The line continued trying to connect to the other end, but just rang continuously. Frustrated, he hung up and threw the phone onto the table in front of him with a growl in his throat. Then he ran his hand down his face and let out a deep breath as he fought to calm down. The door opened and he looked up to see Jeff watching him with one of those smirks. It was the same smirk she wore all the time and he grunted in disgust.

Then he leaned back in his chair and asked, "You found her yet?"

Jeff leaned against the wall and said, "Sure."

His eyes widened and he asked, "Well, where is she?"

He watched the man think and then heard, "She has no idea."

He grunted and said, "You make it sound as if it were true."

Jeff shrugged and said, "I was talking to her last night, but I don't know by which means because I couldn't trace the call. She did complete her mission, but she won't tell me where she is."

With a sigh, he pushed himself up from his seat and said, "I bet that mystery boy knows where she is."

IJKL

A bluebird rested on the window seal and basked in the sun's rays while whistling his morning song. The notes were quiet, yet strong enough to float through the room and over to the bed. The soft music brought her mind out of sleep mode and she listened to the song. When it came to the end, she opened her eyes and saw the bluebird looking at her. With a smirk, she sat up and stretched her arms before she turned back to the window.

The bird cocked his head and she asked, "Are you going to stop? You sing lovely."

He started to sing again and she looked out the window to the lit grounds around the place. It had been a week since they had arrived, but it still wasn't clear on why the location was in a restored castle. True it had all the technology you could possibly need to run an advance agency, but the question is why would it be used for such a job. A clicking sound caught her attention and she looked at her door. The knob was slowly turning and she instinctively snatched and set her gun.

When the door opened, she narrowed her eyes and the woman froze in her spot. The tray fell out of her hands and she quickly dropped to the floor to pick the mess up. Casey smirked and laid her gun aside as she slid out of bed. Then she knelt next to the little old maid and helped her pick up the dishes. Once everything was on the tray again, they stood and the woman nodded.

She did a curtsy and said, "Thank you so much. I hope I didn't spoil your breakfast, Madame."

The same self-disgust hit her and she said, "Please, just call me Casey."

Again the woman curtsied and said, "But of course. Whatever you wish."

Casey shook her head and asked, "Before you go, can you please tell me your name?"

A big smile crossed the woman's wrinkly face and she said, "I'm Elizabeth Jennings, but everyone calls me Beth."

With a nod, Casey opened the door all the way and said, "Well, thank you for bringing me breakfast. I do apologize for scaring you."

Elizabeth nodded and quickly disappeared down the hall with an unknown skip in her pace. She watched the hall become quiet again and then she closed her door. Though she liked knowing whom she was around, she needed her privacy as she let her mind process everything. Slowly she walked over to her window seal and leaned her arms on it as she listened to the songs coming from the trees.

"Just what have you gotten yourself into this time, Casey?"

Something broke the peaceful music and she quickly looked over at her phone that lay resting on top of a cherry oak dresser. She quickly answered the call and sat on her bed.

"He is getting restless."

Her eyes narrowed and she asked, "What do you want?"

"I want you to come back from wherever you are. I can only hold him off for so long before he comes looking for you."

She sighed and said, "Please do what you can to stop him. I still don't know enough before I can come back."

She heard his chuckle and he said, "Very well, but you'll have to explain once you return to us."

With that, she ended the call and put her phone away. She let out a sigh and took a deep breath as she tried to recover the lost peace. She returned to the window and as her eyes drifted over the marvelous landscape, her mind played back everything from the time she had arrived.

The engine came to a stop and she opened her eyes to find them stopped next to a magnificent castle one could only find in a fairytale. She slowly removed her helmet and slid off the bike as she looked over the sight in front of her. Her helmet was taken from her and she looked back to find him watching her as she took in everything. Obviously he was well aware that she had fallen asleep with her head on his back somewhere down the road and the thought made her look away as her face burned.

He stepped next to her and said, "This way."

Slowly she followed him to the door and when he knocked on it, she asked, "Why is your organization here?"

His deep eyes looked at her and he said, "That will be for you to find out. Now, they're waiting for us and have a suite and a hot bath ready for you if you want one."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she asked, "What?"

He shook his head and the door opened to expose a tall elder gentleman wearing a pair of black dress slacks and a white shirt. His hair was cut cleanly and she noticed that his eyes held the same shadows as the man next to her. She knew they were connected in the past, but the truth wasn't going to be easy to find. The man smiled a bright smile when he saw her and his old hand took hers in a warm grasp that sent caution through her entire body.

She looked directly at him and he said, "Hello. I'm Ben Matthews and it is quite an honor to meet you."

Her gaze slid to her left and she asked, "What is going on?"

He looked at Ben and said, "Show her to her suite and then meet me for a meeting."

The elder man nodded with his smile still shining on his face and he said, "This way, Madame."

The name made her teeth cringe and she sent Ty one last look of questioning before she followed the man into the castle. As he led her up the grand stairwell, her eyes took in every inch of detail from the brick patterns on the floor to the portraits on the walls. When they turned down a brightly lit hall, she studied all the paintings and the fibers in the red carpet they walked on.Ben opened a set of double doors halfway down the hall and she slowly stepped inside.

He bowed and said, "Your assistant will be with you soon, Madame."

Before she could say a single word the man had disappeared down the hall and she was left alone. Slowly she removed her gun from the inside of her jacket and laid it in a drawer of a table next to her bed. Then she unhooked her phone and placed it on top of the table. Some sunlight shown through her curtains and she pulled them back to gain the full warmth of the light on her face. She rested her arms on the window and looked down the land all around.

One door opened and she spun around instantly to find a little old woman standing in the room with a white robe in her arms. She wore small granny glasses that made her face look like it belonged in a nursery rhyme book. The woman nodded and stepped to a side door on the right side of the room.

The vapors reached her skin and the woman said, "Your bath awaits you. We must get you cleaned up before you eat dinner."

Her eyes studied the woman once more and she walked into the bathroom. It had to be a fantasy to see such a large place inside what appeared to be a normal size bathroom. The door closed behind her without a sound and she walked over to hot tube. She ran her hand through the water and looked up to see that the shower head was sparkling dry and appeared to be brand new.

'I guess it's worth a try.'

She pulled her hair up off her neck with a tie lying on the sink and then she removed her shoes. She put her socks inside the sneakers and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. It wouldn't be lying if someone thought she looked like a monster out of a swamp; she looked like she was about to drop.

A knock on the door brought her out of her memories and she turned around in time to see him closing the door behind him. She knew he had come to show her another part of this organization he was running in hopes of finding the people who killed his mother and stepfather. When their eyes locked, she felt her breath stop halfway up her throat and she tried to hide it with a casual mask.

It obviously didn't fool him and he said, "There's one last thing you should see. Then you can leave for your organization whenever you please."

She felt her muscles slowly slip into relaxation and she said, "That sounds like a good plan, but I doubt your workers would go for it."

He nodded as he stepped in front of her and said, "They do appear to be quite fond of you."

Her eyes met his fully again and she said, "Still, when we are finished I must get back home. Jeff needs me there so much that he called me a few hours ago."

His eyes left hers as he looked over her and she could feel those eyes leave a path of burning wherever he looked. She fought to regulate her breathing, but she only ended up failing when his hand brushed a strand of hair from her face. When their gazes finally locked once more, she bit her lip and she could almost see a light chuckle in his eyes.

Then he stepped back and said, "Let us be on our way."

Though she could breath, she knew it was against her will that he had withdrawn and so she followed him without a word. He led her down to the first floor like always and they entered the basement as if it were the same thing as before. When they reached the core of the organization, he led her through a different tunnel. It took them into complete darkness that caused her to stop for a minute and refocus her eyes. When they emerged from the tunnel, they were near a well-lit pasture that held several different herds of horses.

She looked at him and he said, "These are our treasures and the escape we need if we become too stressed."

Slowly she followed the movements of the creatures in front of them and started to understand what he had meant by escapes. As her eyes and mind followed the creatures in the pasture, she remained unaware of his gaze lingering on her. His eyes studied how the wind played with her red fiery hair and how her dark skin seemed to become dark chocolate. The spell began to intoxicate his senses again, yet he found this time it wouldn't be shoved away so easily. He watched as her green eyes moved along the pasture and then he brushed some falling hair off her face.

The small contact made them both stop moving and she took her gaze from the pasture and turned it onto him. When his hand ran through her hair, he let his mind capture and save the soft texture of it. Then he looked into her eyes and she ran her hand along his jaw. The touch was relaxing, but it also ate away at his control quicker than before. Slowly he took in the sweet scent of her shampoo and then he ran his lips over her cheek.

It wasn't much but still it made her eyes become hazy. She ran her hands through his hair and felt his arm secure her up against him. The mixed body heat was unbelievable and she took a deep breath trying to recover some air. When his lips traveled down her neck, she closed her eyes and let out a silent sigh.

'This isn't you. Stop before you get too far into this game that you can't get out.'

When his lips ran along her jaw, she sighed and mumbled, "Too late to turn back."

He looked down at her and asked, "What?"

She slowly looked at him and said, "It's took late for me to turn back and walk away from you."

A small smirk crossed his face and said, "I see."

Her eyes followed his for a little and then he lifted her chin up until they were exactly eye-to-eye. His hand next to her pulse increased its rate and she ran her hands along his neck.

He held his lips inches from hers and breathed onto her mouth, "You've seen everything."

She smirked and said, "I know."

She was able to gain a glimpse of his smirk before they became lost in one another and she became helpless to stop the storm. When a moan escaped from her, she pulled back and watched as his agent mask slipped back on. Slowly she forced her gaze away from his and she took a few steps back to catch her breath. Right now was not the time to start losing control with him again. Her eyes looked to the pasture one more time and then she started walking back to the castle.

Her mind screamed to keep going and not look back at him, but then his hand fell over hers and she froze. An arm wrapped around her waist and soon her back was rested against his chest. She could feel his breath caressing her neck and she bit on her lower lip to keep from being consumed. When she felt his gaze burning the back of her head, she let out a silently sigh and turned around to face him. It was a mistake and she knew it all too well.

She bit her lip hoping that he'd keep the so-called distance they had since they had arrived, but instead she felt his hand run down her cheek. Her eyes slowly became mesmerized by his and she let his hand move through her hair. When his lips ran down her neck, she knew her breath was gone and found herself savoring the touch. Her eyes fell closed and when his lips ran over her jaw, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He stopped and said, "The servants want you to stay."

She looked at him and asked, "What about you?"

The mask remained perfectly intact and he said, "That doesn't matter. It is your call if you are going to return to working for your brother or if you will stay and assist us."

Slowly she ran her hand over his face and heard herself say, "I want to stay here. This is what I've always wanted."

His eyes narrowed slightly and he asked, "But what?"

She pulled her hand away from him and said, "I have responsibilities with my brother and there's Buck."

The mask became hard and she heard, "Do you even care that you aren't happy with that idiot?"

A smirk crossed her face and she said, "I don't anymore. I use to think that I was happy, but as time drew on, I became more aware of everything."

His eyes darkened more and he growled, "Forget that fool. Close things with your brother and stay here."

She smirked and said, "Sounds like the workers here aren't the only ones that want me to stay."

Those deep eyes flashed and she asked, "Am I right?"

He pulled her up against him and growled, "Just do it."

Before she could respond, his mouth plundered hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He secured her to him with one arm and held the back of her neck with his free hand.

Then everything stopped and he said, "I'll take you. Go get your stuff that you will be turning in."

IJKL

With a sigh, he leaned his head against his hand and took a long swig from his glass in front of him. His eyes ran over the papers in front of him and he slowly picked up the pen. He placed the tip on the first line and filled in the last name. When he got to the first name, the door opened and he looked up. The pen fell from his hand and he quickly left his chair.

He pulled her into a tight embrace and said, "Thank god."

She gasped and said, "Can't breathe."

Instantly he released her and asked, "Where on earth have you been? It's been too long."

Her green eyes met his and she said, "I've come to turn in my resignation. I'm done here, Jeff."

The world froze at those words and he asked, "What? What on earth are you talking about? What do you mean, you're done? Where have you been?"

Casey laid the resignation file on the desk and said, "I've been somewhere that I'm needed and I am going back. My things have been taken from my apartment and everything that I used to work with in the field is put in storage for the next agent."

She took a deep breath and continued, "I've been here too long, Jeff. I let myself be used in order to please people, including Buck."

His chest tightened and he asked, "Casey? Are you saying that you're just going to leave your home after being gone so long?"

With a slow nod, she looked at the door and said, "I am."

Then she walked to the door and quietly opened it, without looking back. He gripped the edge of his chair and watched her close the door behind her on the way out. Then he looked down at the paper and his eyes stopped moving as he looked at the signature. The space was filled not with her signature, but the signature of another person's. Immediately he ran to the door and ran down the hall until he saw Casey turning in her cardkey.

When she walked over to someone waiting in the shadows, his eyes narrowed as his mind made the connection. Then he watched the man stand straight up and when they headed to the door, he ran down the steps.

He reached the bottom steps just as the man opened the door and yelled, "Casey!"

She looked back at him and he said, "You're making a mistake. I can't let you leave."

Jeff quickly closed the space between them and said, "You walking out that door won't solve any problems. It will only create new ones."

Casey shook her head and said, "You're wrong, Jeff. I need to get out of here. This is all I've ever known."

He nodded and said, "That's why you mustn't leave."

She sighed and said, "Someday I hope you see what's out there for you, but I'm not going to wait for that day. I'm getting out of here and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"He might not be able to, but I as sure as hell can."

Casey looked over her shoulder and found Buck standing in the doorway with his gun set and aimed right at Ty. She looked at the man next to her and found the mask perfectly in place. A glance behind her told her that Jeff was almost on top of her and she took a deep breath. Her eyes followed the finger on the trigger and when it pulled slightly back, she threw herself onto the man next to her. They hit the floor just as the gunshot echoed in the hall.

Slowly she looked up and her eyes watched Buck fall to his knees as the gun fell to the ground. Then she looked at her brother and knew what had happened, what she had wanted to happen. When he looked at her, she quickly got to her feet and moved to his side. Her eyes examined the wound and then she looked up at the face that she knew would give her the remaining strength to finish what she had started.

Then she looked at Buck and said, "Notify Tammy. I need to get him to the ER immediately."

The man remained on his knees and she yelled, "Go! You're only killing him, you fool!"

Those words snapped Buck back to reality and he quickly disappeared up the stairs. With him gone, it gave her some room to examine the wound more thoroughly. When she found the bullet barely into the skin, she bit her bottom lip and tried to think.

"What are you thinking about?"

She looked at Ty and said, "I'm trying to think what I could use to remove the bullet now. It's not through the skin entirely."

He looked at the wound and then said, "I've got a knife."

She smirked and said, "I thought I could count on you."

He handed her his knife and she went to work on getting the metallic object out of the fallen man. When the bullet rested in the palm of her hand, she slid her jacket off and tore her sleeve for a plug. She placed it on the wound and started applying pressure just as the sound of footsteps reached her. In a matter of minutes, Tammy knelt next to her and looked at the wound.

Then she stood and said, "Let's move him. He's stable."

Two men lifted Jeff onto a gurney and Casey got to her feet as the unit disappeared down the hall. When she looked at the bullet in her hand, she took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. She knew he'd pull through without a problem and she also knew that he wasn't going to try stopping her again. With this knowledge, she closed her eyes and would have collapsed if Ty hadn't been standing right behind her.

She sighed and he said, "Let's go."

She felt him pick her up and she looked up at him just as they exited the headquarters. The sun was warm as he carried her over to the Learjet and when they were inside, the pilot took off. With the jet taking them back to the castle, Casey rested on a bed in the bunker as she recovered from the whole event. It was too close to be relaxed and she let out a deep sigh. Then she heard the door open and she looked up to see him watching her.

Her eyes fell closed and she felt him sit next to her on the bed. His hand ran through her hair and she felt her muscles loosing up to get some rest. When his hand brushed her cheek, she forced her eyes open and found her gaze lock with his.

Slowly she sat up and asked, "Crazy day, huh?"

He remained silent and she said, "You didn't have to come."

She waited for a response, but he just watched her with his eyes that drove her crazy. When his hand ran along her cheek, she closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh of defeat.

Her mind started to enter sleep mode and then she heard, "Rest."

Her eyes opened once more and he said, "You had a long and stressful day. Sleep will ease the aftereffects and then you will be able to tackle your next job."

She couldn't help but smirk at his words and slowly she asked, "What about you? Are you going to get rest or are you going to go bug the pilot the entire trip home?"

He chuckled and said, "I'm not going anywhere."

She smirked again and said, "Good."

Slowly her eyes fell closed and she felt him pull her onto his lap. With his arm securing her to him, she rested her head on his chest and let the sleep slowly take control.

Before she was out, she said, "Thank you."

He rested his head on top of hers and asked, "For?"

Casey looked up at him and said, "For helping me become free."

His eyes lit up slightly as he smirked and he said, "You did the same to me."

Then he kissed her briefly and she let out a sigh just before her mind shut down for the rest of the trip. When she was sleeping, he looked down at her face and felt something stir inside. Never before had this happened to him, and he wasn't going to lose it that easily. He may have lost his mother to the gang he is pursuing, but he is not about to lose this woman that had slipped into his system from the moment he laid eyes on her. She had somehow stirred up his childhood feelings and never again would he be able to live without them, or her.

A soft sigh escaped her and he brushed his lips over her forehead before he laid them both down on the bed. He pulled the blanket up over them and then he rested his gaze on her. His arm rested on her waist and he took in her scent just before he joined her in sleep.

PGS