Wrecks

Part 1 - Wrecked Body



Peter woke up again terrified, like he did almost every morning since the accident happened. Walking to the kitchen, he sighed, still recalling the terrible event that made it so hard for him to sleep calmly.
He could hear Lindsay�s hysterical shrieks from inside the wrecked building. Lindsay was rarely panic-stricken, but that day she shrieked like she has never done before and cried out for someone to get her out of the ruins of the building. She was trapped inside for a few hours already, and was too deep inside to crawl out of it. It was snowing and the rescue team slipped on the ice and was barely able to move the stones as their equipment was old and not well-maintained. A few hours later, her shrieks stopped and by the end of the day, the rescue team reached her and managed to release her from the wrecked room that collapsed over her. They pulled her motionless body out of the ruined building and quickly assessed the damage that was caused to her. She was unconscious and her body and clothes were covered with blood. It turned out that she was wounded very badly and although the doctors succeeded in saving her life, she was in a coma.
It has been three weeks since then and nothing in her condition has changed. A new data analyst was assigned to the team and life went on without her. Peter visited her every few days and brought some flowers, although he knew that she could not see or smell them. Usually, he spoke to her for a few hours as the doctors recommended, but it did not seem to make any change in her condition. And his condition did not change as well. He was thinking about her constantly, especially when he ran into something she liked. When he was at the mobile lab, he�d open her locker and look at the postcards that she glued on the inside of the door. He didn�t know who sent them to her, but he knew she always wanted to travel to all of those places that were photographed in the cards.
He took a glass out of the cupboard and poured some water into it. Sipping from it slowly, he could feel his muscles relaxing and his heartbeat slowly going steady. He wanted to visit her for a few days already, but didn�t find the time, therefore he decided to dress up and do it right now. It was already 6 AM when he went on his motorcycle and drove to the hospital. Walking in, he sighed. This place was too gloomy for Lindsay to be in it. He walked down the empty halls until he reached her room, opened the door and went in. She was lying in the hospital bed, looking as if she was only asleep. There were tubes connected to her arm and chest and the steady beat of the heart monitor was the only thing that was heard in the small gray room. Peter took her hand that was a bit cold and too light and caressed it gently. She looked so different than she did before the accident happened. Her skin was pale and she lost a lot of weight.

�Lindsay, come back to us.� His lips moved, but the voice didn�t go out of his throat. She remained motionless, in spite of his plea and he sighed helplessly. She didn�t deserve such an ending, becoming a shade of herself. It wasn�t fair for her to end her life under the wrecks of a building. He remembered that the doctor who operated her said that she suffered some internal wounds in her stomach and that her brain sustained a hard blow as a result of something that fell on her head as well as the lack of oxygen in the little space where she was trapped for nearly 12 hours.
Peter threw a glance at his watch. The time was almost 8 AM and he needed to go to work. He put Lindsay�s hand down on the bed and sighed again. �Well, I have to go, Lindsay, but I�ll be back in the afternoon and spend some more time with you.� He said and got up. As he was about to walk out the door, he heard the beeping of the heart monitor becoming faster. Turning around to see what was going on, he noticed that Lindsay opened her eyes. He walked over to her bed and smiled. �Lindsay?� He said, feeling his heart widening with happiness. She moaned and sent her hand to touch her forehead. Peter rushed out of the room and called a nurse that passed by. The nurse followed him into the room and quickly checked Lindsay�s vital signs. They were good and normal. She took Lindsay�s chart and wrote something on it. Then she put it back in its place and went out of the room to call a doctor.
After re-checking Lindsay�s vital signs, the doctor ordered the nurse to disconnect her from the breathing tube that was stuck in her nose as well as the heart monitor that was no longer needed. He directed a small flashlight to Lindsay�s pupils. Then he asked her to follow his finger which he moved from side to side. After adding something to what the nurse wrote in the chart earlier he smiled to her.

�Welcome back, Lindsay.� He said. �May I ask you how you feel?�

�Where am I?� She asked and her gaze ran across the room quickly.

�You�re in a hospital.� The doctor replied. �Can you tell me what the last thing you remember is?� Lindsay furrowed her brows in an attempt to remember.

�Walking out of the lab. I don�t remember where I went.� She replied and looked at Peter. �Pete, why am I here?�

�A building collapsed over you during an investigation.� Peter replied.

�Do you remember what happened?� The doctor asked. Lindsay bit her bottom lip and shook her head. The doctor wrote something in her chart. �Well, that would be enough for now, Lindsay. Thank you. The nurse will change your IV now and then I�d like you to rest for a while.� He singed Peter to follow him out of the room. �As you can see, your friend cannot remember a single thing about the accident. I�d say it�s a result of either the traumatic event that she was involved with or a brain damage that was caused due to the object that hit her head when she was trapped inside the building. The problem is that I cannot tell you which one caused it right now.�

�What would be worse, if she suffers from a trauma or if she suffers brain damage?�

�Brain damage would be worse. Amnesia as a result of trauma we can treat with psychology. Brain damage, on the other hand, would be hard to treat.� The doctor replied.

�Is it possible to diagnose which of those two reasons causes her memory loss?�

�Yes, we would perform all of the necessary examinations and within a short while we would be able to see if there�s a brain damage.� The doctor replied.


Lindsay was sitting in her hospital room and biting her fingernails. She didn�t smile at Peter who came into the room. Her hair was gathered in a messy ponytail and some strands of hair fell on her face gracefully creating a frame around it.

�Hi, Lindsay.� Peter smiled at her.

�Hi,� She replied, still biting her nails, which was a thing that Peter never seen her do before.

�How are you?� He asked.

�I�m good.� She replied dryly.

�You look angry.� Peter said, not sure why she was cold towards him. It has been two days since she woke up from her coma and he had good news for her.

�I�m not angry, Pete. I�m just bored. Can you get me some books or magazines?� She asked.

�No, because you�re leaving the hospital today.� Peter smiled. He met the doctor who treated Lindsay in the hallway and he told him that Lindsay�s examinations showed that the memory loss that she suffered was not caused by brain damage. Therefore, she was about to be released. Lindsay�s bleak mood suddenly lightened up and she smiled widely, exposing two rows of perfect teeth. �I brought you some clothes.� Lindsay furrowed her eyebrows as he pulled some clothes out of his backpack. He brought a tracksuit that he found in her locker.

�Thank you, Pete.� She smiled. �It�s really sweet.�

�I took the liberty of looking for some stuff you might need in your locker.� Peter said, giving her a guilty look.

�It�s alright.� Lindsay said and smiled. �So, when are they releasing me?�

�I don�t know. I�m gonna find the doctor and ask him.� Peter replied and went out of the room. It took his a while to find the doctor, who told him to take some release forms from the front desk and let Lindsay fill it in. He came back to the room with the forms and handed them to Lindsay, who quickly filled them out.
Lindsay unlocked the door and turned the lights on. Throwing her backpack aside, she let out a whistle of excitement.

�I�m so glad I came back here.� She called out. Peter followed her into the apartment and smiled. He had been in her place for a few times and could easily understand why she liked coming back to live in it, after nearly a month she hasn�t been there. It was a cozy little apartment, that had a wonderful view over the city and as far as he knew from what Lindsay told him, she also had a veranda outside her bedroom. Even though the house stood empty for nearly a month, it seemed to be very clean and neat.

�I always ask myself how you keep this place so orderly.� Peter admitted.

�If I�ll tell you, I�ll have to kill you.� She replied and closed the door behind her. �Would you like some tea or coffee?� She asked and walked to the kitchen, with Peter following her. She filled the electric kettle with water and pushed the small button on its side that turned on of the heating element inside it.

�Let me make you a cup of...� Peter said as she took two mugs out of the cupboard.

�That�s very kind, Pete, but I can do that on my own.� Lindsay smiled. �So, tea or coffee?�

�Whatever you�re making for yourself.� Peter said and smiled.

�Tea.� Lindsay declared. Peter stood next to her, leaning against the counter and watched her. �Why are you looking at me like this?� Lindsay noticed that Peter�s eyes were examining her as if to make sure she was real.

�It�s just makes me so happy to see you in an active state again.� Peter said. �I missed you a lot when you were in coma.� He blushed as he spoke and Lindsay thought that it was the sweetest words she had ever heard him say. She knew he didn�t expose his feelings a lot and when he did, it held a special meaning for him.

�Was it that bad?� She asked. He believed that she did not get a look at the mirror since the day she woke up. If she would have, she�d see that she had lost a lot of weight and had some wounds that didn�t completely heal all over her arms, shoulders, face and neck. Even now, those wounds looked bad and Peter was quite sure that she�ll carry a few scars forever. He didn�t know for sure, but he assumed that she had some scars in other parts of her body as well, that she already came across. He knew that she underwent an emergency surgery when she arrived at the hospital, and assumed that it left some scars.

�It was horrible, Linds. You can�t even understand how I felt when they pulled you out of the wrecks. I thought that you were dead at first. And when you were in coma, I feared that your heart or brain might eventually fail to support your body and I couldn�t imagine my life without you.� He felt her arms being wrapped around his waist and pulling him close to her.

�Peter, I don�t think I realized what a wonderful person you are until you said that. You are being very sweet and I feel really guilty that I made you feel like that.� She said.

�Linds, it�s okay.� Peter said.

�No, it isn�t okay. You�re such a good man and I�m so lucky to have you.� She said. �Let�s have a covenant. I swear that I�ll always protect you even if I have to risk my own life for that.� Lindsay said.

�I swear that I�ll never let anything bad happen to you, until the day we�ll part.� Peter said. They knew it was a rather childish oath, but enjoyed it.

�You know, we have to seal it somehow.� Lindsay said.

�Well, I know this kind of covenants is usually sealed with blood, but I don�t think that you can afford risking with anymore cuts.� Peter said.

�Well, I have an idea, cooperate with me.� She said and pulled him close to her body, capturing his lips with hers. It took a few moments for Peter to react, but when he did, it felt as if their mouths were on fire. It wasn�t easy for either of them to pull away from each other, but they did, when breathing became necessary.

�Sealed with a kiss, I�d never think of that on my own.� Peter smiled. �Does it hold any other meaning, or just seals the oath?�

�Well, it seals the oath, but I can�t say that you didn�t deserve it.� Lindsay smiled sheepishly.

�You know we could just seal it with a handshake.� Peter said.

�We�re friends, Pete; I don�t think that a handshake would mean as much as a kiss does.� Lindsay smiled. They heard a slow and high pitched whistle from the electric kettle. �The water is boiled.� Lindsay took the kettle and poured the steaming water into the two mugs that she placed earlier on the counter. She handed him one of the mugs.

�You know, we have a new data analyst now.� Peter said. Lindsay�s eyebrows rose.

�Everyone were really sure that I�m gonna die, didn�t they?� She asked. �I can�t believe that you guys thought I�d give up so easily.�

�Lindsay, the doctors couldn�t tell us anything positive about your condition. It seemed to be so bad that even your father had to leave the hospital because he couldn�t take it anymore.� Peter explained.

�My father? You called my father?� Lindsay�s jaw dropped. Every one of the team members knew that if something ever happened to her, the last person to call was her father. He was an old man and she didn�t want them to worry him about every little scratch she sustained.

�Lindsay, when you�re incapable of making medical decisions for yourself, he has the legal right to make them for you. He needed to sign papers and make decisions concerning the treatment you were going to get.� Peter explained. Lindsay sighed.

�Did someone call him to tell him that I�m okay?� She asked. Peter nodded. �I have to call him and make sure he�s doing well.� She grabbed the phone and dialed her father�s number. After a short talk, she seemed to calm down a bit. Lindsay�s concern for her father touched Peter deep inside. He knew that his own father was a bit older than Lindsay�s father and probably was too proud to admit that he missed his son. He knew that Lindsay and her father had a lot of arguments about Lindsay�s lifestyle, and yet she respected and adored him. He could never think of his father that way. All he knew that his father gave him the feeling that he was not good enough.

�Is everything alright with your father?� Peter asked when Lindsay hung up the phone. She nodded slowly and took a long sip from her tea.

�He sounds a bit sad, though.� Lindsay didn�t need much to remember how it felt like for her to lose her mother. And she knew that her father could never find enough strength to get over it as well. Every time he saw her, he�d comment that she looked just like her mother. He could spend hours looking in her photo albums and point out the similarities between Lindsay and her mother. The same eyes, the same stature, the same smile. She could barely believe that he had to go through the same suffering all over again, thinking that his daughter might die as well. �I�m gonna sign over my medical rights to you, Peter. I don�t want him to go through this again.�

�Are you sure that it�s the right decision, Lindsay? I mean, you just thought of it for the first time a moment ago.� Peter said.

�Are you afraid of responsibility, Pete?� She teased him. Peter smiled and shook his head. �Then say yes.�

�Okay, but we seal this one with a handshake.� Peter said and sent his hand forward. She shook his hand.


Lindsay came back to work a few days later, and was greeted warmly by the team. Anna Sloan, the new data analyst that replaced her during her coma was acting coldly towards her and a few times Lindsay heard her expressing her dislike for Lindsay in Matt�s and Peter�s ears. Lindsay had no idea why Anna hated her so much, but assumed that she was threatened by her. Matt Praeger�s team was known as the best research team the O.S.I.R. had and being accepted into it was not easy. Anna probably didn�t want to have to leave the team. Obviously, she didn�t know that two data analyst can co-exist in the same team without any problems. It was done before and Lindsay actually liked it. Hoping that Anna would come to her senses, she ignored her distasteful comments, but after a few weeks it became clear that Anna didn�t have any intentions to stop making offensive comments about Lindsay; therefore Lindsay decided to ask Matt for some help.

�You know, Lindsay. If you show her that it doesn�t affect you, she�ll stop acting like this eventually.� Matt said.

�I am, Matt. I�ve been ignoring her infantile behavior for weeks, but I can�t take it anymore. She�s getting really nasty and it�s getting on my nerves. You know I don�t get mad easily, but this woman drives me nuts, Matt. You have to help me.� Lindsay insisted.

�I know, Linds. Try ignoring this for a few more weeks. If it really doesn�t help, I�ll see what I can do to help you.� Matt said. Lindsay nodded slowly and hoped that problem was going to be solved without major effort on her side. They walked silently through the snow-covered path that led into a frozen park that was located not far from the mobile lab. A grey squirrel was looking for food and as it noticed them, it ran up a tree, making some snow that piled on the thin branches fall down to the ground. �Lindsay, can I ask you something?� Matt broke the silence. Lindsay nodded slowly. �Have you been able to recall what happened to you prior to the accident?�

�No, Matt. I remember nothing. All I remember was going out of the mobile lab and I remember that it was right after a roundtable session.� Lindsay said. �And then I woke up in the hospital. It didn�t feel like three weeks went by.�

�Do you remember what the case we were investigating was about?� Matt asked.

�Yeah, it was that guy who claimed that he was kidnapped by aliens.� Lindsay replied.

�You know, you were the only survivor from the wrecks. Everyone who the inside the building at that time died. Ten grown ups and two young children.� Matt said. �So you are the only living witness of what happened there. That�s why you have to remember. You understand that, don�t you?� It took a few moments until Lindsay grasped what Matt was trying to say. She was the only one who could help solving the case.

�You want me to try hypnotherapy.� She stated. Matt nodded slowly.

�Are you going to do that?� Matt asked. Lindsay sighed and looked at it.

�What if I�m not helpful, Matt?� Her voice was barely audible.

�Then the case will be closed unsolved.� Matt replied.

�I�ll do it.� Lindsay said. She hoped it would help the team get to the heart of the case.

�I�d like you to start with it tomorrow morning.� Matt said. Lindsay nodded slowly, giving a silent approval of what Matt said. �Are you scared?� Matt looked at her. She looked as if the knowledge that she was going to go through hypnotherapy made her shrink with fear.

�I�m freezing.� She replied. �Let�s go back to the lab.�


It was 7 AM when Lindsay arrived at the lab on the next morning. Anton was already there, setting up the equipment that was needed in order to perform the hypnotherapy. Lindsay pushed her backpack and coat into her locker and closed it with a thud. Anton greeted her with a cup of warm tea that he made for her.

�It�s cold outside.� He smiled one of his well known caring smiles and handed her the thermal cup that was full of the steaming liquid. Lindsay covered the cup with her palms, letting its warmth help her regain the feeling in her frozen fingers. She sipped it slowly, knowing that once she was done, Anton would like to start. �Everyone will come to lab late today. I asked Matt to have some quiet time with you, so you won�t feel pressured.�

�I appreciate that, Anton.� Lindsay smiled.

�If you don�t mind, I�d like to start with a few questions while you drink the tea.� He said and she nodded slowly. �I�d like you to tell me how you�ve been sleeping lately. I want you to focus mainly on dreams you�ve had since the accident. Do you remember your dreams?� Lindsay nodded slowly. �Tell me about them.�

�Well, I�ve been having one dream that comes back. I never dreamt it before the accident.� Lindsay started. �There�s a huge explosion and I try to run, but I fall into a dark pit. Then I usually wake up.� Lindsay described her dream.

�When did you last have this dream?� Anton asked.

�Tonight.� Lindsay replied, noticing that the cup in her hand was empty. She put it down and sighed.

�Are you ready?� Anton asked. Lindsay nodded slowly. Anton attach two electrodes to Lindsay�s temples and asked her to lean back in her chair. �Close you eyes and relax.� Anton said. �Take slow and deep breaths.� He instructed her. Lindsay had seen him doing it to many times with experiencers, but she couldn�t bring her mind to stop thinking disturbing thoughts. She couldn�t even put her finger at the thing that bothered her, but she felt restless and tense. �Lindsay, I want you to go back to the day of the accident and tell me what happened.� Anton asked.

�I went out of the lab right after a roundtable session. It was really icy and I think I slipped a few times. I laughed at myself because of it. I walked to the building where we investigated. I think it had about fifteen or sixteen floors and the experiencer lived on the thirteenth floor.� Lindsay described. �I was feeling a bit uncomfortable about asking him more questions. I remember going up the elevator and thinking that I didn�t believe this man�s stories. I thought that he lied to us and I didn�t want to waste my time with questioning him all over again.� Lindsay stopped for a moment. Anton looked at the screen that showed her brain signal and shook his head. She was not making the story up, but wasn�t as calm as she needed to be and he knew that as result of it, her descriptions would be inaccurate. Deciding not to stop the therapy now, he encouraged her to go on. �I knocked on the door a few times, but no one answered.� One look at the screen showed him that she was quickly losing her concentration.

�And what happened next?� He asked, hoping that she could go on for a few more minutes. He could see that her fingers were clutching the ends of her sleeves and heard her breaths becoming faster. �Lindsay, you have to concentrate.� He said. �Take deep breaths.� She opened her eyes and looked at him.

�I can�t.� She said. �I�m sorry. I�ve been wasting your time. I don�t remember anything.� Quickly pulling the electrodes off her temples, she got up and went out of the room. Anton sighed. He could notice that Lindsay was a bit tense, as if she knew there was something in her memory that she didn�t want to expose. He decided to let her calm down a bit and then try to speak to her again.
She didn�t show up for nearly an hour and he wondered if he should give her more time or find out where she went and see if he would be able to convince her to go back to the room. But a voice inside him told him to give her some space. He had been in this profession for too long in order to know that he couldn�t force anyone to go through a treatment. If Lindsay didn�t want to go on, it would be her choice, even if it meant that the case will be closed. She walked back into the room, shaking, pale and terrified. She blinked a lot, as if trying to stop herself from crying.

�Lindsay, are you okay?� Anton asked.

�I can�t go on with this. I�m sorry for wasting your time.� Her voice shook.

�It�s okay, Lindsay. You didn�t waste my time. Just relax and you�ll be okay.� He had no idea what made her fall apart like this, but hoped that she could gather enough strength to go through the day. He smiled at her and asked her to take a seat. �I think hypnotherapy might not be the right solution for you, Lindsay.� He said. �I would like to do something else, though. I want you to write down your dreams, right after you have them. Don�t wait a few hours to do that. If you woke up in the middle of the night, you write down whatever you remember from your dreams, does it sound better?� Lindsay nodded slowly. Anton smiled in satisfaction. �And try to relax.�

The rest of the team arrived at the lab two hours later and after a roundtable session Matt assigned each of the members a task. Lindsay and Peter were supposed to install surveillance in the site of investigation.

�So how did your hypnotherapy go?� Peter asked and closed the trunk of the O.S.I.R. van with a thud.

�Not so well. I couldn�t concentrate.� Lindsay replied.

�Are you gonna try again soon?� Peter handed her the keys and they went into the car.

�I don�t think so, Peter.� Lindsay said as she started the engine and pushed the gas pedal.

�But the case will be closed if you won�t do it.� Peter said.

�Peter, please change the subject, okay?� Lindsay said and turned the radio on.

�What do you want me to talk about?� Peter asked.

�Whatever.� Lindsay replied.

�Okay,� Peter said and looked at her, wondering if she had any idea of how beautiful she was.

�Peter, why are you looking at me like this?� She asked and stopped the car by the side of the road. She turned to look at him. �I can�t drive like this.� She said. Peter took her hand and pulled her close to him. �Peter, what are you doing?� She asked suspiciously. Peter brought his palm to her cheek and gently pulled her face close to his, trying to lock her lips between his. �No.� Lindsay pulled away. She unbuckled her seatbelt and went out of the car. Peter hit the steering will with frustration and then unbuckled his own safety belt and went out of the car. Lindsay was leaning against it, looking somewhat lost in thoughts.

�I�m sorry, Linds.� Peter said. She looked at him and bit her bottom lip. She never faced a situation where she rejected someone who wanted to kiss her before.

�It�s alright.� She replied. �I�m not... I�m not sure how to address this.�

�Don�t address this. Forget it ever happened, okay?� Peter asked. Lindsay looked at him, thinking of what she should be doing about it.

�I didn�t mean to offend you, Peter.� She said after a few moments of silence. He nodded slowly, silently accepting her apology. Snow started falling down and covering them with the small and soft white flakes. �Let�s go back into the car.� Lindsay said.
The sound of the windshield wipers shoving the snow from the windowpane was the only thing that could be heard in the car and it enhanced the tension inside the car. Lindsay and Peter exchanged uneasy glances of each other every few moments, but none of them dared to say a word.

�I think you missed the turn.� Peter broke the silence only half an hour later.

�Where?� Lindsay asked.

�Over there. See?� Peter pointed at a street sign and Lindsay nodded slowly and turned the car around. It took fifteen minutes until Lindsay parked the car in front of the experiencer�s house. The snow started gathering on the ground and the pavement was slippery. Lindsay and Peter quickly took the surveillance equipment out of the trunk of the car and started walking towards the house. Lindsay knocked on the door and moments later, the experiencer opened the door and let them in.
At night, they came back there to monitor the experiencer�s house. Anna joined them as well. The three of them crowded together in the back of the O.S.I.R. van, in order to monitor the experiencer�s house. They decided to sleep in turns. One would be asleep, while the other two are monitoring the experiencer�s house. Peter was the first to go to sleep and Lindsay had to stay alone with Anna. Since Anna disliked her, they did not speak or even look at each other.
Anna woke Peter up two hours later, so she would be able to go to sleep and he got up and took his seat next to Lindsay, while Anna took the small space where Peter slept only moments earlier. Lindsay updated him about what was going on in the house. So far, the experiencer put her children to sleep and sat in the living room, watching TV. Nothing unusual. Fifteen minutes later, they could see on their screen the experiencer going to the children�s room, to make sure they were sleeping sound. She pushed the doorknob and opened the door. Lindsay gazed at the screen, feeling her head becoming heavy and dizzy. She could see a door and a hand reaching the knob. It was her hand. She opened the door and entered the room, expecting to find no one there. Instead she saw a pool of blood on the floor that led to the kitchen. She followed it, not sure what to expect. What she faced when she came to the kitchen was unbearable to see. The experiencer was lying in the middle of the room, his body slashed; his head partly decapitated, his clothes stained with blood, his face swollen and bruised. She had seen bodies before, but never seen such a mutilated body. For a moment, she thought that she heard a noise and that the man on the floor might be alive. She knelt down next to him and put two fingers on his throat, to check if he had pulse, but couldn�t feel any.

�He�s as dead as they come.� She heard a voice behind her. She turned around. A man was standing behind her. She heard the cock of a gun and felt its muzzle touching the nape of her neck. �Don�t turn around.� The man said. She could feel a chill going down her spine. It wasn�t the first time someone aimed a gun at her, but it was the first time she didn�t believe she could do anything to save herself. �Stand up and move towards the hall.� The man said and she did as she was told. With his gun still aimed at her, he followed her to the hall that was only a few feet away from the apartment�s door. �Lean against the wall and don�t even dare to move.� The man said and then turned around and walked to the kitchen. For a moment, Lindsay weighed her possibilities. She could attack the man or she could run away from the apartment before she�ll end up like the experiencer. She knew she only has a few seconds to make the right decision. Choosing the safest action of the two, she leaped from her place, opened the door and started running down the stairs. Within a moment, she heard a gunshot behind her and knew that the man was after her. Two gunshots missed her, but the third hit her shoulder. She could feel the blood gushing out of her wound and knew that she had to find a place to hide. She still had ten floors to climb down and she knew that she won�t be able to do it with a wounded shoulder. She noticed a door to the maintenance room near the elevator, opened it and went into the room. Closing it quickly, she waited until she heard the man running down the stairs and passing the door. She opened the door slowly, peeping through the crack and after making sure that he wasn�t around, she went out of the room. She only had a few moments to think of what she should do before she heard an explosion and fell into a small space. Her head was heavy and throbbing, her body was sore and every breath she took felt like a torture. Dust fell on her head and made her cough. There was too much dust, too much darkness. Slowly, she managed to find a small flashlight in her pocket and turn it on. She was in the ruins of the building and could hear nothing but silence. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Peter�s number, but the signal was too weak for the call to be delivered. She felt sickness rising in her stomach and felt tears running down her face.

�Lindsay,� She felt arms shaking her shoulders and Peter�s soft voice calling her name. Her eyelids fluttered open and shut very quickly and she could feel the breath that was caught in her lungs for God-knows-how-long slowly being released. Her heart was beating fast and she could feel her face flushing quickly. �Linds, are you okay?� Peter asked. She looked at him with slight confusion.

�It wasn�t an accident, Peter.� She gasped the words. Peter furrowed his eyebrows. �The building that caved in. It wasn�t an accident.�

�You remember that?� Peter asked. Lindsay nodded slowly and told him of the occurrences in the building that day. Although she told Peter the story in short, she remembered more details as she spoke. She remembered feeling short of air and throwing up as a result in the little space where she was trapped. She remembered feeling blood flowing down her face, arms and body. She remembered how her flashlight stopped working, leaving her in complete darkness. She remembered the scary thoughts about death and shaking in fear as they ran through her head. She remembered the silence around her that was torn by the sound of machinery working outside in order to get her out of the ruins and screaming her lungs out until her throat was sore and her voice faded. She remembered giving up, leaning her head on the dusty floor of the pit and sobbing bitterly until everything blackened. The next thing she remembered after that was waking up in the hospital, with Peter by her side.

�You really remember everything?� They heard Anna�s voice behind them. It didn�t come out as mean as her usual tone, but she did sound like she wasn�t happy about it. Lindsay nodded slowly and Anna nodded back, closed her eyes and went back to sleep.


The rest of the night passed without any major events and in the morning Peter, Anna and Lindsay returned to the mobile lab for a roundtable. Since they were up all night long, Matt gave them the day off. Peter and Anna went out of the room and Lindsay was about to follow them when Matt called her name.

�Lindsay, I need you to stay.� He said and she sat back down, chocking back a yawn. Matt sat in front of her and smiled. �Peter told me that you remembered the day of the accident.�

�It wasn�t an accident, Matt. Someone blew it up.� Lindsay said, feeling her head becoming heavy.

�Do you know that for sure?� Matt asked. Lindsay nodded slowly. �Can you tell me about it?�

�I�m really tired, Matt. I stayed up all night.� Lindsay tried to excuse herself from telling him. Once she remembered it all over again, she was unable to get them out of her head and it was too scary.

�Lindsay, it�s important for us to know all about it. We need to close the case and you�re our only witness.� Matt insisted.

�Matt, I can�t do this. Please let me go home and get some sleep.� She said.

�After you tell me everything, you�ll be able to go home.� Matt said.

�Matt, don�t do this to me.� She begged, feeling tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

�For God�s sake, Lindsay, just tell me what I wanna know. How complicated is this for you to understand?� Matt angrily hit the table with his fist. His action startled Lindsay and caught her off-guard. She never thought that Matt would insist this way on the information that he wanted to get out of her. She leaped from her chair and squeezed herself into the corner of the room, looking at him fearfully. He looked at her, slowly realizing that what he did scared her. �I�m sorry, Lindsay.� He said and smiled. �Please just sit down and tell me what happened that day and you�ll get two days off.�

�Matt, I don�t wanna do that and I don�t want any days off work.� Lindsay said. �I know it�s important to you, but I just can�t do that.�

�Why, Lindsay? Why can�t you do that?�

�Because I can�t deal with it, not right now, not ever.� Lindsay said.

�Lindsay, I�m begging you. I can�t get any lower than this. You told Peter about it, why can�t you tell me?� He never thought that he would be able to beg anyone this way, but Lindsay certainly needed some serious encouragement.

�Matt...� Lindsay sighed. �I�ll do it, but I�ll only tell you once, so you better record me if you wanna hear it again.�

�You�ll do it.� Matt looked at her with a slight shock. Lindsay nodded slowly. It took almost two hours for Lindsay to tell him the whole story of what happened in the building, as well as after she was trapped in the pit. After she was done, Matt thanked her and let her go home, promising her two days off work.


The moment Lindsay unlocked her apartment door she knew that she would have a restless sleep. After taking a long shower and grabbing some food, she went into bed and pulled the thick blanket over her head. Within a few minutes, she fell into her first real sleep in 24 hours.
A phone call woke her up. She almost fell out of the bed as she got up to answer it. Finding the telephone on the counter in kitchen, she picked it up.

�Hello,� She said sleepily.

�Be prepared to die.� She heard a familiar voice. She didn�t recognize it, but knew that she heard it before.

�Who is this?� She asked.

�The one who will make sure you won�t live until tomorrow.� The voice made her shiver and she hung up. Moments later the phone rang again and she answered.

�Listen to me, you freak, another call from you and I�m calling the police.� She screamed into the phone.

�Lindsay, why are you screaming at me?� She heard Peter�s voice.

�Peter, I thought you were someone else.� Lindsay said, glad it was Peter who called this time. �Do you mind coming over and stay with me tonight? Someone scared me on the phone.�

�Sure, I�ll be on my way.� Peter replied. They hung up the phone. Not much longer, he knocked on the door and Lindsay let him in. She was wearing a baby blue pajama, her hair was gathered in a messy pony tail and her face looked pale. �Are you okay? What was that thing you told me on the phone about someone scaring you?�

�I don�t know. Someone called and woke me up and told me that he�ll make sure I�ll be dead by the morning.� Lindsay said.

�Lindsay, are you sure you didn�t just dream about it or something?�

�And I woke up with the telephone in my hand.� Lindsay said sarcastically.

�Yeah, you�re right.� Peter smiled. �Is there something I can do for you?�

�Just hug me.� Lindsay said. Peter wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. �Peter, can you stay over tonight? I�m too scared to sleep alone.�

�Are you sure you want that after what happened yesterday?� Peter asked.

�What happened yesterday?� Lindsay asked.

�I tried to kiss you in the car.� Peter said. Lindsay smiled widely. �What�s so funny? I made a complete fool of myself.�

�I like it when you�re being foolish.� Lindsay replied and patted his shoulder. �And it wasn�t serious, that whole kiss thing. You were just joking, right?�

�Are you kidding me? Lindsay, you thought I was joking about kissing you?� Peter looked at her with slight shock.

�Wait, you weren�t joking about that?� Lindsay pulled away from him.

�Lindsay, yesterday I was genuinely meaning to kiss you.� Lindsay�s jaw dropped.

�I... I... I didn�t offer you anything to drink, Peter. I�m so sorry. Do you want some coffee or tea?� She was about to get up and go to the kitchen. Peter grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into a sitting position.

�Lindsay, we have to talk about that kiss.� Peter said.

�There was no kiss, Peter.� Lindsay faked a smile and was about to get up again.

�Lindsay,� Peter�s voice was fierce. �I rarely find the courage to say what I really feel and I have to tell you this now.�

�Okay,� Lindsay said.

�Lindsay, when you were in coma, I realized that you�re more than just a friend to me.� Peter said.

�So basically you�re telling me that you�re in love with me.� Lindsay said. Peter nodded slowly. �That�s... I don�t know what to say.�

�Say that you love me too.� Peter said.

�I... well, I like you. A lot.� Lindsay said.

�But you�re not into it. I�m not your type, you�re not ready for a relationship, and you think I�m really nice but you�re dating someone else.�

�Peter, they called from Blockbuster, they want you to return the movie that�s running through your brain.� Lindsay joked.

�Okay, you don�t want me. You don�t have to be so cruel, though.� Peter got up.

�No, I�m not being cruel, Peter.� Lindsay took his hand and smiled. �I just think you need to relax and listen to what I have to say and stop running hypothetic scenarios through your head. Okay?� Peter nodded slowly. �What I was about to say was that I like you a lot as a friend and I really feel that you care for me, much more than I really deserve and that it wasn�t an accident that a few weeks ago we sealed an oath with a kiss. I said that night that you deserve it, because I really think you do.� She stopped to take a deep breath.

�So what�s the verdict?� Peter asked, swallowing hard.

�Well, I think the court should take a short break, so I�ll make us some hot chocolate and we�ll continue this talk later.� She got up and started walking to the kitchen. Peter chased her and caught her arm.

�You�re not gonna get out of it so easily.� He said and pushed her against the counter. She smiled. �You have to tell me what you feel, now.� He said.

�You�re holding me in captivity?� Lindsay teased him.

�I might.� Peter replied, feeling her fingers entwining with his, but unsure if it should be given any meaning.

�I find it very aphrodisiac, you know...� Lindsay smiled widely and moistened her bottom lip with her tongue.

�Seriously now, I told you how I feel about you and now you have to be straight with me and tell me how you feel about what I told you.� Peter said.

�You really don�t know what I�m going to say?� She smiled and squeezed her way out of his arms. Peter leaned against the counter and sighed. He was tired of her teasing games and felt like she tried to earn as much time as she could so she wouldn�t have to tell him that she wasn�t in love with him.

�No, I don�t know what your answer is going to be.� Peter said. Lindsay opened the freezer and took out an ice cube.

�It�s really hot in here, isn�t it?� She asked and brought it to her mouth, rubbing it slowly over her lips and letting it melt.

�Lindsay, can you please answer me?� Peter really couldn�t take it anymore.

�You�re staying for the night, aren�t you?� Lindsay asked.

�What does it has to do with what I asked you?� Peter replied with a question.

�If you�re staying we�ll have some time to chat...� Lindsay sucked on the ice cube that started melting between her fingers and dripped down her hand. Peter couldn�t help staring at her lips that sensually melted the ice cube.

�Can you just tell me the answer?� Peter asked.

�I really can�t believe it. Do you have any idea how many hints I gave you and you really can�t understand any of those.� Lindsay grinned.

�Hints? What are you talking about?�

�Yes, Peter, hints. I asked you to sleep over, I said you deserved the kiss a few weeks ago, I let you push me against the counter, I told you that I find the idea of you holding me captive aphrodisiac, I suck on this ice cube and you still can�t see what it means. You�re so unsophisticated.� Lindsay smirked.

�What does it mean, Lindsay?� Peter looked at her as if she fell from the moon.

�Wow, you really do live in a Blockbuster movie.� Lindsay said.

�Lindsay, the answer.�

�The answer is yes, Peter. I love you and I want you, but you have to promise me that you�re serious about this relationship. You�re not gonna dump me a few minutes after you�ll get what you want.� Lindsay said.

�I�m as serious as you can ask for, Lindsay.� Peter said and wrapped his arms around her waist. �God, I can�t believe you said yes.� He led her towards the kitchen table. Gently, he laid her down on it and climbed on top of her, covering her mouth with his. His arm slid under her body and pulled her even closer, until no space was left between their bodies. �You wanna... take it one step further?�

�Seal this oath with more than just a regular fluid exchange?� Lindsay teased him.

�Yes, that�s what I mean.� Peter said. He never thought that Lindsay was such a teaser.

�Yes, but not here. Let�s go to the bedroom.� She gently pushed him away and took his hand, leading him to her bedroom.
Lindsay moved in her sleep and woke Peter up. He threw a glance at the clock that was next to her bed and sighed. It was 2 AM and although Lindsay was sleeping, she seemed to be caught in a maze of nightmares. He looked at her for a few moments, noticing that her finger desperately clutched her pillow and that her knees were folded close to her chest. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her. A chill passed through her spine and Peter sighed, feeling how tense the muscles of her body were.

�I love you, Linds and I won�t let anything bad happen to you.� He whispered into her ear. The words worked like magic and almost immediately, and she released her hold of the pillow and stretched her legs a bit. �Good girl,� Peter smiled. �Sleep tight, I love you.� He kissed her bare shoulder and rested his head against her back, listening to her slow and steady breaths until he fell back asleep.
He woke up first, noticing that she was crying in her sleep. Her face was wet and pale and she was clasping the pillow again. Peter sighed. He didn�t know what to do about it. She couldn�t pass through the night peacefully and it bothered him. What happened to her in that building that kept haunting her in her dreams? He knew that he heard only part of the story and only what Lindsay was willing to share. Even Matt couldn�t get the whole story out of her. He claimed that she stopped telling him what happened right after the explosion, saying that the rest was not relevant for the investigation. She gasped in her sleep and turned in bed, opening her teary eyes as her hand touched his chest. Peter wrapped one arm around her waist and wiped her tears with the other hand.

�Are you okay, Linds?� He asked and kissed her gently. She nodded and sighed, resting her head on his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat calm her down.

�It�s just a nightmare.� Lindsay replied. Peter rubbed her back slowly and she raised her head from his chest and smiled. �I love you too and I won�t let anything bad happen to you too.� She said and brushed her lips on his. �Did I tell you Matt gave me the whole day off?� She smiled.

�I wish that I could stay here and spend it with you.� Peter sighed. �But I don�t have the day off.�

�Call Matt and tell him that you�re sick. He�ll give you the day off.� Lindsay�s eyes shone mischievously as she thought of the idea.


Lindsay sat in the middle of her bed, wearing a blue sweatshirt and black calf-length tights and Peter sat behind her, his arm wrapped around her stomach and his legs wrapped around her hips and caressed the nape of her neck. They were watching the sunset through the thick double-glass window in her room.

�You know, in the summer you can sit in the veranda and it looks much better.� Lindsay said. �I think I get the best view in town from this window.�

�No, I have the best view in town.� Peter smiled and his fingers slid under her shirt and tickled her stomach. Lindsay burst out in a ringing laughter and rolled out of his arms to a �safe spot� on the bed, smiling him apologetically. �You know, I have to go home soon.�

�Why? No one�s waiting for you there.� Lindsay said.

�I have to change clothes, Lindsay. I�ll see you tomorrow morning at work.� He said and put on the sweatshirt he was wearing the previous night and his jeans on.

�Maybe you should leave some clothes in my closet. You know, for nights like tonight.� Lindsay smiled.

�Well, you�re gonna get a corner in my closet as well.� Peter smiled and kissed her. �Anyway, I�m leaving now, but I�ll call you later to say goodnight and We�ll see each other tomorrow at work.� He wrapped his arms around her and dropped another brief kiss on her lips. �You�re so beautiful.�

�If you�ll go on this way, I won�t be able to let you go.� Lindsay smiled and slowly pulled away from him.

�You�re right. Bye, beautiful. I�ll talk to you later.� He said and left her bedroom. Moments later, she heard her apartment door closing. It didn�t take much longer until she heard the phone ringing. Although there was a thirty minutes drive from Peter�s apartment to hers, she thought he might be calling from his cell phone.

�Hello,� She answered, expecting to hear his voice.

�Now that your boyfriend is gone, you�re gonna get what you deserve.� She heard the same familiar voice of the person who called her on the previous night. �You�re not gonna live to see tomorrow. They�ll find you dead tomorrow morning and they�ll...� Lindsay hung up. Moments later, the phone rang again. �I�m not done with you, Lindsay Abigail Donner. I�m gonna tell you exactly what I�m gonna do with you. You will die suffering and you�ll scream, but no one will hear you. You will...� The voice continued. A shiver passed through her spine. It wasn�t just a kid that was joking on her expense on the phone. It was someone who knew her middle name and very few people actually knew it. She heard steps in the bedroom and gasped in fear. Wasting no time, she grabbed her coat and snickers and opened the apartment door, running down the stairs as fast as she could. She reached the frozen street and caught a cab. The driver looked at her as if she fell from the sky but drove wherever she told him. When he stopped in front of the building where Peter lived, Lindsay let out a sigh of relief.

�Wait here, I�m gonna be back with the money in a few moments.� She said and went out of the cab. She went upstairs and ran upstairs five floors. She knocked on Peter�s door and moments later, he opened it.

�Wow, you really missed me.� He smiled.

�Peter, listen. Someone threatens to kill me on the phone and I took a cab to get here. I need money to pay him.� She gasped. Peter went into the apartment and came back with a 20 dollars bill.

�You�re not going anywhere alone until we call the police.� He said and took her hand. They went downstairs together and walked towards the cab. As they came closer, they noticed that the back door was open and that the backseat was covered with blood. Leaning into the cab through the window, Lindsay was unable to believe what she saw. The driver�s throat was slashed and his eyes were open, staring blankly at her. She shrieked in horror, feeling Peter�s arms pulling her away from the cab. The street was empty and there was no sign to someone who could have killed the driver. Peter dragged Lindsay upstairs and they called the police.
It took fifteen minutes for the police and ambulance to arrive at the crime scene and after a short questioning, they asked Lindsay and Peter to come to the police station with them.


It was half past midnight when Lindsay and Peter finally left the police station. Lindsay�s skin had a greenish-grey tone, her hair was messy, her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from lack of sleep and she was shaking from the cold and fear. Peter was very tired, but could still maintain his coolness and was not as hysterical from the incident as Lindsay was. His main goal now was to calm Lindsay down a bit and make sure that she�ll be safe.

�You�re sleeping over at my place tonight.� Peter said as they paid for their Metro tickets. He noticed that Lindsay was wearing the same thin clothes that she was wearing when he left her apartment a few hours earlier. The lower part of her legs was bare and she was probably unable to feel her legs in the frozen night air. He noticed that she was not even wearing socks. At least the Metro station was not as cold as the street outside.
Lindsay was lying awake in Peter�s bed. The frightening voice of the caller echoed in her ears every time she closed her eyes and the image of the murdered cab driver kept popping into her mind.

�Are you alright?� Peter whispered and sent his hand to caress her face.

�I can�t fall asleep. I don�t feel safe.� Lindsay replied and snuggled close to his body, resting her head on his chest.

�I�m here with you, Linds.� Peter kissed her softly. �I won�t let anyone hurt you.�

�What have I done to this man that makes him haunt me like this?� Lindsay asked and Peter heard insecurity in her voice, knowing that she�s starting to believe that the person who�s been threatening her life has a good reason to do that.

�Lindsay, this person is a nutcase. The police will catch him.� Peter replied.

�What if I�ve done something bad to this man?�

�You didn�t.� Peter stated.

�Peter, it isn�t someone who found me in the phonebook. He�s watching me. He knew that you left my house and told me that when he called and he also knew my middle name, which no one but my family knows.� Lindsay said.

�Maybe it�s someone you know. Are you in a fight with any family members?� Peter asked.

�My stepmother and I don�t have a very good relationship, but it wasn�t her voice.� Lindsay replied.

�Well, maybe she sent someone to kill you.� Peter replied.

�Yeah, right. It makes a lot of sense, Peter.� Lindsay grinned.

�At least it made you smile.� Peter kissed her again. �And you�re calmer now.�

�I�m not calmer, Peter. I�m really nervous.�

�Well, what about a massage, then? It would ease some tension in your body and you�ll be able to fall asleep.� Peter offered.

�I don�t...�

�Just roll on your stomach and close your eyes. Let me do the rest.� Peter said and smiled. Lindsay did as he told her. Slowly, Peter started rubbing her back up and down. He could feel the tension in her muscles. He massaged her lower back, neck and shoulders for a long time and finally noticed that Lindsay�s breaths were steady and calm and that she was asleep. Gently, he kissed her cheek and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. She buried her face under his chin and he could feel her warm breaths on his skin. �Sleep tight.� He whispered as he closed his eyes and went to sleep as well.
Although Lindsay woke up twice that night from nightmares, the night passed calmly and without any unusual events. Peter drove her to her apartment and waited for her to dress up and they went to work together. Matt greeted them with a grin and troubled himself enough to tell them of the progress in the investigation while they were gone instead of letting them read the case file on their own. After his short briefing Lindsay went to the locker room to put her backpack in her locker. As she opened her locker a blood-covered snake fell from it. She shrieked at the top of her lungs and the team members hurried to see what happened.

�What the hell is that?� She asked them, her voice shaking.

�Well, it�s a snake and it�s dead.� Matt replied dryly.

�It isn�t funny, Matt. Someone threatens to kill me and you�re making fun of it!� Lindsay�s voice was high and almost unbearable to hear. None of the team members has heard her so hysterical before, but she wasn�t herself since she remembered what happened to her in the building.

�Lindsay, calm down. I�m sure someone is trying to pull a prank on you. Please go to the conference room and wait for us there.� Matt said. Lindsay nodded, still shaking with fear and then turned around and went to the conference room. �Anton, go and talk to her please. Try calming her down.� He said to Anton, who seemed to be glad to get out of the locker room. �Peter, you and I have to clean up this mess.� Matt said.

The first thing Matt and Peter did was to get the snake�s body out of the mobile lab. They wrapped a black nylon bag around it and carried it to a big garbage can that was located near the mobile lab. After they got rid of it, they started looking in the other team members� lockers, to make sure that there will be no repeats of what they had seen moments earlier. They were even more meticulous when they looked into Lindsay�s locker and to their dissatisfaction, found a note that was pasted to the inner side of her locker door that said �Your time is getting shorter, be ready for a painful death�. After reading it, they were unsure of how to deal with it. They knew that telling Lindsay about it would be the wrong thing to do and didn�t intend on doing it either, but weren�t sure whether they had to keep it and maybe go to the police with it or not. Peter shortly told Matt about Lindsay�s stalker, her nightmares and everything that happened on the previous evening and Matt suggested that they�ll take the snake and note to the police. Peter thought that it would do more damage than good. Finally they decided to destroy the note and tell Lindsay nothing about it.

When they were done checking the lockers, they came to the conference room, glad to see that Lindsay was calm. She was sipping steaming tea and looked nervous, but not hysterical. Anton was also there and asked her about the nightmares she was having since she remembered what happened in the building.

�I fall into this pit and no one knows I�m there. It�s cold and wet and I�m hurt really bad. There are wrecks all around me and I�m stuck in a tiny gap between the floor and the ceiling. It�s really dusty and there�s not enough air.� Lindsay described her dream to Anton. �I take a flashlight out of my pocket, but the battery is low and it turns off after a while. I�m in complete darkness and I don�t know how much time passed since I fell into it. I can barely breathe and then I sink into a deeper darkness and wake up.�

�Is this what happened to you in the building or there are some differences?� Anton asked.

�It�s almost the same as what happened.� Lindsay replied. �I think the hypnotherapy made me remember everything.�

�It might be the reason why you remembered. Hypnotherapy usually releases your subconscious and makes memories rise when you�re in a state of relaxation.� Anton explained.

�I can�t say it�s the best thing that happened to me.� Lindsay replied bitterly. �Someone has been haunting me since the day I remembered all of this.�

�Peter told me about it earlier.� Anton replied.

�What exactly did he tell you?� Lindsay asked suspiciously.

�He said that you stayed for the night after knocking on his door only five minutes after he came home and told him that there was some intruder in your apartment and that he went downstairs with you to pay the cab driver that...� Lindsay stopped him with a wave of a hand.

�I got it, thank you.� She said. She wondered whether Peter said something about their relationship to anyone and decided to remind him that they need to hide it for a while. She always kept her relationships a secret for a while, until they were established enough to stand other people�s criticism.


Since Lindsay and Anna were working in shifts, Lindsay left the mobile lab at noon and went home. Peter drove her there and helped her make sure that no one is in the house. Although there was no one there, they found signs of a break-in to Lindsay�s study. Nothing was missing, but the computer was open and the burglar typed a message for her on the word processor.

�You can�t run away from me. I know everything that you do. I am wherever you are. I watch you all the time. I�ll catch you in the end.� Peter read out loud.

�We have to call the police, Peter.� Lindsay grabbed the phone and started dialing.
The police came to her apartment not much longer later and filled in some forms, describing what happened in her apartment.


Since Lindsay was scared to stay on her own, Peter decided that they should train martial arts together, in case someone tries to hurt her when she�s alone. Both of them knew well how to beat someone up pretty good and Lindsay admitted to him that she took self-defense classes after her best friend was murdered in the campus in Oxford. Peter demanded that they�ll go together to the gym that the O.S.I.R. members had free access to so they could train there.

�Come on, hit me.� Peter said. Lindsay remained standing and she looked at him as if he wasn�t serious.

�I�m not gonna hit you, Peter. I don�t wanna hurt you.� She replied.

�That�s the reason we came here, Linds. To train so no one will even have the chance to hurt you.� Peter said.

�I know how to hit someone.� Lindsay replied dryly.

�But you haven�t done that in years. I�m not taking the chance that someone will take you away from me again.�

�Peter,� Lindsay�s voice was alarming. �We had a certain agreement.�

�Sorry, Linds.� Peter sighed. He found it hard to understand why Lindsay didn�t want their relationship to be known in public, but respected her wish. �Why won�t you hit me already?�

�Peter, I don�t want to hit you.� Lindsay replied.

�I�m an angry man with a knife and I�m gonna stab you. You really do want to hit me!� Peter said. �You�ll be in pieces when I�m done with you and they�ll find your body parts in garbage cans all over the town.�

�Peter, stop talking like this. It�s really scary.� Lindsay said, her face turning pale.

�I�m gonna slash you and won�t leave any part of your body whole. There will be nothing to bury... You�ll scream in pain as I tear you into tiny pieces and...�

�Peter, stop!� Lindsay almost yelled at him. The way he said those words scared the hell out of her.

�No one will even be able to identify you. They won�t have enough of you to even understand who it is they found. You�ll end you life in the worst way someone could ever do and I�ll be the lucky man to see it.�

�Shut the fuck up!� Lindsay didn�t even recognize the deep voice that came out of her throat. She sent her tightly closed fist forward and sunk it into his stomach. Peter fell down and smiled at her.

�Go on.� He said.

�You tricked me!� Lindsay called out.

�I know, but it worked. You were scared enough to hit me.� Peter said and got up.

�Are you hurt?� Lindsay asked.

�Nah, it wasn�t strong enough to kill me. I think I want some more.� Peter replied as he fisted his hands and brought them close to his face, the way wrestlers do. �I challenge you.� Lindsay nodded slowly and unwillingly and brought her fist close to her face as well.

�Don�t let me win.� She said.

�I don�t intend to.� Peter replied. In a few minutes Lindsay was lying on the blue mattresses that covered the floor, assessing what would be the best angle to attack Peter, who turned out to be stronger than she expected. He kicked her calf, deliberately aiming for her legs and not her stomach. Lindsay intended to lift that leg and kick him and now Peter stopped her from doing that. Quickly, she kicked him with the other leg and he fell on the mattress as well, facing her. Before Lindsay was able to take advantage of his condition, he climbed over her body and pinned her to the floor. �You lost.� He declared and let go of her arms, helping her get up from the floor. �Wanna try again?� Lindsay nodded slowly and brought her fists to her face again. Peter did the same. Lindsay was the one who attacked first, but Peter was faster than her and defended himself well, punching her in the side of her body and twisting her hand behind her back. Lindsay kicked in the air, but Peter pushed her down and crawled on top of her again, pinning her to the floor again. �Lost, again.� Peter declared.

�I�ll try again.� Lindsay replied and got up. She attacked first, lifting her leg quickly and kicking his shoulder. He caught her leg with his hand and pushed her down. Quickly lunging at her, he tightened his legs around her waist and received a punch in his stomach. Lindsay punched him again, then pushed him off her and escaped from his arms. Before she could feel �safe� again, Peter�s fingers locked around her ankle and he started dragging her towards him by the leg. Even though she tried to shake his fingers off her leg, she soon found herself under him again. Gathering all of her strength, she kicked him and then rolled him on his back, pinned him down for a moment and then collapsed on top of him.

�Lindsay,� Peter released her hold of his hands and gently caressed her face. Her eyes were closed; her hair was wet and her face sweaty. She did not respond to his voice and he gently rolled her off his body and checked her vital signs. She was breathing and there was a heartbeat, but still did not respond to him. Peter rolled her to the side and quickly cleared an air way, so she would not choke on her own tongue. �Can I have some help here?� He asked and some of the O.S.I.R. members who trained at that time in the gym came over. �She fainted and I need someone to call an ambulance or a doctor.� One on the men nodded and went to get help.

�What happened?� Peter heard Matt�s voice and saw Claire coming over to treat Lindsay.

�We wrestled and she fainted.� Peter replied.

�I didn�t know the two of you work out here.� Matt said.

�I do. She apparently doesn�t come here very often.� Peter replied.

�She�s okay!� Claire declared a few moments later. Lindsay�s eyes were open and she looked around her in confusion.

�Pete, what happened?� She asked as he rushed to her side and kissed her gently, forgetting his promise to keep their relationship a secret. Matt and Claire exchanged gazes and smiled at each other. They kept their own relationship secret for a while before Matt proposed to her.

�I pushed you too hard to train.� Peter smiled apologetically. �I�m sorry.� It took a few more minutes before Lindsay felt good enough to get up. �Come on, I�ll take you home.� Peter said and they went out of the gym, saying goodbye to Matt and Claire. They went on Peter�s motorcycle.
Peter unlocked the door of his apartment and they went in and took their shoes off in the entrance.

�Let�s take a shower.� Lindsay said as she hanged her coat. Unzipping her cardigan jacket, she smiled at him. Peter smiled and followed her to the bathroom where both of them got rid of their clothes and went under the steaming stream of water. Lindsay gently pushed Peter against the wall and rested her head on his chest. Peter�s fingers went up and down her back, sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

�I love you.� He said and kissed the crown of her head.

�I love you too.� Lindsay raised her head from his chest and looked into his eyes.

�You know that you won the last wrestling fight?� Peter asked. Lindsay nodded slowly and captured his lips between hers. �But I don�t think it�s enough. I think you should learn how to use a weapon.�

�I don�t like weapons, Peter. You know that.� Lindsay replied.

�I don�t think that the person who wants to kill you cares much about what you like and don�t like.� Peter said. �And if he will attack you, I want you to be able to defend yourself. I really don�t want you to be found in pieces in garbage cans all over town.�

�Maybe I�ll just buy pepper spray.� Lindsay said.

�You will and we�ll get you a pocketknife too.� Peter replied. Lindsay nodded slowly. �And now, we�ll go to the most interesting part of this evening.� Peter said and tightened the hold of his arms around her.

�Mmm, what would that be?� Lindsay asked with a smile.

�Well, I thought about...� He kissed her deeply. �This. And also about...� He lifted her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his torso. �This.�

�Not bad at all.� Lindsay smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

�Hold tight.� He said and as he felt that Lindsay was stable in his arms took one of his hands off her waist and turned the water in the shower off. �What do you say? The bed or the kitchen table?�

�I say the couch in the living room. How does that sound?�

�It sound like a great idea.� Peter said and carried her to the living room, where he laid her down on the soft leather couch. He kissed his way down her neck, to her collarbone and to her cleavage. He noticed the scars that remained from the emergency surgery she underwent at the hospital. Until now, he did not know for sure in what part of her body she was operated. He could see the long and almost invisible white scar that started at her cleavage and ended at her middle of her ribcage. It wasn�t ugly or beautiful.

�Why did you stop?� Lindsay moaned, wrapping her arms around his head.

�Because I wanted to tell you how beautiful you are.� Peter replied. He didn�t find her scar repulsive, but intriguing. He didn�t know what condition led to the surgery and if she even cared enough to ask her doctor about it. He didn�t even know for sure if she noticed the scar.

�Peter, are you okay?� Lindsay felt as if Peter was having some kind of difficulty going on.

�I was just thinking. I�m sorry.� Peter said.

�What bothers you, Peter?� She asked.

�You underwent a heart surgery, didn�t you?� Peter asked her.

�Yes, I did. What does it have to do with what we were doing?� She knew that she sounded as if she was criticizing him.

�Nothing. Let�s just go on from where we stopped.� Peter replied.

�Forget about it. This moment is totally ruined.� Lindsay said. Peter rested his head on her chest and sighed. Lindsay prodded her arm under her head and stared at the ceiling. She hated it when a perfect moment was ruined this way. They didn�t know for how long they lied like this, each of them is sinking deep in his own thoughts.

�You�re having Goosebumps.� Peter smiled and passed his finger on the skin of Lindsay�s arm. He got up and went to the bedroom and came back a few moments later, dressed up and holding a blanket. �Here you go.� He said and handed her the blue blanket. She thanked him and covered herself up. He snuggled near her and rested his head on her chest again, feeling her heart beating under his ear. Lindsay�s fingers caressed the nape of his neck. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Peter got up and went over to the door.

�Pete,� Lindsay whispered and he turned around to look at her. �Don�t open it.� She said.

�Oh, come on. You�re not serious!� His lips formed the words, but the voice was not heard.

�Yes, I am. Come back here.� Lindsay whispered, but Peter already unlocked the door and opened it, surprised to see Matt and Claire.

�Matt,� Peter said, not sure how to react. Lindsay covered her forehead with her palm as if to indicate what a catastrophe the situation was.

�Sorry we came without calling.� Matt said, not noticing that Lindsay lying on the couch. �But we were worried about Lindsay and since she wasn�t home we thought that we might find her here.�

�Yes, she�s here. Come in.� When Lindsay heard Peter saying those words she lunged and tightened the blanket around her body. Matt and Claire came into the apartment and walked to the living room, where Lindsay was lying on the couch, wearing nothing but a blanket. Matt�s jaw dropped as he saw her. Claire tried to hide a smile. Lindsay got up from the couch, smiled apologetically and went to Peter�s bedroom where she quickly took some clothes out of Peter�s closet and wore them. She was lucky that she remembered to drop some of her clothes off in Peter�s apartment. She came back to the living room wearing a black calf-length tights and a long dark blue shirt. She sat down on the couch next to Peter.

�So the two of you...� Matt started.

�Yes, Peter and I are involved.� Lindsay admitted, knowing that it was useless to lie at this point.

�Cheers to you.� Matt smiled and raised his hand in the air, pretending to be holding a wine glass.

�I think that we all need a drink.� Lindsay glared at Peter and he got up and went to the kitchen, coming back with four glasses and a bottle of wine. He poured the wine into the glasses and handed them to the Lindsay, Matt and Claire. Lindsay emptied her glass with one sip and poured herself another.

�So what exactly happened in the gym today?� Claire asked. �I don�t see the two of you there very often.�

�Well, Peter thought that I should be able to overpower someone in case I am attacked. Someone has been threatening my life for the last few days and Peter thought that it would help me feel safer if I knew how to protect myself.� Lindsay explained and took a long sip from her wine.

�But I�ve seen you fight before. You can easily overpower someone.� Matt said.

�That was before a building crushed over me and I had to undergo a heart surgery.� Lindsay replied. Matt�s jaw dropped for the second time that evening. Only Claire knew what the surgery Lindsay underwent was. �Don�t look so surprised. I�m not dying or something. I just pushed myself too hard today and I shouldn�t have done that.� Lindsay explained.

�Lindsay is still recovering from this surgery,� Claire explained on Lindsay�s behalf. �It�s really not rocket science or something. The doctors found some deficiency in the way her heart functioned when she arrived at the hospital and fixed it. Lindsay will be able to be back in shape after she fully recovers from the surgery and that would probably take a few more months.�

�Thank you. I couldn�t put it better than you did.� Lindsay smiled and emptied another glass of wine.

�Anytime. I�m glad to see that you�re okay now.� Claire replied and got up. �Thanks for the wine.� Matt also got up and both of them started walking towards the door. Peter escorted them to the door, while Lindsay remained sitting on the couch, her knees brought close to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She stared at her toes and raised her head to smile at Matt and Claire as they said goodbye. After Peter closed the door and locked it behind their friendly colleagues, he came over and sat by her side, gently pulling one of her legs and resting it on his knees.

�If you dare tickling me...� Lindsay said, but Peter could see the gloomy mood she was in, despite the smile on her face.

�I can do something better than that. Close your eyes and lean back.� Peter smiled. Lindsay did as she was told. Peter started massaging the soft skin of her foot. Lindsay let out a long groan and smiled. Peter always had a way to drain the anger or anxiousness out of her and everything he did made her wonder why she didn�t fall in love with him before her coma. �So why didn�t you tell me that you went through a heart surgery?� And that�s how Peter usually ruined perfect moments.

�I didn�t think it was relevant for our relationship. You heard Claire, I�m recovering.� Lindsay replied.

�But if I would know that before, I wouldn�t push you so hard today to try and win that stupid wrestling fight. I feel like I risked your life.� Peter said and started massaging her other foot.

�I knew better, Peter. I should be the one who�s responsible for my health and I screwed up. Don�t blame yourself.� Lindsay replied. �Keep doing it. It feels really good.� She said and pointed at her feet. Peter nodded slowly and went on massaging her feet. �Oh, my God, I�m so tired. I think I drank too much wine.� Lindsay sighed and closed her eyes, letting her body sink into a state of deep relaxation. Peter stroked the calf of her leg, hoping that maybe tonight she�ll have a peaceful sleep.


Peter�s alarm clock rang and he got up slowly, trying to remember why Lindsay wasn�t by his side. Quickly, he went out of bed and almost ran to the living room, where he left her on the previous evening after she fell asleep. He sighed in relief, seeing that she was still there, recumbent on the couch. He kneeled next to the couch and gently put his hand on her shoulder.

�Linds, wake up.� He said. �It�s 6:30, wake up.� Suddenly he noticed that the pillow under her head was stained with blood. Slowly rolling Lindsay on her side, he saw that her throat was slashed and blood was oozing out of it. �No! No! Lindsay, no!�

�No!� Peter heard Lindsay�s voice from the living room in the middle of the night and instinctively, with the sleep still in his eyes, ran to the living room, finding her struggling her pillow and blanket. Another nightmare. He sighed and went over to her.

�Lindsay, wake up.� He spoke to her softly. �It�s just a bad dream.� Lindsay�s eyes fluttered open and shut a few times before she realized that she was having a nightmare. She wrapped her arms around Peter and cried on his shoulder. Peter sighed, realizing that no matter how peaceful or drunk she was when she fell asleep, it didn�t change the fact that horrible memories were lurking for her in dreamland. �It�s okay. I�m here with you and nothing will happen to you.� He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, gently laying her on the bed. He lied down next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him.

�Why does it hurt so much, Peter?� Lindsay asked in a cry-voice.

�The memories?� Peter asked.

�My chest. It hurts really badly and I can�t breath.� Lindsay moaned.

�You want me to take you to the hospital?� Peter asked. Lindsay nodded slowly. He took her to the ER that seemed to be quite empty at that time.

�Ms. Donner, here you show up in my shift again,� The doctor who treated her after the building crushed saw them as they entered. �What brings you here in such an hour?� Lindsay described the pain she was experiencing and the doctor measured her blood pressure and fever. �You�re blood pressure is a bit high right now, but not dangerously high.� The doctor said. �Have you been overly stressed lately?�

�Yes, I have.� Lindsay replied.

�Okay, I�m gonna send you to perform EKG test and blood tests.� The doctor wrote something down in the chart he was holding and then handed her referral forms to the tests. He explained Peter and Lindsay where they have to go to perform tests and asked them to come back to see him once they�re done. Within an hour they were back in the ER and the doctor checked Lindsay�s blood pressure and temperature again and listened to her heart and lungs with the stethoscope. He summoned a cardiologist to interpret the results of Lindsay�s EKG test and run his own check up.

�Well, even if you did have a heart attack tonight, it was very minor and doesn�t show in your EKG.� The cardiologist said.

�You did mention that you were in a lot of stress, though, and this is why I think that you went through a panic attack. Its symptoms are often similar to the ones of heart attack and I think that since all of your tests came out okay, you should consider seeing a therapist.� The doctor said to her. Lindsay nodded slowly. The doctor released Lindsay and wished her health.
Peter unlocked the door of his apartment and they went into it. Lindsay was a bit calmer now and felt better. They walked to the bedroom and went into bed, snuggling close to each other. Within a few moments, they fell asleep. On the next morning, Peter and Lindsay arrived at the mobile lab and took their seats in the conference room in front of Matt, Claire, Anton and Anna. They were running late and Matt looked eager to start the morning roundtable session. He kept looking at them, assuming that they looked half-dead and tired because they were awake all night long doing some �sport� activity and wondered how he was going to tell them that he won�t accept their late the next time they decide to spend a white night. By the end of the session, he already forgot about it.
Lindsay and Anna went to the locker room together after the roundtable session. Since they were working in shifts, so there won�t be any contact between them, it was the first time in a few weeks they actually saw each other. Anna just finished a night shift and Lindsay was starting a morning shift. Lindsay smiled at her tiredly and carefully opened her locker, hoping that she wouldn�t find another dead animal in it.

�Lindsay,� Anna looked at her tiredly. Lindsay was surprised by the fact that Anna willingly spoke to her. �I know that I was really mean to you lately.� She sighed. �I never meant all those things I said to you.�

�It�s okay.� Lindsay smiled at her. She knew that sometimes people who worked in the same place fought over positions.

�No, it isn�t. I really want to invite you to dinner tonight, to make this peace treaty official.� Anna said.

�Okay, tell me when and where and I�ll get there.� Lindsay replied.

�Be at �The Blue Castle� tonight at 9 PM. Do you know how to get there?� Anna asked. Lindsay nodded slowly. The Blue Castle was the best restaurant-bar in town and was designed as an ancient gothic castle. There was also a strict dress code for the people who wanted to dine there. �Good, I�ll see you tonight. Have a good shift.� Anna pulled her backpack out of her locker and went out of the mobile lab. Lindsay smiled. She was glad that she listened to Matt�s advice to ignore Anna�s nasty comments.
That evening, she stood in front of the mirror in her room while Peter was folding some of the clothes he brought with him and putting them in Lindsay�s closet.

�What are you going to wear?� He asked. The dress code in �The Blue Castle� was usually very strict. Even the president couldn�t enter the restaurant if he wore jeans and T-shirt. Lindsay opened her closet and sighed.

�It�s really cold outside. I think I�ll wear this.� She pulled a black long sleeved shirt and a black skirt that she usually wore for work out of her closet. After adding a pair of high heel shoes and doing her make up, it looked good enough for an evening in a fancy restaurant.

�Do you want me to drive you?� Peter asked. He wasn�t thrilled about having Lindsay going out alone at nighttime.

No, it�s okay. I�ll take my car.� Lindsay brushed her lips on his softly before leaving the house. �You�ll be able to reach me on my cell phone and I won�t be back after 11 PM.� She said.
She arrived at the restaurant at 8:55 and saw Anna waiting for her. She was glad to see that her colleague also turned one of her working suits into an evening wear with the right props. Anna was wearing black tailored pants; a pair of black high stiletto-heel shoes and a royal-blue satin shirt that made her looks sophisticated. Her Long sandy-blond hair was falling gracefully on her shoulders. They shook hands and went into the restaurant where they were seated by the fireplace.

�Wow, I didn�t know it�s such a big place.� Anna said and moved a strand of hair from her face. Lindsay noticed that her colleague had a scar under her bottom lip and assumed that Anna used to have a lip-ring. She also noticed that her colleague had a similar scar in her left eyebrow.

�I ate here once, with my father and step mom.� Lindsay said, remembering the evening when she was told that her father�s girlfriend, Juliet is going to become her stepmother.

�Are your parents divorced?� Anna asked.

�No, my mother committed suicide when I was 12.� Lindsay replied. She hated telling the story about her mother�s death, not only because she didn�t want people to pity her, but also because the memory was still painful. Her mother suffered from bipolar disorder. Usually when she had a depression episode, Lindsay skipped school and made sure that her mother doesn�t hurt herself, but on the day her mother�s died, Lindsay had an important test and could not stay at home. Her father was out of town and none of the neighbors could or would watch her mother for two hours. It was the first time Lindsay left her mother alone in such a state and the last time she saw her alive. When she returned home after taking the test, she found her mother lying on the bottom of the bathtub that was full with water and it was already too late to save her.

�I�m sorry. I didn�t know.� Anna replied.

�It�s okay. It happened 22 year ago. I can barely remember what happened.� Although it was a lie, Lindsay always knew that if she�ll say it enough times, she�ll start believing it was true. A waiter came over and they placed their orders.

�I had a lot of fun.� Anna smiled when they went out of the restaurant. She hugged Lindsay. �I�m so glad that we�re friends now.� They said good night to each other and split in the parking lot. Lindsay unlocked her car and went in, feeling a bit tired. She started driving back, trying to focus on the road. Suddenly; she felt a thin strap being wrapped around her neck and could see familiar eyes of a man on the rear-view mirror. The man tightened the strap and Lindsay started feeling short of air. She tried to stick her fingers between her neck and the strap, but the man tightened it even more and within a few moments, she blacked out.


Lindsay�s alarm clock rang at 7 AM and woke Peter up. The thick goose-feather blanket was heavy and he didn�t want to leave the warm bed. Sending his arm to wrap around Lindsay�s waist, he found out that she wasn�t there. He sighed and sniffed the air, trying to detect the smell of the morning coffee that she was probably making in the kitchen, but didn�t smell anything but the sweet smell of the washing-powder that Lindsay used when she washed the sheets.

�Linds,� He called out, his eyes still shut. No reply came and he pushed the warm blanket aside, getting rid of his morning-laziness and went out of bed. A short walk through the house made it clear to him that she was not there at all. As a matter of fact, he didn�t even remember if she came back home the previous night. Picking the phone, he dialed the number of her cell phone and waited to hear her voice. Maybe she just went out to buy some milk for the coffee.

�Hi, It�s Lindsay. I can�t take your call right now. Please leave a message and I�ll call you back as soon as possible.� He heard her voice on the answering machine.

�Wonderful.� He sighed and opened the fridge. It was full and there was a sealed milk carton, which meant that Lindsay didn�t go to buy milk.


Peter went to the mobile lab without Lindsay. Matt and Claire were already there and Anna arrived a few minutes later. When he asked her about Lindsay she said that they parted at the parking lot on the previous evening and that she didn�t see her since then. He called the police and tried to find out if she was arrested or maybe involved with an accident that required her to fill out forms at the police station, but nothing came up. At noon of the same day, Lindsay didn�t come for her shift and the team decided to report her missing. Two policemen came to the mobile lab and Peter filled out forms. He hoped that Lindsay would be found safe.
At the evening of the same day, the phone rang and a police officer was on the line. He informed Peter that Lindsay was found in a hospital and gave him the address and the name of the doctor who treated her. Peter didn�t know if he should laugh or cry when he heard the doctor�s name. It was the same doctor who treated her after the building crushed on her and two nights ago, when she had a panic attack. It was a weird coincidence, but Peter didn�t have time to wonder about coincidences and hurried to the hospital.
The doctor who treated Lindsay nodded slowly as he saw him coming over.

�Don�t worry. She�ll be just fine within a few days.� He said. Peter was pale and the doctor smiled to him. �You look like hell. Let�s go and grab a coffee before you�ll see her.� The doctor led him down the hall to the hospital cafeteria and bought both of them a coffee. �Every time she comes here, I get to treat her. Maybe it�s a sign from the stars.�

�That what?� Peter asked, trying to relax.

�I don�t know. A sign that I should become her personal doctor or something...� The doctor sighed. He was quite young, in his early 30�s and pale, probably because of the lack of sleep. Peter assumed his body was running on caffeine. �She�s a cool woman, you know. She recovers pretty fast.�

�I don�t even know what happened to her.� Peter sighed.

�She was strangled with a leather belt.� The doctor said and put down the paper cup. �There is some bruising around her neck and some temporary damage to her vocal chords, which means that she won�t be able to talk for about a week or two. Other than that, she�s okay.�

�I knew this would happen.� Peter sighed and took a long sip from his coffee. The doctor arched his eyebrows. �Someone has been threatening her life since she remembered what happened to her in the building. She was scared of going out alone, so I always made sure there was someone around her.�

�Sometimes we can�t do everything.� The doctor said.

�I know.� Peter sighed.

�Come on, I�ll take you to see her.� The doctor threw his empty paper cup to the trash can and then led him down the hall to Lindsay�s room.

�Thanks, Dr. Smith.� Peter said.

�Call me Jake.� The doctor said and opened the door. They went into the room together. Lindsay�s lips curved in a wide smile when she saw Peter. Her neck was bandaged and her face was bruised. �I�ll leave you alone.� He smiled and went out of the room. Peter took Lindsay�s hand and buried his face in her palm. She caressed his face with her fingers.

�I�m sorry.� Her lips formed the words, but the voice didn�t come out of her throat.

�It�s okay. As long as you�re alive.� Peter said and kissed her palm.

Lindsay was released from the hospital a week later and came back to work. Although her voice did not come back to her yet and she was still suffering some pain in her throat, it did not prevent her from being an active participant in the roundtable discussions and do her work the same way she did it before.
Her bandages were removed a week later, but there was still a scabbing wound around her neck. At the beginning, Lindsay tried to hide it with a scarf, but it was itching badly and she gave it up and preferred that the wound would be visible than having it scratching all day long. Her voice started coming back to her gradually and she was able to express herself better, even though it was very hoarse and low.
She was lying awake in her bed. For the last few days, she got more and more phone calls from the person who attempted murdering her. After something really happened to her the police started monitoring her telephone, to see if they could track it. Even thought Peter was lying by her side, she did not feel safe. She was nervous and worried and was too scared to even get out of bed to get a glass of water. Peter wrapped his arm around her waist.

�Go to sleep. This lack of sleep is damaging your health.� He whispered in her ear.

�I can�t fall asleep.� Lindsay replied hoarsely.

�I can�t see you like this anymore. You�re gonna talk to Anton tomorrow. Ask him to prescribe you some sleeping pills or do hypnotherapy again. You�re gonna scare yourself to death in the end and no murder will be even needed to finish you off.� Peter was really worried about her. She wasn�t able to sleep more than an hour every night and Peter knew that even though she tried to look happy and vibrant, she was feeling unwell from the lack of sleep. Even in the darkness, he could see tears welling in her eyes. �We�ll solve this. Don�t be scared, I�m here with you. Try to get some sleep, for me.� He pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and the tears slowly dripped down her face and wetted his shirt. He caressed her hair and kissed the crown of her head. She fell asleep even before he could count from one to ten and he swore that even if she�ll be having a nightmare, he won�t wake her up.
On the next morning, when they arrived to the mobile lab, Peter took Lindsay�s backpack from her and pointed at Anton who was sitting at the conference room and reading a case file. She promised Peter that she�ll talk to Anton and ask for help. She knew that she needed it, but had too many things on her mind that pushed it out of thoughts. While Peter went to the locker room to put her backpack in her locker, Lindsay slid the glass doors of the conference room open and went into the room. Anton smiled to her warmly and offered her a seat.

�Good morning, Lindsay.� He said and his gaze wandered across her face. She looked pale, weak and sick and all of the makeup in the world could not hide the purple rings under her bloodshot eyes. He noticed that her clothes looked one size too big on her and wondered when she lost so much weight.

�Anton,� Her voice was hoarse and broken. �I need you to help me.� He didn�t look surprised by the fact. �I have been... I�ve been having trouble sleeping and even when I do, I have horrible nightmares.�

�Lindsay,� Anton�s warm and calm voice soothed her a bit. �Is this because the threats you�ve been getting?� She nodded slowly. �Okay, since the cause of this nightmares and sleepless nights you�re having is still there, I think I�ll just teach you an exercise that will help you fall asleep easily and sleep calmly.� Anton said. Lindsay nodded slowly, ready to grab any offer he�ll make. �Close your eyes, empty your head from thoughts. Take deep breaths and slowly exhale the air in your lungs. Focus on breathing and you�ll fall asleep without even noticing it. Try this tonight and if it doesn�t work come to me tomorrow and we�ll figure something else out.� Lindsay nodded and thanked him. �And please try to eat something. You look like a scarecrow.� His words made Lindsay smile widely. Although Anton usually had a more gentle humor, hearing something sharp coming out of his mouth was nice. To Lindsay�s great surprise, Anton�s exercise worked well and she was able to fall asleep quickly and calmly. She only time she woke up that night was when Peter removed his arm from her waist and got up of bed.

�Pete,� She whispered. �Where are you going?�

�I�m thirsty. I�ll be right back.� Peter came back to the room a few moments later and got into bed. Lindsay kissed him and went back to sleep.
The next morning, Lindsay woke up even before the alarm clock rang. Peter was still asleep and she captured his lips between her, waking him up with a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him.

�Good morning.� She smiled at him for the first time since she started getting threats.

�How did you sleep?� Peter asked.

�Like a baby. It was so good.� Lindsay stretched one leg across his body. �Anton is a genius.�

�I�m glad his advice helped you.� Peter replied.

�Yes, and I didn�t even have nightmares.� Lindsay smiled widely and didn�t have a clue how happy her words made Peter feel. After a few long weeks of sleepless nights, she woke up fresh and happy � at last. Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, quickly pulling her shirt over her head and doing the same with his. Peter couldn�t contain his happiness now and groaned loudly. He kissed her with the same passion and rolled her on her back, leaning over her, his fingers caressing their way down her body and removing any clothes that remained between them.
Later that morning, they were lying in each other�s arms, knowing that in a few moments the sound of the alarm clock will force them to pull apart and get ready for work. Until that moment came, they kissed each other, barely stopping for air.

�I love you.� Peter gently pulled his face away from hers. His fingers were deep in the softness of her hair, caressing it gently.

�I love you too. There�s no one like you. There will never be.� And she knew that it was true. Peter was her best friend and lover, and the prince she always dreamed of: kind, gentle, sweet, shy, careful, beautiful and smart. It was wonderful to find all the qualities she looked for in a man in someone. Peter always let her feel as if he was her bigger brother and now he was her lover, and their relationship became much deeper than just siblinghood. The alarm clock cruelly ruined the beautiful moment and they had to pull away from each other and start getting ready for work.
Peter parked his motorcycle in front of the mobile lab and both of them went off the bike. Lindsay grabbed Peter�s arm and pulled him into one last kiss before they enter the lab, but before her lips were able to capture his, they heard a gunshot and Lindsay collapsed into his arms, gasping for air. Peter heard the breaks of a car zooming down the street, but did not stop to see who drove it. Gently, but quickly he laid Lindsay on the snow that within a few seconds turned red from her oozing blood.

�Matt, Claire, Anton!� He called out hysterically, trying to stop the bleeding from Lindsay�s back with his arms. The three team members ran out of the mobile lab and the sight of bleeding Lindsay made their jaws drop. Claire was the first to regain her composure and she ran over to Lindsay, giving orders to the other team members of what they should do or bring. Within a few moments, Lindsay was lying in the mobile lab, being stripped off her clothes by Peter and Claire while Matt called and ambulance and Anton went to get the first aid kit. After Peter and Claire finished cutting Lindsay�s shirt off and turned her on her side, they started pressing the wound with bandages. Peter held Lindsay�s hand, praying that the ambulance will arrive there soon and that Lindsay�s life will be saved. He noticed how the color faded from Lindsay�s face, the way her bottom lip trembled and the expression of pain on her face. She coughed and blood started oozing from her mouth. �Claire, do something! Do something!� Peter called out in panic. He let go of Lindsay�s hand that fell motionless and pale on the bed and pressed the wound on her back instead. Claire cleared Lindsay�s airways and placed an oxygen mask on her face. Although Lindsay was conscious, she barely moved or moaned in pain. She let Peter and Claire do whatever they thought was necessary in order to save her life.
The ambulance arrived not much longer later and Lindsay was taken to the hospital where, to Peter�s great surprise, she was treated by Dr. Jake Smith, who was the doctor who treated her in her previous visits in the hospital. Peter knew it was ironic and hoped that Dr. Smith will be able to save her again.
Peter quietly entered the hospital room where Lindsay was lying and looked at her, his eyes filling up with tears. She was alive, but still under heavy anesthetics that prevented her from feeling any pain, but from waking up as well. A heart monitor was beeping and the green lines on its screen went up and down, showing that Lindsay�s heartbeat was steady and strong. There was an IV in Lindsay�s arm, a blood pressure gauge on her finger and an oxygen tube in her nostril. Although Dr. Smith said that her chances to survive were good, he decided to keep her anesthetized until she�s out of danger. He said that the next 48 hours would be crucial and may be the arrow that will point to her life or death. Peter looked at her, feeling a sickness rising in his stomach. Why are they in this situation again? Why couldn�t things be simpler? What will he do if Lindsay doesn�t make it? How will he live without her? His fingers went up and down Lindsay�s arm, gently stroking it as the tears fell from his eyes on the blue wool blanket that covered her from her. He heard someone coming into the room and could feel eyes on his back.

�Peter,� He heard Anna�s voice and wiped his tears before he turned around to face her. �I came as soon as I heard what happened.� Anna said. �How is she?�

�I don�t know yet.� Peter�s voice was broken. Anna gently grabbed his arms.

�Let�s go and grab some coffee.� She said and pulled him out of the room, before he had a chance to resist. She led him out of the hospital, into a coffee shop that was located across the street and they sat down. Peter let her order for the both of them, while he found a free table and sat down. A few minutes later, Anna came back, carrying a tray with two paper cups that were full with steaming coffee and a chocolate cake. She handed Peter one of the cups and he emptied a sugar bag into it. �Who did it to her?� She asked as she stirred her coffee.

�I didn�t see.� Peter replied and took a long sip from his coffee, getting lost in his thoughts.

�The two of you are best friends, aren�t you?� Anna asked.

�She�s like a sister to me.� Peter replied. Even in this tough situation, he remembered that Lindsay didn�t want people to know about their romantic relationship for a while, and since no one told Anna and there was no way she could find out about it, he decided to hide it from her.

�I wish I had the words that would comfort you.� Anna said and handed him a teaspoon. �Eat the cake. Chocolate always helps me when I feel sad.� She offered an innocent smile. Peter took the teaspoon from her and looked at her. He never noticed before that she looked so much like Lindsay. She wasn�t as beautiful as Lindsay, but certainly had a unique face that reminded him of Lindsay. He looked at her, quickly spotting the differences between Anna and Lindsay. Anna had green eyes and Lindsay�s eyes were grey. Anna�s hair was longer than Lindsay�s and its color was sandy-blond, while Lindsay�s hair that was naturally the same color had golden-blond strikes. Anna�s skin was tanned and Lindsay�s had a healthy, but pale skin that often reminded Peter of a china-doll. Anna had fire in her soul, while Lindsay was much calmer and sensible temper. Anna also had a pierced lip and eyebrow, which was a thing that Lindsay would never think about doing. There were so many differences between them, yet they looked so much like each other. He wondered if they ever noticed it. �You�re lost in thoughts.� Anna said. Now that she spoke, he could also point the difference between her and Lindsay�s voice. Anna�s voice was naturally hoarse yet deep, as if it came from the bottom of her lungs. Lindsay�s voice was clear and clean of pretending, just natural and plain and her tones were much softer than Anna�s.

�I�m sorry, Anna. I�m very worried.� Peter replied.

�I understand. You don�t have to apologize.� Anna smiled. �Let�s go for a short walk and get some fresh air.� They got up and left the coffee shop. �You know, winter is my favorite season.� She said.

�It�s Lindsay�s favorite season too.� Peter replied.

�I was born in the winter. My mom gave birth to me on 1976�s first snow.� Anna went on. Peter faked a smile as she entwined her arm with his. �I love the snow. My brother and I always had ice-skating contests when we were kids.� She smiled widely as she remembered it. �Do you skate?�

�I went skating with Lindsay a few times. She used to be a figure-skater in high school and she still enjoys that.� Peter replied.

�Maybe we can go skating together too.� Anna said.

�Well, I don�t exactly skate. I actually watched Lindsay skating. She couldn�t convince me to step on the ice.� Peter said.

�Maybe she didn�t use the right technique to do that.� Anna teased him. Peter shrugged and took a deep breath of frozen air. Anna put her hand on his waist and leaned forward quickly, covering his lips with hers. Peter took a step back and glared at her. Anna looked at him with shock. �Peter...�

�Anna, I think you should know that Lindsay and I are involved.� Peter said.

�I hoped you weren�t.� Peter didn�t see sorrow or regret in her eyes, as if she didn�t really feel for him and was glad for that. He didn�t like hurting people�s feelings.


�I think that I�ll go back to the hospital to see how Lindsay is doing.� He said. �Bye, Anna.� He walked away from there and came back to the hospital, where he stayed by Lindsay�s side for the next 48 hours, only leaving her for a few minutes each time, to get coffee or food. A few days later, Lindsay�s condition got better and Dr. Smith decided to stop the anesthetization and wake her up.

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