"Open the door, damn it!" Sharp pounding followed the shout and Bear started to bark. Laura glanced at Kenin and grabbed her cell phone. She punched in Nathan's number as the doctor pulled her shotgun from behind the couch.

"Nathan?" There was more pounding on the door. Laura flinched. "Someone's trying to break in to Kenin's house, Nathan." She covered her free ear as Kenin shouted, "Go away!"

"Hurry, Nathan. Please..."

Kenin crossed over to her and stood beside her.

The two women had been waiting at Kenin's ranch house for Chris and Nathan to get off duty and come by for dinner. At first they had thought the car pulling into the driveway had been the men, but the pounding and shouting told a different story.

"We don't want ta hurt ya!"

Kenin racked a shell in the shotgun. The ominous sound echoed through the living room.

"Oh, c'mon, Doc! That don't scare us! You ain't gonna shoot us!"

Laura glanced at Kenin. They knew her? Kenin shrugged. She hadn't seen the men, and they didn't sound familiar.

There was more pounding on the door, then the window shattered inward as a rock landed in the middle of the room. Both women shrieked and Laura dropped the cell phone.

"C'mon!" Kenin shouted, tugging on Laura's sleeve. She pulled the other woman down the hall to the bedroom, then closed and locked the door. Bear was in the hall, barking loudly.

"Oh, Doc! Come on out! We just want to examine you!"

"Go to hell!" Kenin yelled and Laura laughed nervously. Her laugh turned to a startled scream when the two women both heard Bear yelp in the hall then silence. They jumped and backpedaled when the door jerked inward and bounced back as it was kicked.

**

Nathan grabbed his jacket. "Chris let's go!" he called anxiously.

Chris hurried out of his office. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Laura just called, someone's breaking in at Kenin's," Nathan said. "We best get over there now. I was cut off when she must've dropped her phone."

Chris cursed grabbing his own jacket. "Dammit," he growled. He grabbed his radio to contact the other men as they made their way out of the office to his truck, getting in.

**

Laura flinched as the door started to splinter. She looked around for something to throw, or a way out. "Kenin," she said.

Kenin cocked the shotgun. "I know," she said. Kenin leveled the shotgun and backed to the wall. She didn't speak for fear her voice would betray her fear. Laura stood beside her, wielding a fire poker. As the men advanced into the room, recognition dawned. *What were their names?* Hank and Jim! The two thugs that had attacked her on the road her first night here.

"You won't shoot us, Doc," Hank sneered. "We're not armed." He held his hands out in supplication.

Laura took a swing at his hand with the fire poker, her pale eyes wide. She stared at the two men, too afraid to say anything. She hoped that Nathan and Chris would hurry. She tried to look past the men to see if she could see Bear and if he was okay.

Kenin hesitated. The man was right. She wouldn't shoot an unarmed person. But when Laura swung the poker, Hank grabbed it and started to swing it. Kenin pulled the trigger and stumbled back at the concussion. Hank crumpled silently to the floor.

"You shot him, you bitch," Jim growled, grabbing the barrel of the gun and wrenching it from Kenin's grasp. He started to swing the gun around, but Laura shoved him off balance and grabbed Kenin's arm.

"C'mon!" she shouted. Laura ran around the man and out the bedroom door when she was jerked back. Apparently Jim had grabbed Kenin, pulling her back into the room. Laura lost her balance and smacked her head on the doorframe. She shook her head, looking in. Jim went to level the shotgun at Kenin. "No!" Laura screamed and ran towards him, slamming her tiny frame into his, taking him down. She grabbed Kenin's hand again, trying to get to her feet with a struggle.

Kenin managed to get to her feet, pulling Laura with her. She merely glanced at Bear's still form as they ran past. She bolted out the door, hauling Laura with her. As she passed the front door frame, she reached out and flicked off the floods. Laura ran as fast as her legs would take her. She stumbled, knocking into Kenin, sending them both sprawling. She landed on her hands and knees feeling the skin give way to the rock, cutting her. She hissed but stood and clasped Kenin's hand helping her to her feet and started running, seeing blue and red lights heading towards them. She felt the same sticky fluid flowing from her hands flowing from at least one of Kenin's and knew she had felt the same fate from their fall.

Kenin focused on the lights, but then was forced to turn off the road and into a grove of trees as Jim got closer. She tried to parallel the road, but Jim was forcing them farther away from help. Laura stumbled again cursing her lack of concentration. She hurried alongside Kenin, speaking breathlessly. "We need to get back on the road!" she yelled to Kenin.

Chris spun the wheel on his SUV and skidded into Kenin's long drive. Nathan grumbled but wasn't about to challenge him. The exterior of the house was dark, but lights shown from the inside. It was obvious that a window was broken out and the door had been kicked in. As the car slid to a stop, Chris muttered a curse. The car next to Kenin's and Laura's was all too familiar. Jim and Hank must have gotten out of jail. He slammed his car into park and turned off the lights. He tossed Nathan a quick glance just before both men got out. There was a mutual understanding. Despite their concern, they needed to use caution...

**

Laura was starting to feel light headed as she ran. "Kenin, stop a minute," she said gasping for air. The other woman slowed down, and they both took in gulping breaths. They screamed in unison as a shot rang out far too closely to them.

Kenin grabbed Laura's hand again. "No time to rest," she gasped out. The two started running again. The pair ran as if the fires of Hades were licking at their heels.

**

"Damn," Chris muttered. Nathan lowered his pistol and looked at the body on the floor of Kenin's bedroom as Chris felt for a pulse. Bear leaned against Nathan's leg, whimpering. Chris stood and shook his head. "This one has a buddy. Reckon he's after the girls."

Nathan jerked around when he heard the distinctive sound of a gunshot in the distance, but not too far away. He pulled his own weapon when he heard two screams. "Outside!" he shouted, taking off with Chris right behind.

**

Laura was gasping loudly now. No matter how fit she was, she was not prepared to run this much. "Kenin," she said.

"We can't stop!" Kenin said. The other woman yelped as her foot caught a high root and she tumbled to the ground.

"Kenin!" Laura cried. She felt a hard body slam into her and then a slam to her jaw left her dazed.

"Your turn bitch," Jim spat as he raised the shot gun to slam the butt of the rifle to Kenin's face.

Kenin ducked and the blow glanced her cheek. She was stunned, but tried to scramble back and pull Laura with her as Jim aimed the shotgun.

**

Nathan ran as fast as he could, his gun ready. He could hear Chris behind him. His eyes were alert as he managed to track the steps that led him in the direction of the girls. He could hear both Kenin and Laura shouting. Chris was just a step behind Nathan as they broke into the clearing. The moon light showed Laura and Kenin trying to back away from Jim. "Police, freeze!" Nathan shouted. Jim swung around, leveling the shotgun at the deputy. Three shots sounded simultaneously.

Laura couldn't tell who had been hit, if anyone had been or not. "Nathan!" she screamed. She scrambled to her feet trying to hurry towards him, but she wavered dizzily. She landed with a firm plop back beside Kenin. She reached for the lady doctor, worried she was seriously hurt from Jim's assault.

Kenin held Laura's hand, squeezing her eyes shut as Jim crumbled in front of them. "Wait," she gasped. "Stay out of their way." She reached for her head and leaned against the other woman.

Chris moved forward slowly, covering Nathan as the deputy kicked the shotgun away from the still body and checked for a pulse. He nodded to Chris and both men holstered their weapons and moved to the ladies.

Laura looked up as the men approached. She whimpered a bit as she slid her arms around Nathan tightly. Chris gently touched Kenin's chin, lifting it towards him. "Lemme see," he said softly. "You okay?"

Kenin nodded, but couldn't stop the tears. Chris helped her to her feet and wrapped her in a protective embrace. Kenin clung to him as he took off his coat and wrapped it around her.

Next to them, Nathan was holding Laura and murmuring quietly to her. "It's over now," he whispered, holding her against him. Laura clung to him, crying softly against him. Her heart was still pounding mercilessly as she leaned against him.

Chris helped Kenin walk along. "Let's get you two back to the house, Bear'll be worried," he whispered to Kenin.

"Bear's all right?" Kenin sniffled. Chris smiled and nodded. "I thought he was..." She gripped Chris' arm as they headed back toward the house. The wail of siren anounced the arrival of back up. Kenin stopped in her yard as Bear trotted over to meet her. She knelt and hugged him.

Chris looked up as JD stepped into the house, his eyes alert. "Everything's under control, JD, but we're gonna need some clean up," he said.

JD nodded. "I'll radio that in," he said.

"Are you two all right?" Nathan asked, his arm still around Laura. When both women nodded, he continued. "We can go to the station. We'll need statements."

"Do we have to do that tonight?" Laura asked, looking up at him.

"Well, we could go to your house for the night, get the statements there, and Chris and Kenin can stay in some of the spare rooms?" Nathan suggested, looking to Chris who nodded.

"I much prefer that idea over the station," Laura said wearily. "I just want this night to come to an end, or at least get a bit more pleasant."

"C'mon, then," Chris said. "JD can handle things." He steered Kenin toward the car and helped her into the back seat. Bear jumped in after her and Nathan assisted Laura. He got in the seat next to her while Chris went to talk to JD. A few minutes later he returned and got into the driver's seat.

"I asked JD to look for the cats," he said.

Kenin smiled as she petted Bear. "Thank you," she mumbled. She was trying to regain her composure. This kind of thing didn't bother her, right? Still, she was shaking like a leaf. She reached for Laura's hand.

Laura looked over at her and squeezed her hand. She scooted closer and laid her head on Kenin's shoulder. She reached and petted Bear's furry head, watching him.

Nathan sighed as he watched them. "Let's get on goin', Chris," he said softly. "JD'll call us if he needs help right?"

Chris nodded. "Figure if there's anything important we gotta know he'll call us too," he said. "He's got Laura's number and both our cells."

An hour later, Kenin was curled on Laura's couch, sipping coffee that Chris had brought. Laura was sitting with Nathan on a love seat, her legs curled under her and Nathan's arm around her shoulder. Both women had had a chance to shower and change. Laura had loaned Kenin some sweats and their clothes had been set aside as evidence.

"You ladies up to giving a statement?" Chris asked. "JD's going to need it for his report." He settled next to Kenin and pulled her against his chest.

Laura sighed. "I'm not sure were to begin," she said.

"Try the beginning, hon," Nathan said gently.

Laura shrugged a bit. "We were waiting for you two to come by for dinner when they started pounding on the door," she said. "Kenin grabbed her shotgun and we ran back to the bedroom. They broke in, hurt Bear, and broke into the bedroom. I had a fire poker and hit one the men with it and the shotgun went off. The other one grabbed it from Kenin and we started heading out when he grabbed Kenin and pulled him back. I tackled him and we ran from the house. We ran to where you found us when Kenin tripped and he tackled me. He hit Kenin and that's when you all came upon us."

Chris chuckled as Kenin nodded. "Well, they should have know better than to take on you two." He hugged Kenin closer. "I'm proud of both of you. We'll go over things in the morning, but for now, you both look beat."

Kenin mumbled, "Yes." She allowed Chris to help her stand. "Good night, Laura, Nate." She smiled weakly as Chris led her to the bedroom.

Kenin settled on the bed, then reached for Chris' arm as he turned to leave. "Stay," she whispered, fighting tears again. "Hold me?"

Chris nodded and lay down next to her, on the covers and folded her arms around her. Within minutes, Kenin was asleep.

Laura watched Kenin and Chris head away. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned tired eyes to Nathan. "Thank you for rescuing us," she said softly.

Nathan gently stroked her cheek. "Baby, I'd go to the ends of the earth for you," he said softly.

Laura leaned into his touch and snuggled back against him. "I love you," she said softly.

Nathan brought her hand gently to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Laura," he whispered. "I need to ask you something." With his free hand he pulled something out of his pocket.

"Yes?" Laura asked, her eyes closed behind him. Her eyes snapped open when she felt him start to slip something on her left hand.

Nathan slid the emerald cut diamond down Laura's slim finger. "I was plannin' on askin' you this tonight anyway," he said. "I love you Laura, I ain't ever told you otherwise. But I need you by my side for the rest of my life. Laura Fitzgerald, will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife?"

Laura felt tears spring to her eyes. "Oh Nathan," she whispered. She smiled. "Yes, I'll be your wife." She kissed his lips gently, feeling his strong arms hold her very close to him.

.