"It's a letter silly!" Kim shot back at him, taking at sip of Monica's JD, before handing it back to her.

"Ask a stupid question. Get a stupid answer." Carlos said to himself taking  out the letter from the envelope. Kim sticking out her tongue at Carlos who didn't even see her.

"So Butch, when's the next live band coming?" Michelle asked him while Carlos started reading the letter. While they talked, Trent and Monica noticed the worried, and almost freighted look on Carlos's face as he read the letter.

"You ok buddy?" Trent asked him, and with that Carlos dropped the letter on the table with a shocking look in his eyes.

"Carlos? What's the matter sweety?" Michelle asked him placing her hand on his shoulder. Monica then leaned over and took the letter, Trent looking at as well.

"It's from the Department of Justice." Trent read out to the others and Monica then began reading out the letter to everyone.

" -Dear Mr. Sandoval

The Department of Justice in Texas would like to inform you that the prison of Huntsville has released convict Jack Lasovsky on account of good behaviour on the 24th of October 2000. He has been under the guard of a Parol officer, and will remain with him for a further 3 years. You will be notified of any changes and we trust you understand.

Thank you - "

Everyone kept quiet as Monica finished reading the letter and once she was done, Carlos got to his feet and started walking towards the door. Michelle then quickly got to her feet to follow him. "Carlos wait!" She yelled as she ran after him.

"The letter was sent a week ago." Trent adds seeing the date of the letter.

"Who's Jack Lasovsky?" Kim asked them confused.

"He was the guy who killed Carlos's partner a few years ago. He's also the reason why Carlos left the force." Trent informed her. He knew well enough that Monica and Michelle knew Lasovsky since they read his file at the Station. But this happened before Kim came to work for Trent and Carlos.

Once outside in the sunlight, Carlos tried to catch his breath. He leaned against his car and closed his eyes, the images of Jack slashing Theresa's throat right infront of Carlos went through his head again. He still wondered to himself that if he hadn't laid his gun down, if Theresa would still have been alive today. He really did have feelings for her, he just wished he had the guts to have told her that. Carlos opened his eyes again hearing Michelle come out of the Bar, walking towards him with a sorry look on her face.

"O Carlos, I'm so sorry." Michelle said coming up to him, placing her hand on his cheek.

"Don't touch me! Stay away from me Michelle! I'm not save to be around!" Carlos said pushing her hand away and turning away. Michelle steps back, shocked at him. Carlos had never refused her touch before and it hurt her, bad.

"Listen Carlos. Pushing me away, it's going to make things better! I just want to help you! You weren't responsible for Theresa's death! Jack killed her, not you!" Michelle told him holding back her tears, trying to seem tough.

"Because of what I said! You don't know what happened that day! So if you want to stay alive, I suggest you stay away from me Michelle!" Carlos shot back at her pointing his finger in her face. He felt like he was killing himself with every word he said to her. But he had to, it was the only way she would be save, away from him.

"Fine! You don't want me near you, I'll leave!" And with that Michelle turned away and walked down the street to her car. Every bone in Carlos urged him to stop her, but he kept back. It was for her own good. Michelle got into her car and raced off, past Carlos as he watched her turn off behind the building. Feeling his heart being ripped out with her disappearance.

***

"I still can't believe Carlos said that to her." Monica said coming into the living room carrying a bowl of popcorn and a bottle beer. She handed the beer to Trent sitting on the couch infont of the tv in their living room on the ranch. Monica then sat beside Trent and placed the bowl next to Trent's feet on the table infront of the couch.

"He's just worried about her Mon. He thinks she'll be safe that way." Trent said watching the movie start on the tv and grabbing a handful of popcorn and then leans back on the couch, placing his arm around Monica's shoulders.

"Maybe. But you now as well as I do, that in a time like this. You need a loved one close to you. Not push them away." Monica said cuddling up next to Trent.

"Well, I'm sure they'll work things out." Trent said looking at her, she smiled back at him and brushed a kiss across his lips and then the two relaxed to watch the movie on the tv.

***

Michelle quickly closed the window when she saw the water pouring inside her kitchen. Once closed she looked outside her window and saw the night lights light up the city of Dallas, the rain pouring hard, and the thunder roaring. She then turned back to her noodle's cooking on the stove, the soft music playing in the background was barely hearable with the hard noise of the rain outside. Michelle's attention was then turned when she heard three hard knocks on her door. She took the pot off the stove and walked towards the door, she unlocked it and then opened the door, feeling the cold wind coming inside the apartment. The open door revealing a soaked Carlos standing infront of her door, his head hung down.

"Carlos? What are you...."

"I thought I could save her. I knew that because of what I had said, he was holding that knife to her throat. I.....I thought I was making the best call under the circumstances.....I was wrong. I am just so afraid for you Michelle. I don't care what happens to me, but if anything should happen to you. I don't know if I would ever be able to forgive myself. I love you SO much. And I'm so affraid of losing you." Carlos told her trying to hold back his tears, he looked up at her. Into her crystall blue eyes, his powerful dark brown eyes filled her with a love that she couldn't fight.

"I love you too. And you'll never loose me." She said and stepped over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him passionaitly. Carlos wrapping his arms around her waist, picking her up and carrying her into the apartment, kicking the door shut as he walked inside. Outside in the rain across the street a large man closes his long over-coat jacket from the cold. He watches the apartment until the lights go out and then walks down the street to his car.

***

Michelle and Monica walked down the hallway in a fast pase. They greeted their fellow officers as they passed them, they soon arrived at Captain Harris's office and with a quick knock entered the office, seeing Captain Harris look up at them from behind his desk.

"Ah, just the two Detectives I wanted to see." Captain Harris said putting down his pen and closing the file he had been working on.

"We are?! Listen Captain. We need the address of where Jack Lasovsky is staying with his Parol officer." Monica said first confused and then stated their business with the Captain. The only way they would be certain if Jack was still with him, was to go and check on him themselves.

"Really. That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Captain Harris said and a confused look shot over both Detectives.

"What do you mean?" Michelle asked him after sharing a glance with Monica.

"I mean. I want you two to head down to 44 Buck Avenue. One of the prisoners called a few minutes ago, said the Parol officer is dead." Captain Harris informed them, both of the Detectives eyes widened at the Captain's words.

"Dead? How?" Monica asked him.

"Heart attack." Captain Harris told her.

"We'll get on it right now sir." Michelle said grabbing Monica's arm and the two walked out the Captain's office. Monica then took out her mobile phone and dialled a speed number. She then waited for an answer.  "Trent, it's me. Meet me at 44 Buck Avenue with Carlos. We've got trouble." She said and with that the two Detectives walked outside the elevator.

***

Monica and Michelle soon arrived at the scene and saw Trent and Carlos waiting in the Corvette. Monica pulled the black Porche behind the blue Vette and switched off the powerful engine. Once out of the car they were greeted by their men and the four made their way into the building. Monica and Michelle flashed their badges at the two police officers on the scene who led them inside the building to the dead Parol officers room. Once inside they found the body sitting on the couch infront of the tv. Monica and Michelle put on their gloves and starting searching for evidence. Trent and Carlos also helping them.

"Have all the prisoners check in?" Michelle asked the one officer holding a chart of the list of prisoners what were under the guard of this dead Parol officer.

"Not all of them Detective. Their allowed to stay out until seven tonight." The officer told her after quickly glancing at the chart. Carlos walked closer and checked through the list, looking to Jack's name.

"Well, seems our friend Jack Lasovsky hasn't checked in yet. Not since yesterday." Carlos said handing the chart back to the officer. Trent scanned his eyes through the room, searching for some kind of clue. He then noticed an empty whiskey glass on the small table next to the couch. He stepped closer and also found a small white bottle of pills. He checked it and found that there were only about four left, and there were supposed to be twenty in the bottle.

"Hey guys. Check this out." Trent said turning to the others, Monica walking up to him and took the bottle from him.

"Heart pills. You think he might have overdosed on this?" She said reading the label from the bottle.

"I don't think so." Trent said looking back at the whiskey glass on the table. He picked it up and looked closely inside the empty glass.

"What is it?" Carlos asked him stepping closer.

"I think he was murdered. Look. There some soft of white powder in the glass. A drug of some sort?!" Trent said showing it to the others. There was a white powder floating around on the little whiskey in the glass.

"Bag this guys." Monica said handing the glass to the officer next to her.

"You think Jack Lasovsky is responsible?" Monica asked them, but the look on their faces said it all.

"I'd bet my life on it." Carlos said turning and walking out the room. Trent, Monica and Michelle soon followed him outside the building to their cars.

"So what now?" Trent said turning to Monica.

"We put a search out on Lasovsky. He's our prime suspect right now." She told him taking out her phone. Carlos watched her dial a number and then a light bulb went off in his head.

"Wait a minute! Remember that night at the club when someone informed Cruise that we were PI's?" Carlos tried to explain to them, everyone looking at him and following.

"Yeah so? We still haven't gotten the call traced." Michelle told him.

"So, what if Lasovsky was the one who called him? He might have been there that night following us?!" Carlos told them and then everyone realized that he might be right. Jack could have been following them to the club each night, and when he saw them making their move, he called Cruise to get him to take care of the guys.

"Maybe. We'll be sure when the trace comes through." Monica said and then turned away talking to someone on her phone.

"I know it was him Trent. I just know it!" Carlos told him sure of it. He turned and looked down the street, unaware that they were being watched from the small diner across the street.

***

Michelle rinsed the sharp knife off under the tap and then turned back to the kitchen table to start cutting the carrots on the wooden board. Once finished she threw them all into the pot boiling with water, she then lifted the lid of the pot next to it and saw that the rice was still cooking. She then turned hearing the phone ringing in the living room. She wiped her hands clean and walked over to the phone.

"Hello?" She answered and smiled hearing the voice on the other line.

"Hey you. How's dinner coming?" Carlos asked making a turn down the street in his Durango, the windscreen wipers working franticly to keep the rain off the windscreen.

"Almost done. You almost home?" She asked him looking out the window and seeing and seeing the rain pouring hard outside.

"Yeah, just want to stop by the store and pick up a wine." Carlos said pulling the Durango up next to the store, and switching off the phone.

"Why Mr Sandoval. You'd make me think that you were the romantic type." Michelle said smiling.

"Yeah well, I'm just full of surprises baby. I'll see you in a few minutes, Bye."

"Ok, bye." She said and put the phone head piece back, and then turned back to the kitchen to continue with the cooking. Carlos quickly ran through the rain and once inside the store shook himself off and started looking for the perfect wine.

Michelle tasted her finger, she decided that the sauce needed a to be stirred a little more. In doing so a little spilled from the bowl onto her white blouse.

"Dammit!" She cursed herself and put the bowl back on the table, trying to wipe the stain off she walked towards her room to change her top. Once inside she unbuttoned her blouse and selected another little pink top to go with her short white skirt. She turned back to walk out up noticed the floor near her window soaked with something. She bent down and touched it, finding it to be water. She looked up at the window and found the huge window to be half open. She stood up and closed it, and then continued out the room, not noticing the puddle's of water shaping into footsteps a few feet further.

***

Carlos paid the store owner for the wine he had selected and then ran back outside in the rain to his car. He pulled away and headed in Michelle's direction. Carlos was glad he and she worked things out. After thinking about what she had said, he knew that he really did need her with him. But he would make sure Jack didn't come anywhere near her. Over his dead body, would he let the same thing happen to Michelle what happened to Theresa.  Michelle turned her attention behind her when she heard something, putting the spoon down on the table she walked towards the living room, where she heard the noise.

"Carlos? Is that you?" She called, not there was no answer. Once inside the dark room she didn't see anything or anyone. She signed to herself and took a deep breath, turning back to the kitchen she was suddenly grabbed from behind her neck and spun around. Michelle fell into her small wooden table and it broke with her impact. She looked up to see a man wearing a long overcoat walking closer, she couldn't see him face in the darkness. Michelle tried to get to her feet but the man bent down to her and covered his body over hers. Pinning down her arms he ripped her pink top open revealing her bra. Michelle tried to scream but was hit through the face each time she yelled.

"What do you want?!" She yelled at the attacker who's face came into the light, Michelle's eyes widened in seeing who it was, Jack Lasovsky.

"You." He said in a cold tone, and bent down to her face. But Michelle forced her one knee up, crushing it into his grouch. Jack moaned in pain as Michelle rolled his body of hers and she sprang to her feet to run for her gun in her room.

Outside Carlos pulled up infront of her apartment building, he switched off the engine and got out of the car, carrying the wine.

Michelle reached her gun, but before she could take it out of it's holder. Jack grabbed her from behind, swinging her around again. Michelle spread her arms trying to break her fall into yet another table. Her arms swept off the table lap which went crashing through the window.

Carlos stepped back hearing the crash above him, looking up he saw a lap hanging by its cord from Michelle's window, hearing a loud scream from the room. Carlos raced towards the entrance of the building, taking out his pistol.

Michelle rolled over to see Jack wrap his hands around her throat, squeezing it hard. Michelle gasped for air but couldn't get his grip loose. Trying to hit him with her fist and her legs pinned down flat on the floor, she starting feeling dizzy, not being able to keep awake anymore.

Carlos ran up the stairs and finally reached her door at the far end of the hallway.

"Michelle?!?" Carlos only waited a second before stepping back and firing three shots at the door lock. Jack heard the gun shots and let go of Michelle's throat, quickly making his way out of the bedroom window. Carlos kicked the door open with all his force and once inside, held his gun up. Looking for something to aim it at, he didn't see anything and started his way towards the bedroom. Once inside he saw Michelle lying on the ground gasping of air, he quickly went by her side and lifted her head.

"O my God! Are you ok?" Carlos asked her, helping her sit up straight.

"I'm fine! He went out the window! Get him!" She tried to tell him, still coughing and breathing hard.

"You sure?" Carlos asked her, not wanting to leave her.

"Yes. Go!" She told him and with that Carlos went for the window. He peered his head outside and saw someone climbing down the steel railing.

"Stop!" Carlos yelled before climbing through the window and making his way down the steel steps. The rain pouring down hard, Carlos took it slowly as not to slip on the railing. He kept telling himself to just keep going, ignore the height, and catch that son of a bitch. This was no time for his acrophobic to kick in. He climbed down the steel ladder and fell the few feet to the alley ground. He took out his pistol again and aimed it down the dark alleyway, he turned the other way seeing people walking past the alley down the street. Carlos then turned back the other way and slowly walked past the cars parked in the alley. He couldn't see inside the cars as the rain kept coming down hard, but he checked each one. By the third car Carlos thought he saw someone in the car and stepped a few feet back from it, keeping his pistol aimed at him. But suddenly from his right, down the alley, bright lights came roaring towards him with great speed. Carlos stepped infront of it and pulled his trigger, the bullets drilling into the cars bumper and into the glass. But it kept coming and Carlos tried to jump out of the way, and the front corner of the car caught Carlos as he tried to get out of the way. It hitting him, he fell into the trash bins next to the wall. He felt the pain in his side as he tried to quickly get up. But he kept lying there, watching the car speed down the alley way, into the street, barely missing the people walking past. Carlos closed his eyes and lowered his head. Once again Lasovsky had gotten away. And he knew he would be back.

***

Monica carefully carried the cup of coffee from the kitchen towards the living room. Greeting the fellow officer walking past her. Once inside the room she handed the cup of coffee down to her friend, who looked up at her and tried to smile taking up from her with her one hand, the other one holding the blanket over her shoulders.

"Thanks." Michelle said in a soft voice as she took the coffee from her friend. Monica then went to sit next to Trent on the couch next to Michelle. Carlos finished talking to Mike at the other end of the room, giving him his statement. Once finished he walked over to his friends and took a seat next to Michelle, wrapping his one arm around her shoulder. Moaning slightly feeling the pain in his side again.

"Well, their going to try and trace the license plate number I got from the car." Carlos told Trent and Monica sitting next to them. Mike them walked to the four putting away his statement book.

"We're done here guys." Mike said to them, and the officers started making their way out of the apartment. Monica and Trent then got to their feet and walked up to Mike, looking back at Carlos and Michelle.

"We should probably go too. You guys gonna be ok?" Trent asked Carlos and Michelle who both gave a weak smile.

"We'll be fine. Thanks for coming down." Carlos told them.

"No problem buddy. Take care." Trent said before he, Monica and Mike started their way out the room. Once they closed the apartment door behind them, Carlos turned to Michelle who hadn't said a word.

"You sure your ok?" Carlos asked her, guiding his fingers through her hair.

"I thought...he was going to rape me. I was so scared." She said trying hard to hold back the tears, putting the cup of coffee down on the floor.

"O God I am so sorry. I never should have felt you alone." Carlos said putting his hand behind her head and lying it on his shoulder.

"This isn't your fault......Just hold me, please?" She said breaking out in tears. Carlos wrapping his other arm around her and holding her tight to his body.

"Sure." He said and kissed her head. Resting his head on hers, the two sat there until Michelle fell asleep. Carlos watching her sleep, made him realize how close Jack had come to raping her, even killing her. But this wouldn't happen again, Carlos would track him down, and bring him to justice. Even if it meant taking matters into him own hands, just like he did in the beginning. And this time, Jack wouldn't harm the one Carlos loved.

***

Carlos sat on the couch, reading the local papers and seeing that a week after Jack had attacked Michelle, the papers still wrote about it. He figured it would better the chances of finding Jack with the papers talking about him. The license plate numbers had turned up to be false ones, and the phone trace came up finally. It was made from the dead Parol officer's stolen mobile phone, and Carlos had a good idea that Jack was the one who stole it. Carlos then turned his attention as Michelle came walking into the office, smiling as she closed the door behind her, she greeted Kim and then went over to Carlos on the couch. Once she sat beside him, he leaned forward and gave her a warm kiss. The bruise above her head wasn't as blue as it used to be from the attack, and she looked better.

"Where you been all morning?" He asked her wrapping his arm around her.

"Had to stop by at the station. I saw Monica and Trent there. They told me to meet them here, and if you ask me, the two seemed to be up to something." Michelle told him smiling.

"Oh boy! I can imagine. Hey Kim. Do you know anything about this?" Carlos said raising his one eyebrow and looked over to Kim who was sitting behind her desk, typing on her computer.

"Oh no you don't! You ain't gettin nothing outta me buster! It's a surprise!" Kim said to him, taking her eyes off the screen.

"A surprise huh? So your part of this scam too?" Michelle added, starting to wonder what the three were planning.

"Mmm,....maybe." Kim told her smiling. The office door then opened and Monica walked in, Trent following her. The two smiled seeing that Carlos and Michelle were already here.

"Hey guys! Good your here!" Trent said taking off Monica's jacket and hanging it up and the rack, along with his.

"So come on! Tell us! What's this surprise you guys arranged?!" Carlos asked excitedly, Trent and Monica held a second of silence and then glared over at Kim standing behind the desk.

"I didn't tell them nothin!" Kim said raising her hands in defence. Trent and Monica just smiled as Monica then took out a brochure and smiled at Carlos and Michelle who were still confused.

"Me and Trent have made reservations at 'the' most beautiful cabin this side of Texas. We leave tomorrow, so you guys had better pack your bags, cause we...are going on vacation!" Monica informed the two excitedly. The smiles then disappeared from Carlos and Michelle's faces. Sure it all sounded great to them, but there still a killer at large. They couldn't go on holiday right now. Trent, Monica and Kim saw the down faces and then lowered their hands from the air.

"Um, this is usually the part where you say: 'Yea! We're going on a vacation!' Come on guys!? We thought you would be happy?" Kim said cheerfully to them.

"We are Kim. But do you guys think this is the best time to go?" Carlos said trying to sound excited. Trent and Monica then realized why they weren't so happy to be going now.

"Carlos come on. The only way your gonna get through this is if you take a little break. Besides, me and Monica talked to Walker, and he said he would make sure they continue head strong about finding Jack Lasovsky." Trent informed him.

"And I talked to the Captain. He said he would be glad to give me and Michelle the weekend off. So please oh please can we go!?!?" Monica said placing her hands together jumping up and down. Trent wrapping his arms around her and both giving the couple puppy eyes. Carlos and Michelle looked at each other and smiled.

"Alright fine! We can go!" Carlos said finally agreeing. Trent and Monica cheering him as they both went and jumped onto him. The two couples laughing in joy as Kim stood there laughing at them crossing her arms.

***

Monica opened her eyes and finding herself leaning against Trent, her head resting on his shoulder. She looked past him out the window and saw miles of trees and bushes as they drove over the mountain. She sat up and saw Trent still snoozing in the back seat of the Durango, Carlos driving and Michelle in the passengers seat talking to him. Michelle then looked back at her through her sunglasses and smiled seeing her friend awake.

"Morning sleepy head." She said to Monica smiling Carlos looked in the rearview mirror at Monica in the back.

"Hey. How long have we been driving?" She asked them wiping her eyes with her hands.

"About 3 hours. We should be there in a few minutes." Carlos told her turning the Durango off the road onto a sand road, leading into the woods.

"Oh good. I can't wait to smell that clean fresh air." Monica said looking out the window at the trees flying by.

"Well then allow me!" Carlos said smiling and using his widow opener he automatically opened the window on Monica's side. The wind blowing through her air, blowing it in all directions, and in a mess. Monica kept still and lifted her one eyebrow.

"Gee thanks Carlos. I really needed that." Monica said sarcastically. Trent then slowly started to wake up from the noise of the roaring wind coming through the window.

"Oh now your gonna get it!" Monica said seeing the grumpy look in Trent's face. If there was one thing he didn't like was being woken up on a road trip, and usually it was Carlos always doing it.

"Oops! Sorry buddy!" Carlos quickly said and closed the window. He looked back again at his friend, but was met with a small pillow in his face, the one Trent's head had been resting on. Michelle breaking out in a laugh as Carlos just nodded back at Trent and then turned his head back at the road up ahead. Monica also laughing, and then taking her hair out of her face and tying it into a ponytail. Trent sat up straight and yawned as he stretched his arms out, wrapping them around Monica bringing her closer, kissing her cheek and hugging her tight. Most men were grumpy and mean after waking up from a nap, but not Trent. He was even more lovable and adorable after waking up.

"Hey! Come on, none of that in my backseat!" Carlos said looking in his rearview mirror at the two behind him. Trent looked at him sarcastically and lifted one eyebrow, and then continued kissing Monica's cheek and neck. Michelle smiled at the two and looked infront of here again, sharing a smile with Carlos as they both watched the road infront of them. Soon after the two couple's arrived at the main cabin office where they registered at the reception and were told how to get to their private cabin. It took another hour to reach it, but the second they saw the beautiful two story cabin, it took their breath away. Located on the banks of a flowing river, and tucked away between the huge trees around it. Carlos pulled the Durango infront of the cabin and everyone quickly got out and walked up to the river. The fresh air filling their lungs as they walked up to the bank. Trent's arm around Monica's shoulder, and Carlos's arms wrapped around Michelle's waist.

"Oh guys! It's beautiful here! Thank you so much!" Michelle thanked Trent and Monica.

"Told you guys you would enjoy it here." Monica said wrapping her arms around Trent's neck.

"Come on. Let's go unpack." Carlos said and with that they all headed back to the car.