By Saturday afternoon, Jen had wasted nearly fourteen hours at the Stuttgart airport, waiting through three overbooked flights and two grounded flights before giving up and looking for another mode of transportation. With no cash for a taxi or bus, she’d been forced to make the eight-mile trek to the Stuttgart train station on foot. She’d purchased her first ticket fairly easily – the Friday morning train to Frankfurt had required her to spend all night at the station and was blessedly empty as she boarded – but she’d managed to miss three connections along the way, losing any chance of catching up with the group before they made it to Berlin.

A light-headed tumble down the stairs of the train arriving in Berlin had left her with large tears in her favorite flannel shirt, ripped jeans, patches of scraped skin from face to knee, a fierce pain in her hip and a massive bruise on her left arm. Two small train meals, two bottles of water and maybe six scant hours of sleep over the course of nearly seventy hours had her swaying on her feet, fighting to stay upright as she finally approached the check-in desk of the hotel Lonnie had specified in his last voicemail.

“Hi.” She tried to ignore the semi-shocked expression that crossed the clerk’s face and forced a smile. “Please excuse … this.” Gesturing to herself, she grimaced. “It’s been a rough few days.” Fighting back hysterical laughter, she let out a weary sigh. “I was told to come in and ask to see Lonnie Jones.”

“Miss, I’m afraid I can’t help you. Our guests’ privacy is our top priority.”

“No, no. I don’t need his room number or anything.” Jen swallowed hard, feeling panic clawing at her chest. “He just said to ask for him and that someone at the desk would call him down.”

“I’m sorry. Even if given that instruction, we would never follow through.”

“Oh, God. I might even be at the wrong hotel.” Swinging her backpack around, Jen dug through the shamble of items, relieved when her fingers closed on the worthless itinerary Lynn had given her. Locating the hotel she’d circled, she held it out for the clerk to see. “Can you tell me where this hotel is?”

“You’ve arrived, Miss.”

“Okay. Okay, wonderful.” She began to reach into her pocket, then remembered that her phone had died hours ago. Flipping to the last page, she found the number Lonnie had given her when they’d first connected in Stuttgart. “May I borrow your phone?”

“There’s a payphone one block down, on the corner.”

“But I don’t have any money.” The tears she’d been fighting since Wednesday night became a serious threat, her dry throat burning with the effort to keep them from escaping. A bit of alarm settled in when she realized her eyes weren’t even beginning to become wet. “Please. I got separated from my group three days ago and I’ve gone through hell and back trying to catch up to them. All I need is one phone call. If he doesn’t answer, then I’ll hit the road.”

“I’m so sorry, Miss.” The clerk’s eyes flashed with pity. “It’s against our policy.”

“Right.” Slipping her fingers into her other pocket, she pulled out her wallet. “How about a room? Is there a room available?”

“I’m afraid we’re fully booked tonight. I can check for tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“No, that’s okay. I don’t even know if they’ll still be here tomorrow.” With a heaving breath, she tried to muster up another smile for the clerk. “Thanks anyway.” Shoving the papers into her pack, she fished her useless phone from her pocket, dropped it inside and zipped it closed, then straightened the straps and turned to head out the sliding doors. Once back on the sidewalk, she halted, entirely too exhausted to even try coming up with a plan. At a loss, Jen forced her shaky legs to move out of the way for a family to enter the hotel, took off her bag, leaned against the brick and slid down to the cement, not caring about the damage to her already ruined clothing.

Drawing her knees up to her chest, she made sure her good arm was through the straps of her bag and leaned forward until her head was resting on the ripped fabric of her jeans. The scrapes on her left cheek protested and she cringed, turning her head to watch the hotel entrance. Taking deep, calming breaths, she resigned herself to simply waiting, hoping that a familiar face would eventually pass by. A sharp pain knifed through her abdomen, her stomach growled again, and she began looking up and down the block, searching for any kind of restaurant that might accept a credit card. Finding nothing but a few clothing shops, a shoe store and a cigar shop, she put her head down again, trying her best to ignore the hunger.

What must have been hours later, the sun began to set, deep oranges and reds painting across the sky, and she had to consider that she was likely going to be spending the night on the streets of Berlin. Before long, the streetlights began to come on, letting her know that she probably needed to find a well-lit area to stay. For the millionth time, the doors of the hotel opened, and she used what little energy she had to get back to her feet, stumbling under the weight of her bag. Just as she was about to walk away, a large hand clamped down on her shoulder.

“Jen?”

The deep voice was music to her ears, and she whipped around so fast that she nearly fell over. “Lonnie?”

“Oh, thank God.” He stepped close, pulling her in for a tight hug. “How long have you been out here?”

“I have no idea. I think my train got in around three, then it took me a while to walk here, so … maybe three hours? Four? What time is it?” She shrugged against him. “I accidentally fell asleep at the train station in Frankfurt, and when I woke up, I’d missed my transfer to Hanover and my watch was gone. Scared me to death that I was so out of it, I didn’t even feel someone touching me. I haven’t slept since.” Leaning back, she fought to focus on him. “The desk clerk wouldn’t call for me, then couldn’t let me use the phone. My phone is dead, and I didn’t have any money for the payphone, so I was just going to wait around until somebody found me, but then the sun went down …”

“Let’s get you inside.” His hand closed around her left arm and she cried out at the flare of pain flashing between her shoulder and elbow. “I’m sorry, kid. Is the other arm better?” At her nod, he grasped her right arm gently and supported her as she struggled to walk. Halfway through the lobby, he cut a searing glance toward the clerks at the desk. “We’re here until Thursday morning. If I make any further requests or leave instructions and they aren’t met, I’ll be on the phone with your manager getting somebody’s ass fired. Is that understood?” Receiving wide-eyed nods from the staff, he turned and led her toward the elevators. “Damn, Tink. What the hell happened to you?”

“Of all the nicknames you could use, you’re going with that?” Heaving a sigh, she shook her head. “I fell getting off the train earlier. I’d blame it on how heavy my bag is, but without it, I wouldn’t have made it, so I really can’t complain.” She swallowed hard as her fingers played with the torn flannel of her shirt. “Josh gave me this, but I guess it’s headed for the trash now.”

“He’s been worried sick about you. The rest of the guys, too.” Helping her onto the elevator, he finally let his concern take over. “Let me have your bag. You look like you’re about to fall over.”

“Can’t sleep when you’re traveling alone. Bad things happen.” Weaving slightly as she took off her pack, she clamped a hand onto the safety bar attached to the wall. Her stomach growled again, echoing in the small car, and she whimpered, grimacing against the pain. “Ow.”

“When did you last eat?”

“Full meal? Wednesday. I think it was completely worn off even before the walk to the train station in Stuttgart Thursday night.”

“Walk?” Horror filled his voice as she stared down at her. “That has to be ten miles, Jen.”

“Closer to eight. The last half was the worst, since it was dark by then.” A quiet laugh escaped. “All flights to Hamburg and Hanover were overbooked or grounded until Monday, there wasn’t a direct flight to Berlin until this morning and city buses and taxis don’t accept credit cards. Neither do vending machines. All the stores in town were already closed by the time I got started and none of the train stations had a restaurant or café. The first-class train to Frankfurt yesterday morning came with half of a peanut butter sandwich. This morning’s train had half of a ham and cheese.” She wrinkled her nose. “At least, I hope it was ham. It didn’t really look like actual meat.”

“My God.” The elevator sounded as they reached their floor, and Lonnie kept an eye on her as she stepped into the hallway, obviously unsteady on her feet. “JC’s room is one way and your bag is with Diane and Lynn going the other. Where to first?”

“You go for the bag. I’ll go to Josh.” Blinking quickly, she focused on him. “Which room?”

“714. Keep going this way and take the last hallway on the left. He’s a few rooms down on the right. His door should be propped open.” For a second, he considered going with her, but she’d already started moving. “I’ll be there in a few minutes with your stuff, okay?”

“Uh huh.” Very carefully, she moved in the direction Lonnie had pointed, turning down the hallway and struggling to read the room numbers. Sighing in relief, she let her finger trace the brass numbers attached to the wall. “714. Josh.” Her voice was barely a whisper as she pressed her hand against the door, slowly pushing it open.

At first, she couldn’t process the blonde leaning over him on the bed, her hair falling forward as she kissed him. JC’s hand was buried in the light curtain, holding her to him as his mouth moved against hers repeatedly, his voice so soft as he spoke that Jen couldn’t make out anything until he backed away slightly, his eyes still closed, his tone dreamy. “There’s a party Monday night after the release. I’m hoping you’ll go with me.”

Sara hummed a reply and kissed him again, her hand resting on his chest as she leaned in closer.

And Jen finally realized that she was interrupting. As quietly as she could, she backed out of the room, carefully keeping the door from slamming behind her. Everything was in slow motion as she turned to walk back the way she came, the edges of her vision becoming blurred, then dark as she neared the end of the hall. By the time she was rounding the corner, she had only a small window of focus, barely able to make out the large figure coming toward her.

“Jen? Where are you going?” Lonnie’s voice was concerned as he came to a stop before her, her suitcase at his side. “Did you see Jace?”

“He’s … dizzy.” Her voice was weak as she tried to stand still, swaying dangerously back and forth.

“Dizzy? What do you mean?”

“No. Busy. He’s … busy.” Shaking her head slowly, she tried to continue. “I … I’m … dizzy …” Everything went black as her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped forward, pitching toward the floor.

“Whoa. Jenny?” Lonnie moved quickly, catching her before she could collapse completely. “Jen?” She gave no response as he shook her, repeating her name, then effortlessly lifted her into his arms. “Come on, Tink. Don’t do this.” Turning around, he grabbed the handle on her bag and sped back toward the room he’d just left. Shifting her carefully against him, he knocked loudly on the door. “Diane? It’s Lonnie.”

“I thought you were checking on Jace and …” Diane fell silent mid-sentence as she caught sight of the girl passed out against the bodyguard’s chest. “Oh, Lord. What happened?”

“Exhaustion. Dehydration. Starvation. Take your pick.” He pushed through the door and into the room, only stopping when he could lay Jen down on one of the beds. “I knew she wasn’t right as soon as I saw her, but she just kept pushing right through. Stubborn little fairy.” Shaking his head, he leaned down, slightly relieved that her breathing didn’t seem labored. “Poor thing’s been through hell and finally hit the end of the line.” Gently, he pressed his fingers to the side of her neck, feeling for a pulse. Her heartbeat was quick and light, and his forehead creased in worry. “I don’t like her pulse. Not good.”

The bathroom door opened, and Lynn stepped out, towel drying her hair. “Hey.” She froze when she saw Jen lying motionless on the bed, clothes torn, skin a ghostly white where it wasn’t red and scraped. “My God. Was she attacked?”

“I don’t think so. She said her watch was stolen in Frankfurt and that she fell getting off a train today.” Lonnie ran a hand over his bald head in frustration. “I don’t know what to do. She needs a doctor, but I don’t want to move her any more than I already have, just in case she did something when she fell.”

“This hotel has a concierge doctor on staff. I’ll call and see if he’s on duty tonight.” Lynn dropped the towel and reached for the phone between the beds. She punched in the numbers and listened as it rang, her expression brightening when someone answered. “Yes, we need medical service in room 761. Is the doctor available? Good. Send him as soon as you can.” Her eyes jumped back to Lonnie. “What are her symptoms?”

“Really?” With a growl, he took the phone from her. “Yeah, remember the girl you let hang around on the sidewalk for God knows how long instead of calling me like I asked you to? Well, she just fainted in the hallway. She’s not had any sleep since Wednesday, hasn’t eaten anything more than a sandwich since then and I can’t even guess what she’s had to drink, if anything. She fell off a train earlier today, and I’m afraid she might’ve hit her head. So unless the doc wants a very angry black man dragging him up here by the hair, he’d better get his ass in gear now.” Breathing heavily, he listened to the trembling assurance from the clerk. “Thank you.” The sarcasm was thick in his voice as he slammed the phone back down.

“You’d better go get Jace.” Diane’s voice shook a bit as she stared at Jen. “She’s going to need him.”

“She was heading his direction before I came here, but when I caught her in the hall, she said he was dizzy. Or busy?” His eyes narrowed in confusion. “I don’t know what she meant. He was asleep when I went down and found her.”

“Well, I think we need to wake him up.” Diane reached down, tucking Jen’s hair behind her ear. “Something isn’t right, and he’s going to want to be here.”

“Yeah. Be right back.” Lonnie went out the door and back down the hall, stopping only to direct the doctor as he stepped off the elevator with a large cart before speeding on toward JC’s room. The door was propped open, just as he’d left it, but when he pushed his way inside, he froze at the scene before him. “Sara? What the hell are you doing?”

*********************

As worn out as he was, JC was slightly amused at how vivid his dreams were. The solid panic he’d been in since Wednesday had finally caught up to him, and he hadn’t been able to stand it any longer. Only after Lonnie had sworn that he’d wake him up when Jen arrived had he allowed himself even a little bit of rest.

Somehow, he knew that he was still waiting. That his Jenny was still missing somewhere in Germany.

But this dream … God, I hope I remember this in the morning.

He felt a hum in his throat as Jen’s fingers ran through his hair, her lips meeting his again and again. His hand tingled, his fingers moving over her face and to the back of her neck, pulling her as close to him as he could. “Jenny.” Her name was a whisper on his lips, followed by a fear that she’d disappear if he spoke too loudly.

Tilting his chin up, he pressed as tightly to her as was possible. “Damn, Boof.” He felt her smile against him, and that only made him more enthusiastic with his kisses. A little confidence settled over him, making his voice a little louder. “There’s a party Monday night after the release. I’m hoping you’ll go with me.”

He heard a hum that sounded like an affirmative, felt her hand on his chest, and tightened his fingers in her hair, bringing her back to him, letting his free hand move over her curves as her touch began to roam over his body, leaving shivers everywhere it went. Several long, deep kisses later, he pulled back slightly, returning to a careful whisper. “I … I love you, Jen. I always have.”

Suddenly, there was a slamming noise and an angry voice carrying around the room. “Sara? What the hell are you doing?”

JC nearly sat up straight on the bed, torn violently from the dream, his eyes flying open to find the blonde hovering over him, her lips twisted in frustration as her hand fisted on his stomach. “Sara?” His hands came to her shoulders, fiercely pushing her away from him. “What’s going on?”

“Don’t even try to act like you weren’t enjoying it.” She smirked at him as she righted herself, letting her gaze run over his body. “It’s beyond obvious that I was getting you there.”

“Of course I was enjoying it. I was dreaming of Jen.” He blinked at her, still too confused to be embarrassed as his weary mind tried to process what had happened. “Why … why are you even here?”

“I just wanted to see what it was like.”

“Seriously?” Shaking his head in astonishment at her simple answer, his eyes settled into a steely glare. “You really get your kicks by making unwanted advances on guys who don’t even know you’re there?”

“I don’t usually have to …” She trailed off, studying him carefully. “How much do you remember?”

“Why?” He thought back over the dream, slightly relieved that the details were already fading, but feeling absolutely nauseous over what he could recall. Knowing it had only been Jen in his head, while Sara had been there in reality, suddenly made everything much worse. “Oh, God. I think I’m going to …”

“Okay.” Lonnie stepped in, putting himself between Sara and the bed. “You look green, C. Get to the bathroom. Now.” He watched as JC obeyed, rolling off the mattress and stumbling to the bathroom, just barely getting the light on before a retching sound came through the doorway. With an exasperated groan, Lonnie turned back to the blonde. “Happy now? You literally made him sick. Get your ass out of here. If I find you in any of their rooms again, you’re going to be feeling a hurt you can’t even begin to imagine.”

“Just try it.” Her shoulders squared defiantly. “You can’t do anything to me. Lay a hand on me and I’ll cry assault.”

“And thirty people on this crew will yell self-defense. Don’t forget that every single person on this team hates your guts. You have zero friends here. And if you think sexual assault charges can only be brought against men, you’re off in the head.” Shaking his head, he pointed past her to the door. “Get out. Johnny will take care of you when he gets here Monday.”

“Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, she flounced out of the room, not quite hiding the satisfied smirk tilting her lips.

“God in Heaven, help me.” Lonnie cast his eyes to the ceiling before taking a deep breath and moving toward the bathroom. “How’re you holding up, boy? Gonna live?”

“I think so.” JC mumbled, trembling fingers coming up to flush the toilet before he sat back on the floor, leaning against the wall. “Just … just keep her away from me. Please.”

“I’m trying, but I really can’t be everywhere.” Reaching down, Lonnie offered him a hand up. “Come on, get yourself cleaned up. We need to go.”

“Go?” Glancing down to make sure his shorts and t-shirt were still clean, JC picked up his toothbrush and toothpaste. “Where are we going?”

“Your girl made it in.”

“What?” Eyes wide, JC met Lonnie’s gaze in the mirror. “Jen’s here?”

“Yeah. She’s down with Diane and Lynn.” Tapping him on the shoulder, the big man stepped out of the room. “Hurry up.”

Brushing his teeth quickly, he splashed water on his face as he swished mouthwash, instantly relieved at the fresh feeling. “How long has she been here?” Breezing out of the bathroom, he moved quickly past Lonnie and out the door, not even bothering with shoes. “And why is she with them? Weren’t you going to bring her to me?”

“That was the plan, yeah. But, Jace …” Lonnie grabbed his arm, pulling him to a halt. “We need to talk. Jen’s here, yes, but she’s in a pretty bad way.”

“What do you mean?” Blue eyes zeroed in on the guard’s face, carefully watching his reactions. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t really know for sure, and she may never tell all of it.” The big man sighed, beginning to walk again at a slow pace. “The hotel’s doctor is with her right now. I’m afraid she’s dehydrated and exhausted. She hasn’t really eaten much of anything since we lost her Wednesday, either.” His hand gripped the doorknob, and a pain shot through him at the expression on JC’s face. “And she said that she fell getting off the train today. She doesn’t look good, man. I just want you to prepare yourself.”

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, JC straightened his shoulders. With the best smile he could muster, he nodded toward the door. “Well, what are we waiting for? My girl needs me.”

“Thatta boy.” Lonnie knocked quickly. “Diane? Lynn?”

The door opened and Lynn stepped back to let them in. “Jace, this is Dr. Williams. He’s just about finished with his exam.”

“How is she?” JC didn’t hesitate, stepping into the room and immediately making his way to the side of the bed across from the doctor. “Is she okay?”

“There’s no impact injury to the head that I can tell, just some scrapes to her face. Looks like the majority of the bruising is to her arm and hip, probably from trying to shield herself during the fall. I don’t feel any fractures or breaks, so that’s a good thing.” Dr. Williams continued his assessment, barely glancing up to see the stricken reaction in JC’s eyes when he got his first good look at the girl on the bed. “I have an antiseptic and cream for the scrapes. They should heal nicely, with time. I’m not too happy about her pulse … it’s too fast, too light. Dehydration, probably.”

Diane stepped out of the way as the doctor moved toward his cart, lifting out a silver pole that expanded out into a tall stand. “Dehydration is fairly common, and we stay prepared for it. Normally we’d just have the patient slowly drink large amounts of water or Gatorade, but with her being unconscious, that’s not an option. I’ll need to set up an IV to help her body rehydrate.” He looked up at Lonnie. “Does she have any allergies?”

“Penicillin.” JC spoke up, never looking away from Jen. “Hazelnuts, avocado, pineapple and kiwi. The fruit really just make her mouth tingly, though. She still eats them sometimes. Hazelnuts are bad news.”

“No latex allergies?”

“No. At least, not that I know of.”

“Good, good. Who was with her when she passed out?”

“I was.” The guard nodded.

“Did you speak to her before she lost consciousness? Did she say anything about any other kind of trauma?”

“No. Just that she hadn’t slept or eaten.” Lonnie cleared his throat. “And she had to walk eight miles to get to the train station in Stuttgart without having had food for over twenty-four hours. I don’t know about water. She didn’t mention it.”

“Mmm.” Dr. Williams nodded, hanging the bag of solution on the pole and attaching the tubing. “Overexertion. And when did she pass out?”

“About …” Looking down at his new watch – his gift from Jen – Lonnie tried to think back. “Maybe twenty minutes ago?” Feeling JC’s eyes on him, he kept his focus on the doctor. “We hadn’t been up here very long.”

“Okay.” Working quickly, the doctor prepared the needle and tapped around on Jen’s left hand, feeling for a vein. Furrowing his brow, he pressed harder, talking to himself. “Definitely dehydrated. Come on … ah, there it is.” Within seconds, the IV was inserted, the liquid dripping steadily from the bag. “I really wouldn’t expect her to wake before morning. The poor girl’s been through a lot, it seems, and she’ll need the time to recover.” He cast a glance around the people in the room. “Will someone be staying with her?”

“Yes.” The answer was unanimous, all voices carrying at once.

“Good.” Packing his things back on the cart, he arched an eyebrow as JC stretched out on the bedspread next to Jen, wrapping his fingers around hers and leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “I’ll need to check on her again tonight, to see if we need another bag and bandage what I can of her scrapes.” He checked his watch. “Probably around midnight. Is that all right?”

“That’s fine.” JC looked down as Jen suddenly stiffened and pulled her fingers from his, then rolled over and cuddled against him, sighing as her left hand settled on his chest. Her touch immediately washed away some of the dirtiness he’d felt earlier, and his arm went around her tightly, holding her to him before he glanced up at Dr. Williams. “Does she need to lay flat, or is this okay?”

“However she wants to lay is fine, just be careful of the IV.” The doctor moved the pole closer to the bed, giving the tubing a little slack. “I want to check her pulse again, so keep her still for a moment.” Leaning over, he pressed his fingers to her neck, a small smile appearing as he counted. “It’s already better, and it’s too soon for it to be the fluid.” His eyes came up to meet JC’s. “Seems she might need you just as badly. Stay with her, if you can. She’ll improve much quicker.” Pushing the cart toward the door, he gave a nod. “Call down to my office if the bag empties, otherwise, I’ll be back later.”

“Thank you.” Diane let him out, then turned to face the room. “Okay, so now what?”

“Now we wait and let her rest.” Lonnie looked to JC. “I know you don’t want to, but you’ve got those interviews in the morning and you need to rest, too. Johnny’s not going to be happy if you don’t look as fresh as you can.”

“I’m not leaving her.” JC’s voice was firm. “Not until I have to. I’ll sleep better here with her than I ever would in my own room, not knowing how she’s doing.” His glance went to the ladies who had moved to sit on the other bed. “I hate to put anybody out, but would you mind trading rooms for the night? If she’s able to move tomorrow, I’ll take her with me, but for tonight we have to stay put.”

“No problem. A change of clothes and we’ll be good.” Lynn gave a small smile. “Should we let the others know she’s here? They won’t be able to talk to her, but they might want to just check in. I know Justin wants to see her.”

“Good idea.” His brow furrowed. “Maybe just a few at a time, though. Too many people around might bother her.” Looking up quickly, he tried to smile. “Chris and J first?”

“Sure. We’ll stop by their rooms on the way down, then they can send Joey and Lance over.” Diane moved over to the bed, letting her fingers comb gently through Jen’s hair, pulling it away from the shiny medicine on her cheek. “Poor, sweet girl. And all for spite.”

“Lonnie?” JC’s voice had an edge to it.

“Yeah?” Lonnie moved cautiously to the foot of the bed, anticipating what was coming.

“When did she pass out?”

“C, you don’t …”

“She came to my room, didn’t she?” His chest rose in a hard breath. “She saw that?”

“I don’t know, kid. Maybe.” Lonnie sighed, running a hand over his face. “She was out of it to start with, but was determined to get to you, so I let her go your direction while I came here to give these ladies a heads up and grab her stuff. The next thing I know, she’s coming toward me in the hallway, saying something about your being dizzy, or being busy … then she was out. I couldn’t understand what she was trying to tell me, because I knew I’d left you sleeping.”

“Damn.” JC buried his face in her hair. “I already want to kill her, but if she’s ruined this for me, I swear to God …”

“What are you talking about?” Lynn looked questioningly between the two. “What happened?”

“When I went down to wake him up, I found Sara in his room, getting mighty friendly while the boy was asleep.”

“You’re kidding.” Diane’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yep. And I was dreaming about Jenny, so I wasn’t exactly pulling away.” A groan rattled through JC’s chest. “I didn’t wake up until Lonnie came in, and by then … God, I feel so dirty.” Hugging Jen tighter, he pressed his lips to her forehead. “Part of me doesn’t even want to be here touching her, because I don’t want to spread it to her, too. She’s already been through hell because of me, and I’m terrified that no matter what, I’m never going to be able to really protect her.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Jace.” Diane squeezed his shoulder. “None of this is your fault. One twisted girl can’t handle that you love someone else. That’s her problem, not yours. Jenny just got caught in the crossfire.” An uncharacteristically hard look settled across her face as she turned back to Lonnie. “Do we really have to wait for Johnny to get here? Can’t we just send her packing now?”

“I’ve already talked to him.” Lonnie gave half a shrug. “He couldn’t understand why I thought we were starting out anywhere other than Hamburg. Turns out, she’d had a final schedule for weeks, just kept it from us until we got on the plane. He wasn’t very happy about Tink being ditched, either. Sara’s as good as gone, but he wants to address the issue in person. Unless he changes his mind after I call him with tonight’s update, we have to wait it out.”

“So we’re probably stuck with her until sometime Monday.” Lynn shook her head, pulling some clothes from the dresser, before looking up at the guard. “Diane took a few pictures before the doctor came in, just in case we need them.”

Everyone froze as Jen shifted, her arm coming up to wrap around JC’s neck, her face pressing into his shoulder. Her lips tilted in a slight smile as she hummed softly, relaxing completely against him, becoming still once again. One of the train stations must’ve had a shower, because he caught a faint floral hint of shampoo cutting through the antiseptic. That familiar smell sent a flood of relief washing through him, and he felt his own smile forming as he tightened his arms around her, kissed the side of her head and spoke quietly. “That’s it, Boof. Get comfortable. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I can see why you love taking photos of the two of them. They’re beautiful together.” Lynn grinned toward her roommate, moving the IV pole as close to the bed as she could before picking up her bag. “They belong on magazine covers.”

“Don’t they?” Diane laughed quietly, gathering what she needed for the night before turning to the door, sending a smile to the pair on the bed. “You know where we are if you need anything.”

“Yeah, thanks.” JC glanced toward Lonnie. “Could you go with them to grab some clothes for me to wear tomorrow? I don’t think we have to do the photo thing, so I really don’t care what you pick. And let Chris and J come back with you?”

“Sure. I’m gonna stop by my room, too, and stay here tonight in case you fall asleep before the doc comes back.”

His brow furrowed as he saw how torn her shirt was, the sleeve missing from where Dr. Williams had been checking her injuries. “Hey, Lon?”

“Yeah?”

“There’s a purple shirt hanging in the closet that looks a lot like this one.” He nodded down toward Jen’s shoulder. “Bring it with you, too? This was her favorite.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks, big guy.”

*********************

The room was bright as she came awake, her eyelids fluttering quickly against the pain in her head. With a groan, she rolled to her back, staring at the ceiling as her eyes slowly focused. “God, that hurts.” Carefully, she sat up, looking around the hotel room, trying to remember where she was.

On the bedside table, there was a large bottle of water sitting beside a pack of peanut butter crackers, some cheese and grapes, what appeared to be a blueberry muffin and a bottle of Tylenol. With a sigh of relief, she reached for the water and twisted open the top, taking a few sips to wet her parched mouth before noticing the letter lying beside the phone. As she picked it up, she saw the bandages on her hand and forearm, and her missing sleeve. “What the hell?” Her brow furrowed as she focused on the piece of paper.

Morning, Boof.

I was hoping to be here when you woke up, but we’ve got interviews scheduled in one of the conference rooms this morning, then some radio things for the rest of the day. We’ll be out until this evening, so you’ll get a chance to catch up on your sleep. The Funky Bunch and the security team are all hoping you’ll feel like seeing everybody by the time we get back. Maybe join us for dinner, even if it’s just to sit and talk.

The doc said you’d wake up with a monster of a headache, so make sure to take some pills. He also said that you needed to drink a lot today, but don’t chug the water. It’ll make you sick. Drink slowly and eat a little bit at a time. I left a snack to get you started, but if you’re really hungry, the hotel has a great restaurant. Diane is staying behind and said she’d love to have lunch with you. Just call over to room 714 and she’ll be right down.

I’ve got your phone charging. It was beeping after I plugged it in, so you may have some messages to check. Lynn called your mom last night to let her know that you’d made it to the hotel, but she wants to hear from you as soon as you’re able. She was just as scared as the rest of us.

Your bag is in the closet and your backpack is over by the table. Diane went ahead and put your shower things in the bathroom. I put a few more waters and some of your favorite Gatorade in the fridge. If you need anything else, just let Diane or the front desk know, and you’ll have it. If you’re feeling up to it, I’ll move you over to our room once we get back in.

I know how antsy you get, but please don’t try to push yourself today. Take it easy and relax. Lynn left some of her bubble bath so you can soak for a while if you want. The doc left more cream and extra bandages for your scrapes. They’re on the bathroom counter so you can put on fresh once you get cleaned up. You were already looking much better when he stopped in this morning, and he said you’ll heal quickly. We’re supposed to make sure you see him before we turn in for the night, just so he can check you out again.

We couldn’t save your shirt, but there’s a new one for you on the dresser. It just wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t have your favorite purple flannel to wear.

If you want, you can call Lonnie to let us know how you’re doing. He’ll have his phone with him and said you’d already stored his number. Let me rephrase that: PLEASE call the big guy at some point today. I know I was with you all night, but you really scared me, Jenny. The day will go quicker if he’s able to tell me that you were awake and talking.

Get some rest and I’ll see you sometime after six.

- Josh

She smiled, running her thumb over his name, and stretched out on the bed. Looking around, her gaze landed on the clock, its red numbers displaying a bright 10:00. “Well, guess I’m being lazy today.” She took a few more sips of water, washing down a couple of the pills, then reached for the muffin and the remote for the TV. “Wonder if they have anything in English?”

By half past eleven, she’d given up on channel surfing, finished her snack and water, downed half a bottle of the Gatorade, stuffed the ruined purple shirt into her backpack, showered and replaced her bandages. Looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned at the large white patch that covered her cheek. JC had been right – her scrapes already appeared to be healing, not nearly as angry looking as they’d been yesterday, and she hoped that she’d be able to go without the covering soon. Her skin was still a little pale beneath the flush from the warm water, but she knew that she already felt better than she had in days.

During her shower, she’d had flashbacks of the night before, images of Lonnie in the lobby mixing in with memories of finding Sara in JC’s room. At first, those flashes had stolen her breath, pain cracking through her chest as tears gathered in her eyes and mixed with the water flowing over her face. But then, the pictures had cleared, and she’d begun to realize what she’d walked in on. The pain was immediately replaced by a searing anger, so hot that it’d felt as if she was burning alive, and she’d had to force herself to stay put and not hunt the blonde down.

Taking a deep, relaxing breath, she hugged the soft hotel robe around her body and moved slowly back into the main room. Fetching her luggage keys from her backpack, she pulled her bag from the closet and decided to leave it on the floor rather than trying to lift it up onto the bed. A little while later, she’d dressed in loose, soft khakis and an oversized t-shirt, slipped on a pair of comfortable shoes and worked her mostly dry hair into a ponytail.

Her stomach growled, and she smiled when it wasn’t followed by a stabbing pain. Yes, things were looking much better today. Reaching for the phone, she dialed Diane’s room number. In no time, the door was opening, and the older woman was hugging her tightly. “It’s so good to see you up and about, honey. You had us all scared last night.”

“Well, I’m not running any marathons, but I think I’m okay to take it slow.” Jen laughed, returning the embrace. “Are you sure you’re ready for lunch? I can wait a little while if you aren’t.”

“If you’re ready, then I am.” Moving back, Diane looked her up and down. “You may have curves, but you’re really a tiny thing. There aren’t too many meals that you need to miss.” Her fingers came up to the bandage on Jen’s cheek. “Before you know it, this will be gone, and you’ll be yourself again. You’ve already got a bit of your sparkle back.”

“Thanks.” Her stomach growled again, loudly, and they both laughed. “Yeah, I think it’s time to eat. What’s good around here?”

The restaurant in the lobby had the option of a warm food bar, or a lunch menu of sandwiches, soups and salads. Thinking better of the bar, Jen ordered a sandwich with soup, then smiled as Diane left their table to go fill her plate from the buffet. The waiter had just left their drinks and Jen was staring out the window at the garden behind the hotel when she heard someone take the seat across from her. “Did they have what you wanted?”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve still got what I want. Unless you were actually paying attention last night.”

Jen jerked her gaze from the window to the blonde across the table, letting out an exasperated groan before running her hands over her face. “I haven't been awake long enough to deserve this fresh hell today, damn it.”

“You're breathing, aren't you? You definitely deserve it.” Sara laughed humorlessly, staring her down. “I didn’t even know you’d made it in, but I really couldn’t have timed it any better. Considering everybody’s reactions and how they kicked me out, I figured something had gone down with you. Do you remember anything, or were you really that out of it?”

“Oh, I remember every second.” It took a superhuman effort to keep from hurling herself across the table, choking the life out of her new companion. “Should it matter?”

“I would hope so. He was definitely getting a good feel of everything I’ve got to offer.”

“Sara, sweetie, I’ve never counted on him ending up with me. I’ve been expecting Josh to find someone else ever since he left me back in Florida, some girl who does a better job of checking his boxes than I do. So far, for whatever reason, he’s decided to stick with me.” Jen tilted her head to the side, arching an eyebrow. “I’ve been there for every girlfriend he’s ever had, and while he’s made some odd choices, he’s never been a complete idiot about it. If you think I believe that he’d ever choose you, then you’re an entirely new breed of stupid.”

The icy blue gaze narrowed. “But he was …”

“He was asleep.” Shaking her head, Jen blinked at her. “I’ve known him for fifteen years. That’s plenty of sleepovers for me to see exactly how far gone he gets when he’s hit a wall. Do you really think I can’t tell if he’s awake or not?” Her lips quirked into a small smile. “I also know sexual assault when I see it.”

“You can’t prove that.”

“Maybe not, but let me make myself clear.” She leaned across the table, staring directly into Sara’s eyes. “You crossed a line and I’m done playing nice, you twisted witch. I may not have a permanent claim on him, but until he tells me otherwise, he’s mine. Stay away from him and leave me alone.”

“Sara, you need to leave. Right now.” Diane’s voice came from a few tables away, her pace picking up when she saw the girls sitting together. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”

“I was just going.” Sara smirked, leaning in so that only Jen could hear her. “But I’m really just getting started.”

“You don’t seem to be understanding me.” As Sara rose from the seat and moved past, Jen grabbed her wrist with surprising strength, pulling her closer. “Everybody seems to think that because I’m short, I must be helpless and need protecting. Don’t make that mistake.” Glancing to the side, she focused on Diane. “Are you hearing me, Diane? I want a witness to this.” At the woman’s wide-eyed nod, she turned back to Sara, brown eyes flashing as she tightened her grip. “I’ve worked with kids for years, so I've always had a high level of patience, but you’ve reached my limit. You’ve pissed me off, and I’m not even the slightest bit afraid of you. If you try another stunt like what you’ve already pulled, if you mess with Josh, if you touch me or even speak to me in a way that I don’t like, I will snatch you bald and beat your sorry, worthless ass beyond bloody before you even know what’s happening.” Blue eyes widened in surprise at the steel in her voice, and Jen narrowed her stare, her fingernails digging painfully into Sara’s skin. “I may be small, but I’ve taken down much bigger targets than you by accident. You really don’t want to see what I can do when I’m angry, so do not test me, you stupid bitch. I wouldn’t give a second thought about going full-on Madusa on your ass and tossing you around that ring like a rag doll.” Releasing her, she turned to smile sweetly at Diane and reached for her glass of water. “You’ve been warned. Now run along before I change my mind and just lay you out right here.”

By the time the waiter had brought her food, Sara had escaped to the elevator and Diane was looking at her with a new respect. “Does Jace know his sweet little Jenny is really a firecracker when she gets her back up?”

“Oh, he knows. He’s just never really seen it.” Jen laughed as she took a bite of her sandwich. “Well, not on purpose.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Joey scared me once and I took him down with a right hook.”

“You’re not serious.” Diane’s gaze traveled over her, doubt lifting her brow. “Our Joey?”

“Yep. None of them have tried to sneak up on me since.” Her eyes sparkled and she sipped a spoonful of soup. “They all have this strange idea that I’m some kind of happy little fairy, spreading magic, cheer and sweets.”

“Well, you kind of are. To them, anyway. They’re a totally different group when you’re around.”

“Oh, I’m sure they are. They’re terrified the dessert train might derail. And the two that live with me are probably slightly afraid my kitchen will become permanently closed.” Jen snorted. “This ‘little fairy’ was already training in self-defense, then took a taekwondo class as a Phys Ed elective in my first semester and loved it. I just earned my second level blue belt last month and started the brown belt training.” Another go at the soup and she reached for her napkin. “Shan – my agent’s assistant’s husband – is doing some remodeling for me and has been working on my basement over the last few weeks. He was a champion boxer in college, and when he found out how many nights I’m in the house alone, he decided to hang a bag and teach me a few street fighting techniques.” A shrug lifted her shoulders. “My size is an asset, because nobody expects much from me, but as long as I’m not dead on my feet, I can hold my own in a fight.”

“I don’t want it to come to that.” Diane took a sip of her water. “But there’s a little part of me that would love to see you leave her bloody.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. You heard me warn her.”

“Yeah, I did. But it’s Sara. Do you really think she’ll listen?”

“As long as I can have a nap first, I kind of hope she doesn’t.” Their eyes met across the table for a second before they both dissolved into laughter.