Trouble's Familiar Face

"So," Edwards said suddenly, breaking the spell. "Can I get a slice of this pizza or are you starving me now?"

Alex smiled and let go of his hand. "Be my guest, I was getting full anyways."

Edwards grabbed a slice and ate the entire thing and grabbed another piece before saying anything. "So did you enjoy me not looking over your shoulder every second?" he joked.

"Only in the shower." Alex shot back. "I did however call Rayne."

Edwards looked at her, but tried to keep his demeanor nonchalant. "Really? What did he have to say?"

"Nothing really, I just wanted to let him know about Sam." Alex explained, unaware that his posture had become alert. "I let him know when the funeral was so that he could attend if he wanted to."

"Was he that close to Rick's family?" Edwards asked, discreetly prodding for information.

"No, but he's played with Sam before. They use to play chess together." Alex explained.

Edwards nodded understanding why she felt she had to tell him. "I think that I'll go with you." He announced.

"Really?" Alex asked surprised. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Well, several reasons." Edwards said. "I still don't quite think you're safe, for one. I also wouldn't want to get lazy on my moral support duties, now would I?" 'Plus I want to keep an eye on that scum bag, Rayne.' He added silently.

Alex smiled at his joke. "Alright, I don't mind." Alex's smile faded some. "I still can't believe that he's gone. It's just so hard to digest. I mean I have accepted it, I'm not in denial or anything, but it's such an odd feeling."

Edwards reached over and touched her shoulder. "Do you want me to spend the night?" he said suddenly.

Alex thought about the question and mentally played with the idea's undeviating outcome. "I don't think that would be a good idea." She said finally.

Edwards nodded, picking up on what she meant. "Gottch'a." he smiled a little knowing that she was right. "Well, I can't take you out to dinner." He said, gesturing at the pizza. "Could I offer you some coffee? I think I saw a dinner around the corner."

"I'm going to have to buy a coffee maker," Alex joked. "That way you don't have to spend so much money buying me coffee."

Edwards raised his eyebrows. "Is that a yes?"

Alex smiled. "Yes."

They didn't come back until late that night and Edwards walked Alex to the door of her room.

"I couldn't help but notice," Alex was saying. "The other day, you made me coffee and you knew exactly how I liked it."

Edwards smiled and looked at her when they reached the door. "The first time I met you we went to a coffee place." He explained. "I saw then how you liked your coffee."

"You remembered how I liked my coffee deliberately?" Alex repeated in surprise.

"Well I dint know you then and I had just busted you out of an interrogation room. Which, might I add; you were being questioned as a suspect in a murder investigation." Edwards said. "Remembering how you like your coffee just comes naturally. I am FBI."

Alex raised an eyebrow unbelieving.

Edwards smiled slyly. "Alright, you're gorgeous and I thought I could use it later to impress you." He wiggled his eye brows.

Alex smiled and lightly touched his arm. "I thought so." She joked.

He took a step closer to her, bringing his hand up to rest on the side of her face.

"I don't think we should do this just yet." Alex said, though she closed her eyes and gently leaned against his hand.

"I only want to kiss you, just one kiss." Edwards said, bringing his face inches from hers.

"Eddy," Alex breathed. "I can't just kiss you right now."

He smiled and took a step back. "Okay, I'll see you in the morning."

Alex's eyes were still closed. "Okay, I'll see you then."

Alex opened the door to her room and stepped in side, leaning against it after she had shut it. She breathed a heavy sigh and gave a small laugh.

Edwards arrived at 8 AM to pick her up the next morning. The Valintino family chose not to have a procession, deciding that they would only have a funeral, so Edwards drove straight to the cemetery.

"Thank you for coming with me." Alex said when they arrived. "I'm going to need your strength to face Rayne, if he comes. To face this whole day."

"He'll come." Edwards said, sounding confident. "He'll come just to see you."

"How are you so sure?" she asked, taking his hand.

Edwards gave it a little squeeze and looked at her as they walked. "Because I would." He said finally as they approached the grave site.

Alex gave her condolences to Mr. and Mrs. Valintino before sitting in one of the chairs.

The service started half an hour later, led by Mr. Valintino. He talked about Sammy's birth and various personality traits that made Sammy so special.

Edwards held Alex as she cried softly as Sammy's memory was blessed. Without looking directly, Edwards spotted Rayne leaning against a tree not far away, but not part of the service. He kept an eye on him through out the service, especially when Alex stood to take her turn in sharing her memories of young Samuel.

When the service ended, Edwards stuck to Alex's side like glue waiting for Rayne to make his move. As Alex was saying her final good byes, Edwards realized that Rayne had left, most likely loosing his nerve after seeing who Alex was with.

"... Don't you think?" Alex had been saying something to Edwards as they made their way back to the care.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I was lost in my own little world." Edwards admitted.

"I said that was a very lovely service, don't you think?" she repeated.

He smiled, taking her hand. "Yes, I think it was very lovely."

They got into the car and just sat, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

"You know, I think that I just want to go home." Alex said finally. "Maybe draw a bath and soak for the rest of the day."

"Sure thing." Edwards said amiably. "I have some work to do at home, but I'll give you a call tonight?"

Alex smiled. "That would be wonderful."

Edwards wanted to see if he could find anything on Rayne before anything could happen to Alex.

Edwards stopped the car by the steps that led to her room at the hotel, but didn't get out of the car. Alex looked at him funny and he smiled.

"I think this is the best way to keep myself in check." He explained.

Alex nodded. "I understand, so I'll talk to you later tonight?"

"Yes, definitely." He gave her hand a quick kiss before she got out of the car.

Alex slid her key into the lock of her room and heard the dead bolt slide as she turned it. When she was in the room she threw her purse and keys on the little table by the door and kicked her heels off.

Alex walked straight through the room to her bed and laid back, closing her eyes. She didn't hear the deadbolt lock again and didn't hear the movement through the room. So consumed with her thoughts, she didn't know that she wasn't alone until the cold, clammy hand covered her mouth. Alex's eyes popped open in surprise to see a knife in her face.

"Shhh." Her attacker cooed. "I thought I told you to stay away from the FBI."

Alex's mind was racing. The voice matched her mystery caller from Rayne's house.

"Remember me, sweet thang?" he drawled. "Or have you forgotten about me now that you're fucking that hotshot FBI prick?"

The attacker dragged the knife slowly down her face, letting the cold steel caress her skin. Hot fire followed the blades path and Alex's screams of pain were muffled.

"Shhh. This gets worse the louder you scream sweet thang." He whispered into her ear, the scent of tobacco coming from him. Alex tried to make out his face, but he had a ski mask on preventing it.

The knife was lifted from her face and was out of her line of vision.

"Remember I said to stay away from that FBI prick?" the man said. "You didn't listen, Alex. Now I have to punish you."

Alex's left wrist suddenly felt as if a hot poker was drug across it followed by her right one. Warmth spread down her belly and sides and Alex screamed with the pain.

A knock suddenly at her door that Alex barely heard over the pounding of pain in her ears.

"Alex? I'm sorry to bother you and honestly I tried to talk myself out of coming, but could we just talk?" Edwards said at the door.

Alex started to buck from underneath the attackers grasp. Screaming until her throat hurt. She managed to get his weight off of her, sending him flying into the night stand next to her bed.

"Alex? If you're okay, answer me now." Edwards yelled, obviously hearing the commotion.

Even though her mouth and body were free from her attacker, the deep cuts on her wrists were bleeding freely, making her weak.

"Eddy!" She tried to scream, not quiet sure if any noise actually left her lips.

The door burst open and the attacker was on his feet, charging Edwards as he ran for the door. Edwards planted his feet, attempting to absorb the blow.

The attacker ran right into Edwards, knocking him off balance. He didn't even stop, but continued to run right out the door.

Edwards ran to Alex, already dialing 911. "This is Agent Edwards of the FBI. I have a stab victim, lacerations to the left and right wrists and across the face." He informed them as soon as someone picked up. He quickly searched the rest of her for more wounds. "Please send an ambulance to the Island Inn on Lanshure. Be advised; attacker is dressed in all black, same location, approximately 6"2', traveling on foot. This man is armed and extremely dangerous." He hung up the phone and started to rip pieces of the bed sheet for make shift bandages to help stop the bleeding.

"Alex? Alex, can you hear me?" he said, working as fast as his badly shaking hands could work. Her eyes were open, but they didn't blink and she didn't say a word.

"Alex please, please answer me." Edwards begged. "Darlin, please!" He watched the rise and falls of her chest moving at a painfully slow pace and prayed for the ambulance to come.

Two minutes from his call, they showed up, immediately taking over Alex's care. Edwards went to the hospital in the ambulance with Alex, refusing to leave her side.

After prying him off of her, Alex's doctors reassured him that he will be fine. They told him that he should be able to see her in an hour or so.

An hour or so felt like as if a year went by before the doctor whose name Edwards didn't care to remember, came out to greet Edwards in the waiting room.

"Agent Edwards?" The doctor asked.

Edwards jumped up from his seat and practically ran to the doctors' side, his arm out stretched in greeting. "Yes, I'm Agent Edwards."

"Eddy I'm guessing?" The doctor said, smiling.

Edwards smiled. "One and the same."

"Well, Alex is going to do fine. She's lost a lot of blood, but she's all patched up and will need to stay for a while to stabilize, but all and all she'll be fine."

Edwards wanted to hug the man. "Thank you so much, is she awake? Can I see her?"

"She's not coherent," The doctor explained. "She's got the pain medicine to thank for that, but she is awake." The doctor smiled. "The fist thing that she said when she woke up was 'Eddy.'"

Chapter 6

Edwards sat at Alex's side through the night. The hospital provided him with a too small cot and some blankets, but he only used it to sit on, waiting for any sign of life from Alex.

Sometime early in the morning, Edwards's eyes closed briefly to rum the tiredness from them. When they opened again it was bright outside and he thought he heard Alex talking. He was out of the cot in a flash and at her side.

Her hair was a mess and the cut on her face was swollen, but Alex smiled up at him weakness slowing her movements, a small tray of food in front of her.

"Jell-O?" she asked, her voice was hoarse and raspy. She lifted the little cup containing the orange substance.

Edwards smiled and took the offered Jell-O.

"Okay, I know that you're dieing." She rasped. "Go ahead and hit me with the questions."

"Thank you." He said, visibly relaxing. "What happened?"

"Honestly I don't know," Alex cleared her throat and got a little something to drink to sooth the ache then went on. "I went to lie down on the bed and someone covered my mouth. He said something like 'I told you not to talk to the FBI.' Honestly it's very fuzzy."

"Alright." He said, finishing off the Jell-O. He set the container on her tray. "Did you know I was there and did you hear what I said?"

Alex smiled nodding. "You wanted a kiss, you perv." She rasped out.

Edwards laughed, deep and rich. "Well I can see that you're doing alright."

The phone rang next to Alex's bed, confusion and fear flooded her features. Edwards picked up the phone and answered it for her.

"Alexis Martin's room. Special Agent Robert's speaking." Edwards announced, disguising his voice.

"This is a friend, Rayne Greay, could I please speak with Alex?" The voice on the other end asked.

Edwards covered the receiver with his hand before speaking with Alex. "It's Rayne."

Alex looked even more concerned, but held out her hand for the phone.

"Hello, Rayne?" She croaked out.

"Alex! Are you alright? I heard you got attacked. Please tell me that you didn't get hurt." Rayne pleaded.

"Rayne, I wouldn't be in the hospital if I wasn't hurt." Alex rasped. "Who told you I was attacked?"

"My brother's a cop, remember? He said heard your name over the C.B." Rayne explained. "I called your room, but no one answered and it went to the front desk. They told me what hospital to call."

Alex let her sore throat drop to a whisper, mumbling tiredly. "Thank you for your concern, Rayne. I'm really tired from the medicine." Alex said, not quiet lying. "So I'll talk to you later." Alex hung up the phone and looked at Edwards.

"He's lying." She said simply.

"What did he say?" He asked, mentally thanking god that she saw through his bullshit. Alex quickly and shortly because her throat was really hurting now, went over the conversation.

"So how is her lying?" He asked when she was finished.

"Simple. He doesn't know what hotel I'm at and as far as I know his brother can't even spell CB let alone go near one at the station. I think he's the mail boy."

Edwards nodded. "Well I'm heading to Rick's parent's house for the investigation. I'm going to have you moved to the hotel, but a different room until I can get back there." He said, noticing the worried look on her face. Edwards grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "There is going to be an Agent there at all times, guarding your door."

Alex face visibly relaxed. "Alright." She smiled faintly at him. "Thank you."

When Edwards reached Sammy's house, the crime scene was blocked off and the local cops were walking around aimlessly.

Edwards rolled his eyes. "Pricks." He said under his breath. He made the cops leave the scene and got to work, taking pictures and notes in the each room.

Two other FBI Agents showed up about an hour later to help him out.

"What's going on Edwards?" one of them greeted as they walked through the door.

"Hey guys. Look, I've gotten pretty much all the information for my report, but forensics has to have their people get here before those local dicks contaminate everything." Edwards said, emphasizing the insult loudly.

The Agents chuckled. "Alright, we'll finish up here." One of them said. "Go get some sleep, you look tired."

Edwards nodded and headed for the door. "Alright, see you guys later."

"You fucking bitch!" Rayne screamed at Eliza, throwing her on the bed by her hair. She held her head screeching in pain. "You were supposed to scare her, not hurt her!"

"That isn't my fault!" she yelled back. Getting to her knees on the bed so they were eye level. "It's that stupid oaf that YOU hired!"

"Right, like you scared the kid too, right?" Rayne raged, inches from her face.

"That was an accident!" she said defensively, crossing her arms in front of her, pushing her cleavage out of the top of her shirt.

"That's not going to work on me, Liz." Rayne said turning from her in disgust.

Eliza reached for him, grabbing a hold of his bicep. "You can't say no to me." She pulled him back to her. "I know how to make you happy."

"Liz, you're a good lay, I'll give you that, more then that you don't mean a thing to me." Rayne pushed her away, heading for the door.

"What does it matter if she gets killed or not? Do you really think she's going to dump the other guy for you?" Eliza reasoned, lying back on the bed. "I mean aren't you in this for revenge anyways?"

Rayne came back at her roughly grabbing a hold of her face. "You listen to me and you listen well. You harm one more hair on her head and so help me God, I will kill you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edwards arrived at the hotel to check on Alex an hour later, after a quick stop at his office to talk to his chief advisor. When he got to the new room he was suddenly alert. The Agent that was supposed to be posted at the door was gone.

Edwards unholstered his gun and slowly opened the door to the room.

"Hi, Eddy!" Alex said cheerfully, her voice still harsh sounding. She was holding a hand of cards in one hand and a slice pizza in the other. The agent that was supposed to be at the door was sitting with her, also holding a hand of cards, not looking so happy. "We're playing cards!"

"I see that." Edwards said, looking at the Agent on duty, Agent Rimano. "Losing?"

Rimano grunted miserably, and then folded his hand. "I'm out, I'm also off duty, and now I'm broke. So I think that I'll be on my way."

Edwards smiled and gave the officer his farewell and then turned to Alex after he had left.

"So you've been beat'n the cash out of poor Agent Rimano?" he asked, smiling at her triumphant smirk.

"Yes. He is a really bad poker player." Alex said, her smirk giving way to a grin. "I told him that we should stick to betting gum, but he didn't listen." Alex shrugged.

"Alright, so you can play poker." He said dramatically rubbing his chin in thought.

"What are you doing?" She said, giggling.

"I'm mentally filing that away so that I can either use it or avoid it." He said, flashing a grin.

"Like knowing how I like my coffee?" Alex asked innocently.

"Right." He smiled. Edwards took a deep breath and looked around. "I know how attached to this hotel room you are, but I'm going to have to ask that you pack up."

"Again? I just got to this room." Alex joked, pretending to be upset. "So are you keeping me now?"

"Something like that, I'm actually taking you to a safe house." Edwards explained.

"A safe house?" Alex repeated, cocking her head to the side. "Where is this safe house?"

Edwards laughed evilly. "That is the beauty of the safe house. Not even you are to know where it is."

Alex gasped dramatically then lowered her lashes, looking at him seductively. "Are you kidnapping me, Edwards?"

Edwards laughed out loud, his deep rich laugh echoing off the walls. "If it were that easy honey, I would have done it from the beginning." He gave a short chuckle and shook his head. "On second thought, with all the trouble that follows you around, including me, I'm not sure I'd want to."

It didn't take long at all to pack up the room because all her things were already in bags from when she switched rooms. Edwards went through the room, making double sure that there wasn't any evidence left of her ever even being there. More importantly, there wasn't any evidence of them leaving.

The drive was a long one and they stopped a few times for something to eat and to stretch their legs, but when they finally got there they had driven deep into the mountainous woods.

Though it was dark Alex sat in the car for a second, looking at what appeared to be a tiny cabin in the middle of no where. It couldn't have been any larger then the hotel room from what she could see and it was all wood, looking like a strong breeze could blow it over.