"When don't you? God, yer worse than a pregnant woman." It was a younger female voice that exited the Hmmv and followed the male beyond the road line. Cage exited the vehicle and trailed further back and could see the female soldier track her partner with weapon in hand and half-pissed. There was no mistaking the irritation on the young, hard face.

Cage had taken some time to speak with the female MP and found that she was like most other MP's she'd met in her lifetime. Well trained, smart mouthed and could most likely drink her compatriots under the table out of sheer survival. Cage liked her for the soldier's pure determination to excel in a still male dominated line of work. But there was more, this was a woman who harbored the dream of becoming a civilian cop, to have a family beyond a uniform, she could play big dog with the boys but she was a woman who wanted more than her backwoods upbringing. She liked this brash soldier so Cage followed out of curiosity. She wanted to hear what the MP would drag out and trash her partner with.

"My sister had twins and she didn't pee this much. I didn't have to watch her like this either?you pathetic-"

Whatever else that was going to be said was erased by a loud explosion. Followed by another and suddenly Cage was covered with the blood and bone of a brave loud mouth female MP backing her partner. Cage couldn't do a thing as she was lifted by the concussion and tossed like a rag doll only to hit the ground, back and hips screaming in pain seconds after the contact, her voice screaming because of the injustice of it all. She wasn't here to do anything else than find one more or was it five mass graves of the civil war in the Balkans. She picked her body up and tried to move only to scream again around the overwhelming pain of actually moving, blood streaming from the side of her forehead where something had hit hard.

Her head and body were still at odds when she was pulled her up and dragged away. Even in her state she could see their uniforms. 'Great, Serbians, but they're supposed to be 'handled' now' her battered brain flustered. In a split second she tried to remember everything about the conflict and what the Serb tactics were. She came up with a story or two but then no female US soldiers had been taken. The men who had been taken were definitely beaten.

"I'm so fucked." She managed to mutter before the rifle butt struck the middle of her head. Her world went black. Unknown to Cage they cleared out fast and quiet.

For the longest time there were no sounds until the animal life resettling itself, then it was the crackle of radio traffic coming from the Hmmv's COM set, seemingly random sounds until a clear voice cut in.

"Tango Five-Eight come in. Tango Five-Eight come in." There was a break of sounds in the forest.

"Yankee Seven to Tango Five-Eight, you are overdue."

" Tango Five-Eight? Tango Five-Eight? Tango Five-Eight, Captain come in." The female voice behind the radio became just a bit frantic. "TANGO FIVE-EIGHT, c'mon Cage answer me."

**

Cage peeled her eye open, instantly wishing she hadn't. Pain stabbed in front and behind retinal nerves. By sheer will power she managed to not make a sound. After a long moment or maybe an eternity the pain receded to a nearly manageable level. Slowly she became aware of every other ache and occasional sharp pain in her body even as her brain was fuzzy as hell. With the insight of the entire brood of Irish saint's her grand father had taught her to pray to, she knew that what she couldn't recall was far more than what she could. Some things she knew, they were there, she could touch and taste them who she was, who her family was, what she did for a living but when she tried to think about other things?it was just gone. All she knew for sure was that she didn't know much.

Sound rustled to her left and as interested as her mind was she couldn't muster the energy to turn her head. Footsteps, soft and hollow sounded next coming closer until finally a suit filled her one eyed vision. She stared at the man, wondering if she should know him. Her mind was a blank so she fell back on training.

"Quinn, Cage. Captain. United States Army. Five One - "

"It's all right Cage. You're back with us."

She stared at him, through him. "Quinn, Cage. Captain. United States Army."

"Military Intelligence. Orders current - Bosnia, information on Balkan war crimes. Last radio sign Tango 58. MIA 5 days in Serbian hands, irregular militia, even if most of the regulars are 'handled'. Captain you have no real reason to believe me except that I have one thing to say to you. Dakota."

Cage started to shake her head and instantly stopped, eye wide with pain. She laid back, breathing slowly and soft through it. Where was it she'd learned that trick? Just let it flow through, don't fight it, just breathe.

She cleared her throat. "Not enough." She hissed.

A slow secretive smile crossed the suit's face. "Coven's choir."

Cage let herself relax at the words. They were comforting and safe but she wasn't exactly sure why. Training took over again and forced her to think. "Where?" she finally decided on the safest question.

"Walter Reed."

"Damage?"

"I'm not a doctor." He hedged.

"No, but you read the freaking report. Give it up." She demanded softly.

He sighed. "All right. Dislocated shoulder, left by the way, possible rotator cuff damage. Right orbital socket, nearly shattered, fixed with a metal plate and seven screws?don't plan on going through terminals without a profile card anytime soon, broken cheekbone also left?grade four concussion, even now. Two cracked ribs and more soft tissue damage than I've seen in my life. Your kidneys are bruised but they'll heal."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph. God?they really didn't like me did they?" Cage breathed out low.

"Apparently. Why not?" He asked in an off hand sort of way.

Cage leaned deeper into the pillow. "I wish I knew."

"Don't you?"

She tried a half smile. "It was either my attitude or my charm. I don't know." There was an edge to her voice. She took a breath. "Family?"

He almost looked sheepish, almost enough to fool her but not quite. "Not yet. You're father doesn't like us much."

She would have laughed if it hadn't added to her pain. "No he wouldn't like you much. You're an MI puke." Her half laugh kicked off a wave of nausea. "Oh, damn." She breathed in slowly and settled back. This was so not fun. "Our kind left him and his kind out to dry too many times, I think. At this point I don't blame him."

"He's making things difficult." The suit looked like he was starting to relax a bit and that made Cage nervous.

"Back off the man, sparky. He'll fuck you six ways of Sunday and you wouldn't know it until you're dead." The soft tone of her voice belied the threat but her eye let the suit know she was serious. "How long have I been here?"

"Six days." He answered honestly.

"Shit, they have got to be worried." She winced at the pull of stitches around her right eye.

"We'll let you see them after you are debriefed."

She couldn't decide to cry or laugh. "I'm fecked then, because there's nothing there."

"What?" The suit's voice inched up a bit.

"Did you get hit in the head too? I can't remember anything." She admitted then concentrated. "Last thing I remember is a Saint Pat's pub crawl in Dublin. Tommy was with me. I kind of remember the Garda?maybe." She tried to scootch over a bit and the pain increased. "Pain meds?" she rasped around the agony.

"Low level until the debrief."

She turned her head as much as she was able, had her neck ever hurt this much in her life? "You get a crypto rated babysitter in here with a pad and seal the door, but I will have better pain med's on board in five mikes or I will gut you with the bed pan. Please don't think I can't or won't."

She watched the suit shift on uncertain feet. He was just new enough that he had to think about it. She gave him to a count of ten, which would have been twenty if the nerve endings in her body hadn't started complaining a hundred fold.

"Do you really want to test my theory?" She grunted and pulled her body up, hands gripping the bed rails, forearm muscles bulging. Blood started to run from the IV needle in her left hand.

The suit quickly pulled out his cell phone and flashed off a text message despite the signs in the room that cell phones were forbidden. She waited until the offending device was closed before she let her battered body fall back on to the bed.

Within fifteen minutes the sweet morphine drip was spreading cheer and warm joy through her veins and she forgot about the serious woman with a pinched expression who was poised in a chair by the bed. Cage allowed her eye to close when the temptation became too great and let bliss take over.

She slipped and melted into a lazy warm oblivion. Thoughts and dreams blended under the influence of the power narcotic until the fuzzy apparition in Air Force blue smiled at her. Tender fingers brushed a few too long locks from Cage's forehead. "Hey Cage. There's easier ways to get vacation time. Most soldiers just put in the paperwork." The voice was soft and familiar. "Sometimes Cage, you scare me."

"I scare me too." Cage answered her dream with a wry smile. She didn't hear the scribbling on note pad by the sour faced woman.

"I promise not to tell." The dream answered.

Cage chuckled out loud. "Liar, you always tell."

The pen scratched on paper again.

"Yeah, well, I get bored. There's not a lot going on here, you know?" The dream chuckled and brushed a finger over Cage's left hand. "You just rest now, I've got your six."

Leaning her forehead against the solid wall of the cabin she let out a slow breath and smiled. She was free, at least as free as she let herself be. Without a thought she tugged off her shirt and jeans, happy to be nearly naked. She did not look down at the scars but did notice the hint of pain in her lower back. She grinned as she walked the inside of the cabin she so remembered from childhood. She stopped and looked hard at the pantry wall where faint notches marked growing in two separate rows, the smile that found its way to her face was quickly covered with frustration. Why would anyone keep those mementos?

She shook her head they were kept because they love you and pinhead. Deal with it solider. Suck it up and drive the fuck on. Cage tossed her smaller overnight bag into the bedroom and followed it, ignoring the slight ache in her back and left hip. "No residual damage my ass." She muttered to the empty room.

"You sure you wanna be out here? I could just take you to your cabin?" Tommy asked for the kabillionth time.

"I'm sure." She answered in a low calm tone. "This is your cabin time, dearthair and I need to be alone right now."

"But?" He started to protest.

"Thomas Glenn I love you, but I will hurt you if you don't shut the fuck up and just do what I ask, okay?" She muttered in the close confines of his car. "I just need to find me. Please, please let me."

"What happened out there Cage?" His voice hardly sounded above the motor.

"Hell and heaven and everything in between." She answered cryptically. "Thanks for doing this."

He snorted. "Yeah well, paybacks. This time it ain't a bitch." He drove for a little while. "I owe ya and you are the family gaiscioch?granda called you warrior since I can remember. He knew it was who you are. Me, I was just gonna be a soldier, but you?you're a warrior and a leader Cage. We've known that since you broke Jimmy Magee's nose for teasing Shelly Ware." He smiled at the memory.

Her façade almost cracked. "I'm not a leader, so don't call me that again. I got tired and lazy."

"I got tired dragging Sean out?I got tired of the pain and fear and wondering?but you get passed it. If you don't then it's off to Fiddler's Green with ye. I see you here right next to me so you can't be in Fiddler's Green, which means you must be alive."

"Tommy, have I ever told you that you're an asshole?"

"Only since I was seventeen." He answered and took the exit off the highway.

**

"You're going to what?" Tommy asked his hand froze over the grill. After a long moment he realized that he was nearly on fire and yanked his hand away from danger.

"M.I." Cage answered.

"You are truly loopy. That's insane."

"So says the asshole who wants to be a grunt." Cage answered smoothly as she poured some ice-cold beer over his wrist. "That's gonna leave a mark."

"Not anymore. I'm gonna go Military Police. I get to be a cop and be a baby grunt. I just won't have to be a grunt all the time." He shot back. "Look I know you have a degree in poly sci, but Cage, those fuckers are dangerous and sick."

"Quit listening to Da okay. He's just a little jaded." She tried to joke.

"Don't belittle him Cage." His voice took on a mans tone.

"I'm not, really I'm not. I can't explain it Tommy?it's a good pick for me."

For a long time he was silent as he flipped the steaks and she drank beer. "You are fecked in the head you know. Totally fecked."

"You think I'm fecked now? Wait till I tell Sergeant Major retired Quinn that not only am I going M.I., I'll be an officer to boot." This time her smile was thin. Her father was going to kill her, but the papers were already signed.

Tommy did not look up as he laid another steak on the grill. "I'll drink at your wake and comfort mom."

Cage peeled her eyes open and instantly cursed Mother Nature. She rolled over in bed and planted her feet on the floor. She didn't know whether the dreams were due to the meds or just the looking back she had been doing lately. Peering out the window she noticed that the sun was beginning to peek out for the day. Knowing she wasn't going to get back to sleep she decided that she would start her day of doing nothing early. First order of business would be the bathroom, then maybe some coffee.

Fresh from her morning of caffeine, she decided on breakfast in one of the town diner's and then maybe she would restock the cupboards with actual food and definitely some beer. She wished for a good Irish beer but the town had a limited choice of her second favorite beverage. Picking up the car keys she started out the door.

Cage stepped out from under the protective awning of the general store so readily used by the tourists. It had been a good late morning and now that early afternoon was sneaking up she had to smile as she slipped on her dark sunglasses, then stood up and tightened the grip on the plastic bags. Looking around without being obvious was just a habit and she couldn't tell if it was a good or bad one. Taking a breath she stepped down on the wood boards, almost smiling when she didn't make a sound despite the weight she'd put back on her frame. Five days of pain and starvation, plus six more of near coma and the months of hating hospital food had peeled away muscle and weight.

She actually felt half good, nearly strong as she strolled to her car. The place was smaller than she remembered, but then when you were a bored to tears child, everything was big. The town square was only six blocks around, seven if you counted the park. And the library, which had appeared forbidding, was two stories of crumbling red brick. She bit back a laugh as she walked. Had she been so intimidated by the building when she was so much younger?

People walked by her and she noticed they were of one type or the other. They were either white or Native American. There were no others of color in the late afternoon and it was clear that neither culture mixed with the other. She sighed inwardly. The one place she could count on as a kid had seemingly turned into every other place in the world that she wasn't sure she wanted to be. She'd had enough of ethnic separation.

Shaking her head she walked on and pretended to ignore the commotion at the far end of the last block of the square. Two men bracketed one lone woman who was obviously of Native decent. As she was placing the plastic bags bearing her weekly supplies into her rented car she noticed one man push the woman and the woman surprised her by recovering, glaring and then push back.

Cage smiled?this woman was righteous indignation down to her socks and she reminded the soldier of a loud mouth female MP. She shook her head. This was none of her business?it was probably a lover's quarrel and she wanted no part of it. It was nearly time for her daily meds and she wondered if she could lay off them for once.

She was this close to getting into the rental and driving away until she heard the one sound that would always get her attention. The sound of flesh on flesh. Twisting her head she took in the scene in an almost clinical detached way. The woman was half bent over; one hand on her face while the male subject stood over and nearly lorded his presence. Cage felt her rage surge and there was nothing this time to stop her.

With a sigh she jogged the distance quickly and slid to a stop next to the Native American woman. She glanced at the woman and saw the glaring red imprint of a hand. She turned her eyes to the large man standing in front of her.

"Get the fuck outta here," the man grunted.

"Well you're charming. You should probably take your own advice." Cage answered calmly. "You okay ma'am?"

"For the most part." The woman answered as she rubbed her cheek.

"This ain't your business bitch."

"You know, only my family calls me that. We're not related are we?" Cage peered closer at his face. "Hey, you're not related to my aunt Millie are you? I know she's only family by marriage but you kinda look like her son Chester."

The man expression turned to confusion. "I don't know you bitch. Are you crazy? Now get the fuck outta here." He attempted to push her.

Cage trapped his hand and bent the joint in a painful wristlock. "You seem to have a problem with touching without asking." She twisted her hold on his wrist when he attempted to move. "I don't like people like you. Leave the lady alone and go away." She ordered and quickly glanced at his buddy who was frozen with indecision.

The attacker said nothing but tried to throw a punch with his free hand. Cage retaliated by twisting his wrist and kicking him swiftly in the shin with the pointy toe of her cowboy boot. She watched as tears of pain filled his eyes. He tried again and received the same treatment. She imagined that the knot on his shin would grow to impressive size sometime soon. He spent the next few moments squirming and trying to avoid her foot.

"You getting tired of this yet? I can keep this up all day long Chester." Cage's smile was just slightly insane. She snapped her foot forward again even though he quit squirming and trying to hit back. "Are you getting the idea yet?"

"Yeah," he grunted. "I get it."

"I'm going to release your wrist and you are going to leave unless the lady wants to press charges."

The Native woman shook her head. "No, nothing would happen even if I did. The sheriff around here doesn't like my kind." She admitted.

Cage kept her eye on the man and released her grip on his wrist while taking one cautious step back, ready to fight if he decided to do something stupid. For a long several seconds she thought and half hoped that he would do something stupid. She hadn't had this much fun in ages. Finally his pain seemed to take priority and he limped away with his buddy while glaring over his shoulder at both women.

The small crowd that had gathered still milled around, their faces giving away their confusion and some hostility. Cage looked them in the eye. "What? Never seen anybody help someone before? Get going since I know you all have something better to do today."

The crowed cleared quickly and Cage was sure she saw some guilty expressions flash across some faces. She shifted on her feet and tried to figure out what to say to the woman still standing there.

"Just who do you think you are?" The dark haired woman muttered with barely restrained anger. "I don't need some white woman saving me, and I certainly don't need anyone to save me with violence."

Cage's head snapped sharply to the side. "Lady, if you didn't notice they were not shy about using violence with you. What'd you want me to do, scare them off with harsh language? Believe me that type don't understand reasoning or asking politely."

The woman's eyebrows raised and she huffed out a breath. "If that's what you believe then you are no better than they are." She stared dead on at Cage, noticing the wicked thin scar around the right eye and ignored it.

Cage silently counted to ten in order to quell her rage. "You have no idea who or what I am lady. I won't bother to help you out again. Have a nice day." Turning on her heel she stalked away without looking back.

"No, not official. She's my brother's squad leader. I just have to see her."

The nurse, Rivers, the nametag read in muted blue, stared for a long minute. Maybe she was trying to figure out if it was a lie, or maybe she was just tired.

"They tell me she helped save him, I want to thank her for keeping her promise."

She followed without really seeing until they were in the room and only then did she let her eyes see. The lump in the bed was real, and so was the pain in mostly alert ice pale blue eyes. Was it defiance? Was it loathing? Realization set in?it was fear. It was an almost audible 'I'm sorry. I tried, don't hurt me.'

For a long time she couldn't say a word, just look, and it was when her eyes turned to the nurse who was trying to decide if she was being a bitch or uncertain, that she knew she had to say something. She walked around the visitor's chair and to the side of the bed. She laid her head gently against the forehead of the battered woman in the bed. "Go raibh mile maith agat." She whispered and kissed a section of chin not sporting stitches. "Thank you very much." She repeated in English as she held back tears of gratitude with sheer willpower.

**

"Take your brother with you."

"Aw, mom." She complained.

"Did you not swear to protect the boy a long time ago?" An older male voice did not boom, he never boomed, he just spoke. It only sounded as if he was shouting and she wasn't sure which was worse.

"Yes, granda." She had to admit after a very short time.

"We Quinn's never go back on our word. Take your dearthair with you. And whatever you do don't forget to bring him back." Hazel eyes twinkled back at her, as if he'd known she would ditch her brother as soon as she could.

Defeated she looked up. "Yes granda."

Cage opened her eyes and almost immediately wanted to close them again. She pressed the bridge of her nose in an effort to forestall the pain of the headache she knew would be coming. Goddamn, I'm getting old. She eased her neck left and right to ease the tension but it didn't work.

"All right Cage, we can drink or we can take a muscle relaxer. Survey says?" She asked out loud, not really expecting an answer. To her right an owl hooted in the dark late evening. She smiled at the absolute absurdity. "I'm taking an owl's advice?"

"The owl is a wise creature, you would be well served with him as your spirit guide." The voice that answered was less throaty than earlier in the afternoon.

Cage managed not to jump out of her seat on the porch swing. "Well now, I understood you this afternoon. I'm no better than those asshole's who jumped you?and if I recall correctly, you don't need saving."

"I don't need saving, but you aren't like them?I let my mouth run away with my anger. Not many people around here would have jumped in. I apologize for my words and for lumping you with the likes of them."

Cage nearly laughed. The lithe figure standing at the porch steps was uncertain and proud at the same time. "Tell me, does eating crow hurt you that much?"

"You have no idea." The woman muttered, not aware of how trained Cage was. "I just wanted?"

"Forget it." Cage waved it off. "I've been called worse and never got an apology. Next time, watch out for whose watching you."

"I know who's watching me and I know why. I just won't stop. It makes them?mad."

"Mad, yeah well that's one word for it." Cage agreed. "Care for a seat? I'm going in for a beer and you're welcome to one if you like."

"What did old man owl say?" The woman did not move from her perch at the base of the steps.

"Old man owl told me that the pills would not help me and neither will the beer, but if I drink the dreams won't be as odd." There was no teasing in Cage's face. "I'll just get drunk and pass out."

"And you think that's better?"

"Than the dreams? You bet your ass Pocahontas." Cage growled suddenly.

"That's Olivia to you, and yes I'll take a beer."

Cage had to laugh. "You got it. C'mon up and take a seat. I'll be back in a minute."

Olivia settled herself and waited, counting in her head until the woman came back out with two opened and ice cold beers in hand. She handed one off to Olivia and stared out into the darkness.'

"Olivia what?"

"Olivia Shadow Wolf. Thank you for the beer."

"Cage Quinn. You're welcome." Cage took a sip that was supposed to soothe her. "Why'd you really come?"

"To say I'm sorry and to meet you, officially I mean. We don't get a lot of strangers here."

"I'm not a stranger. I used to come out here every summer till I was thirteen?then we kept getting sent overseas?harder to manage and harder to get here. I can tell you that at the bend of the creek there's an oak tree, maybe two hundred years old and it has my initials carved in it. I can tell you the Magee boys were the worst bullies around for years?"

"You. Shelly Ware is a friend of mine. You're the one." Olivia nearly inhaled her sip of beer.

"Yeah well it was a long time ago, and I?" she trailed off. Did it really matter anymore?

Olivia shook her head. "You don't understand. She's cop now and a damn good one. She says she owes it to a long ago memory of someone taking on a bully."

Cage didn't know what to say. So she said nothing, just sipped on her beer till it was half gone. "She's a cop now?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah she'll make detective this year?and she's got two wild children who will make you laugh till you cry, pee your pants or drive you to your knees with worry."

Cage closed her eyes. Maybe something she had done in life had been right. "Good."

Olivia noticed the woman's altered body language and settled her beer under the swing, walking over to the woman who stood tense and wired tight at the porch rail. She settled two hands on taunt shoulders. "Let it go, whatever holds you, let it go."

Cage grinned in the dark and it was not a nice thing. "I wish I could. You don't know?what I did today to them?I've done many times with as little thought. It was just my job and at the time it was enough."

"Is it your job now?" Olivia wondered and let her thoughts trail off. "I don't need a white woman?"

"I'm not white. Damn it, I'm all black Irish. Damned black Irish. Our blood has built empires and wanna be empires. You'd think we'd know better." Cage snapped out and took a deep breath. "Sorry. I'm wired a little tight lately."

Olivia chuckled. "You think?" She shifted back a step as the gentleman owl hooted again. "I'm a poor guest."

Cage shook her head. "Nope, I'm a lousy hostess. My granda would be mortified. He taught me better."

Olivia smiled. "And my grandmother taught me not to outstay my welcome. I should go."

"Don't. Please. This is one of those nights. I don't want to be alone at least for a little while. Or is it weak to say that?" Cage wondered out loud and then as she was apt to, switched gears. "Why were those assholes jacking with you today?"

Olivia sat again on the swing and took up her beer bottle. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"

The sardonic smile crossed Cage's face. "Yeah. I nearly got my head caved in today. I think I have a right to know, especially since I'll probably do it again." That said she took a long pull on the beer.

"Somehow I believe that. I help run a woman's shelter. They get battered and when they have the courage to run, we help them get away, but it's a small town, people talk. Like I said those men are mad at me." Olivia said simply.

Cage nodded slowly. She hated bullies and she hated men who thought they had more power than anyone else. She hated war now, and she hated games and she more than hated land mines. How many times had she teased Tommy and the rest about land mines?

Olivia noticed the distant expression on her inadvertent savior's face and gave up the time to think or process or whatever the woman was doing, content to sip and nurse the ice-cold beer. It was a long time that the night sounds were the only thing to be heard. Then slowly and without warning the old voices leaked into what she was thinking. The voices that she had no control over and could not shut out. The voice of the wise, the ancient and the one's who had departed long before she herself had been born whispered in her head. Telling her about the woman whose porch she sat on.

"You were a soldier once, a warrior and now your path is broken. You are trying to find who you are or who you want to be." Olivia's voice was distant and not her own.

Cage felt her words and pinched the bridge of her nose again. "Stop that."

"You should not wonder, you are a warrior?you are a word I cannot pronounce, warrior in your own language?it is strange to me." Olivia continued as she brushed back and forth, her beer bottle forgotten.

"STOP IT." Cage yelled and her own drink fell from her fingers. She reached down and tried to catch it before it was too late.

Olivia snapped out of what held her as the bottle shattered on the porch. For a moment she was unsure, confused, and then she was concerned at the blood welling over Cage's hand. She moved swiftly to lift the hand and press tightly.

Cage watched the blood as it flowed down?so familiar, so close to yesterday. "Evac?we need evac?three down?Evac now." Cage's eyes burned bright yet dull.

Olivia pressed harder on Cage's hand. "You don't need an evac?you need to heal?come with me. I promise you no harm. Trust me."

Cage followed the voice letting her hand be tended and then led to a soft bed with a half promise of sleep. Whispers nudged her away from pain and closer to peace. With half lidded eyes thought she saw crouched wolf men guarding the area around her bed and she decided that she would have to leave off the drink when she was taking meds.

Olivia soothed with a quiet tone until Cage drifted off to sleep and wondered what life had thrown at the woman. She shook her head slowly. She remembered an uncle who when she was a child suffered the same sort of waking type dream. Vietnam was still fresh in his mind even years after his return home. She watched for a long time until she finally felt comfortable enough to let herself sleep.

"Wake up you dumb ass."

Cage pulled her eyes open and faced off with Ellen Rivers. "Wait a minute, you're dead."

"Finally noticed that did you?" Ellen shifted slowly in the dark. "Why is it every time I see one of you guys it's always gloom? Can't you all do bright and happy occasionally?"

Cage mentally backed up a moment. "I know you're dead. I helped Maria escort your body home. And I sorta helped your wife solve that one. Give me some credit okay?"

"I saw that?nice stuff. When you get here for real you and I are going to have to talk about that last broken nose. Saw that one. Nice move, even if it was on Callan. Oh and Cage?get your head out of your fifth point of contact."

Cage sat up quickly. "What?"

"You Army types?" Ellen chuckled at her own mental joke. "Get your head out of your ass. You got hit, you healed, and it wasn't your fault. Others broke the rules and you paid the price. Let it go Cage." Ellen sat back on a tuft beside a well-developed oak tree, which was suddenly just there.

"Okay, now that's just fucking freaky. How'd you do that?" Cage wondered out loud and reached for the tree then dimly became aware that her hand was healed. She stared for the longest time.

Ellen smiled the smile that drew everyone to her. "I have my ways after all this time. And just so you know, when you wake up, your hand will still be sliced and you'll still hurt."

Cage sulked. "Then why are you here? Is this 'let's fuck with Cage hour'?"

"That was ten months ago. Fuck with Cage hour or was it days?" Ellen taunted harshly.

"It was five days and you damned well know it." Cage growled absently as she tried not to fall to her knees. "Fuck you know how long it was. You were there."

"Yes I was," Ellen softened her voice. "And I tried so hard to keep you away from the pain as much as I could."

Cage settled on her butt and let her body sag. "It hurt so much sometimes, but when I could I just found somewhere else to be." Cage looked up at Ellen. "That was you wasn't it?"

"That was me when I could. I wish I could have done more. I owe you Cage Quinn. I owe you your brothers laughter, I owe you your loyalty to Callan and what you did to keep her from killing those who took me away and I cherish the love you send to me when you look at my pictures. I noticed that by the way." Her smile was soft and genuine.

"Don't tell Callan, she'd really wreck me."

"More that you're wrecking yourself now?" Ellen almost smiled. "Let it go Cage. And quit chasing what isn't you."

"Huh?" Cage looked up genuinely confused.

Ellen just smiled. "Olivia is cute and she's enough to challenge you. Listen to your heart and just kinda ignore your brain."

"Ellen, keep dreaming." Cage muttered.

"Why should I when your dreams and Terri's are just so much more fun?" Ellen laughed and started to fade. "Let it go warrior Quinn. Your granda hates when you're stubborn. By the way, he's a riot. He tells the best stories. I'll see you soon enough Cage."

Cage shifted in bed and opened her eyes just a bit. Olivia Shadow Wolf was beautiful when she was asleep and not facing someone down with righteous anger. Her hand throbbed as well as her head and still looking down at Olivia in the early dawn, every thing seemed like it would work out. She let her eyes drift closed as she wondered what was up with the midget wolf men.

"Morning. Care for a warm up on the coffee?" Cage asked while trying to hang on to the cup with her sliced hand. She flashed a small smile when Olivia took the cup and settled it on the handrail. "Thanks." She refilled Olivia's cup. "I'm going to take this in, I'll be back in a minute."

Olivia nodded. "Thanks for the refill." She tried to listen for Cage's return and found the woman moved silently.

Cage settled herself on the swing and took her cup back, wrapping her good hand around the cup; the warmth was soothing in a comfortable way. She took a sip and smiled at the flavor. Whatever this blend was, it was entirely better than her own attempts and she said so out loud.

"Cage you have four different flavors in the cupboard, all I did was mix two and you're welcome." Olivia's voice was soft and quiet.

Cage leaned back against the swing. "Thank you, for last night. I don't have that happen very often, but it does from time to time. I don't always know what's going to trigger it. I'm sorry you saw that." Cage did not move her gaze away from a couple of field mice scurrying for food.

"You don't have to apologize. It's just a part of life. It's like those two out there, every day they rush around gathering, feasting; I would guess that at the end of their day they would feel lucky for not falling victim to their natural enemies. The Spirits that guide all creatures two footed and winged and four footed have given us the ability to remember our lessons both good and bad. That's all you were doing last night." Olivia said gently.

"You and your words remind me of a friend." Cage answered with a smile as she took another sip of the dark brew.

Olivia considered the inflection of Cage's words. "Which nation is he or she?"

"Lakota and she. Joan Barnes. She married a white boy." Cage explained.

"Adopted or just tolerated?"

"Adopted and loved or just tolerated depending on who he's managed to piss off in the family." Cage laughed slightly. "You'd have to know him. He can be the nicest guy in the world or just truly clueless."

"He sounds like a good friend. And I'm sorry that my words last night upset you. It wasn't intentional." It was Olivia's turn to apologize but she didn't try to explain, a lifetime of being taunted and ridiculed and rejected for her gift always at the forefront of her self esteem.

"It's not like you can help it, Olivia. I won't ask but I will listen if you want to tell me about it." Cage didn't miss the skeptical expression that flashed quickly across the woman's face. "Like I said Joan is Lakota, she comes from a long line of Shaman's and seers. I don't make a habit of doubting things I know exist. Joan would kick my ass into next week if I did."

Olivia had to laugh at the serious tone from Cage. "Thank you. Maybe someday I will talk to you about it, but not right now. Just understand that I have no control of this." She sighed and seemed to shrink a little. "It will probably happen again."

"I understand." They fell silent for a few moments. "Are you hungry?"

"I could eat." Olivia answered thankfully.

"Feel like breakfast at the diner? They make the best French toast." Cage felt her mouth watering with the thought.

"You do like to live dangerously don't you? Cage, a lot of the towns people don't like me or my job or my obvious difference." She tried to warn the woman sitting next to her.

Cage took a slow breath and let it out. "Well, if they interrupt my breakfast they won't like me much either." She flashed an evil yet playful smile. "I don't give a damn about them. I care about being alive, and appreciating it more than I used to. They can go feck themselves."

"Feck?" Olivia had never heard the term before.

"Irish slang for the other most popular f word. Both however will get my backside tanned by my mother if she ever finds out I use them."

"I promise not to tell." She vowed solemnly. "And if you're feeling brave, then yes I would like to have breakfast. I should check in with the office anyway." Olivia stood and looked at her new unlikely possible friend. "Thanks."

"Hey don't thank me. If I don't eat I get cranky, this is just a disguise so you don't see cranky Cage. Now that's just ugly." Cage teased.

The trip to the town square didn't take long but they did have to drive a little further than they expected to find a parking spot. After a short discussion they both agreed that a short walk was a small price to pay for a really good breakfast since Olivia didn't feel like cooking and Cage vowed that the Native woman did absolutely not want eat what Cage might try to cook.

"Not my fault. The army fed me. I didn't ever really learn how to do it well. I can grill however." She smiled as they walked side by side down the sidewalk.

"You could learn." Olivia offered as she glanced into one of the shop windows. "I have several cookbooks I can loan you."

"Yeah, but what about adult supervision? I could do the same thing I did in sophomore chem. I got suspended for that one."

Olivia couldn't tell if the woman was joking or not. "You're not really that helpless in the kitchen are you?"

Cage didn't answer with words, just a smirk that spoke volumes. They continued walking and the sidewalk became more congested with town's folk and a few obvious tourists. Cage mentally pegged the tourists, they were the one's who did not look twice at either of them. Apparently a white woman and a Native American walking together was not a common sight. Cage sighed mentally.

Olivia stopped at a pay phone and made a quick call. When it appeared that there were no problems at the battered woman's shelter she ended her call and hung up. There was a new relief in her expression that Cage wanted to ask about it but she held her tongue until they were in the diner.

The waitress behind the counter just waived them towards an empty booth, calling out that she would be with them in a couple of minutes. The two women slid into the booth sitting opposite each other. After a moment muted conversations started back up again. Cage wasn't too concerned it had happened each time someone entered the diner. It was as if the patrons had to know who came in and decide if they were locals or just passing through.

Olivia picked up her menu and began to read as Cage flipped their coffee cups over on the table. It was the universal diner signal for caffeine. She had a memory flash of her father doing the same thing when she was a child. Those had been good times.

"I guess we're going to be twins. The French toast does sound great." Olivia smiled as she closed the menu. She leaned against the table and looked at Cage. "So, how long were you in the army?"

Cage blinked at the change of topic. "Sixteen years. I joined after I graduated college. And before you ask I'm military intelligence, and yes it's an oxymoron. I think I've heard all the jokes."

Olivia wrinkled her nose. "You are no fun." She decided as the waitress filled their cups. Her nametag read Lucy. She was the atypical resident diner icon without the big hair do.

"Hi Cage," she greeted with a smile. "French toast again?"

Cage nodded with a wide grin. "Oh yeah, but this time I brought someone to corrupt. We'll have two, mine with loads of crispy bacon and those really good potato's."

Cage bounced up and down like a six year old on a sugar high.

"Make that two all the way around." Olivia laughed and looked at Lucy. "Does she do that every time she orders this?"

Lucy nodded with an indulgent smile. "Every time. She's worse than my heathen grandchildren. I'm Lucy. She gives you any trouble just call me and I'll threaten her French toast."

"Oh goodie, an ally. Lucy I'm Olivia."

"Well, it's good to meet you finally. Anyone gives you a problem let me know, I'll kick 'em out on their butts without their food." She promised in a serious tone. "I'll get this order in and it should be ready in a flash."

"She seems to like you." Olivia said as she tried the coffee. It wasn't too bad.

"Yeah but she doesn't know me well enough yet to know any better." Cage offered in her own defense.

"So you aren't always a bouncy child or rescuing people? I'll keep that in mind." She paused a second as she considered her next question. "So why are you here, and yes I know for food. I mean what are you doing in town?"

Cage sipped on her coffee and her gaze found the top of the table suddenly interesting. Wondering how much she wanted to share. Finally she looked up. "I got hurt on duty. I was doing some investigating in Bosnia. A couple of landmines went off killing my team and injuring me. Basically I'm in the last stages of recovering." She trailed off and stared out the window. "At first I was so messed up that I recovered with my parents, I love them but they're parents and it was smothering. Now I think I have to be on my own. I'm almost as strong as I was before?so it's time." She chanced a glance at dark eyes. There was none of the usual pity that she had learned to ignore. There was concern and yes still curiosity, but nothing more.

"You and your family used to vacation here?" Olivia decided to take a little pressure off the obviously uncomfortable woman.

"Yeah. For years we spent every summer here. Sometimes we came down even when my Da was overseas." Cage answered. "We always had fun here, and I like it, mostly."

Olivia nodded. "For the most part the people here are pretty good. But it's a small town with the usual small town attitudes." She shrugged.

"So why are you here?" Cage turned the tables. If she was going to answer twenty questions, she damned sure was going to ask twenty questions.

"I still have some family in the area. I grew up in _______ on the border of the reservation. Half in the Native world, half in the white world. My mother is Comanche and my father was Cherokee. Some of the Nations still get a little uncomfortable about mixed marriages. After I finished school I just kind of ended up here." She answered honestly. "It's a good job and I like it. I won't make a lot of money doing it but at least I'm doing what I can for my own corner."

"Even if men get pissed off at you and try to hurt you?" There was no judgment in Cage's voice.

"Even if." Olivia was about to say more but she fell silent as Lucy delivered their breakfast.

"You two eat up and I'll come by with more coffee in a bit." The woman ordered with a genuine smile.

Cage and Olivia took heed and concentrated on their breakfast. Cage hummed a happy tummy tune. She really wanted the recipe for the potatoes thinking that just maybe she could recreate them even with her limited cooking ability. Olivia alternated between eating and watching Cage with amusement.

Once both plates were clean they leaned back to rest and digest. Cage let a satisfied smile play on her lips. "Now that was good." She declared.

"I am going to have to agree." Olivia answered with a groan. "I ate too much."

"We can walk around for a bit if you want." Cage offered.

"That would mean we have to move. You think Lucy would get mad if we just took a nap here. We could pay rent on the booth." Olivia didn't want to think of moving any time soon.

Cage's answer was stalled by two hands placing themselves on the table and the uniformed body of the sheriff coming into view. Cage turned her head to look at him. She waited for him to say something, which he obviously was not used to. She knew the type of authority figure who expected respect despite not having earned it.

He blinked then cleared his throat. "Ladies. I understand you two caused some trouble yesterday."

"No, that's not quite accurate." Cage said then returned to digesting. She watched him blink again, this time in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Well depending on who spread that rumor it's not accurate." Cage stated her position again.

"Did you two cause trouble or not?"

"Define trouble and I'll be able to tell you." Cage said evenly as she reached for her coffee cup. She looked at Olivia who didn't look overly concerned, just stuffed and lethargic.

"There was a ruckus in the afternoon and you two were there." He gruffed and leaned in closer.

"So were about fifteen other people including a couple of large back wood boys who decided that they didn't like Olivia. How is it that we caused trouble?" Cage asked and wished for more coffee.

He opened his mouth then thought about the question again. "All right, tell me what happened."

"Two large back wood boys decided they didn't like Olivia. I asked them to go away." Cage gave the abbreviated version just to yank his chain.

The sheriff did a double take at her answer and felt his blood pressure increase. "You're some smart ass outsider aren't you?"

Cage shrugged. "Depends on who you ask. Now is there a point to this or can we finish our coffee and get back to doing nothing. I am on vacation you know."

"Uh huh. And you'll be here how long?"

"Maybe about ten more minutes." Cage answered with a perfectly innocent expression on her face.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "How long will you be staying in town?"

"I'm not staying in town." She said honestly.

"Damn it woman."

"Hey now, there's no need for that kind of language." Cage shot back.

The sheriff looked at Olivia. "Is she always like this?" He demanded.

"I don't know. We only recently met." Olivia decided to join in on the game. "But she's telling the truth, she's not staying in town."

He gave up and stalked out of the diner before his blood pressure caused him a stroke. He let the screen door slam after telling them to stay out of trouble. They waited until he was out of sight then collapsed in laughter. Lucy walked over and tsk'd at them like they were misbehaving children.

"You both need to quit that with Mobley. He isn't bright but he isn't an idiot either."

"We didn't tell him any lies Lucy. It's not our fault he wasn't asking the right questions." Cage said without any guilt. "Besides neither of us started any of yesterdays trouble. If he was that concerned how come he didn't come looking for us earlier?" she questioned.

Lucy didn't have an answer for that so she just dropped the check on the table wishing that Cage Quinn wasn't quite so right. There were enough troubles in town and Mobley didn't really seem to have a handle on any of them. He seemed to have a couple of good deputy's but they were few and far between. She sighed and turned to check on the rest of her tables.

Cage snatched up the check just as Olivia was reaching for it. It only took a glance from the soldier for Olivia to give up. Cage dropped a twenty on the table and slowly slid out of the booth.

Olivia mirrored her actions and caught up with her new friend. There was something about the woman that was just a little insane, like maybe she'd been hit in the head a few times too many. Or maybe Cage was just doing what she said, appreciating life more than she had before.

By agreement they walked around the town square for a little while to let their food settle. They window-shopped and took their time until they felt better. Small talk was as deep as either of them was willing to share. When the sun started to dip a little lower they agreed to head back and Olivia gave directions to her small house not far from the cabin Cage was staying. With a smile Cage issued a standing invitation to come over any time Olivia wanted to visit.

"Good night Cage. It has certainly been interesting meeting you. Be sure to listen to what gentleman owl says."

"Will do. Don't forget to keep your eyes open. Have a good night Olivia."

Cage waited until the woman entered the house and the porch light turned on. Feeling lighter than she had in a long time Cage drove the short distance to her cabin. She spent the rest of night reading a fantasy book with plenty of dragons, elves and warriors. The woman fell asleep with the book closed on her chest.

Ellen wandered around the cabin, liking the little personal touches that the Quinn family had placed in the living areas. She paused at the notches on the kitchen doorjamb. She smiled softly and brushed her fingers over the notches with the Q above. She wondered if Cage knew how very much those around her loved her.

She wandered around more as Cage snored softly. Her eyes took in the photos of the Quinn family as it grew. Tommy with his gap-toothed smile stared up from his second grade photo. Cage covered in mud with wide eyes as Tommy held a fish close to her. Ellen suppressed a laugh even though Cage would not hear her. She could tell that Cage was seconds from running far, far away.

Then she felt something else pulling her outside of Cage's family cabin. Curiosity got the better of her so she followed the tug through the wooded area and into a new home. She spied Olivia Shadow Wolf sitting in her obviously favored spot on the couch. Ellen suppressed a laugh. The woman was reading the same book that currently rested on Cage' s sleeping chest. She smiled. Watching these two was going to be more fun than she'd had in a while.

She let out a low sigh, closed her eyes and just let her mind drift. She didn't really want to think of anything in particular or deep. Those were always the thoughts that got her into trouble. She put up her feet and let them rest on the chair in front of her. She just listened to the sounds of nature and a cooking steak. She heard the footfalls coming towards her from behind but for once in life did not look. She was after all on vacation.

Olivia set the salad bowl on the wood picnic table and glanced at Cage. A smile crossed her lips as she took in the relaxed expression on the woman's face. She was convinced that Cage needed someone to remind her how to relax. And if Olivia was being completely honest with herself, she didn't mind helping the woman relearn that exercise. The last few days had been fun. It had started off with her taking Cage up on her invitation to just drop in anytime. That evening they had shared dinner and played a cutthroat game of monopoly. The next evening it had been discussing their favorite authors and books over a few glasses of Irish whiskey. Cage was intelligent, witty and sported a wicked sense of humor. Olivia liked her despite their unsettling beginning. There was that part of Cage that frightened her. The woman while not quick to anger showed flashes of being dangerous.

"Are you thinking too much again?" Cage drawled out slowly as she flipped her hand in front of her face to get rid of some unseen flying critter.

"Nope. I clocked out at five, so thinking time has been suspended until tomorrow morning." Olivia answered with as much honesty as she could muster. "Ranch dressing with bacon bits. I found it in the fridge. Did you mean to get that?"

Cage cracked open an eye. "I bought that? What was I thinking? Goes to show that one should not let me shop alone."

"Nut. How long till the steaks are done? I want to get the mashed potatoes out while they're still hot." Olivia arranged the silver ware on the table.

"About five more minutes. Did you get a hold of Shelly?"

"Oh yeah." Olivia laughed. "And while she can't wait to get a hold of you, she asked that we get together on Saturday. She might actually have the day off and the kids will be with their dad's parents."

Cage sat up and shrugged. "Sure. It's not like I have any plans on Saturday, I'm at the mercy of you two."

Olivia snickered. "Just don't let her make the margarita's. They're nearly as lethal as her home made salsa dip."

"That bad?"

"No, that good actually. The problem is that they are so damn good. They sneak up on you." She warned with all sincerity. "Take my word for it."

Cage grinned. "I'm going to want that story."

"No chance in hell Cage Quinn. I lived through that embarrassment once, I won't even speak about it in private." Olivia stated with absolute conviction.

"Not even if I tell about the time I ran for my life in a drunken stupid after singing an Irish rebel song in a British army bar?" Cage countered with a sly smile.

Olivia thought about it for a moment. "Not even then. Besides from you I expect that sort of behavior."

"Damn."

"Now you know how my brothers feel." Olivia shot back as she started for the cabin. "I'm bringing out the potatoes. Get that half a cow ready for the plates."

Cage stood to attention and saluted. "I am merely a poor army dog, I live to serve."

"Serve the steaks smart ass. Be right back."

Cage had to laugh at that one and picked up the serving plate. It wasn't quite the five minutes that she had pronounced but the steaks did look about right and smelled even better. As she was lifting the first steak off the grill the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She continued her chore without betraying body language, closing the grill lid she walked the steaks over to the table and sat down.

She could feel eyes on her; she'd experienced the sensation enough times in her life to trust her gut. The trick would be to get through the rest of the evening without alerting Olivia. After dinner and after her new friend left for the night she would recon the area and trail in the dark if she had to. She almost smiled. It would be like the good old days.

The back screen door slapped shut and she watched for a moment as Olivia in her well-worn blue jeans and light denim shirt carried two bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy. The smile on the woman's face was one of ease; relaxed with her natural surroundings and for a moment Cage felt jealousy. The last time she'd looked like that was when she was nine or ten. She slid a hot and juicy steak onto Olivia's plate. Then filled a salad bowl for her. Anyone who could make sour cream and garlic mashed potatoes deserved to be waited on hand and foot in Cage's estimation. Especially if those same mashed potatoes didn't come out of a box.

Olivia leaned back and sipped on her last glass of wine. Dinner was finished, the dishes done, and all that was left was conversation on the swing. "Okay, you really want the answer to that?" She watched Cage trying to figure out if the woman was teasing her or not.

"Well I asked, right?" Cage smiled and played with her beer bottle.

"I was five. My uncle told me that my mother had eyes in the back of her head, so being the child that I was, I had to go find out for myself."

"So you stood behind her and kept messing with her hair?" Cage couldn't help the laugh.

"I was a very literal child." Olivia answered with as much humility as she could muster. The wine was going to her head.

"And your mom still calls you the eye seeker?" Cage teased.

Olivia hung her head. "Only when she wants to make me blush."

"You're getting off too easy. When my Mam wants to make me blush she tells about the time I jumped off the rope swing at the stream. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. When I landed the t-shirt went down stream. I did not." Cage admitted.

Olivia burst into laughter and nearly fell over. "Don't tell me, half your family and all your friends were there."

"All my family and half the friends, thank Saint Brigit." Cage muttered.

"You poor, poor soul." Olivia made an attempt towards sympathetic.

"Ahh, sure, make fun of the poor mick." Cage played up her granda's accent.

Olivia leaned in toward Cage. "You are proud of that Black Irish heritage aren't you?"

Cage didn't even have to think it over. "And are you any less proud of your Comanche and Cherokee?" She rolled the beer bottle between her hands. "The Quinn's lived a beggars life in Ireland, but it was their life. For generations we tilled the land, fought as our clan decided, raised our children and thought that maybe someday the clan Quinn would just be let be. Then about a hundred and fifty years ago most of the Quinn's were run out of Ireland half a step ahead of the Brit army. The family history says we managed to offend several landlords and their daughters, rebel activities aside, so they jumped on the boats and landed in America. I'm sure America will take generations to recover.

But Granda's side stayed on in Ireland, playing the peasant fools for the landlords, organizing, rebelling, and even later joining legitimate armies during wars. I think it was in the early twenties that my granda and gremam came to America, I think they were both really young, met between wars and had my Da and the rest is truly too embarrassing to tell." Cage finished the family history while still feeling the eyes on her back.

"Well we certainly have similar backgrounds family wise. But since this wine is damn good, and I still have to go in to the office tomorrow, that story will have to wait." Olivia said as she finished off her glass. "Remind me to ask you what it was that I'm drinking. I like it."

Cage grinned. "I found it in Italy. Great vineyard. It's truly exceptional wine. And I'm glad you like it.

"I might like it too much. Thank you Cage Quinn for another very nice evening."

"You're welcome Pocahontas." Cage grinned.

"Come on smart ass, walk me home. And if you call me that again, you get no more of those mashed potatoes." Olivia stood up and leaned in. "By the way, I talked to James at the diner. He's willing to trade recipes for potatoes. Just keep that in mind."

"He's gonna give you the breakfast potatoes? I swear I will only call you Olivia from now on if you share." Cage half slurred.

Cage lurched to the side of the two-lane road that ran between her cabin and Olivia's house. Out loud she half sang an obnoxious Irish drinking song even though she was nowhere nearly as in her cups as she seemed. She wanted her watchers to think she was drunk as an earl. Once she navigated the deserted road and then stumbled up the steps of her porch she made a fine show of cutting off the lights and finally making it to her bed. As she extinguished the bedroom lamp she felt the cold fingers of her profession press in on her chest.

She slid along the floor of the master bedroom closet. God bless her Mam for wanting a large closet befitting a Sergeant Major's wife. Sergeant Major now retired Quinn had listened to his father's stories as a child. One involved in rebellious activities should always have at least two ways out of the house that the authorities had no clue about. The Quinn family cabin had three. The best one fed out of her Mam's walk in closet.

Cage let herself fall into the crawl space and closed off the hatch. If you weren't looking for it, you'd never find it; she would steak her professional reputation on it. Granda you fecking brilliant rebel, god bless, you taught Da well.

She came out two hundred yards away from the cabin. What looked like a capped off dried up well was really a very good escape route. Cage eased herself out with hardly any dust or dirt on her dark clothes. She eased the lid to the false well down as her father had taught her. Closing her eyes she took a moment to get used to the dark and the sounds. She found her rhythm in it and then moved out at a leisurely pace. She had time and knew it.

Cage smelled them before she saw them. It was an odd mix of deodorant and shampoo. They weren't pro's, they were actually too stupid to know how stupid they were. From her hiding spot she could smell the starch, the soap, the shampoo. She nearly laughed. Instead she listened and waited. Even good soldiers on watch bitched into the night, and these two were far less than good soldiers. By the time three quarters of an hour had passed she knew their plans for the next two days. Cage grinned into the dark sky.

God I've missed this.

Cage slid the closet escape hatch closed and padded into the bathroom, turning on the light. That would give her watchers pause. She took her cell phone and hit the number seven. Two rings were all that it took. She apologized for the early or late hour depending on the number of drinks and made a request in serious tones.

"Is that it?" The voice on the other side asked.

"For now. Send ASAP, but be prepared to be here on Saturday. This is strictly fact finding, so don't get any ideas." Cage's tone was uncompromising.

"Roger that. Recon only besides, I don't do this sort of thing anymore. You're the spook. I'm in it for the steak. You are grilling me a steak."

"Count on it. See you then, and thank you."

"Thank me with half a cow."

Cage laughed out loud. "Chow hound."

"Better than a mine magnet." Came the answer.

"Let's not talk about mines huh?" Cage hung up and killed the light. In the dark she pulled back the blankets on the bed and crawled in. She really was tired and it had nothing to do with the beer she'd drunk. Long after she was asleep a gentleman owl hooted outside her window.

Ellen walked the cabin again. She was the guardian for the moment. Looking down on the dark Irish woman sleeping peacefully in her bed she wondered to herself. Cage what game are you playing now?

In the time it took to blink she was in the woods outside the cabin listening to two thin men bitching about the dark, the chill of the night and plans made by some unnamed leader.

"You're on vacation Cage." Ellen sighed even though no one could hear her. "Only Cage could go on vacation and find trouble." This could be fun.

"Got another 'I'm going to hurt you' phone call?" Linda Pender asked as she stuck her head in Olivia's office.

"Hey Linda. Yes, but this one included the infamous 'I'm going to break into your house and beat you to death' threat. I'll send it over to the staties. Have I ever told you how much I love caller ID?" She motioned the woman in and waved her to take a chair. "So what can I do for you today?"

Linda Pender took a seat and smiled. "We've been informed that the family from one of your past cases has granted this office what you asked for. You can expand your staff as you need to, and they even kicked in some money for renovations to the house." Her voice was half smug and half astounded.

Olivia blinked once, then twice before she could breathe. "You are kidding me."

"I am glad to say that I am not kidding you. They'll release the funds next month. You my dear friend are going to get some needed help. Five million over the course of three years."

"Which family?" Olivia asked even though she thought she might know the answer.

A sad expression crossed Linda's face. "The Millers. They know how hard you and the staff tried. It's the bulk of the settlement."

Olivia leaned back in her chair a wave of memory and sorrow hit her. "That poor woman. I really thought we'd gotten her away from it all." She could still recall the sight of Samantha Orson nee Miller when she'd arrived at the house via a state police escort. Fresh from being treated at the emergency room the woman was a mass of bruises and stitches. The poor child jumped at every sound and motion for nearly two months before she understood that she was technically free of her abusive husband.

"Olivia, you did everything by the book. You took every precaution and so did she. I don't think anyone thought he would wait that long." Linda did not appease but she did try to absolve.

"I know that intellectually. But in my heart I still think there was more that we could have done, more that we should have been able to guess at. I don't like losing my girls like that." There was an edge of anger in Olivia's voice and she didn't even try to hide it from the director of operations for the women's shelter.

"Neither do I. But at least some good will come of her death. A lot more women will be helped and we both know that the only thing we have for sure here is job security as sad as that statement is."

"Very true on both accounts. Now why do you look like you have something else to tell me?" Olivia settled the past where it belonged.

Linda laughed. "You have an extremely good looking woman waiting for you by Mavis's desk. So spill. Who is she?"

Olivia was clueless. "I don't know, care to give me a description?"

"Five six or so, dark hair, dark eyes, jeans that fit really well if you know what I mean. A mean looking scar around her right eye too. Find yourself a mafia type did you?"

Olivia's laugh filled her office. "Good lord no. Nope that sounds like Cage. You haven't met her yet. She's staying down the road from me. Her family owns the old Kinsey cabin. I wonder what she's doing here." She said as she picked up the receiver and dialed Mavis's extension. "Hi Mav, I understand that I have a visitor?" Olivia listened to the answer and laughed at the now three-way conversation as Cage piped up in the background. "It's okay Mav. Send her on back and don't give her bogus directions." Olivia hung up and chuckled.

"So, new interest?" Linda played with her favorite employee.

Olivia shook her head. "You are worse than Barb. She's straight Linda, at least I think she is and she doesn't know about this one little part of my life. She's the one who stopped Haskins earlier this week. Had that man dangling like a worm on a hook. I think he really was scared. Hell, I was scared for him." She admitted.

Linda's fun turned to concern. "Is she dangerous?"

"I don't think so, at least not to the good guys. We're actually becoming friends. She knows Shelly. Apparently she's the one Shelly talks about."

"Oh my God. The one who inspired Shelly to become a cop?" Linda was almost on the floor with disbelief or maybe it was hero worship.

Olivia grinned. The entire group of friends had heard the story of eleven year old Shelly Ware being hounded and harassed that entire summer by the Magee boys until the law was laid down to Jimmy Magee in the form of one thirteen year old girl who knew how to fight better than most grown men.

"That would be her." There was a knock on the doorjamb and Olivia instantly brightened as Cage appeared. "Cage, come in."

"I took a chance that you hadn't had lunch yet. The diner has killer burgers." Cage said as she produced a bag from behind her back. She looked at Linda and frowned. "I think we can feed three but I'm not sure."

Linda could only stare at the woman. It was not often that she found herself speechless. Then finally the good manners her mother had taught her kicked in. "Hi, I'm Linda. And please don't worry about feeding me, Barb would kill me if I missed lunch with her." Linda extended her hand.

Cage took the hand and shook it. "Cage Quinn. And okay, I'd hate to make Barb mad at me or you."

"We'll all have to get together sometime." Linda offered and groaned in the next instant when her beeper went off. She checked the number and her blood pressure elevated. "Damn, I have to go. It's time to play big dog bitch with the city council. Dinner. Our place next week." Linda ordered in short hand as she stalked out of the office.

Cage stood there for a moment then turned her eyes to Olivia. "She knows Shelly, doesn't she?"

Olivia walked around her desk and ushered Cage in. "Yes. How can you tell?" She shut the door and motioned Cage to the chair vacated by Linda.

"She's got that 'can she walk on water' look. I've seen it before."

"You are scary good." Olivia chuckled and sat behind her desk, pushing away the keyboard.

Cage arched an eyebrow. "Well I am a spook. It's good to notice certain things."

"I'll have to take your word for it. So what did you bring me for lunch? I'm starved." Olivia rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

Cage dug into the bag. "For us, I brought three cheeseburgers, works on the side. Plus two orders of the breakfast potatoes. Ketchup is optional." She grinned as she placed the food on the desk.

"Thanks Cage. This really is very thoughtful of you."

Cage shrugged. "I was in the area and hungry, so I thought you might be as well. Besides I hate to eat alone." She groaned internally. She hadn't meant to let that little tidbit out.

Olivia smiled. "Yeah, I hate it too. So other than terrorizing Lucy, what have you been up to?"

Cage was grateful for the deflection and explained her morning of doing nothing meaningful and then listened to Olivia's day. They ate as they talked. Cage nearly lost her appetite when the threatening phone call was mentioned. Cage put down her paper plate of potatoes.

"He did what?" There was a definite edge to her voice.

"You heard me. Eat your potatoes before they either get cold or I steal them from you. I'll report him to the state police and Shelly will pay him a visit. It happens all the time Quinn." Olivia did not interrupt her meal. "My great however many times over grandfather was a Comanche war chief, my brothers tortured me growing up and still do from time to time, and my mother raised five kids in two worlds. I am not a china doll, so don't make that mistake. I'm not taking the threat lightly, but I am also not going to let threats rule my life. Eat your lunch." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am." Cage answered automatically then winced. "Sorry, training."

Olivia's laugh could be heard along the hallway.

Cage balled up the remnants of lunch and found the trashcan. She looked up from cleaning and made a decision "It would make me feel better if I could teach you some self defense moves."

"Define 'self defense' please." Olivia requested as she brushed the crumbs from the top of her desk. She knew a little about fighting but then that only worked when her brothers were not around.

"Escapes, evades and where to hit someone so that you can get away. I'm not allowed to teach anyone the really nifty stuff." She tried to joke.

"Why?" Olivia was truly curious.

Cage dropped the bag into the trash and decided on the truth. "I don't want to see anything bad happen to you. If I can teach you something to give you enough escape time, then I'll feel better about your job." Cage took a breath. "I worry that those assholes will come back looking for you."

"And now you know that I get threats of the deadly kind." It wasn't a question.

"And now I know." Cage agreed.

Olivia thought about it for a moment then looked at Cage. "Yes, on one condition. You teach the women at the shelter the same moves." She watched as Cage mulled the offer over in her mind. "We had a woman a few years ago who was killed by her ex husband. He beat her to death and the escape moves she was taught did her no good. I'll let you teach me if you teach them. I don't want anything else like Samantha Miller on my soul."

"I can teach you and them at the same time." Cage didn't have to think twice.

"Then we have a deal Quinn."

Cage nodded and turned to leave. As she opened the door she halted and twisted her gaze to Olivia. "About dinner with Linda and Barb?"

Olivia prepared herself for the inevitable couple question, hoping against all that Cage was not homophobic. "Yes?" Her question was tight in her throat.

"You think they'll like the wine you had the other night? I'd like to bring something if they're cooking."

Their eyes watched her as she stood up and walked to the middle of the room. She let her body stay relaxed even as the distrust wafted around her. She couldn't blame them really. She was a stranger even if she had walked in with Olivia. Hell, even Olivia earned some distrustful glances.

Olivia broke away from the woman she'd been talking to and walked to Cage's side. "You ready?" she asked in a low tone.

"Yeah, but are they?" Cage wondered.

"It'll be fine." Olivia promised. Turning to the gathering group. "Ok, ladies. Now that we're all here. I'd like to introduce you to my friend Cage. She's going to be teaching us some self-defense moves. Cage it's all yours."

Cage smiled at that. "Thanks." She stepped forward and fell into her instructor mode. "Good evening ladies. My name is Cage Quinn and as Olivia said, I will be teaching you some self-defense. First things first. If you don't want to be here then do us all a favor and leave. I'm not going to waste anyone's time. Not yours and definitely not mine.

Second I know why you all are staying here. No, I don't know specifics and I'm not going to ask, your history is your own. If at any time you are scared or frightened by the teaching sessions or practicing on each other again let me know. I want you to learn this, not be traumatized more. Any questions?"

Several of the women blinked. For a long moment they had to let Cage's words catch up with them. One woman timidly raised her hand.

"Yes ma'am?" Cage turned her attention to the woman.

"Are you a cop? I mean, I guess are you qualified to teach us?"

Cage laughed then mentally kicked herself when the woman cringed. "Sorry ma'am, I'm not laughing at you. I normally also include my rank with my name, but I'm on vacation. I'm a captain in the US Army. I've had plenty of experience with hand-to-hand combat instruction; it's one of my specialties. Any more questions?"

Olivia raised her hand. "Yeah where'd you get that tee-shirt?" she laughed.

Cage did not have to look down at her shirt. "My dear brother Tommy gave it to me after a pub crawl in Dublin one year. And yes there are twenty-two pubs on the tee shirt and the crawl. Any other questions pertaining to the matter of self defense?"

Looking at Olivia she could see the woman holding back from asking anything else that might be of the smart assed nature. "Ok, I'm guessing Olivia had you all stretch before I got here. I'd like you to line up in two lines, tallest in the back."

The women lined up as she asked them to, then she had the front line take three steps forward and then instructed them to give each other a wide berth. Beginning with the basics she taught them how to make a fist, then walked the lines correcting gently. Once she was sure that they might be able to make a fist instantly without tucking their thumb inside the palm she moved on to showing them how to throw a punch. Trying to get them to use the power of their body as opposed to just their arm. After half an hour of this she moved on to something else.

"Olivia, come out and stand by me please." Once Olivia did she turned her to face the women. "Ok, this is where I teach you to hit certain places on the body that hurt the most. I'm going to point them out and I want you to touch those places on your partner. No hitting yet." She grinned. One by one she touched major nerve bundles on Olivia's body. At one point Olivia danced away.

"Not there, I'm ticklish."

The rest of the women laughed. They weren't used to seeing the normally serious woman laughing or joking. After a few minutes they all settled down once Cage promised not to tickle Olivia again.

Again, Cage had them practice on each other as they threw slow punches at the nerve centers. When Cage called a halt to the lesson they were all surprised to find out that nearly two hours had passed. Cage had them line up again as she addressed them.

"Ladies, I want you to practice what I've taught you. But since life is such as it is, don't let anyone know what you are learning. Surprise is your friend. Don't practice outside where someone might see you. Practice in your rooms or here. Run these moves over in your mind. I want you to be ready for the next time we get together. I'll review and then we'll learn more. This is going to take a while to put all together; I want you to know that. You are not going to wake up tomorrow and be a self-defense master. It took me five years to even get half good at hand to hand. What I'm going to teach you will give you time to get away from someone. Remember that. I'm not teaching you to fight, I'm teaching you to fight back enough in order to get away. Any questions?"

"So we just hit back and run?" The same timid woman spoke up as earlier.

Cage looked at her. "What's your name ma'am?"

"L?Lindy Feller."

"Well miss Feller, yes, hit and run. Hit him hard enough to stun him and then run as fast as you can to help and safety. You don't have to beat him down; you just have to beat him for one second. I'll see you next time ladies. Don't forget to stretch before you go to bed."

Cage dropped down to begin her stretching as the women milled out of the room slowly. After a few moments Olivia dropped down next to her and started stretching out as well. Cage glanced over and smirked.

"Trying to become the teachers pet?" she asked as she leaned over and reached for her toes.

Olivia mimicked the move. "I thought I already was. No, I just wanted to thank you."

Cage shrugged around her stretch. "Don't worry about it. I'm on vacation so it'll give me something to do."

"Dinner and scrabble?"

"Who's cooking?" Cage challenged.

"I am just at your house. I'll bring pork chops and the fixings for breakfast potatoes."

Cage peered at her. "You're just bucking to be the teachers pet."

"Like I said, I already am. How do you feel about stuffing?"

"Mmm, stuffing." Cage sounded a lot like Homer Simpson.

"Guess that's a yes. Let me finish up here and I'll meet you at your house." Olivia stood up and bent backwards just a bit.

Cage couldn't miss the flash of bare skin as Olivia's tee-shirt rose up a bit. Natural tan mixed with the sun. Cage had to swallow. She shook her head slowly and switched stretching sides to cover her observation. Damn Ellen and the things she tries to put in my head.

"You all right?" There was a lot of concern in Olivia's voice.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry was fixated on food again. Stuffing and potatoes, that might make me marry you." Cage quipped.

Olivia laughed. "You are desperate since you can't cook. Besides if I brought a non Comanche home to my mother she'd kill me." She walked to her sports bag and shouldered it. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, later. I'll pour the wine and do the dishes." Cage promised. As soon as the room door closed and she was alone, Cage let her body fall to the floor. "Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, why'd I have to see that? Ellen, this is your fault."

A half second later Cage could swear she heard soft laughter in the room. Being the good Irish woman that she was she gathered her things and cleared out fast.

Cage wondered if she was losing her mind as she resumed her tracking. There was no wind but yet a chill kept running across her skin. Walking slowly, mindful of where her feet were landing, she kept on. Shifting her thoughts to the package that had been delivered by courier this afternoon a thin-lipped smile appeared. The high tech spying gear included the few items tucked away in her cargo pockets. These would give her the ability to spy without having to scamper around in the woods, and she would be able to record her pathetic spies.

She laughed mentally, right now those same spies thought she was at the biker bar four miles away. Since they insisted on tailing her everywhere she went it was only fair to go to the one place where they would stick out and not be able to enter without a large amount of scrutiny. With their somewhat clean-cut features she knew that the hard-core bikers would assume the men were of the law enforcement variety.

She found the area she was looking for. It was the only spot in the area that fairly reeked of dead cigarettes due to the number of butts that had been discarded. At least they had cleared a small circle, moving vegetation to leave only rich soil. There had to be thirty butts. Looking around quickly she decided on a low hanging branch and fished out her first little toy. Making sure that the long life battery was in place she pressed the activate button and climbed part way up the tree careful not to dislodge anything that would give away her presence. Clipping the voice transmitter in place she made sure that it would not come off. I love my toys. Climbing down she turned her back to the trunk she crouched and sighted in on the fouled pile, moving slightly she found the angle that was as perfect as she was going to get. She turned her head to the tree trunk and visualized the best spot.

Cage reached into her pocket and pulled out a long v shaped pin, which she drove into the bark of the tree. Once it was in place she pulled another toy about two inches square and settled it in the notch and pushed the pin deeper until she was satisfied that it was snug. It's dark coloring would blend in with the tree bark. She hoped. Touching the top left she turned it on. She checked her wristwatch. She would be pushing the time to get back to the bar before last call. "Good thing I don't mind jogging." She whispered.

"I've always known you were a sick woman Quinn."

Cage froze at the words, the hair on the back of her neck rising. She looked around and found no one, but the voice had been right next to her ear. Standing up and stepping away she melted back into the dense foliage. Now that her little toys were deployed she moved a bit quicker but whether it was due to relief of having it done or the oddity of hearing voices she wasn't sure. One voice her brain corrected. One voice that she heard occasionally in her dreams. At least she thought they were dreams. As she reached the sight of the cabin she heard a familiar light laugh. Her superstitious size seven Celt feet moved just a little faster.

Cage crawled her way through the women's restroom window. Grinning sheepishly at the leather clad woman who was currently washing her hands at the sink. "Sorry, I kinda couldn't use the front door."

"You got trouble?" the woman asked with a suspicious expression. "And is it gonna raid the place?"

Cage laughed. "Let's just say I've got a couple of shadows who are not very bright. But they're not the 'raid the place' kind of trouble." She assured as her feet touched the floor. "You mind if I borrow the sink? I had to jog back here and I'd like to dry off a little." She pointed to the paper towel dispenser. Cage had learned the hard way that sometimes biker women were more of a challenge than guys.

The woman moved away from the sink and leaned against the wall. "I'm guessing you don't want me to say anything."

"It's worth me buying your table a round." Cage confirmed as she turned on the water and splashed some water on her face then dried off with the harsh towel. It wasn't a soak in the tub but it would do for now. She watched the woman's reflection in the mirror. Finally the woman nodded.

"Why the hell not?" she smiled. "You got a name?"

"Cage. You?"

"Mandy. Your parents got something against you or something?" Mandy asked with a sly grin.

Cage shook her head. "Nah, my grandfather had a sick sense of humor." She tossed the wadded up paper towel and dropped it in the trash can. "C'mon, I owe y'all a round."

Cage followed Mandy to her table and waited as the woman introduced her to the five men and women. One of them pushed a chair at her and she took the seat. She settled into small talk after waving down the cocktail waitress. By doing so she gathered a little more intelligence and mentally filed the information away. She discovered many things in the next forty minutes. First and foremost was that Sheriff Mobley was not a local boy as she had assumed but that he'd come to the area from California roughly ten years ago with rumors of misconduct chasing him from his former department. She thought back to the meeting at the diner and almost laughed at the recollection of him calling her an outsider.

She sipped on her water as the others drank freely. She was almost disappointed when the bouncers announced last call. Mandy and her friends weren't too bad for bikers, but considering the last group of bikers she'd help send to jail she was not willing to throw away mistrust either. This group might be good for some soft Intel from time to time. She said her goodbyes and walked to her rental. Glancing from the corner of her eye she noticed that her watchers were still in their car, heads slumped against the driver and passenger windows, asleep.

She turned the key and starting the car, sang along to the CD almost immediately. Waiting her turn to exit the parking lot she scanned the rear view mirror. Her watchers had not moved. Once she hit the exit she turned right and started on her way to her temporary home.

Five minutes later the flashing red and blue lights caused her to pull over to the side of the rural road. She powered down the window and kept her hands on the steering wheel in plain sight. The high power spotlight nearly blinded her but she could hear the heavy steps on the asphalt. A moment later a large figure stood by her door.

"License and insurance please." The 'please' was definitely an order and not a figure of politeness from the male officer.

"No problem officer. Insurance is in the glove box." Cage let the officer know before she reached for the glove box. She heard the subtle sound of hand pressure on a leather holster. Moving slowly she opened the glove box and took the rental agreement information out with just her fingers. She did not close the glove box. Then she reached into her shirt pocket for her mini wallet. In it were her license, military ID and money. She handed over the requested items.

"You been drinking?" the gruff voice asked.

"I had a couple at the Dive." She answered honestly. There would be no point in lying. She was pretty sure that the local law enforcement would have officers posted at bars. By his grunt she knew what was coming next.

Sure enough the officer ordered her out of the vehicle and put her through the paces of the oh so wonderful sobriety tests. As she passed each one she could see him getting more and more irritated. She was of the mindset that he was just fucking with her. Each time she passed a test he muttered 'that was close' for his dash cam benefit she guessed. It wasn't until twenty minutes had passed that he finally administered a Breathalyzer test, which she also passed.

With no real reason to arrest her he was forced to hand back her documents and send her on the way. As she was securing her seat belt the spotlight turned off and from her rear view mirror she caught the faint glow of stationary headlights in the distance. Turning the engine over again she resumed singing, glancing back once in a while. The lights were still back there, not gaining. Who taught these idiots to tail someone? Talk about obvious.

As she passed the turn off to Olivia's home she let her eyes wander making sure that no one was obviously watching her. Tomorrow during the day she would take a leisurely hike around Olivia's. If she found anything interesting then she would take the same spying action as tonight.

Finally turning right she reached the dirt trail that led to her family cabin. By the time she closed the front door she was about worn out. A full day of running her shadows ragged, then another lunch with Olivia and playing with the toys delivered to her plus a very long night in a smoke filled bar had kicked her ass. Doing next to nothing while on vacation, she decided was tiring.

After making sure everything was locked up she took a quick shower and changed into her regular sleepwear. Slipping under the still cold blankets it took no time at all for slumber to hit full force.

The towel was soft and smelled of sun and soap. This time it was her turn to take it out to the pool. She clutched the cloth to her body feeling special for a change. Usually it was her Mam or Da taking the towel to her granda. This time it was she, and it wasn't Tommy who got the honor. She walked to the side of the pool and watched as Granda pulled himself out of the water. Her eyes were glued to the scars on the back of his right thigh and right shoulder. Suddenly she was angry and wanted to hurt whomever it was that hurt her Granda.

"Ask what you're goin' to ask wee bairn." He rumbled as he took the towel.

She hesitated. "Who hurted you Granda?"

Sean Quinn did not have to look down at his body to know what his grand daughter was talking about. "I caught a bullet or two a long time ago, bairn."

"Where?" she asked quietly.

"A little place called Korea. Back in '51. Don't fash it, bairn." He smiled softly. "'Tis a long time ago." The lilt of home was easy in his voice

"Fash it I will." She answered stubbornly with a matching lilt. "Somebody hurted you. Fight one Quinn, fight us all." She parroted the family quote and meant it for the first time.

Sean sat down in a pool side chair and tugged her to him. "Bairn, you cannot fight the things that happens to soldiers. I was a soldier as your own Da is a soldier, as my Da was a secret soldier for the cause, as his Da was before him. We Quinn's are always soldiers, 'tis our lot in life to fight the fight, and by god we're good at it. One day, maybe you and your dearthair Tommy will be soldiers, maybe you won't, but if you are, then you'll know what I mean. When soldiers meet face to face and gun-to-gun, there is nothing except 'am I going to go home'. It's not personal and so very personal. You'll kill him or he'll kill you. The man who 'hurted' me, as you say, I think I shot him, but I don't really know. I hope that I missed and that he got to go home to his wife and his wee bairns and lived out his life as happy as I've lived mine."

She scrunched up her face as she tried to think about what her Granda said. After a moment she looked at him. "Does it hurt now?"

He looked down at his black Irish mirror. "Only sometimes."

She let her little hand rub his back in small patches. "I'll tell Gremam, she'll make you feel better."

Sean chuckled. "You do that, bairn, you do that. I'm sure she'll make it better. Now then, what's this I hear about you getting' into a fight at school?"

Cage jolted awake. Sweat slid slowly down her face around her chin and even around the soft curls of her ears. She shook her head and slid out from under her blankets. Bare feet hit the cold floor and she welcomed the feeling despite the shiver up her spine. Stumbling half asleep in to the bathroom she found the aspirin and swallowed two down dry.

She poured coffee after staring at the damn machine for what seemed like hours. As she was about to take the first sip the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

Cage. Olivia needs you.

Cage dropped her cup and tore out the back door, as she hit the ground running she spared a thought to her feet, which were bare and ran faster. She ran the quarter mile in record time and didn't care at all. Vaulting the short fence she came up against a really large structure wearing jeans and a surly expression. In the distance she could hear Olivia shouting. Without thinking she struck. Her foot found the inside of an exposed knee, bringing the human tree down with a scream and a thud. The next man she came up to didn't have half a chance to turn. She just lowered her shoulder and bowled him over.

Damn that hurt, Cage thought as she lifted her body off his and continued forward. Two more men went down as she demonstrated the fact that the army had trained her really well. When she finally reached the man who had a thick hand wrapped around the back of Olivia's neck Cage barely managed to keep some semblance of control.

She planted her fist into his back over his right kidney and heard him grunt in pain, so she did it again. She was barely aware of Olivia pulling out of his loosened grip. She hit him again, this time driving her fist to the left of his shoulder bone. A hand grabbed her and pulled her back, without thinking she took hold of the hand and twisting her body launched the attacker over and down.

Her unfortunate victim landed heavily on the coffee table, which held for a half a second, then came apart with a tortured sound. Looking down she was more than satisfied to see the man she had saved Olivia from originally in the town square. He was out for the count. Every combat sense on alert she turned and looked around the room, searching out for any new threat. No one moved despite the groaning in pain.

"You all right?" Cage asked without looking at Olivia. She was too focused on the men who might think about getting up.

Olivia tried to answer, cleared her throat and tried again. "Yeah," she rasped out. "Mostly. Where the hell did you come from?"

"My place. Call the cops. I'll keep these idiots from moving or trying to get away." Cage answered in her usual command tone. She hadn't spent and survived sixteen years in the army by having a less than direct way of speaking. In this moment she was not on vacation, she was by her own actions in charge of the situation.

Olivia didn't even think about questioning her friend or the tone of voice. She knew authority when she heard it, and frankly after the last half hour of her life, she was glad that someone else was in control. She dialed 911 and requested a patrol car and explained the circumstances quickly. The dispatcher took her information and kept her on the line even as she issued the order to get police to her house.

Cage listened to Olivia as she spoke on the phone and could have kicked herself. If she had just turned into Olivia's driveway earlier that night maybe the woman would not have had her home invaded. She let her anger keep her vigilant. Each time one of the men made a move to get up, she placed a foot on one body part or another and pressed down. It didn't take a lot to keep them in place.

When the squad car pulled up five minutes later with blue and red lights running she still stood sentinel. These idiots were not going to get away due to a distraction. The first officer entered the house with his service weapon drawn but at least it was down at his side. As soon as he saw Cage standing over two downed men he aimed at her and instructed her to put her hands up where he could see them. Olivia started to protest but Cage cut her off.

"It's okay Olivia," she said as she put her hands on her head and interlocked her fingers. "He's just doing his job. He doesn't know me so I might be one of the bad guys." She followed his instructions and allowed him to cuff her wrists. She noticed that he cuffed much more gently than some other officers might have. Once he was done with her he had her sit on the couch. A minute later three more officers arrived and surveyed the carnage. The men who had broken into Olivia's home were cuffed and taken into custody and at least one was loaded into an ambulance.

Cage sat on the couch in a very relaxed way even with her hands still cuffed behind her as she answered the questions from the different officers. One of them knelt beside her with his notebook in hand.

"Ma'am can you tell me how you decided to come here?"

Cage shook her head with a light laugh. "You really won't believe me, but I just got this weird feeling that I had to come here. It was damn intense so I just ran over here. I even forgot to put on shoes. I'm glad I did."

The officer smiled. "My grandmother has seen a lot around here that don't make a lot sense if you try to think about it, I don't disbelieve anything. For the official report however I'll just write down that you decided to visit your neighbor after a long day."

Cage smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah that might work."

The officer smiled and closed his notebook. "I think you should have the paramedics look at your feet."

Cage wrinkled her brow but did not look down. She felt fine, a little wired but fine and incredibly grateful that she had had arrived when she did. "Nah, I'm good. Honest."

The officer just looked down at her feet and back at her face and almost tried again but understood the stubborn expression. "Ok, if you're sure. I'll have to put in the report that you refused medical help."

"I understand. Really, I'm good." Cage assured him with a large smile.

Cage's smile died as soon as Sheriff Mobley entered the front door. He took a quick look around and spying Cage in cuffs smiled hard.

"I see we have you contained." He grunted.

"Sometimes seeing is just smoke and mirrors. Any way, I'm the good guy this time. The idiots in the squad cars are the one's dumb enough to get caught." Cage smiled as though she was just having a day at the beach.

"Like I'll believe that." Mobley waved her off.

Olivia stood up from her perch at the kitchen counter, pushing away from the paramedic who was tending to her throat. "Sheriff?" She began and waited until she had his attention. "She came in here and saved my ass so why don't you take your attitude out of here. I'm too tired and too much in pain to try and placate you. I know that a couple of the idiots here tonight are your drinking buddies. I was asleep and then I was pulled from my bed by these men, men you know, men you protect. I don't want to know what might have happened here tonight if Cage had not shown up. So why don't you just leave and I won't file a lawsuit that makes you piss your pants." She coughed as her throat protested the extended words. She coughed again.

Cage looked at Olivia for the first time since it had all started. Instantly she was angry again. The red marks on her friend's neck were enough to push her blood pressure up beyond the dangerous range. She clenched her fists and pushed against the handcuffs. No one would ever touch Olivia like this again.

A light touch from Olivia brought Cage back into some sense of control. She looked at the Native woman and let out a slow breath. There was a bright red ring around Olivia's throat and her sleep ware was a bit disheveled, but otherwise she looked fine. Cage shook her head slowly and let go of the desire to kick the shit out of someone. Neither woman noticed when Mobley left.

"I'm okay Cage, you need to calm down." Olivia rasped. "Honest.'

Only after hearing it from Olivia's lips did Cage truly relax. It seemed like forever before the police were satisfied and unlocked the handcuffs. Cage stayed on the couch even after she was released. The last police officer left after giving Olivia his business card.

Olivia sat heavily on the couch and let out a breath. "Damn I need a drink.'

Cage nodded. "Make that two Pocahontas, doubles I'd say right about now."

"That's Olivia to you, you damned Mick. And thank you for showing up when you did."

Cage allowed a half smirk; half smile, and leaned back into the couch. "'Tis my pleasure, I am here to serve herself. We Mick's live to serve." Cage's smile died and concern bloomed on her face. "God, I don't know what I would have done if you'd been truly hurt or?worse."

"Shh," Olivia tried to sooth. "I'm just glad you showed up when you did. So why did you?"

Cage leaned her head back against the couch. "You are so not going to believe this, but I had a dream. I was a kid and taking a towel to my granda. We talked about his scars and then he was busting my chops about getting into a fight at school. And then I woke up, and I swear to all that is holy I heard a voice tell me you needed my help. So I ran here."

Olivia looked down in humility and relief and for the first time noticed Cage's feet. "Oh, Jesus, Cage. Your feet are bleeding."

Cage's eyes tracked down slowly. "Really?" She was shocked at how bad they looked. "Well damn."

Olivia set down the drinks that she was about to make and dashed into the bathroom, turning on the tub faucets to warm water. She took out the softest towel she had and laid it on the toilet.

Once back in the living room she helped Cage up and wrapped an arm around her waist. Together they wobbled into the bathroom. Now that Cage knew her feet were trashed it was impossible to ignore the pain. Looking behind her she saw the blood red prints on hard wood floors.

"Damn Cage, what did you do?" Olivia asked in a low tone after they sat the soldier on the tub sidewall and dipped her feet in, and then the bath water ran red.

"I just reacted Olivia. That's what I do. I'm just glad I listened to whoever it is that lives in my brain. I?" her breath hitched.

Olivia kissed the top of Cage's head. "Again, I'm glad you did. You saved my life tonight I think."

Without thinking Cage wrapped an arm around Olivia's body. "Shh. You're safe. It's going to be fine. And from now on, you are staying with me."

"I'm not leaving my house Cage." Olivia protested.

"I'm not asking you to leave your house. I'm asking you to stay with me for a few days. That's all." Cage groaned as the heat of the water finally reached her brain.

"Damn Cage, you really tore up your feet. Did you run all the way here?"

"Well, umm, yeah. I figure it's a quarter mile."

"You did that in bare feet?" Olivia challenged.

"Yeah, but then I am a black Irish idiot." Cage smiled.

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know if my mother will love you or just want to take your hair." She sighed.

Cage turned her head a bit to look at Olivia. "Does this mean you'll marry me?"

Olivia's laugh could be heard half a mile away. "No. I'm not going to marry you. You're not my type." She joked.

Cage looked up. "What is your type?"

"Nice and quiet, you know, the geek sort of woman."

"Good to know." Cage nodded. "I don't believe a word of it, but good to know." She smiled despite the pain. "Got any soft slippers?"

All Cage could do was sit back and look at the woman who used to be a scrawny, gangly eleven year old. Earlier in the day when Shelly knocked on the door and had been escorted into the cabin Cage could only stare. She stared even now.

Cage shook her head. "Shelly, I know I said it earlier, but damn you grew up nice."

Shelly laughed and brushed her hand over Cage's shoulder. "Thanks you damned mick." She reverted to the Magee brother's name for Cage and her brother. "You didn't do so bad yourself."

Cage shrugged. "Yeah well, mom fed us coffee and Marines for breakfast ya know."

Shelly laughed. "I never did get to say thanks, but thanks. And you still have to tell me how you kicked Jimmy's ass that bad."

Cage smiled a wicked smile. "My Da was career army, special forces all the way. He taught Tommy and me how to fight since we could move. Jimmy just picked on the wrong person. Do you really like being a cop?"

"Oh yeah. I love it. I love patrol and just touching people. Helping them. Yeah I see a lot of shit heads, but the one's I get to help outnumber the shit heads, so I'm damned happy."

"Olivia says you'll make detective this year."

Shelly nodded. "That's the rumor. I don't know if I'll take it. Like I said, I like being on patrol. Being a beat cop is the best thing I've ever done aside from having my kids."

"Two right?" Cage racked her brains.

"Oh yeah, Danny and Jen. They're nine and six. Fair warning, they will wear you out." Shelly laughed.

Cage was going to answer but was cut off when a short yell came from the back door. She grinned hard and stood up, replying with an equal yell. The dark haired blur that exploded from the house came fast and low. Cage stood up with a half grin and was tackled a moment later. She let out a large 'oof' when she hit the ground.

Not knowing who the stranger was Shelly reacted the way she had been trained. In the blink of an eye she had Cage's attacker in a headlock and was applying a decent amount of pressure.

"Uhh, Cage, you wanna call off your keeper?" the voice asked in a strangled tone.

"Shel, could you please let go? It's all good I promise." Cage almost smiled as she moved from under the pile and stood up.

Olivia walked down from the house with a plateful of thawed steaks. Concern and confusion were written on her face. She watched as Shelly let go and stood back in a slightly defensive stance.

"Shelly, you remember Tommy?" Cage chuckled as her little brother brushed himself off.

Shelly blinked a couple of times. "This is Tommy? Damn, what did your parents feed you all?"

Tommy grinned and extended his hand. "Marines, nails, fire and many, many cows according to our Da. You look a little taller than the last time I saw you."

"Yeah, well I hit my stride at fifteen. Sorry about the headlock." She said as she decided to sit back down.

Tommy found his own space and grinned at his sister. "That's okay. It's good to know that she's got people around who have her back."

"Like I need it." Cage snorted out. "Did you get to meet Olivia?"

"I was good. I introduced myself at the door. I even used manners."

"I'll have to tell Mam." Cage teased and took the plate from Olivia. "Did you have to tackle me though?"

"It seemed like the thing to do." Tommy shrugged even as his eyes found Shelly again.

"I'm telling mom you know."

"Sure, I bring you more stuff and you tell mom lies. She won't believe you, she likes me." He said as he spied the cooler full of beer and walking over fished one out. "Anyone need a refill?" Olivia and Shelly raised their hands. He fished out two more and twisted off the caps.

"So, Tommy, got any really good embarrassing Cage stories?" Olivia asked with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Oh, yeah. Bunches. What's it worth to you?"

"Steaks on the grill and mashed potatoes with sour cream and garlic." Olivia answered as she ignored Cage's groan.

He grinned. "Well, there was the time when she was like seven?"

"Tommy keep in mind that I have the goods on you too and I have pictures. And I know where you live."

"We're sorry you have reached a data center that cannot be accessed right now, please try again later." Tommy intoned in his best computer voice.

The group laughed and fell into a series of questions and answers as Cage finally got up to begin the cooking process. Tommy watched as his sister walked gingerly to the grill. He tapped Olivia on the arm lightly.

"She okay?" The worry was evident in his voice.

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, her feet are better but she's still sore. She tell you about my late night visitors?"

"No. But I'll try to beat it out of her later." He answered.

"Don't. I'll tell you. My job puts me in some danger." She admitted. "I tend to piss off a lot of men who don't want their wives and punching bags to leave. The other night a few of them decided to pay me a late night visit. Cage came running to the rescue. She beat the hell out of most of them. Unfortunately when she ran over here she didn't have any shoes on."

"Ouch." Tommy grimaced. He'd done that once as a kid and could still recall the pain. "What did the cops say?"

"Most of them are out on bail. Well, except for the guy with the busted knee, he's still in the hospital."

"Mobley's an asshole." Shelly grunted around her mouthful of tortilla chip and dip. "The sheriff didn't even want to do the paperwork from what I heard."

Tommy shook his head. "He so does not want to piss Cage off.

"Hey you three look way too serious. This is a party. No serious faces or conversations." Cage called from her spot at the grill.

All three had the good sense to blush and turn the conversation to other things. Tommy could not stop looking at Shelly and Olivia caught her friend stealing glances at the man. After Tommy wandered off to mess with his sister at the grill Olivia nudged her friend.

"Shelly has a boyfriend." She sounded like a twelve year old.

"Bitch. I don't, but damn he's cute." Shelly blushed like a schoolgirl.

"You like him. I can tell." Olivia persisted as she dunked a tortilla chip in the guacamole dip.

"Maybe," Shelly allowed with a smile. "He certainly looks different from what I remember."

"And what do you remember?"

"He was a lot shorter, skinny and all mouth. But damn, those two together were hell on wheels. You couldn't touch one without the other butting in. They fought like badgers with each other, just look out if anyone tried anything with the other one."

As if to prove her point, Olivia watched as the two siblings started pushing each other over a bottle of beer. Neither one backed down and she was not exactly surprised when Cage twisted a leg around her brother's and dumped him on the ground and fell on him. They wrestled until Cage put him in a wicked arm/neck hold.

"Okay, fuck, uncle. Jesus Cage, uncle." Tommy cried out.

"Who's the laird?" Cage asked as she tightened down.

"Cage is grand clan laird," Tommy nearly shouted. "Now let me go."

Cage let him go and stood up with a laugh. "That'll teach you."

"Sure sis, embarrass me in front of the women." He grumbled with a slow smile.

"Maybe she'll kiss your boo boo's and make them feel better." She teased as she flipped the steaks.

"Yeah and maybe Olivia will kiss yours." He shot back. "Seriously though, your new toys are in Mam's closet. Did the spy toys work?"

Cage nodded. "Yeah they did. Thanks by the way for sending them out so fast. I have major tape running. I'll check it later if you want to join me."

Tommy nodded. "I'll be there. You sure you don't want some back up?"

Cage shook her head. "Not right now, but pass the word to the crew that I might need it."

"Cool. I know O'Malley will be here in a heartbeat."

"Yeah well if she brings Terri, I might be in trouble." Cage almost laughed.

"You broke her nose Cage." He reminded with a slow smile.

"She was fighting with me." Cage defended herself.

"You fed her face first into the Jeep."

"She was gonna kick my ass." Cage muttered as she flipped a steak. "Who wanted medium rare?"

"I think that was your girl." Tommy answered.

"I don't have a girl Tommy." Cage shot back as she pulled the done steak off the grill.

Tommy smiled. "Yeah? Tell her that." He grinned as he nudged his sister.

"Bitch."

"Mine magnet." He tossed back with a wicked smile. "Paybacks suck, don't they?" he asked with a laugh.

She pushed him, sending him on his way. "Go play with the girls." She muttered.

Tommy walked back to the picnic table. "Okay, ladies I'm back and she's surly."

Within moments the three were playing quarters and having fun. The rest of the evening passed the same way. Cage shrugged off her nearly surly mood and joined in on the fun.

After dinner and the dishes were done Cage escorted Olivia to the guest bedroom as Tommy walked Shelly to her car and made sure the woman could drive. He walked back into the cabin with a little boy smile on his face.

"She kiss you or what?" Cage asked after she was sure that Olivia was asleep.

"Yep, one kiss on my right cheek. You sure she's single?"

"Yeah, one ex husband and two kids." Cage nodded and opened the door to the basement. "So, you good to do this?"

"I'm good. Let's take a look." He answered with a grin as he fished another beer out of the fridge.

Together they walked down the steps into the basement. Cage rewound the tape and waited. Tommy made himself comfortable in a chair and sipped on his beer.

"So you want to tell me what's going on with you and Olivia?"

"Nope. Not sure there's anything going on."

"C'mon Cage, this is me. I know you and you look at her like she's it."

"Take a step back Tommy, yer treading on thin ice."

"Yeah well so are you. You like her. Live with it." He shot back.

"Feck you."

"I'm telling mom." He threatened and sipped on his beer.

"You would."

"She's worth it Cage. Don't keep running."

"Damn it Tommy can we just do business here?"

"NO. We can't. You like her. And I'm going to kick your ass if you don't say something." Tommy stood his ground.

"Fine. I like her. Happy fucking smiley face now? It doesn't matter if I do or if she's the one." Cage grumbled.

"You're not gonna be a spook forever Cage. And maybe you can't remember anything from the last year or so, but she's worth it." He muttered just loud enough for his sister to hear.

Cage shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. "You are so pissing me off."

"Too bad. You fell for Ellen and took the noble way out. Why don't you just face it that you like girls, and maybe sometimes guys." He grunted when her foot connected with his shin. "And don't kick me again."

Cage took a moment to gather herself. "Why do you say that?"

"Cause I have eyes." He said softly.

"Sorry I kicked you." Cage apologized. "Don't tell her. Please. I don't know where any of this is going."

Tommy cocked his head to the side as he finished the rewind process. "I won't say anything to her. But Cage, I think it's mutual."

Soft arms wrapped themselves around her body and she could feel them in the cloud along with a soft voice. Each time nightmares came there was a soothing voice to chase them away.

The sunlight filtered into the bedroom and Olivia shifted to block it out. Cage needed more rest and if she could provide that rest then the woman would do it. She finally let her head rest and her eyes close.

The hard thumping sound caused her to peel her eyes open again after what seemed like seconds. Cage's body was wound tight and half over hers, and it would have been erotic if not for the fist coiled just over her head. When the fist came down Olivia rolled to the side with a squeak. The sickening sound of a fist on a stone wall pulled her out of her trance. Olivia dropped down to the floor and scooted back quickly.

"C'mon, who is he?" Cage shouted down at the ghost memory and continued to beat her hand senseless.

Tommy flew into the room and literally tackled his sister on the bed, muttering words in a language that Olivia did not understand. She rolled over on the floor and let her tears fall. She watched from her spot on the floor as he whispered and crooned to his sister. After what seemed like forever Cage's body and mind gave up. She literally collapsed into a deep sleep.

Tommy sat up and walked away from his sister. When he reached Olivia he offered a hand and helped her up. Putting a finger to his lips the lead her out of the room.

He led her into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Finally he looked up. "You okay?"

"What the hell just happened in there?" she wondered and pulled her robe close.

"That was Cage reliving her demons." Tommy answered without apology.

Olivia let out a low breath. "Holy shit."

"Yeah." Tommy nodded. "If you plan on being around for the long term, get used to it.

"I'm not going anywhere." Olivia muttered with conviction. "What was it you did to calm her down?"

"I sang her some Gaelic lullabies. Repeated some memories from when we were kids. That sort of thing." He said as he opened the fridge and considered what he had to work with.

"You are a good brother Thomas Quinn." Olivia whispered into the kitchen.

He shook his head. "No, I'm just paying back the favor she's done me for a long time." He whispered back taking items out of the fridge and laid them down on the counter. "I got torn up in Desert Storm. I fight the same demons, and she's been there to keep me sane. Nothing like nearly dying to figure out that life is pretty cool, ya know?" He played with the coffee maker knowing they would need the coffee. "She got hurt worse than I did and for much longer. Her demons, they run deeper I think."

"Are all Quinn's good soldiers?" Olivia asked as she fidgeted on the stool.

Tommy nodded. "For better or worse, yeah." He admitted. "We honor our word, and duty to country is our birthright. It's no less than Comanche dog soldiers taking on Texas Rangers or roving white posses."

"She told you about me?" Olivia paused and tried to think if it was a good thing or bad.

"She told me just a little. And I'm curious, so I looked up your family." He went back to figuring out which pan to use. "Nice blood line by the way. Joan would love to talk to you. Not sure how a Lakota and a Comanche/Cherokee would get along but hey there's always chocolate." He grinned to take out the sting.

Olivia smiled despite her worry and wondering. "You make the introductions and bring the chocolate, white boy." She paused as he poured her a cup from the still brewing pot. He set the airborne coffee cup in front of her. Somehow the Death from Above logo did not make her feel better. "Teach me the lullabies."

He looked up from his spot. "In Gaelic?"

"Gaelic, Latin or Swahili. It doesn't matter. Teach me what will keep the night terrors away from her."

"I'll write them out for you. Otherwise you'll never be able to pronounce them. They might help when I'm not here."

Olivia fidgeted with her coffee cup. "She's dangerous isn't she?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, she can be. If you're on her bad side don't ask for mercy or expect any."

"Oh." Olivia had not expected that admission.

Tommy cracked two eggs into the pan. He did not look at the woman his sister fancied. "She'll never turn on you if she believes you. You're in love with her aren't you?" he asked casually as if he was asking after the weather.

Olivia put her coffee cup down. "No, not yet, close. Ask me again in a month the answer might be yes. She doesn't know about my orientation yet. We haven't talked about it."

"You won't have to. She knows. I think anyway. And she still likes you." He flipped the eggs in the pan with a smile. "Don't ask how I know. I just do. We're Irish twins. Not a year between us. We seem to have this link somehow?like we know what the other is thinking."

"Now that's scary." Olivia laughed as she sipped on her coffee.

"You think that's scary? When I got hit in Desert Storm she got a pain right in middle of her chest, which is where I'd been hit. She had a bruise and she wasn't even close to us at the time." He shuddered. "She knew even before they gave her the word that I was hit."

"What happened out there?"

"Fucked up situation. We were bad guy hunting and I ran over a well-buried land mine. Ripped our vehicle open like a tin can. Everyone got hurt in some way." Tommy said in a low tone. He really was getting better about talking about the incident. "Once O'Malley dragged our wee arse's out of the vehicle we legged it to our lines. Let's just say it was a very long two and a half miles."

Olivia chuckled despite the serious conversation. "Wee arses?"

Tommy shook his head. "You are so not Irish." He laughed.

"I'm sure my Comanche can find a translation." She smiled. "So is breakfast ready yet? I'm starving."

Tommy grinned. "Finally a woman who can appreciate me. Wanna get married?" He teased.

"What is it with you Quinn's and marriage?"

Ahh?good examples?" He offered as he pulled the pan off the stove. "When Granda died he and gremam were married near to fifty years. Mom and Da are stretching forty-five married. Guess that's what we want."

"Wow. And they haven't killed each other yet?" Olivia teased.

"You have no idea. A Quinn man and an O'Leary woman married to each other. It's a wonder anyone survived this long." Tommy teased. "Now eat your breakfast. If I don't take good care of you herself will have my wee black Irish hide."

"Olivia Shadow Wolf, how may I help you?" she asked even as her eyes tracked the latest packet of state statistics.

"It's five fifteen and you're late. Your girls are looking at me like I hid you away." Cage's voice purred into the phone. "They don't know me well enough yet to believe me."

Olivia almost laughed. "What did you tell them?"

"I told them that if they wanted you back then I wanted six hundred and thirty pennies, non sequential years, in a brown paper bag at midnight by the old oak tree at the bend of the river. Midnight by the way, did I mention midnight?" Cage answered quickly.

"Yes, and you did not." Olivia laughed.

"Yeah, I mean no I didn't, but I get points for thinking about it." She admitted. "Honestly though, they're getting restless."

"Okay, I'll just shut down here and be there in fifteen. Sorry Cage, but with Linda gone it's just a lot to deal with."

Cage's voice softened over the phone line. "I know. But you're doing a good job Olivia. I'll get the ladies through warm ups and the refresher, but get here as fast as you can, and you are still doing a full warm up. Don't want you straining anything." Cage ordered softly. Then there was only the sound of the dial tone.

Olivia saved the document then shut down the system. It took her five minutes to change into her sweats and another five to walk to the far side of the shelter area where they held the self-defense classes.

As she stretched to warm up her muscles she watched Cage as she walked amid the women, instructing, correcting and trying to joke gently with women who were finally learning to walk among the living again. She could almost not recognize the woman who had burst into her cabin nearly a week ago to save her, again. On the night that Cage had saved her, the woman was controlled fury, tonight the woman was gentle yet demanding of detail, easy soft smiles of encouragement and well placed smirks of amusement seemed to be the pace for the evening. Challenge without rancor. Olivia finished stretching even as she appreciated the sentiment that Cage was building. Push without obviously pushing.

Finally Olivia stepped up next to Cage. They were a subtle contrast. Cage the taller and lankier. Olivia seemingly more fragile but when they started moving they were equal in grace. Quickly Cage recapped the moves she had already taught for Olivia's benefit.

"Okay ladies, you seem to be up to speed and I can see that most of you have been practicing, so today I'm gonna teach you something new. Strong arm out in front of you, good, now bend your arm. What do you see?"

Lindy Feller answered. "An elbow."

Cage grinned. "That's right. You see an elbow. I see a strong, hard weapon. Front of the elbow, nice pointy spear like weapon that when delivered into the face of an enemy can catch him off guard and disable him." She demonstrated a front elbow strike in slow time to Olivia's face. "Back of the elbow a second later in a reverse strike can take the same enemy down to his knees if you hit him in the right place." She demonstrated a back elbow strike to Olivia's temple. "This move will put him down for at least five seconds. That's five seconds you can use to run." Moving away from Olivia she demonstrated the move in real time. Striking air with all her power. Turning back to her students she noticed the open mouthed, slack jaw expressions. "That ladies is what we in the army call a slam ass dunk. So, let's get learning."

"Hey Cage?" Olivia raised her hand.

Cage turned. "Yeah?"

"What in the hell is that on your tee-shirt?" Olivia giggled.

"It's a pub crawl xing sign of course." Cage answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Xing?" Olivia eyed the green shirt with the diamond shaped yellow sign with what appeared to be a human on hands and knees pushing a bottle of something in front. She looked up at Cage and shook her head. "How many of these pub crawls have you actually been on?"

"I'll tell you after class." Cage answered with a smile.

"I'd like to know too." Lindy Feller said with only a small hint of her usual timid nature.

Cage looked at the women and was struck with an idea. "I tell you what, after class I'll tell you about pub crawls, but then each of you has to tell me a story." She turned her head to look at Olivia. "Even you. Do we have any popcorn in the house?"

"I think we do, and I know I saw some packets of hot chocolate." Olivia answered after a moment. "Sounds like a good idea."

"All right, first we learn, then we snack. A perfect night." Cage grinned and got the women paired up to start working. Slowly she demonstrated the elbow strikes, counting each move as a single number. She repeated the process until the women got comfortable then stepped back to watch as she started the counting again. As was her teaching style she would correct here and there as she walked the lines, adjusting angle or lack of balance, always taking care with how she addressed the women. Unlike soldiers who she could brow beat if needed, with these women she was considerate and spoke in reassuring tones.

Cage stepped up to Lindy who was having a balance problem. She tapped Lindy's partner on the shoulder to get her to move aside then stood in front of the smaller woman. "Lindy, your center of balance is off again."

The woman blew out a frustrated huff of air and looked like she was going to cry. "I'm trying."

Cage nodded. "Yes you are, but you're thinking about it too much. Do me a favor, elbow strike one at me."

The woman executed the first elbow strike in the same half clumsy manner as before and Cage had to wrap her hands around the woman's shoulders to keep her from falling. Once she had her standing steady again she smiled.

"You're going to try again, but this time I want you to close your eyes." Cage whispered.

"Close my eyes?" Lindy's tone indicated that she thought Cage was crazy.

"Yep. Close your eyes." Cage waited until the woman did so. "Okay, elbow strike one."

The smaller woman executed the move smoother than before. Cage guided her back to the starting point and ordered her to do it again keeping her eyes closed. This time it was an even better attempt.

"Open your eyes Lindy."

Lindy opened her eyes and smiled. "I did it?"

"You did it." Cage grinned wide.

"But, how?" Lindy wondered out loud.

"You stopped thinking about it so hard. You let your body take over. When we started learning the moves you were watching me and doing what I was doing. When you had to do it on your own you started thinking too much. Don't second-guess or fight what your body learns the first time."

Lindy nodded for a moment then it struck her. "I did it." She nearly jumped up with excitement.

Cage shook her head as Olivia and the rest of the women gathered around and congratulated Lindy in their own separate ways. "Okay, I don't think we can top that tonight. Stretch out and cool down. Popcorn and hot chocolate in fifteen at the house. Get moving ladies, I hate missing out on snack time." For some reason Cage sounded a little like a drill sergeant.

Cage killed the engine after pulling up close to Olivia's front door. With a sigh she turned in her seat to face her friend. "You're sure?"

"Cage, I've been at your place nearly a week. My house is fixed, the new alarm system is in place and active, and I will not let the likes of them run me out." Olivia answered firmly.

"I know." Cage fidgeted. "I just keep worrying."

Olivia pushed open the car door and looked back at Cage. "Come on in Quinn, and do your over protective thing 'cause I know you won't be able to sleep until you do the whole walk through my house." She smiled to take the sting out of her words.

"Not fair." Cage mumbled as she exited her car and closed the door. She followed her friend up the steps and waited as the newly replaced door was unlocked and the alarm system was disarmed.

"Maybe not fair but more than true." Olivia challenged. "You want something to drink?"

"No," Cage mumbled. "Had too much hot cocoa. Did you have any idea that Lindy was that funny? My God, can she tell a story."

Olivia laughed and agreed as she led Cage through the house. "Yes she can. I'm glad she and the others are growing out of their shell."

Cage followed, her eyes taking in every new security detail. "So has it always been like this? I mean I just can't imagine it."

"No, from what Linda says it wasn't bad until about six years ago when Jeffery Tamber moved his people into the area. Okay, see this?Tommy put in motion detectors in the back too. Now will you quit worrying so much?"

Cage's expression hardened. "No, I will not."

Olivia caught her friend by the hand before the woman could turn away. "Stop right there, Quinn." Her hold tightened even as she faced Cage. "You will explain this to me."

"Let it go Olivia and just know that I won't quit worrying."

"Bullshit. I think of you as my friend and my friends are not allowed to make statements like that and walk away. Now, start talking or we are done as friends." Olivia's tone was as cold as Cage's expression.

It took Cage all of thirty seconds to cave in. "I quit worrying once. I got lazy and it cost two brave soldiers their lives and me from what they tell me days of being beat on, and now a lot of my short-term memory. This time I will not quit worrying."

"I am not one of your soldiers Cage." Olivia reminded her.

"No, but you are my friend. I have lived a lot of my life pretending to be other people. Pretending to be 'friend' to those who would be enemies in order to take them down. I'm not pretending with you. My blade and my honor lie at your feet and I will not take your protection lightly." Cage said then looked away, out the back door glass.

"Then trust me to know when to ask for your help, and when to stand on my own two feet. In some ways I'm like the women you are teaching. What happened the other night scared the hell out of me. And I am so very grateful that you came when you did, but understand this about me, I am Comanche and Cherokee?I fight my own battles until I cannot." Olivia answered with total honesty begging with her eyes for her friend to understand.

"I don't have to like it." Cage muttered.

"No, you don't. You just have to honor it, as I honor your little quirks." Olivia smiled a little to lighten the mood.

"Quirks? I have no quirks."

"Pub crawls and the shirts to advertise them. That's a quirk." Olivia pulled away and opened the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of water.

"Those aren't quirks, those are the birthright of the clan Quinn." Cage defended. "You can't be thirsty after five cups of hot cocoa."

"I'm trying to kill the sugar rush Quinn, quit bitching at me." Olivia defended as she took a sip.

Cage let out a dramatic suffering sigh. "If you say so."

"I say so. Now come one, I want to sit down on the porch and watch the stars." Olivia demanded and led the way out to the front porch. "The spirits were kind to us when they created the stars."

Cage leaned against one of the supporting posts and looked up. "Yeah, the Celt gods were kind indeed."

"Spirits." Olivia teased.

"Celt gods."

"Barbarians."

"Savages."

"I resemble that remark." Olivia chuckled and sipped on her water again.

"As do I, or so I've been told." Cage laughed lightly. "So, who's this wee feck Tamber? I've never heard the name."

"I know you're changing the subject. But I'll tell you anyway. He started his own little compound about five, six miles due north of here. He acts like the next better version of the modern Messiah. Complete cult like atmosphere according to most law enforcement officials, but they can't bust him on stuff they can't prove.

"He started small, then just grew, buying more land, bringing more people here and not all of them looked happy when they came to town?it's just that no one can prove anything. Things were pretty calm until two women came to us with an underage girl who was entirely pregnant. We got all three out and after that it went down hill from there."

"Don't tell me, his message started to ring true to some of those in town who sympathized with his words and attitude?" It was a question and a statement at the same time.

"Oh yeah." Olivia answered honestly. "And it doesn't help that I'm 'taking' those confused women away from loving husbands and corrupting them to 'other heathen' ways."

Cage cocked her head to look at Olivia. "Meanie."

"Mick." Olivia shot back.

"Wish I could argue that one." Cage laughed almost lightly. "You sure you'll be okay here?"

Olivia nodded. "I have to be Cage. If I need you, I'll call you. I know you'll come running, this time though wear shoes."

"We'll see."

"Shoes, Quinn or no more dinner sides."

"You are getting way to good at this. Shoes, I promise." Cage whispered harshly.

"Now get going. Tommy will worry."

"He is a hen, isn't he?" Cage teased as she pushed off the post.

"No comment and I'll walk you to your car." Olivia said and led the way down the drive. She waited until Cage was settled in the driver's side and buckled in. She leaned into the window. "Quit walking the journey that is not you Quinn."

Cage quirked a cocky grin "Quit pushing away the warrior who would help you. Sleep well Pocahontas." She turned over the engine and didn't wait for Olivia's outraged reply. She was sure she would hear about it at some later date.

"What are you doing?" he rasped.

"Working." She answered shortly even as her eyes traced the answers on her screen.

"This is gonna be a no sleep night, right?" Tommy half smiled.

"I got a name. And then I'm gonna recon." Cage answered evenly.

"Well if you use that search engine you're gonna be here till Ireland is truly free." Tommy sighed then nudged her. "Get your arse over, I'll find your name."

Cage moved then grinned. "You find me a name and I think I know the location. Five or six miles north. You find me that and I'll run recon."

"Recon now?" Tommy gasped.

"He thinks he's the new Messiah. I t'ink I'll disabuse him 'o that thought." Cage let the accent learned from her granda flow out.

"You get killed and Da and Mom will wear my arse out." Tommy said even as his fingers flew across the board. "Shit."

"What?" Cage asked as she dragged a bag from her mother's former closet out.

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?" Tommy asked out loud.

"Never. You can't lie to me. Hell you could never even lie to our dog. You're bad at it." She laughed even as she checked the firearms that her brother had brought.

Tommy hit the print button and then joined his sister in the master bedroom. Leaning against the doorjamb he looked at her. "Can I talk you out of this?"

Cage looked up, her features were all hard and combat ready. "Is that what you really want to ask dearthair?"

"No, not really but it was the best I could do at the time." He admitted with a half smile.

"Give me the info and I'll do the rest." She offered quietly as she loaded an ammo magazine.

Tommy pushed off the doorjamb. "Feck that. I'm going."

She looked up. "Can you?" There was no rancor in her question, just pure curiosity. She didn't want to push him farther than he could go.

He nodded. "Yeah. For you, anything." It was an honest answer.

"We go in, listen, plant picture and sound and get out?no collateral damage. At least not this time." She promised as she cracked open her combat bag. The HK MP5 was still lightly oiled at the bottom of the bag.

"How many?" He spoke in short hand falling back into old habits.

"We got enough for six each?"

"Roger that, six each side. And just for the record it's five and a half miles north to his compound and you really don't want to read the print outs until later."

"Maybe I should read them now." Cage challenged her little brother.

"Cage, do you want to do this right, or do this pissed?"

"I want to do this right." She answered quietly as she continued to load the magazine.

"Then we recon and after, you read. Give me your word Cage."

"On Quinn honor. You suck by the way." She grinned.

"Yeah well I was taught really good." He grinned back as he finished the last of the listening devices.

"I'm telling dad you cheated." She teased.

"I'll tell mom." He finished knowing he'd won with a little boy smile.

Together they finished getting ready and dragged their kit bags to the car and drove four miles north. Tommy killed the engine near a deserted farm after pulling close to the falling down barn. He turned to his sister. "You ready?"

"Oh yeah." She answered and pulled a battered tin out of her bag. Once she opened the two-sided tin she dipped her fingers into the black and green face paint. "This stuff is new."

Tommy huffed out a breath. "Oh sure, let you go into combat with old paint. Da would tan my backside." He grinned and took out his own tin.

Cage faced the rear view mirror to apply the mask. "Yeah he'd kick your ass. Thanks little bro."

"Anytime big sis." He answered as he painted his face in the old yet familiar pattern. "Actually this feels pretty good ya know. Haven't seen this pattern in a long time."

Cage spared a look at him. "Damn, that's a nice one. Mine's kinda plain."

"I've seen your pattern Cage, that ain't plain, that's death walking."

"Nope, not tonight. Right now its shadow stalking."

"Cool. Just recon right?"

"Just recon." Cage confirmed with a harsh smile. "Unless they piss me off."

"I'll tell mom."

"Sissy."

"Mine magnet." He shot back.

"Harsh one little bro."

"Payback's wench." He grinned without rancor.

"Can't I give you back?"

"Nope, you are stuck with me. Granda's revenge." He chuckled.

"You done?" Cage wasn't talking about teasing and Tommy knew it.

"Yeah. Hand signals from here?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I got lead. I am high you are low," she handed him a cut down M-16. "This is illegal so don't get caught. Not sure I could bail you out if you get snatched by the peelers."

Tommy chuckled at the slang term for Irish cops. "Don't think we have real peelers here."

"Don't get caught with it. Deep six it before you disappear." Cage cut off the joking. "Silent run now." She ordered and took a step. In that one step she became the one thing she had been trained to be.

Tommy followed without a word but he watched his sister. She was as good as anyone as he had ever trained with or been taught by. Damn she's good. He watched her look around their surrounding for the longest time, then tap the side of her head, it was the signal that he should cover her movements. She brought her hand forward twice to let him know that she was moving forward. He tracked her move with his weapon without thinking about it.

She stalked forward with her HK MP5 at the ready, where her eyes tracked the weapon tracked. She found a spot and settled. With a slow low hand move she ordered Tommy forward. He never made a sound even with the dead foliage around. They did this for a more than a mile.

Coming to the compound came as less than a surprise. The surprise was the number of men walking around the perimeter. With hand signals they communicated that they would each follow the guards. After an hour they met up again.

Tommy held up two fingers and then dragged the same fingers down the face of his watch tapping on each quarter hour. Cage nodded and held up three fingers and repeated her brother's actions on her own watch. The supposed watchers were lazy and had fallen into a routine.

Tommy grinned and flashed three fingers down, tapped his upper left arm where he kept his spy toys and then flicked his hand forward.

Cage shook her head and crossed her wrists. Letting him know she didn't think it was safe to plant the spy devices. He shook his head and took a step forward. Cage reached out for him and came up empty. Turning to face her as he walked he brought two fingers to his eyes and tapped his watch. Three fingers up, then an O formed by his hand and three fingers down. He needed her to watch things for thirty minutes and his little listeners would be placed.

Cage raged in silence as he melted into the dark. She had no choice but to watch and stalk. Each minute that passed she fumed. He wasn't in any shape to do this, hell she wasn't in any shape to do this either but at least she knew it. I'm going to kick his fucking arse.

Guards passed her clueless twice before Tommy appeared again. One moment she was alone and the next he was sitting next to her. He grinned against the dark. Nodding his head he slid on his stomach away from her, away from the compound. Cage slung her weapon and followed knowing for the moment when she was beat.

With thoughts of how she was going to kill him without leaving any evidence she was surprised when he tugged her to a stop. They both lay in a thicket being pricked by thorns. Cage would have torn into him except for the voices that filtered in.

"Get rid of them."

"We are trying." The minion tried to appease.

"Try harder. Go after the women in her care. One more or less gone won't hurt."

"It will be done, sir."

"That will teach the unnatural woman to oppose God's will."

Tommy had to hold Cage back. The men wandered away and Tommy and his sister melted into the night. They drifted back to the car and still Cage held the iron hard expression on her face.

"Ease back Cage. She doesn't need you to do this to her right now."

"I'm good."

"Bullshit big sister. You are so not good with this right now."

Cage turned on her brother and pushed him over the hood of the car hard. "I will not lose one of my soldiers again." She growled.

"They aren't your soldiers." Tommy reminded.

"Fine, then I won't lose one of my girls. I refuse to."

"Then get your head out of your ass and think." Tommy challenged even though he knew he was pushing his rapidly running out luck. "Be smart, be good, and be better than the bad guys."

"You are pushing it little brother."

"You want to risk Olivia?" he pushed her against the car.

The fight went out of her and she sagged. "NO.'

"Then fucking think and think the way you're supposed to."

Cage took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm good. We need to get outta dodge. We good?"

"Cage you are gaiscioch. We are always good." He smiled and nudged her. "I planted the sight and sound. We are way good."

Blurred vision was her first clue that something was wrong. She tried to think, but there were so many blank spaces between thoughts and pain. So much pain it nearly crippled her. Panic so close to the surface until her fingers wrapped around metal oblong tags. Pulling them up she blinked until she could almost see. Quinn, Cage.

Quinn, Cage. "That's me." She just knew it. She swallowed and let her body try and relax against the cold concrete floor. "Who the feck am I?" She wondered and then the pain came again this time accompanied by nausea. She fought it for about a half a second then puked her guts out knowing the entire time that her head was going to explode. Oh, God.

She rolled over away from the bile on the floor and in doing so broke open the gash on her forehead; warmth flowed down in the form of blood. She brought her hand up to the cut and pressed hard, somehow knowing she had to. The nothing in her mind scared the hell out of her.

She shivered in the cold room on the floor for who knew how long until the sound of boots sounded outside. The metal door creaked open and she felt hands drag her up and out. She tried to keep her feet on the floor but nothing was working right, or at least how she thought it was supposed to. The hall seemed so damned long and all black doors bothered her even if she didn't know why.

They dumped her on the floor of an office, and then yanked her onto a metal chair. Her head banged against the back of it. Blinking she tried to clear her mind.

"You are here why?" The man's voice was melodic and soft.

"Wish I knew at this point." She answered with as little slur as possible.

"Is that an Americanism?" He asked.

"A what? I don't know." She blinked and tried to make out his features.

He muttered something to someone and a large quantity of cold water hit her full in the face. She sputtered the water from her face when she could breath. Don't shake your head it hurts. She shook her head and nearly threw up again.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" his tone did not change.

"I wish I knew." She answered honestly as she tried to clear her vision enough to glare at him. Being a hard ass she decided was hard to pull off when you couldn't think.

"As you say in America, bullshit." He waved his hand.

The blow came as a surprise and hurt even more than she thought possible. Rolling out of the chair she landed on the floor. Groaning she lifted herself up. Something, some whisper of the past made her move back into the chair. Her face hurt. She leaned back and glared at the blur in front of her.

"You can kick the shit out of me, but understand this?right now I don't know anything." She grinned and ignored the blood running over her teeth.

"So you are, as they say 'a hard ass case'. No matter. My men know how to get answers. Perhaps they will beat you, and perhaps they will fuck you." He threatened with a soft smile.

She let the thought filter in and then surprisingly laughed. "You really t'ink t'at will make me remember what's not t'ere?" Even she did not know where the accent came from. "Then line them up and each one will come away with a beating. It might get me killed but I'm not sure it will matter to me." She ground out. Pain flared on the right side of her face and she lurched the side, barely keeping her seat. Slowly she sat up.

A blur to her side started to move and was halted with the grunt from the desk. "You think you could outlast me, us?"

"All I know is that I'm telling you the truth. I don't remember. Beat on me some more, have your men try to fuck me, whatever, I don't fecking know."

She could feel his eyes on her as the moments passed. "Cold room. If she's playing a game we will know it soon."

She was dragged up and out of the room as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Back down the hall with her head swimming from the blows. There were disjointed sounds from all around her. The ones that bothered her the most were the nearly soft sobs of women. She could hear them beyond the doors.

After what seemed like a very long dragging and a serious beat down, she woke to find her wrists tied to a steel crossbeam. Her toes barely touched the floor and her body, which already felt awful, was stretched out in a painful manner. A mist of cold water was continuous. She thought about how soaked her uniform was and decided that she must have been out for hours. "Cold room. Now I get it." She closed her eye and tried to think, tried to ignore the pain, tried to ignore the blood.

"Cage. Come on Cage let me know you're in there." A soft voice drew her out.

"I'm here." She answered out loud to the empty room. She thought she felt a soft hand brush the hair away from her forehead.

"You're going to be all right. Just stay strong." The voice murmured gently.

"Who am I?" Cage whispered.

"You are Cage Quinn. Captain. United States Army. You have a lot of friends and they are looking for you."

"Are you my friend?" Cage slurred and tried to shift to ease the pain in her shoulders.

"Yes I am."

The door squealing open and boots on the floor interrupted their conversation. Cage pried open her half good eye and watched the soldier in a filthy uniform slither in. He didn't wait for the door to close before his hand was on his belt, tugging it open.

"Now we will see how fast you crumble. I will make you bleed and scream." He boasted with a leer. "You will be better than those weak peasants. They gave in too early."

Cage breathed slow and even. She gathered her strength and tried to remain relaxed as he reached into his trousers and stroked himself. He stepped closer his intent clear and something inside Cage twisted. As soon as he was in range she lifted and snapped her right foot forward, catching him full in the chest. His eyes rolled in his head a second after the thick snap of bone sounded. He sank to his knees and fell over dead. A moment later she was cut down and despite her pain she was fighting. The fight did not stop until her arm was yanked in a bad direction and dislocated. She screamed into the air. A hard boot to her head stopped the scream.

Sean Quinn watched from his place in heaven and shook his head. He turned his gaze to the angel to his right. "She needs you again."

"I'll go gladly."

"We're breaking the rules here, you might not be able to get back soon." He warned.

She wiped the tears from his face. "She deserves comfort. I'll be there for her as much as I can."

The next few days were a blur of beatings, questions and the lack of answers. After each beating Cage shivered in pain and cold on the cement floor, comforted only by a voice that she was pretty sure existed only in her head.

"Shh?you're okay now." The soft voice soothed.

"Not going to make it." Cage said the words out loud for the first time.

"Yes you are. Your granda won't have anything less."

One half good eye blinked. "Granda." She almost smiled. "He was a good man. I can't do this much longer."

"You can and you will Cage Quinn." The voice insisted.

Cage coughed and curled into a tight ball against the pain. "Dying inside. Two, maybe three more beatings and I'm worm meat." She whispered. She did not feel the tears that started to roll down the sides of her face. "Are you a ghost?"

"Something like that." Came the answer.

"You sound like Ellen. Can you let my folks know that I died a good soldier?" There was no begging in Cage's voice just an honest request.

"You can tell them you are a good soldier." The voice insisted.

Cage shook her head weakly. "Beatings are getting worse. They really don't like me." She rasped and coughed. "Not sure why." She grinned and felt a new rush of blood spill from her lips. "At least I didn't make it easy for them. Proved myself a pain in the ass black Irish Celt."

"Your soldiers are looking for you. They will find you."

"Hope it's before dinner," Cage whispered. "I'd love a burger right now. No onions but lots of cheese and mustard." She shivered again when the boots sounded outside the door. She didn't have the energy to fight as they dragged her up and back to the room.

They didn't even bother asking her questions anymore. Her captor just stared at her until he shook his head and waved a hand. She was beyond feeling most of the blows. The one she did feel was the baton to the right side of her face. The sick crunching around her eye told her she was definitely hurt. It took every ounce of her will power not to scream, instead she growled like a caged animal. She dragged herself up off the floor. "That was fun, care to go again?" She rasped.

The toad behind the desk cleared his throat. "Consider that our parting gift. You will be returned to your military."

Her smart-ass reply was cut off by the blow to the back of her head. She hit the ground hard oblivious to being dragged to a transport vehicle and dumped in the middle of a supply route.

Cage woke up in a sweat and tossed aside the blankets. "I fucking hate this." She muttered out loud and walked into the bathroom. The cold water helped revive her even as the nightmare lingered. "Fuck." She whispered harshly as the water cascaded over her body. If the only thing she forgot were those days she'd be happy. She stood there for a long time, not caring when the water ran cold. Her hands shook as she turned off the water. "What's real?" she asked the air and sank to the floor of the shower. That was the problem, she knew, she did not know anymore what was real and what was a pill influenced maybe.

Olivia walked around the back of the Quinn cabin. She had tried the front door with no success and now she was venturing into the realm of snooping. If the person in question was considered a friend, could it be categorized as snooping, she wondered to herself. She glanced at the windows from time to time to make sure there was no one wandering in the cabin.

She smelled the smoke as she got to the back porch. Following her nose she found herself at the edge of the trees. Five steps forward and she was sure that she would enter a different world.

"What are you doing Olivia Shadow Wolf?" the question came from above.

Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin. When caught her breath she looked up. Cage was perched against the thick body of a tree and the extending branch that easily held her weight.

"You scared the shit out of me, you son of a bitch." Olivia rasped in surprised anger.

"That's inion actually." Cage corrected gently as she tore her gaze away and looked into the dark of the night.

"What?" Olivia stopped short.

"Inion. Daughter in the Irish. Those of us proper Irish don't call it Gaelic unless we are explaining it to those who don't know better." She half grinned. "You called me a son of a bitch, I am actually the daughter of a bitch. Doesn't have the same ring to it I know, but true it is."

Olivia shook her head. "You've lost your mind. And what the hell are you doing in that too damn tall tree?"

Cage sucked in a breath, pinched out her rare cigarette with her fingers and pocketed the filter. "Peirspictiocht. Perspective. I needed a new one."

Olivia nodded like it was the most normal of sentences. "So you needed to climb a tree to do that?"

"One time I was in Germany feeling very much like a bad ass during war games. We spooks were set up against some dumb ass MP's," she smiled softly. "And we followed the trail that was set for us. We rushed into their camp and fired off all our blanks, figuring we had wiped them all out. Imagine our surprise when the prey was sitting up in the trees. They picked us off like cordwood. Thank god it was just war games. I learned a damn good lesson that day."

"What lesson is that?" Olivia wondered out loud as she kept her eyes locked on her friend.

"Never forget to look up." Cage answered simply. "Besides up here, I can talk to the Gentleman Owl and make him feel more easy. I'm on his level; in his house." As if to prove her point an owl hooted off to the right.

"And what does Gentleman Owl say to you tonight?" Olivia squinted as she asked the question.

"He says 'watch your charges, watch your girls." Cage answered as she dropped her small daypack to the ground. "Watch your six."

"And you believe Gentleman Owl?" Olivia understood the message but not how or why the message was being delivered.

"You're the one who told me he was a wise creature."

Olivia nodded. "Almost every nation believes he is. Who am I to argue?"

"Who are you indeed?" Cage gave voice to her question. It was the question that had nagged her sleeping self since she had met the mixed nation woman.

"I thought you were housebroken." Olivia changed the subject as she backed up to be able to see Cage in the tree a bit better.

"Huh?"

"You missed lunch and you didn't call." Olivia let her disappointment leak out.

Cage deflated. "I'm sorry." She whispered against the night. "I had a dream which I hope I never have again. It kind of threw me off." She tried to explain.

"Enough to not call, enough to worry those of us who care about you?"

"Yeah," Cage answered. "Enough to do that. Olivia what I've done in the past would make you sick. Don't?"

"Don't call you friend? Don't care about you? Don't what Cage Quinn? Tell me 'cause I'm tired of guessing games."

"I'm damaged goods Olivia Shadow Wolf, proud daughter of a mixed nation marriage."

"As your brother taught me to say you are being an amaid."

Cage nearly unseated herself with laughter. "He said I was an idiot?" She choked out.

"Yes and I think I agree with him." Olivia shot back.

"Oh, I'm going to kill him." Cage snorted.

"No you're not. You are going to climb down and you are going to come talk to me." Olivia said simply and turned. She walked to the back porch, sitting down on the top step.

"Hey, I'm not done here." Cage said and found herself ignored. She watched as her friend turn her back and walk away. Don't you know, don't ever turn your back? "Olivia?"

Olivia did not answer; she just sat on the step patiently, which pissed Cage off to no end. FINE. Her mind fumed. Let's see if she likes this. Cage dropped down from her perch without warning.

Olivia stood as she watched Cage drop from the branch sure she was going to have to call the paramedics to scoop up what was left. She was locked in place as Cage reached out and grabbed a lower branch to arrest her fall for just a second then let go again, and then grabbed the next lower branch, her eyes dark and full of arrogant anger until she let herself fall softly to the ground. She stalked to the top step of her back porch. She looked down at Olivia.

"Don't ever challenge me. You won't win."

"Who says I 'want' to challenge you? You just seem to bring it out in me." Olivia shook her head in frustration. "Damn it Quinn. You don't need anyone to challenge you. You just like it when someone does. I don't want to piss you off and at the same time I want to just hold you close when you self destruct."

Cage stopped cold in her tracks. "What?"

"You heard me and maybe you don't like it, but hell I said it so fecking live with it." Olivia rambled in her anger and frustration.

Cage chuckled and then laughed for the first time all day. She sat down heavily on the top step still laughing. "Oh, God, you said 'fecking'." She rolled over with mirth. "I'll make a good Irish woman of you yet."

"Just wait till I give you the Comanche and Cherokee translation." Olivia threatened weakly. She sat next to her laid out friend.

"I'm sorry." Cage started and found her next words cut off as her throat tightened.

"You are gaiscioch, you are not supposed to be sorry." Olivia snarled. "Don't you think it's time you acted like it?"

Cage did not have time to back step. "What?"

"Poor Cage," Olivia had no control over the words that fell from her mouth. They belonged to someone else. "You got hit, you got hurt and you hurted for days for it, but they could nea kill you, could they?" she spat. "Too damned mean or too stubborn to kill, so now what will you do?"

"Granda?" Cage asked in a small voice.

"We must have picked wrong, gaiscioch." It sounded like an insult and Cage bristled against the insult.

"I have not failed this family, or this name." She shouted and gripped Olivia's shoulders hard.

For a very long second Cage could have sworn that Olivia's eyes were the steely hazel green mix of her granda.

"Who says?" The Native woman slurred with a sneer. The sneer was Cage's undoing. It was the one expression her granda owned that she feared and hated at the same time. Disappointment mixed with distain in one fell swoop that could bring the toughest teenage wannabe thug to their knees.

Cage felt herself rebel. "I say. I am gaiscioch. By name, by birth and by damned demand of him fecking self Sean Quinn. So what will you do with that old man?" she shouted in defiance.

Her answer was Olivia's whimpered snuffle. The woman was curled up in a self-protective ball. Cage moved quickly and wrapped the woman up in her arms.

Damn, she's like ice. Cage thought to herself and without further thought moved quickly. She struggled for a moment to lift her friend in her arms and walked carefully into the master bedroom. She laid her precious cargo on the bed and tugged the covers down quickly. Olivia's shoes, socks, jeans and shirt were quickly discarded so that Cage could get her under the blankets. She tugged her outer clothes off and crawled under with her friend and pulled her close. She offered warmth, strength and faith as she wrapped her arms around the woman in a silent apology.

"Just be okay, please, just be okay." She pleaded softly over and over again.

She turned in bed and opened her eyes to find Cage dozing in a chair by the bed, a thick book abandoned on her chest. Blinking Olivia decided to just watch the woman for a while before announcing her awake state. Olivia decided after a few moments that she enjoyed seeing Cage in such an unguarded state. The woman was nothing less than peaceful right this moment; there were no ghosts, no memories in this speck of time. It was something she knew she would cherish for her lifetime Olivia instinctively understood.

The scent of sage seeped into her brain and she knew what Cage had done to ease her journey. Sitting up silently and carefully, Olivia was grateful. The sacred herb would help the native woman back softly into the world of the living, it would soothe her spirit and if the old ways were correct help heal her body. She shook her head still not understanding what had gone on.

It had not been her intent to do anything other than check on her friend and it had turned into something she was not sure she understood. Nothing like this had ever happened before if her memory was correct. Hearing the old, ancient voices was one thing but speaking for and with someone else's voice was foreign. She was so going to have to call her mother and ask for advice and wisdom.

She pushed the blanket back away from her body despite the chill, she needed to use the bathroom and she desperately wanted a shower to try and warm up.

"What are you doing?" Cage whispered without opening her eyes.

Olivia's heart nearly stopped. "You really need to stop that." She managed a civil tone.

"Sorry. Heard you moving. Had to check on you." Cage answered and finally opened her eyes.

Olivia was not sure how to react to the statement so she deflected. "What are you reading?"

"Irish folklore. It's an anthology. Supposed to be our oral history." Cage answered as she set the book aside and sat up. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold and I have to pee." Olivia said as she stood up and gave herself a moment to readjust.

"Have at it. I'll make breakfast and yes, I can cook breakfast." She flashed a half smile full of guilt.

"Cage?"

"Go pee and take a warm shower. We'll talk after." Cage said as she walked out of the room.

Olivia watched her go. "Damn the Irish, and damn her."

Cage was just finishing setting the table when Olivia walked into the kitchen bundled in a thick sweater and equally thick sweats. She looked over and did not find the anger she expected.

"These are wonderful. I'm stealing them." Olivia stated her intentions as she sat at the table.

"Consider them a gift." Cage answered with lowered eyes.

"You have sage burning. How did you know?" Olivia started with the easiest.

"Joan. I called her last night. I had to know how to help since you were still so cold after three hours and since this is my fault." Cage walked back to the pan and flipped the thick omelet.

"And what did the Lakota nation woman say?" Olivia asked as she watched her friend.

"She said to burn sage if you were not on your cycle?I guessed and took a chance. Besides I asked you and you said you weren't."

"I don't remember you asking that." Olivia nearly blushed.

"She said you might not remember much. And then I realized that I don't have the first fecking clue what sage looks like, I had to call around and found some. Thank god the herbal store has late hours."

"Cage the bacon is burning." Olivia said quite calmly.

"Feck." Cage turned her attention back to the present and pulled the pan off the fire cursing in the Irish.

"I'm sure I don't want to know what all that means." Olivia joked.

"I'm sure you don't and do not tell my Mam I said those things." Cage was not joking.

"Cage, you are how old and you are afraid of your mother knowing you cuss?"

Cage looked at Olivia. "Give me your mother's number and I'll tell about some of the curse words you use."

"Point taken and no." Olivia was quick to not push that topic any further.

"Uh huh." Cage half smiled then it fell off her face. "I'm sorry."

"Did you cause the voice?" Olivia asked as she sat back and twisted her neck to ease the pressure.

"I don't know. It's odd with my family. The Irish can be mystic and other worldly, so I can't say yes or no." Cage pulled the second pan off the fire and started dishing out breakfast for something to do.

"Are you a believer Cage?" Olivia really wanted to know.

"I don't know." Cage finished filling the plates. "Actually I don't remember if I am or not." She finally admitted. "There's a lot I don't remember."

"Was it your fault?" Olivia asked without judgment.

"If I knew that answer I might calm down about it." Cage said as she settled a plate in front of Olivia.

"I know someone who might be able to help you. If you don't mind eighty year old medicine man."

Cage shook her head and stifled the smart-ass chuckle. "I'd chew glass if I thought it could help."

"I won't make you chew glass, but I think it might help you to talk to him." She answered honestly. "Thank you for breakfast and for taking care of me."

"It's my fault."

"Stop it Cage. You aren't responsible. It's just the voices. They come when they come."

Cage settled her plate on the table and fidgeted. "I don't ?"

"Shut up Quinn and eat your breakfast." Olivia ordered with a small smile.

"How can you say that? I was an asshole last night, and to top it all off you end up channeling my granda."

"I love you, that's how." Olivia snapped without thinking.

Cage stopped in her tracks, silent as the Egyptian tombs in the middle of the night.

"Oh." Cage finally answered and sat down slowly. "You love me?" She asked in a timid voice.

"Well it's not like I intended to say it like that, but yes." Olivia stared at her breakfast.

Cage nodded absently. "Guess we have a lot to talk about."

Olivia played with her eggs. "Yeah we do. I guess."

"Do you really?"

Olivia thought about it for a long moment. "Yes I do."

"You're desperate then."

Olivia chuckled as her fork touched her food. "Maybe. But you'll find I'm consistent."

"You should know that I'm probably not the best choice." Cage advised.

"My heart doesn't know that. I just know what I feel."

Cage nodded and smiled. "You really love me."

"Yes. Do you want it etched somewhere?" Olivia asked.

"No, just wanted to hear it again." Cage admitted. "It's nice to hear it."

Olivia smiled and looked at Cage. "It's nice to be able to say it."

"Thank you. I've never had anyone say it before." Cage said as she shifted her breakfast around her plate.

"No one?" Olivia put her fork down.

"No." Cage said simply then felt compelled to explain. "The life I've had is not exactly conducive to successful relationships. In the past it's been all about one-night stands, mostly with men. I don't want to lie to you."

Olivia swallowed hard. "Mostly?"

"Yeah. Mostly. I was all about the rush and the fun. Anything to feel something other than the cut throat fear my job can give you." She said quietly. "It's all about the fear, fear of getting found out, fear of failing and fear of being successful."

"And now?" Olivia needed to ask.

Cage looked out the window. "Now, it's about getting back to me. Trying to recall who I used to be, who I want to be again."

"Who is that?"

"Gaiscioch. I lost me to the rush and I'd like to have me back. If I can remember who that is."

"You should call Tommy and your parents and ask them." Olivia suggested gently.

"You're taking all of this very well." Cage pushed her plate away.

"Eat your breakfast Quinn. I love you, and I know you won't lie to me. You don't strike me as the lying type."

"And what if I am?" Cage asked around a mouthful of eggs.

"Then I'll find out and leave."

"That simple?"

"That simple. Don't ever lie to me or cheat on me and we'll be good. I don't even care if you flirt with others. Hell, I flirt."

"I guess with us it's like my mom said 'I can flirt but I'll go home with who brought me."

"Maybe. We don't know each other all that well yet. But I'm willing to take the chance. The question is are you?"

Cage chewed slowly as she thought. She pinned Olivia with her gaze. "I know that I care for you like I can't believe. I won't lie to you and with a name like Cage I'm all about chances."

"Which means what?"

"It means I want a chance with you. I want to find out if you and I can find out if we fit. What do you want?"

"I want you." Olivia admitted simply.

"You are truly not right in the head."

Olivia nodded. "You're probably right. I still know what I want."

Cage shook her head again. "I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into."

"Do we ever know what we're getting ourselves into? My first love turned out to be an emotional vampire," Olivia shrugged and bit into a slightly over cooked slice of bacon. "We learn, we live and we move on."

Cage stood up and faced the window. "In my case it was live, learn and get the shite kicked out of me." She sighed. "What if I find that I can't give that life up? What if I can't stop being a soldier?"

"How long do you have left on this tour?" Olivia asked as she pushed her plate far enough away to signal she was done.

"Five months after I'm cleared by maybe six hundred doctors." Cage tried to put some humor in the situation. "Just so you know, if anyone threatens you I'll probably kill them."

"And if anyone threatens you I'll do the same." Olivia answered.

"Aren't we the pair?" Cage asked without needing an answer.

"My mother's going to kill me you know. I'm bringing a white woman home."

"I'm all damned Black Irish, she'll love me. And to get her to love me more, teach me your ways."

"I'm more Comanche than Cherokee." Olivia warned.

"I don't care." Cage answered quietly. "I want to know your ways so that your mother doesn't take my hair in a fit of anger."

Olivia chuckled. "I think you and my mother would be an even match." She was about to fall silent but then her right hand shook slightly and her head began to ache. "Cage." She whispered.

Cage turned and recognized the signs. She took Olivia in her arms and softly led her to the guest bedroom. As Olivia fought her ancient one's Cage eased her way by lighting more bundled sage.

Olivia opened her eyes and once again they were cold steel. "They come soon Gaisoschich. Get behind them and eat your fear."

"Granda, I love you, but let her go." Cage swallowed. "Don't use her again."

"I use as you need me too." The voice rasped back.

"Not her old man. Leave her be, grant her peace." Cage insisted.

Olivia's eyes stayed the same color even though she was somewhere else. "I come as you call me."

"As clan Laird I give you the order to leave her." Cage insisted harshly. She was tired of seeing Olivia suffer. "My word is law." She whispered ragedly. "Please Granda you would not do this to your wife."

"Is she such to you?" the voice demanded.

"Not yet, perhaps someday. Let her go."

"I love you Quinn. Keep faith in your abilities. You might need them." The voice answered.

Olivia stirred under the blankets and tossed them away. She was too hot.

Cage pulled the blankets back up. "You're cold. Stop fighting me."

"Not cold." Olivia answered in her own voice.

Cage tugged the woman into her arms. "You're back?"

"Yeah I am, I think. Tired though." Olivia slurred.

"Sleep Olivia Shadow Wolf. I'll watch over you." Cage promised as she let out a slow relieved breath.

From her perch on the porch Olivia looked out from under the bill of her newly stolen US Army cap. She had to laugh at the sight of Cage chasing and being chased by two swimsuit clad children.

"I think it's a toss up," she stretched out for her beer and wondered when they were going to be ready for food. "But?it's going to be fun finding out. I really will give her credit if she can wear your two out."

Shelly sipped on her beer and thought about it. "Hell I'll give her cash if she can do that." After a moment she laughed out loud when her son was tossed down to crash in the grass. Instead of crying like he might have when he was with his father he picked himself up, laughed and joined back into the fray. "She's good for them."

Olivia nodded with an indulgent smile. "They're good for each other. I don't think she's had fun in a long time. I hope she can find it now."

"I hope she finds more than fun, Olivia." Shelly shot back after a sip off the bottle. "I think you're good for her. And you're right. Lately here, it's just been her walking through things. But now, she's the person I knew when I was a kid."

"Hero love." Olivia tried to deflect.

"Bullshit. She was my hero then and yeah I'm a damn good cop 'cause of it but she looks at you like I wish someone would look at me."

"Umm, Shelly?she just dropped your daughter in the kiddie pool." Olivia tried serious but failed.

"So?"

"It was on her head." Olivia almost stuttered.

Shelly visually checked on her daughter who was laughing up a storm. "Well as long as it was on her head." She smiled a wicked smile.

"God what did her parents feed her?" Olivia wondered out loud.

"I'm not sure we really want to know." Shelly muttered and suddenly lurched out of her chair. "I'm hungry and grilling dinner." She stalked into the cabin.

"How 'bout some salsa?" Olivia tried to distract her friend and cringed when the cop came out with the plate of readied steaks.

"You can't put salsa on steaks while grilling." Shelly answered with a serious expression.

Cage walked around to the back with two squealing children securely tucked to her body. "Anyone wanna claim these? 'Cause if not I'm grilling them?they crunchy and go good with ketchup."

Shelly looked around with a curious eye and pretended to think about it. "No room on the grill?they get to live another day."

Cage let the two children slowly lower to the ground. "Darn, I was looking forward to nice and tender kid legs?grrr?" she hid the grin.

"If you did that we couldn't run," Shelly's daughter spoke up.

Cage looked down at Jen. "Ah, the ever practical one. Are you sure you're only six?"

Jen nodded. "I just had my birthday. You weren't there. Why?" the child asked innocently.

"I wasn't in town kidlet." Cage smiled. "Maybe I'll be there next time."

"Good." Jen smiled and looked up at her new friend. "Cage don't let mom grill." She was suddenly serious.

Danny slid closer and nodded. "Yeah. Mom can't grill."

Olivia stood behind Cage and whispered, "Go save dinner, Quinn."

Cage walked away from two children and the woman she was pretty sure she had fallen for; towards her childhood friend wondering why going to war seemed like a much better idea right now.

Shelly looked up from the plate of steaks and suppressed a grin. "They sent you over to save dinner didn't they?"

Cage swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. So are we gonna fight about this or are you just going to give in?"

"Can I think about it?" Shelly finally let go of the smile. "Come on do you really think I would risk hurting these perfect steaks? I know I can't grill to save my life, but I'm hungry?. I had to do something."

"We could have grilled the kids."

"And lose that child support? Woman now I know you've never been married." Shelly laughed and handed over the plate. "Grill the cows, I'll make some salsa."

"What no margaritas?" Cage teased.

"I could only wish. I'm on call tonight, gotta keep my wits. Grill woman."

"Yes master." Cage adopted a subservient pose and shuffled the short distance to the grill. She couldn't hold back the smile that crossed her features. She liked this long forgotten feeling of friendship and fun. She took in a lungful of air and felt the restrictive band loosen around her chest. Yes, she could get very used to this feeling.

**

Cage listened for the normal cabin sounds before sitting up in bed. She waited a short while longer before sliding out from under the blankets. She could not quite pinpoint what it was that had woken her up. She stalked on quiet feet around the interior of the cabin without turning on any of the lights. A quick peek into her guest room revealed Olivia buried safely under the blankets.

She took a long deep breath in reaction to the sudden surge of feelings that tightened in her chest around the vicinity of her heart. It was a new feeling for her, this ability to acknowledge that she had feelings for someone. The last time she'd even felt anything close to this she remained silent. She had one rule she never broke. Don't chase any person who was taken. Especially taken by someone she considered a friend.

Peering down at Olivia she felt the band around her chest loosen to be replaced by something she could not identify. Stiffening suddenly at the feel of a breath dancing across the back of her neck she turned and found nothing. It was something she was getting used to, but she still didn't like it.

"Ellen you really have to work on your timing." Cage tried for humor. There was another cold breath across the back of her neck. "Ok, maybe you're not up for jokes tonight."

Cage eased her way out of the guest room trying not to wake Olivia, closing the door gently behind her. She looked around the cabin and suddenly felt foolish. For some reason she was looking for a glowing specter. She shook her head and laughed to herself.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when a loud knock sounded on the door. Cage automatically reached for the side arm that wasn't there and cursed silently. She knew better than to go anywhere without a weapon. The knock sounded again, almost impatiently.

Cage eased to the door and peeked out the peephole. For some reason her mind couldn't figure out why a State Trooper was standing on her porch. She unlocked the door and pulled it open.

"Miss Quinn?" He asked with his smoky bear hat in his hand.

"Yeah. Can I help you?" She sounded amazingly calm.

"Ma'am, Trooper Ware is wanting you at the hospital. I'm supposed to drive you there."

Cage's stomach clenched as her throat tightened down. "What's the situation Trooper??"

"Haskin's Ma'am. Trooper Ware and a Miss Feller were hurt tonight and both would like you to come." His answer was courteous laced with just a touch of worry.

"How bad?" Cage had to ask.

"Trooper Ware is a little banged up but Miss Feller is in a bad way." He admitted quietly.

"Trooper Haskins take a seat. We'll be ready to go in just a few minutes." She stepped aside to let the young man inside.

Cage walked quickly into her bedroom and pulled on dirty jeans and a mostly clean shirt not bothering with a bra. She bolted into the guest bedroom and shook Olivia awake. Not bothering with a full explanation she spoke in short hand. "Get dressed?we're moving now?Lindy's hurt?move your ass Shadow Wolf?"

Olivia woke with a start and for a moment just stared at Cage until her words sank in. She threw the blankets aside and caught the clothes that were tossed in her direction. A small part of her brain registered the scent of barbeque smoke and salsa where she'd spilled it on her shirt.

"What's going on and how do you know this?" she asked as she dressed as fast as she could.

"Trooper Haskins is waiting to drive us to the hospital." Cage answered with an edge to her voice. "We need to move."

"I'm almost ready, just let me splash some water on my face then we can go."

Cage nodded once and left the guest room and entered her bedroom. Without a thought she took up her 9mm Sig Sauer and slid it into a leather jacket. The one especially designed to carry the weapon without showing the weapon profile. Unless one was looking for a weapon they would not see it. She didn't have to check to see if there was a round in the chamber, there always was.

"I'm awake I swear. Let's go." Olivia muttered as Cage emerged from her room and looked at the Trooper and Olivia.

It took no time for Trooper Haskins to make sure they were buckled in and then floored it. Shelly was his boss and more importantly his friend. If she wanted these women at the hospital then he was going to get them there fast. He proved why he had earned his chase vehicle status.

"Cage, breathe." Olivia had to order after a ten-minute stretch of road that really didn't need to be taken at seventy miles an hour.

"I'm good. But it's Lindy." Cage muttered with a tight voice.

"I know. I'm mad too?but we have to get there alive."

Cage took a deep breath and let it go. "Who ever hurt Lindy is going to pay."

Olivia slid her hand over Cage's and put just a slight pressure on skin, it was just enough to let her what ever Cage was now know that they were in this together. "Don't jump before it rains Cage."

Cage looked over at Olivia for a second and then turned her attention back to the road. "It's raining somewhere in the world."

"Why do you say that?" Olivia asked quietly.

"Lindy is one of my girls. No one hurts my girls. Not without payback and not without justice." Cage's voice was soft and cold at the same time.

"Cage?" Olivia had to suspend what she was going to say as Cage took the corner into the ER parking lot hard. She gripped the suicide handle hard and could only blink as they pulled into a spot with a squeal of tires.

"Let's go." Cage muttered as she released her seat belt. Olivia followed in a fog. "Trooper Haskins, outstanding driving. My own soldiers could not have done it as well."

He half grinned. "Thank you Ma'am. I'll go in with you. I know where they always keep Trooper Ware."

Olivia shut the door on her side. "She still giving Millie a hard time?"

"Always. Hard to believe those two are cousins. Hell hard to believe I married into that family." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes; they were too filled with worry.

"You said she was banged up a little." Cage began as they quick walked to the entrance.

"She is, but you know how it goes. Even if it's a scratch you worry." He answered honestly.

"How bad is Lindey?" Olivia finally asked what no one else wanted to address.

Haskins took in a deep breath. "All I really know is that they were going to take her into surgery. Before Trooper Ware passed out she said Miss Feller fought back hard. We're looking for who did this. Not just for Trooper Ware but for Miss Feller as well. Miss Lindy is a favorite around here even before her troubles with her husband."

Cage looked him in the eyes and found them to be sincere. "Just for the record, if you don't find him I will. Even if I have to register as a bounty hunter in this state."

"Cage?" Olivia began.

"I understand Ma'am. I'd like to think that I'd do the same."

The doors to the ER opened automatically and they walked in without further conversation. Haskins opened his mouth at the Nurses station and found a nurse on the phone who pointed one way without breaking her phone conversation.

He nodded and led the way to the back curtained off section. Even before they could see the door they heard Shelly.

"Damn it Millie, quit poking at me. I already told you it hurts." It was Shelly even if she sounded more nasal than before.

"Well duck next time. Now I'm going to hear about this for weeks from the family." Millie answered in a deep yet feminine voice.

"You're going to hear about this? What about me?" Shelly shot back. "You come near me with that damned needle and I'm putting you on your butt."

Haskins heard the last exchange and rolled his eyes with a weak smile. "Think I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

"Trooper Ware, I heard that." Shelly tried to bellow but it lost the desired effect in the nasal stuffy tone.

The curtain slid open and both Cage and Olivia halted in their tracks. Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes. "Oh Jesus Shelly." She breathed out.

Shelly's face was half black and blue, it was obvious that her nose had been broken. The ice pack she held to the left side of her head offered a hint as to the beating.

"That raccoon look you're sporting is kinda cute Shelly." Cage said easily despite the roiling anger in her gut.

"Yeah, I'm sure to get a date out of this with someone." Shelly answered in a complete dead pan. "You two want to hear about it I guess."

Cage and Olivia nodded. "Yes." Olivia answered and dragged a plastic chair over.

Shelly leaned her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. "A very long time ago I gave my work cell number to each of the girls. She called about two hours ago, gave me her location and said that she and Mrs. Cooper were being followed."

"Which one is Mrs. Cooper?" Cage asked Olivia.

"Jane."

"Ahh. Okay."

"Well I got to Industrial and Lindy is fighting with Charlie, Jane's soon to be ex husband. He hit her with his damn baseball bat just as I pulled up and she went down. I got out of the car and drew down on him and the next thing I know I'm seeing one big star in front of my eyes. He had company but I couldn't tell you who it was." Shelly explained the night with closed eyes as though she was reliving the incident.

"Why was she fighting with him? I told her?hit and run. Damn." Cage sighed and let her shoulders sag.

"She was protecting Jane." Shelly answered simply. "That's what Jane said."

"What were they doing on Industrial?" Olivia wondered out loud.

"Well Ma'am, seems they went to the movies and after they got out that's when Charlie started following them." Trooper Haskins offered the information with a sorrowful tone. "Damn shame when a woman can't even go to the movies."

"And Charlie?" Olivia asked with a knowing tone.

"He and his friend got away. We have word out to the hospital and all the doctor clinics though." Shelly muttered around the pain that was beginning to flare again.

"Why?" Cage perked up.

"Lindy fought hard Cage. We think she busted his nose and she got him across the face with those nails of hers. He's definitely going to be carrying around those scars for a long time." Shelly answered.

"Good. I hope they get infected and his face rots off." Cage nearly growled.

"I second that thought." Shelly agreed then her face twisted in anger. "I fucked up. It's my fault."

"It's not." Cage insisted, her face inches from Shelly. "You did your job."

"Not fast enough." Shelly answered and didn't wait for an answer. "I should have hit lights and sirens, but I didn't. I could have justified it. I didn't and Lindy is in surgery for it."

Cage growled. "Belay that shit right now, Trooper Ware." Cage took a breath. "You did your job, it's an asshole that needs the blame on his shoulders not you."

"I should have done better. I should have looked around before I got out of that car and I damn well should have called for backup on a higher response code." Shelly insisted.

"Back up from who? The Sheriff's department? Please. You closest back up is usually fifteen minutes or more away, right?"

Shelly did not answer with words but the expression on her face was enough.

"Shelly? Who's with the kids?" Olivia asked. It was a change of subject and everyone understood it even if no one commented.

"I called my ex. He's going to pick them up and take care of them until I get out of here, which should be a couple of days. If they ever get me a room." Shelly directed the comment to her cousin.

"You are such a baby. You'd think you were hurt or something. MRI came back negative for brain damage." Millie shot back. "And I told you, it's going to be about another hour for a room. You'll feel better when the doctors clear you for pain meds."

"Well please tell him to hurry. I'm one big lump of hurt right now." Shelly finally admitted out loud.

"Do you need anything?" Olivia asked softly.

"Just have someone bring me my jammies. I am not wearing this damn hospital gown the entire time I'm here." The trooper nearly begged.

Trooper Haskins raised his hand. "I'll run by Phil's and tell him to bring 'em to you when he brings the kids to visit."

"Trooper Haskins remind me to put you in for a commendation for that." Shelly tried to joke then repositioned the ice bag.

"We'll get out of your hair if Trooper Haskins will take us back, after we check on Lindy." Cage moved to Shelly's side and took her hand gently. "I'm glad you're okay, relatively speaking."

"They won't tell you anything about her condition Cage." Shelly answered with a frown.

"No they won't tell Cage, but as an administrator for the shelter they have to tell me. We had the papers drawn up for power of attorney when she came to us." Olivia sounded almost smug, but there was not even a hint of a smile on her face.

**

Cage closed the front door, locking it behind them. Without a word Olivia wandered into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Instinctively she knew they would not be going back to sleep any time soon.

Cage found her way into the kitchen and hung her jacket up on the back of a chair. Sitting down she felt the weight of the last three hours settle squarely on her shoulders. She let her head fall into her hands. She felt like crap and she felt responsible to a point.

"Quit that." Olivia did not turn away from getting coffee mugs and creamer ready.

Cage did not lift her head. "Quit what?"

"Quit taking on what's not yours." She answered quietly.

"Olivia, I taught her those moves. I did."

"Yes, at my request. Is it my fault? No. Don't you dare interrupt me Quinn." Olivia took a breath and moved forward. "What is done is done. What we do now is what counts, not what we have done or could have done."

"She had brain surgery." Cage barely contained her rage.

"And if she hadn't fought they might be kidnapped or dead." Olivia reasoned. "You gave her the skills to keep them alive, maybe not whole but alive. You helped her do that." Her voice was impassioned.

Cage hung her head. "I wish I could believe that."

Olivia turned away from the coffee and walked over to the soldier. She wrapped her arms around Cage and held on tight. "Believe it. When she comes to I'm sure she'll tell you the same thing."

"I don't want her to die. I couldn't deal with that." Cage admitted in a harsh whisper. "I'd miss her stories and her smile."

Olivia sank to her knees and pressed her head against Cage's shoulder. "Please don't think that way. She's going to be fine."

"What if she's not?" Cage choked out slowly.

Olivia sighed but not out of frustration. "I wish I knew. I'm scared as hell that I'm going to lose someone I've come to see as a friend not just a client. I love the stories and the fact that she likes double chocolate mint ice cream," Olivia didn't bother with the tears that began down her cheeks.

Cage turned slightly and tenderly wiped at the stream of tears. "I know." Without thinking she lowered her head and brushed Olivia's lips with her own. It was the kind of kiss that was meant to be reassuring, comforting.

Olivia returned the kiss without letting it escalate further. "Thank you. I think I needed that." She said after she gained a breath.

"I think I should be the one saying thank you. I'm sorry for Lindy but right now all I can think of is the feel of your lips on mine." Cage managed to rasp out as she laid her forehead against Olivia's.

"I know." Olivia breathed out. "Help me get them out."

"Get them who out where?" Cage was confused again.

"Lindy and Jane when we can. When Lindy is better." Olivia clarified while clinging to Cage's body.

"Do you know how hard that might be?" Cage asked.

"Probably. But can you?"

"I'd have to call in some favors, but yeah." She admitted.

"I have a little money saved up if it will help." Olivia said softly and felt Cage bristle.

"We don't do this kind of thing for money." Cage's voice was a brittle cold edge.

"I was thinking gas money." Olivia clarified with ease.

"It's an honorable thing to steal a woman from abuse, even among the black Irish."

"So you black Irish count coup as well?" Olivia tried to ignore the urge to kiss Cage again.

"Is that what you call it? Counting coup?"

"Yes. What do you call it?" Olivia wondered.

"Thievery." Cage grinned and leaned in for another kiss, this one as soft and gentle as the first. "It's part of the reason the family was run out of Ireland in the first place."

Olivia had to laugh. "And the rest of the reason?"

"I told you about the landlords daughters." Cage answered with a smug smile.

**

Cage ran in circles trying to beat Tommy in the dizzy game and she was winning until her granda took a hold of her shoulders and stopped her.

"Tis yer birthday, join the rest of us." He grinned and guided her wobbly body to the table. She felt like crying, she'd nearly won for a change with her little brother.

**

"Where are you going? We're not done." Her father's tone bellowed.

She turned on him quick and fast. "We are done. It's done and can't be undone."

"We are not spooks, never have been, never will be." His tone got even louder if it were possible. "It'll kill you."

"Don't you think I know that? So tell me, Da, what's my next lesson? The one where you teach me to strike to the nose but not too hard because I might kill him? How about the one where I kick the inside of the knee to disable him?" She took a breath. "You have taught me to be the perfect little soldier since I could walk. Do you not trust me now? So, I'm not going to be a striped sleeve, but then my Da is a 'walk on water Sergeant Major in fucking Special Ops'. How the hell am I supposed to rate to that? I don't have a face or a life of my own and I need that. Tommy is gonna be an MP, you're godlike, and what the hell do I have?"

"Listen?"

"As granda says 'tis done'. And it is done Da. It's hard to say, and maybe hard for you to hear, but I can't run in your circles. I have to make my way if granda is right and I'm to be the 'Laird'." Her last word was harsh and derisive.

"Sit and listen," a proud man nearly begged.

She looked right through him. "I have and this is what I have to do. You have your purple hearts and your bronze stars, Tommy will have the honor of the MP corps to keep him, but I have to find my own way."

"I don't want you dead." He admitted with a head hung low.

"I'm not racing to die Sergeant Major," she answered softly. "I'm just living up to the standard."

**

Cage opened her eyes and blinked several times before she sat up amid the tangle of blankets and pillows. Checking her watch she groaned at the time. 4 a.m. "Well, this sucks." She pushed out of the mess that was her bedding and pulled on her pj bottoms, grinning at the cartoon characters that now adorned her legs. A t-shirt followed and with nothing else to do before the rest of the world woke up she made her way down into the basement to check on her watchers.

The basement floor was only half cold on her feet as she rewound the digital feed back. She sat in the comfortable desk chair and pulled on the headphones. It suddenly struck her that while it was an odd thing to do since no one else was here to listen it was also the most natural thing in the world to her. As if she'd been doing it her whole life. She sighed. Why the hell can't I remember? Damn it, how long till I get it all back?

Pushing the thoughts away she spent the next hour watching and listening to the revolving door of would be spies. It frustrated the hell out of her that she learned nothing new of their, whoever 'they' were, plans. Even their bitching and moaning was boring. At least she had been inventive in voicing her boredom on surveillance missions.

She stopped cold and wondered what kind of surveillance she had conducted. The headache that she hadn't had in a least a week was starting back with a vengeance. Cage rolled back from the desk and took the steps up to the main floor. Trying to decide on beer, coffee or the headache pain meds she tried not to think about why the headache was back. The doctors had told her that the headaches might follow her through life since she's been hit in the head so many times.

5 a.m. and she was going nowhere fast. All she wanted was to know what had happened in Bosnia but the more she tried to remember the more pain she found for herself. For the first time in a while she felt like one of those animals in the zoo, walking in circles. Trapped in the hospital she'd felt confined, at home with her parents she'd felt smothered and restricted, and now in the dark of the near dawn she felt as though there were bars on all the exit points.

She paced back and forth across the living room for a while then stepped out on to the front porch. The early dawn breeze did nothing to ease her discomforting feeling. The wind danced across her skin raising the hair on her arms and the back of her neck. She took a sip of coffee and wished that it were hotter, if only to warm her for a moment.

To her left the Gentleman Owl sounded off with a deep, hollow sound. Haunting was the descriptor that came to her mind. Haunting. Cage decided that it was an apt choice of words. Right now she was certainly that. Never in the entire time working Intelligence did she ever feel truly bad or guilty for doing the things that she had done, out right lying in many cases to the people she was chasing, but now she did feel something she couldn't really define for what she could not remember. Maybe it was karma boomerang. If she could only remember then maybe just maybe she could make some sense of it.

She shook her head slowly and then sat down. Staring up at the stars she felt the weight of not knowing on her shoulders. So she did the only thing she knew how to do. She stalked into the middle of the grass and sank down into a cross-legged seat. She took a long time to regulate her breathing, to steady her heartbeat, to center the rage and frustration.

Her head was hung down as a small drizzle began. Rainwater slid down the back of her neck, around her ears and she lifted her face after a short time to the heavens. It felt in a way like freedom, like she was a kid again free of her choices in life. Lifting her body from the ground and assuming a defensive pose she imagined her opponents. She walked through her workout by the numbers, each move each stance precise. Cage pivoted on the ball of her foot and executed a perfect arm block. She felt fluid and smooth. It was perfection. A mindless exercise that was all muscle memory.

Cage dropped to her knees when the flash of pain hit her in the middle of her forehead. It was as if that rifle butt slammed into her again. She dragged herself up on wobbly feet and retook her stance. She struck out in an offensive move, elbow perfectly angled.

The pain hit again and she buckled at the knees. Cage stood again breathing hard, nearly panting. If the old man is right I am Laird, Laird's do not show pain. Pain is nothing, pain is just a reminder that you live, maybe not well but alive anyway.

Cage retook her combat stance. "It ain't nothing but a thing." She said out loud to the rain and Gentleman owl. "It ain't nothing but a thing." A sweeping round house kick punctuated the statement and she settled within a certain peace at the end of the sentence as her foot settled on the ground.

The smile that crossed her face in that moment was much like the smile she had worn as a child. It was easy and free of the demands of her country, her obligations and her choices. The smile was that of a child that had just won the game of 'who can get more dizzy' by turning in circles. For just a moment in the early false dawn Cage Quinn was free of Cage Quinn.

Olivia shut the door on the car and walked to the trunk, waiting for Cage to hit the release button. After a moment she heard the click and pulled up on the car lid. As she tugged on one of the rucksacks Cage came around and yanked them both out. Olivia quietly shut the trunk of the car.

"You sure you want to do this?" she asked as she pulled up on the lip slightly just to make sure the trunk was shut tightly.

"Yep. I like camping." Cage answered. "But you have to make breakfast."

"Hope you like freeze dried food." Olivia shot back nearly under her breathe.

"I like anything I don't have to cook. I gave the rangers our plan for the trip, so we should be good." Cage grinned as she shrugged the large pack onto her good shoulder. "You sure you don't mind just camping and not going to see your medicine man?"

Olivia looked over at the woman she was coming to see as her own. She pulled the only slightly smaller bag onto her back. "I don't mind. You say you've come to terms with what you do and don't know, I have to trust that. If I see you sliding back, I'll tell you."

Cage eased her bad arm into the pack strap carefully. "That easy?"

"That easy." Olivia smiled softly. "I told you, it's that easy. If at any point I think this is not what it could or should be I'll walk away."

"You know you're going to have to explain that to me sometime." Cage looked down as she buckled the pack in place.

"I will." Olivia's voice held the sincere promise. "Let's hike."

"You got a map?"

Olivia laughed slightly. "Don't need one, I'm a mixed nation woman." She turned backward with a sly smile and started walking. "Don't tell me the fearless black Irish warrior is acting like a cowering grandmother."

"Nope, just wondering if I have to bring a gun." Cage shot back as she made sure the car was locked.

"Are you serious?" Olivia lost her playful tone.

"No. I know I can't bring a firearm in here, but I did get you to stop messing with me." Cage flashed a triumphant grin.

"Not nice." Olivia grumbled.

Cage chuckled. "Neither are you. It's part of why I like you." She started to walk to the trailhead.

Olivia decided that one-day she would get the last word with Cage Quinn, maybe not today but some day for sure. She followed with a small smile. If she listened to everyone then they would not be taking this camping trip, she was only listening to herself and to what she wanted. She wanted time alone with Cage without outside interference, without jobs or fears. She wanted to just talk with her as they had on board game nights, sharing what they felt like sharing.

"Come on Olivia, follow your woman." She muttered out loud and propelled herself forward. "Wait up you meanie." Cage's evil laugh was her only answer as she raced to try and catch up but she did so gladly feeling like a teenager again. "I'm cooking, I can poison you." She shouted as she rushed ahead.

**

Cage dropped an armload of firewood close to the fire but not too close. She settled down with her back to a huge log and relaxed. To her right sat Olivia sipping on a cup of hot cocoa. "You could share that you know."

"And I would do that why?" Olivia teased.

"Because you say you love me." Cage whispered slyly.

"Don't love you that much." Olivia cradled her tin cup tighter in her hands and pretended to inch away.

"Yeah but you owe me."

Olivia turned her head while still protecting her cocoa. "How do you figure that?"

"Could have told me I was humping that air mattress and the freaking pump in my ruck." Cage answered easily.

"Oh, yeah that." Olivia grinned without guilt. "You're the bad ass here, you get to carry the heavy stuff. Besides, you'll thank me in the morning when your back isn't screaming at you."

Cage groaned dramatically. "Do you always have an answer for everything?"

"Probably." Olivia was sounding smug. "I have four brothers."

Cage laughed and settled in. "Yeah, how was that. I mean I only had Tommy."

"It was painful and now that I think about it, very good for me."

"How so?" Cage wondered out loud.

Olivia had to think about the answer for a long moment, sipping on her cocoa. Finally she settled the tin cup down. "They did not want a girl. They wanted another brother and boy were they surprised. So were my mother and father. So they didn't know what to do with me." She sighed. "I was this thing they had no idea what to do with. My family are warriors so to have a 'weak' girl was unexpected. By the time I was walking and talking I was living in two worlds." Olivia shifted uncomfortably. "Pampered because I was the little girl, and beat up because I was chasing after my brothers and not wanting to be left behind."

"Remind me to say sorry to Tommy. I used to kick his ass and try and ditch him all the time."

"You are the older, and the family leader now if what I remember is true. That's what the older siblings do." Olivia reasoned.

"And when did your gift come into play?" Cage asked softly. She knew that the woman to her side was sensitive to her abilities.

"I think I was seven. I kept seeing and hearing things that weren't there. My mother finally figured it out. Of course speaking to her in the old language might have been a clue."

"The 'old language'?" Cage asked as she slid closer to Olivia.

"Comanche. I didn't really learn it until I was twelve." Olivia had to admit.

"Why?"

"For a while I just wanted to be me. Not the little sister of the Shadow Wolf brothers, not the one who can hear the ancients, not a mixed nation girl."

Cage wound her arm around the woman who was her world right now. "I do understand that. I didn't want to be Sergeant Major Quinn's daughter, didn't want to be the new 'heir' to the Quinn clan, hell half the time I wonder if I ever wanted to be a soldier. Sometimes I think it was what was expected of me and I just caved. And I didn't learn the Irish language until I was fifteen." She admitted.

"We are a lot alike then." Olivia sighed.

After a long time Cage leaned further back into the log. "Yes, I think we are."

Olivia did not say anything; she simply leaned against Cage to feel the warm energy flowing from her body. It had been a very long time since she had felt this comfortable, this acceptance from anyone.

"So tell me," Cage smiled into Olivia's hair "why can you say you can just walk away if I'm gutter snipe."

Olivia breathed in suddenly. She wished that this would not have come up so soon, but then a second later she knew and understood that she would have to be completely honest with the leader of the clan Quinn.

"You know what I do."

"Yeah, not crazy about it." Cage huffed and kicked a burning stick back into the fire pit.

"I was married once to a man." Olivia admitted and held her breath.

Cage held her flash anger and decided to listen. "Tell me." She nearly begged.

"I was young and rebelling, in college, away from home for the first time?" she faltered and took another deep breath. "I was stupid."

"Yer not stupid, don't ever say that." Cage rasped even as she lapsed into her grandfather's accent.

"Everything was fine until he started working and suddenly having a mixed nation wife wasn't what he thought it could be I guess." Olivia blinked back tears she thought she had banished long ago. "It started innocently enough I guess. A wrong word to his boss and he'd grit his teeth, then later it was yelling telling me I had to do better, be more 'white', and after that even if I was perfect it was his fists." Olivia almost laughed. "He didn't even have to have drinking as an excuse. Hell he was just mean.

"I wish I had known that early on. I never would have agreed to date him much less marry him." Olivia sagged.

"Why did you?" Cage asked softly.

"He didn't seem to see the 'mixed nation' girl. He acted like he just liked me."

"Where is he now?" Cage asked as she still held Olivia.

"Last I heard he was in New Mexico managing his father's ranch. Medium money I guess you could call them. Enough to get by not enough to get rich." She sighed. "His father was a nice man and he seemed to like me, but Jason always could get around that. I didn't even think about leaving until I found him in bed with another woman."

"Can I ask or should we leave it off?" Cage asked.

"I promised you I would tell you." Olivia whispered to the wind.

"You don't have to. I think I can guess the rest." Cage countered.

Olivia shook her head and sat up nearly proud. "I came back from the hospital, a Jason special night you know, and found him in bed with a neighbor. I walked into our bedroom and found him fucking her. He didn't even have the decency to look half sorry. He looked at me and then at her and then laughed."

"Why do you look so pleased?" Cage asked as her traitorous hand brushed along the back of Olivia's neck.

"I had my brother with me. He half beat him to death. There were no police, nothing to stop me from leaving. Jason signed the papers without a word. Like I said, I was foolish. And I will never have that happen again. You lie, you cheat, and I am gone." There was steel behind her words.

Cage lifted her arm from around Olivia and rolled over in front of her on her knees. "I am a Quinn, I am Clan Laird according to clan law, I really am honorable. By proclimation of the US Army I am an officer and a gentleman, I do not lie, cheat or steal and I am not going to give you a reason to be 'gone'".

Cage leaned in to seal her oath with a kiss. It was meant to reassure the woman in front of her and turned into something even more. She felt the responding lips, the body pressing a little closer than was smart. Olivia breathed into her mouth and she was lost. She kissed and turned her body to receive the gift that was offered. Cage pulled back with great effort.

"My good gods. You kiss like the devil himself." She sighed. "You make me forget all that I don't know."

Olivia held on like a limpet. "I'm not sure where that came from."

"Does it matter?" Cage asked and scooted back a few inches. "I'm not rejecting you, I'm just trying to behave."

"Sounds like a good plan. I don't usually throw myself at women." Olivia whispered with a slow smile.

"I didn't think you did." Cage brushed aside a curl of hair that had fallen over Olivia's eyes. "I am crazy about you, you should know that. I've never felt like this before."

Olivia leaned her forehead against Cage's. "I think that's a good thing and I think I could get used to it."

Cage leaned into Olivia and captured her lips again and again. "I'm getting very used to it now."

"You do lie, cheat and steal." Olivia reminded her companion when she could think again.

"Ok, when it's not a matter of job description, I don't do those things. What you see with me is what you get and who I am. I think. I'm brain damaged you know." Cage smiled to take the sting out of her words.

Olivia tightened her hold on Cage. "And I love every single little damaged brain cell. Even if you aren't Native American." She breathed in the scent of cocoanut and lavender and sweat. "God, I need you." She sighed in a low tone.

Cage kissed her again, lips playing against each other, her tongue teasing a path over teeth to touch and arouse. "I need you too and want you so damn much." She admitted.

"But it's too soon." Olivia whispered as she laid her head on Cage's shoulder. "I don't want us to be all about sex."

Cage groaned in frustration. "I have to admit part of me agrees."

"And the other part?"

"Needs to take a dip in that really, really cold stream." Cage half joked. She turned them so that her back was again to the log while keeping Olivia in her arms. "I know you're right about this but it's hard to reconcile that at this very moment."

Olivia chuckled in agreement. "Believe me I do understand. It's taking everything inside me to hold back and not drag you into the tent."

"I didn't need to hear that you know? It's not helping." Cage had to laugh even if it wasn't completely funny.

"Yeah, didn't help me to say it out loud either, but I want us to be honest with each other. I could very happily take you into that tent and yet in the morning we would both probably wonder if it was too much too soon. I don't want any regrets with you Quinn."

"I don't want those either. So I'll just sit here in agony and be damned happy for it." Cage tightened her embrace to take any possible sting out of her words.

"You are a shit head sometimes Quinn." Olivia laughed and snuggled in close to the woman.

"Yeah, well that's what Tommy says. A lot actually."

"Somehow that does not surprise me." Olivia fell silent for a few minutes. "You're not mad are you? That I want to take it slow, to wait?"

Cage gazed up at the night sky and thought about the question for a moment. "No. I'm not. I've had too many nights that were just about sex and release." She brushed a kiss over Olivia's head. "I told you, for so long it's been about anything that kept me from feeling fear. I don't feel fear with you Olivia Shadow Wolf. If anything, I feel safe. And admitting that scares the hell out of me."

"Well, that's an oxymoron. But I think I understand the sentiment." Olivia answered quietly.

"You should know that I'm still insane and I'm still going to do my job until I can't do it anymore."

"You are a soldier, I know that and while I might not like it I accept it."

"Just like that?"

"Are you sure you want to ask that question again?" Olivia asked as she turned her head to eye her tin of cocoa.

"I'm consistent?" Cage asked as she reached a hand over and barely grasped the cup. She finally curled her fingers around the handle and managed to get it to the woman in her arms. "That what you were looking for?"

"Yes, thank you." Olivia sipped on her now lukewarm beverage. She leaned back. "You are an honorable woman and I know you honor your vows and oaths. I don't have to like it. I'll be here."

Cage nodded. "I believe you. And I'm still crazy about you." She smiled despite herself.

"That's good to know."

"Right now sitting here with you like this in front of the fire seems like heaven to me." Cage said softly. "I'm not sure I've felt anything this good in a very long time."

"Then we will stay here like this for as long as we can." Olivia yawned and settled as deep into Cage's form as she could.

"We should crawl into the tent at some point." Cage pointed out with a yawn of her own.

"Just a little longer out here and then we can go in." Olivia said softly.

"Okay." Cage answered as her eyes drooped lower. "Just a little longer."

**

The fire had burned down but the two sleeping figures didn't notice. They were oblivious to the world. Ellen walked around the two with a tender smile. "I guess you two didn't make it to the tent." She chuckled and noticed that the temperature was beginning to drop. "You two almost make me wish I was still corporeal. And you'll probably hate me for this but not nearly as much as you'd hate me if I left you like this. It's going to get really bad soon, so please forgive me."

She knelt down and blew on Cage's ear. Cage didn't move. Ellen wrinkled her brow and was about to try again when a hand closed over her own.

"I'll make the coffee, don't worry about the trash." Olivia mumbled in her dream. "But you're making breakfast." There was a half smile on Olivia's sleeping face.

Ellen took a chance leaning over to whisper in the woman's ear. "Time to find your tent, weather's turning bad. Wake up mixed nation woman."

Olivia jerked awake and even in her slumbering state she could swear that someone had tugged on her ear. Looking around with squinted eyes she saw no one except the woman she was using as a mattress. But she knew someone had been there, she knew it deep in her bones. Then she looked up at the sky and nearly cursed. The clouds were thick and low to the ground with an ominous gray and black tint to them.

She shook Cage and nearly had her head taken off as a fist came in her direction only to have it stop of it's own accord. In the time it took for her to close her eyes in anticipation of pain Cage stopped her trained nature and lowered her hand.

"I'm sorry."

Olivia opened her eyes and shook her head. "Later. Storm's coming in and it looks to be a bad one. We have to rescue the gear."

Cage was alert instantly. "How long you think?"

"Not very. Get the stove and the white gas. If it's lightening we can't leave them out."

"I'm on it. You get the food." There was no take charge in Cage's voice just pure worry.

"We have time." Olivia assured the woman who was already in reaction mode. "Just get the white gas, we can give up the stove."

"Not in this lifetime. I like stoves." Cage mumbled as she propelled herself up and forward.

The low rumble of thunder made itself known a few seconds later.

"Okay maybe I thought we had plenty of time." Olivia warned as she moved to gather their food stores that were hung high in the trees. She grunted as she worked with a too tight knot.

She didn't watch as Cage separated the white gas from the camping stove and dragged them into the tent, the action filled her ears. Normally she would not have liked having white gas where she slept but she knew they didn't have a choice. She was about to ask Cage to come help her when the knot finally gave way and their food slid slowly to the ground as she handled the rope.

A flash of lightening took her by surprise and she cringed for just a moment. After it was done she was up on her feet and pulling the rope free of the limbs. She knew how bad it could get up in the higher elevations. She wanted to save the rope just in case it flooded and they needed it.

A strong hand closed over hers and took the rope. She looked up and found Cage there, no sign of anger, nothing else other than concern. In that moment Olivia Shadow Wolf knew her life was forever twined with a black Irish woman.

"Get the food, I got this." There was no arguing with the expression on Cage's face. Thunder boomed again and she watched Cage's lips count out numbers. When she reached three lighting struck close by. "Three miles. Get moving we don't have much time."

Olivia moved like her ass had been lit by her mother's wooden spoon. She dragged the food bin for all she was worth even as the wind started to really kick up but she ignored the wind driven leaves and sticks that struck her back as she saved their food.

She knew that it would be needed even if they had to eat cold. She didn't try to brush off the debris as she fell onto the air mattress.

Cage stuck her head into the tent seconds later. "What style tent is this?"

"The best money can buy." Olivia answered.

"Did it come with a lightening rod?"

Olivia understood after a second. "Yes. Hang on." She rolled over and rummaged around in one of the many side pockets until her hands found the sack she was looking for. She rolled over with it in her hands and literally tossed it to Cage. "That's it."

Cage untied the metal piece and dropped the cloth on the ground. "If this doesn't work, tell my family I love 'em."

"What?"

"Trust me." Cage disappeared from view and Olivia could only hope, pray and fear.

Another roll of thunder and a lightening strike later Cage propelled herself into the tent and stripped off her soaked sweatshirt. She looked up at Olivia.

"It's raining." She laughed as she fell onto air mattress.

"You really are insane." Olivia muttered after a moment. "Totally freaking, fucking insane." She rummaged in her bag and found a dry sweatshirt and threw it at Cage. "Put that on. Otherwise you'll get something I know I can't cure."

Cage took the shirt and tugged it over her body. "I told you that. You should have listened to me."

Olivia tried to stop her shaking hands. "I heard you, I just didn't think you were serious."

Cage took Olivia's hands in her own to steady them. "I am insane but I know my limits. We needed the rod on the tent to keep us safe. I can count seconds between thunder and lightening. It had to be done and I'll not risk you ever. You are too important to me." Cage's eyes were intense in flashing concern.

"I'd rather you didn't risk your life for any reason." Olivia's voice trembled as she reached out to trace the scar around Cage's eye.

"It's who I am Olivia Shadow Wolf." Cage answered as she closed her eyes. "I cannot change who I am as much as I'd like to."

Instead of answering with words Olivia surged up and pressed her lips to Cage's. Then she pressed her body closer. "I don't have to like it." She murmured.

"Nope, you can hate it all you want." Cage answered just before she kissed back and wrapped her arms around Olivia, dragging her down to the air mattress. She looked up at her. "Tell me to stop and I will." Her eyes were bright with desire and adrenalin and want.

"Don't stop and I won't regret this later." Olivia swore with all that was inside her body and spirit. A moment later she stripped off her sweatshirt to bear her upper body to the woman she loved.

"Oh goddess." Cage breathed out slowly. "You are so damn beautiful." Her hands moved with a certain reverence as she tentatively roamed. "Are you sure?" she rasped.

"More than sure." Olivia breathed out and pressed herself into Cage.

"What happened to slow?" Cage had to ask.

Olivia took in a breath. "Forget slow. I nearly lost you out there. I know what I want. I want you."

Cage did not answer with words instead she answered with her mouth and the touches that followed. They were the things that brought Olivia to satisfaction slowly and with as much of her desire and feelings as she could show physically.

And later in the sound of the rain Olivia brought her to satisfaction as well. It was nearly a force of nature that she felt, poised over Olivia, grinding against her, sweating, staring into her eyes when the moment of no return hit.

Cage woke slowly to the sound of rain still pelting against the roof of the tent. For a long moment she didn't know where she was or why. Slowly the recollection came back to her and she smiled a rare soft smile. She moved with stealth as she turned her head to take in the sight of a naked natural tanned back spooned against the length of her front and the long dark hair that fanned in broken lines along it.

A thin thread of some Celt oriented song she knew she should recall but could not popped into her mind, as so many things she could not remember. She eased an arm cautiously around Olivia's body and snuggled close. This was what her grand father had always said was the best part of his day. She closed her eyes and could almost hear his words. When I wake and I'm scared or unsure, just my arm around her makes it all fine; t'ere is nothing t'at fash with t'at. Cage blinked her eyes and finally knew he was right. It was nearly painful and she had to blink several times.

She clung just a bit tighter to the mixed nation woman in her arms and felt the comfort of her warmth. She basked in it for long moments just breathing.

"For having such a wonderful night, you are way too tense." Olivia mumbled in her now half awake state.

"You make me remember." Cage deflected with a whisper of breath against Olivia's neck.

"Forget to remember woman. It wakes me up and I'm not a morning person." She grumbled back and pushed her body closer to Cage's.

Cage chuckled and kissed the smooth expanse of neck after sweeping away a length of hair. "Go back to sleep." She whispered.

"Hmm, sleep, ravish you, sleep, ravish you?choices, choices."

"Now I know what it means, baile." Cage sighed softly.

"What does that mean?" Olivia yawned.

"It's Irish."

"Really?" Olivia was not nearly as sarcastic as she could have been without coffee.

"It means home." Cage answered in a flat tone.

"Home huh?" Olivia burrowed closer if it were possible. "Sounds good to me." She closed her eyes. "Am I home to you?"

"Do you doubt that after last night?" Cage answered with her ears tuned into the storm.

"Home can be many things, many places. Are you ready to have them be one and the same?"

"If you had asked me that two maybe three years ago I would have laughed. Today, I know my home, where it is and who she is. She is a mixed nation woman I have no business talking to, much less making love with half the night."

Olivia rolled over with great effort. "About that." She fully opened her eyes and traced the tips of her fingers along Cage's face. "You owe me breakfast. I'm not that kind of woman you know," she lifted up to kiss Cage softly and then pulled back. "I don't give it up and then you can kick me out. You're heating up the water for instant oatmeal at the very least."

Cage let go of the breath she wasn't sure she was holding. "I did tell you I can't cook right?"

"Boiling isn't cooking Cage." Olivia reminded her.

"Yeah in your book." The solider muttered under her breath.

In the next moment Olivia again stole her breath with a kiss. A kiss that was returned with full enthusiasm. They pressed into each other as the sleeping bag fell away to their hips. Hands touched skin and skin scorched senses. Finally they pulled away.

"So," Cage breathed "no regrets."

"Not a damned one." Olivia answered. "Except?"

Cage was suddenly worried. "Except?"

"It took so long."

Cage smiled slowly as she lowered her face. "I was playing hard to get? Hmm, I was trying to be a gentleman, so to speak?" She lifted away from Olivia just before their lips touched. "I know, I was running scared and didn't want you to see that you touched something inside me."

Olivia chuckled. "Choice d. You knew you'd never win an argument with me and you wanted to run."

"Oh yeah that was it." Cage murmured then kissed Olivia again. A slow soft kiss that displayed muted passion but respect at the same time. "You know, I used to be one of those on the outside looking in." she sighed. "I'm not outside anymore because of you."

Olivia stroked Cage's face gently. "Tell me what you mean?"

"We were always moving 'cause of Da and the army. I never fit in anywhere. We'd get settled and then we'd be gone again." She sighed. "Not that it was a bad life. We had mom and granda and gremam, but we were always outside you know? And then I joined the army and everyone knew that I was Special Forces Sergeant Major retired Quinn's daughter. Like I never earned what I earned. I never used my Da's name to make my life easy, I fought against it."

"Like I fought against being the little sister of the Shadow Wolf brothers." Olivia said while she nodded. "I understand."

"Do you? Because I was and still am set in paving my own name and way, it put me on the outside."

"Yes I understand it." Olivia said simply. "You are not a shadow of who have gone before but you have been carved by who and what has gone before." She took a breath. "My great, great grandfather rode against Custer, my family has always borne boys and then I came along and I had this gift." She sighed and lay back looking at the ceiling of the tent. "Then I commit a stupid marriage, get divorced and then figure out I'm a lesbian. Talk about outside looking in."

Cage nearly laughed. "I thought my life sucked." There was a small smile on her face. "I think I can do one better than your instant oatmeal."

Olivia looked over. "How's that?"

"Instant army food. Did I mention heat tabs?" Cage crawled out from under the warmth and rummaged through one of the bags. "One of the perks of having a father who was Special Forces. They get all the perks and the better food. How does a western omelet sound?"

"It sounds better than instant oatmeal even if it is raisin and cinnamon." Olivia smiled in a way that melted Cage every time. She didn't show it often. It was the smile that let Cage know that the native woman's full attention was all on her and nothing else mattered.

Cage leaned over and licked her way softly over an exposed collarbone. "Mmm?nice and tasty.

Olivia smacked her away playfully. "Feed me woman. Then we can play more."

"Mmm, feed you, ravish you, feed you?"

Olivia tugged at Cage's hair, pulling her up slowly. "Feed me."

Cage did not pull away from her; instead she intensified the kisses until they were breathless. "Feed you what?"

"Omelet." Olivia laughed and pulled away and then pulled on a thick pair of sweats.

"Good idea." Cage muttered in the confines of the tent. "I'll feed you then I'll feast on you."

"You sure you can take me?" Olivia challenged with a half grin.

"Take you? Only if you let me always if you give me a chance."

The look on Olivia's face was classic. It was a combination of honesty and indignation as she tried to come up with a reply.

Cage almost laughed. "I was right you are baile. And that gives me hope and faith." Her face was animated but her words were low and sincere.

Olivia settled her knees on the sleeping bag and brushed Cage's a little too long hair away from her forehead. "I love you and if that's how I make you feel then it's a good thing." She settled a gentle kiss on Cage's forehead. "Now feed me, I'm hungry."

Cage quickly dressed and 'prepared' breakfast going so far as to open Olivia's feast first and handing it to her before she worked on her own. She watched in fascination as Olivia dug into her food. From the happy sounds the woman was making she guessed the prepackaged meal met with approval.

Once the initial edge of hunger was sated they sat across from each other talking of nothing and everything, the conversation interrupted only by bites of food. It was easy and comforting. It was something that Cage rarely experienced. She was still used to stilted conversations revolving around missions or secrets.

Taking out the trash consisted of tossing the packages in the food bin secured in a large zip lock baggie. Then with shy looks they cleaned up with water from one of the water canteens as the rain still pelted the tent with a muted steady sound.

Finally clean Olivia pulled a well-worn book from her backpack and settled in to read for a little bit.

Cage merely zipped open the front of the tent and stared out into the soaked wilderness and just stared. They spent the better part of an hour this way until Cage tired of staring turned her head.

"What are you reading?"

"It's book about my people." Olivia answered simply. "The Cherokee." She clarified. At Cage's confused expression she continued. "My father is Cherokee. My mother is the force of nature." She offered a shy smile.

Cage zipped up the tent and plopped herself next to Olivia. "So tell me about him."

Olivia smiled. "He's a gentle man. He makes flutes and sells them as his living. I guess you could say he's an artist. When I was little he didn't quite to know what to do with me, but Mom says that he always wanted to carry me in his arms. And when I would get beat up by my brothers he did not scold them or warn me off. He let me take my lumps. I remember one time when I was crying on the porch because I got a little banged up playing with my brothers and their friends, he took me in his arms and told me that if I wanted to keep playing with them I would have to find the strength to be better than a girl."

"What did he mean by that?" Cage wondered out loud.

"He meant that if I was going to continue being a pest to my brothers then I would have to live in two worlds. I would have to learn to live in my brother's world and a girl's world. It was a good lesson to learn." Olivia explained. After a moment of thought she looked at Cage. "Will you continue the self defense lessons for me and the girls?" She knew that it was a guilt point for the soldier.

Cage nodded. "I'll continue, only this time, I'm teaching the stuff I'm not supposed to teach." There was a certain determination in Cage's voice that almost scared Olivia.

"Cage?"

"It's all right. I'm not going to leave you or them without the knowledge you might need. I'll take my 'lumps' if I have to."

"No." Olivia sat up. "You will not teach us something you're not supposed too."

"You won't win this one Shadow Wolf. I will not have you or them in danger again. I will teach you how to do more than just disable and run." Cage muttered and turned her eyes away.

Olivia tugged Cage's face to her again. She searched those eyes carefully. "You can't do anything that will get you into trouble. Not for me and not for the girls. They wouldn't want that and neither would I. I don't want to lose you now that I've found you. Promise me."

"I can't." Cage closed her eyes. "I've failed so many times. I won't fail you or them again."

"If you can't promise me that then you've already failed and we have no us." Olivia muttered and pulled away to unzip the tent and stalked out into the rain. The steady down pour soaked her instantly.

Cage followed immediately and followed even as she listened to Olivia's harsh words. "You don't understand." She offered into the wind.

"What don't I understand?" Olivia shouted as she turned fast to face the woman she loved.

"You could die if I don't teach you these things."

"And you could go to prison if you do. Do you think that's what I want? To maybe visit you once or twice a month and not be able to touch you?"

Cage had no answer so she let her head hang. "I don't know what else to do."

"You only have to do what you have been doing. Teach us to defend ourselves. Nothing more. It worked for Lindy and Jane. You gave Lindy the knowledge and the confidence to fight back. Don't forget that." Olivia demanded with hard eyes.

Cage looked back with equally hard eyes. "And she's still in the hospital with brain injuries. I know what that's like. She might not remember anything; she might not even be able to breathe on her own. Because I'm not 'supposed' to teach the good stuff."

"She could have run. But she chose to protect Jane. It's on her soul not yours. Don't take what isn't yours damn it."

"She's my responsibility." Cage rasped in pain.

"And she's mine too. But she wouldn't want you to do this. You know I'm telling you the truth. You just have to accept it."

"Not sure I can. I'm used to being in charge."

"Get used to not being in charge." Olivia pointed to the sky. "Father of the skies is angry and sad so the rain falls in hard sheets, but Mother Earth takes his wrath and absorbs it, letting his wrath feed all of her children. Yes she suffers some of his anger as a few of her little ones take the brunt. But Mother Earth knows she is in charge. She might act meek but she gives life even if Father of the skies is selfish and does not give rain, or thunders down to bring natural fire." Olivia took a breath. "You are like Father of the sky. All anger and bluster."

"Is that so bad?" Cage nearly shouted.

"Tempered? No. Without control yes." Olivia reached out her hand and touched Cage's face. "With control you could save everyone, without control you will only be scorched by your own fire." She closed the distance between them and kissed Cage's lips. "I don't want you burned."

Cage wrapped her arms around Olivia. "And I don't want you dead." She managed to rasp. "I will not lose you." She echoed Olivia's words.

"Then we are at an impasse."

"Give me another option." Cage nearly begged.

Olivia thought for a few moments. She lifted her head. "You can teach us more offensive moves and in return for not teaching the girls how to kill I will give in and let you teach me how to shoot."

Cage let out a heavy breath. "Done." She managed. Low thunder rumbled in the background. "We're standing in the rain."

"Yes we are." Olivia reached up and kissed her lover gently. "Do you mind?"

"Never." She wrapped her arms securely around Olivia and pulled her off her feet. Her lips found a matching pair. One hand sneaked under the front of a soaked sweatshirt to find the warm swell of a breast.

"Please. Harder." She nearly begged.

Cage gave in to the plea and settled her hand with a firm grip. "Like that? Is this what you want?" She rasped into Olivia's ear.

"Quit teasing me. Yes, just like that." Was the answered whimper.

Cage pinched a tight hard nipple just under the point of pain. "You react to my touch so nicely." She did it again when Olivia closed her eyes in pleasure. "But you want more don't you?" she asked the rhetorical question then let her hand slide lower quickly. "Open up for me. I want to be inside you."

Olivia did as she was asked spreading her legs wider leaning into Cage. When two fingers entered her she sighed. For a moment she remembered that she was supposed to be angry but the pleasure that was given stole that thought away. She felt fingers slide out and then back in with a little more force. Yes, this is what she wanted. She was filled again and again in the driving rain until she leaned her head back a screamed her pleasure.

Cage held her in shaking arms until Olivia came back around to the land of the living. "God, woman. You are so beautiful when you come." She whispered with reverence.

"You made that happen." Olivia challenged. "Tent now. It's my turn to make you as beautiful."

"Lead the way." Cage whispered.

Cage looked up from the book she was reading out loud and spied on the body in the hospital bed. There was still no change in Lindy's condition. "Come on Lindy, my ass is going numb. Let me know you're in there." She mumbled. "I was teaching the girls today and Jane's finally getting the hang of balance. Does she always walk around on two left feet?"

There was no response. So much like herself or so she had been told. "I've been here ya know? I got clocked in Bosnia hard. My brains got really scrambled and I know it's easy to just lie there and not want to come back. Truth is Lindy, those girls need you. They need your stories and your smile, so when you get tired of lying there you come back to your girls. They miss you. I miss you. I'm just counting the days till I can teach you to fight a little better. I'm sorry, I should have just broken the rules." Cage sighed out loud and let her head drop onto Lindy's body.

"C'mon Lindy. I know you're in there someplace." There was no answer and she let her head rest for what seemed like a long time. Finally she lifted her head and settled back into her chair. She picked the book back up. "Ok, I think we're done with the mushy stuff, back to the book. If you ever tell anyone I'm reading you a straight romance with smut I'll deny it like no tomorrow."

Cage resumed reading the story and found herself sucked into the plot. For fun she started using different voices and tone changes for the characters. Her voice broke when she realized that the scene she was about to read was a love scene. "Ohh, no, I am so not going to read this part out loud. Sorry Lindy, but you're just going to have to use your imagination on this one. Just understand they have sex."

"Who in the name of the Lord are you and what are you doing here?" The male voice coming from the door bordered on loud.

Cage looked him over. He stood five foot eight with stringy thin hair and a paunchy stomach. He could have easily fooled most people into thinking he was harmless. Cage was however, not most people and noticed the cold expression in his eyes and slightly clenched fists. This was a man who could fool the congregation on Sunday and on Monday kick puppies to death.

"I'm a friend," she finally answered then lifted the book. "And I'm reading to her. Who the hell are you?"

He spluttered a moment. "I'm her husband."

Cage leaned back in her chair. "Soon to be ex husband the way I hear it."

"She has been led astray by unnatural women who do not know the laws and word of God."

"Which God?" Cage wondered out loud as she tucked the book into Lindy's hand and stood.

He stopped short. "Our God."

"Our?"

"The God of all Christians. The one who sent his son to perish on the cross for our sins."

Cage snorted. "Oh, him." She tapped her chin slowly as though she were in thought. "Does that God tell a man that it's all right for a man to beat his wife?"

"As I have done, God hath requited me." He quoted from the Old Testament.

Cage leveled a glare at him that had reduced seasoned drill sergeants to cringe. "Really? Ever hear of an eye for an eye?"

He nearly backed up a step from the intensity. "Of course I have. She is my wife, she vowed herself to God's laws and me when we were wed in the church. Until death."

"Park yourself in the chapel, they're not sure she's going to make it. But you'd like that wouldn't you? That way she won't be able to go in front of the judge and tell him what you did to her. Not because of 'God's laws' but because you are a miserable human being hating your miserable little life and you took it out on her because you could." Cage quirked an odd little smile.

"You Godless heathen?"

"Being all Black Irish I take that as a compliment. Just remember this little man; I can find you anytime I want. If she doesn't live then I will come hunting you. If I have to hunt you down then you will understand what an eye for an eye really means. Tell your friends who did this that I will hunt them too."

It took a moment for the words to sink into his mind. This time when he looked up there was fear ringing the hazel color. "I had no part?"

"Save it for Sunday service." Cage growled. "I'm not nearly as easily fooled. When you see Charlie and Tambor tell 'em I'm coming. I really like hunting and I'm not like any woman they ever thought about beating down."

"Another unnatural woman. I've heard about you. You're the one sinning with that sqw?"

"Don't even think about finishing that word." Cage cut him off and pinned him with an intense glare. "You want to play the insult game believe me, I can play it better."

"I will not reduce myself to your level. I am leaving instructions for you not to be allowed back here." He tried to save some shred of dignity and drew himself up.

Cage chuckled and flashed a knowing smile. "That might work if someone else didn't have medical power of attorney and if you didn't have a restraining order on you."

He paled at the statement. It was bad enough that he was being divorced but so far he'd been able to keep his church associates believing that Lindy had been led astray, but if it got out that he also had a restraining order he might not be able to maintain the façade.

"It would be in your best interest Feller if you just turned around and walked out. You wouldn't want your congregation knowing you willing violated the restraining order, now would you?" She asked with a small gloat in her voice.

"They would not believe a fallen woman such as yourself."

"Who said I was going to tell them?"

"But I will." Shelly muttered as she pushed passed Lindy's soon to be ex husband. "I know that order says a thousand feet. You are nine hundred and ninety feet too close."

"Only God's law means anything to me." He was defiant even now or perhaps especially because Shelly was in uniform. Women were not supposed to have positions of power or authority.

"In your perfect I guess that would be true. Fortunately this is the real world. So are you going to leave on your own or do I get absolute joy of cuffing you and dragging you to the barracks?" Shelly flashed a mostly innocent looking smile. It was an odd look since she still looked like a raccoon.

"Trooper Ware, is there a problem here?" Haskin's voice held the cold edge of wishing for some payback.

"Mister Feller was just leaving Trooper Haskins. I think it would be best if you helped him find his way out."

"You cannot think - "

"I don't have to think Feller, I know the civil laws of this state. If I didn't then that would be a waste of taxpayer's money. Now that would be a damn shame wouldn't it?"

"Mister Feller it would be in your best interest if you came with me." Haskins ordered. "In spite of the pending divorce this is still a family tragedy and I'm sure you don't want to add to it by getting sent to jail."

Feller thought about the large trooper's words and finally nodded his head. Without a further word he walked out of the room. He didn't even spare a glance at the woman in the bed. Haskins looked at his boss with a wink and followed the man out.

"He's good." Cage grinned as she relaxed.

"Yeah he is." Shelly agreed with her friend. "If I take the detective slot, I'm recommending he be my replacement." She set her Trooper hat on the rolling table. "How's Lindy doing today?"

"Same, no change." Cage was instantly dejected again.

"I thought you were done kicking yourself in the ass over this?"

"So did I." Cage sat down in the chair and gazed at Lindy who looked so peaceful it hurt her heart.

"I hear you're teaching Olivia to shoot. How's that going?" She asked as she made her way to Lindy's side and brushed her fingers through soft hair. "Hey there Lindy. The kids are asking about you. You wake up and run them ragged soon, okay?"

"Would you believe the damn woman is a natural? I swear I've never had a better student."

Shelly glanced over and noticed the book. "You are so busted. Reading a romance." She laughed and sat down on the side of Lindy's bed. "Lindy did you get her to read this to you? You're a better woman than I am."

"Shup." Cage spoke in short hand while telling her friend to shut up. "She likes them. What are you doing here?"

"Had to bring in a DUI who got a scratch. Thought I'd come see if Lindy was feeling like going dancing with me and the boys." Shelly was a firm believer that coma patients could hear everything going on around them.

Cage sighed. "I got her here."

"She knows it wasn't anything you did intentionally. She believes in you, Cage. You've given her something no one else around her has been able to. Hope. Regardless of...of this..."

"Cage lifted her head. Hope? Jesus Shelly, she's just laying there. This is her being brain damaged."

"Her body is just laying there. Her soul is fighting its way back. I just know it. It has to. She has to."

"I know what I should have done, but I had to follow those damned orders..."

"Cage...you're taking on a burden that isn't yours to carry. Not really. You have got to start forgiving yourself. If you don't, no one else will, either."

Cage looked down. "I can't until I do something about this."

Shelly smiled. "Don't tell me and I can't testify."

Cage stood up. "Then I won't. Take care of Lindy and Olivia for me."

"What?"

"You heard me. If this goes bad, take care of Olivia for me. Let her know I love her and I wouldn't leave her unless it was important."

"What the hell are you thinking about doing?" Shelly felt her stomach knot.

"Nothing I can tell you about. Let's just say I'm going hunting." Cage answered with total honesty.

"Hunting huh? Well it is the season. Just remember to get a license." Shelly quipped.

Cage grinned. "Sure I'll make sure I do that. You'll take care of my girls?"

"You aren't giving my any other choice. They're covered." Shelly promised.

Cage folded Lindy's hands around the book and started to walk out the door. "Good, and thanks."

**

Cage grabbed up her kit bag and slung it over her shoulder her front door swung open. She looked up hand ready to slide to the MP5.

Olivia walked in and for some reason unknown to Cage didn't appear surprised. Instead she merely laid a curious eye on her girlfriend.

"Halloween?"

"That would be Samhain." Cage pronounced sowain evenly.

Olivia nodded. "Explain that later, explain right now why you look like you're going to war." She dropped her keys on the table loudly.

"I'm not going to war. I'm going hunting."

"Hunting?" Olivia muttered as she walked around Cage. "So to go hunting you paint your face like a Comanche brave on crack who has spent too much time in the woods."

"Your version of hunting is not the same as mine, this is as close as I can get to the Celt tradition." Cage explained as if she were not standing in the middle of a room laden with weapons and painted in black and green.

"For once we are going to forget the traditions of our peoples. We are going to talk about what I want and what you want." Olivia stated as she closed the door firmly.

Cage shook her head slowly. "I want you with me for a very long time and I can't have half a chance at that until I neutralize a threat. I can kill them one by one or I can recon them and figure out their stupid fucking plan so I can get word to the right people."

"And I want you alive. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Olivia shot right back.

"As many times as it takes for me to tell you I am damned good at what I was trained to do. From diapers I was trained by one of the best in world. I don't say that because he's my father, I say it because it's true. How do you think I kicked Magee's ass? I was a kid fighting a bigger kid and nearly drove his nose into his brain." Cage shot back. "This is what I was taught and even better the army taught me to become anyone and anything," she instantly changed her stance, her entire person. "So, you wish to overthrow," the last said with a nearly soft purr "the Amerikanski government?" she half giggled. Her stance changed again as she stepped forward aggressively. "You got the money? If you do, then I got the stash, you don't then you can walk out the door. And if you're a cop or something that stupid, you are yesterday's corpse." Again she changed into something else. "Not the night you imagined I'm sure."

"Who the hell are you?" Olivia asked with a glare.

"I'm the woman you say you love." Cage shot back in a low voice.

"Are you?"

"I told you what I did for the army. Intel doesn't just mean geeks behind desks hooking a paycheck for grins. Sometimes it means getting your hands dirty." Cage snapped. "Dirty hands that belong to human beings. That's who I am."

"And this?" Olivia waved her hands around to make the point.

"This is the army part of it. This is the part my own Da and granda taught me. This is the rebel side of it." She returned.

"And the point of it?" Olivia argued even as she tried to wrap her mind around the changes she'd seen.

"The point me dearlin' is to let you know that who you love is maybe not who you think you can love." Cage answered bluntly. "Am I any different than the brave's you hold in regard even though I play patriot games?"

"Some games I like, some I don't. What game are you playing now?" Olivia demanded.

Cage deflated. "Right now I'm not. Right now I'm getting ready to go hunting. I love you, like you might not believe but I'm not leaving my girls exposed without sending a message. And yes I count you as one of those girls. I have to do this Olivia."

"What damned message?" Olivia demanded. "And to who?"

"Tabor and his little want to be army." She admitted. "You didn't see his face when dear Mr. Feller walked in. When I mentioned Tabor he wilted. He's as bad as you are at bluffing or lying. Lindy's soon to be ex is a Tabor bitch."

"Cage even if that's true you can't?"

Cage stood up tall and fast. "Don't say that to me. Don't tell me I can't. You haven't seen what I CAN DO. I can get in and out and they won't know I was ever there. I can be just like your Comanche braves, I will earn my eagle feathers, and I will earn your mother's respect. Not exactly all in that order." She tried joke her way out.

"No matter what I say you're going aren't you?" Olivia asked and demanded at the same time.

Cage swallowed hard. "Yeah." She answered honestly.

"I can't stop you and I'm not sure I should even try." Olivia sighed. She lifted her head. "I'm going to be here so you better get back in one piece."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Cage asked.

Olivia laughed weakly. "Because you are a smart woman. Go before I change my mind and follow you."

"Just so you know I am coming back." Cage said softly before walking up as close as humanly possible to Olivia and settling a kiss on her forehead. Without another word she turned, adjusted her gear and walked out the back door into the night.

**

She stepped lightly and carefully in the half moon light. Her eyes tracked the guards as they walked with little conviction. She half smiled in the dark. This was almost too easy. She stalked for fun with conviction. As she alternated between guards she timed and committed those times to memory.

Occasionally she shifted through the shadows to change her vantage point. The deeper she got into the encampment the number of guards increased, as did their discipline. She smiled to herself. This was what she was used to, what challenged her like nothing else. She loved to get in and get out without being seen or being caught. She loved being just like a ghost.

Ghost rang lightly in her ears and her thoughts turned to Ellen. For just a moment she wondered why the woman's presence hadn't been around for the last few days.

Then again she thought to herself that she'd been hit enough times in the head, or so they told her, in Bosnia that she wasn't too sure that Ellen's voice wasn't just an audio hallucination. With her luck it was a figment of her much tortured brain.

As if was snorted softly behind her right ear. Cage almost turned abruptly, only stopping herself at the last second. I'm here Cage. A small chuckle sounded in her brain. I'm not leaving. Your granda would probably sing bad rebel songs off key if I left you now.

"I'm losing my mind." Cage whispered to herself when no one was around. Oddly no voice contradicted Cage's words. She shook her head and decided that it was time to move again. Taking advantage of the available cover she moved slow and sure, making sure each step was clear, each branch was accounted for she very gracefully walked in the shadows, found her hiding spot and waited.

When the last light in the last building went out she pulled the infrared goggle device over her eyes. What she saw in nauseating muted green and blood red almost brought her to her knees. The barracks like buildings held at least forty bodies that she could count. The smaller buildings in her area held ten at least. She quickly did the math in her head. One hundred sixty persons of which she could not tell who was hostile and who was non-hostile. The stand off in Waco, Texas came to mind. Her stomach turned. She made a mental note to call a contact that might be able to do a satellite fly by. After a second she wondered if he was still talking to her. Something in the back of her Swiss cheese memory hinted at a falling out.

She decided it was time to leave but not before leaving her sign for only the most observant to find. She mentally smiled as she carved her initials into the back post of tree bend. Perhaps it was childish, but hey it was fun and most likely no one would find it.

**

Cage peeled off her robe after her shower and climbed into bed, tired beyond belief after her night of Intel gathering. What she had learned could not be so easily washed off with hot water and soap. Rolling over she came into contact with a solid body that was warm and soft and still here as promised. She closed her tired eyes in relief.

Olivia stirred and wrapped an arm around her. "You're back," she slurred.

"Told you I would be." Cage whispered as she brushed her lips over the forehead of her salvation. "Shh, go back to sleep."

Olivia shook her head slowly. "No. 'wake now."

Cage smiled softly. "No baby, you're not awake. You're still asleep and I'm right here. Shh."

"Kiss me." Olivia murmured with a half smile. "Then I'll know you're here."

"If I kiss you, then you won't get any sleep my mixed nation woman." Cage answered softly with love and reverence. "Sleep baby."

Olivia's hold tightened. "Kiss me. I want to know my Black Irish dumb ass is home."

Cage laughed. "Is that my new title?" she whispered in the dark of the room.

"You wander around the bad guys with paint on your face, and little else and you have to ask." It so wasn't a question.

"I retract the question in front of the jury." Cage played along as her finger played along Olivia's face. Then she leaned over and kissed Olivia as requested for several minutes.

She felt Olivia's arms around her, her strength, and her want. "Damn," she muttered when she was able to pull away. "Don't do this to me. I can't stop when it comes to you."

"I can feel your heart beating, I can feel your desire and your need. You hunted tonight and it makes you want." Olivia answered quietly. "It is human with hunters and warriors and now soldiers. And I want you just as much. You are home. You have come back when I wasn't sure you would be." She leaned up to kiss Cage with conviction. "Prove to me this isn't just a dream."

With that Cage's resistance folded like a weak straight flush. She leaned over and kissed Olivia with all the passion that she allowed to flow from her body, from her mind and from her emotions. Soft wet kisses that led to soft touches over exposed warming skin. Feeling Olivia surge against her body, taking control instinctively knowing what was needed.

Olivia kicked back the blankets and pulled Cage to her, hands finding places to touch that took Cage to places she liked. Places that made her wet and crazy with want. She was nearly kept it in control until Olivia slid her fingers inside with an insistent rhythm that curled her toes and caused her to scream into the night.

**

Cage lifted her head as the sun peeked in through the slats of the mini blinds. Laying her head in her hand she watched Olivia sleep and simply watched for long minutes. She found her traitor fingers playing with the ends of Olivia's hair while trying to figure out how to protect this woman who had so very quietly found her way into a heart that Cage still wasn't always sure existed.

She just looked and noticed things she hadn't noticed before. The laugh lines on Olivia's face that were much softer when the woman was asleep, the small wisps of hair that were peeking out from the hair line at back of her neck, the way her hands curled under her chin when she slept. There were so many things that Cage now noticed and didn't think she could ever live without again.

"Thank you Ellen, for telling me what and who I should be looking for." She whispered as she looked up, then she looked down. "My heart, my love, my blade all lay at your feet." She swore quietly.

The laugh was polite and happy at the same time. Way to go Cage, tell the woman when she's asleep. I dare you to lay your blade at her feet when she's awake. The teasing taunt was whispered into her left ear.

"Damn it Ellen, don't do that." Cage whispered back in a strained voice that was almost too loud. Olivia turned a bit in her sleep. "You always did have the worst way of jacking with someone."

Still do. And I have to do something for fun Cage Quinn.

"She is baile." Cage snarled quietly.

Finally. I've been waiting years for you to find your home Cage. I want an invite to the wedding.

"Wedding?" Cage questioned with more than a quiver of fear in her voice. Wedding? She wasn't ready for that, nope not now not ever. Then she looked down again and her heart melted. Would it be so bad to spend the rest of her life with this mixed nation woman? The only woman she'd known who challenged her, who argued, who did not let her win so easy. Even the men she'd been with had bent and given up when her will seemed too much. This one woman who looked like she would blow over in a good stiff wind fought back even when the odds were so damned stacked against her.

"I love you, my mixed nation woman, so very damned much." Cage whispered as she wrapped her arms around the sleeping body and felt every emotion she had never allowed before. "I will keep you warm and safe. When this is all over and done I will bend my knee and lay my blade on the ground and offer you a life with me. I can only hope you will say yes." She kissed the sleeping woman on her temple and closed her eyes slowly.

Cage woke again to the sound of thunder and rain driving against the windows and roof of the HUMMV. Peeling her eyes open only made her blink the blurriness away. Her body felt cramped and sore. An all over body ache that would, she knew take hours to work out.

"Welcome to the glorious world of intelligence". She muttered out loud as she semi rolled in her seat.

"Welcome to the not so glorious world of the Military Police." A female voice answered her with a wry sound. "It still beats West Virginia rural life."

"That bad?"

"We were poor, dirt poor. Mama and daddy tried hard, but it's depressed ya know. We had a roof over our heads even if it leaked half the time, food on the table mostly and clothes on our backs but not much more. Most of the men work the mines and the women seems like they just have more kids. I wanted more. This was the best way to do it."

"You in long?" Cage asked as she rummaged in her pack for an MRE.

The voice chuckled. "Long enough to make E5 get busted back and make E5 again."

"How'd you get busted?" Cage asked as she made her meal choice. Somehow the Spaghetti meal sounded good even at five am.

The MP snorted. "I got into a fight. Some dickhead Marines were jacking with one of my new rooks. Female MP from Native American country. She was maybe five foot five, all of one hundred ten dripping wet out of Oklahoma I think." She paused to dig into her pack for her own meal. "She was checking ID's and they just started calling her names, you know like squaw and shit. She braced them and they ignored her, started tossing punches so I jumped in. God only knows where her back up was." She cut the MRE heavy brown plastic open with a sharp short knife. "So I jumped in. Between us we cleared out those pussies. Marines." She snorted. "I don't care who you think you are, one hard knee to the balls and you will cry for momma. Even if you are an oh so tough and special Marine." She laughed lightly.

Cage lifted some pasta to her mouth. "So why'd you get busted?"

"Hit 'em too hard apparently. Something about serious soft tissue damage and med discharges." She grinned.

Cage laughed weakly. "That sounds definitely painful."

"You don't seem too shocked."

"My little brother is an MP. I know how it goes."

"Army family?"

"All the way. Da was Special Forces, my granda was a boo. He was hit in Korea and early Vietnam." Cage admitted.

"I'm Angela Crimms."

"Sergeant Angela Crimms I'm Cage Quinn. You can call me Quinn on duty and Cage when we are off duty."

"You got it Cap." She stirred her breakfast with the knife."

Cage watched her. "That's not a reg knife." She murmured.

Crimms grinned without looking up. "Nope, but it sure comes in handy."

"I think I like you Sergeant." Cage chuckled.

"Sorry Captain, I already have a boyfriend."

Cage looked at the female MP. "Umm, that didn't come out right."

Crimms laughed. "Got ya Cap." She dipped the tip of the knife into the slab of ham and brought it to her mouth.

***

Cage wobbled her way down the sidewalk risking a backward glance to make sure Tommy hadn't done a face plant on the concrete. He was there just as wobbly; his eyes had a certain glazed quality.

"Tis a fine night." He managed with a grin.

Cage stopped to lean against a building façade. "A grand night. Whose idea was this again?"

"I t'ink it was yours." The accent learned from their granda leaked through. "Maybe it was Da's?"

"Oh sure," Cage rolled her eyes. "Da said 'Sure kids, go to Dublin and get yerselves tanked." For some reason the absurd visual caused her to giggle, then giggle some more. Soon her butt hit the pavement as she was laughing so hard tears leaked down her face.

"What's so funny?" Tommy slurred out as he looked down at his big sister who was close to rolling around on the sidewalk.

"Can you?can you imagine Da here with us? 'Now behave yerselves proper like.' Oh, God." She broke out laughing again.

Tommy joined in the laughter. "Oh, yeah. Remember this one? 'Ye have to carry yerselves with the correct deportment at all times.' Who uses deportment these days?"

Cage snickered. "Da."

"Ahem." The new voice caught their attention immediately and they turned at the same time. In front of them stood a member of the Garda.

"Tommy shush. It's a peeler." Cage tried to whisper but in her state it was impossible. The slang used for the Irish police and laughter didn't improve the mans expression.

"If you've a place to stay the night I would suggest you find it." His tone was no nonsense as he rocked back and forth slightly on his feet.

"But we've got two more pubs left on the crawl." Tommy stated in what he thought was a reasonable voice.

"Boyo, you and your friend there don't need to finish the crawl tonight." The officer almost smiled.

Cage smacked Tommy's shin with her hand. "Don't argue with the peeler Tommy. Da would be mortified." She laughed hard. "I've been here too long. I just said mortified."

Tommy smacked Cage in the head with a light slap. "Don't call the man a peeler to his face. You're gonna get us into trouble."

"All right you two. Identification now."

Both of them glared at each other as they handed over their passports and military ID. The officer checked them. "Should have known you two would be from that trouble making clan. What's it you do in the army?"

"Intelligence." Cage said. "And yes I know, oxymoron."

"MP." Tommy answered.

"Stumble yer way back to the hotel and stay out of trouble tonight. Or do you need the frog march treatment?" He tried to sound professional but the accusing glares these two were tossing at each other was amusing. He was actually having fun for a change during pub-crawl season.

Cage looked up with a curious expression. "Can you frog march him and I'll stumble behind?" Her granda's accent came out thickly in the honest question.

The officer could only laugh as Tommy slapped her head again and was tackled to the ground by the woman. His two children were exactly the same. He called a back up unit over the radio. If the dispatcher wondered why he was laughing she didn't ask.

***

Cage woke slowly and blinked away the blurriness. It took several seconds for the realization to sink in. "I had that conversation. Tommy got us tossed in jail." She stated out loud just to make sure she was making sense. "Holy shit. I remembered something." With that she bolted out of bed, dragged her mostly clean jeans on and pulled a t-shirt over her head.

She followed the smell of brewing coffee and cooking eggs. She was in deep thought and didn't notice the noise her bare feet were making on the hard wood floor. As she came through the doorway a full cup of coffee was suddenly in front of her. She quirked an eyebrow.

"Heard you coming this time." Olivia smiled and turned back to the stove.

"Really? Damn I must be slipping. All this soft living I'm doing." Cage made her way to the stool by the counter and plopped her butt down.

"Oh sure. You're the epitome of soft living." Olivia laughed in a low tone. "Do you want ham or roast beef in your eggs?"

"Roast beef? I'd never have thought about that."

"You really have to go shopping again." Olivia said in a much too cheery tone. "It was an either or kind of thing 'cause you don't have much else and I refuse to toss spaghettios in my eggs."

"At least it's not SPAM." Cage muttered around her coffee cup.

"What did you say?" Olivia asked turning her head with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." Cage answered innocently. She watched as Olivia returned her attention to making breakfast. Something close to happiness settled in her chest and rested there. In so many ways it reminded her of the early morning conversations between her parents that she had witnessed as a child. She made a mental note to call her parents later in the day.

Olivia peeked over her shoulder and had to smile. The expression on her girlfriends face was nothing less than content, maybe even certain happiness. It was the one thing she wanted for Cage since the first night on the porch. In some ways Cage had changed a great deal since that night in other ways she was the same woman with demons. What she had learned most about Cage Quinn was that this woman could hardly ever be predicted.

"I can hear you thinking you know." Cage said out loud without looking up from her coffee.

"And what was I thinking?"

"I don't know. I just know that you were." Cage answered honestly. "Good thoughts or bad?"

Olivia took the pan of eggs off the burner. "Good I hope." She decided to take a chance. "What were you doing during Desert Storm?"

Cage let out a breath. "Ask something hard why don't you?" There was no humor in Cage's answer.

"You asked." Olivia answered simply.

Cage nodded. She had asked. "I was intelligence so I was asking questions of captured enemy soldiers."

Olivia dished out breakfast silently, waiting patiently, she knew Cage would continue when she was ready and she knew that she could never force anything out of her very special soldier.

"We tried the soft sell at first but that only worked on the conscripts, the Republican Guard were different. They were half hard core, so I got called in a lot because those women hating types just got pissed when a woman showed up to ask them the same things the men did. When they did get pissed off so bad they let things slip that I'm sure they wouldn't have otherwise.

"There's nothing like pointing a sidearm at a man and telling him that because a 'weak woman' will kill him he won't be let into Allah's paradise. You'd be surprised how that fucks with a soldier's mind."

"How did you know to say that?" Olivia was truly curious.

Cage looked up and sipped on her coffee. "I did my homework. Every time I go in somewhere I find out what it is that will give me an edge. I look at the culture, the religion, the attitudes and what really, really scares people. I want to know what scares someone even more than I scare them."

"Sounds like what the Comanche used to do. Find a man's weak center, what he loves more than anything else and threaten that. It worked." Olivia brought the plates to the counter and sat down.

Cage smiled softly. "Where do you think we got the idea? At the War College we were taught what the Indians did and how they got even the toughest cavalry boy to spill every thing he knew. 'Course most of those Yankee white boys pissed themselves in fear days before. Fear is a great motivator."

Olivia flicked an eyebrow up. "We are not Indians. We are the original owners."

Cage laughed open and wide. It was a full body laugh. "And I'm black Irish. That makes you and I a good match."

"Oh really," Olivia drawled playfully. "How is that?"

Cage leaned over the space and kissed Olivia softly. "We're both fecked beyond belief." Her grin was decidedly little kid like. "I guess I was a feck in Iraq because I saw Kuwait first. It was medieval. I saw what they did to the Kuwait people and I wanted some serious payback. I'm not proud of it, Olivia."

"But you still did it." It was not a question.

Cage nodded. "Yeah, I still did it. My first day we drove in and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the oil fires. They were throbbing like a heart beat. They were red and then black smoke. Thump, thump, thump." Cage closed her eyes. "It was three in the afternoon and it looked like midnight. We got to our interpreters family house and it was ghost dark. They only came out after they knew it was safe. The women came first, protecting and hiding the men. I can't even imagine what that was like." Cage took a breath.

"The Iraqi's killed four men in our interpreters family. Tortured them to death, for damn stupid reasons. The women hid five men in the family under the Iraqi noses. How bad is that for a man and his ego? I don't know, but what I saw was men grateful." Cage said around a mouthful of coffee. "This looks good."

Olivia pushed her breakfast around the plate. "And Bosnia?"

"Bosnia sucked." Cage answered flatly. "If I could remember more I'd tell you."

"I think you are remembering." Olivia stated as she picked up a crispy slice of bacon. "I think you just don't want to."

Cage quirked her head. "What?

"You heard me. You don't want to remember. It was bad enough that you speak of Sergeant Crimms and what they did to you in your sleep."

"Crimms died." Cage said flatly.

"But you didn't Black Irish Leader. She died from what I can tell walking behind her other warrior and then you followed," the voices invaded and swirled around. "You followed as a good war chief follows." A voice stated.

Cage shifted her head. "I only followed?I did not lead."

"You mourn your dead, your charges. It is not needed. We meet our spirit gods when it is time." The voice answered plainly.

"Bullshit." Cage gave back.

"Weak words from a white." A voice thundered to the left.

"I am not weak and I am not white." Cage shouted as she picked herself up. "I carry my culture on my sleeve and I dare you not to look away from that fecking bleeding."

A voice laughed to her left. "This one has a thick skin and too much pride. When there is too much pride we do not see when the winds turn."

Cage bristled as she watched Olivia struggle. "Let her go. I'll talk to you in the shitter if you have to, but let Olivia go of you."

Voices laughed. "She is our voice. Without her you hear us not."

Cage stood up and faced off. "And without her you are weak fecks who cannot speak to me. Let her go. I will speak to you regardless." It was a promise she would keep if it killed her.

Voices swirled around, confused, angry, no one had ever offered that sort of thing before. "She is released. We will test and see if your words are true."

"I don't fecking lie." Cage muttered as she wrapped her arms around Olivia to support her.

"I'm cold." Olivia stuttered in confusion. "It happened again." She took a moment to ground herself.

"Are you all right?" Cage's voice was soft and full of concern.

"Shaky." She admitted. "Coffee loaded with sugar?" she requested.

Cage squeezed her once more and moved away slowly. "How do you live with this?"

"How do you live with the ghost of the woman your friend lost? The woman you loved too?" Olivia answered without judgment.

Cage poured the coffee and loaded it with sugar before answering. "I get it. It's what you grew up with. You're used to it." She returned with the coffee and handed it off before settling back behind Olivia. "You have got to be the strongest woman I know." She kissed the back of Olivia's neck in reassurance.

"I could say the same about you." Olivia sipped the hot coffee and leaned back into Cage. "What else did you remember?" She asked to take her mind off the visit from the voices.

"Pub crawl in Dublin with Tommy. He got us into trouble with the Garda. That's the Irish police by the way."

"He got you into trouble?" Olivia's inflection gave away the idea that she didn't believe it. "I'm sure that's one very good story."

"It is." Cage promised and proceeded to give her version of the events.

***

Cage pushed the swing with her foot hard and fast not really caring if the upper frame hit the wall or not. The restless feeling was not something she could get rid of. And honestly she wasn't sure if she wanted to get rid of it.

She hated Olivia being away at a mandatory conference. It had been two days all ready with one more to do and she was going out of her mind with all the things that could go wrong. Cage took a breath and sucked down another swallow of beer. The pushing continued as her brain churned. Her little shadows had been oddly missing in action.

That made her suspicious. Suspicion made her curious. She almost smiled then had a flash of curiosity nearly getting her killed. Her smile died before it got to her lips. The memory was unexpected and uncomfortable. She had been just experienced enough to stumble into a dangerous situation and not experienced enough to be able to get out of it without getting hurt.

Cage got up off the swing and walked into the cabin, letting the screen door smack closed hard. She snagged another beer and twisted the cap off. A part of her brain wondered how she had lived this long. Another part of her brain was incredibly grateful for having been alive this long.

"I'm getting too old for this shit." She muttered and trashed the empty bottle.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the cell phone in her pocket announced a text message. She read it, erased and then dialed a number.

"Quinn." She announced when the line answered. She listened for several moments. "Repeat last." Again she listened, committing the information to memory. "Thanks. This makes us even." She paused. "I think. My brains aren't what they used to be." She flipped the phone closed and took another sip of beer. Then she began to pace.

If all went well in three hours an intelligence satellite would fly over the area, take very detailed photographs of activity in the compound. The photographs would be emailed to her raw. No other eyes would see them until she in turn sent them to someone else. Now all she had to do was kill three hours.

***

"Well, well. If it isn't my little bathroom window sneak." Mandy, the biker chick welcomed Cage with a grin. "You dodging suits again?"

Cage smiled as she settled into the barstool. "No, not this time. I came in the front door and I plan on leaving by the front door."

"Too bad, my bud's liked the free beer. What can I say? Those fuckers are cheap." She laughed to take out any sting that might have been in her words.

Cage leveled serious eyes at the woman. "I do appreciate it. If I can ever return the favor?" she let her voice trail off in offer.

"Nah." The Mandy waved off. "You bought the beer as promised. It's enough for us."

Cage nodded and ordered two beers from the bartender. "So," she wondered out loud "where's the posse?"

"Oh God, those guys? Out. Riding. It's a fantastic day so they're rolling. Thanks for the beer."

"Any time. Why aren't you riding?" Cage grinned.

"Freaking oil pan leak. It should be out of the shop by Monday."

"Now that truly sucks. Yours is the purple pan head right?"

Mandy grinned. "Ohh yeah. Bought it four years ago and love it like crazy. You know your bikes?"

"I have some friends who love theirs. I like them, but not enough to buy one." Cage admitted with a wry smile. "Hear any thing interesting lately?"

"Nah. Lately it's been slow." The woman answered then slowly stopped. "Well except Jimmy's missing, sort of."

Cage turned her head as she sipped on the bottle of beer. "How does one go 'missing, sort of'?"

She shrugged. "He said he was going on a road trip, but he's never been gone this long."

"Maybe he met someone?" Cage ventured and took a slow sip.

"Jimmy? He could have. But lately he's been hanging out with some real dickheads. Locals who like wearing camo like it was a fashion statement ya know?"

"Is he carrying new firepower?"

She shrugged. "I don't pay that much attention to tell you the truth. I'm here for the bikes, the beer and the men who don't have an old lady."

Cage had to laugh. "In a round about way I can understand that one."

"You still on the Sheriff's shit list?"

Cage had to think about the question. "Probably. Why?"

"Word gets around. Your girl is better liked than you or she might want to admit or know. Just some friendly advise."

"Where I come from advise like that costs." Cage bristled underneath a calm façade.

"Just some free beer and immunity from prosecution in this case." She answered with a slow smile.

"I'll keep that in mind". Cage said after several moments of thought.

Mandy took a sip of her beer then pulled up short, nearly snorting the drink. "Oh, man I almost forgot. You missed the best stuff the other night. There's this kid, rich as fuck and just a pain in ass, you know 'viva le revolution', 'fight the white man' which is funny as hell since he's pastier than Mozart in the movies." She took a breath. "So this kid horns in on a pool game going on and this chick just puts him on his ass. Not normal put him on his ass by punching him. She grabbed his wrist, twisted it and stepped on the family jewels. He cried like a girl." She laughed in a sinister sort of non-sympathetic way.

"So a couple buds of his try to walk in and this other woman slides out from the booth, all leather and real life 'tude, so she says you best be leaving this one off and let him take his lumps. Only she's got this really funny accent." Mandy sipped on her drink while her mind worked overtime.

"I got it, it was like that movie with Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt. What was the name of it? Totally sad story."

Cage blinked as she tried to follow the words. Finally she had enough. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"Keep up, total ninja woman backed up by some funny talkin' woman. It was the coolest thing around here for years. Then the two women take off and the Sheriff shows up since some nut fearin' boy must have called him. It was funnier than hell."

Cage shook her head. "It must have been."

"So where were you? It was great." Mandy flashed an oddly attractive smile.

Cage grinned. "I was in bed, not alone."

"Which is code for I really shouldn't ask, right?" Mandy finished her beer with a laugh and stood up away from the bar. "I am so not asking. It's time to play pool with some of the boys. I'd ask you to join me but they don't know you and they get nervous." She finished her beer and settled the bottle on the bar, leaning over slowly to Cage's ear. "Lindy is my mom's cousin. Your ass is covered if you're really protecting her. The boys like her too."

Then she was gone.

Cage shook her head. This she could not have ever guessed. As a near after thought she checked her watch. It was time. She tossed down several bills and high tailed it out of the bar.

***

While watching the raw video feed she had to shake her head. The sheer number of little ant like figures running around nearly gave her a headache. Someone was not running a half assed cult; they were training a full-fledged militia type unit. She watched uniformed figures set up targets, set up the firing line and pass out weapons and ammunition. Whoever they were they were acting like professionals, taking time to correct mistakes and apparently teach well.

"Fuck me running." Ran through Cage's head. "I can't call the gang." She actually said out loud. "This is too big and it's going to be messy, maybe backup but this is going to take guerilla tack's. This is gonna have to be illegal as hell." She had to chuckle into the air. If the public really knew half of what goes on they'd mutiny.

She pushed away from the feed and paced. Her brain worked better that way most of the time. Other than being known in the army as a scary freaking bitch she was known for thinking on her feet. She paced for a very long time, until she had to sit down again.

Still her eyes tracked the feed. Her brain was still not working like she was used to, it was not feeding out ideas; it was just absorbing. She checked her watch. There were too many hours left until Olivia would be there, keeping her warm. She closed her eyes for a long moment. Then opened them and decided that she wanted French toast and breakfast potatoes.

***

Lucy spotted Cage and yelled the order to her cook without even having to talk to Cage. The woman just had the 'I need a sugar rush' gleam in her eye. She poured a steaming cup of coffee and carried it to the general area Cage was walking.

When Cage sat down she was greeted with a cup of coffee and a grinning Lucy. "Your order is already in, don't even try to lie to me. I know you want the French toast."

"Lucy are you sure you're not Irish?" Cage laughed and sat back to relax.

"Please." She rolled her eyes. "With these looks? I'm all mutt." She laughed and bumped Cage's shoulder with her hip. "Where's your girl?"

Cage shrugged. "Out of town, but I haven't gotten tossed in jail yet." She joked.

Lucy laughed. "God help us all." She looked to her left. "Oh crap."

"Lucy?"

"Danny Denozi and his football buddies are walking up. His ex girlfriend is here with her cheerleaders and this will just get ugly." She answered with a huge sigh.

"You really know all this stuff?" Cage asked.

"It's a small town Cage, what do you think?" Lucy huffed and moved away to tend to another table.

"I think this town needs an Irish pub where nothing ever happens." Cage said to herself.

Lucy snorted. "Irish pub and nothing happens is an oxymoron. My sister was married to an Irish."

"My many condolences to your sister." Cage laughed.

"Are you kidding? She may not have always liked the idiot she married but she was never, ever bored." There had to be a story behind the smile on Lucy's face. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Cage watched the woman walk with purpose to another table. She then turned her attention to the others in the diner. For the most part she saw honest faces; people who did no wrong to others with intention. There were a couple of people who she could tell might have something to hide in the way the held themselves in a guarded fashion. Honestly, she counted herself among that category. Sipping on her coffee she watched the young man in a letterman's jacket as he sat with his little group of overgrown schoolyard bullies. Within just a few seconds of observing him she was suddenly feeling every year of her age. Even at her most bold worst she had never acted like this young fool. He never noticed as his coarse language offended an older couple trying to enjoy their meal.

Cage looked down for a moment, at war with herself. Part of her wanted to get up and smack some manners in to the boy. Part of her knew it would probably do no good what so ever. He had been most likely raised to be exactly who he was and his success on the field only enforced the idea that he was special.

"What the fuck are you looking at bitch?"

Cage looked up and watched as a single woman sitting in a booth near the football player lowered her eyes in a mixture of fear and embarrassment. In an odd sort of way the manner in which she wore her silver gray hair reminded her of her grandmother. Something inside Cage snapped softly.

"She's looking at an overgrown five year old act like a fool." Cage answered in an even tone as her eyes locked on to the football player.

Denozi's head snapped in Cage's direction. "Who the fuck asked you?"

"Well, you asked the question out loud and many people have called me a bitch so I just assumed you were talking to me." Cage quirked a small sneer.

"You need to mind your own fucking business." He grunted and smacked his buddy on the shoulder.

Cage nodded. "I'll do that as soon as you act like the role model you're supposed to be and not act like a spoiled child cussing people when they look at you because you're acting like an ass in public." She returned.

"Bitch, we can kick your ass so bad you can't talk." He challenged. His friends looked at each other, not exactly joining right in. "Right boys?" Only two of his friends nodded but no one backed him up verbally.

Cage laughed out right. "Son, you can issue that challenge again in about five years when you can actually back it up."

He stood up and pulled off his jacket. "Let's go right now."

Cage snickered again when he flexed a bicep into a bulge. "I hear you have a good chance to take the state championship this season."

He blinked at the change of topic. "Yeah. We're the best and I'm the best."

"Then do yourself a favor, sit down and eat your snack. Leave everyone here alone and then go do whatever you do after. I can guarantee that if you decide to bite off more than you can chew, you will not take the field. You will be too busy trying to relearn how to walk again with a wired shut jaw." She never raised her voice or changed her tone as she stirred a little more sugar into her coffee cup.

"Bull shit." He answered even as his voice lost some of its bravado.

Cage smiled at Lucy as she settled the breakfast plate in front of Cage. "Thank you, ma'am. May I have some more coffee please?" Cage asked making a point without even trying. Several of the older faces softened at her words. She readjusted her plate and closed her eyes.

"I said bull shit." Denozi repeated.

Cage did not open her eyes. "I'm saying grace, have a little respect."

All eyes snapped over to the young man who looked around and shut his mouth after feeling the silent wrath of his neighbors. He really did not want that sort of thing to get back to his mother. His dad wouldn't care, but his mother was another story.

"Yes, I would say having a little respect is good advise indeed." A man to Denozi's left said out loud as he stood up from his table and laid down the money for his meal.

"Better words have not been said Father James." Cage said as she finished crossing herself.

"I think my sermon on Sunday will address the callous attitude our young children are now exhibiting in this day and age." He continued casually as he placed his hat upon his thickly gray head. "Lucy I thank you for this meal." He started for the door but stopped at Cage's table. "By the way Captain Quinn, it's nice to see you again. I do expect to see you at mass soon and congratulations. I understand that you are a credit to your parents, this country and the army. "

Cage nodded. "I hope I did my parents proud. But I just did my job Father." She stated softly.

"And a fine job indeed as I hear it." Father James retorted as he resumed his walk to the door.

"Slainte agus tainte." She called after him with a small smile.

"Gurab amhlaidh duit." Father James replied, wishing her happiness and health as well as he opened the door for a young man in a letterman's jacket who was the size of a small tank. The boy walked passed Cage, did a nearly whiplash move then walked on to join his friends. He slapped hands with them and scrunched into a chair.

"What's up?" he asked and leaning over the booth stole some fries off his girlfriend's plate. "Hi baby."

"Hi Pat." She grinned at the attention. "Danny's pissy. He got put in his place by that woman over there."

Patrick looked over then at his friend and quarterback. "Oh you lucky son of a bitch. She's one bad ass mother fuck."

"Pat, I'm telling your mom you said that." His girlfriend threatened with a grin.

"And I'll tell your mom you let me kiss you." He fired right back.

"She knows that."

"Guess I won't cuss then for a while." Pat winked.

"You're pussy whipped." Danny accused.

"Yeah, and that's bad why? At least I have a girlfriend." He laughed without being mean.

"Yeah." Danny grunted. "What do you mean she's a mother fuck?" he nodded in Cage's direction who was busy chowing down on breakfast.

Pat laughed. "According to my dad, her family used to spend summers here. He picked on the wrong girl and she sent him to the ER. Broke his nose really bad. He says he never picked on another girl again. They say her dad was a badass green beret and he taught both his kids to be like him. You really don't know this shit?"

Danny shook his head. "I think its bullshit."

"Hey dude, it's your trip to the ER not mine. I ain't messing with her." Patrick promised.

"Pussy." Danny challenged.

"Dude you are so full of shit. The papers told her story. See that scar around her right eye? The bad guys in Bosnia caught her and they kicked the shit out of her last year. Look at her. She's alive and here. You think you can take her?" he laughed.

"Yeah I can." Danny boasted with a grin as he expanded his chest.

"Then go do it." A low grizzled voice from behind Danny sounded. "I'm tired of your shit boy. Quit talking and get to doing." The man in worn jeans and a faded long sleeved shirt challenged.

"Hi dad." Patrick said quietly.

"Mr. Magee." Danny greeted automatically.

"Danny, you been getting too big for your britches for a long time and most of us let you do it. But don't go there now. She'll make you hurt." He promised. "I'm a lot of things and most of 'em are bad, but there are things I don't do. I don't go cussing nice ladies like Mrs. Castle and I don't go messing when folks are saying grace. I know you're mother didn't raise you up like that. Grow up son before you ain't got nowhere to go." He finished quietly and nodded at his son. "Midnight curfew Pat."

"Yes Sir." Pat answered.

As Magee walked up to Cage's table he looked at her. "Quinn."

"Magee." Cage offered a smile.

"Nice scar."

Cage laughed. "Nice nose."

"Yeah. Should have ducked." He answered.

"Should have passed on that mission." She fired back. "Tommy has us both beat. He drove over a mine."

"You make him pay for that one?"

"Every time I talk to him." She promised as she took a sip of her coffee. "Your boy looks like a good kid."

"Yeah. His mother's doing."

She mulled it over for a moment. "And maybe his dad's."

He took it for what it was and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I learned something." He admitted after a moment.

"Maybe we all can. I know I did." She said slowly and then looked up at him. "Maybe it's time to put some things away. You drink beer?"

"Been known to toss back a few." He admitted.

Cage grinned. "Call your wife. You two are joining me in about half an hour for drinks. I gotta finish breakfast first."

"Breakfast is a good thing." He agreed. "I'll call her but I warn you, she might not like you. She says I snore 'cause of you."

"I could re-break it for you. You know make it even and all. You might not snore that way."

"Think I'll skip it. If she says yes, we'll meet you at The Dive." He said and resumed his walk.

***

The smell of coffee brought her back to the land of the living or maybe it was the more than annoying woodpecker drilling a hole from the inside of her skull. She lifted her body slowly and fell back against the pillow wondering what had happened.

The door to her room opened allowing a smiling Olivia to walk in dressed only in one of Cage's long sleeved shirts and a happy smile. In her one hand she managed two mugs of coffee.

"Now, that's a sight for very sore eyes." Cage sighed out loud.

"Sure, you say that now. When I got in you were impossible to wake up," Olivia sat down on the side of the bed and handed over a cup. "And you were mumbling in your sleep."

Cage took the cup. "I don't talk in my sleep. I'm trained not too." She leaned over and kissed Olivia softly. "Thank you for the coffee. It's very nice to see you."

Olivia smiled at the kiss. "Ok, but according to your non sleep talking you are mowing my lawn later." She had to laugh at the expression on Cage's face. "I'm holding you to that by the way. And it's damn nice to see you too."

"How was the conference?" Cage asked after a long sip of coffee. "You are a goddess for making coffee."

"I thought I was a goddess because you love me."

"Well, there's that too." Cage let herself slip into the Irish accent that Olivia seemed to like very much.

Olivia readjusted her sitting position and wrapped both hands around the warmth of the mug. "It was good. I made a few networking contacts that I think might help us with more funding. And made some contacts with a few more rural areas I think I can help with their problems. All in all good, but I missed you like crazy." She admitted in a softer voice.

Cage ignored the woodpecker in her head in order to lean closer to Olivia. Her free hand slowly reaching up to Olivia's face, brushing the back of her fingers along a soft cheek. "I do love you and I missed you. You are my goddess, my home and my reason for being. Next time I'll ignore the doctors and go with you."

"You can't fly yet." Olivia leaned into Cage's touch.

"Say's them. I'm a Quinn, I can do anything." She smiled gently.

"Except talk in your sleep and mow." Olivia laughed, nearly spilling her coffee on the bed.

"I do not."

"And you don't snore either." Olivia challenged smugly.

"I admit to nothing, but they did apparently break my face so if I do and it's a big if, it's not entirely my fault."

"Cage is it ever your fault?" Olivia wondered out loud.

"If you listen to Tommy oh hell yeah."

"I should listen to Tommy more often." Olivia laughed. "Oh I learned another one." She interrupted herself. "Dia duit ar maidin. Did I say it right?" she asked shyly.

Cage smiled softly. "You said it right. Good morning to you as well." Cage kissed her woman gently with no small reverence. "You really have to teach me more Comanche, you know. I'm sadly lacking in that area lately."

Olivia kissed back and sighed. "It's easier to teach a Comanche the Irish than it is to teach an Irish Comanche. Sometimes my people don't have a translation for your words. But right now," she kissed again "I really don't want to use words." She let out a long slow breath. "I want you."