Dominik didn't understand this time of year. The Christmas season, to him at least, was purely a commercial one. For one thing, he'd read somewhere that the pagans had actually been the ones to start Christmas up in the first place. For another, more money was spent than during the course of the rest of the year combined. It was even said that some businesses doubled in size because of Christmas, and there were most certainly quite a few that were made into what they were because of Christmas.

It was a mark of how truly materialistic mortals had become over the last seven hundred years that only about thirty percent of the population of Canada actually celebrated Christmas. Oh, sure, there was always the giving of gifts and the partying, but the only ones who really celebrated Christmas in their own homes were those who wanted to get something in return.

Perhaps that was why Dominik was so much more arrogant than he usually was during the Christmas season. He just didn't get it. He didn't like the crowds, either, though they certainly made feeding easier. Who'd spare a second look for a couple of neckers, after all? And when a victim collapsed, Dominik could easily disappear. But that was the only real benefit that he saw.

Regardless, he needed some fresh air. He'd fed already, of course, but it was only a child that had gotten lost. Hey, a free meal was a free meal. Who was he to say no to that? But he was still hungry. Or thirsty. Or whatever it was called in this day and age. So, he was hunting. He wanted something...foreign. Just for a change of pace. Usually what he found around here were the typical French-Canadian jagoffs who could care less about who they bumped into so long as they could blame it on someone other than themselves, or the American tourists who thought that cameras were a gift from whatever god they happened to serve and took more pictures than a professional photographer at a celebrity photo shoot. Either way, they were annoying - especially during this time of year.

Ah, but there she was. She was alone, she was ignorant - and she was food. She was also quite exotic - Asian, by the look of her - and Dominik was not about to pass up some Asian cuisine. He watched her for a while first, though. She must have been a dancer at some point, for she exceedingly graceful in her step - for a mortal, anyway. She was also quite attractive. Perhaps he'd have a bit of fun with her before he left her to die. Well, he'd just have to wait and see. There were too many people around. He wasn't stupid.

Lana pulled the loose jacket tight around her as she made her way home from a rather long day at work. She'd gotten it a little large because of what would happen in the future and she would still need a jacket, but didn't want to spend the money on a bigger one when she finally did need it.

Might as well just buy a bigger one and get it over with right? No need to waste money.

The nausea had finally abated for the day, leaving her worn out and hungry, but she was going home, She'd be able to get something to eat and get off of her aching feet. Feet that once carried her proudly down a runway, that were always cared for and pampered... She hadn't had a pedicure since she ran away, but now, it didn't seem that important.

What was important was the little being growing inside of her. Lana'd had her first exam just the other day, and surprisingly everything was going just fine. The baby was growing as it should and all of her vitals and tests came back in good condition. That took a load of worry off of her shoulders, to know that her position hadn't hurt the baby.

It made things all more bright that everything would be okay. And who knew... Maybe Adam would come around as things moved further along. Well it was a long shot, but she could hope couldn't she? Hope was really all Lana had at this point anyway.

The Hawaiian native sighed as she walked along the bustling side walk through the business center, wishing she had the money for a cab. But then again, walking was good exercise for her and the baby, the doctor had said so, and so she would walk, even if it hurt her feet. It would take a bit longer, but she'd be home soon either way. Luckily she'd been able to change shoes before she left, her heals in the small bag she carried with her and comfortable sneakers on her feet.

It just didn't seem like Christmas to her... Not the Christmases she knew... But that was okay. She didn't have anyone to celebrate with anyway...

Despite the young woman's grace, she was nonetheless aching. Her feet were, anyway. Anyone could have seen the slow way she moved, but it was more than that. The way she stepped - and there was something else. He could smell it. He could smell...something...

She was pregnant.

That had to be it.

The way the blood flowed was another indication, it seemed. It split up in places, as though diverted in some manner to something else...and there was an overlapping sound of additional blood flow...among other things. Yes, she was pregnant. Well, it didn't matter to Dominik. He'd fed on countless women; this one would be no different.

She wasn't showing, though. The coat was obviously meant to warm her when her spawn grew into a child, but she was still skinny. No woman would have moved the way this one did if they were in the midst of a full-blown pregnancy. And there was the way she breathed, of course.

Soon, though, it wouldn't matter if she was pregnant or not. Soon - very soon - she would be his food, and in more ways than one. But he'd leave her alive - barely. If she lived, more food to supply Dominik's brethren with in a few months - or years, depending. If not, it hardly mattered. She was just a mortal, after all...

It was too early to tell if it would be a boy or a girl yet, she had about two months before they would be able to determine and even then, her doctor has said some babies like to keep the parents guessing anyway. But she'd already been thinking of names, as every expecting mother did. But really, it all depended on who the child looked like. If the baby looked like her, with the Hawaiian traits and all, then she might.... No... Lana liked her name, but well... She wanted to start a new life. She wanted to break away from her family. Since she'd been here, she'd lost control only a few times. Granted they were all bad times, but she was calmer without them.

Of course she would go back one day. But not until she was married... After all, her parents would never speak to her if she came with her baby, and no father.

If it were a boy, she wouldn't name him after his father. She never believed in that, and he didn't deserve it. Adele was an absolutely adorable name. She had a friend in one of her pageants named Adele, and it was such a beautiful graceful name.

"Adele Stanton..." She tried it out hesitantly. Well... Stanton if everything turned out okay. But Adele Akiona... Nah... Well... If she did get married and her husband adopted the child, that wold work too. And Adele was just too sweet of a name to resist.

But what if it was a boy? Jeffery? It was nice... But she didn't like it too much...

Ah, she had plenty of time really. And she would be able to think more when she knew if it were a boy or a girl. She was so excited to find out.

Excited? Maybe. Over the past few weeks, the idea of being pregnant had grown on her a good deal With the job, a doctor and a roof over her head, Lana was feeling much more optimistic about the whole situation.

Huh?

A sudden chill at her spine made her pause and glance around. It felt as if someone were watching her, following her. But no... She didn't see anyone, and there were a lot of people all going the same way. With so many people around no one would try anything in such a public place. It was just her imagination...

Indeed, had the crowd been quite a bit thicker, there would have been no hesitation. In a crowd, it was difficult to interrupt someone because it was difficult to get to them - and no one would have bothered in a crowd. But as sparse as the population was, there was bound to be someone trying to sell them something or get them to donate to some fruitless cause or charity - and then they would notice what was really going on.

One look - that's all it would take. A scream, a gasp of horror - someone would notice. If they didn't, someone would make someone notice. It would simply cause too much trouble.

So Dominik stuck to the shadows, continued being just another face at the edge of the crowd. One might have wondered at the stylish black leather jacket he was wearing - a jacket which fell to his knees despite it not being a trench coat or anything else of the sort - and the black tank top he wore underneath it. It was clear that he was wearing a tank top from the way his jacket hung open, but it was also clear he was not poor. The rings on his fingers glinted in the light reflecting off the snow and in the lights flickering and shining nearby. He walked with an air of arrogance, of superiority, that just couldn't be ignored - and yet, somehow, he was invisible. That was the way of crowds, after all - unless you started murdering people with a shotgun or a couple of .357 Magnums, nobody knew or care who you were or what you looked like. Indeed, nothing more than a glance passed Dominik's way as he stalked the helpless girl. And indeed, any mortal was helpless - especially one that was pregnant - when faced with a seven-hundred-plus-year-old vampire...

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end then. Something was wrong... Someone was following her, she just didn't know who.

Pulling her jacket closer with one hand, Lana gripped the bag tighter in her hand just in case. All that was in there was her shoes and her wallet, but it would hurt enough to give her a moment to run...

Moving faster along the sidewalk, she didn't really know what to do. She didn't have a cell phone, and she was afraid to talk to someone else. After all, they might just think she's crazy, thinking that someone's after her when there's no one after her.

But there was someone... Lana knew from her years of living in New York to trust her instincts.

Spotting a crowd up ahead she hurried to try to blend in with them, just so she might be safer. But who knew... Maybe that was just what this guy wanted. Maybe... Maybe someone had a cell phone and she could call Roderick... Or Adam. Adam was an officer after all. Either one of them would be able to help her. John was close, as she'd just left work, and he was a good man.

After all, he hadn't fired her for not telling him about her little problem.

But she didn't want to. She just wanted to get home safely.

Who said home was safe, though? After all, a vampire could easily break a door knob or a lock. A vampire could easily muffle someone's screams. And in one's own apartment or house, it was all too easy for a vampire to get whatever he wanted out of a victim.

But she wasn't heading home. She was heading into a crowd - and that meant easier feeding. Dominik did so enjoy playing with his food. His fellow Ishak thought it rather amusing, though the Amman had always told him to stop it. Not that he ever had, of course. It was simply too much fun.

He knew there was no need to hurry, but he got a bit closer anyway. He knew she still wouldn't be able to figure it out, but it was fun to watch her try. Pathetic mortals. Masters of their own destinies indeed...the only thing they were masters of was whether or not they ignored what was so obviously out there in the world. Fortunately for Dominik and his kind, they chose ignorance...

Once in the crowd, she thought she would be able to relax, but the feeling didn't go away. The chill at her spine didn't fade away...

Lana was beginning to feel nauseous again... A combination of her nerves and the baby she was sure. But she could hold it back, she could keep it away as she took deep breaths to calm herself. She would be okay. There was a fire station not to far away. She could walk with the crowd until she got there and then head off. They would be able to get a hold of someone for her, and Adam would give her a ride home right?

He was a good man on occasions... Even if he was a little afraid.

She shivered slightly, from the cold she told herself.

It'll be okay... Everything will be fine. There's no one following me. She told herself softly, setting a hand on her stomach in hopes to settle it slightly. Her moods seemed to affect the baby now, and the baby in turn affected her. A bond that had only grown stronger really since she found out she was pregnant.

Looking back ever so slightly she could have sworn there was someone in the shadows. But at a second glance, they weren't there. It was all a figment of her imagination. She was simply getting worried about nothing. That was all. She was just being scared by shadows. It was probably just a cat or something.

He decided to play with her a bit more before he fed from her. A slow smirk started spreading across his face that would have turned into a broad, mischievous grin had he not contained himself. He schooled himself to keep it to a smirk, but he couldn't resist the temptation to make her go crazy.

He was near her in an instant and gone just as quick, but not before pressing his lips to her right ear and whispering ever-so-softly so that only she could discern what had been said - or that anything had been said at all.

"Hello there, little girl."

Then he was back in the crowd, hiding well amongst the many faces and the shadows the lights surrounding them created...

She gasped and nearly cried out as she heard the voice, jumping and turning around so quickly that someone else bumped into her and continued on without a word.

There was someone! She... No... But there wasn't anyone around but for the people that she'd been walking with. There wasn't anyone... She... She was just tired. Just tired from the long day, that was all.

Turning around she hurried to join the back of the crowd. She had to call Adam... Or John. He would be getting out of the building soon. He would make sure she got home okay.

But she'd have to make it tot he fire station first, as she didn't have anything but a few dollar bills on her. Couldn't use a pay phone with that.

Biting her lip, clutching the bag at her side she moved on, just wanting to get somewhere safe. She was scared, and the stress wasn't good for her or the baby. She already was starting to feel sick. All she needed to do was to throw up to show the person following her just how weak she really was.

He decided to play that trick again - it was fun. This time, though, he used the shadows as his cover and spoke in her left ear.

"You're pretty, for a mortal," he whispered softly.

Then he was gone, just another shadow in the night. He was most definitely grinning now. He hadn't had this much fun since that riot in New York. Ah, so many years ago that was now. He was so enjoying this.

This time she did cry out, turnign about once more, but seeing no one near her again. It was too much for her, too much to deal with right now, so she ran.

It didn't matter that her feet hurt. It didn't matter that she was tired. Either her illness was getting worse, or there really was someone after her. So whichever it was, she ran. The Fire Station was only four or five blocks away, she could run that far when she needed to, and right now, she needed to.

She bolted around the crowd, staying away from the alleys and in the light of the street lamps.

"Leave me alone..." She whimpered fearfully, more to herself. "Just go away, leave me alone."

What was going on? Was she going even crazier? Was her problem more serious than she thought? Or was someone after her... But which was worse? Would someone after her be worse than loosing her mind? They could both be solved... But... Oh God... If someone wanted to hurt her... If they did hurt her and the baby...

No, she wouldn't let them, she wouldn't let them hurt her baby. She would do anything she could to keep her baby safe, and so she ran now. Ran to where she thought she would be safe.

Safe? Ha...what was safe when there was a vampire after you? Especially when he was toying with you, making you think you were losing your mind...was your own mind even safe if a vampire was after you? Again, ha...and ha....

As she came around the crowd, she found herself in the very place she didn't want to be in: an empty lot. It was a large lot, too. Perfect. Just absolutely perfect. He stood there, watching her run by. He just smiled. It would have been creepy in broad daylight, but it was after eleven at night and the flickering streetlight under which he now stood was dim enough to give him a downright terrifying look - a haunted, shadowy look.

...like a monster in waiting for its prey.

Lana refused to stop, even as she saw a vacant lot that looked rather foreboding. Was there someone standing there? She thought she saw a shadow... But she wasn't going to stop and look, she didn't have time. She had to get to the Station so she could call Adam. Only then would she feel safe.

Grateful she'd changed her shoes and running as fast as she could Lana ignored the glances of the few people she bumped into. If someone was after her, she wasn't going to give them the chance to catch her unless they either caught up or just popped out of nowhere. And someone running to catch her would attract attention. And well because people couldn't just pop out of nowhere, she would be okay so long as she was running.

Only a few more blocks, only a little bit further and she would be safe.

Her feet hurt every time they touched the concrete, but what did it matter? She had to get away from whoever it was that was following her. And it was someone. She wasn't going crazier. After all, she knew what it was like, and this was nothing like when she blacked out.

Ah, but perhaps she was crazy...but no. Was she crazy, after all, when the shadows seemed to shift around her into a blur that tripped her? Or was that actually a foot? Was the foot even there, or was she tripping over her own feet? Dominik couldn't help but laugh silently as he stepped forward and tripped her, and then was gone just as quickly as he had come. He was the blur of shadows, and now he was cloaked in the darkness of the night once more. Somebody thought he saw something, but there was nothing - and he turned away. Dominik smirked. He was but ten feet from her, yet it was so dark that only one of his kind could have possibly seen the details he was seeing now. Her hair thrown about as though caught in a hurricane, her clothes rumpled as though she'd been exercising, and sweat beginning to pour from her the way it did from mortals - for she had been running flat-out for almost two blocks. Even with adrenaline, that would have made anyone sweat. And the smell of female sweat...somehow, it was - intoxicating. Yes, he would most definitely have to have a bit of fun with her...

Suddenly she was falling and a sharp cry of pain tore from her as her wrist crumpled. There was a slight crack as she tried to break her fall and all that happened was she clutched her arm to her quickly as she rolled over on to her stomach so she could move to her knees.

She tried to move it, but it hurt too much to move, tears of pain welling up in her eyes. Had the fall hurt the baby? She'd fallen on her side as not to hurt herself too much... But... Oh god... She hoped her baby was okay.

Now that she stopped running she was panting heavily and her heart was pounding as if she were still running. Using her good hand to brush her hair out of her face, it as then that Lana saw the dark figure approaching her.

"Oh God..." She murmured fearfully, her brown eyes wide with terror. "Please... Please don't hurt me sir." She whispered in a panic as she fell backwards, wincing as she moved her wrist by accident. "I haven't done anything to you, please let me go home. Don't hurt me or my baby, please. I'll give you anything you want, just don't hurt my baby." The tears falling now were from more than pain... More than fear. It was a terror deeper than anything she had ever known before.

Ooh, the drama...he loved it...the young woman practically screaming, though breathless, begging him not to harm her baby. She was swearing to give him anything he wanted...

He looked into her eyes and took hold of her, mezmerizing her on the spot.

"Roll over," he commanded her, his voice putting force and ancient power the likes of which this pathetic mortal had never dreamed of behind the eerie words. Indeed, she was on her back - but soon she would be on her stomach...

It was as if she slipped out of consciousness. As if someone else was taking over her body and she was only a passenger. The exhaustion in her mind took over as the man in the shadows did, so without even realizing what she was doing, she rolled over, falling slightly as she tried to put weight on her injured wrist, but not even crying out in pain.

She was under his control, helpless to do anything herself... But for some reason the tears still fell.

The fear was still inside of her, refusing to let the tears stop flowing. Even the way he took control of her body couldn't push away her fears...

His wicked smirk became an evil grin as his hand ripped away shirt and coat both in one smooth motion, leaving her back bare. Even the clasp of her bra was ripped away. Only her arms were now covered as the clothing fragments were tossed carelessly aside. He knelt beside her, lust for both her body and her blood binding him as he had bound her - mentally. He ran a finger down the middle of her back, tickling her. He enjoyed the feeling of her flesh - so tender and soft...so smooth...

As her skin was exposed to the cold air, her body began to shiver.

But she felt nothing... Lana felt nothing s her clothing was ripped from her body. She felt nothing as her body trembled with cold, or as he ran his hand down her back. Nothing as the freezing tears stung her eyes.

Her brown eyes were still open wide as they had been before, but they were blank... Glazed over with the force of his mind.

And perhaps it was best that she was numb to everything, numb to all sensation and thought. It was too late for her to beg him for her safety, too late for her to plead and bargain with him. But at least so numb, she wouldn't remember anything... She wouldn't remember the fear or the terror she felt now.

Such smooth, soft, tender skin...it reminded him of...

No.

He had not thought of her in over two hundred years. He would not start now. He shook himself free of such thoughts and focused instead on his 'fun' and food for the evening. His mind reached out to take from her the last of her clothing, until even her purse was thrown away from her with his telekinesis.

His hand wend slowly, caressingly, from her shoulder blades to her buttocks and below...between her legs...

He spent the next ten minutes caressing her inside and out, playing with her nude body. She was slowly freezing to death, he knew, but he didn't really care. He turned her over and played with her some more. Then, as his hands went over her and across her and in her, he bent to her neck and bit her - and then he drank...

Colder... With every moment that went by Lana's nude body shivered more and more in a desperate attempt to keep herself warm. But her lips were already paling, her fingers stiff and cold.

Had Lana been able to feel, she might have enjoyed his attentions, but as it was she simply lay there, barely more than a rag doll with a pulse.

In the time he had dedicated to enjoying her body for himself, she was shivering violently, her body nearly convulsing, her breath sharp, irregular. The only warmth her body now had was the slight warmth of his hands.

But and then as he bit, she gasped softly, the first sign of real like from her. The warmth of his body and clothing against hers was all she had now, was all she had ever to keep her alive. But her eyes closed gently as he drank deeply, draining her of her very life. Her body fell still, no longer shivering, no longer having the energy to fight the losing battle for warmth.

Naked, one could barely see the slight bump below her stomach, the only way anyone would know she was pregnant. But now... That hardly seemed to matter anymore...

In his haste, he had bitten his lip. This would not have mattered, but he had drained almost all of her blood and he was still draining her. Before he realized it, a single drop of blood had deposited itself in her neck wound. As he pulled it away, he hardly noticed. His senses were on fire, his body felt like that of a god, and he was ready for anything. Such was the potency and power over him and other vampires that blood had.

So he began to finish with her, opening his own pants to do the deed. When it was done, he stood. He'd done up his pants again, but something was different. She was different. He had done something, but he didn't yet realize what it was. Whatever it was, he could not have known that he had done it only because of the vague similarity between her and the wife he had known so very, very long ago...

The wound on her neck had been healed by the blood... So instead of bleeding to death the wound closed itself, saving Lana from losing any more precious life.

And as he ravaged her body, it warmed her flesh, the friction of his clothing against her body. It would postpone her death... It would give her more time to live as she lay on the cold concrete of the alley.

Lana's body lay limp though on the ground, as if all hope and life had gone from it. But she was clinging on to life with all she could, clinging with desperation for her and her baby. She couldn't give up... She had to hold on until someone found her.

But the blood was doing something else to her as well - it was killing her, but not completely. The body was beginning to change, though even Dominik could not have known this at the time. He kissed her tender breasts once more, rubbed her sweet spot with his fingers a last time - and then he slipped back into the shadows, returning from whence he came. If she was found, she would be dead - or barely alive. Either way, it was just another murder in a murder-ridden city. The Amman would take care of things if need be, but most likely the case - if it became a murder case - would be an unsolved one anyway. He took his leave...

Adam fiddled with the dial on his radio. Trying to find a station that wasn't blasting Christmas carols this time of year was something of a chore. Finally, he found one that was playing rock--classic, which wasn't his usual taste, but it was better than "Winter Wonderland" for the umpteenth time.

Restlessly, he drummed his fingers on the wheel. The holidays always made him antsy. Christmas had never been a fun time in the Stanton home. Oh, sure, they decorated and made Christmas food and all of that, but even as a boy Adam had known it was all so fake. They bought a tree and paid someone to come in and hang it just perfectly with tinsel and ornaments. The cook made all the cookies and candies while his mother drank a glass of wine and watched. His dad got busy banging anyone that wasn't Adam's mother. If she dared complain, well, she got her bang too.

Behind the happy shiny image, his family had been one fractured, screwed-up little show.

His thoughts slid to Lana and the baby. Part of him wanted to be a father, wanted to try its hand at making his big house into a home. But the other part, the wise part, knew it was just an all-around Bad Idea. Stanton men were historically terrible fathers and it just got worse with each passing generation.

Adam rubbed a hand over his face and wished for a drink. Or something to think about that wasn't his life.

The radio crackled. "All units, there was a disturbance at St. Raine's Square. Possible mugging."

Ask and ye shall receive. Adam picked up. "Dispatch, this is Stanton. I'm in the area."

"Roger."

Pressing his foot down, the tires squealed on the slick pavement as he sped towards St. Raine's Square. There didn't seem to be anything happening now, but he did a circle just in case. Slowly, he began to branch out into wider and wider circles. When he passed the lot, he almost drove by it, but something caught his eye. Adam squinted through the falling snow. "Aw, shit." He almost leapt from the car before putting it in park. Lana lay naked, her lips turning blue. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck," Adam muttered, his breath billowing out as he ripped a glove off to massage her neck.

There was still a pulse.

Swiftly, he jerked out of his overcoat and draped it over her. Bundling her in it as best he could, he lifted her and unlocked the back of the cruiser so he could shove her inside. It wasn't a particularly graceful move, but time was of the essence. Adam slammed back into the driver's seat, cranking the heater up to high and fumbling for the radio at the same time. "Dispatch, I've got a likely sexual assault. I'm going to the hospital," he barked.

((Just gonna FF here to when she wakes up :) ))


A steady beep measured Lana's pulse. It was this that she heard first when she came to. Her fingers of her uninjured hand moving ever so slightly, but so delicate was her case it seemed that a nurse was watching her intently. "I think she's waking up." She heard a voice call out from far away.

Her head moved gently a slight pain stinging her neck. She tried to sit up, but she felt hands pushing her back down. "Don't move sweetheart... Just lie there for a bit."

"My... My baby..." She whispered, her throat dry and scratchy. "Is my baby...."

"Hush darling." The doctor soothed stroking her hair. "Your baby's okay... By some miracle your baby's just fine." She assured the girl. It was something to see such a young girl worried first about her child... Something unusual but amazing. But she turned to one of the other nurses. "Go fetch Officer Stanton if he's still around. Tell him that Lana's awake finally." And so the nurse left.

It was nearly four hours later that she had woken up, three hours after her body had been stabilized and they'd gotten the transfusions started. How she had lost so much blood was a mystery but it was a miracle that both her and the child were still alive.

"Wha... What happened to me?" Lana murmured weakly. "I'm so cold...."

"No surprise... Officer Stanton found you outside naked... Do you remember what happened Lana... Did someone attack you?"

"I... I dunno... I... I can't remember..." She whimpered.

"Well don't worry. We're going to have to do some tests... So we can find out what happened. Okay Lana? Will you let us help you?" She asked softly, stroking the girls head again. Her temperature was still a bit low, but that wouldn't be like that for too much longer. "So we can find who hurt you?"

Lana nodded weakly. "Okay... Yeah..."

"Officer Stanton? Officer Stanton, the girl you brought in has woken up."

Adam blinked. "Detective," he corrected automatically, then cleared his throat. "Wait, what?" It took him a second to reconnect with the world after staring blankly at a wall for four hours straight.

The nurse gave him a look. "The girl you brought in has woken up."

He blinked again. "Okay." Was he supposed to do something? He'd already radioed back to Dispatch and they'd just said to wait at the hospital. Considering he was Sex Crimes, it worked out for them that he was already there. Adam cleared his throat again. "Can she... give a statement?"

"I'm not sure... Would you like to see her?"

Adam sat up straighter, rubbing his eyes. "I... yes. Yes, I would," he said slowly. Standing, he rubbed his muscles, which had cramped from sitting for so long in a chair not made for a man of six-three.

The nurse nodded briskly. "Follow me," she ordered, leading him to Lana's room. "I'll leave you be, okay? The doctor should be here shortly."

Nodding, Adam moved towards the side of Lana's bed, feeling more than slightly awkward. "Lana? Can you... hear me?"

She stirred again as she heard a familiar voice now. "Adam." She said as she smiled opening her eyes slightly. She raised her hand up to his face, but was too weak to reach him all the way. "The baby's okay. Our baby's safe." She said with a smile as she let her eyes close again.

"What... What happened?" She asked. Maybe he knew more than she did... "I... I was on my way home, and... It felt like someone was following me. So I ran... I was going to call you but I fell... He came from the shadows and pulled me into the alley... then I passed out. Not... Not like what sometimes happens..." She gave a cough as something tickled her already dry throat, but didn't say anything else.

The baby was okay... That was all that mattered to her. Adam... He might not have been that thrilled about it, but it meant everything to her. Knowing that their child was safe, she could relax. She tried to move her other hand, but gave a little cry of pain.

Her eyes opened reluctantly and she saw the temporary cast on her wrist. Was it broken? Oh... God... What if it was? Mr. Roderick... He... He might not be able to use her any more. If she couldn't type or write anymore... What good was she?

With a little whimper she rolled on her side and curled up, shivering slightly.

She couldn't remember what happened... She couldn't remember what that man did to her. She just... Fell asleep or something he... He did something to her, but she didn't know what.

He flinched a little when she called it their baby, but other than that, seemed relatively well composed. The nurse was outside the door and didn't seem to have heard.

Gently, he touched her hair, then pulled back. "I don't know what happened," he said quietly, then fell silent and listened as she told what had happened to her. "Somebody chased you? Did you see them at all?" he asked.

Adam rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. This part... this part had never been his strong point. Talking with the victims was something that had never come easily for him, the knowing what to say and when to say it. The fact that he knew this particular victim certainly didn't help.

When she curled up, he sat silently for a moment. Then, on impulse or instinct, he pulled her blanket up for her, his big hands tugging at the fabric awkwardly. "There's a man here. Said his name is John Roderick. He's been raising a holy hell for a while now because the doctors won't let him in." Adam paused, glancing at Lana.

"Do you want him here for the tests?" If she did, well, he couldn't blame her. Adam doubted his presence was very comforting for her.

"No..." She murmured softly. "I... I didn't... I thought that.... That I was going crazy or something I felt him... But I couldn't see him... And... God I was so afraid."

She felt a little better though as Adam pulled the blankets up around her again. She still felt so cold.

"Mr. Roderick? He... He's here? Yeah.... He can come..." She nodded. The past few weeks really, John had been almost like a father, or a close uncle to her. He might have been a hard ass sometimes, but she knew that he cared about her. He might have been a stern business man, but he was a good man, kind and caring.

Even if her wrist was broken... He'd try to figure something out right? Yeah. He wouldn't just get rid of her. He'd find something for her to do.

"Adam... I... I'm still cold... Could you get me another blanket?" She asked softly, opening her eyes to look at him almost pleadingly. "And a drink maybe...? My throat is dry." She was still scared though. What if... What if he found her again? What if something did happen to the baby later because of this? She saw the red tube going into her arm... How much blood had she lost? Had the baby gotten enough oxygen?

"He... he won't come here will he?" She asked fearfully.

"Shhh, it's okay. There's no reason to be afraid now," Adam said gently, reaching out to lay one of his big hands on Lana's arms to comfort her. "No one can hurt you here." Comfort did not come easily for him, but he was trying.

Adam had never joined the police force for any idealistic reasons like making a difference in the world or helping a community. He was a man who craved awe. He wanted people to look up to him. That had been part of why he had thrown himself into football--because athletes are respected and admired. When he couldn't play anymore, he had looked for something else that would give him that prestige. The force had answered that. People looked up to and feared a badge. Adam was good at his job, but he didn't do it for the right reasons.

Even so, he'd do his best now.

"Alright. I'll go tell them that he can come in," Adam said, moving as if to stand but pausing when she began to speak again. "Sure," he said, standing and adding, "I can get that for you."

He paused at the doorway. "No, he won't come here."

Adam walked quickly to the nurses' station, spotting the one that had come to fetch him. "She wants another blanket. And something to drink. Oh, and the man? John Roderick? She said it'll be alright if he comes in," he said with a yawn, drawing his hand through his hair and flipping a wrist over to check his watch. Almost two in the morning.

"Here you go," the nurse said, moving to a large linen closet stocked with pillowcases and blankets and sheets. She tossed one of the blankets to Adam. "Normally, we'd give her some ice chips to suck on, but she doesn't need anything cold at the moment. I'll have the kitchen warm up some broth for her."

"Thanks," Adam replied, accepting the blanket. Tucking it under his arm, he headed to the waiting room where Roderick was pacing. He had all the grace of a bull, Adam noted. "Mr. Roderick? You can come on in if you like."

Roderick looked up. The cop, was it? Giving a grunt that may have been a thank-you or simply a sound of acknowledgment, the stocky businessman walked beside the cop back to Lana's room. When the two got there, the nurse already had a tray with a bowl on it--Lana's broth, presumably.

"Here you go," Adam held up the blanket so Lana could see, then drew it over her. It wasn't particularly neat when he did, but it covered her.

Roderick moved to the head of the bed, his blunt fingers touching her cast very lightly. "What have you gone and done to yourself?"

She smiled softly as Adam tried to comfort her. She knew it wasn't his strong suit, that he wasn't the emotional type. It... It just wasn't who he was. But the thought that he was trying... Well it made her smile, made her happy that he actually cared about her.

"Thanks Adam..." She said with a smile as he left to get her blanket.

She was dozing slightly as she heard the nurse come in with a tray and then Adam with John slightly after. She gave a murmur and a smile of a thank you when he pulled the blanket over her.

But Lana let her eyes close again as John sat near her. It was nice to be with people she knew would protect her, and knew cared about her. Even if he had trouble showing it, she knew Adam cared.

"I... I fell. I... I guess it's broken... They haven't told me. But.... But the baby's okay. And that's what really matters. Well... I don't know how much I'll be able to do Mr. Roderick... I'm sorry... Really. I... I'm sure I could find other things to do though." It might have been silly to thing about work at a time like this, but she wanted to get it out of the way.

"I... I'm okay though... Really. Just tired... But feeling warmer at least." She smiled slightly. "Um... Detective..." She murmured, not knowing if she should call Adam by his first name or not. "When can I do those tests... I'm just really tired and... just wanna sleep." The lack of blood made her exhausted and with the baby it just put extra strain on her body. "How long will I be here?" She asked softly. She didn't think Adam would know, but he'd know better than John or he'd know who to ask.

Roderick gave a slight smile, one that softened the hard edges of his face into something almost gentle. "Sure. I bet you went and broke it on purpose just so you could get out of work, didn't you?" he said. Joking didn't come altogether naturally to him, but he cracked another smile to make sure it was taken as one. "We'll figure something out for you."

Sure, his policy was everybody works, but he wasn't such a drill sergeant that he would punish her for getting hurt. What was he, an ogre?

Adam glanced at Lana from his position near the door. "He's on his way now," he assured her. "Don't worry, they shouldn't take long." The tests didn't, but they were awkward and not entirely pleasant for anyone involved.

"Do you want me to leave when he comes?" Roderick asked, stroking a hand over her hair. He glanced as Adam left to talk to someone who was, presumably, the doctor. The businessman glanced back at Lana, saying, "If you think it would be awkward for me to be here, I can wait outside."

"Of course..." She murmured with a smile in return. "You know how I hate typing up all your boring speeches and correcting the monkeys that write them." Lana teased in return.

"I... I'm kinda glad I passed out... And I don't... Don't have to remember anything at least." She murmured, closing her eyes as she buried her face in the blankets. And wasn't that the truth. Since she had no memory of what happened, sure they might not be able to find the guy, but at least she couldn't ever remember what happened, and wouldn't have to live with the humiliation if she had been raped. She didn't even want to know if she had been or not. Sure she'd been found naked, but that didn't mean she'd been raped.

"No." She said quickly as Roderick asked if he should leave. "No, stay please... You and Adam both... I... I'm scared really... And... And you two are all I have here. But... I mean If ou need to be somewhere. I know it's late... I'm sorry about all this. I really am. I... I tried to get somewhere, I did."

Adam sighed as he crossed his arms over his broad chest before saying, "I don't think she remembers much, doc." He shrugged slightly. "I don't know if that's just her blocking it out or if there's a physical reason for it. Maybe she hit her head? But there weren't any visible wounds." Adam frowned at that part. "That was actually the odd thing, doc. I brought here here and they said she'd lost a lot of blood, but there wasn't any at the scene. Well, not much anyway."

The doctor nodded a little, thinking that over. He was a round little man. Short and round-bellied with a round face and a balding head. For the holidays, he'd let his white beard grow out and had donned a Santa's hat. "Maybe she was dumped there," he suggested, adding, "but I'm afraid I don't have a good explanation for the lack of wounds."

Adam glanced towards Lana's room. "That's a possibility. There was quite a bit of blood between her legs. That may be the source of all the bloodloss."

Dr. Santa hat nodded again. "Well, shall we?" he asked, stumping towards the girl's room. He pulled his hat off as he stepped inside, glancing at the man by her bedside. "Well, miss Akiona, my name is Dr. Donald Saunders. Would you like me to explain the procedure for you?"

Roderick laid a hand on Lana's shoulder for comfort.

Lana gave a nervous smile as the doctor came in. She had been hoping for a woman, just for comfort sake, but then again she already had two men in the room, one who'd already seen her naked enough times, and the other who would probably turn his head politely away if it came to that. And besides. The guy was a doctor... He wasn't doing this for personal satisfaction.

"No... I mean, I can kind of guess what you've gotta do." She said, calming as she felt Roderick's hand on her shoulder. But she was still nervous, and it was starting to make her feel a little ill. But she'd be okay.

Her hand slipped out from under the blanket towards Adam, simply wanting to know he was there with her. That was all she needed, to know that he was there.

"Well, is there anything other than the obvious I guess I should ask. I mean I know the basic stuff you probably have to do... But anything else?"

The good doctor smiled comfortingly. When he did, the resemblance to Saint Nick was remarkable. “If you’ve got an idea of the basics, I don’t think there’s too much else I need to add.” As he spoke, he folded the bottom of the blanket up and put a drape over her legs for her privacy.

Adam glanced down at her hand for a moment before taking it and giving it a slight squeeze. “Over in no time,” he assured her.

“This will probably feel a little odd and there may be a quick twinge, but there shouldn’t be any pain, Miss Akiona,” the doctor continued, setting his instruments on a tray out of her sight. In his experience, most people didn’t like seeing everything. “So, what sort of music do you like?” he asked her, his voice smooth and easy as he gently positioned her legs.

Casually, trying to distract her and keep her comfortable as he started, the doctor added, “I’m a fan of classical. Very boring, but there you go. My grandkids would probably call me an old fogy if they knew what a fogy was.”

Lana smiled gratefully as Adam took her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. She returned it affectionately and well... She had the same thought she'd had several times before. He was a good man... But.. But maybe he was just a little scared.

"I've had OB/GYN exams before... Can't be too different." She said with a soft sigh, looking over to Adam.

She did appreciate the doctor trying to distract her from the task at hand, even if it really wasn't working. "Well... I've been playing the piano for years well more than a decade actually... So of course I like classical... But I also like.... Well Celtic... The flutes are soothing I think." She said quietly.

"Well that wouldn't be nice of them... I mean... If I ever said that to my grandparents... my father wouldn't be the slightest bit happy..." She bit her lip as she thought of him again. He would have called her a damn idiot for being out that late... Going out alone... And maybe she was... But whoever was following her.. They... They'd been tracking her down.

Her hand had tightened slightly around Adams as she thought of the man, but she hadn't realized it. He... Well... What if the voices, the sudden flashes of him that she thought were just tricks of her mind... What if it was him? What if that had been the man who nearly killed her. But... But how was that possible?

"Celtic, is it?" Dr. Donald Saunders asked, his eyes intent and his voice relaxed as he swabbed and examined. "Don't listen to that sort, myself. I don't particularly like bagpipes." It was very much like an OB/GYN examination.

Adam glanced down as her hand flexed in his. "Something wrong?" he asked, appearing to be as calm as the doctor. In his line of work, he'd been through much of this before. Of course, he'd never known the victim before, but at least she seemed to be taking it well.

Too bad it probably wasn't going to amount to anything but paperwork.