Author's Note: I was going to leave this one go and have it be a little one off snippet. But then I found it again when I was transferring files over to my laptop. Between finding it and also ripping clips from my MX DVD's, I got inspired to try and at least finish the episode. I hope some of you are still with me. Thanks for the patience and the incredible feedback. It's extremely appreciated.

All disclaimers in the previous chapter

Everything was happening so fast that it was really hard for me to process it all right away. One minute I'm sitting at the bar sipping a virgin daiquiri the next I'm being manhandled by some big brute in an ugly trench coat. One knee to the groin and an elbow to the nose later and I'm off running, trying to push my way through the masses and out into the alley behind the club. Never mind the pit stop at tall, dark and handsome to try and slow the goons after me down.

As I rounded the corner and tried my best to outrun the car that had entered the chase after me, in the back of my mind I wondered if this was the end. If I was doomed to die young in the cold, dark, rain slicked alley behind Verona. And then suddenly I'm pushed to the side and the car goes barreling past both myself and the man who grabbed me out of harm's way. My gaze turned down to the other end of the alley, watching the SUV skid to a stop.

And then there she was. The woman who had haunted my dreams, waking and not, for the past six months. Seemingly dropping out of the sky as my own God sent Angel. I watched in complete rapture as she ever so gracefully kicked both of their asses to a beaten pulp. Standing there completely in shock and not able to take my eyes away from her mesmerizing sensual prowess. Before I am even aware, the men who were after me are all laying on the cold pavement, unconscious, and there's a older man, striding towards me. His coat billows out behind him, and yet I'm not frightened of him the way I was with the goons that had attacked me. I can feel his sincerity and his gentleness radiating off of him as he approaches me.

"No need to run Emma, you're among friends."

"How do you know my name?" I've never met this man before in my life. I glance over his shoulder and see her slowly starting to move towards us, a small smile inching it's way across her pink lips. She must have told him, that's the only explanation.

"All will be explained, but for now we need to go." He reaches his hand out to me, encouraging me to accept with his soft brown eyes. I once again gaze over his shoulder towards her, the smile never leaving her lips now accompanied by an ever so subtle nod of her head. I glance back behind me to the man who pushed me out of the way of the speeding car to find him giving me a matching nod. Reluctant to stay here any longer with whoever those guys that were after me are and realizing that this just might the chance I've spent six months waiting and hoping for, I grasp the older man's hand and let myself be led away.

Now all of it makes sense. Why she was so secretive about her life. I never really thought that she could be some sort of super hero. Sure, I knew she was strong, her strength virtually radiated from her, in and out of the bedroom. But this reality? It's really a lot to take in. But for some reason it just makes me want to love her more than I already do.

Love.

It IS what I'm feeling for her. Nothing like having your life flash before you eyes to understand that denial isn't something that you want to spend the rest of your days drowning in. I fell in love with her all those months ago, and it never faded away. Now I'm not sure it ever will. In the few hours I've been here in her home, I've seen so many things about her that I never realized existed. So it DOES make me love her more.

Sanctuary

Adam, the kind older man with the warm brown eyes, certainly named it appropriately. It's isolated away from everything, tranquil in it's peacefulness and yet it's a completely operational command center from what I can tell. Now I know why I never saw Shalimar again after we parted, she was off saving the world, or holed up here planning to save it.

Unfortunately, when my head spins I tend to not be at my nicest. A downright bitch according to my co-workers. And boy is my head spinning loops right now. The last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt Shalimar, but one look at her golden eyes and I know I have. Deeply. I can't stay here knowing that I could do that, apparently very easily. So much for love, if I loved her that much I don't think I could be so cavalier and callous without a second thought. Fear is big motivator but that's no excuse at all. How long would it take me to do it again if it's apparently that easy.