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Darkness and Light
by M. Edison
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Four Corners Clarion
Office of Mary Travis
9:00 P.M.

Looking out at the main floor, where the other reporters desks were located, Mary Travis could easily see that the majority of her coworkers had gone home for the evening yet...she couldn't move. Couldn't make herself move.

Sighing in defeat, the blonde rested her forehead against her palms. Though she hated to admit it - he was winning.

She was scared. Scared to leave her office. Scared to walk to the elevators. Scared to ride down in the elevator alone. Scared to walk though the parking lot alone.

Angry at herself for letting it get to her, Mary rose to her feet and began stuffing files and notepads into her soft leather briefcase, preparing to leave.

No way in hell was she letting him. She would *not* give in.

----------------------------------------

It had all started out innocently enough.

A letter sent to the editor praising an article she'd written. The editor had passed it onto her and Mary had read it. The comments had been quite intelligent and, though she hadn't responded, she'd enjoyed the letter. Likewise, a week later, when the same man sent another letter she'd read that one too.

That one, however, had seemed a little off but she had dismissed it as fatigue and thought no more of it.

Until the third and fourth letters arrived, each a little more dark than the last - the fifth and sixth had, to everyone's consternation, contained personal details about Mary's life.

The seventh: pictures.

Pictures of Mary alone, pictures of her with friends, pictures of her with Billy....pictures of her at home.

Those pictures were the final nails in the coffin. The damning proof. She was being stalked.

That realization had been hard on Mary.

Suddenly her view of the world has drastically altered. Mary had never been one to wear rose colored glasses when she looked at the world. She knew there were dangerous and monstrous people in the world - she saw the evidence of their existence every day. She saw it at work, on the television, heard it from her friends who spent their days trying to catch them - the man she loved, a complicated relationship to say the least, was haunted by havoc and chaos they'd brought to his life. She'd experienced their existence in her own life, having lost a husband to a brutal killer.

Mary was no innocent, overly-trusting, child. Far from it.

But *this*...

This was different. The idea of someone haunting her every step, watching every thing she did like some bizarre, twisted, version of a ghost...

This had *completely* changed her perception of life and her approach to it. She was wary now. Jumping at things that hadn't bothered her before...

She was scared.

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Grasping her briefcase in one hand, coat in the other, Mary stood at her office door for several long moments before admitting defeat.

With a heavy sigh, the blonde put her things down and walked to her desk.

After hitting a speed dial button, Mary lifted the phone's receiver to her ear and waited for the other party to pick up.

After three rings, the reporter spoke. "Chris?"

*********************

She'd called *him* again. The dark man.

He'd pulled up in his big black truck and got out, darkness surrounding him. Everything about him was dark - always dark. Foreboding. He almost always wore black. Like now; black jeans, black boots, black shirt, and black leather jacket.

He wasn't what she needed - she was an angel. Light incarnate. Good to the core.

He'd swallow her whole, destroy the light that shone out of her.

That could not be allowed to happen.

The observer's breath quickened, deepened, as he watched his angel emerge from the Clarion building, the dark man at her side.

She was *so* beautiful....

Her hair was loose today, waves of gold spilling down over her shoulders and catching in the light from the street lights. Her hair was perfection, the observer's fingers itched to touch it. To stroke his hand over it. To feel her silky smooth skin against his.

The observer sighed again...

So beautiful...

*********************

Helping Mary into his truck, Chris Larabee froze and looked around surreptitiously.

Someone was watching them.

Being careful not to alarm Mary, the ATF agent closed the truck's door and pulled out his cellphone and dialed the office as he walked around being the truck. Keeping an eye out for anyone who seemed out of place.

"Buck," the team leader's voice was crisp, his tone no-nonsense. "I'm with Mary at the Clarion, someone's watching us."

"You spot 'em?" Buck asked in concern - Chris could almost see him sitting at his desk, for once the picture of alertness. Readiness.

"No but he's here," Speaking with absolute certainty, Chris stared intently out into the darkness. "I'm taking Mary out to my place - this ends tonight."

"Be careful, ol' pard, we'll get on out to the ranch and set up on a perimeter - this guy's going down hard." Buck's voice echoed the certainty his friend had spoken with.

It wasn't arrogance that their certainty was born out of. It was determination. The Seven took care of their own and Mary had long since been adopted into their family circle.

"See you out there." Larabee added before hitting the talk button and dropping the cellphone into his pocket.

Taking one last look at the street, the ATF agent got into his truck.

****************


The dark man had called his friends, no doubt thinking they could keep him from his angel....

A foolish assumption.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as the observer stood before the wall he had dedicated to *her*. The white surface completely covered with photographs of Mary Travis. Lightly, he caressed a close up shot of her face.

"They just can't understand can they? I'm locked inside of you, so it doesn't matter what they try - they can't keep us apart...." The words were a whispered vow. So softly spoken they were almost inaudible. A vow to a woman who would never hear them.

"You know who I am...what I feel...you know."

******************

After hanging up the phone, Buck called the rest of the Seven together and told them of Chris's call and what they both believed was going on.

Immediately, they all sprang into action.

While they got ready, Buck sat down once more at his desk and picked up the receiver to call the detective in charge of Mary's case.

Detective Jarod Hutchinson.

"Hutch," the detective's deep, naturally husky, voice came across the line almost immediately. Jarod wasn't one to waste time.

"Chris just called - he picked up Mary from work and he says the guy's there. Somewhere, watching them. Chris's taken Mary out to his place, we figure our lil 'stalker buddy'll follow...Feel like settin' a trap?"

**********************

Hugging herself, Mary stood in Chris's living room and stared out into the darkness. It was eerie. The ranch was toward the back of the property so that meant no streetlights - the woods before her were completely black. Anyone could be out there.

Lurking.

"Are they here yet?" She asked of Chris, who was walking up behind her with a glass of wine in one hand and whisky in the other.

"No." He answered as she turned to take the wine from him. "JD'll probably call on the cell once they're settled in - let us know they're out there."

"What's taking so long?" Mary worried aloud, casting a somewhat fearful look out into the darkness.

"They had to call Hutchinson first." Chris reminded her calmly, pulling her against him gently. "He'll want to be in on this when it goes down."

"You sound so certain." The blonde woman's voice was slightly muffled as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"He was watching when I picked you up." The tall man began, choosing his words carefully. "This guy's living in a fantasy world where you two are soulmates - he saw you with me, almost guaranteed he'll get jealous and come out here to get rid of me."

"I don't like this." Mary stated softly. "What if he gets in here? I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

"First off, if I got hurt- it would be because of *him* not you, and I'd rather risk my getting hurt than Billy having to grow up with out his ma. It's hard enough on him without his father, I won't make him live without his mama too." Slowly running a hand up and down her back, Chris continued with a softer voice. "I'm not ready to let you go either and not to this bastard."

Pulling away slightly, Mary smiled through her tears. "Thank you..." she said softly, gesturing at nothing in particular, indicating instead the situation. "For everything..."

Not saying a word, Larabee leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips across hers before holding her close once more.

The stalker wouldn't win...Chris wouldn't let him hurt Mary.

No way in hell.

***********************

Chewing his hubba bubba, a gum he'd discovered thanks to JD, Jarod got out of his rental car and looked around the darkened woods. Larabee's ranch house was close by, if he squinted he could se the faintest glimmer of lights through the trees. Close enough for his purposes.

Blowing a bubble, the Pretender started into the woods; his mind already focusing on what he had to do. Larabee was right, the stalker would show up soon. What he didn't know was that his team was completely unprepared to deal with the stalker.

They had no way of knowing that Ronny was another of Mr. Raines's pet projects. That he had no conscience, no heeding of true right and wrong; that he was a Pretender without the natural checks and balances. Ronny knew right from wrong - he just didn't think it applied to him in the same sense. Therein lay the problem. He couldn't talk Ronny into surrendering, the rogue Pretender knew what he was doing but he'd decided that being with Mary superseded any consequences the law would bring.

Best Jarod could do with words was buy himself sometime. Time to maneuver Ronny into a position where he could be stopped.

The sound of someone moving through the woods reached Jarod's ears and the Pretender melted into the shadows, waiting to see who it was before he announced his presence.


***************

Moving through the woods like a ghost, he was intent on reaching his goal - the house which held his angel. He had to save her, rescue her from the dark man...save her before she could be swallowed up.

If he lost her he didn't know what he'd do...she was the only one keeping the darkness away. If she was lost then so was he...

"I'd say it's good to see you again, Ronny, but given the situation - I'd be lying."

Spinning to face the newcomer, the observer stared in shock.

Jarod.

How? He was lost - prisoner of the dark ones - locked up in their dungeon. Slave to them.

"H...H...How?"

****************


Sympathy in his dark eyes, the elder Pretender advanced into the moon light and smiled sadly at his former friend.

"I escaped, Ronny, same as you." Jarod gestured in the direction of Larabee's ranch house. "Leave her alone, Ronny. She's safe where she is."

"No....no she's not! She's anything but! He'll destroy her! He's darkness! Darkness swallows light!"

His protests were earnest, that much was clear to Jarod, Ronny honestly believed what he was saying.

"Who's he? Agent Larabee? He's trying to protect her...from you, Ronny." Sighing heavily in frustration, Jarod took a step forward. "She's afraid of *you*, Ronny - not Agent Larabee."

"She just doesn't understand!" Ronny argued plaintively. "She doesn't know I'm the only one who can protect her. She just doesn't understand what's at risk here. She can't."

Confused, Jarod looked skyward then back at his former friend. "What's at risk Ronny? Why are you the only one who can protect her?"

Reaching into his leather coat's inner pocket, the unstable Pretender carefully removed an old-fashioned pocket watch and handed it to Jarod.

When the tall man opened it, Ronny moved to point at the picture of Mary fixed in the lid. "She's my angel, Jarod - she keeps the darkness away. She voices the truth all others keep secret. She fights *them*...that's why I'm the only one who can protect her - I know them. She and I are a part of each other, only together can we stop them..."

"Who? The Centre? They want to hurt Mrs. Travis?" Trying to piece together the truth from the jumble of Ronny's words. As far as he knew, Mary Travis had never had any dealings with the Centre or it's affiliate organizations. Nothing that would draw their attention or their wrath.

"They destroy all light, Jarod - just like this man...the dark man. He'll destroy her before they can. That's why I have to save her, take away from here, from him. I have to protect her!"

"So do I." Jarod agreed, handing back the watch. "But I have to protect her from you."

At those words, Ronny's demeanor changed and he withdrew - eyes growing dark, manic and sinister. "I won't let you stop me, I can't let you stop me!"

Pulling a gun - the unstable Pretender rushed his former friend.

*******************

The sound of crashing alerted the six ATF agents to the direction the stalker had chosen. Almost as one, they converged on the clearing where they found a dark haired man grappling with Detective Hutchinson, each trying to gain control of the gun the younger man clutched tightly in his up-raised hand.

JD started to rush forward but Vin's outstretched arm halted his progress. Confused, the younger agent looked up at his friend.

Vin's answer consisted of a shake of his head and a gesture in the direction of the house, indicating Chris needed to know what was going down.

Pulling out his cellphone, JD stepped aside to make the call.

Without needed direction, the remaining five spread out around the two combatants - ensuring, no matter the outcome, the stalker would not escape.

They simply wouldn't allow it.

********************


As he'd expected, the noise of their struggle drew the attention of Larabee's team. That sealed it. Ronny would never be able to hurt Mary now and that had been Jarod's objective all alone - protecting the reporter and stopping Ronny.

He'd also known that there was only one way it would end. The tragic part was Ronny knew it too, looking into the younger Pretender's eyes, Jarod saw the resignation.

"I have to protect her."

Those were Ronny's words right before the forest was pierced by the sound of a gunshot.

***********************

"He's here."

No sooner had Chris spoken the words than they heard the shot.

For one unending moment, Chris and Mary's eyes met and locked - both fearing the worst. Had one of the team been hurt, possibly killed, trying to protect Mary?

Knowing the answer wouldn't be found in staring at each other, the couple moved as one for the door. Chris briefly debated making Mary wait in the house but in the end, realized she was just as safe with him as she was in the house. Especially if the stalker was still on the move.

The race through the woods was breathless and heart pounding but the scene they arrived on was deathly calm.

The rest of the team stood around a clearing, Nathan crouching over a body, with grave looks on their faces.

Doing a quick headcount, Chris was relieved to see his team all present and in one piece. Mary was likewise relieved until she realized Detective Hutchinson was nowhere to be seen - hurrying to Nathan's side she sighed when she saw the dead body was not that of the detective.

"Where's Hutchinson?" Chris asked with a frown as Mary returned to his side.

"Gone to call it in." Buck responded quietly, his normally jovial features solemn.

"Should've been back by now." Josiah rumbled in concern.

Chris started to speak, intending to spend one of the others to look for the detective when a group of a people - led by a icy brunette, a stately older man and a nervous younger man - walked out of the woods.

Without even so much glancing at the body, the tall woman walked up to Chris and held up a photograph of Jarod. "You know this man?"

His guard up, Chris met her gaze steadily. Something told him this was one time honesty was *not* the best policy. "No. He the reason you're trespassing on my property?"

At Larabee's gesture, the team drew their weapons and levelled at the intruders.

"If I were you," Mary said, her look distrustful. "I'd start explaining in a hurry."

********************

Several weeks later....

Rolling over, Chris woke instantly when he realized Mary no longer lay beside him. Instead, he found her standing at the bedroom window, clothed only in the shirt he'd discarded earlier in the night, staring out at the night sky.

She seemed to know he was awake and, without turning, said softly. "I thought it would die with him."

"What?" He prompted, slipping from the bed to stand behind her.

"The fear." She responded in an unearthly calm manner. "I thought with him dead - it would be gone, that I could live again."

"It will take time," Chris reminded gently, reaching out to pull her blonde looks free of the shirt's collar. "You know that."

Not seeming to hear, Mary continued. "Billy keeps asking when he can come home, Orrin and Evie say he's welcome to stay with them as long as I need but I know he won't let me put him off for too long..." Turning, she rested her head against Chris's shoulder. "And I don't know what to tell him."

Holding her close, the ATF agent's gaze looked out at the dark night. What to say indeed.

What could he say to Mary? What was there to offer comfort? To banish the fear? To make things right? To erase the hell one troubled mind had forced Mary to live through and fight to free.

There was nothing to say. Promises were too easily broken and reassurances were nothing but words.

Words meant little...but emotions and actions...

Those would be the best comfort he could offer, and the only one that might have any affect.

"Come to bed." Chris entreated, drawing her away from the window. "You're shivering."

Quietly, almost like a child, Mary allowed herself to be led back to bed. She was glad Chris hadn't tried to trivialize her fears. Somehow, his quiet acceptance of said fears seemed to ease them just a little.

And, as Josiah had told her, the smallest improvement was better than no improvement at all. It would take time...for the haunted feeling to finally fade but fade it would.

In the meanwhile, she knew Chris would always be there. Always help keep the fear at bay and in that Mary was secure.

With that, wrapped in his protective embrace, Mary Travis slept...resting for the first time in weeks.

Finis

HAUNTING (Carly Simon)

There's always someone haunting someone - haunting someone
Like an echo in the wind leaves, unreconciled -
Waiting to be picked up and bounced down again on
Listeners ears

There's always someone haunting someone - haunting someone
And you know who I am
Though I never leave my name or number
I'm locked inside of you so it doesn't matter

There's always someone haunting someone - haunting someone
And you know who I am
Though I never leave my name or number
I'm locked inside of you so it doesn't matter

There's always someone haunting someone - haunting someone
And I can't sleep easy
'Cause I'm afraid of dreaming
And then the memory of the dream
There's always someone haunting someone
Haunting someone
Haunting someone