1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jack Hudson looked up at the FBI building, he had worked there for eight years but today it felt different. The building felt huge and imposing and he wasn't entirely sure he should even be at work today. Sue wouldn't be there, she was probably on her way to New York as we speak to start her new job. It just wouldn't be the same without her.

He remembered the first day they had met when she had practically reamed him out for not giving her a better job and the look on her face when she realized she had the wrong person. Or that kiss they shared when they were undercover, he hadn't been thinking then he had just reacted grabbing her and planting one on her. At first she was a little shocked but then he thought he felt her give in to the kiss just as much as he did, but that could have been wishful thinking on his part. They had both claimed it hadn't meant anything at the time but to him it had, it had been everything to him.

With a sigh he gathered himself together and entered the building, he couldn't let anyone know what he was feeling. He hid it within himself, it was something he would remember forever. Their time together had been precious leaving him with enough memories to last a lifetime. Making his way down the hall he was lost in his thoughts, not watching where he was going when he hit someone. Papers scattered to the floor as he snapped out of his thoughts. Bending down to help pick up the papers he apologized to the person before glancing up to see who he had hit. And there she stood, beautiful as ever.

"Sue? What are you doing here?" he asked still a little shocked to see her here instead of in New York where he thought she would be.

"I work here," she replied jokingly a smile gracing her face.

"What about New York I thought you left for your new job?" he asked scratching the back of his neck. 'Maybe she just wanted to say goodbye before she left,' he thought to himself. "I don't want you to go," he admitted. He had nothing to lose anymore either he convinced her to stay or she would be gone forever.

Sue smiled before telling him what she had tried to say as soon as she bumped into him, "I decided not to take the job."

"Really? I thought you were really excited about it?"

"I was but then I thought about all the things I would miss that are _here_." She said leaning down to scratch Levi's head. "We both would."

"So your here to stay?" he asked making to sure he wasn't imagining it.

"Here to stay," she said signing as she said it.

"Well I'm glad your not leaving," he admitted to her. Not admitting just how glad he was, inside he was practically jumping for joy at the thought.

He watched as she and Levi headed down the hall before he turned and made his way to his desk with a smile on his face. That news had just made his day, heck his whole year. "Hey Sparky? What's with the huge grin plastered on your face, mate?" Bobby asked stopping by his desk.

"Oh just having a good morning, that's all." He said sitting down to get to work.

"Righto Buddy," Bobby replied as he smacked him on the back. Jack was glad his co-worker didn't press him any further on the subject.

Now that he knew that she wasn't leaving he knew he had to tell her, she needed to know the truth. He had felt this way for a while almost since the day they had met, there was just something about her. Something that drew people to her, maybe it was her incredible heart. The way she cared for everyone and everything or her undeniable ability to overcome any obstacle that stood in her way. But he knew he couldn't tell her here not in front of everyone he had to wait until they were alone.

"Here she comes." Jack heard Lucy say as they all stood up just as Sue stepped back into the room.

"Welcome Back," they all signed at the same time as Lucy and Tara held up a banner that said "Welcome Back Sue and Levi."

"Oh wow," Sue said with a huge grin. "Thank you so much guys."

"Were just glad you decided to stay with us, where you belong," Lucy said coming over to give her friend a hug. Sue and Jack shared a glance over her shoulder, his eyes locking on hers before she looked away shyly.

"Well folks, I'd hate to break up the festivities but this is a workplace." Miles said breaking up the little welcome back party. Everyone turned to glare at Miles before retreating back to their desks.

The day sped by after that and before he knew it everyone was packing up to go home, he noticed Sue grabbing her coat off the back of her chair as she stood to put it on. 'This was it,' he thought to himself as he stood from his desk. Before he could cross the room Lucy stepped over to her desk and he paused to wait until they were done talking. From his vantage point he could hear their conversation in the silence of the office space.

"Ready to head out?" Sue asked grabbing Levi's leash.

"Actually I'll have to meet you at home later. I have some stuff I gotta take care of."

"Oh ok, I'll see you later." Sue signed to her friend. "Come on Levi, let's go home."

After seeing Lucy exit the room he stepped up to her, "Hey can I walk you home?" he asked looking at her and then at the dog sitting at her feet.

"Well I was..."

"It's just there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. I would really like to walk you home if you'd like the company," he admitted now that they were alone.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about? You seem rather tense."

"I'd rather not get into it here, you ready to go?"

Walking side by side, Jack had to admit he was kind of nervous about finally telling her the truth. In his mind when he practised how he would tell her she always felt the same way as he did but what if she really didn't. What if telling her made things awkward between them, then what would he do? Just then a cold breeze blew causing her hair to blow into her face, he couldn't stop staring at her. 'God she's beautiful,' he thought to himself just itching to reach out and move that stray hair behind her ear. She must have caught him staring because she cleared her throat and looked down at the ground.

"So are you going to tell me now?" she asked as they reached her building.

"How about we go inside, it's getting cold out here."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He waited while she unlocked the door and led the way inside, Levi immediately jumped onto the couch and made himself comfortable. Jack shut the door behind him as she took off her coat and dropped her keys onto the table near the door. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked reminding him of another time when she had asked the same question. When she had been fresh out of the bath and a little flustered to see him standing on her doorstep.

"No thanks."

"Have a seat then." She said pointing to the couch and shoving Levi over a little bit. "Come on Levi make room for Jack to sit." She said as the dog looked up at her with sad eyes.

"When you told me about that job offer in New York I thought we may have lost you for good," he started deciding he needed to tell her everything. "I didn't want you to go but I knew if it was what you wanted I had to support you."

"It was a good offer but not good enough to leave behind all my friends," She told him.

"The things is, I mean what I'm trying to say is that we would have missed you very much if you had left. I would have missed you very much if you had left me, " he said knowing he was rambling.

"What are you trying to say, Jack," she asked as she cleared her throat nervously.

"What I'm trying to tell you is that...I have feelings for you," he said putting it all out there. Awaiting her response.

"I don't know what to say," Sue replied struggling to put together words. Everything was a blur in her mind at the moment, the words he had just said swirling endlessly throughout.

"I mean I've had these feelings for you for sometime now. I just never said anything about it, until now..."

Just then the door opened and Lucy walked in, "Hey guys." she said seeing them sitting together on the couch with Levi. It looked like she had just interrupted something but she wasn't quite sure what. "Sorry to interrupt." Jack glanced at Sue, "It's alright I better get going anyways."

"No wait but..." Sue started to say as Jack stood up.

"It's alright we'll talk about it later," he replied as he made his way to the door. Sue following behind, she didn't want him to go. She had been waiting to hear those words for Jack's lips since the day they had met. But now she wasn't sure what to say, in her mind she would tell him that she felt the same way. He would pull her into his arms and they would kiss like they had before but this time it would be for real but the reality of the situation was a little different and she felt scared to tell him the truth.

It was scaring her because she had never felt this strongly about a man before, she had felt the same way he did for a long time now but had always been afraid that he wouldn't feel the same way and for a long time that was what held her back. Now that she knew how he really felt she desperately wanted to tell him the truth but it was the fear that held her back. She stood in the doorway watching his back as he retreated down the hallway, she wished he would glance back at her but he just kept walking. With a sigh she closed the door and turned to face her friend who was sitting on the couch in the spot Jack had vacated, "What was that all about?" Lucy asked as she patted Levi's head.

Sue needed to confide in someone and she knew she could trust Lucy whatever she told her would stay between the two of them. "Jack admitted he has feelings for me, he said he would miss me if I had left for New York."

"Really? What did you say?" Lucy asked she wasn't surprised to hear the news since everyone knew Jack had feelings for Sue, it was completely obvious to everyone but her.

"I didn't say anything back, you walked in before I had a chance."

"What don't blame me, I had no idea what was going on."

"I'm not blaming you. I just...I don't know Luce," Sue said plopping on the couch with a sigh.

"Well do you have feelings for him?"

"Yes, I have never felt this way before about anyone." Sue admitted out loud. It felt good to tell someone how she felt.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. I mean I want to but I'm scared."

"Scared? About what?" Lucy said placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"About letting him in, telling him how I feel about him. I have been waiting for him to say those words for so long, you know. And now that he has I can't even get the words out of my mouth. I just wanna tell him I've felt the same way for just as long as he has. But there's just something holding me back." Sue answered tears forming in her eyes as she finally admitted everything she had been holding back.

"Oh sweetie," Lucy said wrapping her friend in a warm hug.

Sue pulled away to look at Lucy again, "Besides you know I've never even been in a real relationship, guys have a hard time accepting that I'm deaf. Even the one's who think they can accept it realize they can't pretty quick," she told her wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Sweetie you know Jack's not like that, plus you guys have known each other a long time and you were friends first."

"I know but what if he changes his mind about me, I don't think I could take that."

"You won't know unless you tell him how you feel. But what if your wrong, what if you two are meant to be. You'll regret not giving it a chance."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She knew her friend was right, she wouldn't know what would happen until she told him the truth. Maybe she owed it to herself to give it a shot. That night she went to bed with thoughts of Jack and how she would tell him the truth, she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

The next day Sue walked into the office late. She had over slept and Lucy had to go to work early so she had left a note for her on the table, saying she hadn't wanted to wake her. Everyone was already at the office when she walked in and took a seat at her desk, all eyes were on her as she unclipped Levi's leash.

"Sorry I'm late, over slept." she told her co-workers. She noticed Jack glance at her from across the room with a smirk on his face, feeling her cheeks redden she looked away.

"We got a new case a kidnapping at Cameron Heights," Tara reported passing everyone a folder. "Apparently the girls name is Amanda Jenkins, she's in the first grade. Her teacher called the police when she never came back from recess."

"Alright Bobby, Miles you two head over to the school and Sue and I will go talk to the parents." Jack said grabbing his coat off the chair. Sue stood from her desk accidentally spilling her coffee, she tried to grab the cup but it was too late. It was all over the desk and the floor. They glanced at each other from across the room as Jack stepped up beside her, "Don't worry about it. Miles will clean it up," he said causing them both to laugh and turn to look at Miles who was glaring at the two of them.

Arriving at the Jenkins' house Jack knocked on the door, a petite brunette with red rimmed eyes answered. "Are you Agent Hudson?" she asked.

"Yes we're here to ask you a few questions." The woman opened the door showing them to the living room where her husband was already seated.

"Do you know anyone who would want to kidnap your daughter or do anything to hurt your family?" Jack asked taking out a pad of paper. "Could she have run away?"

"No Amanda would never do that, she's a good girl." Mrs. Jenkins told them.

"Any enemies, people who would try to hurt you or hold a grudge." Sue asked.

"Not that I know of."

"Can we see her room?" Jack asked closing the notepad.

"Sure it's right down the hall here," the mother said leading them down the hallway to the second doorway.

Sue stepped inside followed by Jack, the room was perfect for a little girl with purple walls and a small canopy bed in one corner. There were stuffed animals everywhere and dolls were scattered on the sunflower rug near the bed. They looked around the room but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "We will have to search the rest of the house if that's alright with you two." Jack told them glancing at the parents to see if there were any objections.

"No that's fine with me, anything to help find my baby." Mrs. Jenkins said. Jack glanced at Mr. Jenkins who looked a little nervous, "Haven't you done enough searching you should be out there looking for her."

"Honey they are just trying to help find her." His wife said turning to look at him tears escaping her eyes.

"They can help by looking out there not through our house, through our personal things." He said retreating back to the living room.

Jack searched downstairs while Sue made her way upstairs to search the rest of the rooms. He prayed they would find something that would lead to the little girl, it was cases like these that he hated the most. The one's where innocent little kids were involved. Locating the office he found a laptop sitting on the desk, it was already on so he looked through the files. There was something about the father's reaction that made him think he had to be involved somehow. After clicking around a little Jack found an untitled file, curiosity got the better of him and he opened it. It was log of emails dating back to January of last year, emails between Mr. Jenkin's and some woman. It looked like Mr. Jenkins was having an affair on the side with some woman named Vanessa. He quickly sent the files over to Tara and clicked it off heading back to the living room. Maybe this was the lead they needed to find the little girl.

"Alright I think we have everything we need for now, we'll be in touch if we have anymore questions." Jack said as Sue walked back into the room. Ushering her out the door, he told her about the emails once they were away from the house. "Really? He's cheating on his wife?" Sue asked to clarify.

"Yeah looks like it. I sent the messages to Tara we'll see what she comes up with."

Arriving back at the office Bobby and Miles were waiting for them, "Learn anything from the parents?" Miles asked polishing an apple on his sleeve before taking a big bite.

"Well I think we may have something to look into, I found some emails on the husbands computer." Jack said signalling to Tara to bring it up on the screen so everyone could see. "Looks like he's been having an affair with a woman named Vanessa. Tara do you think you can trace those emails to see where they were coming from?"

"I'm on it," she answered the only sound the tapping of keys as she worked.

"Did you guys find anything?"

"Nope sorry Mate, talked to everyone who knew the girl at the school. Seems she was there for the first half of the day went out for recess and was never seen again." Bobby answered.

"Alright I found out that the woman's name is Vanessa Peterson and she lives with her boyfriend Andrew Taylor. Seems like Mr. Jenkins wasn't the only one cheating." Tara announced. "I have an address for you," she said handing Jack a piece of paper. "Also looks like they both have a rap sheet a mile long—everything from BandE to property damage to assaults."

"Alright guys this could be who we're looking for Sue and I will go to the house and talk to this Vanessa Peterson, figure out if she or the boyfriend are involved in this somehow."

The house where the woman lived with her boyfriend was small and run down the yard looked like it hadn't been mowed in months and there was piles of junk by the side of the house. "This place is a dump," Sue stated glancing around the unkempt yard.

"But what can you expect from people with that many arrest charges." Jack said trying to make light of the situation.

Knocking on the door they waited for someone to answer, they could hear a dog barking from inside and the sound was anything but friendly. A tall, thin woman answered the door she was pretty in a unconventional kinda way. "Vanessa Peterson?" Jack asked flashing his badge. "We need to ask you a few questions."

"Why what'd I do this time?" she asked pushing the large dog back behind her.

"Nothing that we know of yet, we would just like to ask you some questions."

"Fine come in," she said opening the door as they entered. "Down Buzz," she said pushing the dog down as he attempted to jump up. She led them into the small kitchen where they took a seat at the table which was covered with bottles of alcohol and god knew what else. "So what is it you guys want from me?" She asked placing a cigarette to her lips and lighting it as she leaned against the counter top.

"Were in the middle of investigating a kidnapping of a little girl..."

"So what does this have to do with me?" she asked puffing out a little curl of smoke.

"We understand your involved in some kinda way with the little girls father."

"I don't know what your talking about."

"Don't even try to lie, we have proof." Sue said immediately not liking the woman sitting before her. "If you know anything about it we need to know, her life is at stake here. If you were involved with her father we need to hear the truth."

"What's his name?" Vanessa asked with a sigh.

"Adam Jenkins," Jack told her.

"Alright I was involved with the guy but so what I don't know nothing about a kidnapping. I didn't even know he had a kid."

"Where's your boyfriend, Andrew Taylor?" Jack asked glancing at the paper with his name on it.

"He's at work, what you think he had something to do with this? He didn't even know I was cheating on him." Jack glanced over at Sue before saying,"We'll still need to talk with him."

"He's a mechanic and he doesn't like being bugged at work but he gets off at 5. If you wanna talk to him I suggest you do it when his shifts over if you wanna get anything outta him."


	4. Chapter 4

Sue and Jack headed back to the office they would wait to talk to the boyfriend later. "Since it's getting late why don't you go home, Bobby and I will go talk to the boyfriend." Jack said to Sue.

"Alright see you tomorrow." She said grabbing Levi's leash and heading out to her car.

Pulling up outside her building she parked the car, clicking the lock before heading across the pavement to the front of the building. It had been a long day and all she wanted was a nice warm bath before relaxing on the couch with her trusty companion. "Good to be home huh Levi," she said to the dog who looked up at her with eyes claiming he was hungry. Slipping off her shoes she padded barefoot across the floor to the kitchen to grab Levi's bowl when someone grabbed her from behind causing the bowl to crash to floor, she tried to get out of the grip but the person was too strong. Levi raced forward seeing she was in trouble immediately grabbing the pant leg of the person who had her in their grip. They dragged her across the floor, she tried to plant her feet and fight with everything she had but it was no use. She could see Levi was barking trying to get someones attention but she knew no one would hear them. Before she knew it the person had placed a rag over her mouth and nose, she could smell the sharp sting of chloroform hit her nostrils before everything went black.

Jack and Bobby had arrived at the garage to talk to Andrew Taylor, he should have been getting off work right about now. Just then Jack felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket, "Hudson."

"Jack a package just arrived at the office, it had no return address. It had a picture of the little girl she was tied up and gagged."

"Did you get fingerprinting on it?" he asked.

"Yes and it looks like its a match to an Oliver Barrett and he has recently escaped from prison." Tara told him.

"Thanks Tara," Jack said hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?" Bobby asked.

"Apparently we have the wrong guy. Remember Barrett?"

"Yeah how could I forget that sicko."

"Well he recently escaped prison and a photo was sent to the office tonight of the little girl with his prints all over it. That SOB." Jack said angrily.

"Why weren't we alerted earlier?"

"Oh man we have to get to Sue." Jack said racing to the car.

Bobby pulled up near Sue's apartment with Jack jumping out of the car before it was even fully stopped. They raced up the steps with Jack in the lead and knocked on the door, that's when he notcied that the door was slightly open. Pushing his way inside Jack noticed the apartment was in disarray, a chair near the door was knocked over. They could hear Levi barking in one of the back bedrooms and Bobby went to go let him out. Jack noticed glass all over the kitchen floor and a white rag near the doorway, picking it up he could smell the chloroform on it and he knew he was too late. "Shit," he mumbled under his breath.

"What's that mate?" Bobby asked coming to stand beside him.

"He has Sue."

Just then Lucy pushed the door open and stopped mid step when she noticed them standing in her living room, she knew by the looks on their faces that something had happened to Sue. "What is it? What happened to her?"

"She was kidnapped." Jack said his voice breaking with the thought of that creep touching her. 'How could I not have seen this. How come I didn't think of this until it was too late, now he has her and who knows what he'll do if I don't get to her in time,' he thought to himself.

"Don't touch anything we want to get as much evidence as possible," Bobby said punching in the numbers on his cell phone to fill in the rest of the team and get forensics down here.

They found nothing in the apartment but thought maybe they could pull some prints off the rag used to knock her out, but Jack already knew whose prints they would find. "Bobby, I'm just gonna step outside for a second." Jack told his friend as he headed out the door, it was getting stuffy in the apartment and he needed some air. Stepping out onto the doorstep he felt something under his shoe, glancing down he noticed something shining in the moonlight. Bending down to pick it up he realized what it was, it was her bracelet the one she always wore.

Sue opened her eyes, everything was a little blurry at first but her eyes quickly adjusted. Sitting up she looked around, she was laying on a bed but she didn't recognize the bed spread. The walls of the small room were an ugly olive green color and there was nothing but the bed, a dresser with a small tv on it and a table by the side of the bed. Then she remembered going home, someone grabbing her from behind and then everything went black. Where was she? What did they want with her? Swinging her feet over the side of the bed she tried to stand and that's when she noticed her, a little girl crumpled up in a ball on the floor beside the bed and she quickly got up to see if she was alive. Startled by her touch the girl's eyes flew open and she screamed, even though Sue couldn't hear it she could tell the girl was frightened. The girls arms began flailing as she tried to push her away and hit her, fighting with everything she had.

"It's alright, your ok. I won't hurt you."

"Who are you?" the girl asked with tears running down her face.

"My name's Sue, I work for the FBI. Is your name Amanda?" she asked trying to calm the girl down.

"Yeah."

"We were looking for you, your parents are so worried."

"FBI is that like policemen?" the little girl asked.

"Yeah sorta. Did you see who did this to you?" Sue asked the girl as she stood and headed over to the door trying to open it, but it was no use they were locked in from the outside.

"It was a big scary man, he told me he had puppies and asked if I wanted to see them."

"When he brought you here did you see anything, like the name of the motel?" Sue asked desperately trying to think of a way to get them out of there.

"No," the little girl said shaking her head. "But there was a station."

"A station?" Sue asked wondering if she got that right.

"Yeah you know a station like where mommy goes to."

"Oh you mean a gas station?"

"Yeah that's what I said."

Just then the girl jumped up from her spot on the floor, "What is it?" Sue asked. "I hear something."

"What is it tell me what you hear?"

"Can't you hear it?" Amanda asked grabbing Sue's arm.

"No, I'm deaf." Sue told her.

"It sounds like someones coming. Sue I'm scared."

"It's gonna be alright, sweetie."

Knowing he had to get back inside he placed her bracelet in his pocket before going in, he wanted something of hers to hold on to. He would make sure she got it back once they found her and they would, find her. They had to. "Jack, we just heard." Tara said from behind him causing him to turn toward the sound of her voice. He could tell she had been crying, he felt like crying himself but the tears just wouldn't come.

"Come on Bobby and Lucy are already inside."

"Did you find anything in the apartment?" D asked as he held the door open for Tara and Miles.

"Nothing but the rag that was used to knock her out. Maybe we can get some prints off it." Jack said climbing the stairs.

Once inside the boys gathered in the kitchen to talk strategy while Tara and Lucy sat on the couch together both deeply distraught over their missing friend. While Jack stood of by himself lost in thought, he worried about her being alone out there. She was probably scared, not knowing where she was and if anyone laid a hand on her...he was just to frustrated to think straight. When they realized there was nothing left they could do that night they each headed home to get some sleep, they wanted to get an early start the next morning and by then the results from the rag should be in. Tara decided to stay with Lucy and Jack took Levi home with him. Jack sighed as he opened the door to his apartment, "Come on Levi," he said moving aside to let the dog in. The dog didn't move just sat in the hall looking at him with sad eyes. "I know your worried about Sue, I am too. Don't worry we'll find her."

That night he lay in bed unable to fall asleep, he let Levi lay on the bed at his feet. He thought about the last time he had seen Sue when he admitted his true feelings, he wondered if things would be different if he hadn't left when Lucy walked in. Would she have told him she felt the same way, would she return the same feelings he had for her. He blamed himself for not being there to protect her, not knowing sooner that something like this would happen, climbing out of the bed he padded down the hall to the dining room where he kept his liqueur. He wasn't usually one to drink but he knew he definitely needed one now, pouring a glass he swigged it down like it was water. Wishing that glass could take away the pain but he knew this was just the beginning.

Sue stood up from the floor, Amanda was behind her clutching her shirt in terror. They noticed the doorknob twist before it opened and a woman walked in she was carrying a tray of food. "Who are you, what do you want?" Sue asked the woman who said nothing just placed the tray on the floor near the doorway before leaving the room. Sue immediately raced to the door to see if it was unlocked, with no such luck. Turning around to look down at the girl she noticed she was crying, "It's gonna be alright I'm gonna get us out of here. But we need to work together ok."

"Ok," she answered with a sob.

"Here why don't you eat something."

"Don't you want some?" Amanda asked glancing up at her.

"No thanks you go ahead." Sue answered her mind on trying to find a way out of there, it was their only hope god knew what the person who did this had in store for them.


End file.
