Chapter 13

Getting Jacinda from the car into her small house without touching her too much, was a challenge, but they managed.

Both men were standing there looking at her stretched out on her couch when the door flew open as Doctor Gains ran over to her.

Sandy knelt down beside the couch, brushing the hair off Jac’s face. “Oh, look at you. What did you do this time?” Jac didn’t respond; just lay there with her eyes closed, breathing slowly. She stood up and started for the kitchen. “What was she doing?” She glared at the men as she passed.

Reid followed her to the kitchen, stopping where he could still see the couch. “What medical condition does she have?”

Sandy turned, setting the canister on the counter. “I wish this was a medical condition that could be cured.” She grabbed the kettle and filled it. Plugging it in, she opened another cupboard. “Now tell me, what was she doing?”

Reid’s mind was swimming. A medical condition that had no cure? She couldn’t be cured? “Uh, she wanted to go to the sites and look around…” The woman spun around to glare at him.

“The murder sites? Where bodies were found?” The tall man nodded, she slammed the box onto the counter and then ran to Jac. Dropping to her knees, she leaned right over her face. “You were playing in death?” She brushed the hair away from her pale friend’s face again. “Are you crazy? Do you want to be a vegetable or something? We don’t know what could happen, you were practically paralyzed the last…”

Jac’s mouth quivered. “You’re losin’ your cool in front of the men, doctor.”

“Oh, who cares.” Sandy dropped back onto her heels and looked at her. “What am I going to do with you?”

Jacinda opened her eyes slowly, turning her head. “Make me tea?”

Sandy scowled at her. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t pour it over your head!” Standing up, she walked back to the kitchen, shaking her head.

“I’ll have the detectives arrest you if you do…” Jac called softly after her. She saw Brent standing at her feet, looking down. She knew Reid was behind her, looking more confused than his partner. “Oh, inquisition time, I hate this part.” She pouted at Brent. “Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll explain everything.” Turning, she looked up at the green eyes studying her face. “Completely.” She whispered.

She continued to look up at Reid. He felt like she was asking him to find patience and understanding, but his mind was so mixed up right now that he didn’t know what to think. Moving slowly, he leaned down on the back of the couch and looked into the pained brown eyes. “You scared the shit out of us.”

She bit her lip. “Sorry.”

Reid sighed. “Just do what you have to do; we’ll discuss this in detail, later.”

Jac nodded, closing her eyes for a few seconds, she blew out a breath. Her head was a blend of pain and spinning at this point. She knew she had very little time before sleep took her, she had to try to explain. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see Reid’s face still hovering over hers. “Did they check the blood screens again?” His eyes widened. “I think Ms. Thomas was possibly drugged or drunk or something.” She glanced away from the serious green eyes to the man standing at her feet. “And I think we need to find out if any of the women—had suitcases packed—even overnight bags.” Jac didn’t like the blank expression on Brent’s face, so she looked slowly back at Reid. His wasn’t much better. Taking a few more deep breaths, she tried again. “I think maybe the change of clothes was done after the murder.”

“No shop talk until you can sit up.” Sandy walked over carrying a tray. “Get yourself propped up and get this into you.”

Jac knew Sandy’s voice sounded harsh, but she also knew that if she looked at her friend’s face, she would see concern, if not tears. “Yes, doctor.” She mocked, pulling herself slowly up on the cushions. With a shaky hand, she clasped the cup Sandy held in front of her. She hated this part too. “Uh, can’t they make this stuff smell better?” She grimaced, then sighed before taking the first sip.

Sandy sat on the edge of the coffee table, looking at the men still towering over her. “Sit! Let her at least settle her stomach before you start grilling her.”

Jac moved only her eyes to look at Reid. He was looking at Sandy with his eyes huge. “Doctor, we don’t even know where to start.”

Sandy smirked as the men moved to sit. “I’m warning you, the first obscenity or foul name you use, I’ll have you removed from this building so fast you won’t know what happened.”

Jac gave her a shocked look. “Wow, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today or what?”

Sandy covered her face for a moment and took a few breaths. “You scare me to death every time, Jac.” She dropped her hands into her lap. “I’ve been so afraid you would try something like this as soon as you told me what you were doing.” She shook her head. “I know you want to help, but…”

“There was no other option, Sandy, they found another last night. We’ve hit walls in all directions…”

Sandy held up her hand, studying her for a moment. “Last night?” Sandy moved quickly to sit beside her. “You’re lucky you didn’t put yourself into a coma.”

Jac kept her head down; trying to avoid eye contact with the men.

Brent leaned forward on the chair. “I know we’re detectives, and puzzles are kind of what we do, but if you two don’t explain soon, my brain is going to implode.”

Jac grinned at him and then covered her face. She sipped the tea again, an obvious stalling tactic. Hesitating, she glanced over at Reid. He sat opposite her, leaning forward on his knees, watching and waiting. “It’s not that I don’t want to explain, I just don’t know how to explain.” Slowly, she sat up and waited for her head to stop spinning. Exhaling loudly, she looked from one man to the other. “Every time I’ve tried to explain, it hasn’t gone well.”

Sandy sat there, watching her intently. Sandy knew what she could do, but from the look on her face, she didn’t know how to explain it either. Turning her head, she looked at the men briefly and then back to Jac. “You could do what you did with me, I mean, once I stopped freaking out, I was okay.”

Jac smirked at her. “Freaking out? I thought you were going to beat me to death with your black vase.”

Sandy shrugged. “Reflex. What we don’t understand scares us, so we tend to want to squash it.”

Reid sighed. “Someone—anyone, explain something.” He glanced at Brent briefly. “I am not a patient man.” He held up his hand with his thumb and first finger an inch apart. “I have about this much left before I start growling.”

Sandy smirked at his demonstration. She glanced at Jac, who sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn’t delay what she hesitated to do in the first place. Looking back at the two men, Sandy leaned forward, taking on her doctor’s persona. “Jacinda can sometimes see things.” Both men continued to stare at her blankly. She turned back to Jac, who rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.

“Fine.” Pushing herself up, she turned around until her back was facing them. Leaning against the couch, she mumbled. “I feel like I’m in some freaky magic show when I do this, Sandy.”

Sandy bit her lip to hide her grin and then looked back at the men. “By See, I mean see images and things, but not with her eyes.” She ignored the skeptical snort that came from one of the men, but her spine straightened. “I’ll need something personal from each of you, but not embarrassing, please.” Sandy stood up and held her hand out towards Brent. He didn’t move. She pushed her open hand more aggressively toward him. “This is not a ploy. Do you want answers or not?”

Brent just sat there and looked at her. Reid stifled a sigh. They were pulling his leg, right? This was a joke of some kind. When Sandy continued to stand there without so much as a smirk, he frowned over at his partner. Reid shook his head in disbelief.

“It can’t be paper or clothing,” Jac said quietly.

Brent reached into his shirt, pulling out his chain and pendant. Lifting it over his head, he handed it to the crazy woman standing there, impatiently holding out her hand.

Reid gave her a “you’ve got to be kidding” look when she stepped in front of him. When she continued to stand there, glaring at him, he leaned back and pulled his keys out of his pocket. Working the pendant off the ring, he handed it to her and leaned back again. He knew his blood pressure was going to spike if they didn’t stop screwing around, then he would start yelling.

Sandy sat down behind Jac. “Ready?”

“Yeah.” Jac held up her hand, palm up. When the doctor lowered Brent’s chain into it, Jac closed her hand around it and took a few deep breaths as if she was trying to find some focus.

He knew Brent was waiting for them to say, ‘gotcha!’ as he was. When he heard Jac laugh softly, he figured it was now.

Jac shook her head. “Really, Sandy, next time, please specify something they weren’t wearing during sex.” She smirked. “Cute blonde though, Brent, love the ladybug tattoo.”

He leaned forward and squinted at her. The doctor looked over at Brent with a smug look on her face. She turned back towards Jac when she heard her sigh again.

“Your mom gave this to you when you graduated from the academy, that’s so sweet that you wear it, Brent.”

Reid’s head snapped around to see the look of complete shock on his partner’s face. He didn’t know how she knew, but he knew from his friend’s expression that she couldn’t have been more on target.

Carefully, the doctor took the necklace out of Jac’s open hand and reached over, and held it out to his still shocked-looking partner. She waited while Jac took a sip of her tea. “Are you okay?”

Jac shrugged. “Weak as a baby. My head is starting to pound, I’m still not sure I won’t pass out or throw up, but I’ve got enough left in me to finish this.”

Sandy looked at her opened palm again and then lowered the small angel pendant from Reid into it.

Jac closed her hand. She took a deep breath, then smiled. “This little angel has seen a lot of miles and moods, Reid.” He frowned. Anyone would know he drove a lot of miles, it was part of his job.

She opened her eyes suddenly and looked at him. “I’m shocked,” she whispered. She closed her eyes again and cocked her head to the side a bit. “The sister must have thought you’d need your own personal guardian angel throughout your life. Reid, it’s sadly touching.” Holding her hand, she waited for her friend to return the pendant. “I just need a few minutes here.”

Sandy leaned over and held the angel out to him.

He scowled at her and took it from her hand. Reid went over to the window. How did she know that? No one on the planet knew that, but himself and Sister Mary.

Jac opened her eyes and looked at Sandy as she stared at the tension radiating off the man standing by the window and then at Brent, who still hadn’t closed his gaping mouth. “This moment, gentlemen is where my warning comes into effect,” Sandy said very loudly and sternly. Rubbing a hand over Jac’s shoulder, “Do you want to try more tea or something light to eat now?” She glanced at the clock. “You know you’re going to take a really long nap shortly. It always goes better if you have something in your system.”

Jac just nodded but continued to lean against the couch. When she heard Sandy walk out of the room, she closed her eyes again.

“Always goes better? You do this often?”

She sat there for a second before turning to answer Brent’s question. He sounded genuinely curious. Turning slowly, she curled up in the corner of the couch and looked over at him. He gave her an uncertain smile. “I try not to do this at all, actually.” She shrugged. “But a few times, I’ve passed out when I’ve been unprepared, or didn’t know what I was getting into.” She looked down into her cup. “And yeah, soon I’m going to bottom out and sleep like a rock for hours.”

Brent leaned forward, the necklace still dangling from one hand. “I’ll get to some sort of logical questions at some point, but for now, I mean—wow!”

Jac grinned at his words, she felt like she wanted to cry. This was the first time in her life that anyone had taken it this calmly. She sniffled. “It’s really not so wow on my end of things.” Looking over at Reid, his back to her still, she sighed. He still hadn’t looked at her. Taking a shaky breath, she looked back at Brent. He had followed where she was looking and offered her a helpless shrug. She cleared her throat. “There’s beer and stuff in the kitchen if you’d like something.”

Brent smirked at her and understood. “I’ll go see if anything appeals, thanks.” He stood up and looked over at his partner’s ridged stance. “Want anything, Reid?” The other man just shook his head.

Jac sat there watching him. His back was straight and tense. “Reid?” He didn’t turn or speak, just held up his hand asking her for a moment more. Her whole body felt heavier now. Turning, she drooped sideways, her head supported by the back of the couch so she didn’t have to expend any further energy to stay upright. She could hear the other two talking quietly in the kitchen.

Reid turned slowly, still looking down at the angel he held in his hand. Finally looking up from his hand, he looked at her for a few silent minutes. She was curled into the corner of the couch, trying to hide in it. He looked like he had so many thoughts going through his head at once he couldn’t grasp onto one. He looked down at his hand again. “I don’t believe in this.”

“In angels or what I just did?” She asked softly.

His eyes moved to her. “Both.”

She thought for a moment. “Neither do I.” She gave him a serious look. “In angels, that is, as hard as I try not to believe I can do this, I’ve never been able to escape it.”

“You mean run?”

She shrugged. “A bit of both.”

He took a few steps toward her then stopped. “Since the moment I met you, things haven’t added up. But I couldn’t or wouldn’t have drawn this conclusion.” He clenched his jaw a few times. “Why did you change your name, Jacinda?” His voice was shaking.

“For all the reasons I told you before, I just didn’t tell you how I helped.”

Reid moved quietly over to the chair , leaned against it, and continued studying her. “People found out.” She nodded. “How many times have you had to relocate?”

She sighed and focused on her empty cup. “Three. This is the longest time…” She didn’t know what to say, so she just sat there, waiting for his logic to kick in.

He put the angel pendant into his pocket and sat down, placing his hands in his lap. “Your phobia of being near strangers, this explains it.”

Jac nodded. “I learned at a young age that even accidentally touching the wrong person can bring me to my knees if they’re angry or filled with other strong or violent emotions.”

Reid let out a long breath. He leaned back and watched her for a moment. She was fighting to stay conscious now, her eyes growing heavier. Turning his head, he looked towards the kitchen. “You two can stop hiding in there now.”

Jac chuckled quietly to herself. She could picture them peeking around the corner, waiting for the battle to begin. Brent came around the corner first, he was smirking.

“How dangerous was what you did today?” Reid asked quietly.

She turned back to see the serious green eyes studying her again. “It was …”

“Really stupid.” Sandy finished for her as she walked into the room carrying a plate of cheese and crackers.

Jac sighed and took the plate. “I had to try, Sandy.”

Reid leaned forward in the chair, taking the can he was handed. “Try what? Exactly”

Brent nodded. “Yeah, cuz from where we were sitting, you looked like you were just sitting there looking around.”

She took a few nibbles of cheese before looking at him. “I didn’t get anything from the first few. Mostly because they were found on surfaces that don’t hold vibrations.” She took the cup Sandy held out to her. “Wood and metal seem to hold the strongest images for the longest time.”

“The factory and boat,” Reid stated quietly.

Jac nodded; handing the plate back to Sandy, she shook her head. It was past the point where she had the energy to eat. Lifting her head, she looked over at Brent for a moment, then to Reid. “I saw him,” she said quietly. “Through their eyes.” A tear rolled down her face. “Elaine was so strong, right until that last moment, she never faltered.” She glanced at Sandy, who had her hand over her mouth and terror in her eyes. “And I can never let her father and sister know.” Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. “Later, I’ll see if I can sit for a sketch or something.” She looked at Brent for a moment, not sure of the expression in his eyes. “Just please, run those blood tests again from Ms. Thomas, she was so groggy and incoherent, maybe we can trace a substance or something.” Reid nodded, leaning forward with a look of pain and mixed emotions. “The clothes part has been driving me nuts.” She took an unsteady sip of the tea. She had to hurry, she felt like she was being pulled down into a dark hole. “They struggled and fought, yet their clothes were perfect. There was no sign of a break-in at their homes…”

Brent nodded again. “I’ll see if any relatives knew of a trip.”

Nodding, she rested her head back against the couch again. Taking a deep breath, she grinned and tried to keep her eyes open. “I’m done.”

Sandy wiped the tears off her own cheeks and got up. “Come on, we’ll get you to bed, and then I’ll camp out here with a good book or something.” She was just reaching down when her pager went off. She straightened up and pulled it off her belt. “Damn.” Looking at it, she grimaced. “I’m on suicide watch this week, I’ll be right back.” She walked quickly over to her purse.

Jac chuckled and looked at the confused look on Brent’s face. “Oh yeah, did I ever tell you what kind of Doctor Sandy is?”

She opened her eyes wider when Reid’s voice was much closer. “I’m going to say, head doctor.” He didn’t give her a chance to object, just reached down and scooped her up into his arms, holding her against his chest. “Point the way.”

She was more shocked that he was helping her than she was by anything that had taken place all day. Lifting her arm, she pointed towards the short hallway. She was glad she was too exhausted and out of it to pick up any emotions right now, so she rested her head against his shoulder. Grasping at the rare moment she could feel like everyone else, she cuddled a little closer to him.

“I thought you couldn’t touch me?”

His breath was on her cheek. She smirked against his neck. “I’m too pooped to pick up on anything right now.” She sighed. “It’s wonderful, the only time in my life I get to feel normal like everyone else does.”

Reid grinned at the sleepy tone of her voice. Walking into the bedroom, he went quickly over to her bed, lowering her onto it. Leaning down, with a hand on either side of her, he looked at the heavy brown eyes as they opened again. “Later, we’ll talk when you’re all there again.” She nodded, continuing to look at him.

She didn’t hesitate for the first time he could recall and placed a hand gently against his cheek. “Thanks for not sending me to the funny farm,” she whispered.

He grinned. “I’m still trying to decide if I should go there for a vacation.” He put his hand over hers, still against his skin. Pulling it into his own, he turned his head and kissed her palm. “Get some rest.”

She closed her eyes, sighing; her fingers curled around his kiss, then rested her fist against her chest, letting the sleep take her.

Reid stood there, watching her for a moment, before letting out a deep breath. He walked to the end of the bed, pulling a blanket over her. Rubbing his jaw, he looked at her again. In his world, his job, there were concrete things—laws of what was and what wasn’t that couldn’t be broken, no matter what. It was a constant in his world. Was. Now he didn’t know what to trust as fact. The woman lying there had just blown it all away. There was so much to process once he had the chance.