweat pants and some socks. "Here put these on. You're freezing.

Holding them up before her, noticing that they would probably fit her, she questioned. "Who's are these?"

"Darryl's," he hurried on, not wanting another conversation about his son. "Here's my cell phone number. If you need anything, call." He scribbled the number on the pad next to the phone.

Andy accepted the warm embrace and deep kiss from the man who didn't want to leave her side. She pulled away, thinking it was the hardest thing she had to do. "Hurry back."

***

Captain Banks kept getting strange looks. All the men and women in the department stared as he passed them on the way to his office. Perhaps the goofy grin and the bounce in his step were too much of a change. Gone was the bad tempered man they had encountered over the past few weeks. It didn't bother the captain a bit; he just nodded and kept on walking. When Simon got to his office he found Joel waiting for him.

"Hey Joel," he greeted happily.

"Welcome back, Simon." Joel smiled, seeing the captain like his old self. Taggart's smile faded. "Unfortunately, I'm going to ruin your good mood." He handed his captain a thin folder. "His name is Johnny Williams, twelve years old. He was reported missing after he didn't show up for dinner. His parents and neighbors scoured the neighborhood with no luck." He continued to summarize while Banks read the report. "We have lots of volunteers and personnel looking for him. It's just like the other one," Taggart sighed.

Simon looked up from the report in his hands, to see Joel's reaction. He found the seasoned officer visibly shaken. "Come on, Joel. I think we need a cup of coffee. He gently directed the larger man into his office.

***

Banks opened the door with one hand, carrying a bag of groceries with a bouquet of flowers sticking out of the top. He let Blair and Jim precede him into the house. Blair was carrying her handbag and the overnight bag she used during the trip to Cascade. Jim was carrying another grocery bag. Simon instantly spotted the small figure huddled on the couch in the darkened living room.

"Andy?"

She was already off the couch and coming towards them. The young woman was wearing her soggy shoes, Simon's shirt tails sticking out the bottom of her coat and the borrowed sweat pants. Her red rimmed eyes and stained cheeks gave away that she had been crying. "You promised." She scolded as her tears started again. She turned to Blair. "So did you." She grabbed her handbag, overnight bag, and the Jeep keys from Blair's hands and left the house.

The guys watched, stunned, as she threw her stuff into the back seat, got behind the wheel and took off.

Using his sentinel sight, Jim saw her pull off the road. "She's stopped. I'm going after her." He figured since she hadn't said anything to him he was the best person to go.

"No Jim. I'm going." Simon stated pushing the forgotten grocery bag into Blair's hands.

"Why, Dad? What can you possibly see in her?"

Simon whirled around to see the angry face of his son. "Oh Jesus," he whispered.

"Why is she wearing my clothes?" The young man spat the question.

Ellison slipped out of the front door and jogged to the jeep.

***

"Andy?"

She jumped and wearily watched him approach.

"Andy? Let me drive you home."

"NO! No. Thanks," she sobbed.

"Then why'd you stop?" the sentinel questioned.

"I don't have a map and I'm not sure where I am."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Let me drive you," he offered again.

"No, Jim. Just tell me how to get to your place. Please?" The anguish was plain in her voice. She just wanted to be alone.

Quickly getting the directions, she took off without a backwards glance.

Even after she made the first turn back towards the loft, he could hear her crying.

***

Simon went to the loft after dropping his son off at his ex-wife's. Darryl had fought with his mother and had gone to his dad's house to cool off, only to find a strange woman in his father's house wearing his clothes. Andy had spent several minutes convincing him she wasn't there to steal anything, then several hours listening to his son rant and rave at her for falling in love with his father.

Pulling onto Prospect, he found the jeep and RV were gone.

"Please Lord, not again." He stopped the car, placed his head against the steering wheel and wept.

The End.