(A/N): This is the big finale, enjoy...kat

With the music blaring with no mercy, everyone lost himself or herself to the beat and left reality. A man stepped into the club and made his way over to the bar while looking at the place. When he placed an order, he turned his attention to the side floors and dark corners. The bartender placed the drink in front of him and sized him up. The shirt was a silky black with the top button left undone and his pants were a dark blue with a little slack in them.

The jaw line was rather noticeable and his eyes were eyes of blue magic. The bartender rubbed the back of his head and noticed the man surveying the club. He stepped back to the side entrance and slipped out from behind the counter. He walked to the back of the club and quietly slipped into a personal room only for top business employees. When he shut the door, he flipped on the light and looked directly at shadow in the corner.

He took a quick breath and said "We've got a new one tonight. He's rather good looking and seems to be on an assignment."

One eyebrow went up and he heard "Just see what he's up to."

He sighed and said "I tried that as I filled his order. Just, I couldn't get anywhere."

The form stood and said "Fine. I guess I have to do this myself. Just make sure the two don't come into the club while I'm out there."

He nodded and watched the form move to the door in the shadows. When she stepped into the light he watched her leave the room. He followed her out and returned to the bar. His eyes followed her movements onto the dance floor and then he returned to his job. She spotted him working again and she took a deep breath as she moved into the dancing pattern.

Men began the normal assault on her, and she played with them as her eyes scanned for the new guy. Two strong arms wrapped around her waist and she felt the warm breath on her neck. She let the game continue as she looked and then she spotted the new one. Her blood became cold and she turned to the man holding her waist. He raised an eyebrow and she held her tongue as he swept her off the dance floor.

Their exit didn't go unnoticed and the guy paid his bill before he slipped out the door. He slipped his jacket on and slowly began to make his way to his vehicle when he heard a low voice around the corner. When his ears picked up some words, his eyes narrowed and he turned to the street. His steps were quiet and he stopped just before the corner. With his back against the stonewall, he turned his eyes to the corner and listened.

"Come on now. You know that when you let me bring you here this would happen."

He heard a struggle and started for the corner when a punch was heard. When he rounded the corner, he found the man running down the sidewalk after someone and he shook his head. The distraction had put him minutes behind and now he had to get back to work. He walked back to his car, but stopped when he recognized the voice finally. He jumped into his car and started in the direction the two had gone off in.

It took a few minutes to find the man and he spotted the guy running into the local graveyard. He pulled over to the curb and killed the engine before getting out. When he crossed the street, he looked around the place and entered the cemetery. There wasn't a single sign of life, but it didn't stop him from pursuing this man. He heard a low chuckle and followed it until he saw the man standing between some headstones and looking up at a tree.

His eyes followed the man's gaze, but he only found the trees empty and began thinking that the man had finally lost it. When the man stepped to the tree, some leaves rustled and he looked back up the trunk. A black metallic object caught his attention and he spotted the man climbing the tree. He stepped back into a space of shadows and watched as the tree moved. The man fell to the ground holding his arm and his eyes saw someone fall to the ground.

With the moon hidden behind clouds, he couldn't see the person and then he heard the man growl "You will regret that, brat."

He heard skin on skin and he made his eyes focus harder until he made out the man standing over his prey. The man was far beyond help and the prey moved slightly to the right as the gun came up. When the man only laughed, he was knocked onto the ground and the person sprang up. Some moonlight hit the ground and he watched some brown hair fall down from being bound on the back of the person's head. His body reacted immediately and he watched the person turn their gaze slightly to him.

An empty gaze slightly focused on him and he watched her take off further into the cemetery. He felt his muscles breathe and he walked over to the fallen man. The idiot was in a daze and he couldn't help but knock the man into utter darkness for some time. Then he looked in front of him and started to track the woman. When he entered the old cemetery in the middle of some woods, he stopped moving and looked around.

He could tell he was being watched and he slowly began to step up to an old tombstone hoping to lour the person out. When he looked at the name on the tombstone, he felt his chest tighten and looked over his shoulder. She stood there with the gun pointed directly at his chest and he looked firmly at her. Not a single blink from her and he lifted his chin in a game. The gun shifted in her hand and she moved it upwards until it was pointing at his head.

"Are you going to shoot me? What a way to greet me."

Her eyes became slits and he asked "Well, are you going to answer me or just point that gun at me until we die?"

Her face tightened inwardly and he said "Well, I guess I'll start. You look horrible. I thought you lived in New York. I didn't think you lived in hell."

She set the gun and said "This is hell, you idiot."

Now she was participating and he said "Glad to see you can still talk. So, New York is hell now. I'd never thought it."

The hand on the gun tightened and she asked "What do you think you're doing here?"

He smirked and said "I'm here to help you."

She sent him a cold look and said "I don't need your help."

His chuckle was hard and he said "Apparently all your friends and your boss think you do."

When her finger rested on the trigger he asked "Do you really want to shoot me?"

She stiffened and said "I just want to be left alone."

One eyebrow went up and he asked "Since when have you wanted to be alone? Wasn't it just three years ago that you needed someone to love you and you left that person in their hotel room after a night together and didn't say why?"

Some of the dark hand slipped from her soul and she said "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what's happened, or what I've lost."

He stepped up to her and said "Tell me before you kill me so I have a clue as I die."

She backed away and said "They took her away and the one person who was to end it for me was killed by my boss."

Another step closer and he asked "What about Jared?"

Her arm lowered slightly and she said "Got out of jail and decided to try a new game."

Standing with only the gun separating them, he wrapped his hand around the gun and met her gaze. She didn't react to his touch outwardly, but he knew he was getting somewhere as the gun slipped into his hand. Then he saw the wall finally come down and he tossed the gun to the ground. When she took a deep breath to regain her control, he smirked and took one of her hands. He began a soft massage on that hand and caused her to lighten up until she jerked away.

She turned away from him and said "Go back home."

He shook his head and said "I can't do that. You'll kill someone."

Her eyes remained hidden and she said "The only way out."

His hand turned her face back to him and he said "Now that's not true. There's one more way."

She avoided his gaze and said "You can't believe that."

He chuckled and said "Oh, but I do."

His left arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her into him just as he saw one tear finally fall. He brushed his thumb down the trail and watched her remain still even though they were both starting to burn. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath while he studied her face. His eyes studied the lines time had formed under her eyes and then they drifted to her mouth. No sign of a smile and he knew it had to have been that way for a long time.

He watched her look up at him and he felt one hand sneak up his chest to his neck. When he kissed her lone hand, he watched the flame brighten her eyes for a second and then disappear. He smirked at the response and ran his lips over her forehead. Her hands tried pushing against his chest at first and then she just let him touch her. When he looked her in the eye, he found her watching him as if she expected him to turn around and disappear.

He smirked and asked "Has anyone else kissed you?"

Her eyes widened a little and she asked "What on earth? Are you insane?"

He chuckled and said "I had to ask. I didn't want to have to hurt a poor man who had no idea that you're taken."

She stiffed at those words and said "I'm not taken. I haven't been taken since high school."

Another chuckle and he said "Please. Even if it's not a relationship for flaunting, you know we only have each other and no one else."

Her body loosened slightly and she said "I don't think so. You've been having fun and seeing other women."

His arm jerked her into his chest hard and he said "You know better than that. Don't think you can turn this around."

She pushed at his chest and said "Just let me go home."

He shook his head and said "Not happening. You're staying with me until I know what to do with you."

He could feel her pulse jump for a second and he chuckled as he received her look. She was going to kill him one way or another and he hoped so.H e took a deep breath and leaned in with his lips brushing hers. It sent a jolt through both of them and he looked at her. When she just held his gaze, he smirked and started a deep and passionate kiss.

She stiffened as he touched her and when he looked at her, he saw her watching the shadows. A rustle of a bush nearby made her eyes become hard again and she pulled away from him. Her eyes looked for her only weapon, but she couldn't find it anywhere. Then another rustle made her eyes advert back to the bush and then Jared appeared. He eyed the man next to her and then he looked at her.

Her eyes met his and he asked "Found another sucker to drag along into our little game?"

She shrugged and said "Not like I could prevent it if I wanted to. You always seem to know when to show up and ruin my life all over again."

He chuckled and said "At least you accept it. However, our little game is finally over."

She rolled her eyes and asked "When are you really going to mean that?"

Her gun was aimed at her and he said "I do now."

Some truth echoed in his tone and she said "About time."

Another chuckled and he said "You seem rather impatient."

Her eyes were growing cold and she said "It's not like I have anything to live for."

The gun was set and she tilted her head while waiting for the time to finally come. When he started to pull on the trigger, she was knocked onto the ground and then the shot came. She rolled onto her side and saw Jared stumbling back as a red stain formed on his shirt. Then she glanced up and saw the gun smoking in the hand of the man above her. Her one escape was gone for good and she felt her frustration starting to break.

He pulled her up to him and she said "You are an idiot."

His face was stone and he said "As are you. Now that he is no longer a threat, let's get out of here."

She jerked free of his touch and said "I'm not going anywhere with you or anyone else."

He shook his head and said "I tried the nice way."

He knocked her off balance with one swing and she found her footing as she let the pain fizzle on her jaw. When she met his gaze, she found determination in his eyes and she shuddered. She stepped back and started walking away. The instant she heard him following she picked up her pace and made a break for it. Her mind directed her instinctively to the bridge and she stopped at the midsection.

When she felt a cold breeze run over her arms, she ran her hands over her cold skin and looked for any sign of him. She looked over the edge of the bridge and watched the freezing water rage underneath. Her right hand wrapped around the rope near her and she let her hand strengthen its grasp. She heard a distant engine coming her way, but she didn't let the thought click. With a deep breath, she pulled herself up onto the railing and looked down at the water.

Her jaw worked rapidly as she fought to control her raging emotions and then an arm pulled her backwards. She stifled a curse and looked over her shoulder at the idiot. When she saw him watching her, she bit her lip and waited for him to begin lecturing her. It didn't come and she turned her gaze down the road so she didn't feel his magic.S he spotted Kari and Daniels further down the bridge with Ken next to them and her frustration began raging again.

She quickly turned back to him and said "You bastard. You're here just to help them."

His eyes were cold and he said "Quit lying to yourself."

Her temper started to kick in and she said "I'm not the one lying. You know where you belong and it's not here."

He gripped her wrist tightly and growled "You better rethink that. I still haven't gotten over you leaving like that."

She met his temper and said "I had no problem doing it."

He tugged her into him and growled into her neck "You can lie all you want, but Hallie told me."

Her eyes widened and she said "Let go of me."

His breath was on her cheek and he growled "I will never let go. You don't want it."

Her jaw worked to hold a curse and she said "It's not like you actually care what I want."

His eyes burned into hers and he asked "Are you that dense woman?! I've told you how wrong you are several times!"

She felt her pulse quicken at the look in his eyes and she asked "How can you expect me to believe you? It's not like you can do anything to prove it to me."

His face was tight and his eyebrows came together inward as his eyes stared into hers. Her pulse jumped and she could feel his body heating hers beyond breathing. When she thought she was going to suffocate, he captured her mouth and shielded her from the world. She felt her arms drift up around his neck and she knew he had won. She felt his mouth move down her throat and she closed her eyes as she tried to comprehend everything.

She had left her life in Texas to start over for the final time, but she was still found. One of her friends had given up her location and she knew Jared had done something to gain that information. She had hid from the world while still living in it. Then she was discovered and her two chances of being freed were taken away at the tip of her hands. Now she stood here in this man's embrace and the fire within was bursting for an escape.

His lips returned to hers and he whispered "Come with me."

She looked up at him and he said "Come with me and forget about all of this shit. You need it just as much as I do. There's something I want to show you."

Her mind worked on his riddle and he said "Don't think about it. Just tell me you'll come with me."

She stared at him for a few minutes and then something within softened. Her body slowly slipped out of being high strung and into the peace she missed.S he glanced down at the people watching them and held Kari's gaze. When she saw the woman nod, she looked at the ground and then returned to his face. A smile slowly appeared on her face and she pulled him down to her.

He looked at her and she said "I'll go with you."

He smirked and said, "About damn time."

He found her mouth again and she felt herself finally begin to come back together. She had lost so much throughout her life starting with this man and now she was finally healing because of him. Now she knew that everyone hadn't lost her. Now she knew where she belonged and it was right here in this man's arms and his fiery passion she had experienced glimpses of.

PGS