"Oh ye of little faith. I think you'll like it. It features stories about pets that saved their owners. Some of the stories are really incredible. It makes you stop and think." Shelby reached over to Kris' lap and stroked Stormy. "Our little furry friends are pretty special."

So are you. Kris nodded, watching as Shelby raised her shoulders, rolling her neck, before relaxing again. Sympathetically, she asked, "Neck stiff?"

"Kinda. Sitting hunched over the monitor all day takes a toll sometimes."

"I hear you. I don't know how you do that all the time."

"You sorta get used to it."

Kris had her doubts about that. "If you say so."

Shelby chuckled when Stormy scampered off of her partner's lap to chase a shadow across the room. "It's not like I have much choice."

Casually, Kris suggested, "How about scooting over her and letting me see what I can do?"

The analyst barely hesitated before sliding across the couch and turning her back to Kris. Shelby sighed deeply and let her head drop forward as her partner's strong fingers began manipulating the tight muscles.

After a few moments, Kris took a pillow and dropped it on the floor between her feet. "Why don't you move down there? It'll be more comfortable." Once Shelby was sitting between her legs, she picked up where she'd left off, letting her fingers expertly probe and stroke her companion's neck and shoulders.

Shelby was in her own personal paradise, enjoying the feel of Kris' long legs bracketing and supporting her body almost as much as the fingers working their magic. She was much too content to move when the hands slowed, instead leaning back and settling herself comfortably against the operative.

Unable to resist, Kris began to lightly stroke the golden hair that was resting on her thigh, entranced by the silky feel as she drew her fingers lightly through the blonde locks.

Time ceased to have meaning as they sat there in silence, enjoying the closeness. When she could no longer delay a visit to the bathroom, Shelby sighed inwardly wishing she hadn't had two glasses of iced tea earlier. She regretfully stood up and smiled. "Be right back."

Watching the analyst walk out of the room, Kris sighed contentedly. The evening had been perfect. Everything felt so right with the smaller woman at her side. She found herself more and more often finding a reason to touch Shelby and her overtures were always met with a smile. I could get used to this.

She started thinking about the things she liked about Shelby and suddenly realized that it wasn't one thing, it was everything. Her laugh, her way of expressing herself, the sweet sound of her voice, the way she walked, her intelligence, her consideration and warmth, the way her eyes flashed when she was angry and danced when she was happy. Everything.

Kris had spent a considerable amount of time that day debating the wisdom of filling Shelby in and asking for her help. She entertained every possible scenario she could envision, from the younger woman hating her to the one she hoped for, in which Shelby agreed to help her. Logically, Kris knew she had to be demented to even consider revealing her secrets, but the idea of returning to the only adult life she'd known had become intolerable because one thing was becoming increasingly apparent to her – before Shelby, she hadn't been living, she'd merely been existing.

The operative also faced another certainty. She would not go back to that life. She would risk it all for the chance to share a future with Shelby. If she wants me.

Shelby returned and sat down on the couch. She leaned over her taller companion and picked up the remote. "What're you thinking about? You looked a million miles away."

Kris breathed in her partner's unique scent, fighting off the urge to pull Shelby into her lap. No, not a million miles away. I was with you every minute you were gone.

Instead, she waited for the analyst to sit back and then stood up. "I need to go out one more time." She leaned down and brushed a lock of hair away from Shelby's eyes, her decision made. "You'll still be up when I get back, won't you? I want to talk to you about something." She wasn't sure what she was going to say or how she was going to say it, but the trip outside would give her time to formulate her thoughts.

The blue eyes gazing at her were fraught with meaning, and Shelby's heart began fluttering. She smiled warmly, allowing her eyes to convey what they would. "I'll be waiting up. Just like I always am."

Kris grasped Shelby's hand and squeezed it before releasing it. "I'll be back soon."

Shelby nodded in anticipation. We're going to talk. Really talk. I never thought I'd see this day. She accompanied Kris to the door and locked it behind her. Yes!

Kris took the steps two at time, her Blue persona in place by the time she reached the ground. Instincts honed by years of living on the edge suddenly screamed out a warning and she quickly pulled her weapon and faded into the darkness behind the building, searching the shadows for the slightest movement or sound.

Hearing nothing, she kept her back to the cement wall and soundlessly worked her way along the length of the building. She silently cursed when she felt something impact against her shoulder and felt a burning sensation travel down her arm. Immediately dropping into a defensive crouch, Kris began edging her way back around the building. She had to get back to Shelby.

She heard a sound and focused her attention in the direction from which it came, but suddenly found it hard to concentrate. Kris watched in disbelief as the gun fell from her hand onto the ground only a moment before she toppled over next to it. Her mind screamed out a warning. Shelby!

Gregor waited for a full two minutes before commanding his men to converge on the agent's location behind the building. Speed was of the essence. Not only was it vital that they were not spotted, Dimitri had stressed the importance of minimizing the length of time the operative would be absent.

Not taking any chances, Gregor waited until his men were present before approaching the fallen operative. The tranquilizer was very fast acting, but they only had thirty minutes before she would start waking up and it was imperative that she have no knowledge of where she had been taken.

He knelt down next to her and roughly shoved her from her side onto her stomach. Removing a pair of handcuffs from his pocket, he snapped them in place, tightening them brutally. This woman had caused him enough grief, and he intended to exact his revenge in any way he could, knowing that once he turned her over to Dimitri, he would be summarily dismissed.

He glanced at two of his men. "Get her to the car." The operatives flanked her, each grabbing an arm, and began pulling her along.

Gregor would have preferred to let them continue dragging her, letting the movement take its toll on her wrists, but knew better than to leave evidence of their presence. "Pick her up. Hurry up!"

Within minutes, she was stuffed into the back of a blue Ford Taurus and her journey to an unknown destination began.



*  *  *

Shelby picked up Stormy and sat where Kris had been sitting a short time before. She listened to the contented purring of the small kitten, allowing her thoughts to roam freely. She had asked herself over and over again why she was so attracted to Kris, but knew the answer was the magic between them.

Everything seemed so right when they were together. Kris was beautiful, yes, but there was so much more about her that Shelby loved. Like how she always puts me first, the way she looks at me when she thinks I'm not looking and how she makes me feel with just the slightest touch.

Shelby also felt an intense protectiveness towards Kris. She chuckled. Not that she'd ever need my protection. But there was something so appealingly vulnerable about the woman at the oddest times. Every once in awhile when she was able to covertly watch Kris, Shelby had seen a sad, lost look in those beautiful blue eyes that broke her heart. She knew the operative was unaware of displaying what she would certainly consider a weakness, but it woke a fierce desire within her to prevent anyone from ever hurting the woman who had claimed her heart.

Shelby smiled happily and continued her musings. She's so cute when her mouth curls up into that little smile she shares only with me, and I love her dry sense of humor. She is really protective, but I like that. Silly, she is supposed to be protective, she's your bodyguard. Shelby answered her inner voice. No. It goes way beyond a job. I can feel it.

Suddenly uneasy, Shelby lifted the kitten from her lap and stood up. Kris had been gone only a matter of minutes, but out of nowhere had come a strong feeling that something was very wrong. She dismissed the idea as ridiculous. Kris was fine. But her uneasiness continued to grow. She's in trouble.

Shelby usually trusted her instincts, but worried that her overactive imagination and emotional attachment might have conjured up the feeling rather than her gut. Trying to ignore the feeling, she discovered that it nonetheless persisted and grew. Should she go and look for her? She very clearly remembered Kris' admonition to stay inside no matter what. She'd agreed at the time, but she hadn't felt like this, then.

She picked up the phone only to set it back down. Whom could she call and what could she say? 'Um, you see, Kris went outside and she's been gone twenty minutes and I'm worried about her.' Yeah right!