Young Writers Society

"Why me?" She asked as she buckled up.

"Uh...cause you can help." He smiled.

"Oh, right." She replied looking down at her hands. Seh felt so stupid. she took a deep breath and then ran her hand through her hair. She looked out the window and sighed.

"Something wrong?" He asked as they pulled in teh station.

"No." She lied.

Sterling took her hand and looked at her. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, Lina." he said. "Now my best guess is that it was late and the woman looked a lot like you so they killed her."

She whimpered.

"But it's alright... hon? I'll keep you safe. I promise."

Caralina took a deep breath. She had been told someone tried to kill her. She didn't remember anything through. She followed him inside and he left her in his office as he talked to someone. She spotted a picture of the girl that had been killed.

She doesn't look like me at all. She thought picking up the picture.

"Let me see that." Sterling said walking in and taking the picture.

"She's way taller then me, and looks totally different." She whispered looking up at him. "They weren't after me, c-c-could I have walked up on them and they didn't want a witness?"

Truth be told he was surprised she didn't remember anything. He had seen it all it felt like weeks ago and it had only been eighteen hours ago.

"I'm pretty sure that's what you could have been." Sterling said.


**I'm soooo blocked. I'm sorry**

**Don't be, I've been there done that**

Caralina pulled the jacket closer to her as she looked at the picture. He grabbed it up and stuffed it all away.

"You've looked at them long enough." He said tucking the folder in a drawer. "I need to talk to the chief for a little while. You hang out here, ok?" She nodded as she watched him walk off. Why did it all feel right and wrong at the same time? She took a deep breath and started organizing his desk absently. She put papers together that were about the same cases, and then the pencils and pens together.

Sterling stood in the boss's office. Sterling paced until he saw the Chief.

"We found DNA on Caralina."

Sterling felt his neck become strained. "What kind of DNA.... Finger prints? Hand prints? shoe prints what?" he asked.

The Chief looked at Sterling. "Pierce... we found sperm on her."

Sterling clenched his fists tightly. "That son of a-!!!"

"Pierce. Calm down damnit! She needs you." he said. Sterling nodded and then left his fingers were numbing.

Caralina jumped when someone touched her shoulder. Sterling was sitting in front of her.

"Come on, lets go home." He said helping her up.

"Did you find anything else out?" She asked. Something crossed his face, but she didn't know what it was.

"Nothing you need to worry about." He smiled at her, even though it didn't reach his eyes, it never seemed to reach his eyes. She followed him to the car and got in laying her head down. IT wasn't even 7pm and she was exhausted.

"Do I have to take all the meds the doc gave me?" She asked. "Their making me sleepy."

"YOu should, or you'll be in alot of pain." Sterling replied.

"OK." She shifted in her seat and stared out the window.


**They have a week before they'll know if she is pregnate. **

**I know. It usually works that way**

Sterling felt like the house was actually pretty empty. He knew he'd have to tell her about the sample soon. He just hoped she was alright.

"Maybe we should get away." he said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Go on a vacation." He replied.

"But what if they need you, or me?" She asked as she sat on the couch.

"You've done all you can until you get your memory back. THey can put someone else on the case. I need to protect you." He replied.

"I don't care. I don't remmeber anything, so there isn't anything keeping me here." She shrugged. "Where would we go?"

Sterling stared at her. "I have a lake house. Would you like to go?" he asked.

"Sure I guess." She shrugged. "Maybe I"ll get my memory back. Have I ever been there before?"

"No." He replied.

"Oh, ok."

The weather was nice, it was warm and sunny. He knew she'd like the lake house. Most people did. It was his own little private get away. He wanted her to feel comfortable with him and enjoy herself a little. And yes, maybe he was a little greatful she didn't remember anything. She wouldn't remember getting hit and maybe she wouldn't have many nightmares.

"How did we meet?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"How. Did. We. Meet." she repeated.

Damn, OK now was the time he would start having to lie to her. "We met a month ago. At a grocery store. I accidently ran into your cart and you smiled at me. We got into talking and I dunno. It just sort of picked off from there." he smiled at her and touched her cheek to make it feel more real.

She smiled back at him. "A grocery store? Doesn't seem that romantic."

"Oh it was... We were both in the cucumber isle." he shrugged.

Caralina laughed. "That makes it so much more romantic." She replied. "So we've known each other a month, and we're married?"

"We eloped, remember?" He replied as they started packing clothes.

"Ya, I remember you telling me that." She packed everything up and then looked around. "WHat else will we need?"

"Nothing, really, we'll have kitchen supplies, pillows and everything else there. All we need are clothes." He replied. She nodded and grabbed her suitcase as they walked out to the truck he had in the garage.

"Don't you need to call the Chief?" She asked.

Ah yes, the Chief.

"No, he'll understand what I'm doing is to keep you safe." Sterling packed the two suitcases into his blue Trailblazer. "Let's go. Will stop by the store to pick up a couple of snacks." he smiled.

He knew it wasn't good for him to be going off with her. It wasn't a good idea, it wasn't a good idea.

Caralina sat in the front seat as he got in and they drove to the store to pick up food and other things they'd need. When they got to the lake house she walked around surprised as she looked at it. It was gorgeous.

"Let me call the chief. Look around." Sterling said as he walked to the phone. She walked around on the front pourch and then sat on one of the rocking chairs. "All settled."

"Good, it's so pretty out here." She said looking out over the lake.