Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Present Day


Gustave Griegor hated hospitals. The smell of antiseptic always made him lightheaded. He hated suits even more and yet he had let his mother guilt him into wearing one on his monthly obligatory visit to great aunt Sophia. Anna Grigeor was also responsible for the overly large arrangement of pink roses and white lilac he was carrying.

" I feel like a monkey on a music box Savy. And the harridan at the reception desk is giving my cell a death glare." Gustave couldn't help but smile at the retort that passed back along the line.

" Of course she is Gus. Nurses part time as harpies you know, working for the grim reaper." Sev probably hated hospitals more than he did. " Hurry up and get the deed done. I'll treat you to a burger. "

" As you command Princess. You going to call ahead to Cunningham's again? We can eat in the lab while we go over the stress test results on the new gate tech." He trailed off as something called his attention. A soft french accent reading a familiar piece of literature. Wuthering Heights. One of Gustave's guilty pleasures was classical literature.

"Do you believe such people are happy in the other world, sir? I'd give a great deal to know. " Sarah shook her head and closed the book. "Perhaps this is too morbid for this evening. We'll leave it for next time."

Gustave snapped his phone shut cleared his throat and took a single step inside the room. " I find Jules Verne goes over better in the sick room myself. Hard to resist a good adventure when you are trapped within your own mind."

"Goodness. Really?" Sarah was all smiles as she rose from her seat at the mystery patient's bedside. "Can I help you with something sir?"

His eyes followed her movements as she adjusted the patient's bed covers. Brody and the rest of the team kept trying to drill into his head the importance of hands. Something about people killing with the hands. Gustave would have missed it if it wasn't for that bit of advice. In the bed was the last person he expected to see there.

The phone came right back out again, his finger already on the redial before it had properly snapped open.

" Dammit Gus, you better not be canceling on me." Sev snapped into the phone.

" Savy we've got a problem. Call Brody and meet me down here sweetheart." He closed the phone again barely waiting for her reply. His attention was already back on the occupant of the bed. His voice was a harsh whisper. "Good gods Hannah, you look like hell."

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

6 Months Ago

Emergency Trauma Room 1

There was a woman sitting on a boulder near a stream, it was hot and humid - barely a touch of a breeze in the blistering Louisiana sun. I heard the laughter of children not far off, up the bank - but what I saw took my breath away. Not ten feet in front of me was Mark and his family all splashing and lazing around in the stream, but there was something else - something that just wasn't quite right. Mark was holding a little girl, she couldn't have been more than two, possibly three years old. She had the brightest blue eyes and the most gorgeous chocolate brown curls that bounced with Mark's every step as they moved closer to the woman on the boulder. "Maman!" I heard the little girl squeal that single word out, I saw the woman on the boulder extend her arms towards the child and scoop her up, lovingly and nuzzle close to her laughing. Who was that woman?

"Hannah! Bebe I'm so glad you're home, we've missed you so much cher."

The brilliant, blinding white light was back again and these voices, these voices were from a time that was to long forgotten - yet just out of reach.

"Maman? Papa?" That couldn't be possible, I couldn't be hearing their voices - was I going crazy?

"Cher, I'm so glad you are home, come closer so I can hold you once again cher."

Mark's voice swam in my already foggy mind, I blinked a few times - yes there were six outlines of figures in front of me. I could barely make out Mark, Maman and Papa - but who were the other two? Oh, oh my that's my brother and sister! Oh! And there's Nichola too! I took two quick steps forward but then I backed up just as fast. This cannot be reality, this has to be a dream. Wake up Hannah, wake up I commanded myself, but nothing happened.

"Clear!"

What? Who is that? I reached for my family but there was nothing now, just a man. I couldn't make out his face, I couldn't recognize his voice.

"Common cher breathe for us, don't you give up." Dr. Nicholas Mosby was not going to give up easily on this young woman that he'd judge could not be further along than her mid twenties, even with all the make up and tattoos. "Charge them again dammit!" He yelled at the interns, nurses and other Dr's around him, nearly jumping over the woman's body to do it himself.

"Clear!"

Dr. Mosby's jawline was set, his forehead beaded with sweat as he pressed the paddles against the woman's bare chest. His entire front was covered in her blood, but he would not give up. They hadn't given her enough time yet, they had to give her more time - another chance. He watched as her chest rose sharply up off the examination table and fall back with a thud, whipping his head towards the monitors - silently willing them to come to life.

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.. blip."

"I've got a pulse!"

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Two hours later

Dr's Breakroom

"The police are just as baffled as we are over her, but we just can't shake the feeling that she's someone of some kind of importance. I've spoken to them on our Jane Doe in Room 122A, but they couldn't find any identifying marks on her. Everything about her was fake,"he shook his head as he paced the room. "The tattoos were fake, she was wearing contacts, her hair was dyed, for Christ's sake her face wasn't even real! She had absolutely no form of identification on her Claire. I just don't know what to make of it all. They couldn't even pull prints or dental impressions from her to try to id her." He took the momentary down time that was ever so rare in a Dr's life to stretch out on the couch in the break room.

Claire took a sip of lukewarm coffee, pondering the dilemma that Nick was telling her about. It was odd, freaky and downright disturbing in her own mind. "Someone's got to know who she is Nick, how is she doing anyway? Is she going to pull through?"

Nick shrugged his shoulders into the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. "I'm not to sure Claire. We had to intubate her because her airway was blocked. It took us nearly an hour to bring a pulse back into her and even then it was weak at first. She seems to be a fighter, a damn good one, but even the best fall Claire. I don't know who that woman is in there, but she's alive - barely. What had she done to deserve such abuse?" He paused and took a deep breath and slowly let it out as a chill shot up his spine. "God Claire, there were so many things wrong with her, it's really quite a pity."

Claire looked up from the coffee and over towards Nick, her head canted to the right, left eyebrow arched curiously. She herself had been in surgery while Nick was downstairs in the ER with the Jane Doe, she'd heard it was bad, but she didn't know just how bad the woman was. "How bad was she Nick?"

"It'd take me ages to list everything to be honest cher. She was malnourished, dehydrated.. She had three broken ribs, contusions on her frontal lobe, a broken arm, fractured ankle, she had a gunshot wound to her right side that nearly punctured several vital organs. So many cuts, burns and lacerations we lost count as we tried to clean her up." He shook his head again, remembering the bloody mess they'd laid on the ER table. "It looked like she'd been whipped up and down her backside repeatedly over and over, for how long I couldn't tell you. Some were raw and fresh, some it looked like a week or two old. She's damn lucky to even be alive. What was she running from?" He clucked his tongue as his pager went off, sitting up to check who it was. "Damn, gunshot vic on the way in. Gotta run Claire." And he was off through the door leaving Dr. Claire LeFonte to try to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

She got up, lukewarm coffee cradled in her hands, she was replaying everything that Nick had told her about the Jane Doe he'd finished working on. Slipping out of the Dr's break room, she found herself wandering towards Room 122A and stepped quietly through the door. Curiosity was always a downfall for Claire and now was no different, but at the same time she felt compelled to help figure this puzzle out. Who was the woman? What had happened to her? Why had it happened to her? Why was no one looking for her? So many unanswered questions. She stepped up to the side of the bed, and took a quick look around. There was a poster with a shot that they'd taken just moments after she'd arrived to circulate to the public - to try and find out who she was. Claire picked up the flyer and held it next to the woman's face and debated for several long moments. There was a huge difference between the snapshot and the woman laying in the bed in a comatose state. You honestly would not be able to tell that the woman in the poster was indeed the woman laying in the bed. Finally she shook her head sighing, "Just who are you cher?"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
One Year, Eight Months Ago

Motel 8
Room 12

I kept going over the profile of the woman I'd created in my mind, the woman I was to become.

Chantel Michelle Coag, age 23 was a petite little bombshell that had just move to Baton Rouge after a rough break up with her last lover. She'd gone and left Texas behind for the bayous of Louisiana. She'd left Dallas behind with a suitcase of clothes, her car and two grand in cash - just enough to grab a motel room and survive until she'd found a decent enough means of income. She had to get close enough to Roberts, close enough that he'd learn to trust her.. even like or possibly love her.

I had to find out how and why this had happened, I had to get all the information I could out of Roberts - and of course in the end, I was going to bring him in. I was out for revenge, I had to keep this under wraps and away from the BAU, I couldn't stand the thought of anyone else getting hurt - not on my account, not now.. not ever again.

Had I given myself enough time to adjust to this role? To feel comfortable and confident enough to act the way that this woman I'd created would act?

I stood up from the motel bed and fastened the large, hoop earrings to my ears before running my hands down my flat stomach, stopping a moment to toy with the emerald green belly ring I wore before continuing over the tight lycra mini skirt I was wearing. I stepped over to the full length mirror and took a good hard look at the woman's reflection before me.

I definitely looked the part I was taking on, now the biggest question was going to be if I could hold my nerve to play the part to the end.

"Show time darlin'," I murmured in my best Texan drawl, grabbing my keys, I turned carefully in my six inch heels and headed out the door.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Solace
One Year, Eight Months Ago

Eyes followed the woman as she started the dance, with a smirk crossing his lips as those eyes moved over her form slowly. He had to admit she was a very lovely woman. With his brush of lips over skin when she had pressed her breasts into his face.

As the dance continued, his brow quirked for a moment as the woman's scent threw him off. It wasn't untill she was sitting him his lap, back to his chest. Then he confirmed the scent, by trailing his nose along her shoulder and neck. Ending with his light blues locking onto her chocolate browns.

Lips them moved to her ear, whispering just above a whispers. And while Trent was distracted. "You are quiet the lovely woman. Perhapsone night, you could give me a private dance. Or whatever your heart desires." Murmured as he rolled up a fifty, an tucked it between her breasts.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
One Year, Eight Months Ago

Motel 8
Room 12

Three long and grueling months had passed and I was no better along than I had been the night that I'd gotten the call that rousted me from sleep and had shattered my carefully built defenses. I hadn't called Sev, Keir, Capt'n or even Har. As far as anyone knew, I was dead - and just maybe it was better off that way. I'd been shacked up in an old run down shamble of a motel in the worst part of Baton Rouge, under an assumed name and disguise. I'd decided myself that night to go undercover to try and find the one man that eluded me - the one man that stole what was left of my family.

I'd given myself twenty four hours to recover from the news before I went to retrieve my emergency kit. Shortly after joining the FBI I'd come to the conclusion that you'd never know when you might need a new identity and a good stash of cash. I had thirty grand, three different identities and was well on my way to finding Trent Roberts. I'd taken careful time to make sure that there would be no way I'd ever be recognized, at least by no means that any small fish could ever break fast enough.

I'd allowed myself a week's worth of time solely devoted to finding out any and every possible piece of information that I could grasp about Trent Daniel Roberts. Within that week I had built what I had believed a solid profile on the man, as well as on Kingsley. Stephen Kingsley was not my problem any longer, he'd be behind bars for quite some time, but knowing the link that Kingsley and Roberts shared, helped me to believe that I could fit more of the pieces of the puzzle together.

Stephen Kingsley had an older brother, Phillipe Kingsley, now deceased - who had been seen around time prior to his death on several different occassions with some of the Mafia's big time boys. I'd been the one that killed him, a year ago. We'd been on stake out on the plant for 48 hours and we'd finally gotten the call to move in. I was coming around the back entrance with Jess as my back up when Phillipe came hauling ass through said entrance waving around an M-16. I announced myself and Phillipe turned the M-16 on Jess and myself, I didn't blink, I didn't hesitate. Two rounds were fired off before I'd even taken a breath, the first hit his gun shoulder, the second hit his heart. There was no saving Phillipe Kingsley that night. So with that information under my belt, it led me to believe that Kingsley was in this for revenge, revenge for his brother Phillipe.

Trent Roberts owned an established gentlemen's club in south Baton Rouge, "Solace." For the past three years, the FBI had him noted as being involved in drug dealing, manufacturing and was also known to have ties to the Mafia - but as far as I could tell, he had no ties to Stephen Kingsley directly, other than a lone bank transaction in the amount of 1.2 million dollars. The money was sitting in an offshore Cayman's account, deposited into Kingsley's account the day of the fire.

The only common link, linking the two men to one another was their rumored connection to the Mafia.

I began my search shortly after my family was killed, but in order to go under, I had to make sure that my appearance would be fitting to the role I was giving myself. I'd cut my hair shorter, dyed it jet black, changed my eye color to a deep chocolate brown, courtesy of contacts - I had even gone as far as getting fake tattoos, the best there was out there that wouldn't sweat off during the job, of course. To add to the disguise, I also got my eyebrow, belly button and tongue pierced. I applied the plaster mold of a face that I'd had tucked away as well so that my appearance was altered in whole, it was almost as if I was really Chantel Michelle Coag. My fingerprints were gone, and even my dental records were altered. Short of a DNA match, you'd never be able to tell who I really was.

David's home
Rhy'Din
Present.

David would be spending a rather quiet day at home, as his work for the day had been done. Compaired to his past life where he was hired to do various types of jobs, to being hired as a messenger now. It was honest pay, yet it was just enough for the man to get by.

After a few hours of reading, he retired to the bedroom to sleep. It was then that the dreams began.

I recall walking along a beach, on a rather beautifull day. I wore my shirt open allowing the breeze from the sea to blow around me, as I took in the scenery. As I moved further, I spotted a woman on the beach. A very lovely young woman. Yet at the same time, I had the feeling that I knew her.

She asked my name, as well as asking why I was in her dreams. I was about to answer..when the dream faded with me snapping awake. As I sat there in the bed, one hand moved to a gold necklace a close friend gave to me. A long time ago, one I haven't seen in almost two years. I made a vow to find her again.

David's House
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Nine Months Ago

It was rare that I ever had the night off at Solace, I was in high demand with the clientele, but Trent had decided to give me a night off - unfortunately though, David had to work a half day. I'd spent the earlier part of the day out in town shopping for different odds and ends while I did more subtle probing into Trent's "business." I was just about to leave the rather crowded shopping area when I passed by a jewelry store in the mall, a smile turned my lips as a I saw a must have gorgeous gold chain in the display window. I immediately thought of David, and how the chain would look on him and I slipped through the doors to purchase the gift.

It was only a short time after I'd arrived at Solace that Trent had seen the way that David reacted to me, and he'd given me to David as a "gift," a perk to the job. He'd taken me up to the office and explained what it meant, I was abhorred at the things I was required to do - basically I was his personal call girl to put it "professionally." Knowing I had to follow the roll, I had done all that I could to literally throw myself at David during the first few months we were together, but David was so different. He wasn't like the other men at the club at all, he'd turn down each and every sexual advance I had tossed his way, he'd pampered me every single day - he was in short, a gentleman.

I slid onto the bed that we shared and turned the elegantly gift wrapped box over in my hands, it pained me to think that when this was over I'd probably never see him again. I let out a sigh and slid the box onto my nightstand as I looked around. Who was I kidding? He'd likely hate me when this was all over, he'd believed and cared for nothing but a lie. Chantel was nothing but a fabrication hat I had created in order to infiltrate Solace and bring Trent down - make him pay for what he'd done. I was sorry that in the process people were going to be hurt, David especially. I can't say that I love him, but there is something there - a treasured and valued friendship, one that shouldn't have to end the way it was going to have to. Maybe though, just maybe things could be different? He was a mole after all he'd said, but he'd been honest with me - but I couldn't tell him, I would not have been able to go on if he'd gotten hurt during my under cover operation.

No, I didn't love him now, but under different circumstances I could have - and would have.

Months passed quickly while I was employed at Solace, and I was making good progress in my opinion. It wouldn't be long now until I could officially haul Trent Roberts in on so many different counts, the DA was going to be spending a week writing them all up. I figured it'd be no more than another couple months at max before I could make the call and have him put behind bars, no fancy lawyers were going to be able to save Trent from the hell I was bringing down on him.

What I had lacked to find was hard evidence linking him to my family's hit. Oh there had been scattered bits and pieces that I had found out, but nothing that would stand up in court. It frustrated me beyond belief, to be so close yet still so far away. I could nail Trent to the wall on numerous other charges, and they would stick in court - he'd pay his time for those crimes, but what about my family? I was so close to finding the truth that I could taste revenge on the tip of my tongue.

I knew Trent had a business meeting that would take him out of town for a bit in two months time. I had been working on a very elaborate and careful plan to break into his office and see if there was anything there that I could use. My biggest problem would be to steal away from David for that precious hour that I would need to hack into Trent's computer system.

My head was beginning to hurt so I slid off the bed and headed down towards the kitchen to grab some water and a few aspirin, not realizing just how much time had actually passed. I heard David's keys jingling at the door, and I couldn't stop the smile that turned my lips. All the tension left my body the instant I threw myself into his arms and he wrapped them around me. It was amazing how just a simple embrace could wash away so much pain and anger.

"Come upstairs, I have something for you!" I was half dragging him up the stairs now, hoping that he'd like the necklace. I had never seen him wear anything except his watch, so I'd gone on pure instinct. I handed him the wrapped box and flopped down onto the bed and watched him. "Open it!"

David's House
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Nine Months Ago

It was another dull day of work, as he spent half the day at the club. This time he was serving as a tender, with Trent asking him questions about his "gift". Each question was parried rather easily, as David didn't say a word about her asking questions about him.

Once the questions were done, Trent sent him home. Telling him he had a job lined up for him, which David agreed to do. On the way home, he found himself smiling. While he was at the club, he hated being there yet now he found himself getting home. Just to be with Chantel.

No sooner than he walked through the door, she nearly tackled him to the floor. Getting a laugh as he hugged her back, only to find himself being dragged upstairs. "Settle down. You don't have to drag me." Teasing her as he followed her into the bedroom.

Brows quirked at the gift, then to her eyes. Telling she had put a lot of thought into it. Slowly openning it, before a smile crossed his lips. Pulling out the necklace, before he slipped it around his neck. Giving her a playfully pose. "Does it suit me?" Another wink as he did love the gift.

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Present Day

Building 121
Fifth Floor
Room 122A

~"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Mister Jones." David... David Jones.. that name is so familiar to me. I paused only a short distance from David, gray blue eyes searching his own as if searching for answers I didn't know and he might.

" It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Hannah. " He murmured softly, as he looked back into her eyes. Looking for the same answers. " Yet for some reason..I feel drawn to you..I do not know why."

It was a warm night despite the rain that was falling down around us, but even within that warmth I found myself shivering. "I know you, but I just can't place how I know you." I shook my head and ran a hand through my dampened hair.

" I know the feeling. " Arms crossed over his chest, she would see a certain necklace around his neck. That Chantel gave to him.

I blinked a moment at the faint golden glint around David's neck. I was trying my best to peer at it curiously without seeming to obvious. I closed my eyes a moment, and it seemed time stood still. I saw a woman in a shop, a smile on her face and the feeling of elation as she bought the necklace. She'd had it wrapped in a fancy silver paper. My eyes flew open.. I recognized that necklace. "It came in a silver wrapped box."

He watched her oddly for a moment, before the comment hit him like a ton of bricks. He just stared at her for a long silent moment, before he finally spoke softly. " How..do you know that?"

"I.. I don't know. I saw," I shook my head. What was going on? Maybe if I closed my eyes again.. and they flashed again, so fast.. She was in the kitchen.. keys.. she was so happy as she took him up the stairs. I opened my eyes again, furrowing my brows in confusion. "It suits you."

He again watched her in silence, before he tilted his head. Something about her just screamed Chantel to him, but she looked so different than her. " Thank you.." Those memories came flooding back to him now.

I tilted my head again, the house the woman had been in was so familiar to me as well - and the bedroom she took him to. Why am I having someone else's memories in my dreams? I blinked my eyes a moment and another flash came, quick as the lightning that crashed around us. "Baton Rouge.. Solace." I shook my head, "This doesn't make sense to me."~

His eyes went wide for a moment to that. He was just about to answer, when his alarm clock went off..Snapping him away as he suddenly sat up in bed, letting out a few curse words. Oddly that came out in the same tone that Chantel used. He just sat there in bed. " Something is not right. " Murmured..

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

3 Weeks and Six Months Ago

David and I had been informed that Trent was sending him away on business for the next two weeks, there was a matter of importance in New Orleans. Though it provided a perfect opportunity for me to break into Trent's office unnoticed by David, it also saddened me that for the next two weeks I'd be without David. Our time together was growing short as I closed in on the last bits of information that I needed to put Trent away, and though I was greatful for this, I was at a loss as well. I'd come to grow very fond of David, he was one of the most unique men I had ever encountered in my line of work and even life. He meant a great deal to me, and I also knew that anyone who was everyone that ever meant much to me.. well they were nearly all dead now. All I had left now was Sev, Brody, Harley, Hes and Har.. well of course I'd always have me - but even after all this time, all that I've done.. would they have me back? Would they understand that the burden I was carrying was mine and only mine? That this was something I had to do.. would David ever forgive me?

I sighed and shook my head as I slicked back my short black mane, looking into the mirror a smile turned my lips as David came into the room. He was jingling the keys in one hand as he leaned down to brush his lips against my cheek.

"Time for me to get going, plane leaves in an hour."

I sighed and nodded my head, standing from the small chair, I turned to face him, memorizing every detail that I could. I wrapped my arms around him, holding on like I might never get a chance to do this again. I wouldn't cry.. it would be foolish of me to cry. This was a job, nothing more nothing less, but I was sorry that in the end he would be hurt - at least I thought he might. There were no words spoken in the span of minutes that we held that embrace, but when I pulled back, it took all that I could to hold my voice steady and smile brightly for him. "Bettah get goin' then, don't want ya being all late. Trent would have my ass." I paused a moment to lean up and brush my lips against his own, sighing softly. "Come back soon." He nodded his head to me before stealing one last kiss. I watched him walk out the door and though it was only two weeks we'd be apart, I had a horrible feeling in my stomach.

-Later that night-

The club was packed to the rafters tonight, business was on fire! There were two different conventions in town this week, and Solace was making a killing off it. I leaned back against the wall closest to the back dressing rooms, smirking to myself. Junior was busy being entertained by one of the newer dancers to Solace, and I couldn't help but smile to myself watching them. I checked the clock on the wall, and by my careful calculations, Trent would be just starting his meeting. I slipped through the curtain doors and made my way silently up the stairs towards Trent's private offices. Most if not all the dancers were already out on the floor, busily making money that would pay their rent for the month amongst many other things.

I made sure to seem aloof and disinterested as the DJ's assistant, Ralph strolled past me. I'd offered him a smile, blew him a kiss and had the poor boy blushing from head to toe. When he'd rounded the corner I quickly picked Trent's lock and slid through the door, closing it silently behind me.

Trent's office smelled of cinnamon and stale sweat - what a lovely mix. I took a deep breath before I finally pushed off the door and headed over to a filing cabinet. I tried to pull the drawers open one by one and found them locked, a quiet murmur and I was picking their locks. I spent twenty minutes sifting through the paperwork to come up empty handed - of course Trent wouldn't be that sloppy to leave a papertrail. Frowning I turned to the computer on his desk, I slid onto the cool leather chair and brought the computer to life. I checked the time again, I'd learned that I could never be to sure about things. Trent was smart, he'd made sure to password and encrypt his files and his electronic dayplanner - but I was much smarter. I smirked to myself as I pulled the tiny USB stick out from my bra strap and inserted it into the USB drive of Trent's computer. It took me the better part of what I had thought merely a half hour to crack all the passwords and encryptions so that I could read the information.

In the time I was at the computer I'd found out and confirmed so many suspicions that I had about Trent and his "business" dealings. From drug manufacturing, to the distrubtion of it, money laundering, embezzlement.. you name it and Trent probably had a hand it in. As the data was being transferred from his hard drive to my USB stick, I opened up his electronic dayplanner and started to sift through the notations. At a first glance it looked like a normal busy schedule, but I'd also learned not everything is as it seems. A few notations caught my well trained eye...

"Meet S.K. 3pm"

"Flow to Cayman's."

"Schelly's Bonfire with S.K."

"S.K. R.I.P."

"Pest Control in N.O. for D.J."

"Take care of C.C."

How odd that was.. I didn't have much time to sit and dwell on it fully as the data was nearly done transferring itself. I clicked on another folder that was marked "Operation Bonfire," and the bits that I quickly scanned had me gritting my teeth. I clicked "Copy" and sat back as I waited for the information to finish transferring. He'd been behind it all, I put my head in my hands and took a few deep steadying breaths - and that's when I heard the keys and Trent's voice laced with anger outside the door. "97% until download completes." My heart was thudding in my chest, I was panicking, I glanced around hurriedly but there was really nowhere I could hide for an indefinite amount of time. I heard him drop the keys and I was silently praying for more distractions. "99% until download completes." I was standing now, ready to make a run for it as soon as the download was done. I heard the turn of the door knob, I felt like I was going to feint. I snatched the memory stick out of the USB drive and pressed the windows key. Hopefully Trent wouldn't be on the computer anytime soon, I silently prayed. I flashed the hugest smile that I could possibly manage at Trent, all the while I was trembling from head to toe. "You're not due back for another hour, I was just getting ready to go down and get Champagne and strawberries for us." I slowly moved from behind the desk, bringing both hands up to my bra, slowly sliding one strap down my shoulder while I carefully tried to insert the memory stick into the other. I trailed a fingertip over the top of my breast, watching Trent the entire time - but something wasn't right. He wasn't taking the bait, he was smirking but it wasn't that semi sexy smirk of his, this one was cold. I blinked my eyes to him, he'd yet to say anything and this was worrying me. I closed the distance between us and pressed my body against him, running a hand up his chest. "I figured after your meetin' that ya might wanna relax with me?" I yelped in pain as I felt him grab a fistful of my hair pulling me back against the wall as he slammed the door. I never noticed two of his private body guards entering the room through a secret door in the wall.

"You bitch. What the hell were ya doing in my office eh?"

He tightened his grip on my hair as he dragged me across the office, my head was spinning to find an answers. "I was just gettin'.." My answer was cut short as I felt the back of his hand slap me across my face.

"Shut up bitch. Tie her up."

I was thrown to the floor, blindfolded and gagged. I could hear Trent throwing things around the office, opening and shutting drawers and I heard the whir of the computer - the soft click of a few keys and my heart fell to my feet at the same time I felt the blow to the back of my head and then everything went black.

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Present Day

Building 121
Fifth Floor
Room 122A

Dr. Whitehead blinked a bit at the bluntness from the older gentleman, he looked to be in charge so he addressed him. "I'm sorry but this woman can't be moved yet, if ever." He shook his head solemnly, "Her condition won't allow it." He turned then to the man in the white coat, his voice was gentle yet stern as he spoke, "You must understand, as you can read in the chart the extensive damage and trauma her person received. And, that despite all the measures we can practically use on her person, nothing has worked." He moved to the woman's bedside now, looking down at her. "Nothing we've tried has worked, and believe me we've tried. I've held hope that she'd come out of the coma one day - but," He shrugged sadly. "nothing's worked. The only possible way I can forsee moving her is if.." The Dr's words were cut short as yet another man entered the room. Blinking back confusion, Dr. Whitehead peered curiously at the new arrival and then at the folder shoved into his hands. A quick glance at the paperwork, told him it was in order, but there was a question he'd had to voice as he looked up to the man before him, "What does the CIA want with this woman after all this time?"

~I could feel the humidty clinging to my dampened skin, hear the faint trickling of the water in the creek not a few feet from me. I was lazily leaning against a huge tree, watching the setting sun fall behind the curtain of clouds. A sigh escaped my lips as I heard someone approaching through the thick cover of trees behind me, a smile turned my lips as I turned, expecting to see David but instead I saw Mark.

"Cher."

He smiled and held a hand out towards me, expecting me to take his hand. I looked at him, a confused look crossing my face before looking back down to his extended hand. "Mark.." I was left speechless, as if the breath had been stolen from me as I watched him slowly making his way towards me. He paused a couple feet from me and tilted his head to the side, sadness washing over his facial expressions as he regarded me - almost as if I looked like a stranger to him.

"There's something different about you cher, you don't seem pleased to see me."

"I just don't understand Mark, you're.. you're dead. We buried you." I started to fidget restlessly against the tree as I spoke words that still made me slightly uncomfortable, but now I understood as truths. I shook my head, gray blue eyes still watching him curiously.

"Yes cher, I am."

A nervous laugh escaped as I shook my head, "Oh pardon, that's right I'm dreaming. I nearly forgot that dreams can be of anything, anywhere, anytime." I turned again to watch the last rays of sunlight fade away, slowly I glanced sideways towards Mark again.

"You are not dreaming cher."

I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean I am not dreaming? If I am not dreaming how can you be here with me now?" He closed the distance that had been between us, warm fingers caressed my cheek and I wanted so much to lean into that caress, but somehow it felt so foreign to me.

"You don't remember cher?"

"Non." I shook my head, gray blue eyes glancing up to seek answers in his.

"You have been in a dream like state for over six months cher, don't you ever wonder why you never wake?"

I blinked rapidly, this wasn't making sense. "What do you mean?"

"Hannah, you are in.."~

Thunder shook the hospital building as the storm outside finally broke free of it's prison. Heavy rain pelted against the windows as lightning struck the skies.

Brody turned on his heel to face the CIA agent, his mouth had just moved to formulate one of the many questions dancing on his tongue but something else stole his attention.

The frenzied beeping and blipping around Hannah's bedside stole the attention of everyone in the room. Arguments, questions, concerns were now put to an abrupt halt.

The Doctor's eyes - all of them flew to the many monitors as they all began to talk at once.

"Her heartbeat's accelerated, her bp's rising!"

"Did you see that? I think her hand moved!"

"Hannah? Hannah can you hear us?"

The beeping and the blipping continued to increase, but not it was not showing signs of hope - but instead started a mass panic inside the room.

"This isn't normal. What the hell is going on?"

"Her BP is falling, heartbeats dropping."

The storm outside raged with it's full force, winds were picking up and the rain wasn't letting up - if anything it was coming down harder now and faster. The power flickered and the sounds of frightened childrened combined with the monitors and machines created a symphony of chaos within the hospital.

"Get everyone out of here NOW!"

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."

"Shit! She's flatlined. Get the crash cart NOW!"

~"In what?" He was shimmering now, glowing and it seemed as if he were growing transparent. I felt the overwhelming sensation of being pulled away. "Mark? Mark?" I looked around dazed and disoriented but he was nowhere to be found.

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to reign in the flurry of emotions that were building inside me - panic, fear, sadness.. the whole of them.~

The Doctor's moved quickly, almost unnaturally so. The agents had stubbornly all refused to leave the small room, leaving the Dr's and staff limited work space. Nevertheless they worked swiftly on Hannah, they'd cut her flimsy dressing gown open so that the paddles could be placed accordingly onto her body.

"CLEAR!"

Oh, that's cold. What is that?

Hannah's body lurched up off the hospital bed in a sharp arch before falling limply back onto the bed. All eyes turned to the monitors.. nothing.

Ow, what is that?

Dr. Mosby instructed the nurse to turn the dial up slightly and readied the paddles again, careful eyes waited, watched and then placed the paddles on Hannah's chest once more.

"CLEAR!"

Again Hannah's body arched up abruptly from the bed, and to any bystander it looked quite painful as her body rose and then fell back limply.. lifeless onto the bed. The hushed silence that hung in the room was overbearing.. as they all waited for some sign of life.

Stop that!

The fingers of my right hand twitched, slowly and the fell back to the bed, limp. My eyes were so heavy, they felt like they were being held down by weights, but slowly they fluttered open - but I couldn't focus on anything. I tried to talk but only made choking noises, something was strangling me.. blocking my airway, I gasped for breath.

"Hannah!"

"Pulse is good, vitals are coming up!"

Minute after strenuous minute passed by, and the tension inside the small hospital room could have been cut with a butter knife, it hung that thick. All eyes were on the monitor and then on Hannah, continuing to bounce between the two, until finally...

"Lets get the tube out, she's stabilized enough that she can breath on her own."

"Common cher, fight. Hang on, don't give up!"

Oh, loud noises. It hurt my head, my body ached.. I was so stiff and the lights for that millisecond were so blindingly bright. What was going on? Oh god that hurts, did they just pull a snake out of my throat? The darkness was swirling around me again, the fog growing so heavy, and then there was nothing but blackness once more.

The Doctor's fussed around Hannah for several more minutes after the scare they'd been given. Finally satisfied that Hannah was stable, but had recieved such a shock had fallen unconscious. Dr. Mosby ordered her to be dosed with sedatives and morphine to help ease the shock and pain. After a few more moments of quiet discussion with his own staff, he turned to the FBI agents that had stubbornly not left the room.

"As you can see and hear, since you've not left the room as requested," he frowned slightly at that, "Hannah is now stable. We've removed the tubes from her airway and she's breathing fine on her own. We will keep her here for observation for the next week to start out with. Monitoring her to ensure that there is and was no long term damage to her person from the extended comatose state or the brutal beating she endured beforehand." He glanced briefly towards the woman that laid sleeping in the hospital bed, heavily sedated and drugged up on morphine. He was pleased, for the last seven months he'd cared for this woman and she'd looked as if she could die any moment. Pale of color, lifeless and so still she could have been a porcelain doll laid on a bed. But now, now she had a slight glow to her skin, a kiss of color to her cheeks and her chest rose and fell of it's own accord. Her pulse was strong and her vitals were stable. She was very lucky indeed, almost as if she had a guardian angel on her side... albeit several months late. "The prognosis at the moment looks very hopeful that she will make a full recovery, but I'll know more in the next seventy-two hours." He looked in turn between each FBI agent, the Doctor they'd brought with them and the CIA Agent as well. Weariness saturated his voice, but hope shone in his eyes.

The ICU waiting room had taken on the look of a post apocalyptic refugee camp by early morning the day after Gustave had stumbled on Hannah there. There were cables running across the floor to power a number of laptops and people in various states of rumpled collapsed in chairs.

Sev had taken over the spot closest to the coffee machine. Brody had taken the seat closest to Hannah's door.

Gustave, Sev and Brody had discussed things as soon as all the action had calmed down and the consensus reached was that no one trusted this Jones fellow. But no one was quite ready to insist he be removed from the premises yet. Thus the presence of whatever members of Hannah's old team in the waiting room. They'd started trickling in shortly after getting Brody's call.

The nurses seemed to be bouncing back and forth between annoyance and bemused acceptance of the fluctuating lot, helped on greatly by the fact that the male members of the team each brought boxes of chocolates and other treats to share, after some sincere urging by Gustave and Sev.