Isabelle had made some show about needing to sit in the middle row of their rented SUV and thus had ended up next to him while Pete, Becca and Brenna sat in the back. Derek and Tammi took the driver position and shotgun.

"I want to still be able to eat when we get there," she mumbled loudly. He didn't know what it was supposed to mean but both Pete and Becca gave her a look that would melt iron.

Dinner was amazing. Tensions eased a bit by the second bottle of wine. It wasn't too late when they set out on foot to a local dance club the waiter had assured them was only a few blocks away.

Walking along behind Tammi, Derek and Brenna he noticed for the first time that she had a large brightly colored tattoo adorning the right side of her back. The distance and the dark made it impossible for him to discern what it was but the impression he got was of a very elaborate piece possibly resembling a tree of life. The top portion appeared slightly off as if the skin there had been damaged and wasn't quite perfectly smooth.

He was both surprised and intrigued having not pegged her as the tattoo type and made a mental note to ask her about it another time.

They reached the dance club which was quite popular judging by the number of people in and outside of it. Lights flashed and fast dance music, heavy with base and Latin flair, pulsed through the air.

They entered and commandeered a table in corner close to the dance floor. The first round of drinks arrived and were gone in little time. Before long the girls decided it was time to dance and moved off to the large open floor. The men resisted for a couple more shots before succumbing to the beckoning females.

Mac had no delusion of his dancing skills. He knew he had no rhythm but still found himself swaying to the music beside Brenna. When he looked over he found himself in good view of her tattoo. It was indeed a very well done tree of life with a light pattern of smoke swirling through its green and red flower adorned branches. He couldn't see the bottom half because of her dress. He was also able to confirm that the skin of her upper right back just below her shoulder blades was pulled tight with scar tissue which had caused the slight warping of the design.

He wondered what had caused such scars. He remembered she had been injured and spent some time in the hospital following the tragedy that had taken her husband. He'd been out of state and engrossed in the training program at the time and hadn't paid much attention to all the news coverage but knew that it had been a big deal. He figured he'd ask Derek or Pete about it when he had a chance.

Under the buoying affects of the alcohol he was enjoying himself on the dance floor until he turned and saw her. Isabelle had snuck across the dance floor and placed herself in impossibly close proximity to him while he hadn't been paying attention. Now aware, he very carefully began to move and put space between them but had to stop when he backed into another body.

When he turned he was face to face with Brenna's laughing countenance.

"What is so funny?" he yelled over the music.

"You! Running? You should see the look of terror on your face right now." She was still giggling and he was on the brink of irritation until he realized how he really must look.

"Ya. I can imagine." He returned her grin with a chagrined one of his own.

"Heads up! Here she comes!" He glanced over his shoulder and saw Isabelle heading his way. Tonight she had chosen a skin tight black dress and matching sky scraper heels. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. She resembled a dominatrix and Mac simply wasn't into that kind of thing.

Before he could think he pulled Brenna in close to himself and placed his hands on her hips.

"Save me!" He yelled into her ear. For a moment she was as still as stone and he worried that he had really upset her but then she began to sway with the music again. When he looked over Isabelle had stopped in her tracks and stood glaring. Suddenly, as if she realized how she looked, she pivoted on her heels and made a beeline for a tall blonde guy dancing alone on the outskirts of the dance floor.

Mac gave Brenna a little more space and looked down into her face. It looked stormy.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I didn't have time to ask if that was ok but I really do appreciate you being my shield." She gave him a small smile then excused herself to go search out a drink. Mac stood a moment wondering if he had offended her or overstepped his bounds. He really knew nothing about her and shouldn't have just grabbed her. His grandmother would have swatted him upside the head.

Feeling like an ass he shuffled off the floor and to their table. Everyone was looking a bit wilted except for Derek who had been sipping 7-Up all night so he could drive them home. Isabelle remained on the dance floor but everyone else at the table voted it was time to call it a night.

Tammi left to relay their impending departure to Isabelle but returned to say Isabelle had found a friend and wouldn't be returning with them.

Mac had to admit he felt a bit relieved. They all made their way out of the loud club and into the SUV. Brenna rode shotgun the whole way home silently while the rest of them slumped in different degrees of intoxication in the back.

Once home they all dispersed to their bedrooms. Mac let Reego out of his kennel and took him to the side yard to relieve himself. He was about to slip back in the side door when he thought he heard a sound something like a cough behind the house on the deck. Quietly he made his way to the corner of the house and peeked around. Brenna sat on the low stone wall surrounding the deck. From the looks of it she was crying.

Torn on what to do he decided the best was to allow her her privacy and go back to his room. Quietly he made his way back to the side door and ushered Reego in. Wondering what could have upset her enough to make her cry he slowly drifted off to sleep.

***************

Brenna fought the urge to squirm uncomfortably. She was sweating buckets as the sun beat down on her black turnout gear but the situation, as well as her injuries, made it imperative she remain completely still. She wasn't feeling the pain in her shoulder and side that she knew had to be there but assumed it must have dulled out and any movement on her part would ignite them once again.

The small body beneath hers had stopped quaking and had begun to issue light shallow breathing sounds. To be young and to be able to sleep in the middle of anything, she was in envy.

Suddenly her radio crackled to life and she heard Greg's voice telling central they were clearing the hospital. Every nerve in her body caught fire and panic bubbled through her veins.

She needed to tell him. She knew what was going to happen, she knew she was going to lose him if she didn't tell him to stop but to move would be to kill herself and the small body beneath her. She was likely going to die anyway but she couldn't risk the kid. Her breath was tearing from her chest and tears streamed from her eyes.

She couldn't. She couldn't tell him, she couldn't reach for her radio. She couldn't save him. His face was all she could see. Those eyes, and how his mouth tilted up on the left more than the right when he smiled. Her heart hurt so much it felt like it would stop beating. In the distance she heard it. She had heard it before but this time she knew what it was and she couldn't breathe. He was gone.

Brenna sat bolt upright in the bed breathing hard and letting go great hitching sobs into the darkness. The sheets were drenched in sweat and tangled around her body. She left the bed and walked to the window. She opened it and stood letting the cool night air wash over her as she regained her breath and her nerves.

It had been a long time since she'd had the dream two nights in a row. Logic told her it was her heart and minds response to her body's reaction when Mac had touched her earlier. Guilt gripped her guts and made them churn. She shouldn't have liked it.

Greg had been THE one. Her one and only and no one else would ever compare. It had been over two years and no one had ever tempted her. Everyone, even Greg's parents, told her to move on. They said it was what Greg would tell her to do, he would want her to be happy, but she just couldn't.

Things were getting better. Every day she felt more alive. She no longer wished and prayed that she had been taken that day as well. She felt her scars were her penance, but asking to find love and to be happy again, that was too much.

When he'd touched her, placed those large warm hands on her hips, she'd frozen in panic. She'd told herself to relax, it was just a dance; she was helping him with the Isabelle situation and it didn't matter. Her body, however, had flared to life. It had been too long since she'd been touched by a man and his hands had felt strong and just slightly callused. Desire and guilt had battled against each other within her and left her feeling like she needed to run. Anywhere, because she simply couldn't deal with how she felt.

The look on his face had been worse. When he'd seen hers he'd instantly been concerned and started apologizing.

Why couldn't she just be ok? Why couldn't she move on and heal like everyone wanted her too?

Brenna took a deep cleansing breath. Honesty was the best policy. She had to admit to herself that she found Mac attractive. There was nothing to be ashamed of in that. He was a very physically attractive person, and engaging with a warm personality. As long as she kept in mind that she was too messed up and broken to be attractive to anyone, or to be in a relationship with anyone she would be fine.

After a few more minutes she finally felt calm enough to return to bed. Slowly she drifted back into sleep praying the dream would not return.