Love For All Seasons Chapter 19 - 23

By Victoria L.

Remember this one?

Chapter 19

Jax and Brenda lay in a peaceful slumber. The morning after Alexis’ funeral
dawned bright and clear. Brenda awoke first, unable to believe that what had
happened last night, actually occurred. But there was no mistaking the unforgettable
feeling of being wrapped in Jax’s embrace. She would never forget the way he had
looked at her last night. A way that he hadn’t looked at her in months. She rolled
onto her side, and stared into his sleeping face. She couldn’t believe that this man
had finally let her back into his life and into his heart, in every possible way.
But Brenda wasn’t fooling herself. She had broken his heart in every
possible way, and she knew that pain like that wasn’t easily forgotten or forgiven.
And Jax had been incredibly vulnerable last night. Maybe Sarah had been right and
he had just needed her last night. She knew that Jax would never use her in any
way, but maybe he had just needed the comforts of her body, and she had been all
too willing to give them to him. Had last night been a mistake? She was fresh out of
answers, but she knew that Jax wasn’t ready to jump back into their old life. They
had five children to take care of now, all at different stages where they needed their
parents the most. Brenda knew that she couldn’t stand to be separated from her
children again, so she hoped against hope that when Jax finally did open his eyes, he
wouldn’t have a change of heart.
Brenda didn’t stick around to find out. She hit the alarm clock before it
could turn on and wake Jax. She knew he needed rest after the day they both had
yesterday. Brenda got up, showered and dressed. She loved being up before
everyone else in the house. She got up to check on the twins, and gave them both
their morning bottles. An hour later, William joined her in the kitchen.
“Hey, pal,” she said, smiling at him as she mixed pancake batter. “How are
you doing?”
“I’m okay I guess,” he said, halfheartedly sipping his orange juice. “I feel a
little better.”
“What would you like for breakfast?” she asked. Will had been staring at the
table cloth, but now he looked up at Brenda, slight irritation in his eyes.
“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “What are you doing,
anyway?”
“Well I’m making breakfast,” Brenda said, noting the edge on his voice, “like
I always do.”
“No!” Will said, standing up and raising himself to his full ten year old
height, “ MY mom always makes breakfast! This isn’t even really your house!”
Brenda was more than a little shocked at his outburst. Will was the most controlled
and respectful child. He never got out of line or disrespectful. Brenda opened and
closed her mouth, and set down the bowl and spoon. “And that’s my mom’s stuff!”
he yelled. “You don’t have to use hers, do you?” he said, beginning to cry. “She
made the best pancakes.”
“Oh, Will, I’m sorry, I didn’t know, I--”
“You don’t know anything!” Will challenged. “You think you do, but you
don’t, and neither does my dad! None of you have any idea what you’re doing, you
just pretend to so us kids won’t be scared! But you’re scared too, and I wish you’d
act like it already!”
“Hey! Hey!” Jax said, coming down the stairs in nothing but his pajama
bottoms. “You do not speak to your mother like that!” Jax knew his error as soon as
it came out of his mouth. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Will, son,
I’m sorry. But you have got to calm down, here. I know--”
“Stop saying that! You don’t know anything! She’s not my mother! Alexis
was my mother, and she’s the only mother I’ll ever have, and she’s the only mother
I’ll ever want! This is my house, and it used to be just my mom and me! But you
messed up!” Will shouted, pointing at Brenda. “You did, so my dad and Jess and the
Jake and the twins, they all came, everyone came, and it was too much for my mom,
and THAT’S why she’s dead, YOU killed her!”
“What?!” Brenda asked, taking a step back and putting a hand over her
chest. “William, please, I--”
“All right, that’s enough, young man!” Jax said sternly. Will quieted, but the
tears ran down his face. His mouth was set in a hard line, and his expression stoic,
denying that there were any tears falling down his face.
“I won’t take it back,” he said coldly, looking at the wall just behind Jax’s
head. “I’ll never take it back, and I’ll never be sorry.”
“Go to your room,” Jax said, so sternly Will knew better than to argue. He
stood motionless for a few seconds, and before Jax could argue with him again, he
attacked the stairs two at a time, and slammed the door to his room, waking the
twins and setting them howling with now seven month old lungs. “He didn’t mean
that,” Jax said, going immediately to Brenda and hugging her. Brenda was still so
shocked, she just shook her head and nodded at Jax. She couldn’t even register that
his arms were around her. He kissed her forehead and signaled upstairs. “I’m
going to get them, but I’ll be right back down.” Brenda nodded again and turned
back to the sink.
Without thinking, she picked up the bowl and began to stir again furiously.
By the time Jax came back down, she was finished with the breakfast. She was
putting the scrambled eggs on a plate when Jax came downstairs. He was dressed in
khaki pants and a black T-shirt. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she breathed. She put on a fake smile and handed him the
plate. “Did you get Jacob up?” she asked.
“He’s still in bed,” Jax said, trying to read Brenda’s face. “I’ll get him if you
like.”
“No, I will, what about Jessica?”
“I left some things out for her, she’s getting dressed as well. Brenda, can we
please--” Brenda was already on the stairs and half way up. She didn’t answer Jax
at all.
Breakfast was eaten in silence. Will joined them, and barely touched his
food. He ate his bacon and eggs and finished his milk at Jax’s request, and tore his
pancakes to shreds, never once taking a single bite. Brenda couldn’t hide her hurt
feelings, so she busied herself at the sink for most of the meal.
“Jessica, you have the rest of the week off from school, so do you feel up to
playing at Sarah’s house? She could probably come over here if you’d like, and
bring the girls.”
“Yay!” Jessica said, forgetting for a split second, as children do, to be
sensitive to the others around them. She quickly quieted as Will shot her a glare and
looked down at her plate. “Daddy,” she said, tugging on Jax’s sleeve. “I’m still
hungry--can I have another pancake?” Jax reached for it and put it on her plate
without answering her. As he was cutting it for her, Will slid his chair back shrilly
on the floor, purposefully making scuff marks, and stomped up to his room, asking
sarcastically,
“May I be excused?!” He didn’t wait for his father’s answer. Jessica pushed
her plate away.
“Never mind,” she said sadly. “I guess I’m not hungry anymore.”
“You go ahead and eat,” Jax said, standing and undoing his belt. “Will and I
are going to have a little talk.” Brenda turned around.
“No, Jax, please, that’s not necessary this time.”
“He cannot continue to act this way, Brenda.”
“Jax, he’s hurting. This is not breaking a window with a baseball or
disrespecting you on purpose. I know sometimes he deserves it, but let it go this
once--he doesn’t need a spanking--not this time.” Jax moved to buckle his belt again
and sighed. Jessica sighed too, she’d been on the receiving end of one of those
spankings, and she knew it kept her in line, and it’d keep Will in line too. Time out
never worked in their house. Jessica smiled to herself, knowing she probably would
have laughed if Will got three licks on the bottom, earning herself three licks as well.
“I’m going to go up and talk to him,” Jax said.
“Okay, but go easy, he’ll cool down.” Jax nodded and continued upstairs.
Just then, the phone rang. “Hello?” Brenda said, annoyance on her voice.
“Hello to you, too,” Sarah said.
“Oh, hey, I’m sorry. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Sarah replied, “but you don’t sound like it. How’d last night go?”
“Hang on,” Brenda said, switching from the phone in the wall to the cordless.
She glanced at the twins, sleeping in their rockers and Jessica and Jacob at the table,
still eating slowly, before walking into the living room where she could still see them.
She sat down on the couch and sighed. “I have no words to describe what it’s like in
this house. I feel like I belong here one minute, and then I feel shut out the next. It’s
like walking around on eggshells with Will, Jax can’t do anything with him, and
spanking is not the answer right now, it won’t make him listen. Jessica’s trying to
take care of everybody, Jacob and the twins are blissfully unaware.”
“What about you and Jax? How did that go last night?”
“We made love,” Brenda confirmed.
“You don’t sound too happy about that.”
“No,” Brenda said, “I am! I couldn’t be happier with Jax, but he hasn’t said
anything to me, you know? We haven’t had a chance to talk, I got up before him.
And now all this stuff with Will.”
“Well, now Brenda, why didn’t you wake him up? Come on, you have five
kids in that house, you know how crazy things can get. You should have woken the
man and told him how you were feeling.”
“That’s just it, I don’t know how I’m feeling, let alone how he’s feeling, and I
can’t read him at all.”
“Yes you can, you’re just afraid of what you’re going to learn. You’re afraid
that things are going to go back to the way they were before.” Brenda paused,
knowing that what Sarah was saying was probably true.
“I have never been closer to getting him back than I am right now,” Brenda
said. “I can’t lose him. I would rather things stay the way they are now than go
back to the banishment of before. I can’t live in exile from my husband and
children.”
“Then tell him that, Brenda. Open your heart to him. Last night never would
have happened if he weren’t in love with you.”
“Love isn’t the issue, Sarah. He can’t trust him, and I don’t have a single
argument for that.”
“Okay, look, I’m coming over there, do you want me to bring the kids with
me?”
“Yes,” Brenda said, “and how is the little one doing?” Sarah rubbed her
hand over her growing tummy.
“He’s fine,” she mused. “Thanks, Brenda. I’ll be over soon. But I can’t stay
long, I have to go over to the office since you and Jax aren’t coming in today.”
“All right,” Brenda said, hanging up the phone. No sooner had she set it back
in its cradle, did it ring again. “Hello?”
“Brenda, it’s me.”
“Sonny? I mean, Mr. Corinthos? What do you want?”
“I need you.”
“You need me?” Brenda asked, feeling her throat begin to tighten and her
stomach to turn. “For what?”
“You need to come in immediately. I need reports on the Emery case, typed
and on my desk in two hours. And since your husband is off the case, you have a
new partner.”
“I work alone, or with my husband, and you know that. Jax and I aren’t
even official partners. And you know it would take more than two hours to have
completed reports of the Emery case. It’s all over the place right now, HE’S all over
the place.”
“Which is why you have a new partner,” Sonny answered. “And I suggest
you find a way to get down here immediately and update her on this case and the
two of you have some field work to do after that.”
“What?” Brenda asked. “I cannot put in a full day today.”
“You will or you will be taken off this case so fast your head will spin. The
only reason that you are still on it is my superiors are on my back for a quick solve.
Now can you do this or not?”
“Yes,” Brenda said, irritation clear on her voice. “I can be there in an hour.”
“Make it 45 minutes,” Sonny said, hanging up.
“Damn it!” Brenda said, slamming the phone down. The doorbell rang just
then, startling her. She moved to answer it. It was Sarah. “Oh, thank goodness
you’re here,” Brenda said, giving her a hug and hugging her little girls, Victoria and
Vanessa. Jessica bounded halfway down the stairs, said hello to Sarah and motioned
for Victoria and Jessica to follow.
“How’s she doing?” Sarah asked, taking off her coat.
“She’s holding up, I don’t think she’s showing her feelings to the rest of us,
brave front and all that,” Brenda said, staring after her daughter. “I wish she’d talk
to him, though. I know that she went to Alexis for stuff like that, but I’m her
mother, you know?”
“Now don’t start thinking and talking that way,” Sarah said. “You’ll all be
fine. I just wanted to touch bases with you though. How are things?”
“Well they’re basically fine here,” Brenda said, “as well as can be expected.
But I might as well tell you, I have to go in to the office today. Son--Mr. Corinthos
called me in and informed me that I have a new partner on the Emery case.”
“What?” Sarah asked incredulously. “That’s absurd. Frankly, no one in the
Marshall’s office has had the special Ops training that you and Jax have had. No
one can match you--that’s why you each run your own floor. What is he trying to
pull?”
“I don’t know,” Brenda said, “he claims that his superiors are pushing for
Emery to be caught as quickly as possible. I can’t say I disagree with that, so we
should get on the ball, huh?”
“How does Jax feel about this?”
“Well I just got the call a moment ago, so I don’t know how he feels really. I
know he hates not being able to go to work, but he loves being able to be here for his
children, so.”
“Yeah, well if he’s staying here all day, can he handle all these kids?”
“I don’t think so,” Brenda said, shaking her head. “Who knows, he probably
can, knowing him. He’s superdad and all that.”
“Well Kevin’s home from the hospital today, and he had all of yesterday to
rest, and he was going to watch the girls. If you want, we can just drop Jess off with
them back at my house, and Jax will just have the twins and Jacob. Will’s okay,
isn’t he?”
“I don’t know,” Brenda said. “He really got upset with me this morning. But
I’ll tell you all about it in the car. I’ll also inform you that my new partner happens
to be female.” Normally, Sarah wouldn’t have cared, but Brenda seemed to take on
the same att*tude about females in her line of work that some of the males did--that
they didn’t belong there. Brenda had to fight tooth and nail for her position and
respect in the Marshall’s office. And she had been the only female operative in her
class--no one doubted her abilities, and she was treated like one of the guys. No other
woman on any floor had come as close as Brenda had to the top--in fact there was no
woman NEAR her ranking in the entire Southeast, and Brenda took pride in that,
somewhat coloring her opinion that she was an exception to the rule, and that
women in general were not cut out for the level of work she was required to do. She
sometimes went back on that thinking, but so far, no one had proven her wrong.
“I’m going to go upstairs and get the girls,” Sarah said, “and we’ll wait for
you out in the car. Go easy on this new partner, Brenda.” Brenda rolled her eyes
and went upstairs to tell Jax she was leaving. She started to knock on Will’s door,
but she saw Jax going into the bedroom, so she followed him inside. She put a hand
on his shoulder.
“Brenda,” he said, startled. “Did I hear the doorbell?”
“Yeah, Sarah came over for a second. Listen, I have to go in today.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I know, I’m sorry, but I just can’t avoid it, you know?”
“I understand.”
“Sarah’s going to take the girls back to her place with Jessica, and then it’ll
be a little bit easier on you. Are you going to be okay here with the kids?”
“I’ll be fine,” Jax said, “considering right now I don’t even have a job to go
to.”
“I’m sorry honey,” Brenda said, “I know how much this means to you. I
promise I’ll come back and tell you everything.” She kissed Jax lightly on the lips,
and he responded hungrily, leaving Brenda almost unable to stand. Her heart
soared with happiness at his attentions towards her. “Uh, is Will okay?” was all she
could think of to ask.
“Not yet,” Jax said, “but he will be. He has to be. He comes from good
stock.”
“Indeed he does,” Brenda said. “You have a tough little solider. Listen, I
have to go, I really do, I’m getting a new partner.”
“Really?” Jax asked.
“Really, and guess what--it’s a girl!”
“A girl!” Jax feigned shock and surprise. “Well please, do go easy on her, we
don’t want to scare her away on her first day.” Brenda chuckled a bit.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I want you to tell me if you feel
uncomfortable.”
“You mean if I feel a case of the green eyed monster? No, you’re the best at
what you do, babe, and I want you to go out there and bring this guy in. I’m not
worried about you, I know you can do it. I feel sorry for Emery, my wife’s gonna
bring him in.”
“You got that right, baby,” Brenda said, pulling Jax’s face down toward hers
for another kiss that deepened with intensity and fire immediately. “If you keep that
up,” Brenda mused, “I won’t be able to leave in time, and I really have to go.”
“If you must, you must,” Jax said, nibbling on her neck, “But I want you to
know that I don’t regret last night at all. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Really?” Brenda asked, a smile covering her face.
“Really,” Jax answered. “Go get ‘em.”

Brenda and Sarah got to the elevators and sighed when they got inside.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in this thing, dreading either going
in or leaving,” Sarah said.
“Double edged sword,” Brenda replied, “but we love our work, so let’s get to
it, shall we?”
“Wait a second,” Sarah said. “What about the letters we found on Ned’s
desk--the intimate ones to Lois.”
“What about them?” Brenda asked, trying to remain indifferent.
“Aren’t you going to confront them? How will you work with him, he’s your
right hand up here?”
“I don’t know,” Brenda said, “I’ve just been trying to put it out of my mind.
It’s Lois’ life, and if she wants to make the same mistake I did, all I can do is be there
for her, if and when she ever wants my help.” Sarah nodded and ushered Brenda off
the elevator.
“Well here’s your chance,” she said. “There’s Ned.” Brenda walked right
past Ned, giving him a few orders on the way.
“Ned, please, I’m sorry, but will you get me and Sarah some coffee? You
know how I like it. And hold all my messages and calls for the next half hour. You
know the only ones I want to get. And I assume you already know that I have to
have some reports on the Emery file, so pull everything you can get your hands on.
We’ve got two hours to get it together, so I need those files ASAP. You know what
to do.” With that, Brenda closed her door and sat down at her desk to check her
emails.
“Wow,” Sarah said, “as chaotic as your floor always is, you certainly do
know how to keep them in line.”
“Yeah, right, no one listens to me except for Ned. I get all the discipline cases
on this floor.”
“Well, let’s hope we can do something about that,” Sonny said, coming into
Brenda’s office. Sarah, making her disgust known, backed away from Sonny, and
said to Brenda,
“Call me when you need something, I’ll be up on Jax’s floor. Lois isn’t here,
right?”
“No, she’s home,” Brenda said.
“Great. I’ll see you later.” Brenda stood and moved to the front of her desk
to face Sonny.
“I just got here, I haven’t had time to do anything. But I made it in a half
hour.”
“So I see,” Sonny said, not the least bit of concern on his voice for her family
or what they were going through. “My condolences,” Sonny said, almost sincerely,
Brenda thought, “on Alexis. She was a tough lawyer. We’ll miss her around here.”
“Yes we will,” a voice said. Brenda looked around Sonny to see her new
partner. “Alexis and I went to law school together, but I didn’t pass the bar, so I
changed my line of work.” She held out her hand just then. “Blair Daimler,” the
woman said. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Brenda said, shaking her hand, and trying hard not to let her jaw
drop. In front of her, stood a legend in her field. The only woman in the history of
the US Marshall’s office to have a HIGHER ranking than Brenda.
“I see you are familiar with Ms. Daimler?” Sonny asked, knowing what
Brenda was thinking.
“Certainly,” Brenda said, finally letting go of the woman’s hand. “You are a
legend around here.”
“Well you make me sound ancient,” Blair laughed. In reality, Blair was the
most gorgeous thing that Brenda had ever seen, and it irritated her somewhat, that
this woman was more beautiful that Brenda imagined herself to be. She was six-foot
tall in her bare feet, statuesque, long blonde hair, shapely, and a sharp tongue to
match an even sharper att*tude. She was being pleasant now, but Brenda knew her
reputation. Most of the men in the department were actually afraid of her. She was
an expert in all the martial arts, an expert in weapons, and a professional hacker.
“Brenda, I’ll need you to update me on the case, I’m afraid I’ve been out of
the country for the past year on a special case, but I’m back now, and I already feel
like I’m going to enjoy working with you.” Brenda nodded mindlessly, her mind
racing--she was going to work with Blair Daimler! Even Jax talked about Blair with
pride--but no one had ever seen her before now. She was always out of the country.
Just then, Ned came into the office. Sonny departed as Ned entered.
“Brenda, I have all the files you asked for.”
“Great,” Blair said, taking the files from Ned and smiling gratefully at him.
Ned looked shocked.
“Are you--I mean, you’re--it’s you.”
“Yes, it’s me,” Blair said. “And thank you for the files. Could you get me a
cup of coffee please? I take it black with 2 sugars, thanks.”
“Sure,” Ned said, beaming and closing the door.
“Oh,” Blair said, opening the door and calling down the hall, “Ned, I am
going to have to share this office with Brenda for a while, so could you see about
sending me up some blank disks? Thanks.”
“Wait a second,” Brenda said. “No one said anything to me about sharing an
office. This is my floor--I mean, no offense or anything,” Brenda said, forgetting her
place. This woman had years of rank over Brenda, when in actuality, she was only
three years older than Brenda.
“I didn’t think you’d mind,” Blair said. “I’m rarely here, and I promise not
to step on your toes. But understand this, I intend to solve this case, and you can help
me, or you can get out of the way.”

Author’s Note: Blair Daimler is One Life To Live’s Blair--a favorite character of
mine.

Here you go!

Chapter 20

Brenda was about to make her objections known when she remembered her
place. Blair was only doing what came naturally to her, she wasn’t purposefully
trying to step on Brenda’s territory, right? Sonny had specifically hired her to solve
this case, and that was what she was doing, wasn’t she? All Brenda knew was that she would put up with almost anything and
anyone if it would bring Emery in off the
streets.
“I think I understand,” Brenda said, moving to sit at her desk.
“Good,” Blair said, and the tension seemed to lift a bit in the room. “Now, I
assume you will have the reports done in the next hour or so?”
“Actually Sonny gave me two hours and Ned isn’t back yet with the--” Blair
gave Brenda a stern look and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. Brenda quickly
amended her statement. “Of course, an hour would be fine.”

“Good,” Blair said, “that’s excellent. Now I have a few questions for you.”
“Shoot,” Brenda said, turning to her computer to start typing away and
making changes on the files she already had in her possession. For the next 30
minutes, Blair walked around the office dictating notes to a hand held tape recorder
and quizzing Brenda on the ins and outs of the Emery case. She was distracting
Brenda to no end, and Brenda was already working furiously just to finish in the
time that Blair had given her. Just when Blair was getting on Brenda’s very last
nerve, she asked the stupidest of stupid questions, in Brenda’s opinion.
“Brenda, can you tell me what kind of running shoes Emery wore if any?”
Brenda’s hands stopped in mid air over the keyboard. She clicked on a disk to save
her work, and then turned around slowly, and stood up, glaring at Blair.
“You know, for the last half hour, I have been trying to do work that a sane
person could complete in four hours, in two--YOU came in here and gave me ONE
hour, so I’ve been working even harder. You have been gabbing in my ear since you
came in here asking me pointless and stupid questions. And just how much work are
YOU going to do anyway? I believe that we are partners, right? So how would you
like to have a go at these files--and to answer your extremely unnecessary
question--YES I do happen to know what kind of running shoes Emery wore.” The
look on Blair’s face did not betray her rage with Brenda. She spoke calmly.
“And what were they?” Brenda was so taken aback at Blair’s apparent acceptance
of her statements, that she relaxed a bit and told her,
“They were white and black--Nike’s.”
“No color?”
“No color.”
“Fine, then, thank you. Now that I have all the answers to my stupid
questions, I’ll be making a visit to your superior, Mr. Corinthos, and recommend
suspension for you on this case. How would you like that?”
“You can’t do that!” Brenda said. “I have been working on this case since
the very beginning.”
“Well you had better learn how to sit down and shut up, little girl!” Brenda
was so shocked that she did just that. Blair came to lean over her desk, making
herself appear even taller than Brenda. “Now I know where you’ve been right now,
all right? I know more than anyone, including YOU, how hard it is to be in this field
with men. I also have learned from YEARS of experience, that no question is a
dumb question, and having the answer to a question can NEVER hurt you. My
purpose for asking about the running shoes is this--his color choice indicates his state
of mind. From your previous answers, I am to assume that almost everything he wears is black and white, therefore if he were
hiding in a crowd of people, he would
dress the exact opposite, and disappear right under our noses.”
“No, he knows we’re better than that.”
“Does he? You haven’t given me one reason why he would think that.
Secondly, he has NO idea how good I am. I told you once before that I was going to
solve this case, and I could certainly use your help, but I don’t profess to need it.
Now are we going to have a problem, agent? Oh, and let’s not forget, that I can, and
I WILL pull rank.”
“No,” Brenda said quietly. “Yes ma’am, I’ll get back to it.”
“Good,” Blair said. “And I’m going to find your girl Friday, that Ned, and
ask him for those files. They should have been here by now.” With that, Blair
walked out the door, leaving it open behind her. Brenda got up when she was sure
she was down the hall far enough and closed the door back. She then went back to
her desk and turned the phone around to use it. She called Jax’s floor and Sarah
answered.

“Help!” Brenda said.
“What’s up?”
“I don’t know how much longer I can put up with this woman.”
“Oh come on, Brenda she’s a legend, she’s used to doing things her way.”
“She doesn’t DO anything at all. From what I can see, all she knows how to
do is talk. Sarah, I need your help, I know Jax keeps you swamped, but please, I
have to have some reports on the Emery case, and you can mirror your work to look
like mine, so would you please take the reports from the last three months forward
and combine them into one? I’m almost done here, but I only have a few minutes
left, and I won’t even finish reading them before it’s time.”
“Sure thing,” Sarah said, “but Brenda, you just have a little more respect for
Ms. Daimler. I mean do you have any idea how good she is? Do you have any idea
why she’s in this line of work?”
“Well yeah,” Brenda said, “she was in law school with Alexis, and Alexis
passed the bar and she didn’t, so she switched careers.”
“Well that’s part of it, but there’s a much bigger story there. At 21, she was
married with two children.”
“I know how that goes,” Brenda mused. “So what happened to her?”
“The same thing that a lot of Emery’s victims went through. Her husband
and both her children were murdered by a serial killer with a similar MO as
Emery’s. She was an integral part of the investigation, she was a beat cop at the
time, and she got really involved and made a lot of high up connections. Impressed
the hell out of everyone she met, and she was a recruit here in no time. She learned
quickly, and by the time she was 30, she was the highest ranking female in this
organization.”
“My God,” Brenda said, “I had no idea. Her tactics may seem a little strange
to me, but when she explained them, they made perfect sense.”
“She has a mind like a steel trap,” Sarah said. “And I’d use it to my
advantage if I were you--it can only help on the Emery case. Now, I’m going to go and get these reports up to you in ten
minutes, all right, I’ll work fast, and most of
these last reports I already condensed.”
“Thank you Sarah, for the work, for the information, thanks for everything.”
“No problem, girlfriend.”
Brenda hung up the phone and sighed. Blair didn’t return for 20 minutes, so
by the time she did, Brenda was just finishing up with everything. She finished her
coffee as Blair came into the office, her hand outstretched. No sooner had Brenda
felt satisfied with her work was it pulled out of her hands. Blair took it from her and
went through it quickly.
“I suppose this is sufficient enough. Thank you, Brenda, for your
promptness.”
“Sure,” Brenda said, “I just hope you can use it.”
“I’m sure I’ll be able to. I’m going to go over these with a fine tooth comb
tonight, but for now, I think we are scheduled for a meeting with Mr. Corinthos. I
believe he has an assignment for us.”
“Great,” Brenda sighed, standing up and straightening her clothes.
“Why do you say it like that?” Blair asked, c*cking her head to the side.
“Say what?”
“ ‘Great.’ You sighed as if in annoyance.” Brenda really didn’t think her
voice sounded like anything.

“Well I’m not annoyed,” Brenda tried, “I’m just tired, that’s all.”
“There isn’t room for tired people on this ship, Brenda, I’m sure you know
that.” Blair turned on her heels then, and walked out of the office, straight into
Sonny’s. She knocked briefly, but continued in. Sonny was staring out of the
window, apparently in deep contemplative thought. He turned and sat, not bothered
at all by Blair’s intrusion. Brenda knew if it had been herself, even during their
affair, she would have been reprimanded. But, smirked Brenda, Blair was superior
to Sonny as well. She was doing him a favor by working on this case. Brenda took
the chair furthest from Sonny and sat, trying to control her breathing.
Sometimes they had private conversations in this office, and it made Brenda’s
stomach turn to think of them now. But she had not set foot in this room since Jax
had found out the truth, and Sonny could tell being here was getting to her. He
didn’t look at her at all, and Blair more than noticed. She folded her hands in her
lap, sat back and crossed her legs, taking the scene in.
“We don’t have any new developments,” Sonny commented, “but we do have
a few more leads, and I want you and Brenda to go back to a few crime
scenes--where we found the girl a few weeks ago, and where we found the boy in the
warehouse. Blair you haven’t been to any of these places and I want you to see them
for yourself.” He looked at Blair as he spoke, but when he addressed Brenda, he
peered into the computer screen and busied himself. “Brenda, you’re familiar with
all the scenes, take good notes, I’ll need a briefing when you get back, but it’s no
hurry, on my desk by the morning, all right?”
“Yes sir,” Brenda said rising to her feet. She turned to go out of the room,
and expected Blair to follow, but when she didn’t right away, Brenda turned back to
stare at them. Blair was holding Sonny’s hand, and he leaned over to kiss it. Brenda felt that same sensation on her hand as she
witnessed the kiss. Her relationship with
Sonny was still fresh in her mind, and all the destruction it had caused. She hoped
with all sincerity that Blair could stay out of Sonny’s clutches.
When Blair came out of the office, she was once again all business. Brenda
waited for Blair to join her on the elevator. Brenda ventured out on a limb, and
asked, “What’s going on between you and Sonny?”
“Hmm?” Blair said, not really paying attention. But she had heard Brenda
clearly and turned to look at her. “Why do you even care?” Blair pushed her long
blonde hair behind her ear and stared intently into Brenda’s eyes. Brenda felt
herself sinking even deeper into the floor.
“I don’t care, not really, I just don’t want to see you hurt. Sonny--I mean Mr.
Corinthos can be very--”
“I’m very well aware of Mr. Corinthos’ att*tudes and behaviors. I’m a big
girl, and I can take care of myself. Besides, don’t you have a husband to worry
about?”

“Excuse me?” Brenda said, the anger growing inside her.
“I said a husband, don’t you have a husband?”
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“Well since you made my business yours, I felt one good turn deserved
another. Worry about your own relationships, Brenda, and I’ll take care of mine.”
“You know he’s married, don’t you?” Brenda asked.
“Didn’t you know that too?” Blair looked at Brenda frankly, and before
Brenda could register shock, the elevator doors opened, and Blair stepped off, and
began walking to her car.
“I thought we’d take mine,” Brenda stammered.
“That’s fine, are you the Explorer?”
“Expedition,” Brenda answered. “Jax’s the Explorer.”
“Well how very fitting,” Blair said, getting inside and buckling her seat belt.
Brenda got inside as well, hoping that Blair wouldn’t criticize her driving abilities as
well.
They drove along in silence for a few moments, before Blair, looking out the
window, sighed. “Jasper Jacks,” she said, shaking her head. “I hadn’t thought
about him in years.”
“You know Jax?” Brenda asked, watching the road and taking a sharp turn
very slowly. Blair looked at her briefly and then returned her gaze to the open
window.
“Yeah, you could say I know him,” Blair said. “We had a thing.”
“Thing?” Brenda asked. Blair pretended not to hear her.
“Do you know Jax?” Blair asked.
“Well I should hope so,” Brenda said, “I have four children with the man.”
“What?!” Blair gasped. Brenda had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep
from laughing out loud at Blair. She was doing a mental cheer for herself for finally
having displaced this woman. “Did you say four?” Blair asked.
“That’s right,” Brenda said. “Jessica’s the oldest, she’s six, and then there’s
Jacob, he’s four, and we just had twins, Joseph and Joanne, they’re seven months
old.”
“You look incredible for four children,” Blair said, sincerely complimenting
Brenda.
“Thank you,” Brenda said. She was beginning to think she would get along
with this woman after all.
“Children are incredible gifts,” Blair said softly. Brenda glanced at her as
they came to a stop light. She remembered what Sarah had told her and ventured
out on a limb.
“They certainly are,” Brenda said softly. “Do you ever think about having
more children?” Blair looked up at her quickly.
“How’d you know?” Blair asked.
“Everyone knows,” Brenda said, not wanting to give away her source.
“Yeah, everyone knows,” Blair said softly. “They have no idea what it’s
like.”
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose your children--”
“I don’t really want to talk about this with you right now, all right?!” Blair
said harshly. Brenda abruptly closed her mouth and then whispered an “I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” she thought she heard Blair say. She pulled into the parking lot of the
warehouse just then. Blair undid her seat belt and then looked over at Brenda.
“Their names were Evelyn and Peter--he was 2, she was 4.” Brenda just stared at
her, and Blair got out of the car, slamming the door. Brenda paused a minute, and
then followed her, trying to keep her distance and watch Blair work.
They examined this crime scene and the others for a few hours, until they
began to lose sunlight. “I don’t need anything else,” Blair said, taking off some
gloves she had brought along with her and stuffing them into a plastic bag. “Do
you?”
“No,” Brenda said, noting that Blair had been pretty quiet all day. “I can
take you back for your car, and then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Great,” Blair said. “I have a feeling I’m going to be pulling an all nighter,
though. If you have any more information on the case--”
“I have a few of my own notes at home--they might be helpful to you. We
could stop by there before I drop you at the office.”
“Thank you,” Blair said, “I think that would be best.” Brenda nodded and
smiled, going to the car. They were silent for most of the drive, and then Blair said,
“I haven’t seen Alexis in years. Since her son was a little boy.”
“That’s right,” Brenda said. “I forgot that you knew Alexis.”
“How is she?” Blair asked. “She was always such a good friend. And thank
God for her notes, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did in law school.”
“Uh, I don’t know how--” before Brenda could say anything, she was pulling
into her driveway and seeing her children tumbling out the front door and onto the
lawn. They stopped when they heard Brenda’s car and looked up. Will and Jessica
were fighting, but they didn’t seem to be fighting too hard. In fact, Jessica was on
Will’s back, and she had him in a headlock. He was doing his best to get her off of him, to no avail. “Hey,” Brenda called,
getting out of the car, “come on now. Get off
of your brother, Jessica. And when did you get home, anyway?” Will set Jessica on
her feet and then stalked back into the house without saying anything to Brenda.
“Was that Alexis’ boy?” Blair asked, coming up behind them. Will must have
heard her say his mother’s name, because he came back outside.
“You knew my mom?” Will asked. Blair nodded and extended her hand.
“The last time I saw you, you were just a baby,” she said smiling. “Is your
mom around? I’d love to say hi.”
“Oh,” Brenda said, reaching down to pick up Jacob, who had followed
Jessica outside, “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, Blair, uh--”
“My mom died a few days ago,” Will said plainly, but with hurt apparent on
his voice.
“What?” Blair asked, unable once again to hide her shock. “Oh, I’m so
sorry, Will. How are you?”
“Okay I guess,” he answered. “You knew my mom?”
“Yeah,” Blair said, the pain evident on her voice, but she held it together. “I
went to school with her, and she was so much smarter than me, even the professor.”
“Will you tell me about it sometime?” Will asked, looking at the ground.
“Of course,” Blair said in a whisper. Will went into the house just as his
father was coming out.
“Blair Daimler?” Jax asked in astonishment. “What on earth are you doing
here?”
“Oh, Jax,” Blair said, turning to look at him. “How are you? I just heard
about Alexis. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Jax said, looking down. He then looked back up and smiled
weakly. “Get over here,” he said, opening his arms to her. She went into them
willingly and hugged him tightly.
“It’s been too long,” she said. “Too long.”
“Great,” Brenda said under her breath, “and I was really starting to like
her.”

Wow, it's been a long time, huh? Well, now that I've finished Anew, This Time I'm Right, and The Best Thing, I have a few
chapters left, and I will also be able to finish Love For All Seasons. I am posting the link to all the previous chapters of this
story, so that any new and old readers may go back and read here and there, if the recap I give here isn't sufficient enough.
And I'm sure it won't be, LOL, because I need to go back and look myself. ;-)

At any rate, here is my small recap, and all the links to the page should be working. So do enjoy!

Recap: Jax and Brenda live in Georgia, and are US Marshalls. Jax has a ten year old boy with Alexis, whom he never married,
but remained close with. He married Brenda, and had two children with her, a six year old and a four year old. He and Brenda
had a good marriage, until she went through a depression, and began an affair with their superior, Sonny Corinthos. Jax was
devastated, but he didn't leave Brenda at first, because she was pregnant with twins. The children are his, not Sonny's. Upon
separation, Jax and Brenda agreed that he would raise the two eldest children, and she would raise the twins.

Her affair was short, and she wanted desperately to reunite with Jax, but he was too hurt. Eventually, Brenda lost both of her
parents within days of each other, and then had her twins, and began suffering from post partum depression. Unable to care for
her twins, Jax took them to live with him, Alexis and his son with her, along with the other two children he had with Brenda.
Brenda found herself effectively pushed out of her children's lives, but her career took off, and soon she was in an equal
position of power as Jax in the bureau. They each run separate floors, but have been put together to solve a high profile case
where the serial killer targets children.

They manage to put their differences aside to work together, but because of a mysterious situation with Jax and Alexis, she
assumes they are resuming their affair which has been over for nearly ten years. She finds out that Alexis has been suffering
from cancer, and by the time Brenda finds out, Alexis is near dying. She goes to London to pass away, and Brenda is left to
take care of Alexis' son, as well as her own children with Jax. Brenda and Jax also find their way to a tentative reunion.

Some sub plots are that, as usual, Sonny's up to something, and is not above sabotaging Jax's career. He does so, when he
goads Jax into a fight, and then suspends him. Sonny then summons "Blair Daimler", a character from "One Life to Live" to
work with Brenda. Blair is a legend in the business, and it's an honor for Brenda to be working with her on this case, that is until
Ms. Daimler starts exercising her priviledges as a superior officer, and Brenda finds out that Blair has a bit of a past with Alexis
as friends, and with Jax as MORE than friends. Blair seems to have a personal connection to Sonny as well.

Another small sub plot is that Lois is married to Jerry, and they have two children, Brooke-Lynn, and Benjamin. Both of which
are Jerry's children. Ned is Brenda's right hand man at work, and she is surprised to learn that her sister in law is having an
affair with Ned. Brenda was ostracized from her family when her affair with Sonny came out, so she very much wants to
protect Lois, and against her better judgement, is keeping the secret, both from Jax and from Jerry. Will it blow up in her face?
She's tried to talk Lois out of it, and for a time she thought she had, but upon finding some love letters, Brenda isn't sure
WHAT is going on.

Sarah is a character that is good friends with Brenda, but she is Jax's right hand woman on the floor he works on, so her loyalty
is with him. She does give Brenda advice, and hopes Jax and Brenda will get back together. She's a positive influence on them,
but is VERY protective of Jax, who saved her from a horrible situation long ago. "Kevin Collins" from Port Charles is her
husband in this story.

Okay, that's the premise, I highly reccomend reading the last two chapters, 19 and 20, it will give you a big recap as to everything that's going on.
I'm posting the link to all the previous chapters at the bottom of this page, if anyone wants to go back.
Enjoy it!
Victoria L

Chapter 21

Brenda watched as Jax hugged Blair, and then sighed to herself,
and carried Jacob into the house. She put him down on the floor, Jessica
and Will were watching television in the living room. Will put his arm
around the little boy, his face still on the screen. Brenda smiled to herself
as she watched the three of them. Will treated Jess and Jacob like his full
blooded siblings, no matter how angry he was at Brenda.
Going upstairs, Brenda knew that Will wasn’t really angry with her,
as much as he was angry at losing his mother. She would try not to be
too angry at him and his outbursts anymore. She knew how she had felt
losing both her parents so close together, seven months ago, just before
giving birth to the twins. Jax was moving out, her parents died, and she
gave birth to two babies, and had to let them live with their father,
because she was emotionally unable to take care of them. Brenda
shook her head as she got the files from their bedroom. Her life had been
falling apart, and she didn’t know how she was going to hold it together,
and William was only a ten year old kid. Despite his outbursts, he really
was handling himself better than anyone else could or would.
When Brenda came back downstairs, Jax had brought Blair inside,
and they were standing in the kitchen, having iced tea. She looked at
them for a moment, and then handed Blair the files.
“Here are my notes,” she said. “I haven’t heard a peep out of
Emery since I went to New York, and his brother was supposed to give us
some help, but that sort of turned up empty.”
“Yeah,” Blair nodded, “I heard about that. That’s okay, it was a
good lead, I would have looked into it myself.”
“Well Sonny--Mr. Corinthos wouldn’t have agreed with you, I’m
sure,” Brenda said, grabbing her car keys from the table. “Are you ready
to go?”
“Actually,” Jax said, “you’ve had a long day, I was thinking I would
drive Blair home, catch up some, you know? I’ve started dinner, it’ll be
done in a few minutes if you and the kids want to eat.”
“Aren’t you going to be home?” Brenda asked, stepping aside as
Jax and Blair headed for the door.
“Well since Sonny suspended me, and I can’t work on this case
officially, I thought that I would just go over to Blair’s for a little while, give
her my theories on what’s going on.”
“Your theories?” Brenda asked. “You didn’t tell me you had any
theories.”
“Well I do,” Jax said, as Blair stepped out on the porch. “Now I
won’t be long, I promise.”
“Okay,” Brenda nodded. She didn’t like the idea of Jax being
alone with Blair, but she knew she could trust Jax, didn’t she? Brenda sat
down with a thump at the kitchen table. Jessica, Jacob and William
were occupied in the television, the twins were sleeping, so she had a few
minutes to herself to think. She appreciated them far too much not to
take advantage of them. Blair and Jax seemed close, and they knew
each other, and apparently had a brief “thing” as Blair had put it. What
exactly did that mean, and why hadn’t Jax ever told Brenda about it?
“Because it doesn’t mean anything,” Brenda said to herself, getting up
and stirring the pasta that Jax had just started to cook, “and it never did
mean anything, because Alexis and I were the only women Jax ever
cared about.” She nodded to herself, and then went back into the living
room. “Hey guys,” she said, none of them turned to acknowledge her,
but she knew they were listening, “I’m going upstairs to take a quick
shower. William, would you turn off the pasta, it’s almost done. Don’t
open the door for anyone, and I’ll get the phone up there, okay? Oh,
and Will, would you please let the dogs in from the back? I hear them
scratching at the door.”
“Sure,” Will said, getting up. He would do anything for those
c*ckerspaniels that doubled as even more children for Jax and Brenda to
take care of. Brenda waited on the bottom of the stairs, and saw Will go
to the bottom steps to call the dogs. “Come on in, guys,” Will said.
Brenda saw Will start to come back in the kitchen, so she went upstairs to
her shower.
Will heard one of the dogs come bounding into the kitchen, and go
right for his dinner. Will walked over to the stove and turned it off, as
Brenda had requested, and put the lid on the top of it. He turned around
and saw that only one of the dogs had come in. Looking puzzled, he
went to the door and called the other one. “Come on, girl,” he called.
He thought he heard her barking in the back corner of the yard, so
without thinking, he went in the direction of the noise. The sound of the
screen door slamming behind him gave him quick pause. Though he was
used to playing in the yard, it was different in the dark. Everything was
always different in the dark. As he got closer to what he thought was his
dog, he realized there was nothing there except a small black tape
recorder. He leaned down and picked it up. Once again, the sound of a
dark barking came into his ears. Looking around he couldn’t find his dog
anywhere. All of a sudden, Will felt hands on his shoulders--strong hands,
that definitely weren’t his father’s. “Hey, what--”
“Shut up, kid!” Emery’s voice was the last thing that Will heard.

Blair’s apartment....
“Thanks for dropping me off,” Blair said, putting the key in and
turning the lock.
“No problem,” Jax said, coming in behind her, and turning around,
taking in his surroundings. “Wow,” he said. “The place is practically
empty. What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing,” Blair said, waving a hand. “I’ve been out of the
country for a long time, so I didn’t spend very much time here. But it’s
home.” Blair tried to put a homey feel on her apartment but she spent
little time there, and without her husband and two children, she just didn’t
feel like any place would ever feel like home again. “Can I get you
anything?” Blair asked. “I haven’t had time to look at Brenda’s notes yet,
but why don’t you tell me what you think.”
“Well I don’t know much about this Emery guy, I just know his MO.
He targets teenagers and kids.”
“I heard about the young girl you guys found by the lake a few
weeks ago.” Jax nodded.
“That was a hard one to have to see,” Jax said. “Brenda was very
good on that case, though.”
“Yes,” Blair said, sitting down at the table, and flipping through
Brenda’s files. “She’s a good Marshall. I was glad to know that I would be
working with her, as soon as Sonny asked me.”
“Speaking of which,” Jax said, “why did Sonny ask you to take on
this case? I mean no offense, there are a lot of agents that were already
here that could have helped Brenda when I got suspended.”
“Well, I am the best,” Blair said. “Why wouldn’t he ask me? What’d
you do to get suspended, anyway?”
“As if you don’t know,” Jax said. “It’s all over the office, Blair, and I
know you know by now.” Blair nodded.
“I did hear. Things must have been pretty bad, for you to get in
Sonny’s face like that.”
“He had it coming,” Jax said. “He’s lucky I didn’t beat his face in
when all of this first happened.”
“Well,” Blair said, shaking her head, “I understand how your life can
turn on a dime, and everything just goes upside down before you know it.
I’m so sorry to hear about Alexis,” she added. “But that boy of yours, Will,
he seems like he’s doing okay.”
“Some days are better than others,” Jax confirmed. “But I think he’s
going to be okay.” Jax shook his head then. “I don’t know how you did it,
Blair, going through all you did with your husband and your kids. If
anything ever happened to my family--”
“It Won’t,” Blair emphasized. “I’m going to make sure of it, we’re
going to bring this guy in. Do you think he’s still in the area?”
“Oh, I definitely do,” Jax said. “He kidnapped this kid a few days
ago, in some parking lot, Brenda went after him, but I think he was just
sending her a message.”
“What do you mean?” Blair asked.
“Well the kid went unharmed,” Jax said. “He just took him, and left
him there for Brenda and the police to find.” Blair nodded. “How did you
feel, losing your kids? I mean, I know it’s a sore subject, but maybe if we
talk to someone who really knows, then we can get some insight as to
what’s--”
“Well, you’ve given me a lot to think about,” she said, getting up
and rummaging through her refrigerator. “I’m going to get the details
from Brenda tomorrow about that particular story. But I think now you’d
better go.”
“Oh, hey Blair,” Jax said, standing up, “I didn’t mean to bring up a
sore subject.”
“It’s okay, honestly. I really don’t want to talk about it anymore.
Listen, why don’t you go home and take care of your family. You should
treasure them, and never take a moment for granted.”
“You’re right,” Jax said. “I think I will go on home. But I want you to
know if you need anything, you can always call me or Brenda.”
“I know that, thanks,” Blair said. “I’ll see you--or Brenda, in the
morning.” Jax knew that Blair was anxious for him to leave. Though they
had a VERY short fling together, he knew her well enough to know that
she wanted to be alone with her thoughts now.
“I’ll see you,” Jax said, walking out. He didn’t get a chance to talk
much to Blair, but there would be time for that later. Right now, he just
hoped that through that tough exterior, she would be all right.

Brenda came downstairs, and found the living room empty.
“Jessica?” she called.
“I’m upstairs, mom,” she said. Brenda nodded to herself, and went
quickly back up the stairs, ducking her head into Jessica’s room. Jacob
was on the floor trying to color in a coloring book, and Jessica was
playing Jacks right beside him.
“What are you guys doing up here?” she asked. “I thought you
were watching television.”
“It got boring,” Jessica said, “so I brought Jake up here so he could
stop saying he was hungry.”
“Oh,” Brenda laughed, “I’m sorry the shower took a little longer
than I thought, but if you guys can hang on for ten more minutes, I’ll go
ahead and fix dinner for you.”
“Okay,” Jessica said.
“Where’s your brother?” Brenda asked, shrugging into the sweatshirt
she had in her hand.
“I don’t know,” Jessica said. “He must be playing with the dogs or
something.”
“I told him to bring them in,” Brenda said.
“He brought one of them in, I didn’t hear him, so I came upstairs.”
Just then, Brenda’s heart came up in her throat.
“I want you guys to stay up here,” Brenda said, “I’m going to close
and lock this door. Jessica, you know how to open it, but I don’t want you
to until you hear your father or me on the other side of this door, you
understand me?”
“Yes, mama, but why--”
“Just be quiet, baby, I’ll be right back, I promise, before you have
time to miss me.” Brenda tried to hide the worry on her voice, and Jessica
nodded, trying to pretend that she wasn’t scared. Brenda smiled as she
closed the door, and then tried the knob, making sure that it was still
locked. She sighed to herself, and then hurried downstairs. “William!” she
cried. “Will, baby, are you--” Brenda’s voice was cut off as she looked at
the back door, swinging wide open. She went to the living room closet,
and stood on her tip toes to get her gun down. She took it out, loaded it,
and c*cked it. Then, without thinking, she hurried out the back door,
calling him as she went. “William?! Oh, no--” she whispered, when she
thought she saw blood on the concrete in the far corner of the back
yard. She looked up to her right and saw that the porch light was
broken, and right then, something inside her just knew. “Oh, Will,” she
said, her hands rushing to her mouth, as she dropped her gun.
“Brenda!” he called suddenly, out of nowhere.
“Will?!” she asked, calling out to him in the darkness, and taking a
tentative step forward. “Will?” She finally focused as her eyes adjusted to
the dark. And there she saw him, sitting in the middle of the yard, his
hands tied behind his back. All of a sudden, Emery came from behind
and pistol whipped Brenda. She fell to her knees, grabbing the back of
her head, and trying to maintain consciousness. His hand clasped over
her mouth and nose. She fought to keep her eyes on William, but there
was nothing she could do. Within moments, she was out.

Twenty minutes later, Jax came into the house, finding it eerily
quiet. He glanced at the television, and walked into the living room,
turning it off, prepared to give Jessica his usual lecture on leaving things
on when one leaves a room. He happened to glance up at the living
room closet, and saw that Brenda’s gun was gone. In that moment, his
heart stopped. He ran upstairs, taking them two at a time.
“Jessica! Kids!” he said, trying her knob. It was locked. “Jessica!” he
said. “Where are the twins?!”
“Daddy?!” Jessica called, the tears on her voice. “Is that you?”
“It’s me,” Jax called. “Open the door, sweetheart.” Jax sighed
when he heard a small click. He opened the door and scooped Jessica
up in his arms, hugging her. “Where’s your mother?”
“I don’t know, she said to stay here and lock the door until you
came home. What’s going on, daddy?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart,” Jax said, putting her down and noticing
that Jacob was completely oblivious to his surroundings. “Stay here for a
second, all right?”
“You’re not going to leave me too, are you daddy?” Jessica asked,
hanging onto his leg.
“I promise you that I’m not,” Jax said, going down the hall and
looking into Will’s room. He tried to be calm when he found that the
room was empty. Then he ran to the twins’ room, and was over joyed to
find them sleeping soundly, also, completely unaware. “Brenda?!” Jax
called, going down the stairs past Jessica, who was standing in the door,
the tears quietly streaming down her face.
Jax went down the rest of the stairs, and into the kitchen. He saw
one of the dogs barking at the back door, but not moving from his spot
there. Jax took his gun out, and carefully went to the back door, peering
out. He saw that the porch light was broken, so he went instead to the
laundry room and turned on the lights that illuminated the entire back
yard, and finding it empty, but still viewing a horrible sight. “Dear God!”
he said, coming down the stairs and seeing the trail of blood that led to
the pool. One of the dogs was floating in the pool, the water turning a
crimson red. Jax knew he was going to be sick, but when he heard
Jessica’s little voice behind him, he turned quickly and closed the door
behind him.
“What is it, daddy?” she asked, holding on to him tightly. Jax
blinked hard, keeping back the tears.
“It’s nothing, baby, it’s going to be all right,” Jax said, putting her on
the couch in the living room. “I need you to be a big girl for me, I need
you to be strong, all right? There’s been an accident, and daddy needs
to check on mommy and Will, and make sure they’re okay, all right?”
“All right, daddy,” Jessica said, sitting still and sniffling, trying to do as
her father had asked her. Jax was beside himself now with worry. What
was he going to do? He put his gun back in its holster, and got on the
phone. His blood ran cold when he realized that the line was dead. He
took his cell phone from his pocket and dialed furiously. “This is Jasper
Jacks,” he said, “US Marshall. We’ve had another attack by Emery, I want
a police car to my residence immediately. This is a code three.” Jax
hung up the phone then, and sighed, putting his hands down on the
table in defeat. “D@mn it!” he said, using all the strength he had to turn
over the kitchen table, and send the dishes flying.
“Daddy!” Jessica screamed. “Stop it!” He turned around then,
remembering himself. He hurried to her and held her as she cried.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” he said. “It’s going to be all right. I’ll make sure
of it.”
“Where’s mama, daddy?” She asked, crying. “Where’s Will?”
“I don’t know, baby, but you can bet we’re going to get them
back. We’re going to get them back.”

Hey all! 21 was new, too, don't worry. ;-) Okay, this chapter is a bit brutal, and the following chapters will be too, so it's not for the squeamish.
Victoria L.

Chapter 22

Jax’s house was swarming with police just forty-five minutes later.
He wanted to head the investigation himself, and he would, but for right
now, he just couldn’t do anything but sit on the couch, holding his twins,
Joseph and Joanne. They were sleeping soundly, completely unaware of
what was going on around them. It was taking everything in Jax not to
fall apart. No one that had ever been taken by Emery had survived--no
one. Just that knowledge was enough to make Jax lose it. But he
couldn’t. He had Jacob, and Jessica, and the twins to take care of.
There were still people that needed him. He couldn’t go off half c*cked,
looking for Emery, and getting himself, Brenda or Will killed. He had to
hold it together, but it was so hard, watching the people comb his house
and back yard for fingerprints. Having them tape off his yard, “Police
Line: Do Not Cross.” He had never been part of a real investigation
before, certainly not for anything that involved him personally.
“Jax,” Blair said, coming in, a worried look on her face that seemed
to always be there. She kneeled in front of him, and squeezed his hand.
“Hey,” she said, motioning for him to look at her. “Don’t go there in your
mind, all right?” she said, shaking a finger. “We don’t know what’s
happening, we don’t even know that Emery has them--”
“Oh come on, Blair who else would have done this?!” Jax asked.
When Joanne began to stir, Blair stood up, and turned her back, sighing
deeply. “I’m sorry,” Jax said. “Here let me put them down. I need to
take them to my parents, or something--oh, God, my parents, I haven’t
called them yet. And Lois and Jerry, and Bobbie--she’s been out of the
country, I need to get in touch with her--”
“Why?” Blair asked. “Nothing has happened yet.”
“In case you haven’t noticed,” Jax said angrily, “my wife and son
have been kidnapped by a sadistic serial killer, who rapes, and murders!”
Blair jumped at the sound of Jax’s voice.
“Daddy?” Jessica asked, coming down the stairs, her hand on the
stair case. “Is mom going to be okay?” Jax looked at Blair helplessly.
“She sure is, pumpkin,” Blair said, going to Jessica and taking her
hand. She led her down the rest of the stairs as Jax went up to put the
twins down. “Listen, I know it must look pretty scary with all of these
people around your house, huh?” Jessica nodded, wiping away a tear
but not crying. “Well listen, you know that all of these people are just
here trying to find clues so they can help to find your mother, and your
brother, all right?”
“I guess,” Jessica said. “But they’re making a mess.” Blair just
laughed, and put an arm around Jessica.
“I know, baby,” she said. “But listen, your daddy and me, we’re on
the case, and we’re not going to let anything happen to your mama, or
Will. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jessica said. “I just hope you find them soon.”
“Me too, sweet pea. Listen, I need you to do me a big favor, okay?
I know that you always take care of your little brothers, and sister, and I
need you to do that again for me. I’m sure your grandparents, or
someone will be here soon, to pick you guys up.”
“We have to leave? Can’t we stay here?”
“I don’t think that’d be best--” Blair started to say, when Sarah
came in the room.
“Sarah!” Jessica said, getting off the couch and running to her. It
was a little hard for Sarah to pick Jessica up being very pregnant, but she
managed anyway.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she said the tears on her voice. “How are you
doing?”
“I’m all right,” Jessica said. “But this is scary.”
“Oh, I know it is,” she said, putting her back on the floor. “Listen, I’m
going to take you over to my house for the night, would you like that?
And you can play with my girls.” Jessica nodded.
“What about Jacob and the twins?”
“Well I think your grandparents are going to come and get them
later, but I thought you’d like to come to my house, and have me and
the girls all to yourself. I know you’re a very good big sister, but I thought
maybe you wouldn’t want to have that burden of being a big sister, just
for one night.”
“Well,” Jessica said. “Okay, but just for one night. Jacob gets sad
when I’m not with him.”
“All right, baby,” Sarah said, standing up, as Jax came back down
the stairs, looking weary. Jessica went back up as he came down.
“Did you call your parents?” Blair asked.
“Yeah, they’re on their way,” Jax said.
“Did you find any fingerprints?” Blair asked, when one of the
detectives came over.
“We didn’t find anything, the place is clean. The perp must have
used gloves.”
“Well of course the man used gloves!” Jax erupted. “Why are you
treating this as if we don’t know who did this? It was Emery, and you
know it!”
“Jax, we think that it was him--” Blair started.
“And who else would it be, I ask you?” Jax said.
“Brenda’s put a lot of people away,” Sarah said, shaking her head.
“Any one of them could have done this.”
“Okay,” Jax nodded, “I’ll give you that. Fine. Why don’t you look
into that for me, would you mind, Sarah?”
“Of course not,” she said. “I was thinking of taking Jessica home
with me and my girls. I can do my research there, see if anyone Brenda’s
put in jail recently could be coming back now for revenge.”
“Jax, you’d better check your own case files too,” Blair said softly.
“You think this could be because of me?” Jax asked, at first
incredulously, but after a few moments of thought, he realized Blair could
be right.
“I’ll do that too,” Sarah said. “It’s a big job, but I’ll have Kevin to
help me.”
“All right, thank you,” Jax said. Sarah nodded, and headed upstairs
to get Jessica.
“I’m going to go out back and see if they have any information for
me,” Blair said, stepping over the mess that Jax had made in the kitchen
and going out the back door. Jax soon joined her. He saw Blair go into
detective mode, but he just couldn’t seem to join her there. Why
couldn’t he get himself together? Every precious second they wasted,
Emery was getting further and further away from them.
Blair kneeled down as she looked around the edge of the pool.
She could see that someone’s shoe had left prints from the wet grass.
They would dry soon, though.
“Hey,” she said, motioning Jax over. “Do you have a file or
something with Emery’s prints in them? His shoe prints?”
“Oh, they’d be at Brenda’s,” Jax said, running his hands through his
head, frustrated.
“That’s okay,” Blair said. “Why don’t I go and get them, do you
know where they’d be?”
“Yeah,” Jax said, “but the house is huge, are you sure, why don’t
you just let me go. I’d find them a lot easier.”
“Because you have to be here in case something happens. You
have to be here when your parents get here, too. Don’t worry about it,
just tell me where to look.”
“Okay, well her desk is downstairs, it’s like the second room on your
right off the hallway. Any files she would have would be in that room, or
on that computer.” Blair nodded.
“Got it. Well listen, I’m going to go, and then maybe I’ll head over
to the office, or something.”
“Okay,” Jax said. “Yeah, I think after my parents get the kids,
maybe I’ll come in, too.”
“Okay,” Blair said, moving back up the steps.
“Oh, Blair?” Jax asked. “We’ve brought everyone in on this, right?”
“You know we have all our best people workin’ for you, Jax.” He
nodded.
“Thanks.”
“We’ll get them back,” Blair said. “We will.” Jax hoped she was
right.

Four Days Later

Jax sat at his desk, his head buried in his hands. He had just fallen
asleep, when the sound of the door opening startled him, as he knocked
over a cup of cold coffee.
“D@mn it!” he said.
“Hey,” Sarah said, “don’t worry about it. Look,” she said, holding up
the papers. “They were blank. See? No harm done.”
“Yeah,” Jax said, sighing deeply. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you apologize,” Sarah insisted. “You have nothing to be
sorry for.”
“I’ve been losing my mind,” Jax said, getting up and pacing
around the room. “I can’t be around my children, I can’t think, I can’t
sleep--Brenda and Will have been gone for a week, now, and no word
from Emery. And do you want to know why that is?” Jax asked, his voice
getting angrier. “Because he’s NOT GOING TO CALL US!!! He doesn’t
want us to find him! This was not a kidnapping, do you understand that,
Sarah! No, it isn’t. He kidnapped them all right, but not because he
wants any ransom money for them, oh no. Because he’s trying to stop
Brenda, and he’s trying to teach me a lesson.”
“That’s what all of these criminals do,” Sarah said, getting up and
putting a hand on Jax’s arm. “But he wants you to know he did this, Jax.
That’s why he’ll contact you--”
“He already knows that I know it was him. He’s just somewhere
waiting, biding his time. And you know,” Jax said, moving out of his office,
“that’s just what I HOPE he’s doing. If he’s following his MO, he’s already
killed them, we’ll find their bodies in a few more days, and he’ll be on to
his next victim!”
“Jax, please,” Sarah said. “You have got to calm down.” Jax had
stopped at Lois’ desk. She had been there, trying to work, but her eyes
were red, and she hadn’t even turned on her computer.
“If you can’t be of any use to anyone, Lois,” Jax said, “then why
don’t you just go home?”
“Hey!” Jerry said, coming off the elevators, “Jax, you don’t speak to
my wife that way. I know you’re hurting, I know things are out of control
for you right now, but we are all trying to help!”
“To tell you the truth,” Jax said, shrugging his shoulders and letting
his arms drop to the side, “I don’t even know what we’re all doing here.
Do you? Assuming we ever find them, don’t you all believe they’re
already dead? I mean that’s his MO, right? He doesn’t wait, he’s not into
torturing his victims for days on end, watching us run around like maniacs
looking for them. No, he doesn’t care about any of that. He just wants
Brenda and I off his back, and the only way to do that is to kill her.”
“Jax, you’re going to kill yourself worrying like this--” Lois started to
say.
“And what would you have me do?” Jax asked, sarcastically.
“Hmm? Sit around the house, twiddle my thumbs while I leave it to the
professionals?”
“You are a professional,” Sarah said, “But I think she’s right, you’re
too close to this case. You haven’t slept in days, Jax. You’ve been here,
you’ve been home, you’ve run the shoe prints fifteen times, and you’ve
dusted for prints, FIVE times, Jax.”
“So what are you saying?” he asked, turning to her. “That I’ve
exhausted all the possibilities? That I’ve run out of options?” Everyone
was quiet as Jax stared at them all. “You people listen to me. You can
help me, or you can all go home. I don’t care. But I am not going to
sleep, and I am not going to eat, and I am not going to REST until I get
Brenda and Will back, and I see that man dead!”
“I agree,” Blair said, coming off the elevator and moving to stand
beside Jax. He sighed deeply, and looked around, daring anyone to
challenge him. “I need to talk to you,” Blair said softly, turning to face
him. “Can we talk in your office?” Jax nodded.
“I meant what I said,” he started, when Blair stepped out of his way.
“Either you can help, or you can all get out.”
When he and Blair got back to his office, he opened the door for
her, and then sat down at his desk, typing away again.
“What are you doing?” she asked softly, sitting on the corner of his
desk.
“I’m running through that list of criminals that Brenda and I had
convicted. Any case we’ve worked on in the past four years.”
“But Jax--that’s hundreds of people--”
“So what?”
“Well didn’t Sarah already do that for you?”
“There’s nothing else I can do, all right?!” Jax asked, slamming his
hands down on the table. At that moment, for the first time, since it
happened, Jax openly wept. Blair moved around to his side of the desk
and held him as he cried. “How did you do it?” he asked. “All the nights,
sitting up, waiting--and I’m a cop, you know? I’m not like all of those
other parents out there who can still have hope. I know what four days
means. Not a word from him we’ve heard, and we’re not going to hear
from him, because he already has what he wants.” Jax looked up at Blair
then, who was suddenly staring at the wall, immersed in her own
thoughts. “What is it?” Jax asked. Blair shook her head.
“It was nothing,” she said. “Go on.”
“Well I was just asking how you did it,” he said. “I mean, if you don’t
mind my asking.” Blair cleared her throat, and shook her head.
“Jax, things aren’t going to work out for you the way they did for
me,” she insisted. “But, if you want, I can tell you how things went. The
man that took my children and my husband--”
“The man?” Jax asked. “Didn’t you ever find out who did it?”
“No,” Blair said. “We never did.”
“Oh my God,” Jax said. “How do you live with it?”
“I basically don’t,” she said, “and I didn’t then. We didn’t find them
for three weeks,” she said. “And then we did, half a mile down the road.”
“How--how long?” Jax asked, unable to find the words and fight
the rising bile in his throat at the same time.
“They had been dead for two and a half weeks,” Blair said. “Just
shy of five days.”
“I’m so sorry,” Jax said. Blair nodded, trying to come from
underneath the sadness that always seemed to consume her. It was why
she hadn’t gotten involved too much in the investigation, and why she
took every case that would take her as far away from home as possible.
“Listen,” she said, “I didn’t really come in here to talk about this,
okay? I came in here to tell you something.”
“What is it?” Jax asked.
“I know you’re going to be angry,” she began.
“Would you just tell me? Nothing could make me angrier than I
already am.”
“Sonny’s taking you off the case,” she said slowly.
“Well I’m not officially on it, anyway. I’m still on suspension. What
can I say? The guy’s taking a break from being a jerk and letting me work
here on this.”
“Would you think about what you’re saying?” Blair asked. “He is a
jerk. But he’s also the boss.”
“What are you talking about?” Jax asked. “Why are you saying this
at all?”
“Because I want you to remember your place when you hear this.
If you get yourself into anymore trouble, you’re going to be out of here on
your butt.”
“WHY would I?” he asked. “Come on, just tell me.”
“He’s moving the case from active status,” she said.
“What?!” Jax asked, standing up. “Why? What reason did he
give?”
“Jax, every person that Emery’s kill--taken, has been killed within
the first three days that it happens.”
“I know that. So what?”
“So, Sonny claims he’s doing what he would in any other case. It’s
been four days, and usually at this point, we stop moving to actively save
the victim’s life, because we assume, at this point, that the victim is
already--well, gone, Jax.”
“No,” Jax said, shaking his head. “William and Brenda aren’t gone,
and I’m not going to let that son-of---I’m not going to let him just seal this
off.” Jax stormed out, and Blair struggled to follow him, knowing that he
was going to Sonny’s office. She joined him on the elevator.
“Be careful, Jax,” she said. “Watch what you say. Maybe you can
convince him to keep the case open--”
“It’s only been four days,” Jax said. “FOUR! That’s NOTHING for an
investigation, and you know it. Investigations stay open for years, and he’s
trying to close this one after days--not even a full week. No way, Blair, no
way. I don’t know what it is,” Jax said. “That keeps us sane, other than
our family. I used to wonder about the victim’s families. How they must
be doing, knowing that their children, their wives, their husbands--are
being murdered, and there’s nothing they can do about it. But ME, I can
do something about it. I’m supposed to be able to, anyway. This was not
supposed to happen to MY kid, and MY wife--she’s a US Marshall, right
along with me. I can’t understand this. I can’t--” Jax stopped talking
when he reached Sonny’s office. He barged in without so much as
knocking.
“I was expecting you,” Sonny said, standing up when he came in.
“You can’t close this case,” Jax said. “I won’t let you.”
“I’m not closing this, I told you, I’m taking it off of active status.”
“And putting it where?!” Jax asked. “On the pile of other cases that
in a few months move to ‘Unsolved’? I don’t think so. You know as well as
I do what doing this to a case means.”
“And so do you,” Sonny challenged. “There has NEVER been an
Emery case that we’ve kept open longer than three days, because we
know what happens--”
“Just give me one more day,” Jax pleaded.
“You aren’t even supposed to be here!” Sonny said.
“And you could change all that!” Jax said. “We both know why I’m
on suspension. You could just get over the fact that I beat your--”
“Okay, Jax,” Blair said, “come on, let’s go, so you can cool off.”
“No, go ahead,” Sonny challenged. “Let’s hear it.”
“Well there must be something wrong with you,” Jax said. “Not
getting any at home? The wife still upset that you were cheating on
her?”
“All right, that’s it, get out! One more word from you, Jax, and I’m
going to tack another month onto your suspension, you got it!”
“Do your damage,” Jax said. “I don’t care. You’re not going to get
away with this, you hear me?! Nothing is going to stop me from finding my
son!”

A motel room, somewhere in rural Georgia

Brenda woke up, but her world was still black. She tried to open her
eyes and realized that she was blindfolded. She didn’t move, and she
didn’t stir, she didn’t want Emery to know that she was awake. How long
had she been out? She realized then that it was probably the first time in
days that she had been conscious long enough to get her bearings.
Brenda tried to use her senses to determine where she was. She was
obviously inside a building, because she wasn’t cold. Was she lying on
the floor? Yes, she was against some kind of wall. Her blood ran cold
when she realized that she had no idea where Will was, and she couldn’t
hear him, or anyone else around her. She couldn’t hear him breathing,
she couldn’t hear Emery breathing, either. What was going on?
Brenda then took a chance, trying to sit up. She found that her
arms were tied hard behind her back, but because of her position, she
had almost no feeling in them. As soon as she moved, she felt the
muscles go taut in her lower body.
“Oh, no,” she sobbed, realizing then that she had probably been
raped, she had no underwear on. “Will?” she asked, when she heard a
noise moving across the room from her. She stopped sobbing instantly,
trying to hear. “Someone?” she asked. “Anyone? Please, help!”
“No use callin’, sweetheart,” he said. “No one’s gonna hear you.”

Here's ch. 23, also, not for the faint of hearts.
Victoria L.

Chapter 23

“Jax, come on, let’s just go!” Blair said, tugging at his shirt sleeve.
Jax gave Sonny one last look of warning, before going out the door. Jax
waited outside while Blair talked to Sonny. “Hey,” she said, when Sonny
turned to stare out the window. “Don’t look so surprised, my friend. You
know very well why he said the things he did. He’s under an incredible
amount of stress.”
“Don’t you get it?” Sonny asked. “I don’t care what kind of stress
the man is under, we all have a job to do here. Now I don’t like it any
more than you do, but we have to face facts. Brenda’s dead, the kid’s
dead, and that’s all there is to it. What we have to focus on now is
getting Emery behind bars before he does this to someone ELSE--”
“Oh my God,” Blair said, putting a hand over her heart. “You really
don’t care, do you? You’ve seriously given up hope that they could be
alive.” Sonny nodded.
“Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here, Blair.”
“Oh, I’m not,” she said incredulously. “You’re doing just fine all by
yourself. I mean, come on, Michael. Think about what you’re doing, think
about what you’re saying! You had--you had an affair with this woman,”
Blair said, lowering her voice and looking over her shoulder. “You
compromised her career, and ended her marriage. You nearly ended
your own. You had to feel something for her to sacrifice so many things--”
“It was never about love between Brenda and I,” Sonny said. “And
whatever it was, it’s over now. I don’t have the time or the money and
resources to keep this investigation going with as much force as we’re
using right now. That’s the bottom line.”
“All right,” Blair said, standing back up and squaring her shoulders.
“Fine. If that’s the way you want to play this.”
“That’s the way I AM playing this,” he said. “Because I’m the man in
charge.”
“You’re so out of control, you don’t know what you’re doing
anymore,” Blair said. “Oh yeah, you didn’t think I knew about all those
kick backs and favors you were taking, did you?” Sonny whirled around
and came around his desk.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Blair,” Sonny replied.
“The h#ll I don’t,” she said. “I know what you’ve been doing, and if
you think I’m going to let you continue to get away with it, you’ve been
seriously misled.”
“I thought you were my friend,” Sonny said, putting his hands on her
shoulders.
“I was your friend,” she said defiantly, “until you did THIS. I don’t
want anything more to do with you,” she said.
“What are you going to do?” he asked, pulling her arm until she
came back into the room.
“What I should have done a long time ago,” she said. “I’m throwing
you out on your ear!” With that, she slammed the door and sighed,
turning to Jax. “Hey,” she said.
“Am I supposed to go home now?” Jax asked. “Am I fired?”
“No,” Blair asked, tossing her long blonde hair back. “You’re
promoted.” She pointed a casual thumb back at Sonny’s closed door.
“You want a job?”
“You’re not serious,” Jax said. “You’ve got something on the man?”
“I’ve got a case load you wouldn’t believe,” Blair said. “I’m going
to turn him in right now, you’ll have his job by the end of the day.”
“Well wait a second,” Jax said. “Why didn’t you ever turn him in
before now?”
“Because despite all his faults,” Blair said softly, “I thought he was a
better man. We all care, that’s why we’re here, to protect and serve,
that’s not why he’s here. And any other reason is just not acceptable. I
thought he was a better man, plain and simple. I guess I was wrong.”
Jax raised an eyebrow. “Hey, she said, it’s been known to happen. Now,
here’s what I want you to do. Pull out all the stops, let’s look around, let’s
get them found, all right?”
“You got it,” Jax said. “And Blair?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”

The motel room....

Brenda flinched when she felt Emery move to stand over her. He
leaned down, and when she could feel him getting closer, all she could
do was turn her face to the wall and shiver.
“That’s what I like to see,” he said. “Women writhing in fear.
Especially you, tough lady. You’re not so tough now, are you?”
“Let me go, please,” Brenda said, whimpering.
“Oh you don’t have to worry, I’m going to let you go,” he said. “At
least that’s the plan. Depends on how long it takes your hubby to get
here. Not my fault if you die in the meantime.”
“You left something for him to find me?” Brenda said, her voice
shaking.
“Nah,” Emery said, plopping down on the bed. “I’m counting on
him to use all those skills he’s supposed to be famous for, and find you all
on his own. I’ve got nothing but time.” Brenda felt like she was going to
be sick, and her body hurt all over.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” she said, just hoping for a few
moments when his eyes weren’t on her.
“Go ahead,” he said. “I won’t stop you. You can even close the
door. There are no windows or anything in the bathroom, so I trust you to
be a good girl. Well go ahead,” he said after a few moments. “If you
can find it.” Emery laughed a maniacal laugh as Brenda struggled to get
up from the floor. She was thankful she was still dressed, though her
undergarments were gone. She was so afraid of walking straight into him,
or tripping over something, so she went very slowly about the room. She
began to cry when she couldn’t get to the bathroom fast enough.
“Here,” he said, ripping the blindfold off her face, and shoving her into the
bathroom. “I’m tired of hearing that sniffling.
Brenda fell hard against the closed door, and bumped her head as
she slid to the floor, and wept.
“Oh, Jax,” she said, “please find me. Find me soon.” Brenda
stopped crying long enough to look around the bathroom. It was clean,
it didn’t look as though anyone, including Emery had been in there at all.
Maybe they had just gotten here, Brenda thought to herself. She didn’t
even know what day it was, if it was morning or evening, or what. Her
arms were still bound so tightly behind her back, but she did what she
could to help herself go to the bathroom. She didn’t dare try and take a
shower or bathe--though she didn’t know what he could do to her that
he hadn’t already done. She was in no hurry to go back out into the
room and join him, so she sat down on the side of the tub with a wince.
Brenda was shaking, and breathing hard, and trying to get her
bearings. She didn’t know how she was going to survive, she didn’t know
how she was going to be able to go on for the next five minutes, and she
might be waiting for days. Were they even in Georgia anymore? She
wondered. She had to do something to try and help herself, and fast.
That’s when she noticed the clock--10:30 in the morning. She sighed,
grateful for even the small piece of information. She crept over to the
door then, and listened, trying to hear what was happening. She heard
the television on, but it was turned down low, and she guessed it must be
near the bathroom door. She didn’t hear anyone moving around the
room, so she knew that Emery had to be on the bed, which was directly
across from the door. She couldn’t make any moves without him seeing
her.
Will. Where was he? He wasn’t in the bathroom, and she didn’t
hear him moving around outside, either. Brenda wanted so much to
question Emery, but she didn’t dare. Partly because she may just find out
on her own when she left the bathroom, and partly because if her
instincts were correct, she didn’t want to know at all what had happened
to the little boy.
“I have to do something,” she whispered to herself. “I can’t just let
this happen to me. I can’t just sit here and wait to die.” She looked
frantically around the bathroom, seeing a plunger, the only weapon she
could possibly use. She also noticed some kind of chemical cleaner that
was used to clean the bathrooms, the maid must have forgotten it. It was
a powder though, not a liquid, so she didn’t know how much damage
she could do with it, she might not even be able to get it in his eyes, and
even then, it wouldn’t hurt him enough to put him out of commission the
way, say, bleach would. “How am I going to do anything with my arms
tied behind my back?!” she said through clinched teeth. That’s when she
noticed the cabinet underneath the sink. Maybe something was
underneath there. She kneeled down. The sweatshirt she wore was
making her so hot, in this cramped room, she was thankful to at least
have her shorts. Brenda used her shoulder to open the cabinet extremely
slowly, so as not to make it creak, and alert him to what she was doing.
She knew the bathroom door had a lock on it, but if he heard her turn the
lock, he’d only kick the door in, and Brenda already knew she wouldn’t
be able to stand his eyes on her, making her feel even more horrible and
disgusting. She opened the cabinet, and sighed. It was completely
empty.
She plopped down on the floor and cried, her face upward, and
the tears stinging her face. She was still listening for Will, and he was
nowhere. He had completely disappeared. If Emery had left him
somewhere, though, then maybe he was able to get away by now. Or
maybe someone would find him. If no one was watching him, maybe Will
could do something to help himself escape. She hoped he could,
because it was exactly what she should be doing right now. When she
tried to close the cabinet again, this time with her foot, it slipped, and she
cut it. She wanted to cry out in pain, but she kept her emotions in check,
not wanting to alert him to anything. That’s when she thought of it. The
corners and edges of the cabinet door were very jagged, and if she
worked it hard enough, she could loosen her bindings, and maybe get
them off altogether. “Can’t hurt to try,” she said, gritting her teeth, and
setting to work.

Sarah’s house
“Hey there, sweetheart,” Kevin said, when his wife came home. “I
thought you were going to be working at the office today, helping Jax.
Oh, there wasn’t any word, was there?”
“No,” Sarah said, sighing, and rubbing her growing tummy. “I don’t
know what to do for Jax anymore. I’ve helped him every way I know
how. I don’t know how long he’s going to be able to handle all of this.”
“You’re taking care of his daughter,” Kevin offered. “You’re helping
him to keep his family together. I think that’s more help than most people
are able to give when something like this happens to their friends and
family.” Sarah shook her head, and sat down at the table.
“They’ve been gone four days, Kevin,” she said. “And today makes
five. Serial killers don’t usually change their pattern, you know? Emery kills
within the first three days, and that has NEVER changed. Why would he
keep Brenda or William alive?”
“They are not the ordinary victims,” Kevin said.
“My husband the shrink,” she said. “Just because they’re not
ordinary victims--”
“Well wait a second,” Kevin put in. “Didn’t you say that Emery
targets kids?”
“Yeah, and teenagers.”
“Well Brenda’s neither,” Kevin said.
“Yeah, but what does that say about Will?” Sarah asked. “Emery’s
got no reason to keep him alive.” Kevin paused slightly, not wanting to
answer his wife’s question. He went on with his own line of thinking.
“It’s safe to say that since Brenda and Jax have been actively
pursuing him to put him behind bars, it would stand to reason that his
purpose for all of this is to send Jax a message. And if he were just going
to kill Will and Brenda, wouldn’t he have just killed them? Why kidnap
them?”
“Because he always moves his victims,” Sarah said. “He always has
at least two crime scenes.”
“But hasn’t he broken part of his pattern already,” Kevin said, “by
taking two people instead of one? I mean, he’s never done that before.”
“You may be on to something,” Sarah said. “Go on.”
“Well you’re the expert,” Kevin said, “when it comes to things like
this, but usually, serial killers’ patterns are so methodical, and so
predictable, they almost never deviate from them, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay, well so far, he’s done two things that would suggest he’s
breaking pattern. He’s taken TWO victims at one time, and he’s never
done that before, and he’s proven with previous victims, that he has no
desire to kill someone over the age of 18. So he MUST be doing this to get
back at Brenda. There’s no other explanation for him taking her. None
that I can see, anyway.”
“You’re right,” Sarah said, getting up. “I’m going to call Jax and tell
him what you’ve said.” Before Sarah could pick up the phone though, it
rang. “Hello?” she said.
“Hello,” Emery said softly. Sarah knew immediately who it was.
“Oh my God,” she said. “What do you want? Where are you?”
“Are you alone?” he asked.
“Yes,” Sarah said, immediately turning to Kevin and putting a finger
to his lips.
“Good. Now listen very carefully, because I’m not staying on this
line long enough for you to trace it. I’m at the Pine Cone Motel, room 42.
Come alone, and come now. You’ve got two hours. I’ve got a gun to
Mrs. Jacks’ head, and if I see anyone other than you, I will blow her head
off, you got me?”
“Yes,” Sarah said. “But what about Will?” she asked. “Is he all
right?” A dial tone was all Sarah got in response. She hung up the phone
and cursed slightly.
“What happened?” Kevin asked. “Was that Emery?”
“Yes,” Sarah nodded. “Give me your cell phone to use in case he
calls back.” Sarah dialed Jax’s number. As she waited for him to pick up,
she said to Kevin, “Well, that’s the third pattern he’s broken. God help
me, Kevin, and God help Jax, because I don’t know what this man is
going to do next.”

One hour later, Jax’s office

“Sarah, thanks for the information,” Jax said, when she ducked her
head in the door and put yet another file on the mountain that was
growing on his desk.
“Sure,” she said. “Hey listen, if there’s anything else I can do, you’ll
let me know, right? You’ll let me know when it’s time to go to the motel? I
only have another hour to get there.” Jax nodded. “I’ll be at my desk,
then.”
“Okay, thanks,” Jax said. As Sarah went to her desk, she looked up
and saw Ned, standing over Lois’ desk, talking to her. Lois looked upset,
and Ned just looked sad. Sarah knew she should stay out of it, but she just
couldn’t. She marched over to Ned and Lois.
“What on earth do the two of you think you’re doing?!” she asked,
in a hushed whisper.
“We were just talking,” Ned said. “What’s wrong?”
“You know very well what’s wrong,” she said. “I can’t believe that
two of you are over here, discussing, whatever it is you’re discussing, when
all of this is going on. Brenda and Will have been kidnapped. She’s your
friend,” she said, pointing to Lois, “and she’s your boss,” she said, glaring at
Ned. “And what about Will?” she asked Lois. “He’s your nephew! And
you’re sitting here planning your next tryst!”
“Sarah!” Lois said standing up. “He was just giving me a few files
from downstairs that needed some work in Brenda’s absence!” Sarah
stopped talking then, and sighed, just staring back at Lois and Ned.
“I think I’ll let the two of you talk this out,” Ned said softly, clearing
his throat and heading for the elevator.
“Yes,” Sarah said, “why don’t you do that?!” When Ned got on the
elevator, Jerry got off, but Lois had her back turned to him.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Lois asked. “Did Brenda tell
you? She promised she wouldn’t!”
“I found the letters myself,” Sarah said, “but that’s beside the point,
because I have talked to Brenda about this. And don’t waste time getting
angry with her,” she continued. “She’s doing everything she can to help
you keep your little secret.” Sarah sighed before going on. “You know, this
isn’t my business, I personally don’t give a d@mn what you do with your
personal time--but things are so hectic right now, they could be dead or
dying, and you’re here--”
“I told YOU,” Lois said. “He was just giving me some work.”
“What’s going on?” Jerry asked, stepping between Lois and Sarah.
He hadn’t heard anything they said. He kissed Lois on the cheek, and
looked to Sarah for an explanation.
“Nothing,” Sarah said. “You should go in and see your brother, I
think that they’re having some breaks in the case.” With that, Sarah
turned on her heels and headed back to her desk.
“What was that all about?” Jerry asked, looking at Lois.
“Nothing,” Lois said, waving a hand. “I’m glad you’re here, though,
sweetheart,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and sighing.

Blair breezed into Jax’s office, one very old looking manila
envelope in one hand, and a bright red new folder in the other. She
slammed them both down on Jax’s desk, tears in her eyes.
“Have you seen this?!” She asked.
“I really don’t have time for this, Blair,” Jax said, getting up. “We’re
about to go over to some motel, the Pine Cone. Emery called Sarah, and
we think they’re there. You know, I can’t understand how they could be
there, we searched all the motels, so I thought. But it has been days--”
“I know,” she said, tears on her voice. “I heard, but you have to look
at this first!”
“What’s happened?” Jax asked, taking both her hands in his.
“Just look at it!” she urged, forcing both folders on him. Jax opened
the old folder, recognizing it as Blair’s old case, where her husband, and
two children had been so brutally murdered by a serial killer. The other
file was Brenda’s and Will’s.
“I know what this is,” Jax said. “But why are you showing it to me?”
“You remember all that stuff you said, that Sarah told you?” she
asked. “About this being personal, about Emery breaking his pattern to
get to Brenda, about him taking a grown up, when he targets children?
All of that?”
“Yes,” Jax said. “That’s why I still have hope that they’re alive.”
“But don’t you see?” Blair asked. “He hasn’t broken his pattern at
all!”
“I don’t understand,” Jax said. Blair sighed, and put both of the
folders on the chair behind her.
“Come here,” she said, moving to the other side of his desk, and
searching through all the files. “Where is it?!” she asked, her frustration
obvious on her voice. She sighed appreciatively when she found one file,
and then the other. “Look,” she said. “Don’t you know what today is?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t.”
“It’s the anniversary of my children’s death,” she said. “And my
husband.”
“Okay,” Jax said, “I think I understand.”
“No, you don’t understand,” Blair said, “you couldn’t possibly
understand. Think about it! Look, it’s been nine years,” she said, holding
up her file folder and then putting it down. An adult male, and two small
children. That’s my case. And then three years later. A mother, and her
infant son, killed the same way, by the same serial killer. And then here,”
she said, holding up yet another file, “three years after that one,” she said,
“a grown man and his two sons, in an alley, only this time, it was Emery.”
“What are you saying?” Jax asked.
“And now, it’s three years after that,” Blair said, “and Emery has
taken Brenda, and Will. So yes, it may serve his purposes to kidnap her,
but we’ve been going about this thing all wrong if we think she’s alive, just
because he’s broken pattern. Because you see, he hasn’t broken pattern
at all. Don’t you get it?” she asked.
“Oh my God,” Jax said. “You’re saying--that the man that killed
your family--” Blair nodded,
“And the man that’s taken your wife and son, are one in the same,
Jax. Emery’s not a copy cat killer, and he was certainly around
when--when it happened to me. But we never caught him, and in
between these three year killings, or whatever, he’s been targeting kids,
that’s why when we got a name and a face on Emery, we didn’t suspect
him for these adult murders. We THOUGHT he only targeted kids, Jax, but
he’s just as ruthless.”
“What do you want to do?” Jax asked. “Tell me, I want to know.”
“Well your plan is out,” she said. “We can’t just go over there and
storm the room. If,” she said delicately, “Brenda and Will are still alive,
Sarah said herself that he would kill them before you could even get to
the door. My guess is that from his room, he’s got a good view of almost
everything going on around him. We can’t underestimate this--this man,
Jax. We’ve got to be careful, and attack this the right way, or we’re
never going to save Brenda.”