The door to the loft was standing slightly ajar. Something Jewel would never do. The coppery scent of blood hit his nose just as his eye picked out drying drips of red fast turning brown on the hardwood floor. "Jewel!" Kermit shouted, gun drawn as he leapt into the room, "Jewel!" An insistent buzzing led him to the kitchen alcove where the phone dangled off the hook, just above her outstretched hand. She lay face down on the tile floor, in a spreading sticky pool. Moving on automatic, Kermit knelt unheedingly in her blood, gently turning her over.
From far away he noted the bruising around both eyes, her swollen split lip as his hand searched her throat for a pulse, and found it, weak but fluttering under his fingertips. He slammed the phone into it's cradle, jerked it back up, punched 911 and barked orders to the operator who answered.

Later he wouldn't remember what he had said, nor would he know that he was still holding her when the paramedics arrived, a wadded dishtowel pressed to her torn chest with one hand, the other protecting her with a handful of deadly black steel.. He only knew that in the ambulance she stirred and spoke his name. Shoving the understanding paramedic aside, he touched Jewel's swollen cheek. "I'm here, kiddo".

"Thought.. I cured you.. of that" she tried to grin, a ghastly effect. "Kermit...Chris...David my brothers.."

"You want them, you want me to get them?"

"Call...Kermit, please....my brothers.. Kermit"

"I will, sweetheart, I promise, just as soon as we get to the hospital."

"Promise... Kermit.. call..." but she was under again and Rob Evans gently nudged the older man aside.

"Don't you worry, Detective, we'll get her there okay," he said cheerfully, deft hands changing an IV pack, while his partner checked her vital signs again. "She's fighting, it makes a difference." The vehicle sped silently amid flashing lights, only occasionally waking the morning with it's scream.

*****

"Yes, of course, we'll cover here as needed. Take all the time you need" Karen lowered her voice. "and, Kermit.. I'm so sorry." A few minutes later Peter was called into her office and dispatched to the hospital to "assist" Detective Griffin if needed.

When Peter arrived, his father was already sitting in the critical's waiting room upstairs. Kermit paced along the long couch, tension shimmering in his tightly controlled movements. Peter debated, then went to sit near his father. "Pop?"

"We.. do not know yet. She is badly injured."

Peter hugged the troubled older man and tried to inject a positive note into his voice. "This is a great hospital, Pop. You, me, Kermit, we've all been through worse, I'm sure, and we've all lived to tell about it."

Was Caine's glance.. reproachful? "Yes, my son, but knowing that you are resilient does not lessen the pain of those who care for you."

They looked up as two men hit the double doors at the entrance to the room, moving fast. They went directly to the nurse's station, where the taller of the two, dark haired, in an elegant London Fog, asked, "Ma'am, our sister, Julia Adams, was brought in here earlier this morning. We'd like to see her, please."

"Adams?" Janice McNabb, RN smiled sympathetically at the two handsome young men and tapped the name into her terminal. "Adams, Julia.. I'm sorry, gentlemen, but your sister is still in surgery. Dr. Schaffer will be out as soon as they have information for you." She glanced over the waiting room as she picked up a clipboard. "She must be a lovely girl, to have all these friends waiting for her. Now, as Ms. Adams was brought in unconscious, we do still need her insurance paperwork filled out. Would one of you be able..?"

David took it, drawing a gold Cross fountain pen from the breast pocket of his three piece suit, Armani, the nurse hazarded a private guess. "I'll take care of that. Thank you."

"Certainly. If you need anything, I'll be right here."

The pair left McNabb to her typing and David sat, began writing his little sister's medical history, what he knew of it, in his neat, lawyer's script. Chris, uneasy with nervous energy, got a drink from the water fountain and stood uncertainly near the chairs, watching a dark haired man in sunglasses and a dark suit pace. He glanced over at Peter and Caine, and was greeted with a gentle smile and a nod from the older man. Hesitantly, he walked toward them, and Caine rose. "The nurse, she said you all were waiting to hear about Julie too?"

"Yes, I am Caine, a friend of your sister's."

Recognition dawned in pale blue eyes, and Christopher whistled softly. "Caine, the priest. An Eastern religion, right, and an apothecary? She was so pleased to find another herbalist so close to home."

Caine bowed slightly, "I am Shaolin. It is a pleasure to meet the brothers Julia talks about. This is my son, Peter."

Chris, having bowed back, albeit a little awkwardly, to Caine, gratefully accepted the handshake Peter offered. "And you must be the, Shaolin is it?, cop. Julie has talked about all of you so much, says you two helped her and her boyfriend get through some rough sports." He shook his head, and grinned. The smile lines in his tanned face matched up perfectly when he did so. "If she won't stay where we can keep an eye on her, it's good to know that she has friends that care."

"Jewel was a big help on a serious murder case a while back. I guess we all feel like we owe her a little. And she's pretty likeable," Peter took the shot at humor, "once you get past that temper of hers."

Jewel's oldest brother laughed. "Kicks harder than a mule and acts twice as stubborn, don't she? My little Julie, she knows how to look out for herself.." a shadow passed over his face and he sobered quickly, cornpone expressions gone. "Do you know yet what happened to her? The detective that called David, a detective.."

"Griffin." Kermit growled, coming over. "I spoke to David Adams earlier today, after we brought her in. Looked to me like she'd been shot, but I couldn't find a bullet." His face twisted beneath the shades. "I was more concerned with stopping the bleeding than probing for one, so that might explain it."

Chris held out his hand to Kermit. "Detective Griffin, David told me you found Julie. I don't know what good angel led you to her door this morning, but we owe you a debt we'll never be able to pay."

Kermit forced himself to shake the callused hand, but shook his head too. "You don't owe me anything. If I had been earlier, hadn't waited for the New York Times, she likes that, never buys it for herself.."

"You are NOT to blame for this, Kermit." Caine told him, placing a warm hand on his friend's shoulder. "You could not have prevented this tragedy."

"Bullshit. I knew she would go out for bagels and flowers, she goes to the same flower market, same baker every Friday, would it have killed me to get up a little earlier? Caine, you don't know, I promised her.. after things she told me, I promised, no one would do this to her again.."

Christopher was staring at him, eyes like glacier ice. His whole demeanor had changed, from good old boy to suspicious father. "YOU'RE Kermit? Our little Julie's Kermit? Her "boyfriend?"

Kermit saw the challenge, welcomed it. "Is that a problem for you?" he purred, violence crackling in the air around him. So much easier, to forget his pain in the seductive haze of rage..

"Kermit? Julie's Kermit is here?" David turned from the nurses' station, leaving a completed form in McNabb's hands, "I was hoping you'd show, but this is a hell of a way to meet." He took in the little scenario, his volatile brother standing toe to toe with a man in black, wearing green sunglasses and an "I dare you" smirk. Smoothly, with the ease of long practice, he moved to separate the two, turning to the stranger with a smile.

From behind him, Chris' voice was falsely hearty as he made introductions. "Little brother, meet Detective Griffin. Detective KERMIT Griffin."

Clear green eyes darkened and something flashed in their depths, something instantly suppressed. David extended his hand to Kermit. "We're very grateful, Detective. Julia isn't one to run on about her relationships, but she certainly makes you out to be quite the hero. Apparently, she doesn't exaggerate." His smile was real, but practiced as he nudged Chris a little further back with his shoulder and the other men were introduced. Chris continued to glare at Kermit until David stepped on his loafer toes, and Peter managed to drag Kermit off for a caffeine transfusion at the vending machine.

Dr. Schaffer made her appearance soon after, greeting Caine warmly and glancing over at Peter with a concerned look on her face. "Please don't tell me that you've been injured again, Det. Caine." there was a hint of shudder in her voice and Peter grinned.

"Nope, today I'm just a friend of the family. Meet David and Christopher Adams, and you know Kermit."

"How is she, Doc?" the ex mercenary asked tersely, his face blank behind the armor of dark glasses.

"It was a gunshot wound, to the chest. The bullet missed her heart, lodging in the muscle of her upper shoulder/back. It broke her collarbone, she also has two broken ribs and a mild concussion." The doctor glanced down at her notes. "It is very apparent that someone of considerable strength beat on her before the shooting. There is severe bruising around both eyes, finger mark bruising on her upper arms and throat, and she has a split lower lip. She's stable now, I'll be putting her in a private room when she leaves recovery."

"Doctor, Julie.. you said she was assaulted. Was that.. he didn't." Chris was fearful, a big man choked on his own words and his brother put an arm around him.

"There was no evidence whatsoever of sexual assault, Mr. Adams, but your sister has been through an extremely traumatic experience nonetheless."

"She will recover, Doctor?" David asked, softly, and Schaffer smiled reassuringly. Her honest, freckled face under it's short cap of bright hair suddenly looked beautiful to them all.

"She's tough, in good shape, and she's young. I think she'll recover rapidly, but she's going to be here at least a week. Try to avoid letting Detective Caine give her pointers on getting out early via charm and intimidation, okay?" She turned to go, and then , "Oh, and Det. Griffin? As we've been able to obtain Ms. Adam's insurance info, there's no need to guarantee payment on that private room, Ms. McNabb will destroy the paperwork you signed, ok?"

Kermit nodded dumbly, his brain still occupied with the news that Jewel was going to make it. He had missed the close look Chris gave his hands, but Peter didn't, and neither did David. The person that had attacked Jewel was almost certain to have cut up and bruised hands.

"You were going to pay for her treatment?" David asked the somber man beside him, willing Chris to keep his mouth shut for once. His brother's frank nature was not working for them in this instance.

Kermit shrugged, "I didn't want there to be any delay. This is a business, and like in any other business, money talks. Or in this case, American Express talks.

While his friend was distracted by David, Peter sidled over to the older brother and took him aside. "Look, I can see you're not thrilled with Kermit and Jewel being.. together, but you need to know, he would never lay a hand on her. Not the way you're thinking."

Chris shrugged. "He's your friend, Detective. If Julia says it was him, or even implies it, I'll kill him and you can claim premeditation if you want. I'll confess freely. No son of a bitch, cop or not, hurts my little sister like this and gets away with it."

His eyes were still icy blue and he shook his head, glaring over at Kermit. Peter could hear him cursing under his breath as he moved away, leaning against the wall, fists jammed in the pockets of his leather jacket. *Maybe Pop can get through to him* Peter thought, glancing over to where his father stood, speaking with Kermit and Jewel's other brother.*At least one Adams isn't out for Kermit's blood.*

The doors opening caught his attention, and he looked up to see Jody Powell coming through them, well cut gray coat swirling over.. a dress? Jody? Her careless dark blonde mane was smooth and she moved with purposeful steps to where Caine Kermit and David stood. With a last glance at Christopher, Peter joined the little group just as introductions were being made.

"Kermit, Mr. Adams, I am very sorry. I want to assure you, we'll get this guy."

"You're damn right we will," Kermit said, in a monotone more frightening than if he'd shouted. "And when I get hold of him, there wont be enough left to convict."

"Which is why TJ and I are handling this investigation, Kermit." Jody told him firmly. "He's over at her apt now directing the evidence team."

Kermit glared at her, coming closer to emphasize his next statement. "This one is mine, Det. Powell."

She stood her ground, stared him straight in the glasses, and lowered her voice to match his, ice tinging each word with finality. "No way, Kermit. You're too close to this one. It's MY case, and I'll run it. I'll keep you informed, but you stay out of it." her voice warmed a bit, but her eyes never dropped from his stony face. "We'll get him, Kermit, and he'll pay for hurting her. But you wont do her any good if you're in jail for killing him."

"Jody, I've got…"

"To stay out of it, unless we need you, Det. Caine." She smiled at him, trying to take the sting out of her words, though she meant each and every one of them. " Don't worry, if TJ and I need you, we'll holler. Until then, it's our case, and I expect you to respect that, Peter. All right?"

Reluctantly, he nodded. "I'd hate you or TJ interfering in one of my cases. But if you need me, for anything.."

"I've got your cell phone number. Thanks. Now, are we able to see her yet?" In their first united effort, David and Kermit gave her a matching dirty look- one part appalled, one part amazed, one part disgusted.

"Detective, even when my sister wakes, it will be just family at first.. and you, if she wants to see you, Detective Griffin." David's last words were hesitant, but a bridge, a slender bridge, to span the distance between his sister's friend and himself. "Not to leave Caine and Detective Caine, and you, Det, Powell out, but.."

"We understand." Caine assured him. "We are Julia's friends, and no explanation is needed."

"Of course not, only, Mr. Adams.. I will need to speak with her as soon as she is able. We're on a deadline here, and the sooner we get the info, the sooner we can find her attacker."

The dark haired attorney nodded his head. "I understand, Detective Powell. Thank you for your enthusiasm, but I can't share it right now."

She nodded back, and David went to fill his brother in on recent events. Ms. McNabb answered her buzzing phone, and smiled broadly. "Gentlemen, Ms. Adams is awake and would like to see you, but remember, she's still pretty groggy, alright? Who's first?"

Dr. Schaffer was not inclined to deny either brother, or Kermit, admittance to the room She could see that insisting on one visitor at a time would be futile, and wisely decided to cut her losses. She did remind them not to stay too long, and that Jewel really needed rest.

Before entering the room, David turned and fixed both Kermit and Christopher with a stern look. Chris actually backed up a step, he knew that look too well. "You two have a problem, that's fine. Maybe we all do, and we're going to have to find a way through it, but it doesn't set one foot in this room. Understand? Julia loves us, Chris, and from what little she's told us, she loves you too, Detective. We are NOT going to stress or upset her by actively infighting around her. She needs ALL of us right now. If either of you feel a need to fight, do it out of her sight, or I'LL be the one knocking heads together, capisce?" Chris grinned faintly as David used their father's favorite expression. Kermit merely nodded, but his respect for David had risen. David nodded back, then pushed open the door.

The curtains were drawn back, but the Venetian blinds were slatted against the late afternoon sun, leaving the room light but cool. Jewel lay in the bed, her face paler than any of them had ever seen it. The vivid red of her hair drained whatever color was left to her complexion after surgery. For her brothers, this was a painful memory of a similar time and place. Only then, they had first identified the bodies of their father and his wife, then gone upstairs to comfort their fourteen year old Julie in her hospital bed. Kermit, who had last seen Jewel covered with blood, being taken from him on a gurney, was just thankful that she had survived the attack.

He walked quietly to the bed, pulling a chair close and taking one limp hand to hold gently in his own. Her eyes opened and focused on him, a small smile touching her pale lips. "I hoped I'd see you there." she said softly.

"Where else would I be?" his voice was gruff, almost curt, and she was touched by the emotion she knew he hid.

"Is that a monkey?" Chris' voice was loud and clear as a gong in the small room.

"A monkey? I dunno, but it sure SMELLS like a monkey." David replied, wrinkling his nose as they came to stand on the other side of the bed.

"Maybe.. maybe a really UGLY monkey, a mutant monkey!" Chris mused, in the tones of an excited discoverer.

Kermit stared at them both, until he realized that Jewel was giggling. "Ow, ow, don't.." she caught her breath, "don't make me laugh, boys, it hurts!"

"If it's not a monkey, it must be our little sister." and David swooped down to hug her hard. She returned it one armed, leaving her IV'ed hand in Kermit's safe grasp.

Chris tapped his brother on the shoulder, cleared his throat loudly, and finally just blurted, "Damn it, Dave, it's MY turn!" Laughing, the dark haired Adams man surrendered his place and Chris leaned in to kiss his sister's cheek. "Never thought I'd be kissing a monkey," he choked out, and she hugged him close.

"I'm okay, I really am, it's okay, Chris." She turned his head and whispered, "But if you call me a monkey one more time, I'm gonna do ugly and creative things to you with bananas. Capisce?"

"Yeah, big bad baby girl, I capisce." He pulled back and turned away, scrubbing at his eyes, and she turned back to Kermit to give him some privacy.

"They did that to me when I was little, start talking about "the monkey", how smelly and ugly and hairy it was. I'd get so mad and then they'd say, "Wow, a talking monkey!" Jewel grinned at them both. "You guys were so MEAN to me."

"Just keeping you in your place, little sister. You were a demanding little thing, as I recall." David chuckled and nudged Chris in the ribs. "Hey, you remember the time she got into your room with her poster paints?"

Chris roared. "And decided that my dress shirt would be the perfect smock?"

David grinned at Kermit. "Paint everywhere, and in the middle of the wall, right over his paint splattered bed, was a big happy sun and our family, with flowers for heads."

She blushed a little as Kermit laughed. "I was artistic!" she protested.

"You were a PAIN. I seem to remember that Liz spanked you good for that one, even though Dad and Dave and I all tried to talk her out of it."

"Softies, huh?" Kermit asked, enjoying this side of Jewel's brothers.

"The worst. All this one had to do was sniffle, or pout, and we gave in unconditionally." David ruffled his sister's hair, and she winced. "Oh, sorry, kiddo. That would be the concussion bump. Still hurt?"

"Pretty much." she replied dryly.

"Kiddo?"

"Don't go there, Griffin."

After fifteen or so minutes, David checked his watch and caught his brother's eye, then leaned down to kiss Jewel goodbye. "Jess wanted to come, sweetie, but he had that big presentation tomorrow. I called when I knew you were okay and talked him into staying home and pitching his new ad series. That okay with you?"

"The Regal Cookies campaign? If he'd missed it, then I'd be mad at him. Tell him I love him, okay?"

"I will, we'll see you a little later on."

"Okay." She hugged Chris and whispered, "I want to say goodbye to Kermit alone, big brother."

"Doc said you need rest most of all, baby girl, so not too long, all right?"

"I know. Love you"

"Me too." he left the room, pulling the door not quite closed as he went.

"I should go too." Kermit told her, not letting go of the small hand he'd held all this time.

"I guess, but I hate you to see you do it." quiet for a moment, then "You found me, didn't you?" He nodded, not speaking, and she sighed. "I tried to hang on, I knew you were on your way over." Jewel gently disengaged her hand, raising it to his cheek, brushing it lightly with her fingertips. He captured it again, kissed her palm, and leaned against it, wearily. The white streaked lock of his shaggy hair fell over his face, and she longed to push it back, stroke through his hair as usual, but left her hand in his. "I'm sorry, Kermit.."

Her lover jerked away from her, snatching off his glasses, eyes angry as he stared at her. "Sorry? For what?

"That you had to find me like that. If it had been me, finding you, all broken.." her eyes filled, and she caught her lower lip in her teeth, to steady it.

"YOU don't apologize for this!" he stormed, "The bastard that did this to you, I want to hear HIM apologize. I want him to scream apologies, to beg..." he caught the bile black words as they spilled out and Jewel looked up into his face, unguarded in his anger and pain.

"You aren't the investigating officer on this." It wasn't a question, but he answered her anyway.

"No, Jody Powell is, and Kincaid is over at your apt."

"The red-haired guy? 'Don't call me TJ', from the bar?" She thought a minute, or maybe she was drifting off again. "Good. Don't be mad about it, Kermit, it's selfish of me, but I need you more than this case does."

"You've got me, sweetheart." He leaned in to hug her gently, but was surprised, she clung to him fiercely for a moment before dropping back against her pillows. "I was so afraid that I would never see you again, Kermit, never touch you again."

He brushed her hair back with a gentle hand and kissed her cheek, avoiding the split lip, now slightly bleeding again from all the talking. "Well, it's too late, you missed your chance. You're stuck with me, now. I'll be back." he told her, putting his shades back on with an Arnold twist.

She smiled through a yawn, "Who are you, the Kerminator?"

She was already asleep when he closed the door behind him.

******

Jewel asked for Jody when she woke a few hours later. TJ had joined his partner at the hospital by now, and Kermit accompanied them into her room. She shook her head. "Just the investigating officers, Kermit, please."

"I'm not leaving."

"Then I'm not talking. I mean it." The bruising stood out in lurid shades of red and violet/black on her pale face, her eyes were dark smudges in the center of it all, but she held firm. She wouldn't talk in front of him, or her brothers, and Kermit finally left.

Jewel sighed, "Now he's pissed at me, but if I'm ever going to have a free ride card with him, it's now, and I don't want him to hear me say this. It will be ..cleaner in your report."

She looked up at Jody, who had sat by her bed, and TJ who hovered behind. "You went to my apt, Det. Kincaid?"

He nodded, taking out a small notebook. "First, you have a small black cat?"

"Shade!" the woman leaned back against her pillows, fearing the worst. "He hurt her, didn't he?"

"No, actually, she ran downstairs to your neighbor.. Rick Garonna? He said to tell you that he and Scott would keep her down there until you got back."

A smiled threatened to break open her lip again. "Thank you, Detective. Thomas Jefferson. Whichever is more apropos in this situation."

"Friends in hospital beds get a free "call me TJ card"," he said with a smile and she laughed, then winced.

"I wont let that get out, or everyone will want one. My doctor is terrified of Peter getting shot again, and the nurses just roll their eyes when his name comes up."

Jody smiled, and opened her notepad, Jewel eyed it a little fearfully and sighed. "You know how badly I just want to forget this ever happened?"

Jody nodded. "I can guess. I know it's going to be rough, but we'll take it slow and if you need to stop for a little while, we can do that too."

"Maybe.. but better to get it out. If I tell you fast, it's over until you catch him. I'd gone out for breakfast stuff, we have a nice one every Friday.."

******

The city was just coming alive that early in the morning. Jewel loved the freshness of the air as she briskly walked through the open air market to Rosen's bakery. Anna Rosen was already behind the counter, placing still warm loaves of bread in their signature red paper wrapper. She smiled when she saw Jewel walk in. "My father just finished the baking. Soon, I will have your half a dozen bagels and loaf of sunflower seed bread."

"Thank you, Anna, there's no rush. It's such a treat to just stand here and smell all the good things your father is making. How is Mrs. Rosen today?"

"Mama is a little better. The Ancient and Rabbi Lowenstein are helping her, and soon she will be down here again." the younger girl looked relieved to say the words and Jewel smiled warmly.

"I'm so glad, I miss seeing her every week."

"She misses seeing everyone, Mama hates not knowing all the gossip. Here is your order, thank you and come back."

"I'll see you next week, Anna. Thanks!"

She had stopped to buy an handful of brightly colored tulips and then hurried back to the loft, noting in the back of her mind that the kids on the first floor had left the entrance door open again. "Their dad has got to find a way to attach their keys to them" she muttered to herself, full of energy and taking the stairs. By the fifth floor, hers, she was panting a little, but "it's good pain feel the burn" she told herself, "sucker. could have taken the elevator, if Kermit's already here he's gonna tease me about being out of shape."

There was no one in her hallway and she put down the bread bag to open the door, hearing the elevator behind her. Jewel turned with the door half open, a smile on her face as the car stopped and the doors opened. "Hello darlin" to.. a total stranger, whose face was hidden by a nylon mask.

"Hello, bitch." His hand whipped out, slammed her face, knocking her into the doorframe. She kept her head, rolled around it, tried to pull the door shut, but he was already in. screaming about his wife. "I know it was you, your big mouth, crusading bitch!" His fist caught her eye and he pulled her down as she stumbled, pinning her underneath, "Now you tell me where she is!"

His hands were hard on her arms, digging in through her loose shirt, but she could still talk. The door was partly open, if Kermit was on his way up, "I don't know your wife! What are you talking about? Why are you here?" she screamed and he hit her again. And again. Until her head swam.

"You lying slut! You bitches stick together, but not this time, I know better. Now you TELL me!" and his hands grabbed her by the throat. Desperately, Jewel scrabbled for her purse, still slung over her body and twisted beneath her hip. Praying, hoping her gods were listening, she pulling it freer, fingers feeling, slipping over wallet and makeup to the holstered gun, unsnapping the leather case.. "What are you..?!" the first bullet tore free and he sprang back.

The woman fought blackness and steadied her weapon, screaming "Get out, you get out or I'll blow your fucking head off! I mean it!" and as he advanced, face twisted under the mask, she fired from the floor, striking him in the shoulder. Firing at him again, sobbing incoherently, as she hit his upper thigh, near the groin and he bellowed, falling on her, grabbing the gun from her hand, picking her up by the hair and slamming her head against the floor, feeling waves of red tinged darkness cloud her vision as he grinned through the nylon distorting his face, and fired.

"Night, bitch." he was gone, limping, even as the bullet slammed into her chest and she gave into the pain.

*****

"I don't remember getting to the kitchen, but I was leaning against the wall and suddenly I couldn't stand, couldn't control my hands anymore. I fell, listened to the phone beep, and then buzz, and wished.. that I'd been able to make it. I didn't want him to find me like that."

Jody waited a moment, then gently asked," What did he look like?"

Jewel shuddered, but closed her eyes, concentrated. "Right around six foot, dark smudge of hair up under the nylon.. features distorted by the mask. Dark green windbreaker, jeans." she touched her fingertips to her cut lip, remembering, " and a ring, a.. a ring with edges, not round, with a raised stone, maybe."

"And you're certain that you shot him?" TJ asked.

She glared at him. "Yes, I'm sure. I couldn't have imagined being that bad a shot."

"We'll start checking clinics and other hospitals for gunshot victims then," Jody told her partner, who nodded.

"Already on it. There was quite a bit of blood on the stairs, Kermit had come up the elevator and didn't see it. We knew that it wasn't the vic- yours, Jewel."

"The victim. Oh, gods, that's me, isn't it? The victim." Inside the concealment of the bruises, her eyes hardened as she remembered the last time she had felt victimized, betrayed by the lover she trusted. "Not for long."

"What?"

"Nothing. Are you all done in the loft then?" She asked TJ who checked his notebook, then nodded. "Good, I need to make arrangements to have the.. to get it cleaned. The boys don't need to stay at a hotel, especially when I'm not even there."

Jody saw that she was pulling away, gaining distance from the discussion, and nodded to TJ who stood up. "We dusted for prints, they tried to be careful, but a cleaning crew is probably a good idea. I'll see you later, ok?"

He looked as if, had they known each other better, he would have hugged her, and she forced a smile. "Bye, TJ, and thanks for letting me know about Shade." Kincaid grinned and left.

"Just a couple more questions and then I'll take off and let you rest." Jody said and Jewel nodded. "Would you be willing to work with a sketch artist if we need a better description?"

"Of course."

"Good. Big one now, will you try not to worry?" Jewel looked surprised and Jody smiled, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. "You shot him twice, after being assaulted and choked. You fought him off, you made it to the phone and you SURVIVED. That's all that matters now. You're a survivor."

"Instead of 'the victim'? I'll think about that one. Thanks, Jody."

"You going to sleep some more? Or do you want company, because Peter and his father.."

"Caine? I'd love to see them. Tell them?"

"You got it. Remember, don't worry." And Jody left.

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