Raine stretched until she felt the burning reminding her why she was in the back sleeping. Pushing herself up a little she looked around reaching out as far as she could with her senses.

Satisfied she looked at Ed and nodded. " This is good. Pull around back and help me inside then you can go she offered hesitantly. If you want that is I’ll be fine really." I know you were shanghaied into doing this. But you’ve been very kind I thank you."

" I just can’t leave you here alone, I know you can normally take care of yourself but if you want to repay me lets make sure your not alone until you can again."

" Ok," she smiled, " let’s go we’ll face the music together then."

Ed muttered, " I wish you hadn’t said that." Getting out he came around sliding open the cargo door he lifted her out.

" I could walk," she offered hesitantly.

" Save your strength, I may need you to defend me. "

Raine sighed, " ok when we get to the porch I need you to hand me a credit card."

" God don’t tell me your going to open the door with it?"

Raine turned her head, " don’t be ridiculous.."

" I’m sorry I just thought."

" The window."

" The window?! "

Her lips twitched, "yes you’ll crawl through quickly because time is of the essence, letting me in then I can enter the access codes on the alarm." We don’t want the Security Company coming out and nosing around." Ed groaned.

" Ed? " Sounds of falling items in the laundry room were starting to concern her a bit making her way back to the door.

" Ed hurry, she called. Ed? Are you ok?"

The door suddenly opened. " Are you all right, I was starting to worry" she moved past him as he shut the door.

Raine crouched pushing aside what looked like an air vent and entered a series of numbers. Sighing in relief she tried to stand when suddenly light-headed she grabbed the wall. Ed reaching down took her arm and helped her stand. " Are you ok? "

She leaned into him for a moment until her legs stopped wobbling; " I’m fine she said weakly, just tried to stand to fast I suppose."

" You know it’s a good thing he doesn’t have to worry about neighbors or we would be making that call from the police station." Ed said trying to put her at ease

The corners of her lips turned up, " you know I’ve thought that as well."

Ed ran his fingers through his hair, "ok let’s get you settled and we’ll make that call which way is the bedroom in this place anyway."

He leaned down picking her up, "how is it Dr. Tate that you’re single? "

" No woman would put up with the hours I keep."

" Can you cook?"

" Burgers count?"

Raine smothered a smile; " woman cannot live by burgers alone sorry."

Ed glanced into rooms, "man I thought you people lived sparse."

Raine looked around curiously, "most do." She gestured, " that way last door on the right."

Ed looked at her speculatively, " been here before?"

Raine nodded, " I broke in and poked around in his computer."

Ed stopped suddenly then shook his head, peering into the room " this looks like the place." He bent to sit her on the bed

" No!"

Startled he paused. Clearing her throat she tried again calmer, " I uh was hoping we could change the sheets first?"

Ed blinked, "sure." He carried her over to the desk chair "sit here I’ll see if I can find sheets unless…"

She shook her head, "no sorry."

" OK . I’ll take a look around."

He headed into the bathroom and made a quick inspection. "Nothing but towels here, but man what a tub." Raine smiled wanly.

" Hey, I’m sorry you’re exhausted. Let me check down the hall."

" Alright"

Ed watched her a moment longer before her head finally lowered, shifting hair slid forward like a curtain shielding her from view. He felt like the urge to say something but he wasn’t sure what he could say. Her mood had changed so swiftly and the impulse to comfort her was strong. He ran his fingers through his hair in confusion, inspite of everything he liked her, which just complicated the situation more shrugging he had no answers so he silently left the room.

He returned waving the sheets; I found just what we need.

She pushed herself up, "no sit I got it." He made fast work of stripping the bed and was pulling the comforter back up when he noticed she was standing.

" What’s wrong?"

She gestured, " I have to visit the facilities."

Ed blushed, " Sorry need some help?" Silently she shook her head.

" Can I get you something to drink maybe? I can try to find something while.. Well you know.."

She shook her head, "no thank you."

" Ok."

Raine headed to the restroom and softly closed the door. Adjusting the temperature on the shower she looked down at her bandage; hesitating a second she gently pulled it off before stepping into the shower, moaning content for the first time in days. She reached for the shampoo wincing this wasn’t going to be easy but she needed to feel clean again. She had shut the water off when she felt him.

Ed prowled the room restless, he walked to the door and knocked " Raine are you ok in there." Taking the sound as an affirmative he said, " Ok I’m calling Walter now." Heading for the kitchen he had just reached for the phone when an arm closed around his neck.

Drying off she gingerly tied the towel, washing her hair hadn’t been smart she thought. Her wound was throbbing like crazy but she would worry about that later, looking around the bathroom for a weapon she found nothing but the towel rack. Raine ripped it off the wall and moaned gritting her teeth, as her knees buckled she used her good arm to catch herself on the sink. The strain pulled her sutures taut; pain shot through her chest, after a moment she recovered enough to silently open the door and find Ed.

Ed went motionless " I can explain," he wheezed.

" Where is the girl?"

" Girl?" Ed gasped trying to stall, "what girl? "

Suddenly the arm left his neck, he felt himself shoved headfirst into the cabinets. When his vision cleared and the buzzing finally left he braced his arms on the counter and turned. Raine was cradled up against the blonde he had seen earlier t the hospital .Cy he thought that’s his name, touching his forehead where he met the cabinets he found blood.

" How was I to know Princess? I didn’t sense you."

Raine looked over at Ed gesturing, "common sense should have told you."

" Please," Ed’s voice cracked. "Could we go sit down before I fall." Raine made a movement toward Ed but faltered stiffening she stumbled.

Cy caught her, " shit you idiot your bleeding like a stuck pig."

Raine protested weakly, " It’s not that bad."

" Liar," he picked her up. Staring pointedly at Ed " Dr. heal thy self we need you." Striding down the hall he bent laying her on the bed. " Well princess you certainly have led everyone a merry chase today haven’t you? "

He moved to the dresser, opening one drawer after the other before finally pulling out a T-shirt. " As attractive as you are in that towel; perhaps we shouldn’t tempt fate I might not be able to control myself, turning back to her he winked playfully.

Ed came in holding a paper towel to his head he squinted at Cy. " There is a bag in the van if you’ll bring it I’ll bandage her injury."

Amber eyes met Ed’s intently, nodding he disappeared. Ed sighed in relief moving jerkily to the bed he sank down on the edge.

Raine tugged him closer, pulling his arm down she offered, " It looks painful but not deep at all."

Ed cleared his throat, " a band aid and I’ll be good as new." lay down let me look at you, how did it start bleeding anyway?"

Raine loosened one side of the towel. " I think when I ripped the bar from the wall."

Ed ruefully he shook his head, "of course."

Cy returned sitting the bag down, " she ok?"

Ed opened the bag, pulling on gloves, gently dabbing the wound with gauze. "Looks like theres some swelling, also quite a bit of tearing here and here but the sutures held just barely." I’ll sterilize it and put on a fresh bandage she should be ok." Ed met Cy’s stare, she will need antibiotics though I don’t have any so someone needs to make sure she gets them or better yet sees a physician." Filling a needle he tapped it, the dosage here may look excessive don’t worry it’s not. I’m basing it on your different metabolism he explained swabbing her arm. Catching her eye he smiled reassuringly, it’s simply for the pain it will also help you sleep."

Raine shook her head stilling his hand.

" I need to be alert."

Ed frowned, " look it’s just to ease the pain. If you don’t let your body recover it will only take longer to heal even with your physiology."

" Give it to her," Cy said.

Jade eyes met amber and clashed, "no one asked you! "

Cy clasped his hands to his chest, " I’m wounded. Big strong men…." He glanced slid to Ed. " Well man around and you doubt me? "

Raine’s eyes rolled, amused inspite of herself, "you nut one day someone’s going to shoot you."

Ed smiled at the thought, finishing up he stood handing her the T-shirt "need help?"

Cy grinned, " maybe we should let her do that and go make that phone call."

Ed stared at him puzzled, " I need the bathroom myself he gestured to his head if you don’t mind?"

Cy shook his head. " Nope go for it. Sorry about the noggin Doc really reflex took over and well you know, he shrugged. Ed stared at him oddly before he finally entered the bathroom closing the door.

" What’s wrong with you? You’re acting weirder than usual. "

Cy studied her thoughtfully, then sitting down he shifted his body until he was facing her, " Raine you’re crazy you know that. You left the hospital with Tate, not telling anyone diddlie knowing how nuts Michael gets where you’re concerned." So what do you do next bring this guy to Michael’s house." Princess anyone would think you’re mentally unbalanced the way you act."

Raine eyes narrowed. " What is that suppose to mean?"

" It means, you would have to be deaf and dumb to not realize how Michael is about you." And you’re anything but dumb." The mans got a low threshold where your concerned and if you had seen him the last time he found out you were alone with this guy." Hell any guy for that matter, you wouldn’t be pushing the envelope." Or would you, he said as if something suddenly occurred to him?

" I was not alone with him," she said heatedly. "And today. Today she looked down picking at the towel I left to avoid causing trouble for everyone." Removing me from the equation removed the source of conflict."

Cy nodded, " I know that, you know that. What your ignoring is, that circumstances don’t seem to matter to His Grimness."

Raine said defensively, " I’m not a child Cy. Michael needs to understand that, I know how to take care of myself and have done so for some time now." I just need to rest for a day or two if I’m such a burden I’ll leave now instead of later."

Cy chided, "now, whose acting like an idiot." Raine you’ve known for years, Michael doesn’t think of you as a child. Lie to him, lie to yourself if you must, but don’t try it with me I know differently." There’s been

whispers about the effect you’ve had on him for years. But they ignored it or allowed it he frowned thinking about what they learned today. " Maybe he said thinking out loud they would have even benefited from it he trailed off." But how he thought silently could they have counted on Michael’s response to her?

" Cy." she said quizzically? " Cy!"

Cy met her gaze, " the point Princess suddenly positive he was on the right track you’ve wrapped him around your fingers for years. Or.."

" Or," she prompted.

" Or tested him," he said eyeing her speculatively. " Now why would you feel the need to do that about a nuisance," he probed her shields feeling a spike of something to brief to analyze.

###

Continued…