Eric froze in his tracks and plotted his next move. Rita had the gun squarely aimed at him, but he knew she wouldn't shoot him

"You're not a cop anymore ,Rita " he said smugly. "If you shoot me, you're going down with me." She didn't know what to do. It was true; she wasn't a cop. She wasn't even authorized to be carrying Chris' gun. Not sure what else to do, she just stood there with the gun pointed at him. At that moment, Debbie saw Rita holding the gun through the window of the store and ran outside after her. Rita turned toward the sound of the door opening behind her, and Eric took his chance to make a run for it.

"Rita, what's going on?!" Debbie asked hysterically.

Rita looked at the gun in her hand and then at the empty alley in front of her."Eric Russell" she trailed off.

Debbie looked around, but didn't see anyone. Meanwhile, Rita started to hyperventilate from her nervousness and the memory flashes. She began violently thrashing around, almost knocking Debbie over in the process. Debbie grabbed the gun out of Rita's hand and pushed her down onto a nearby bench, trying to get her to calm down. That's how Chris and Hutch found them several minutes later after they decided to go looking because they were late meeting them.

"Rita, oh my God, what's going on?!" Chris screamed as he saw the gun lying next to her on the bench. Seeing Chris, Rita threw herself into his arms and curled up in a fetal position on the bench, sobbing softly into his chest. Hutch tried to question his officer, but Debbie couldn't give them any answers.

Chris tried to calm Rita down, but it was no use. She needed a shot to stabilize her before she could talk. Her breaths were heavy and drawn-out. Hutch pulled a squad car around, and Chris carried Rita over and gently placed her in the backseat.

"Chris, don't leave me, please don't leave me," she cried while clinging to his shirt.

"Shhh, I'm right here sunshine, I'm not going anywhere," he reassured her. He cradled her shaking form in his arms as Hutch sped to their hotel. Minutes later, Chris was carrying Rita up to their room, where he managed to give her an injection to calm her. She immediately went into a sleep-like state. He smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead as they watched her slowly return to normal.

Hutch and Debbie both breathed a sigh of relief."Chris, I know the effects of the drugs will last a few hours,how about I come back later tonight? " Hutch said. Chris nodded at him,not taking his eyes off of Rita.

"I'm so sorry, Sergeant Lorenzo," Debbie said."I talked Rita into letting me run into one more store. She seemed fine..she was waiting right outside the door.But then I turned my back for one minute, and I turned around to see her with the gun in her hand" she said regretfully.

"Don't blame yourself," Chris tried to reassure her."It could have happened if I was with her, too."

She gave him a small smile, and then Hutch led her away. They weren't sure what to do next, but they couldn't stick around and wait to question Rita.

After they were gone, Chris sat at her side and gently caressed her cheek. "What happened out there, sunshine? I should have been there with you. I'm never going to leave you again, ever," he whispered softly. He leaned over and kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, and her forehead again. She could feel him there, even though she was in a deep sleep. She always knew when he was by her side. Her hand reached up and covered the one that rested on her cheek. She held on, afraid of letting go. And in her mind, the memories were coming again full-force.

*Flashback*

"Rita, Jillian has been offered a job at Mercy Hospital in Boston. She wants me to go with her," Chris said. He felt his heart break as he watched his best friend's green eyes fill with tears. She turned away from him, unsure of what to do or what to say. Everyone she had ever loved had left her. Chris was all that she had left, and now he was leaving her, too. Her whole world was crumbling. Chris closed the distance between them in a few short steps, and then pulled her into his arms. She cried for a while, but then composed herself. Pulling away from him, she looked into his eyes.

"I'm happy for you Chris," she said unconvincingly.

"Rita, you can't lie to me," he whispered.

"I'm fine!," she said more loudly. She shoved him away and took a few steps backwards. "Have a nice life with Jillian!" she said as she turned around and started running. She didn't look back, and he didn't come after her. Arriving at her house, she ran to her room and threw herself on the bed, then cried herself to sleep.

*End of flashback*

Chris had almost drifted off to sleep himself, but then he heard Rita mumbling. She was tossing and turning, and her face was twisted in pain. "Not you too, Chris! Don't leave me!," she kept saying over and over. He wrapped his arms around her and rocked her. Minutes later, he fell asleep, his head resting gently on top of hers, their hearts beating to the same rhythem.

He was awakened by her screams two hours later. He didn't know it, but she was having another memory.

*Flashback*

"This is One-X-ray9, I have the suspect in my sights. He's headed south on the 700 block of Ocean Boulevard Requesting backup," Rita said.

She turned on her light and hit the gas, trying to catch up to him. Normally, she would have Chris go another route to surprise him. But Chris wasn't here now, like he hadn't been for days. He was probably with Jillian again, she assumed. She tried to push the thought out of her mind; she couldn't let this guy get away. She sped up...she was almost closing in on him and then her world went black.

All she heard was the sound of metal on metal, glass shattering, and sirens blaring.

*End of Flashback*

"Nooooooooooo!!," Rita screamed. Chris' eyes flew open, and he saw her wincing as if she was in pain. He tightened his grip on her and started rocking her again. "Rita, shhhh, I'm right here" he whispered reassuringly.

The effect of the medication was wearing off,and she slowly began to awaken. She opened her eyes and looked up at her best friend. His eyes were closed, but his arms were wrapped so tightly around her that she couldn't pry him off. "Sam, are you awake?" she whispered. He heard her, but didn't open his eyes right away.

Sam....she had called him Sam!! She hadn't used their special nickname for each other since the accident. She saw him smile and playfully smacked his arm. "C'mon Sam, I know you're awake! " she said.

His heart soared...she had said it again!

He finally opened his eyes and smiled at her, but said nothing. She glanced at him questioningly. "What? Why are you looking at me like that for?" she asked. He began to laugh, and then scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around. What's gotten into him?, she wondered.

"Rita, you remember everything, don't you? Tell me you remember!," he said excitedly. Now it was her turn to laugh.

"What are you talking about, Sam?"

"There, you called me Sam again! You haven't called me Sam since... he started to say. But she finished it for him. "The accident?" They just stood there staring at each other, a smile on both of their faces. "Rita, do you remember what happened before the accident?," he asked, finally breaking the silence. Suddenly, it dawned on her. Chris had told her that he was moving to Boston. So why is he here with me in this hotel room?, she wondered. He saw the look of pain flash across her eyes."Rita, what's wrong?," he asked.

She took a few steps backwards. He shouldn't be here with me right now, he should be with Jillian, she thought sadly. She backed farther and farther away from him, and each step she took was like a knife stabbing him in the heart.

"Rita, talk to me,"he pleaded.

Instead, she ran into her room, locking the door behind her. He stood there confused for a second, but quickly figured out what she was thinking. He approached the door and could hear her crying on the other side. She must be so confused, he thought.

He decided to give her a while to herself. There was no way out through her room, so it wasn't like she could run away. After an hour had gone by, he decided that he had to tell her everything again. The doctor had told them that once she regained her memory, she wouldn't remember much about what happened after the accident instead of beforeit. He couldn't let her think that he would ever leave her again.

He picked the lock and slowly pushed the door open. She was lying on the bed, but from the looks of it, she had thrown everything else in there around in a state of panic and confusion. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Seeing her this way broke his heart. He had to let her know that he would be there for her now and forever.

"Rita, we need to talk" he whispered.

"Chris, you're wasting your time. Why don't you go talk to Jillian," she said bitterly, backing away from him again. He was too fast for her, and he seized her and held her around the waist."Rita, please let me explain," he asked. She fought with all her might to free herself from his grasp, but he wouldn't let her go, not this time. Exhausted, she gave up, and he felt her tense muscles finally begin to relax. He let her go, and she sat on the bed with her back to him. He moved in front of her, but she again turned away.

"Rita, please look at me" he begged in a whisper. She could hear the hurt in his voice, but she didn't feel sorry for him. Why should she? He was the one who left her, not the other way around. He started to talk anyway, because she needed to hear what he had to say.

"Rita, I know that you probably remember that I told you I was moving to Boston with Jillian, right?," he asked. She nodded her head yes, and tears started to trickle down her face again.

"Well, I went with her, but it wasn't because I loved her" he continued. Upon hearing this, Rita slowly began to turn around. She looked into his eyes, urging him to continue. "After your accident, when it looked like you weren't going to come out of it, I felt like I had no purpose here anymore. I didn't want to work without you by my side, Sam," he said.

"But I needed you by my side, Chris!," she screamed. "I could tell when you were there; I still had feelings! Do you think that people in a coma can't hear, can't feel?!" By now she was pounding on his chest, unleashing all her pent-up fury. He hung his head.

"Rita, I know I should have stayed. But every time I came to see you, I felt so guilty for not being there when it happened. I couldn't deal with it anymore," he tried to explain.

She moved back and looked at him, her green eyes a mixture of hurt and fear. "So you threw almost 6 years of friendship down the drain because you felt guilty?!" she asked. "When you got shot, I didn't leave your side, because I knew you needed me Christopher! And when I was lying there in the coma, I needed you, too! But no, I shouldn't have expected anything more from you than what I got...they always said you never stuck around for more than a cup of coffee, anyway." she literally spat at him.

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks and went straight to his heart. He wasn't even sure why he said what he said next, but he couldn't control his emotions any longer. He walked up to her and held her face in his hands, making her look him squarely in the eyes. "Well if I'm such a bad guy, they you tell me why I'm here now" he demanded.

"Because you feel guilty. Because you want to play the hero again!' she said tensely.

"No Rita, that's where you're wrong. I'm here now because I love you!" he said.

She quickly looked down at her feet, not quite believing what had just come out of his mouth. Chris stood there and looked for some sort of expression, but her face remained blank. He turned his back and started to walk away, figuring he had finally lost the battle. His heart just couldn't take it anymore. "Chris, wait!,"she called after him. He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her.

"What ...what did you just say?" she whispered. He quickly closed the distance between them and tipped her chin up so that he was looking her in the eyes. " I said I love you," he told her calmly.

She wasn't sure what to say next, but she knew what to do. Pulling him down to her, she kissed him softly on the lips. Then, the kiss turned into a passionate embrace, and it was several minutes before they came up for air. When they finally broke apart, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. All of the hurt that had been there was now replaced with a mixture of love and happiness. She watched him watch her, never breaking the gaze. Then she moved closer, wanting to taste him again. To her surprise, he gently held her at arms length.

"Rita, I need you to hear this. Please listen to me, Sunshine?"he asked her so tenderly. She nodded her head yes, and then he pulled her back into his embrace and sat behind her on the bed. Taking her hands in his, he looked into her eyes as he spoke. "Rita, I realized how I felt about you long before you got in the accident. That's why I spent so much time with Jillian...because I figured that it would be easier not seeing you. Every time I did, I wanted to hold you in my arms and never let you go. But it got harder and harder. When I told you about Boston, I figured that I'd wait to see how you reacted. And when you cried, I still only thought it was because you thought of me as your best friend. Then you got in the accident, and losing you was too much to bear. I couldn't stand seeing you lying there day after day without any change...it broke my heart. Then Jillian told me that she didn't have any more time to wait, and that if I wanted to stay with her then I had to go to Boston. I went because then I could hide my feelings for you. Besides, it was eating me up that I wasn't there when you got hit. To me, it felt like I was being judged every time someone looked at me. I always wondered if they were thinking, There's the sleaze who wasn't there to back up his partner."

His eyes filled with tears of sorrow and regret. She leaned back and gently kissed the tears from his cheeks, holding him tight as if it were reassurance that all was forgiven.After a few moments of content silence, he continued.

"When I got to Boston, I thought about you so much that I felt like I was going crazy. Jillian knew it, and she got really possessive. I wanted to look for job, and she wouldn't let me. The only thing I was good for was when she needed a date to one of her charity functions or social events. It was bad enough that I couldn't be near you, but I couldn't do the work I loved anymore, either. Finally, it reached a breaking point. She gave me a choice; I could either stay with her and she would get me a job at the Boston Police Department, or I could come back here with you. She was so sure that I would stay. But I left without a backward glance or a good-bye. I hopped on the next flight to Palm Beach, and I went directly to the hospital." He started getting choked up again, but Rita held him close and looked into his eyes, urging him to continue.

"When I saw you still lying there, I made a vow to stay by your side until you woke up. And I was so happy when you started coming out of it! But when you couldn't remember me, it broke my heart. At first I thought I deserved that, since I had left you. But then the doctor said you had amnesia. Do you remember anything that has happened since you woke up? " he asked her hopefully.

She sat there and thought hard, but she wasn't remembering anything except for the accident. "I'm sorry Chris, I can't" she said with frustration creeping into her voice.

"It's alright...what matters now is that you're back," he said happily. He took one of her hands in his and placed it over his heart.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered. She nodded her head yes, feeling his strong heart beat in sync with her own. "That heart beats only for you, Rita," he said honestly. She was completely in awe of the love for her she saw in his eyes. He leaned forward and gently captured her lips with his own again, trying to show her exactly how much he cared for her. Lost in their own little world, neither of them heard the insistent knocking coming from outside of the room.

"Lorenzo, open up!" Hutch yelled while banging on the door.

Reluctantly, Chris pulled away from Rita, whose eyes were now wide with wonder. She broke into a smile. "Is that who I think it is?" she asked. He just winked at her. "Go open the door" he said. Like a little girl in a candy store, she leaped off the bed and ran to the door. When she saw Hutch on the other side, she threw her arms around him. He was, to say the least, shocked.

Over Rita's shoulder, he saw Chris walk out of the bedroom, smiling happily. He knew right away that Rita had her memory back. He couldn't remember ever seeing a smile that wide on Lorenzo's face before. "Rita,...not ..so.. tight," he managed to breathe. She stepped back from her former commanding officer and grinned. "Sorry Hutch, but I wasn't expecting to see you! What are you doing in Palm Beach?" she asked.

"We're not in Palm Beach Rita, we're in New York," he replied.She turned to Chris and gave him a questioning look. "Sam, I think you better sit down," he told her."You're in for a loooooong story."

An hour later, Chris was finally done explaining everything. Rita sat quietly, not sure what to say. She couldn't believe that Eric Russell might still be alive. As if to shield herself from that horrible thought, she nestled herself in Chris' arms. He held her tight, as if he could read her mind. "Sam, I know this is difficult, but I need you to try your hardest to remember what happened today. Did you see Eric?" he questioned her gently.

She shook her head, trying to clear away the cobwebs. She couldn't even remember coming to New York, or meeting Debbie and going shopping. But worst of all, she couldn't remember pulling the gun, or why.Hutch sat in a chair across from them, watching Rita intently. She looked at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I can't remember," she whispered.

"Rita, it's ok. You have had a rough day," he said and smiled at her."I'm just so glad to see you have your memory back. You really had Lorenzo worried."

Rita smiled up at Chris and ran her thumb over the smooth skin on the back of his hand. Hutch was also smiling, but on the inside. He had noticed the way Chris and Rita acted toward each other in the past hour or so. They never stopped touching, whether they were holding hands or Rita was leaning back into Chris embrace. He would have to call Harry when he left and tell him the good news. For now though, he was going to give the two of them a little privacy.

"Well guys, I think I'm gonna call it a night" he said and winked at Chris, who understood immediately."I'll give Harry a call, tell him the latest news, and then we'll pick this up in the morning."

Rita stood up and gave him a hug. "Thanks for everything," she said warmly. They both walked him to the door. He couldn't help but notice how eager they seemed to have him gone."Night Hutch!" they said in unison. When they shut the door, it was all Rita could do to keep the laughter inside.

"What? What's so funny?" Chris asked her.

"He knows!"she told him in between giggles.

"What does he know?" he asked.

"About us! Didn't you see the way he kept looking at us?" she asked.

"Actually, I was too busy looking at you" he said and pulled her close. She sighed and laid her head on his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head and ran his hands up and down her arms, sending little waves of electricity through her body."Rita...where do we go from here?" he asked her in a whisper.

She pulled away from him a little bit to look into his eyes. "I don't want to lose you again, Chris." He pulled her back against him"You are never, ever going to lose me" he said with determination.

"But what if Eric comes after you?" she asked.He tried to ease her fears. "If he does, I'll take him down"

She sighed. She didn't like that answer he was trying to be overconfident so she wouldn't worry. "Chris, that isn't good enough. You need someone there to back you up.""

Rita, I don't trust anybody else but you."

She raised her eyebrows. "Well in that case, I guess I"m your partner again." He figured that she was just joking, so he let her comment pass. Several minutes later, content with just holding her, he was surprised when she broke the silence. "Chris? Don't you want me as your partner again?" He could hear the vulnerability in her voice, yet he stared at her dumbfounded.

"You can't be serious. You can't go back to being a cop just like that, no matter how much you want to be out there and no matter how much I want you by my side." She stared into his eyes. Was he questioning her abilities? Sensing that her mood was quickly changing, he hugged her tight and whispered words of encouragement against her forehead."Rita, I would never question what a good cop you are. But you haven't fired a gun in seven months."

She was unwilling to back down."So? I'll go down to Hutch's station and re-qualify tomorrow."

He knew that tone of voice she was using. She would eventually wear him down. But as long as her well being was concerned, he was going to put up a fight."And what about your health? I promised Cap and Fran that I'd take care of you. You think I had an easy time getting them to let me bring you here?"

"Sam, it's not like I don't appreciate your concern. But physically, I feel fine"

"What about today, Rita? You collapsed right in my arms!"

"And that was a direct result of getting all of my memories back,"she shot at him. He was quiet for a moment. She was always the first one to admit when she couldn't handle a situation.But now she seemed so sure of herself. Who was he to deny her something she obviously wanted so badly? She smiled at him a smile that said she knew she had won.

"Ok"I'll call Cap and Hutch later and let them know."

She shook her head."Uh-uh...you'll call Cap and Hutch now and let them know."

All she had to do was look into his eyes, and there went his willpower. He smiled and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Ok, ok, I know when I'm whipped. I'll call them now." He began walking to the other room to get his phone, but was surprised when she pulled him against her and seized his lips with her own. She kissed him until he was dizzy, then pulled back and looked into his eyes. They were now clouded over with desire. He reached out to her for more, but she stopped him. "Make those calls, and there's plenty more where that came from," she whispered seductively in his ear. Then she pranced off to her bedroom with him staring after her, his mouth hanging wide open.

"Rita, it's a done deal. Cap and Hutch agree..."Chris stopped talking and smiled. Rita was curled up on the bed sound asleep, still wearing her clothes. So much for that plenty more, he thought to himself. He looked at his watch. Well, he had been on the phone for a good hour, maybe more. He decided to take a quick shower and then wake her up so she could shower and change. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for the two of them.

On one hand, I can't wait to have Rita as my partner again. But on the other hand so much could go wrong, he thought to himself. What if she's not ready? What if I don't cover her and she gets hurt? A million thoughts were swarming around inside of his head. He stopped what he was doing and just sat there watching her sleep. He couldn't believe how truly happy he was right now. He had never been so excited in his whole life; he just couldn't wait to start his new life with Rita once they found Eric and put him away for good. He was so happy, in fact, that he started humming in the shower and it got a little out of control. Rita could barely contain herself from laughing hysterically when he emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later.

He pretended that he was offended by her laughing and put on his best serious face."What? What"s so funny that you have to sit there and laugh at poor old me?" he asked.

She feigned innocence. "Me? Whatever do you mean?"

Now it was his turn to laugh as she looked up at him with wide eyes and a Cheshire cat grin. "Ok, that's it, now you're gonna get it," he said as he jumped on the bed and started tickling her. She shrieked and tried to get away, but he held her around the waist and pinned her underneath him.All of a sudden, neither of them was laughing. Their faces were a mere inch apart, and Rita was looking into his eyes so deeply that he swore she could probably see his soul. They stayed this way for a moment, neither sure what to do next. Then she suddenly realized that he was shirtless, and her daring side took over. Before he knew what hit him, she was placing tiny butterfly kisses on his neck, then on his shoulder. His breath caught in his throat. So this is what heaven is like.

Each time she kissed him, he felt his whole body quiver from anticipation and excitement. She could feel it too, and it amazed her that she could render him completely helpless with a few innocent kisses. She pulled herself back up until they were face to face again.

"What? What's the matter, Chris?" she teased him. She heard a growl come from deep within his throat, and then he leaned down and kissed her like a man possessed. With each taste of her, he wanted more. He placed kisses all along her jaw line and then behind her earlobe. Now, it was her turn to quiver. He let his tongue run across her ear as he whispered to her.

"Sam?" His voice was shaking with desire.

"Yeah?"

"Why have we waited so long to do this?"

She could barely manage a coherent thought herself. "Shhh, no more talking Chris" she pleaded. He saw the want and need in her eyes. There were no more words spoken then.

Several hours later, she lay awake in the dark listening to Chris' strong heartbeat. She looked at him and smiled. Everything she had ever shared with him before was nothing compared to what they shared a few hours ago. Chris had given himself to her completely. She couldn't remember how many times he told her he loved her she had lost count.But she would never get tired of hearing it. Keeping it inside all those years had been a horrible mistake. She had almost lost him to another woman. But I shouldn't think about the past. We have a wonderful future ahead of us," she whispered and lightly kissed his forehead. As silently as she could, she crawled out from under his arm and out of bed. He stirred a little, but didn't wake up until about ten minutes later when he heard the light spray of the shower. He thought about jumping in with her and surprising her, but then he figured that she probably needed a relaxing shower.

She found him sitting up in bed just staring at the ceiling."Whatcha doin?"

He smiled. "Missing you" She crawled into his arms and laid her head on his chest. He absentmindedly played with her hair. This was only their first night together and it felt so ordinary and right to be like this with one another. Pulling herself up a little bit, she laced her fingers through his and kissed his hand.

"I am so lucky to have you" she whispered.

"I think its the other way around.I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't accepted me back into your life" he said seriously. She sighed and hugged him close.For a few moments it was silent, but she knew he wanted to say something.

"What's wrong, Chris?"He pulled back and tenderly stroked the side of her face. "I don't know...I guess I just have this tiny fear that something's going to happen...like it can't be this perfect."

She touched the tip of his nose with her finger."I'm the one who's supposed to be having those kinds of worries, remember Sam? I'm the one who's lost everyone I've ever loved, not you."

He saw the vulnerability in her eyes."I didn't mean it that way, Rita.....what I meant is, what if Eric comes after you? What if I make a mistake and I can't cover you? If anything ever happened to you, it would kill me" he whispered.

"Sam, you can't think like that. You're a great cop" she reminded him. "Besides, whenever we've worked as partners, we'vealways been completely in sync with each other. With one look from you, I know what you're thinking and I know what to do."

He smiled at her. She seemed so together and so totally sure of herself. He sighed."I guess I'm just afraid because we haven't worked together in such a long time," he admitted.

"Don't worry...I'll pass all the tests tomorrow with flying colors" she said confidently.

Uh, Sam?"

"Yeah, Chris?"

"I think you better say today, because look what time it is," he said and gestured at the clock. It read 2:10am.

She giggled and snuggled up beside him."Sweet dreams, sunshine " he whispered before they both fell fast asleep.

Five hours later, an annoying buzzing sound woke them from their slumber. "Just five...more minutes," Chris mumbled before he threw his pillow at the annoying device. Rita yawned and rumpled his hair with her hand.

"Is it going to be this fun waking up with you every morning? she teased him.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and smiled. "If I can wake up with you every morning, then I wouldn't mind."

She kissed him lightly on the lips and hopped out of bed. He watched her run around, throwing the windows open and picking out what to wear for the day."Where'd you get your energy from?" he called after her. She rushed out of the room and then reappeared a few minutes later."Breakfast is on the way up, Sam. You better get up and get yourself together."

He laughed silently to himself. She never ceased to amaze him. When she knew she had an important day ahead of her, she woke up focused and ready to go. He, on the other hand, needed a good electric jolt to fully wake up.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming" he grumbled as he got up. She came over and hugged him. "You're so cute when you're grumpy, Chris."

He smiled."Well...if you put it that way..."

She grinned as she watched him stumble into the bathroom. He emerged a short time later completely dressed and clean-shaven. She smiled at his reflection in the mirror as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.

"Looking good, Sam" she said appreciatively.

"You don't look so bad yourself" he said and let out a long wolf whistle. Just then, a knock at the door interrupted their playfulness.

"Room service!" Chris was going to go answer the door when the phone rang. "You go ahead, I'll get this"he told her. She nodded at him and went to retrieve their breakfast. She tipped their deliveryman and came back inside."Chris, I got your favorite!"she yelled.

Silence."Chris?" Still nothing...the room had taken on an eerie quiet. She left the cart where it was and wandered back into the bedroom. Chris was standing there with the phone in his hand, but the look on his face was ashen white. She waved a hand in front of his face.

"Chris?" He blinked his eyes, but made no other motion that he heard or saw her. Taking the phone out of his hand, she hesitantly put her ear to the receiver.

"Rita, is that you?!"

"Cap, what's up? "

"Did Chris tell you?"she heard him ask in a panicky voice.

"Cap, Chris looks like he's seen a ghost! What's going on?"

The evidenc...everything pointing to Eric Russell was a setup, Rita!"

She was confused. "What? I don't understand."

"Eric Russell is definitely dead ,Rita. They exhumed the body last night and called me early this morning".

"So...then who is it? Who...who are we up here looking for?" She heard a pause on the end of the line.

"Rita, I want you to sit down."

She did as she was told. "Ok Cap, what is it?"

"I told Chris.....we just found out...Brent is the one that's after you. He's the one who faked his own death!"

That's it for Part 2!