Kris sighed. "I just keep coming up empty."

"I know, sweetheart. I do, too. I think we both need a good night's sleep. We'll figure out something."

Knowing she was keeping Shelby awake, Kris focused on clearing her mind and relaxing. She leaned over and met her partner's lips for a sweet, lingering kiss, then hugged Shelby tightly, carefully staying clear of her partner's injured arm, her own soreness overshadowed by the comforting feel of the small body tucked against her own.

She smiled when Shelby returned the hug with her good arm, both relishing the contact and drawing strength from the other. Long moments later, their arms relaxed, but even as they entered the dreamscape, their bodies remained closely connected.


CHAPTER 17

MICHAEL RELAXED ON the rooftop of a building across the street from the apartment complex for an hour before deciding it was safe enough to venture down to the parking lot he had under observation. He would've preferred to continue discrediting Blue by waging further attacks against the woman she was protecting, but he was running out of time.

In his mind, he'd already disgraced her with the shooting earlier in the week, and now he was going to execute a coup de grace. Both women would die, but his goal would be accomplished because Blue's reputation would be forever sullied - not only by the successful attack earlier in the week, but also by her ultimate failure to protect either of them against a car explosion.

The operative ran through his plan one last time. He'd discarded the idea of just setting the bomb to detonate when the car was started, knowing that the CIA would quickly cover up any incident on their own grounds. Having seen a dark car drive through the parking lot several times that night, he suspected that Company agents were keeping an eye on the building, so it stood to reason that any mishap on these grounds would be quickly covered up as well.

Michael knew his window of opportunity was rapidly disappearing, but he was unwilling to give the Company a chance to conceal his handiwork, so he'd broadened the focus of his attack. He grinned coldly, thinking about the modifications he'd made to the device while waiting on the roof. Their demise would be dramatic, public, and newsworthy. Knowing the women had to travel the beltway to get to and from work, the agent had reset the detonator to explode at 53mph. Michael felt no guilt over the innumerable accidents that were likely to occur as a result of the fiery explosion. When burning metal peppered the beltway, the accident would become a headliner, and Blue's failure would be spectacularly accentuated.

Staying in the darkest of the shadows, he approached the green Ford Taurus Blue had rented and knelt down between it and the vehicle parked in the adjoining space. He removed his backpack, unzipped it, and carefully took out the small explosive device along with the tools he would need to reach the speedometer cable. Lying down on the blacktop, he scooted under the car.

Michael armed the bomb after installing it, and smiled when the tiny red light came on. He scooted back out from under the car, satisfied that although the device was small, the devastating power of C4 would create an explosion equivalent to a half dozen sticks of dynamite and turn the car into a fireball. Shortly after they merged with traffic on the beltway, the two women would be dead.

When finished, he glanced at his watch. It was 3:45 a.m. It had only taken him twenty minutes. Michael's smile widened as he carefully checked the parking lot before rising to his full height and casually walking away.



*  *  *

Kris woke instantly alert, as she did every morning. The primary difference in her waking routine now was that she no longer got out of bed immediately, much preferring to enjoy the precious little time she got to spend lying next to the woman she loved more than life itself.

Kris snuggled closer, relishing the feel of Shelby's soft skin against her own. It was such a heady feeling to wake up each morning with the smaller woman tucked against her, and to know that even in sleep their bodies remained connected, comforted by the contact.

She smiled, as the blond, tousled head shifted on the pillow they shared. The worry lines that had marked her partner's face were absent, leaving an almost childlike innocence on her features. Kris frowned at the dark smudges showing beneath the chestnut-colored lashes, and hoped she'd still be around when they faded, not locked in some interrogation room in the stark, cold bowels of Langley.

Refusing to give that very real fear a foothold, she raised her head and fleetingly kissed Shelby's cheek, surprised when the green eyes fluttered open.

"Mmm..." Shelby smiled, stifling a yawn. "How about a real one, now that I'm awake."

Kris looked into the dancing green eyes and felt her heart begin thudding wildly against her chest, the way it did every single time Shelby looked at her that way. She lowered her mouth to the eagerly waiting lips and was lost in a flurry of sensations, ending the kiss breathless a few moments later. Her own voice sounding foreign to her ears, she croaked, "Soon." Kris' longing for the physical aspect of their relationship was reflected back at her by the passion in her partner's eyes.

Shelby nodded and smiled, not trusting herself to speak. She was reveling in the warm glow that just a look from her partner elicited, and took a deep breath, trying to stem the desire still rippling through her body. Shelby's tongue flickered over her lips, trying to recapture the feel of Kris' mouth on her own, amazed that there seemed to be so many nerve endings there that she'd never experienced before.

Kris murmured, "You're killing me," and met the moist lips for a long, lingering kiss. She broke away and suddenly sat up, the pain from her bruised muscles at the quick movement diminished by the feelings washing over her. Placing her feet on the floor, she stood up. "I gotta go take a shower."

Shelby laughed softly. "Need any help?"

Grinning wolfishly, Kris eyes slowly roamed down the blonde's body, before returning to her partner's gaze and winking. "That might not be a good idea."

Flushed, Shelby watched Kris walk out of the room, buried her head in the pillow and moaned. She'd been shot, shot at, threatened, and her life was in danger, yet all of that faded into insignificance at just one look from the tall operative. She sent out a heartfelt plea to any higher entity that might be listening to keep both the two of them and Kris' mother safe, and to allow them a chance at a future together. The analyst didn't know if it would do any good, but she decided it sure couldn't hurt.

A short time later, after Shelby showered, she joined Kris in the kitchen. She reached down and stroked Stormy, who was busy gobbling down her food. Looking up and seeing the worry in her partner's eyes, and knowing that today was likely to be another long day, she suggested, "Why don't we stop for breakfast on the way to work?"

Kris hesitated only momentarily. She was anxious to put their plan into motion, but it was still early, and the idea of a little extra time with Shelby was very enticing. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

A mischievous sparkle appeared in Shelby's eyes. "How about that little place we passed on the way to Georgetown last night?"

"Isn't that kind of out of the way? It's all stop-and-go city driving to get there."

Shelby grinned. "I know. Do you mind?"

Returning her partner's smile, Kris shook her head. "Nope. If that's where you want to go, that's where we're going."



*  *  *

Swiveling in her office chair, Shelby glanced at Kris as she hung up the phone and grinned. "I think Jonathan's going to have a hard way to go with Mom."

Kris commented dryly, "'Bout time she listened to you for a change."

"Yeah I know." Shelby winked at her partner. "But you know what they say - love is blind."

The simple, trite statement hit Kris like a ton of bricks. It was true. She honestly had no idea what the analyst had seen in her that was worth risking so much for.

Catching a glimpse of the vulnerability that fleetingly crossed Kris' face every now and then, Shelby stood up and crossed over to where her partner was sitting in front of her computer. Linking her fingers with the tall woman's, she spoke from her heart. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me. When you walked into Dennis' office that morning, I just knew I had to get to know you better. I'm so glad I did."

Kris gazed into the depths of the emotion filled green eyes. "So am I." She stood up and hugged Shelby, savoring the few moments of contact before releasing her.

"Did your mother agree to talk to Kim tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I think she's pretty confused right now. She really did want to believe Jonathan had changed. I feel bad for her in a way."

Kris pursed her lips. "You're most likely saving her a lot of pain. Of both kinds."

"Yeah, you're right." Focusing on the task at hand, she asked, "What time are you leaving?"

The operative thought quickly. It would only take her a few minutes to get to her safe deposit box at the bank to pick up the bugs, tape recorder, and phone tap. Driving to Maggie's apartment would take the longest, but getting inside the apartment to install the bugs wouldn't be a problem. "I might as well go now and get it over with. I shouldn't be gone more than an hour."

"Okay. I'll keep checking the hall." Shelby shook her head, sighing. "I can't believe I've been out there four times already and haven't managed to catch her once."