RP Chapter 12
Kacey waited until the door closed softly behind her before she turned toward the mirror as the bathroom began to slowly mist from the heat of the water. She pulled in a shaky breath as her gaze slowly scanned the bruise on her cheek. It was an ugly shade of purple, about the size of four quarters. Her index finger slowly trailed along the new mark on her face, which would now be forever in her mind, along with the dark band of a bruise along her throat. She shivered as she slid her hand into her lab coat pocket, pulling the drive out, laying it on the counter gently.
“What are you trying to do, Donny, that it’s so terrible someone would attack me?” she whispered as she slid the coat off, then began to get out of the rest of her clothes. She slipped into the hot water, letting out a loud moan as the water ran down her body.
She began to wash up then once she felt not so stiff she got out of the shower, dried off and slid into the shirt and boxers Kyle had given her. She slowly walked out of the steamy bathroom and made her way to the living room.
She froze when she saw Kyle sitting on the couch, hanging his head in his hands. She studied him carefully as she leaned against the wall of the hallway. What was he thinking?
Probably beating himself up over what happened tonight. “K-k-Kyle?”
Kyle dropped his hands and looked up at her. He looked so torn, no matter what he tried he couldn’t mask the pain he was feeling over Donovan and what had happened. Their gazes met across the not so spacious room. They were so close, but she never felt so far away from him emotionally.
“Oh, Kace.” He mumbled as he stood up and ate up the short distance between them. His hands cupped her cheeks, and he practically slammed his lips down on hers.
She felt the warm tingle stir inside her as she kissed him back. Safe. This was where she was safe.
Kyle pulled back slowly, his thumbs grazed her cheeks gently. “Kacey, I’m so sorry for everything, was that man really after the jump drive I gave you?”
“Yes, you knew Donovan wanted me to work on this just as much as you do.”
“He spoke everything in French, you both took French during school and are very fluent in it, and the silly code you two created when you were younger was how he created every document that was on it, he trusts you, Kacey, he knew you’d believe him.”
“We’re best friends, Ky, how could I not believe him? He’s close to figuring out who the man is, he was hot on the trail of the mole when he had to run, Kyle, that’s why they began to throw out the fake evidence against him, to make sure we wouldn’t believe him, he said he needs my help, but, Kyle, I’m scared after tonight.” She trembled a little.
Kyle pulled her into his protective embrace more. “I know, baby, I know, I’m sorry, that guy shouldn’t have gotten to you tonight, I should have stayed with you even though you were upset, even though I still don’t know why.”
“Agent Cooper.”
“Huh?” his tone baffled.
“The night after we, well, the first time, you were holding her like nothing happened between you and me, she’s pretty though and far from nerdy.”
“Honey, she’s worried about Donny, I was consoling her, she’s got the hots for Donny.”
“Oh, but then why the bed comment?”
“Hell, if I know, maybe because everyone knows how we feel about each other, yet have never done anything about it.”
“Herz knows what we did.” She whispered, rubbing her cheek against his broad chest.
“Trust me, he made that clear to me as well.”
Kacey stepped back a little, tilting her head up. “You don’t think he’s the mole do you?”
“I don’t know, I really don’t know.” He frowned slightly as the wheels began to turn in his brain.
“We have to find Donny, that’s the only way we are going to find out.”
“I know, but it also put you at risk tonight and that ticks me off.”
“Then stay beside me as much as you can.”
“I couldn’t dream of being anywhere else, how about we go be beside each other in bed, I just want to hold you the rest of the night.”
She nodded and let him take her back to his room. He slowly made her lay down and he went with her pulling her into his sheltering embrace. One more night of peaceful sleep then the real work would begin.
They slowly drifted off to sleep.
\~~~
Shawn and Davis let out a slew of curses as they watched the video feed, nothing seemed odd, first the masked man who attacked Kacey was nowhere in sight until the feed in the lower lab.
“It’s like someone edited him out until the lab video, same with after,” Shawn scowled as they replayed the video again.
“This is ridiculous, we’re going to have to see if Kacey can undo whatever they’ve done.” Davis glared at the screen with as much hatred as Shawn felt. “Why did Kyle leave her alone? He promised he wouldn’t.”
Shawn glanced at Davis. “Because she asked him to leave her alone, she’s upset with him for some reason.”
“When’s that ever stopped him from being attached to her?” Davis scoffed.
“That was before they slept together.”
“You don’t think?”
“Yeah, I do, the night he got ‘distracted’” Shawn made air quotes around the word. “He looked directly at Kacey, it was only a second, but he still looked right at her.”
“Damn, but now she’s with him?”
“Yeah, she is, he seemed to be what she wanted.”
Davis made a sound in his throat just as the director came in.
“What do you guys have?” he demanded.
“Nothing, it’s like the feed was messed with, the guy doesn’t show up until he’s already in the lab with Kacey, attacked her then he just poofs again.” Shawn turned to Cunningham.
“So, in other words, we need Kacey to work on it.”
“Unfortunately, yes, the build for this guy doesn’t even look familiar, so he can’t be one of ours.”