They spent the next three days following Scogins. Alex even made contact with him once feeling him out so to speak. If she was going to be the one the get the goods on him, she had to have a true feel for what he was capable of. Eberts was worried she was putting her self at risk much to often. But with the tape they had been making of his conversations and pictures they had taken of him accepting a payment for a killing. A killing that had taken place before they had come on to the case. It was looking like this would be the last night they had to spend on stake out. "Okay, I'll only be gone for a short time I want to get some good shots of him setting up for the job tomorrow." Alex pulled her dark hat on and stuffed her hair up inside. "I'll keep in contact and let you know if anyone enters the area." Eberts nodded. Alex moved through the under brush, she had a special camera that took pictures in low light conditions, and was very quite. She managed to get with in 100 feet of Scogins. He was setting up his location for the sniper act he was about to pull on a hit he'd been contracted for just three days before. He ususally took longer to set up for a kill. They had been lucky, getting from hire to fire in such a short time. Alex took several pictures, then moved back to watch. Scogins was very through. She didn't know how she'd managed to keep her presence in the area out of his notice for so long. But she was good at sneaking around. Eberts was listening so intently to the surroundings that he almost missed Alex's first call. "Eberts I'm coming back, I've got all we need." "Right, take your time." Eberts breathed a sigh of relief. But then Alex didn't arrive. He attempted to contact her. There was no answer on her line. He tried to remain calm and tried to contact her again. Still nothing. He swallowed hard, he was going to have to go and look for her. That was procedure, verify the status of your partner before leaving the area. He was already dressed in dark clothing, he checked his weapon and turned the volumn down on the reciever. He opened the side door and climbed out as quitely as possible just in case. He was moving off in the direction Alex had taken, he felt scared. But he was still going to attemp to locate her. Alex had stepped in a hole, her leg wrenched, her connection rippped out of her ear, and the mic torn from her battery pack. She was more worried about the small yelp she'd made when her ankle had bend sideways. If she'd know the pain was coming she could have stopped herself from crying out. It was the surprise that had allowed her to let the protest escape. It took her three minutes before she was mobile again, but she had to move much slower now. By the time she'd reconnected her mic, Eberts wasn't in the van waiting to hear from her any longer. She'd liked that he was coming for her, but she was now worried about him. He had little field experience. Albert was moving forward cautiously, when he heard a noise. He froze and crouched. He was taking aim on the person when he saw it was Alex. He exhaled, relieved. Then he noticed she was moving funny. "Alex are you injuried?" "Eberts, sort of. But I'll be fine. Come on let's get back to the van." Alex accepted his arm around her waist. She wasn't to proud to accept help, when her leg was killing her and Darien and Bobby weren't around to see her. Eberts, assisted her to the van and wanted to examine her leg at once. "Drive us out of here first. I'm not wounded, I just stepped in a hole in the tall grass." "I'll call for the Keeper, she can meet us at the Lab and take a look at your leg." Eberts started the van, and moved off slowly until they were well away from Scogins. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "You've pulled several tendons, you'll have to stay off your leg for a few days and then take it easy for at least a week after that. I'd recommend a little physical therapy, hot soaks and wear the bandage as support. I don't think you've done serious damage, but it is still hurting after three days I'll take another look. " Claire told Alex after checking her leg over. "Thanks, I'll have you check me out again middle of the week." Alex nodded. Eberts was standing in the back ground. But he didn't say anything. He was relieved she wasn't hurt more seriouly. "Let me drive you home?" Albert offered. Knowing full well she probably wouldn't. "Thanks Albert, I think that would be a good idea." He assisted her to her door. Then she thanked him again. "I can take it from here." Alex told him. " I'm glad you agreed to back me up Albert. You did just as you were supposed to tonight. I'm just glad you didn't have to really rescue me." "You're welcome." He was about to say more, but she saw that she was tired and still in pain. "It would only take a minute for me to see you upstairs." "No, I'm fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Alex shook her head, she wasn't ready for any of them to see her home, not yet. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Alex did as intructed, only because she knew Scogins would be out of town on a drug run the next few days. She'd couldn't track him out of the country, not with the limited budget the Agency gave her to work with. Her leg was back to 90 percent by the time she slapped the cuffs on Scogins and hauled him in for a list of Federal offences as long as his arm. She was writing up the report on the case, when she got another case of the tremors. She'd finally checked on the possible reasons for her intermitent trembling, and it did seem that stress was a possible reason. The Official was back from the east coast. He'd allowed her two days to finish recovering before he sent her out on a mission for the Dept of the Interior. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Robert I was wondering if you would advise me." "Sure Eberts what's up?" "I'm seeing a lady that has issues with intimacy. I was wondering if you would advise me how to go about." "Got ya, but you already know about it did she tell you what happened?" "No," "Ah, see now there is the first problem if she hasn't told you then you can't bring it up. You are pretty much going to have to let her do the leading. It's a tough situation, you have to be very patient." Bobby was trying to be helpful but there really wasn't much he could tell him. "Let me ask you, was she attacked or something like that, or is it something else?" "Yes, she has received treatment, and she has been intimate since the attack. But, from what I understand it's difficult, for her." Eberts had read Alex's file when she had first arrived with the Agency. He almost wished he hadn't now. "Well that's good. Ah don't know what else to tell you buddy. Go slow, be gentle, it's going to hard on you." Bobby nodded, he well remembered when he'd learned after the fact that Alex had been attacked. After he thought about it he was kind of glad she hadn't told him. She'd changed her usual method of dealing with it with him. "Thank you," He sighed deeply. "Did you get the messages Miss Monroe left for you, I believe there were several?" "No, I haven't check my voice mail yet. Is there a problem?" "I don't know just that she was eager to speak with you." Bobby checked his office voice mail. They had only just gotten it the month before and he wasn't use to checking on it regally. If it was really important people usually called him on the cell phone. "Hobbes, when you get back I need to talk to you. Later Alex." "Hobbes, me again, I need some advise from a wise old agent, call me when you get back. " He didn't check the rest of the messages, she sounded a little distressed. He dialed her cell phone. "Monroe?" "Hey Monroe what's up?" "Hobbes please tell me you're back?" "Yeah, I'm back is there a problem?" He heard the tension in her voice, he hoped she hadn't back herself into a corner again. "I'm done here for the day, can I meet you somewhere?" "How about your office, or mine?" "Yeah, I guess that will work. I'll be there in fifteen." "Which one yours or mine?" "Yours less chance of our being interrupted." Alex exhaled, she was glad he was back. Bobby was puzzled, he wondered what was going on with her now. He sat down at his computer and fired it up, he had a long report to get started on. Darien was checking in wiht Claire, but he'd be getting home to bed long before his partner did. Alex knocked and opened his door fifteen minutes later. He glanced at his clock he could have timed her, she was so punctual. "I'm glad you're back." She exhaled again once the door was closed behind her. Bobby stood and moved around the desk to hug her in greeting. Alex welcomed his embrace and held on for more. "Oh, so that is what this it about, you are under to much stress? " Bobby had offered her a shoulder to lean on if she ever needed it this was only the second time she'd taken him up on the offer. "Yeah, it's another serious mission, but that's not the real problem." She confessed, shifting in his embrace. "Let me soak this in a minute." She exhaled again and closed her eyes, there was something magic about his embrace. It made no sense, but for a few minutes she felt at ease. "So what is the real problem?" He asked when she finally moved out of his arms. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::