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

To my bestest buddy, Denise. A big thank you goes to Diane (DJ), without her beta skills this would never have made it. I'm a stubborn writer and any remaining mistakes are mine. To Nate, a new friend, for his interest and encouragement. To Fess, who wanted a story about them getting married. I'm sure it's not exactly what she expected;0)

Rating/warning: R for described violence.

Category: Drama/Romance

Spoiler: Can Simon and Andy's love triumph over hate.

Please let me know what you think. E-mail me at ROBGAG@aol.com

Sequel to Vacation, A Fresh Start,
The Journey Begins and Strength to Continue,
The Start of Something New

By Robin from Florida

Andy's outfit, the same one Simon had taken her to diner in, was a short black dress with black nylons and shoes. A string of pearls was the only color to the outfit.

"I can't believe I went to a hair dresser for this." She laughed at herself in the bathroom mirror. She gently pulled on one of the many ringlets escaping from the soft upsweep of her hair, which had been gathered into a loose bun. "But I have to admit it looks great." She laughed again, and exited the bathroom.

Everything was perfect. Simon's house was lit with candles. The table set with their best china and linen. Simon's favorite dish was bubbling in the oven. She was just removing the chilled salad, when keys in the lock signaled Simon's arrival.

Simon swept into the house slamming the door behind him.

"Simon?"

Her only response was a grumble as he threw off his coat and impaled it on the coat rack.

Seeing her lover's actions, she knew that the enjoyable evening she had planned would not happen. She crossed to the oven, turned it off and set the forgotten salad on the counter.

"Simon, can you start a fire? It's kinda cold in here."

He grumbled again, stomped to the hearth and started flinging wood into the defenseless fireplace.

Andy went into the bathroom and changed her outfit into one of the soft negligées that Simon loved, and then combed out her hair. Simon liked it best down and loose, so he could run his fingers through it.

Knowing instinctively that she would have to use all at her disposal to get Simon over what ever was obviously bothering him, the next stop was to the closet for the blue fur rug carefully tucked away.

Andy stopped at the entrance to the den to watch Simon build a roaring fire. She sighed, knowing it was going to be a long night.

She went into the den and spread the rug out in front of the fireplace and set the cushions from the couch on the rug against the couch as a backrest. With the nest built, she went to the kitchen for drinks, blowing out the candles on the way.

"Simon? Why don't you take off your jacket and shirt? You look kinda warm," she coaxed carefully.

He complied, but was still grumbling to himself.

Andy took the champagne out of the refrigerator, carefully opened it and placed it in the waiting ice bucket.

She placed the ice bucket and glasses next to the rug. Sighing again at the romantic dinner that would never be, she lowered herself to the rug and waited for Simon.

"Andrea..."

Oh boy! He's pissed! "Simon, come down here so I can give you a back rub."

She watched as Simon started pacing in front of the fireplace. She tried another approach. "Simon, here have some of this." Andy extended a glass of champagne.

The angry man stalked over to the glass, grabbed it from her and proceeded to down it without even tasting it.

"Simon, please come here so I can make you feel better." She opened her arms to the large man.

Seeing her for the first time, looking for all the world like his favorite fantasy with her arms waiting to comfort him, he sighed and slowing sank to the floor.

"C'mere, lover."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and guided him back between her outstretched legs. He finally came to rest his back against her chest with her arms holding him firmly against her.

When he finally settled she gave him a gentle squeeze then slid her hands up his arms then to his shoulders and started to work the tension out of the man she loved.

**

Simon woke with Andy snuggled firmly against him with her arm and leg holding him tightly.

Simon had to smile at the way this tiny woman tried valiantly to protect her man. His hand stroked her hair as he remembered the way she had caressed him for hours, while whispering words of love in his ear. When he had finally relaxed enough, she fed him champagne. 'Hey where did that come from?' He thought to himself. 'Did she somehow know I was going to need special attention tonight?' He shook his head dismissing the thought. 'She couldn't have known.' Simon noticed the discarded negligee as his favorite.

Simon gave his lover and gentle squeeze. When she stirred, he whispered. "Honey, I've got to get up." He smiled as she grumbled and turned over.

He found the nearby comforter and gently tucked it around his naked lover. He rose from his lover's side and quickly rebuilt the dying fire. Then headed to the bathroom. In the bathroom he found hairpins and her black dress and pearls.

"Were we supposed to go out last night?" he questioned, searching his mind for a forgotten date.

There was something, but the more he tried, the farther it got from his memory. Giving up, he shrugged and moved to the bedroom to find his bathrobe.

It was almost 7:00 a.m. and they had missed dinner. So he went to the kitchen in search of breakfast. When he got there, he found a soggy salad on the counter and a ruined casserole still in the cold oven.

Looking over the counter to the bundle on the rug in front of the fireplace, he closed his eyes against the pain.

He'd ruined Dee's plans to celebrate their six-month anniversary. She didn't often get this romantic and he knew that this meant a lot. Not just all the work she had put into the meal, but the way she had talked about it for the past week.

A week full of problems at work, that had reached its lowest point just as he left to go home. The lowest point that slowly simmered all the way home, just to be dumped on his unsuspecting fiancée.

His fiancée who had put up with his foul mood all week and tried on several occasions to get him to open up. The captain had refused to discuss it, stating that it was a police matter. She would nod knowingly and start rattling on about Friday night when they would celebrate. She would make a wonderful dinner - his favorite - by the look of the congealing casserole. And they would spend the night together just the two of them.

He had ruined that. He had ruined everything.

His stomach forgotten, he went to the den and crawled under the blankets with the woman he loved more than anything.

She automatically turned towards the new warmth and snuggled into his waiting embrace.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I've ruined everything," he whispered as he stroked her hair from her face.

"Then make it up to me," a voice thick from sleep mumbled from the area of his chest.

"How?" He leaned down and kissed her temple.

"Having problem with that aim, Captain?" He smiled at the old joke. Every time he kissed her somewhere other than her lips and she wanted a kiss on her lips she would comment about his aim and use his police title.

Still smiling, he tilted her head back and gave her a long slow kiss. A kiss that tried to convey how sorry he was for messing up her special night.

"Mmm, much better," she purred when the kiss finally ended.

She reached up and stroked the stubble on his cheek. "Simon, please tell me what's got you so upset?"

The love in his eyes quickly disappeared to be replaced with a hard almost murderous glare. He released her, got up and started to pace in front of the fireplace.

Andy sat up, pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them for warmth. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage for the coming fight, and dove in knowing that they could not continue this way.

"Simon, please tell me what is going on. I have never asked you about your work but I'm asking now. You're bringing it home and not letting me help."

The large man stopped his pacing and looked at Andy. If they were going to discuss this she had to put some clothes on. He couldn't talk about something this ugly with her there in front of him beautifully naked.

Without a word, he went to their bedroom and got her robe. When he got back, she had her face buried in her arms and knees, thinking that he had walked away from her instead of talking to her.

"Dee?" When she looked up, he handed her the robe. "We'll talk. I owe you that much. It's just..." He swallowed as he watched her put her robe on. He gave her a hand up and led her to the couch.

Andy sat down, but Simon pulled his hand away and started pacing again. She sat quietly waiting for him to begin. After several minutes, she decided she would play the detective to see if she could draw him out.

"Let's exam the evidence," she started, talking to no one in particular.

"I have known you for six months and the only time you have ever gotten this upset is when it involved children, because you have one of your own. But there is nothing in the newspaper or on the news about a police case involving children. So that can't be it."

The temporary detective fell quiet while she began to review the past week. Jim and Blair had not shown any stress when they had come to dinner on Tuesday.

"It has to be a Captain thing. It can't be a Major Crimes thing because Jim and Blair would have said something on Tuesday." With a brief smile she added, "Well Jim wouldn't have said, but I don't think Blair would have lasted the meal without saying something."

A snort from across the room let her know she at least has his attention. She watched him carefully when she started again.

"A Captain thing," she repeated out loud. "I think if it was just a Captain thing you would have talked to Jim or me. So it has to be more personal."

The captain stopped his pacing, his head swung around to face her, his expression, one of shock and surprise.

'I knew it. I knew it would happen eventually.' Andy thought as she continued carefully. "If it's personal it has to involve Joan, Daryl or me." She watched the veins on his neck pop out at the effort he was using to stay calm.

She started again slowly. "Since you haven't confided in me it has to be about me?"

Andy could not continue. She was the cause of all this. It was her fault and she only suspected why.

"I should hire you as one of my detectives. You're very good."

"No, I just know my Captain." She smiled briefly then continued, "Simon, don't change the subject, please tell me what's going on. You're scaring me." She wrapped her arms around herself trying to fight the feeling of dread.

The police captain knew he had to tell her. It had become a safety issue now. "I'll be right back."

Simon went to his coat hanging in the hall and dug out a folded manila envelope from one of the pockets and his cigars. He knew she didn't like them but would soon know why he needed one.

He went back into the den and held out his hand to Andy. "Let's go in the kitchen." Andy saw such resignation and determination in his face it frightened her.

When Andy was seated, he opened the envelope and shook out several evidence bags, each with a letter inside. Each bag had a date and time in Simon's handwriting, in the corner. She sorted them and read the oldest one first.

It had been dated a week ago.

It was ugly.

Andy read the rest without looking at the captain. Simon paced and smoked.

When she was done she carefully stacked them and returned them to the envelope. "Where's the latest one?" she asked pushing the envelope away.

He went to his jacket by the fire and removed a letter that was not yet in an evidence bag and brought it back to the table.

Before giving it to her he asked, "How did you know there was another one?"

"This garbage," she indicated the letters, "would not have upset you as badly as you were last night." She took the letter and read it.

She was right. This one was awful. It not only threatened Simon it threatened his son and her as well. It threatened to do terrible things if he didn't stop seeing her. It went on and on about how a black man should not be seeing a white woman.

Although the last letter frightened her, she was more angry than anything. Angry that this kind of prejudice was still alive and well. So angry, her hands started to shake.

Simon took the shaking to mean she was frightened and quickly moved to comfort her. He knelt next to her chair and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Andy turned so he was between her knees, and pulled him even closer.

They held each other tightly as they digested the letters and their ugliness.

When they broke, Andy looked into Simon's eyes and saw the pain he was in over the letters. She knew that she would not be able to help catch who ever was doing this but knew that they must be caught before the threats were acted upon.

"Simon, why haven't you told anyone about these? Especially Jim, he would help."

"I can handle this myself. I don't need anyone's help!" He rose and started his pacing again.

Andy knew if she argued with him they would only yell at each other and nothing would get accomplished. So she tried another tact.

"Simon, you're putting your son's life in danger, over your pride."

"I'm what?"

"You can't keep him safe and catch this racist," she reasoned. "You're good, very good actually, but you're not superman."

"No, he's white." He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.

Andy's mouth dropped open. She dropped her eyes to hide the hurt, closed her mouth, got up and walked out of the room.

Hearing the bedroom door shut carefully got his feet moving.

She just hit a nerve. He knew he wasn't superman. He had just spent the last week trying to find out who was sending the letters and at the end of the week he was still no closer to finding out who was doing it. The feeling of helplessness infuriated him and made him lash out at the one he loved.

He tapped lightly on the door. "Dee, please don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere. I don't have anywhere to go. Bessie's in the shop," came the strained reply through the door.

Simon rested his forehead and hands against the door then turned back to the kitchen. He knew what he had to do.

**

Simon opened the front door to the people - friends - that would help without question.

"Please go in the kitchen. I'll be there in a minute." Simon turned back to the bedroom door and knocked.

"Dee, the guys are here, please come out. I need... "

The door opened abruptly. Andy stood dressed in comfortable clothes and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. The Kleenex and red eyes the only clue to her emotional state.

"Dee, I'm sorry." Before he could say more, she walked passed him.

"We have company."

**

Andy entered the kitchen and started pouring the freshly brewed coffee into the waiting mugs.

When Simon entered the kitchen, "Simon, what's going on?" Joel asked from his seat at the kitchen table.

Simon crossed the kitchen and retrieved the envelope with the letters and placed them in the middle of the kitchen table.

Megan reached for an envelope from her seated position across from Joel. While Sandburg reached in his pocket for his glasses, taking the seat next to her.

H sat next to Joel and took one of the letters to read. Rafe read over his partner's shoulder. Ellison stood behind his partner to read another. Simon stood at the end of the table to wait for their reactions. Andy, from her position in the kitchen, briefly looked around and noticed that the den and kitchen had been cleaned, and then also waited for their reactions.

Jim was the first to look at his captain. "Is this all of them?"

Simon turned and took the last letter from the counter. Returning to the table, he gave the letter to Jim. "How did you know there was another?" He asked again.

Joel answered as he looked up from the letter he had finished reading. "Because you would never let this kind of shit bother you."

Andy stopped her approach to the table with a tray of coffee cups to smile briefly then continued to the table.

H jumped up to help her with the tray, then offered his seat to her. She hesitated.

Jim quietly spoke, "this involves you, now, you need to be included." She nodded and sat.

"How do we catch this bastard?" she questioned looking around at the officers - friends. Friends that had responded without question to their captain's summons early on a Saturday morning.

While they laid out the plan of attack, including plans to protect their captain's family if necessary, Andy busied herself by making breakfast for them. Eggs, bacon, toast and pancakes were devoured while the detectives reviewed the evidence.

**

Simon was closing the door to the last of his men when Jim held the door open. "Simon, you'll need each other to get through this. Don't push her away." Jim turned and left.

Simon entered the kitchen to find Andy washing the dishes. "Dee, leave those. We need to talk."

Reaching up she turned off the water. Leaving her head bowed as if staring at the bottom of the sink, she used her hands to brace herself when her shoulders started to shake.

"Oh, baby." He swiftly gathered her into his arms, giving her back long comforting strokes.

When the worst of her sobs passed she pulled back a little. Looking up into the face of her man she saw that he had been crying too. She reached up and brushed his tears away with her thumb. "Simon, I'm sorry."

A look of confusion settled on his handsome features. "You're sorry? For what?"

She broke eye contact to rest her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle.

"I know an interracial couple always have problems with how others see them. But I just don't see us as a black man and a white woman. I see us as two people in love. I'm sorry for being so naive."

"That's one of the many reasons why I love you." He tilted her head so she could see the truth of his words. "My job exposes me to the ugliness of the world day after day. But when I get home I'm greeted by a woman who doesn't let the ugliness come into her home. She makes me leave it at the door, even if it's only for a little while. It never fails to rejuvenate and strengthen me against the world waiting outside." He gave her a soft smile then continued. "How you do it, I'll never know. I don't want to know. Just don't stop. If you want to call it being naïve, well so be it, just don't change." He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to the lips of the woman he loved.

"I love you." She returned the kiss.

**

"Simon, I'm late," Andy whined, stopping in front of the large captain, who was blocking her hasty exit.

"I want you to be careful..."

She sobered. "I will, Simon," she nodded. "I have to work till 6:30 but I'll have one of the guards walk me to my jeep. Just like you and the others said. I promise Simon."

She rubbed her hand up and down his arm in a comforting motion. "I don't want to get hurt any more than you." She smiled briefly. "Besides you have to wine and dine me tonight to make up for ruining dinner Friday." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh I do, do I?" He pulled her in, letting his hands roam up and down her back. They came to rest on the swell of her butt.

"Yes you do?" She smiled up at her lover and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then squirmed out of his embrace.

"Now whose aim is off, the future Mrs. Banks?" He bent slightly, closed his eyes and puckered up.

She loved being called Mrs. Banks but had insisted on "the future" because it wasn't legal. They had been planning for a spring wedding and had just started looking for a reception hall.

"Not mine." She kissed him on the cheek again and dashed for the door.

He caught her easily and took his kiss good bye.

**

Rafe, Jim and Simon were sitting around the conference table reviewing the lab reports on the letters. It was just as Simon had predicted. Nothing. Common paper, common ink, common type...

"Has Megan found anything in my old case files?" The captain asked Rafe.

"Not yet. Captain. You were a pretty popular guy, back then. And it's taking a bit longer."

"Back then!" Banks abruptly stood, grabbed his coffee cup and headed to the coffeepot behind his desk. He had to stifle the urge to laugh at the younger man.

Rafe didn't have a clue what to do now that he had insulted his superior officer. "Sorry, Sir," he stuttered then went back to looking over the suddenly very interesting file in his hands.

Simon couldn't hold it any more and started to chuckle. Rafe looked up, and found his captain was teasing him. He sighed with relief. The tension was starting to get oppressive because of the lack of leads on this case.

Simon held the coffee carafe up. "Brian, do you need a refill?" He asked as a peace offering to the young officer.

"Thanks, Captain."

Simon was half way back to the conference table when Brown rushed into the room. "Captain?" he huffed as he crossed to his boss.

With one look at his out of breath officer, he put the carafe and coffee cup on the conference table.

"Captain..." Brown handed Simon two evidence bags. One had a gold nugget type object and the other held a note.

The note had three words. "Where's the bitch?"

"Ohmigod." Before Simon could get to his coat, Blair burst into the office.

Fear and near panic were plainly visible on the young man's face. "Simon, the guard."

"What guard?" Jim asked rising and going to the group by the door.

"A guard for the Derrick Corporation was found unconscious in the parking lot near Andy's jeep."

Simon thought his legs would give out. He reached back and slumped into the closest visitor's chair. His worst nightmare was coming true. "Oh God, no." He looked down into his lap and found the forgotten evidence bag still in his hand. He took a closer look and found it resembled the engagement ring he'd giving Andy when he had asked her to marry him. It only resembled the ring because the object in the evidence bag was mangled beyond any recognition. "How is the guard? Can we talk to him?" he asked automatically.

"The guard has a concussion but will be fine in a couple of days. He woke before being transported to the hospital. The officer on site took a preliminary statement. That's when he found out the guard was walking Andy to her jeep when he was attacked." Sandburg reported.

Simon absently handed the evidence bag to Jim. "Anything else?" the captain asked, finally looked at the man giving him the news he had feared most.

"Yes, sir. There was a witness. A young secretary leaving the parking lot almost ran into a blue van racing out of the parking lot."

Jim had opened the bag and sniffed it's content. Yes, it was Andy's her scent was still strong on the mangle object. He looked up and gave a quick nod to Blair confirming the worst.

"Did she get a license plate number?" Rafe asked, coming around the conference table.

"No, there wasn't one. She looked."

"Jim, Sandburg, I want you to talk to this woman. See if she knows anything else." He commanded. "Rafe, Brown, go down to Records and help Conner. I want to know why this is happening and I want to know now!"

The three junior officers made hasty retreats following "Yes, sir," from all of them.

Jim resealed the bag and handed it back to his hurting friend. "Simon, we'll find her," he said, with more confidence then he felt.

Simon looked up at his best man and tried to smile. "I hope so." He looked down at the bag. "I hope so," he repeated.

Jim quickly left eager to find the bastards responsible for the pain his captain and friend was going through.

**

It was near midnight, Connor, Rafe, and Brown had headed home for a quick rest and would return first thing in the morning.

Sandburg, Ellison and Taggert were still there running down computer checks on the cases Connor and the others found to be the best leads to follow. Simon was still in his office, unable to face going home to an empty house. Unwilling to face the news reporters circling the building and probably at his home.

Blair entered the bullpen carrying yet another round of coffee for his partner and himself. He looked up in time to see Joan and Daryl exit the elevator. They both looked a little worried.

Joan nodded as she passed Ellison and Sandburg, and then knocked on Simon's door. A terse "come in" acknowledged the knock and they entered.

His men watched the younger Banks cross the office and give his father a hug. It took a few moments for the hug to end. Then there were words. Words only a sentinel could hear through the closed door. The sentinel ignored them, trying to give his captain some privacy, privacy that would be in short supply during this situation, especially now that the press were involved.

It looked like Joan was doing most of the talking with Simon nodding. Daryl kept an arm around his father and was nodding also. Once the words were over, Simon slowly rose from his desk crossed the room and got his coat.

They exited his office and stopped at Ellison's desk. "Jim," he picked up a pencil and paper from Jim's desk and jotted down a number. "I'll be at this number," he returned the pencil and paper to his desk. "Call me if anything happens. Anything!"

Ellison nodded and the trio left.

**

Ellison and Sandburg were returning to the station after an early quickly uneaten dinner.

"What a bunch of vultures," Blair commented, observing the number of reporters hovering around the front door of the police station.

Jim placed a reassuring hand on his partner's shoulder. "It's all right. They're leaving someone else alone."

Don Hass from KCDE spotted the partners and signaled his cameraman to follow him.

"Detective Ellison, any news on Miss Cartwright's whereabouts?"

No comment was Jim's answer as he tried to push his partner through the reporters blocking their way.

Just then another news station's cameraman swung around with his light flashing directly into the Detective's face.

The sentinel's grip on his partner's shoulder increased as he was suddenly blinded. His guide stopped instantly and grabbed his arm. "Jim?"

The Sentinel's hearing immediately increase to compensate for the loss of his sight. It quickly registered a van approaching the station. With all the reporters out front, he thought that the van was going a bit fast. Still blinking his eyes to get them to work, he heard the van come to a screeching halt, the back doors open and something thump to the ground. Then the van sped off down the street.

The group turned en masse to find a body-like bundle lying in the middle of the street.

Cameras and lights came on instantly, each one fighting for the best angle.

The Sentinel's eyesight was just coming back when his sense of smell smelt something familiar and the copper smell of blood.

Just as he broke through the crowd, the bundle moved and groaned. The detective knelt next to the bundle and carefully pulled back the blanket to find a handcuffed, blindfolded and gagged woman.

"Andy!" Blair shouted when he came through the crowd and recognized the woman lying on the street.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Jim shouted at the stunned crowd. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his handcuff key and worked on getting the cuffs off the bound hands behind the woman's back.

Blair knelt in front of the injured woman and gently slipped his hand under her head and carefully slipped the blindfold off her face. He swallowed trying to stop his dinner from returning.

Andy had two black eyes with one swollen shut. Her nose was swollen with dried blood making a trail to the gag still in her mouth.

Without letting go of her head, he reached into his pocket for his Swiss Army knife.

Jim had gotten the cuffs open. He carefully removed the cuff from the bruised and torn wrists, then moved her right arm to the front. He noticed that her back had some damage but her breathing was bothering him too much not to try to get her airway straightened. He carefully moved her onto her back. The movement caused her to come to semi-consciousness with a muffled moan.

Jim took his jacket off and placed it under her raised head so Blair could open his knife and slice the gag off. Jim gently lifted the gag from between her lips to find her lip split and the corners of her mouth red and swollen from the gag.

When the gag was removed she took a deep intake of air but it came out as several body-jolting coughs. She moaned again and her eye fluttered open.

"Shh. It's okay. You're safe now. You're safe," Jim whispered as he carefully ran his hands down her sides looking for damage. As soon as his fingertips touched her ribs she started to move, trying to get away.

"No. No more. Please," she begged her voice a croak from lack of water. Her one working eye squeezed shut against the pain the movements caused.

Jim stopped touching her ribs and cupped her face in his hands. "Andy. Andy, it's Jim. Can you hear me?"

She stopped struggling, her strength depleted. "Jim," barely a whisper. Then her body succumbed to the stress it had been placed under.

The Sentinel could hear her body shutting down and immediately started mouth-to-mouth. The ex-medic resisted doing CPR because her ribs probably couldn't take it. He could also hear the ambulance getting closer.

Jim was quickly moved aside as the EMTs began to work on their patient.

Ellison's monitoring of his friend's vital signs was interrupted by his guide's voice. "Jim, help me!" He turned around in time to stop his captain from passing him and getting in the way of the EMTs trying to save Andy's life.

"Simon! Don't! You'll only get in the way!" Trying to stop the taller man from getting past him. Jim had his arms wrapped securely around his captain hoping it would be enough to stop the enraged fiancée.

"Simon, listen to Jim! Please listen to him!" Sandburg pleaded, holding one arm with both hands.

Jim loosened his grip when his hearing suddenly lost the sound of the weak heartbeat he had been listening to. He turned in time to see one of the EMTs rip open Andy's shirt.

A gasp rose from the crowd, as the woman's torso was reveal to the cameras. Simon went almost ashen and Blair turned quickly to lose his dinner in the nearby bushes.

Andy's torso was covered in bruises. It looked like someone had kicked and beaten her repeatedly.

The EMTs got her heart started and ready for transport.

Jim stopped his captain from getting in the ambulance. "Simon," he reasoned. "Let them do their job. You'll only get in the way." When the distraught man's eyes finally looked at him, he continued. "Come on Simon, I'll drive."

**

They had been there for what seemed like days when in reality it had only been a couple of hours when a doctor came into the waiting room.

"Captain Banks?" The doctor questioned, looking around the full room.

"Yes." The tall dark man stood in response.

"I'm Doctor Ben Dallas. I'm Miss Cartwright's doctor." He shook hands with the man in front of him.

"Dr. Dallas how is she?" he pleaded.

"She's in pretty bad shape but she should pull through."

A collective sigh went through the room at the news.

"She's a very lucky woman. Most of her injuries are external except her dislocated hip. But because of the amount of injuries it's going to be touch and go for the next 24 hours."

"Was she..." He couldn't say it.

"No." The doctor answered quickly. "No, not at all. Most of her injuries came from either a whipping or some sort of beating almost like someone kicked her repeatedly."

"When can I see her?" Simon's relief that she had not been sexually molested showing plainly on his face.

The doctor smiled in understanding. "In a few minutes, we're getting her settled in ICU. She'll probably be there overnight. We want to monitor her closely for several hours. Just until her blood pressure stabilizes. She had to have a blood transfusion due to the amount of blood loss she experienced."

"If you need any donors, we'll be glad to," Joel volunteered, coming to stand next to his captain, while gesturing to the group gathered in the waiting room.

"We always need donors." Ben smiled at the gathered group amazed at the loyalty of the people in the room. "See the nurse down the hall."

"I'll have a nurse come get you when Miss Cartwright can have visitors." He nodded and left.

**

Andy's one good eye slowly opened. She blinked several times trying to clear her vision. It had to be a hospital. It smelled like a hospital. She tried to remember how she got there. A paneled van. Two men? Yes, two men. One held her the other hurt her. She carefully moved to establish what was damaged. Her left side started to report back right away. Her hip registered an intense throbbing, while the rest of her just ached. In fact everything ached like a truck had hit her. A big truck.

Her face started complaining and she wanted to know how bad it was so she raised her right arm to feel her face, the closed eye in particular. When her shoulder moved to raise her arm she was hit with a shooting pain across her entire back. Her responding gasp brought too much air into her lungs, which pressed against her sore ribs. She quickly let the air out in a whoosh that ending in a groan, closed her eye, dropped her arm and clenched her sore jaw against the pain.

When her eye opened again a tall figure was standing over her. "Andy? Andy can you hear me?" A few blinks later and Jim solidified in front of her.

"Jim?" she whispered.

He gave her his best smile and a warm hand brushed across her forehead.

"Hey, how're you doing?" he questioned quietly.

She tried to smile but it only hurt. "I've been better," she reported.

Ever the detective he asked, "Do you remember what happened?"

While trying to get her tired brain to work, she studied the man standing over her. Boy was he good looking. His hand brushing her forehead felt wonderful. But something wasn't right. His face. His face was unbruised. Surely it couldn't have healed that fast. "How long have I been here?"

"Two days. You were in pretty bad shape when you got here," he answered.

"Andy, do you know who did this to you?" he questioned again. The sooner he got the information the sooner the bastards would be caught and he would be able to show them what it meant to mess with one of his friends.

"Yes, one was tall and skinny the other was short and chubby. I think the chubby one's name was Murray. I think there was a brown van too." She continued to study his face. "You heal very quickly."

"What?" The detective didn't understand the comment but had a feeling it was important. "What healed quickly?"

"Your head," she answered giving him a look that implied that he had just grown another one. "How are your ribs and knee doing?"

Silence fell as realization dawned.

"Andy, do you know what day it is?"

Just then Doctor Dallas walked in followed by a nurse. They were responding to the call button he had pushed when she'd first wakened up.

"I got beat up on a Saturday so it must be Monday? I should call my boss and tell him I'll be a little late getting back to Florida. Boy, is he going to be pissed."

She stopped speaking when the three people around her exchanged concerned looks when she mentioned the day. "It's not Monday?" she questioned carefully.

Ellison shook his head and said. "No, it's Wednesday. Andy what's the last thing you remember?"

He heard her heartbeat sped up and her chin began to quiver.

"Ssshh. It's okay," he cooed, trying to calm his upset friend.

"It's not okay. What's happened to me?"

The doctor signaled the nurse and she quickly left the room. "Please Miss Cartwright, stay calm. You'll only hurt yourself by getting upset." He tried to reason with his increasingly agitated patient. "Maybe you should leave?" The doctor looked to the equally upset detective.

"No! Please let him stay. Please!" she begged trying to calm herself. She tried to reach the hand on her forehead but it just sent the pain across her back again.

Ellison saw her desperation and caught the hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. His other hand was still stroking her forehead, in an attempt to try to calm the distraught woman.

The nurse returned with a small tray and a large black man hot on her heels.

Simon practically knocked the doctor out of the way to get to her side.

"Dee."

Jim interrupted the big captain before he upset Andy. This was going to kill Simon.

"Andy, this is Captain Simon Banks. He's the one that carried you up the embankment. Do you remember?"

She was fading fast but managed to smile at the large dark man, now holding her hand. He was wearing a white shirt with no tie and light gray slacks. A very handsome man.

She turned her head to look at the only one she remembered, Jim, and then said, "no."

If she had been looking at the man by her side, she would have seen the utter devastation the answer caused. As it was she closed her one eye and fell asleep unable to stay awake.

"Simon?" The detective looked at his grief stricken friend and wondered how much more the man could take.

"Gentlemen, let's step outside and talk." Ben gently guided the captain out the door.

**

Over the next four days, Andy got stronger, stayed awake for longer periods but did not remember anything of the last six months. Daryl, Simon or her engagement all being forgotten.

Simon visited often the first two days but upon his visit she would become agitated to the point of almost needing a sedative. The doctor wanted to ask him not to return but couldn't bring himself to say the words. After each visit, the large captain would become increasingly withdrawn. The sadness of the man was almost palatable.

At the end of the second day, he had gone to the doctor and asked that he be informed of any change in Andy's condition and that he would call him regularly for updates. Ben didn't know what to say in the face of the man's sacrifice.

On the fourth day she was pronounced fit enough to leave the hospital with strict orders for lots of bed rest and was given a bag full of medicines.

Jim knocked on the door to her room.

"Come in."

"Hey, Andy are you ready to hit the road?" he said with a forced smile.

Jim had just left his captain. Banks had begged him to take good care of his fiancée. Jim took a long look at his friend and found a man on the ragged edge.

His normally impeccable clothes were in slight disarray and his sudden weight loss showed. Jim didn't think his boss had slept or eaten during the last week and it was starting to become obvious.

Jim had tried to reassure his friend that he would take care of his fiancée reminding him that Andy was his friend also. He patted his superior on the shoulder as he took Andy's suitcase from him.

A muttered "Thanks, Jim. I owe you one," was his only response. Jim had to smile, he owed his friend so many.

Jim looked over to Andy.

"Sure." She looked down at her hands in her lap.

She was sitting in a wheelchair by the bed, a small duffel bag sitting on the bed.

He crossed the room and knelt in front of her.

"Andy, what's wrong?"

"I don't remember where I left Bessie," she stated, not looking at the man.

He smiled. "Don't worry. She's safe and sound. But in your condition I doubt you could get around too well in her. So..." He had avoided bring this up because he knew it would get her upset. She scared so easily these days and he did everything he could to protect her from anything that might upset her. "I'm taking you to a safe house. Some place that you can get well and not worry about anything."

"Safe house. I'm in danger?" She looked up sharply.

"No. No. I just want to make sure you're safe." He placed his hand over the trembling ones in her lap. "It's just a precaution. Honest." He smiled gently at her.

She nodded not completely convinced.

**

By the time she was helped to her new bed she was exhausted. She simply rolled onto her right side and fell asleep.

Jim found a blanket in the closet and covered her.

**

A whimper from the master bedroom brought Jim to the door to knock lightly.

"No. Please." Then more whimpering and thrashing persuaded Jim to enter the darkened room.

"Andy?" he questioned slowly approaching the bed. He sat carefully on the bed next to the woman in the grip of a nightmare that came every time she closed her eyes.

"Andy, come on wake up." He ran his hand across her forehead.

She startled and her eyes flew open. "Who's there? Please don't hurt me," she begged, her eyes searching the darken room.

Jim leaned over and turned on the light on the nightstand, dialing down his sight.

"Jim?" She blinked at the sudden light.

"It's me. Andy. You're safe."

She sat up gingerly and reached for him.

He gladly gave the shaken woman a giant hug, careful of the damage to her back. He'd learned quickly that as long as you didn't rub her back or squeeze too tightly, she could handle and even enjoy a hug.

When the body he was holding settled a little, he pulled back and looked down at her. "Do you want me to get your pain pills?"

She nodded. "Thanks."

He gave her a chastise kiss on her forehead then went to get the requested items.

"Your aim is a little off..." she automatically started. It struck her as very familiar but the title wasn't right. "Detective," she finished quietly.

The joke was well known in the Banks' home. He recognized it, stopping him where he stood. "Andy?"

She was looking at him, but he could tell that she was searching her memory. She blinked a couple of times, then looked at the detective standing in the middle of the room.

"What?" she asked, the memory fading away from her grasp.

"Nothing. I'll be right back."

She took the offered medicine and carefully lay back against the pillows.

Jim sat next to her on the bed. "Do you remember anything from the dream?"

"You mean the nightmares that keep coming back night after night?" She looked sadly at the man next to her.

He smiled. "Yes, those."

"No. I never remember anything, just pain. Lots and lots of pain." She looked down at her hands. "Jim, are you the one I can't remember?" She looked at him with an almost desperate look.

"Andy." He started to rise. This was an old conversation. One the doctor had warned him about. He was given strict orders not to tell her any forgotten memories. It would only confuse her and hinder her recovery.

She stopped him by reaching for his arm and holding it firmly.

He conceded and sat back down. "Andy..."

"Please, Jim," she interrupted, "just answer yes or no please," she begged.

"No."

"No, you're not going to answer the question or no, you're not him."

"No, I'm not him."

"Does he know?" she questioned with tear making her eyes shimmer. "Does he miss me?" The tears overflowed. "Please tell him I miss him terribly. I don't remember specifics but I have this emptiness that is more painful then my back and hip combined."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry this lack of sleep is making me very emotional. I'm sorry."

"Scoot over," he commanded gently.

She obliged, not knowing what he was doing.

He stretched out next to her then scooped her into his arms. Her head came to rest on his chest. His left hand petted her hair in long soothing strokes. His right hand rubbed up and down her arm afraid to touch her back. "He knows, Andy. I'll give him your message. It'll help." He rested his chin on her head. "Try to relax let the medicine do it's work. Everything will turn out fine."

Her quiet sobbing settled quickly into a restful sleep.

**

A little after midnight Blair found Jim snoring in the master bedroom holding Andy. He crossed the room and gave Jim a gentle shake.

Jim snorted awake. "What, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Jim. Simon's on the phone. He wants to talk to you," he whispered, trying not to disturb the sleeping woman.

He tried to move but she only held him tighter. "Blair...here." He scooted out from under her and guided his partner into his space.

"Jim?" he questioned, from his position under the still sleeping woman. She wiggled a little until she found the spot on his chest where she could hear his heartbeat.

"I'll be right back, Chief." He had to smile at his partner. His partner, the women killer of Cascade soon had himself comfortable and snuggled next to Andy.

**

Jim returned from the phone call a lot lighter knowing that Simon would finally go home and get some much-needed sleep. Perhaps he would sleep a little better after getting Andy's message.

He found Blair sleeping soundly, gently holding the woman in his arms.

He quietly closed the door and went into the room they were using and went to bed.

**

Andy was sitting at the kitchen table eating her morning toast and coffee. Sandburg was sitting across from her, his nose buried in the new book he had just gotten. Jim was standing behind Blair on the phone next to the archway to the kitchen.

Hanging up the phone, "Joel and Brown should be here any minute."

"Right, I'll get our stuff together." Blair stated, not looking up from his book until he was on his feet and heading for the room they had occupied.

Jim sat in the chair Blair had just vacated. "Are you going to be all right here, with a different team?" Andy had been very quiet since waking up in Blair's arms.

"Sure, Jim. Whatever you think is best," she said not looking up from her coffee.

He took her hand from the coffee cup and held it. "Andy, what's wrong."

She shrugged. Before she could explain there was a knock on the door.

"I'll be right back." He gave her hand a squeeze then rose to get the door.

She could hear Jim greet two men from the sound of the new voices.

When the three men entered the room, Jim immediately heard her heart rate spike. He looked over in time to see utter horror in Andy's face as she stumbled to her feet so she could back away from the new men entering the kitchen.

"Andy! What's wrong! What's happening?" He crossed the room and held her in his arms.

"Please, no! Don't hurt me." She had her eyes closed. She was petrified and he didn't know what had caused it. He dialed up his senses trying to find out what had frightened her. But everything was in order.

"Don't leave me here! Please, Jim!" She sobbed into the sentinel's chest.

"Andy, calm down. I'm not going anywhere. Just calm down and tell me what's wrong. Please, Andy, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," he pleaded.

After long moments she calmed enough so that Jim could sit her down and pull a chair beside her.

Blair brought over a box of Kleenex. She gratefully took a couple and tried to get her composure back.

"Andy, you acted the same way when Simon came to visit you." He looked over at the new men. - Both large black men. They were still wearing their dark overcoats.

"Andy?"

She looked up. "Simon?"

"Captain Banks, the large black man that came to visit you the first couple of days you were in the hospital. Do you remember?"

Ellison could see the woman trying to put the pieces together.

She took a deep breath and leaned past Jim and looked at the new men in the kitchen. Her heart rate rose and her breathing became labored. She sat back quickly and looked at Jim. "I don't think it's just because they're black." She swallowed, "I think it's the whole package." She took another breath, "It's that they're big and dark. The clothing and their skin."

She swallowed then spoke a little louder. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to insult you."

Joel and H smiled. The woman was petrified by a forgotten memory and was worried about insulting them. She was something else.

"Jim," Joel spoke without moving from his position in the kitchen. "Do you think you should take her to the police station and have her look at the mug books? If she's responding to us maybe she'll remember the real perps?"

Jim nodded then look down at his friend. "Do you think you're up to a trip down to the station?" he asked hopefully.

"If you're with me I could probably do it," she stated with more conviction then she felt.

"Jim, we'll wait in the car and escort you there." Brown suggested, sliding out of the kitchen with Joel in tow.

"We'll radio ahead and have everything ready," Joel added.

**//**

Continue on to Part Two ...