Coronet City, scene of the crime (complete)

[Samantha Solo]

The car communications reported the explosion at the club, and that there were injuries. Sam felt her heart sink, and the fear of Greg being hurt, of anyone being hurt because of this lunatic was killing her inside.

Surely Greg would figure this out, he was smart she knew that it was in his records but what if he was so badly injured that he couldn't, what if....what if Jared had killed him.

Jared looked over, "Well that takes care of [member="Gregory Gray"] ."

Sam looked at the road they were traveling, it was becoming a bit more deserted, what did she know of Jared. GODDESS nothing he was a pain where no one deserved an ache, he had a temper, he wasn't someone she paid attention to she did her job.

Her dress suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable, the way Jared leered was the way the male tourists leered at the girls over in the red light district. But that wasn't her, she was a good girl.

"Jared, you need to take me back before this gets worse" Just then he turned off the main road onto a construction site. Sam could see the framework of buildings, the new business complex she had read about this. But what were they doing here?

His father, or was it his Uncle did construction..she looked around, were they on this job?

"Sam" his voice was high, "look here"

She turned just as he injected her, "what have you done?" she tried asking. There were swimming lines in her vision, oh god. She grabbed the door trying again to get out her hands were raw from pulling and pushing to get out. She banged on the window, as she slowly fell forward and everything went black.

Jared reached over and stroked Sam's hair, "If I can't have you Sam, since you refuse to even have dinner. I've asked so many times, and you said no" Grabbing her hair he pulled her back she felt into his lap, her eyes were still open, "you can hear me right, I know you can."

He sighed heavily, "So we are going to have dinner now."

She could hear him, feel his hands on her she couldn't see and she couldn't speak. When she tried to speak nothing but grunts, squeals and whining come from her. Is this what he did to the others? Is this how it started?

Evidence 1. Look for the drug in all of the victims

Time passed as Jared moved Sam, he hadn't' thought about switching cars he was too focused on his prize, and his end game. They'd be together forever the sooner the better but first he wanted to do the things he only dreamed of, and she had denied him.

Her vision was clearing she felt a headache coming on, had to be a reaction to the drug. She was still dressed, oh thank you she thought. She pulled at her arms, she was tied. As the squiggles moved around she could see that her wrists were clamped down to the table, and before her was a plate, and a glass of something.

Jared was in a suit sitting next to her, "You're waking up, good. I'm going to cut your food up, and feed you Sam. Cause I can't trust you to do it yourself."

The serrated blade was on the table, next to a few other long knives one looked like a filleting knife.

Evidence 2. Check the knives for blood.

She pushed up, the chair moved so she was strapped in the chair, to the table. She could hear the clinking of the silverware on the plates, "Sam this is your favorite you order it all the time" Favorite, what was her favorite?

She could smell garlic. She and Greg, she couldn't remember did they eat any food, or had they just been...she looked at Jared.

"You went through all this trouble?" Gain his confidence Sam, come on girl you can do it.

"For you I would do almost anything" He put the food to her lips, reluctantly she opened her mouth, mushrooms. Oh yeah she loved them. "Did you make these?"

"Yes, plus I added a few ingredients."

Sam didn't want to swallow something told her that he had poisoned them or the mushrooms were poisonous. He was going to kill her.

She thought about all the things she and Greg were going to do. Of all his gentle kisses, his lingering hugs, his sense of humor, his devotion, his love of his home, the way he gave her that look of you're nuts, all the things she loved about him.

She thought about [member="Brad Solo"], and [member="Hawk Solo"] her brothers, she hadn't talk to them in a while, she had been so busy, when she got out of this she would all them.

She tried keeping the food under her tongue, but even there it would slowly enter her blood stream.

"Where are the others that you took?"

Jared smiled, "Oh there aren't others, I paid him to tell you that knew it would get you both looking, the champions of the poor, he's a sap, he made you weaker, taking you away from me, and stripping you of your strength" He stabbed something on the plate.

Evidence 3. Find that guy

"He made me feel like a woman, not one of the guys" He was poking another one into her mouth.

"It was a job Sam, you weren't supposed to sleep with him" Sam could see the insanity in Jared's eyes, how had she missed that.

She bit her lower lip for pain she needed to shake this fuzzy feeling to get away.

"You watched us, didn't you?"

He looked at her, getting closer to her face, "I can do what he did to you, and you'll never know the difference"

Just then Sam spit all the food into his face. It was then that Jared backhanded her, splitting her lip open and hard enough to leave a mark. Good now her DNA was out there.

Evidence 4. DNA

She trembled angry, scared.

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]



Rib injected and a tight elastic bandage wrapping his chest like a mummy, Greg could at least move again. He made his way as quickly as he could to the exit and commandeered a local patrol unit and its team.

“I need backup and a driver,” he explained as he slid into the rear seat.

He flipped open his comm unit and hit the redial. The chief picked up immediately.

“Any luck with the cameras?” Greg asked.

“Better than that, Gray! He didn’t even bother turning off the GPS tracker! The unit he was driving has stopped. I’ll transmit the coordinates to you now.”

“Great! Got it,” Greg responded verifying receipt and sharing it with his driver. “Let’s go. Fast and quiet!” The officer plugged in the data and took off as fast as the cruiser would accelerate.

“Chief, are there any other units nearby?”

“I have issued an OID and all units are responding. You are the closest. I got a report on your condition from the EMTs. Are you able to keep the point on this?”

A CORSEC OID, Officer in Distress, meant a fellow officer was under fire or in some other life threatening situation and always drew immediate response from all that received the transmission. Greg knew help was on the way, but, he also knew every minute counted. Jared wasn’t stupid. If he hadn’t bothered to disable the locator, he was planning to complete things quickly. After seeing what was left in front of his club, what that entailed chilled Greg to the core.

“I have two officers here to help me. I can handle it, just hurry up that backup.”

“Affirmative,” the Chief responded in a somewhat subdued tone. “Good hunting, Greg.”

Greg didn’t bother to respond. He shut his comm and looked at the map display. Their destination was a construction site. He looked at the layout from satellite imagery and formulated his plan.

“Park out here,” he instructed pointing to a spot well outside the area. “We need to infiltrate quietly. We don’t want him to know we are here until we are able to make our move without endangering Sa.., Officer Solo.”

“It’s too big. We’ll have to split up. Jacobson, you take this building and Morris, you have this one.” Greg pointed to the buildings they were to search. “I’ll take this one. Key your personal locators to our comm units. If you find their location, key the unit three times – three clicks - and the other two break off and run to provide backup.” The officers were being patient with him. They knew the drill and were ready.

None too soon in Greg’s opinion, they reached their planned parking place, exited the cruiser and opened up the weapons locker in its rear hatch. Greg chose an Adjudicator slug thrower pistol; something lighter than he might normally have preferred but with his aching side, he wanted to be in complete control.

“Ok, let’s move out.”

The three moved in their separate directions; moving as quietly as possible and keeping behind cover whenever it was available. Greg watched as the two others entered their targeted buildings and moved on to his.

He slipped inside keeping to the shadows and got the layout in his mind. Some of the rooms towards the back were almost completely built and probably where Jared would set up… whatever he had planned. Panic filled Greg for a moment; fear of what might have already been done to Sam was crushing him. He took a deep breath and shook off his hesitation.

The pause undoubtedly saved his life. Beginning to step forward he felt resistance across his shin. He backed up a step and sank to a knee. It was a trip wire connected to enough explosive to bring down the front half of the building. He clipped the wire next to the explosive so that anyone following behind him wouldn’t blunder into it.

He typed in a quick warning to the other two and received confirmatory clicks. A quick survey with his small light revealed the trap ran the width of the room. There was no way he could have gone further without crossing it. Perhaps having this early warning would cause Jared to be overly confident. Slipping past it safely might give Greg the advantage; if only slight.

After a slow crossing, checking for more tripwires every other step, he reached a closed door and pressed his ear to it, listening intently.

He heard what might have been a cough, a curse and a slap. He growled as he keyed his comm unit three time sending the recall. He placed the unit down by the door in case things went wrong at least the others would know their target.

It was time…

 

[Samantha Solo]

Sam looked up at Jared, "You're not sssssooo ssssmmart" her words were slurring he had drugged her but with what and what else would it do? She began trying to rock her chair he was wiping the spit from his face scowling at her.

"Yyyoouu nnever" she smiled she hoped her face felt a little numb, "bbb hm"

Jared shook his head, "I would give you everything" He leaned down staring into her eyes, she did the unexpected she head butt him as hard as she could with her own. It gave him the shock that she wanted to, and gave her ringing in her ears her wrists were still clamped to the table if she tried to flip the table or herself she'd probably break them both. If she could hold onto the table, and then turn it maybe it would break and she could get lose.

Jared was holding a hand to his head, "enough of this" He came over and released her from the table, pulling her hard up from the chair yanking her arms behind her leading her.

Sam couldn't focus this it had to be the drugs they were looking for, what they had been working on for weeks no wonder they were having such a hard time.

"Yyyorr tha dlr?" She stared at him or tried to.

"Took you long enough to figure it out Samantha, I had hoped you would have been a whole lot smarter." His nose was in her hair, "I'm going to miss the smell of your hair"

He shoved her to her knees, she felt herself falling forward, putting her hands out.

She never felt so useless, nothing seemed to work right. OH that's how he did it, got control of them and...

She thought to herself Gregs going to rip him apart if he survived. I'm going to rip him apart. She was preparing herself. Breathing heavy as she tried to find a balance. She knew he was back there he was leaning over her. Sam knew the knife was coming with all that was left of her strength she shoved herself upwards slamming the top of her head into his chin knocking him.

Sam couldn't stand, she fell and began to crawl, her voice begging, "Heep me. pls" she wished someone would come, someone would hear.

She didn't want to die not like this...

[member="Gregory Gray"]

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


Greg slowly and as quietly as possible turned the handle and released the latch holding the door shut. He stood to the side of the door and pushed it open.

The roar of the 8 gauge shotgun firing so near his head deafened Greg. The modified muzzle sprayed 00 shot in a flattened ellipse that caused the middle third of the door to vanish in a spray of splinters. Unfortunately for Greg, the pattern overlapped the wall on each side of the doorway by a half meter.

The shot density was less on the edge of the pattern; however, they were similarly destructive and easily penetrated the wall… and Greg. Four, five, maybe six of the 00 size shot slammed into his right lower chest and upper abdomen. He couldn’t tell how many as it was all one blaze of agony. He sagged, nearly dropping to his knees before catching himself and holding himself upright against the wall. The need to gasp for breath revealed a collapsed lung and the inadequacy of trying to breathe with half his chest.

Greg knew he didn’t have long. Standing alone was getting more difficult by the second much less taking on Jared and saving Sam. He pushed himself away from the wall and staggered through the shattered doorway his hand in his pocket trying to pull his slugthrower free… right into Jared’s 10 inch knife blade. Groaning from the depths of his soul he did collapse to his knees that time.

Jared laughed manically as he pulled the blade free from Greg’s stomach; grabbed Greg by the coat collar and dragged him over to lie beside Samantha.

“Oh, yes! Oh, yes! I have you both!” Jared was almost dancing with his glee. The glee turned to rage as he kicked Greg in the side then grabbed him, yanking his head up from the floor by the hair and screaming into his face, “but you got blood on my favorite blade! Now I have to clean it before I can begin my work on your lover!”

He released Greg’s hair and laughed as his head cracked down onto the concrete floor. He knew Greg was nearly dead and no longer a threat. He stepped away to his work tray and used a cloth to clean the blood from his knife.

Greg’s cheek rested on the cold floor, his eyes focused on Samantha’s even as they were fading into darkness. He slipped his hand out from under himself and slipped the small slugthrower over and under Sam. It was up to her now. His hand lingered, rose shakily and touched her cheek. “Thank you,” he croaked, barely audibly.

“Oh, my! Lovers to the end! How heart wrenching!” Jared screamed as he kicked Greg away from her. “Perhaps our lover would like the last thing he sees before he dies to be me satisfying myself with his woman!”

With that he grabbed the hem of Sam’s dress and, with the freshly cleaned blade, cut it from the bottom to the top. He slowly pulled back the sides of the new slit and unwrapped Samantha’s back as if she were an exquisitely wrapped gift. He gasped, finally having her within his reach and within his power. Forgetting all about Greg, he straddled Sam’s thighs and began running his hands over her bare back.

A fire raged in Greg’s eyes. Teeth clenched he pushed himself up and reached out, grabbing Jared by the arm. Greg fell back, pulling Jared over on top of himself. “Now, Sam!” he shouted as loud as he could; hoping Samantha could end this nightmare.

 

[Samantha Solo]

She watched as Greg came in and for a moment she held onto hope just as Jared's laughter turned into the lost ramblings of a madman. She looked over helplessly watching as Greg was being killed a feeling of sickness crept into her stomach.

Don't leave me Greg.....her gaze met his as they both laid there on the floor Jared was winning. She hated that he was winning, hated that the clues had come too late.

She wanted to cry for all the lost time they had, she wanted to have more than one night. Whatever Jared had slipped into her food was working now her legs felt numb even as the cool of the night caressed her now exposed skin. She wouldn't be used like this, she wouldn't give him that pleasure of touching her.

She felt Greg's hand on her cheek, DON'T GO she shouted in her mind, "Noooo dnt lv" she squeaked the air in her own lungs seeming to begin to dry up. Giant tears welled up in her eyes, this couldn't be the end they had just begun...

With whatever life he had left in him Greg managed to pull Jared, Sam threw her weight to the side making her roll she lifted the slug thrower, she aimed for the kill shot, she pulled the trigger.

Just as the teams burst through the doors, there were screams and shouts OID OID.

Sam collapsed right where she was looking at Greg, just before everything went black. She did not know who was alive and who was dead she heard whispers around her, she felt covered in a blanket.



[member="Gregory Gray"]

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


As with most Officer in Distress calls, a hoverambulance was dispatched automatically on a precautionary basis. The EMTs arrived on the scene with several other CORSEC units shortly after Jacobson and Morris burst into the room.

Samantha’s shot had been true, hitting Jared in the left eye. It wasn’t as clean a kill as might have been expected as they found him lying on his back convulsing. After a quick check, they deemed him to no longer be a threat and ignored his agonizing rigors as they turned their attention to their fellow officers.

Morris ran outside to guide the new arrivals to the scene while Jacobson opened Samantha’s eyelid and examined her pupil, finding it constricted. He wasn’t a doctor but it looked like she was under the influence of some potent drug or poison and was fading fast. Greg appeared even more grim. The large pool of blood he lay in had stopped expanding – a sign of volume depletion or a failing heart – or both. He felt helpless, but, all he could do was wait for the arriving EMTs to get there and work their magic.

It seemed like hours but was in reality only a few minutes before Morris ran back in leading the EMTs and their helper droids. One pair began to work on Samantha and the other on Greg.

Samantha’s EMT quickly diagnosed poisoning with an unknown neurotoxin based on the pupil constriction and the loss of muscle control. They began supportive therapy and placed her in a transport pod for transfer to the medical center.

Greg’s team arrived in time to pronounce him dead on the scene. None-the-less, they did their best. They began an emergence infusion of volume expanders, intubated him to start a respirator, and applied an external pacemaker. They left the bandage wrapping his broken ribs in place believing it to have been the reason he didn’t bleed out fast than he did. With these external life support measures begun, they placed him in another transport pod and began his evac to the medical center.

Finally they turned their attention to Jared in time to see his final spasms. A check of vital signs pronounced him dead on the scene as well; but, no extraordinary measures were begun for a cop killer. He was wrapped in a body bag and his body shipped to the city morgue.

Morris and Jacobson were the last to leave the scene. Both men felt as if they had failed their fellow officers and their debriefing by the Chief when he arrived later didn’t improve their disposition. They left for the medical center to check on Sam and Greg’s status, then planned to down several drinks before they went home that night.

 

[Samantha Solo]

There were whispers around her annoying as those little bugs that she swatted during May. Her body was functioning she could feel everything. Her mouth had cotton in it. Least thats how she felt.

Who was there? How long? Was Greg dead? Was Jared? She remembered taking the shot but not if it hit.

So much was a blur

"Hey" she whispered "how's Greg?"

Sad eyes looked at her. Oh no. That sinking feeling. "Go away" she turned her head. Her mind denied it all, it wasn't possible. Jared had won. Damn him to hell.




[member="Gregory Gray"]

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


The doctor came out of the surgical suite after working on Greg for six hours. Six hours of robotic assisted surgery and the outcome was still in doubt… but he was at least now hopeful. He approached the CORSEC section chief who, to his credit, hadn’t left the medical center since his two agents were brought in for their care. The chief didn’t have to ask, the doctor knew the question and responded before it was asked.

“Mr. Gray’s surgery is complete. We repaired damage from seven small slugs; I think your officer reported they were from an 8-gauge shotgun. He also had a knife would that almost penetrated front to back; it must have been a huge blade. That said, all the vessels, his stomach and intestines are resected and seem to be holding. His right lung has been reinflated and he is able to breathe without assistance now. His volume has been replaced with packed red blood cells and dextran and his heart is beating on it own. It still has electrolyte depletion arrhythmias occurring so we are still using an external pacemaker to control the rhythm.”

The doctor finally looked the man in his eyes and admitted, “I thought we lost him three times during the surgery; but, he kept coming back. Before surgery I would have never said it, but, I really think Greg is going to survive.”

The chief composed himself of a rare display of emotion and thanked the doctor. He knew who would want to hear that news more than anyone else.

He walked to Samantha’s room and asked the officer that was standing guard duty at the door, “Is she awake?” A glance into the room and a nod back to the chief confirmed she was. He stepped inside and around to the side of the bed she was facing. Her eyes were open, but, he could tell she wasn’t seeing anything like her mind was a million miles away. He squatted down to be at eye level with her and said softly, “Solo… I have news about Gray. Can you understand me?”

It took a couple of seconds as she processed what she was hearing, then her eyes snapped open. She didn’t ask… she didn’t dare… she just stared intently into his eyes.

“The doctor says Greg had a good chance to make it. He will have a lengthy recovery but it looks like he will live.”

 

[Samantha Solo]

Sam did not know whether she should laugh or cry at that moment but a sense of relief washed over her relieving every tense muscle she had, and chasing away every dark dreary thought that had entered her mind. She started pulling on things kicking blankets.

"Where are you going?" Her boss looked at her pulling covers up, "You aren't in any condition to be wandering around the halls. I notiifed you family Sam your brothers [member="Hawk Solo"] and [member="Brad Solo"] "

Sam stopped moving, she smiled she was going to have to deal with them sooner or later. She could only imagine the conversation now.

But focusing on Greg she thought I will just wait until you leave and then I'll get out of bed without you knowing it. She continued to smile as she looked over at him. Her throat still hurt they had pumped her stomach.

Sam dreamed of the lake, the water sparkled under the high sun light. She smiled content looking across she saw the cabin it was picturesque and felt like home. She was happy, and then the skies darkened a storm was moving in taking away the light. The clouds moved until the face of Jared looked down at her laughing. She tried running but found the ground slippery, she fell trying to get up she looked at her hands they were red with blood. Greg's blood. Oh God! She tried to get up and fell.

And then woke up the Nurse was standing there ready to put a sedative into her meds, "No, please" She squeaked out, "I need to see Agent Gray" She had to know he was alright. It took a lot of talking and pleading in the sad raspy voice of someone who nearly died to convince the nurse to bring her, but in time she did bring her.

As she was pushed into the room Sam thought her heart fell on the floor looking at Greg hooked up to monitors he had been so full of life just..."Put me closer, and can I stay just a little, please" She looked back at the Nurse who was clicking through her teeth Sam just smiled as best she could and then was alone with him. She inched closer and found his hand.

Her fingers stroked the back of his hand, "I thought I lost you" Her gaze went up to his face, his sleeping face she tried not to cry the emotions that she held in around the Chief began to surface and leak out. She laughed at her own fears, she put her head down putting her cheek against his hand, "Please wake up I need to hear your voice, I need to see into your eyes. I need you, so you need to wake up"

They had said it would take time for him to heal Sam was selfish and impatient with it. "I'll take care of you until you are all better, we can go to the lake, the rivers wherever you want.."

Sam would wait she laid there promising her soul if he'd wake up.

[member="Gregory Gray"]

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


Greg had a very bad day. First, blown up in his office; then a shotgun blast; then that knife. He hurt in places that didn’t seem connected to the injuries; but, they hurt none the less. Now he was dreaming again. This time it wasn’t a reliving of the day; but, it was Sam’s voice. Soft… pleading… Greg felt he needed to help her again; but, he didn’t know how.

He tried to rouse himself. His eyes cracked open the smallest of slits but his vision was blurred due to the moisturizing ointment they had put in them. Someone was sitting beside him; holding his hand. Try as he might he couldn’t see well enough to tell who it was. It was the smell of her, even with the overlay of hospital odors, he recognized her perfume. It reminded him of lying next to her in her bed that morning.

He had a stomach tube to drain stomach secretions following the surgery done to repair the laceration that had sliced his stomach open. As weak as he was, trying to talk around the tube seemed futile.

He squeezed her hand to assure her that he was there… that he wasn’t going anywhere.

 

[Samantha Solo]

[SIZE=14pt]She was laying there leaning over the edge of the bed with her cheek against the back of his hand. It felt like an eternity since Greg had opened his eyes. She knew he was badly hurt and that his road to recovery was going to be long. At the moment she didn’t care how long it was just as long he was still alive, and she got to walk the road with him.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]All while she had these wild thoughts, and moments of pain reliving what had happened it was emotionally painful. She felt responsible and she did not know why she was.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]“Oh god” she whispered to not wake him. Such twistedness she wanted him to wake up but she also wanted him to sleep as much as he could. Then she felt a little pressure on her hand, she sat up and turned quickly to look at him. His eyes were just little slits but they were slightly open.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]“You don’t get away that easily” She tried to be glib even though she wanted to cry. Oh frak a tear was rolling down her cheek she quickly wiped it away. She inched up putting her hand on his forehead. Relief, it was just relief.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]She pressed her lips to his forehead. She hoped they never had to go through this again ever ever.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]She pulled back then leaned and kissed his cheek, “I’m waiting for you Gregory”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]Then she sat down in her wheel chair. A nurse came in, “he’s slowly coming around, but now you need some rest” She did not want to go, but she was emotionally and physically spent.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]“Ok, can I come back later?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]“Umhmmm” They wheeled Sam out.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt][member="Gregory Gray"][/SIZE]

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


“I’m waiting for you Gregory”

As groggy and as much as he was hurting, that short promise meant the world to him. As badly as he wanted to respond, he couldn’t. His brief resurfacing to consciousness left him exhausted and he slipped back into that gray slumber that was a mixture of his near death, absolutely no strength, and drugs. This time when he reentered that dream – or nightmare - world, he was smiling.

**** Two weeks later ****

As much as he appreciated what it had done for him, Greg hated the smell of bacta. He was sick of hospital smells in general, but, the bacta was the worst offender. Perhaps that was because of the way it permeated his wounds and seemed to always linger. Oh, for some fresh air.

Greg was sitting watching the holonet news; his hospital bed was inclined into a semi-sitting position. His abdomen was still too painful to sit fully upright, but, he was making progress. Since he had become lucid again, and as he was basically immobile, he had a lot of time to think.

The Chief had come by more than Greg would have dared guess before this all started. Since Greg was showing marked improvement, his visits had become less frequent. Greg believed he was avoiding Greg’s constant badgering regarding Jared and the case. Try as he might he couldn’t get any new information out of the chief. His only comfort came from knowing Jared wouldn’t be hurting anyone else. Whether they had discovered anything else behind his obsession with Samantha the chief wouldn’t share with him.

When he was granted guest privileges from others than CORSEC, Shelly his club manager came by to let him know that, as soon as CORSEC released the building, they had begun repairs. Since the damage was primarily confined to his office, they reopened after only a couple of days and his office renovation was well underway.

Which brought him to his largest conundrum… what was he going to do now? The effectiveness of the “club owner” cover was thoroughly blown. The chief hadn’t been willing to comment on his ability to return to active duty – that would depend on how well he recovered from his injuries. Which meant once again CORSEC might not be in his future. Realizing that didn’t displease him as much as he might expect caused him to reflect on the conversation he’d had with Sam that morning before all this happened. Was he ready to move back to Tyrena; run the family businesses; get married and have a family? Those thoughts brought him back to thinking about Samantha. He shrugged helplessly at how circular his thought processes had been of late.

He glanced at the clock and realized she would be arriving soon for her afternoon visit. She was discharged after nearly a week of detoxification. Since then, she had been coming to visit Greg two or three times a day; so much in fact that Greg began to feel guilty. Surely she had better things to do than spend her time sitting with him in the hospital. On the other hand, he hoped she didn’t.

 

[Samantha Solo]

[SIZE=12pt]Sam found one of her favorite dresses to wear today for her visit with Greg. She felt better everything was out of her system and the bruises that she had gotten at Jared’s hands were nearly gone. The bruises had faded to where she could put a little make up on and hide them.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She had gone to the club and looked around the staff all excited to see her talked to her about Greg, and the damage in the office. Sam was relieved in some ways hard to explain being relieved that more people weren’t killed.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]But. People had died needlessly. Jared and the lives he took. Not long after everything had played out a continued search of places Jared had lived they found the others that had been detained. They had all been killed time of death had put them all the night before Jared abducted Sam.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]It was terrible with all the death that occurred in the galaxy with the Sith you would think that everyone would treat each other better. But. No. There were still the unbalanced of the galaxy to deal with, it was a good thing Jared wasn’t a Sith [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Sam looked at her watch she needed to get going to the hospital.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]The Chief had been giving her a little time she upon waking had resigned but he had not taken it as serious. Now a few weeks later Sam was still considering it she did not know if she wanted to go on like this anymore. It had been fun and exciting, but when the attention moved to her and Greg it lost its appeal.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She traveled by a small taxi service to the hospital.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She could see him before she even got into the room. She hadn’t mentioned too much of this to Greg when he was better the timing would be better. Putting on her best smile she entered his room.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]“I really like this set up I always know where you are” She crossed to his bed leaning over to give him a soft kiss hello. “So what did the doctor say today? Will he let me take you out of here?” She wanted to hide from the world maybe find a way to rid herself of the nightmares.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt][member="Gregory Gray"][/SIZE]​

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]


Greg grinned at Samantha’s teasing. The only times she hadn’t known where he was for the last several months of their assignment were when she dropped off the radar when the chief pulled her in for updates and briefings. That fact was one of the things he’d realized during his periods of refection lying in his hospital bed. He knew the fact that he’d been so close to her and in almost constant contact didn’t bother him at all – in fact, the idea of losing that relationship troubled him greatly. What were they going to do next especially if his CORSEC career was done?

“The plan is two more days if no new problems crop up. Two more bacta treatments and two more days worth of antibiotics and hopefully I’ll be out of here.” He slid over so that she could sit on the bed next to him. He needed to tell her the latest from the chief, too. “The chief says I have to stay out on medical leave for 6 months then I’ll have to take a fitness for duty physical to see if they will reinstate me.” He didn’t actually say that he might never get to work for CORSEC again; she would understand that from the requirement for a FFD physical.

“Do you think you can take some time off? I… I’d like to go to the cabin… just the two of us… have some time to heal and grow stronger and get to know the real Samantha.” He could only pray that she would be agreeable to that or something similar. He didn’t know what he’d do if she decided not to go with him.

 

[Samantha Solo]

“Seems two is the new lucky number” Sam slid into the spot that Greg cleared for her. There was news to tell each other that was certain. She could see it in his face, yes that loving gentle determined face that she was so sure she had lost.

Medical Leave so that is how they were putting it to him, she laughed a little oh CORSEC they had a way of putting things did they not. Yes they both knew what it meant, but maybe this was the timing that was needed. A huge case that ended with the good guys winning.

“Actually the Chief has given me some time off since I’m no good for undercover work right now. “ She looked over at Greg, “and there’s some concern that I may never be good for it again. So they aren’t sure what is going to happen. Options are out there but I have time accrued.”

She let out a little sigh, “I think a trip to the cabin is what we both need.” She would not keep a secret from Greg not after everything they had been through, “I’m having nightmares and there’s concern that I might hesitate on duty.” She looked at him it would mean that any trip they had the nightmares could surface and he'd have to deal with a blubbering scared Samantha.

Her face lost emotion as she thought about it, “So yeah let’s go”

She smiled. “It will be great to not be in the city, and in two days maybe we can be on our way. So I will need some things, and to pack. Just in case.” She needed to pack normal clothes that would go well at the cabin and be more like Sam. Not Samantha.

She studied his face, “Aside from being bored out of your mind, do you feel up to leaving ?"

[member="Gregory Gray"]​

 

[Gregory Gray]

[member="Samantha Solo"]



Going to the river cabin with Sam for an extended stay was reason enough for Greg to make sure he was discharged on schedule. The peace and solitude of the place on the riverfront tucked away next to the mountains always appealed to Greg. Taking her to one of his favorite places filled him with an excitement he hadn’t felt in… Actually, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forward to anything so much.

He listened sympathetically to her problem of nightmares. He’d had his share of bad dreams as well lately. His were concerned with losing her to Jared’s scheme more than about the injuries he’d received. “When I’m a little stronger, I’ll do my best to make sure you sleep soundly,” he teased. “And we’ll have lots of time to talk it all out,” he added more softly assuring her he took her problem seriously.

“Aside from being bored out of your mind, do you feel up to leaving?"

He chuckled, “I won’t be entering any races for awhile, but, the pain I have now is fairly well controlled with oral medications and probably won’t be getting much better until I can start moving around, stretching out the scar tissue. I can do that just as well there. Two more days… I’ll be more than ready!”

He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it softly. “Time away with you will be the best therapy I can have,” he added sincerely. He took a deep breath and began planning their excursion.

“I’ll text my parents a message and have them send a crew up to clean the place up and stock the kitchen and linen closet. All we should have to take will be whatever clothes you want.”

He already knew the next two days would seem like an eternity.

 

[Samantha Solo]

So you plan on getting plenty of exercise while we are gone, so that...I can sleep. Sleep. Right. They'd sleep certainly but not until they'd talked it all out hahahaha. Talking HA!


Yeah Greg we need the time away and we certainly need to talk about what happen, or at least what I can remember of it. She could see them comparing notes on everything. She tilted her head and watched as he brought her hand to his lips the gentlest of kisses.

In her nightmares Jared had a partner. In her wildest expectations and thoughts she just couldn't help but think he wasn't smart enough to do all of it, but all the evidence was proving her wrong. The evidence could make her look like a psycho for pushing them to look more. If there was someone, they would be taking a break for certain. Wait till the heat was off.

They'd find a new approach. Sam would do her best to not think these thoughts but after everything maybe she was a bit paranoid.

Will we be seeing your parents on this trip? She asked because she wanted to be sure to make a good impression, and to be prepared. Certainly there were those that looked at them and said it was the job that made them feel like this. Once there was no job then see how it went rumor was there was a bet. If she could find out who was running the pool she'd give them odds they were wrong.

She had not taken her gaze from Greg, there was that little voice back there going umhmm...wait and see.

Two days is a really long time to wait when you want to go now. It would be a long two days.

[member="Gregory Gray"]​