Episode Sixteen

HFPD

Mike walked into the department, ignoring the looks on his coworker's faces. He knew he looked like hell. It had hit him after Jamie left just how much pain his son must be in. And just how bad he had just screwed up. He had tried to catch up with Jamie in the parking lot, but the teen's jeep was already gone.

So now he was going to Plan B. There had been 3 unsolved sexual assaults over the past year, 4 if he counted Jamie's. There was some speculation that the cases were connected, but for the most part it was thought to have been random assaults by different people. But it was Jamie's assault that made the pieces seem to come together. The first assault had been in March of 2002, then another in June of 2002. The next one hadn't happened till December. But if Mike added Jamie's assault in September to the tally a pattern emerged.

March 10th -
June 14th -
September 1st
December 21st

An assault every 3 months. Which meant if the person was still around, another one was coming this month. Mike closed the files and jumped up. He entered Malcolm office without knocking and startled the man.

"You look like hell."

"Thanks," Mike said sharply. He set the files down on the desk, followed by the sheet of paper where he had copied the dates. "The unconnected assaults? They're connected."

Malcolm looked over them, his eyebrow raising at the September date. "Which one is this? I don't remember hearing about it."

"I just did this morning."

"From?"

"My son."

Malcolm didn't reply at first as the implications sunk in. "Damn," he finally said.

"That was my reaction, too bad I was too shocked to show it and Jamie got pissed and walked away."

"You shouldn't be working. Go home," Malcolm ordered.

Mike nodded slowly, seeing the logic in the suggestion. "I guess so." He got to his feet. "You'll look into it?"

"Of course," Malcolm replied.

Mike left the office and ran into Rebecca.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Not really," Mike replied. "I'm taking the day off. Heading home."

"Do you want me to go home with you?" Rebecca asked, touching his shoulder.

Mike shook his head. "Right now I think I need to be alone."

Jamie's Jeep

Jamie glanced into the backseat as he and Summer stopped at traffic light. "You made me spend about half my savings today, Summer," he joked, looking over the bags that contained a radio, a couple of colorful throws, and a bunch of groceries.

"I'll pay you back for the throws, since those were purely my idea, and for the radio."

"I wanted a radio," Jamie argued.

"Yeah, but I know I'll enjoy you having it when we share private dances while cleaning the cabin up," Summer said, smiling.

Jamie returned the smile and continued down the street. "Why does my dad keep trying to defend David?" he asked suddenly.

Summer sighed. "Because he's an idiot?" she replied. "He was upset, Jamie, I saw his face over your shoulder. It looked like his heart had been ripped out or something."

"Good, he deserves the pain." Jamie said, but he did feel guilty. He didn't want to hurt his dad, but he was so hurt himself.

"I know you don't mean that," Summer said.

Jamie sighed. "You're right, I don't," he said.

"You could try to talk to him again."

"And we'd probably end up fighting again."

"But if not, you wouldn't have to deal with this alone anymore," Summer pointed out.

"I'm not alone," jamie said. "I've got you."

"Yeah, but I'm not as good as a parent."

They happened to be driving by the Bowen apartment building and see Mike pull his car into a parking space.

"You should go see him," Summer said.

Jamie nodded. "I'll drop you off and come back," he said.

"Only if you want to."

"I do wanna talk to him."

"I mean drop me off. If you want the moral support I could come with you. I could wait in the jeep if you want."

"Thanks, but I wanna try this alone this time."

"Okay, but if you need to talk to me later..."

"I'll come see you."

Bowen Apartment

Mike sat on the couch, his head in his hands as he thought. He had been really screwing up lately, and it was costing him his son. He bowed his head, letting the emotions finally roll over him. Tears fell into his palms as he thought of how much he was losing. Mike looked up as he heard the door open. Standing in the doorway, looking more than a little confused, was Jamie.

"Dad?" Jamie asked.

"I'm so sorry," Mike whispered. "I should have known."

"You know now," Jamie replied.

That was all Mike needed. He got to his feet and pulled his son into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

Jamie wrapped his arms around his dad, leaning his head aginst Mike's shoulder. This was what he had been wanting for months, just to be comforted by his dad. To feel safe. "I couldn't... I couldn't tell anyone... and then I had to tell Summer..."

"Why?" Mike asked. "Why did you have to tell her?"

"I freaked out. We were kissing, and suddenly I flashed back to... it... and I feaked. I scared the hell out of her."

"How did she react?" Mike asked, wanting to know whether his son had been hurt or not.

"She comforted me, dad. I thought for sure she was going to want me to take her home and stay away from her, but she held me while I cried, and then she talked me into calling you last night to set up the meeting."

"Remind me to thank her," Mike said, pulling back. He saw the tears on Jamie's face and wiped them away with his thumb. "Are we okay?"

"I don't know," Jamie said.

"Are we going to be?"

"I hope so."

Brady House

Summer was sitting at the kitchen table, eating a sandwhich, when the doorbell rang. She jumped up and went to the door, expecting Jamie. Instead there was a delivery man there with a bouquet of flowers. "Wow."

"Someone really likes you," the delivery man said.

"I guess so," Summer replied, signing for the flowers. She brough them inside, sniffing them, and saw a card. She pulled out the card as she walked into the kitchen, and set the flowers down on the table while she opened the little envelope.

Summer,
You and me forever, babe.
Nothing will ever change
that. And I won't let anyone
get in my way.
Pete

Summer gasped slightly and stared at the flowers, not thinking they were so pretty anymore. She grabbed them and stuff them into the garbage. Then, she decided she didn't even want them in the house and she took them outside to shove them into the trashcan out there. As she re-entered the house the phone rang, startling her. She gingerly picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Summer," came Jamie's voice over the line.

Summer visibly relaxed and smiled at the sound of his voice. "Hi. How'd things go with your dad?"

"Pretty good, I think. He actually reacted."

"That's good. So, do you still need my help decorating, or are you moving back home?"

"Moving back home. At least for now. We've still got a point on contention about the living arrangements after the wedding. I refuse to share a room with David for even a single night, Dad refuses to let me live at the cabin."

"How long til the wedding?"

"About a month. It's scheduled for April 5th."

"You'll figure out something before then."

"He's gonna take me to see the house next weekend, maybe I can just camp out in the livingroom or something."

"Maybe."

"So, what are you doing?"

"Having a sandwhich," Summer replied.

"Yeah? You sounded kinda upset when you answered."

Summer grimaced. "You know the ex-boyfriend who was botheirng me outside Virginia's? He sent me a bouquet of red roses. It bugged me."

"If he does something like that again, call the cops, Summer. You've told him to leave you alone and he won't, it's harrassment."

"I will."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"I gotta go. I'm gonna get my stuff from the cabin and close it up and then get back here for dinner. Love you," Jamie said.

"Love you, too," Summer replied. "Bye." she hung up the phone, smiling slightly.

Summer grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and started upstairs, thinking about how easily the expression 'I love you' comes to her when she speaks to Jamie. There's no hesitation, no wondering, it's just there, a fact. Summer grinned and let out a squeal of excitement as she opened her bedroom door and threw herself on her bed. "I'm in love!" she said to no one in particular.

"I knew you couldn't get over me so easily."

Summer screamed as she looked over and saw Pete leaning against her closet door. "How did you get in here?"

"You should really lock your front door," Pete replied, smirking. "Aren't you glad to see me? You said you were in love."

"Not with you!" Summer replied. "Get out!"

"Come on, baby..."

"Get the hell out of here!" Matt said from the doorway, glaring at the other teenager. "Get away from my sister."

Pete looked at Matt in contempt, then looked back at Summer. "We'll talk later."

"Like hell," Summer replied, wrapping her arms around herself.

"You okay?" Matt asked as he watched Pete go down the stairs and out the front door. "Did he hurt you? Touch you?"

"No," Summer replied. "He just scared the hell out of me."

End Of Episode Sixteen