
# Table of Contents

Final Hours

A Note From Cate

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Excerpt from First Breath

Final Hours

Author's Note

About the Author

Sign up for Cate Dean's Mailing List

Further Reading: First Breath

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# Final Hours

Love in Time Book One

Cate Dean

Copyright, 2014

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are either pure invention or used fictitiously, and all incidents come from the author's imagination alone.

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Cover design by Jes Richardson.

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Time brought them together \- will it also tear them apart?

Elizabeth Barritt fought hard to put her childhood behind her. Now she has the chance to move forward, to reach out for a new future.

And she does - right into Jackson Kane's path. He is a time traveler, from the future, and on the hunt for a rogue agent.

Their attraction is immediate, unexpected - and for Kane, an unwanted distraction. When he is injured protecting Elizabeth, she makes a decision that will change both of their lives. She takes him home.

Once Kane is healed, he goes after the agent. But his journey back to war-torn London takes a sideways turn, forcing Elizabeth to make another choice. She follows him into the past, to help him stop one man from changing their future.

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# A Note From Cate

Though I do dive into actual events, this is a work of fiction. I have been as historically accurate as I can be, when the research is available. If I do take liberties, it is to keep the story as a story, and not the dry history book you didn't read in high school.

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# One

Elizabeth Barritt spent her last night in London walking along the Thames, pretending her life was this perfect.

Pretending she wouldn't go back to her dead end art gallery job in two days. That she wouldn't have to herd students through rooms of mediocre paintings and sculptures, try to keep their attention when they couldn't care less. That she wouldn't--

Stop torturing yourself, Beth.

She knew if she spent two weeks in London as an intern at one of the most renowned art galleries in the world it would spoil her. By the time she realized just how much, it was far too late.

With a sigh, she climbed the steps to the beautiful railing that lined this part of South Bank, and leaned against it to study the view along the river. Her fingers automatically moved to the gold heart locket at her throat, her thumb tracing the engraved flowers.

How she wished she had her pocket sketchpad with her, so she could capture the river, the city skyline, the beauty of all of it, one last time.

From here she could see the glory of Tower Bridge, the ancient bulk of the Tower of London crouching on its left. St Paul's stood directly across the Thames, its dome white and ethereal against the evening sky. Multicolored lights from the buildings that hugged the river danced over its surface.

It was all so--magical. And she'd had so little magical in her life, the thought of letting it go was physically painful.

To make it worse, they offered her a position. A permanent position, one that would allow her to live here, work here, surrounded by some of the most incredible art in the world.

She said no.

And she still wanted to beat her head against the nearest wall for her kneejerk reaction.

"Okay--enough. I can always come back, when I'm ready." She shook herself out of the depression before it dragged her down, pushed off the railing and took a deep breath. "I will come back."

"All the world's a stage, darling girl." Elizabeth spun toward the voice. An older, really good looking man dressed in black leaned against the stone post of the water gate that led up to the Globe Theatre. Because she stood directly under an ornate lamp post, she knew he could see the blush that flamed her cheeks. "Find the part you want to play on it, and never settle for less than a standing ovation."

He executed an elegant bow, winked at her and disappeared into the shadows.

She hugged herself, and smiled as she tucked away the moment, another souvenir of her time here. She had met so many people like him; friendly, wickedly funny people who lifted her out of her unhappy life, and showed her what she could be. Who she could be.

For the first time since her parents died and left her alone, a shy and withdrawn ten year old, she felt like she belonged. Elizabeth did not want to let that go.

She could take steps--small steps, at the beginning. As long as each one led to the life she now knew she wanted, she could be patient.

A cold breeze tugged at her waist length blonde hair, reminded her of her surroundings. She huddled deeper in her suede jacket, and headed for the charming, paved street that led to her hotel. The thinning post-show crowds prompted her to check her watch.

"It can't be that late." The clock bells at St. Paul's chimed the hour, confirmed what her watch told her. She walked faster, her well-worn black boots tapping on the uneven pavers. "Daydreaming again."

She tried not to berate herself for losing track of time, or that she had to get up early for her flight, that she hadn't even packed yet, that if she didn't get her act together she would screw up her entire schedule and miss her plane--

Panic shot through her, and she fought to control it even as her pace increased. By the time she passed the entrance to the Globe lobby she was running.

Before her perfect evening ended in a full-on panic attack, she went through the steps she worked out with her former therapist. Three easy steps to calm herself.

"Step one: slow down," she whispered. Just saying it out loud moved her closer to her objective.

Elizabeth reached out for the brick wall of the building and slid her hand along the surface. The sting of it on her skin gave her a focus outside herself. It was the anchor she needed to get out of her head.

"Step two."

She was breathless when she rounded the corner of the building, but less frantic. She stumbled past a short staircase and grabbed the black metal fence beyond it. Both hands clutched the narrow bars like a lifeline.

It had been more than a year since she lost control like that--long enough that she finally gave up the expensive visits as an indulgence she didn't need anymore.

Nothing like taking two giant steps back.

Her heartbeat evened out as the panic adrenaline faded. In the aftermath, she used to curl up in a ball and cry until she exhausted herself. Step three helped break that. Now she took slow, deep breaths, rubbed her thumb over the warm surface of the gold heart locket until she felt calm. Or something that resembled calm.

"Okay," she whispered. She took in another cleansing breath and pushed off the fence. "You're going to be okay."

Grateful there hadn't been any witnesses to her freak out, Elizabeth sagged against the brick building, wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.

A sharp snap whirled her around. She jumped as a black circle appeared in front of her, the air around it rippling--right before a man burst through it, out of nowhere.

Literally.

"Bloody hell--" He spit out the curse before he slammed into her with bone jarring force.

He caught her around the waist and turned mid collision, so he hit the wall instead of Elizabeth. She still managed to lose her footing and smack her chin into his chest.

"Ouch--"

"Are you all right?" Warm, calloused fingers cupped her throbbing chin, tilted it until she looked into a pair of clear grey eyes.

His arm trapped her waist, plastering Elizabeth against his chest. The panic she thought she had under control roared through her. With a fresh surge of adrenaline she yanked free and stumbled backward. She forgot about the staircase until her heel jammed into the corner of it.

He caught her again, set her on her feet and backed off. Like he knew she was on the edge. No one had ever cared before, outside her therapist.

"You are safe, now. I'll not touch you again."

She fought to control her breathing, terrified that her lightheaded gasping would have her passing out in front of a stranger. That it would leave her helpless--

Stop. Focus. Breathe.

"Step one," she whispered.

"You are safe," he said again, his deep voice gentle. "I am sorry I frightened you. It was not my intention. Tell me how to help."

She shook her head, one hand clutching the locket. It was tangible, outside herself, an anchor. "Step two."

"What is step three?"

Instead of increasing her panic, his question had the opposite effect.

She looked at him, her heartbeat slowing. Her erratic breath evened out, until she could talk without wheezing. "Not crying like a baby."

A smile tugged at his mouth. "Then the first two steps seem to be working."

"It was you." She blurted out the words before her mind could tell her to shut up.

"I'd say that impressive recovery was all you."

Oh, she liked him. She couldn't help herself; that dry humor just sucked her in every time. But her admiration didn't make her stupid. "You came out of a hole--in the air."

He ran one hand through his hair. "You were not supposed to be here."

"Right." She backed away. Her hands still trembled from the adrenaline overload that always came with her attacks. "You're not going to explain exactly where you came from, are you?"

"I shouldn't be talking to you now. You've already seen--"

"Too much? This isn't one of those 'you saw too much so I must kill you now' scenarios, is it?"

His shout of laughter startled her.

"Sorry. No--we have no policy in place for killing accidental witnesses. You're my first."

"I'm so--proud?"

He laughed again, obviously amused by her. "Can I ask your name?"

Don't tell him-- "I'm Elizabeth."

"Allow me to return the introduction. Jackson Kane, at your service."

He bowed, light from the single street lamp flashing off the silver stud in his left ear. Elizabeth fought not to smile at the archaic, utter charm. She lost the battle when he lifted his head and winked at her. He had a face that could have been on money--classic, aristocratic, the angular lines blurred by what looked like a couple days growth of beard.

Her overactive imagination could see him, striding over a moody moor, that thick brown hair blowing around his face, greatcoat streaming behind him like a cloak, all Gothic and mysterious as he headed for the woman he loved, the only woman to put a smile on his noble face--

"Elizabeth."

Her heart jumped and she crashed back into the moment. "Sorry." Her second blush of the night spread across her face when she met his amused eyes. "I--" She cut herself off, embarrassed enough without him knowing what she'd been picturing. "I was admiring your face--" She clapped one hand over her mouth, to stop herself from saying anything else.

"Then we are mutually admiring. That blush becomes you."

His smile eased her mortification. It reached all the way to his eyes, and sent a thrill through her, right down to her toes. Oh, no. She was in worse trouble than she thought. She was attracted to him.

"I--" She didn't want him to think she was a love starved idiot. "I work in an art gallery at home, so I tend to look at things from an artist's perspective. Your face makes me wish I could draw well enough to do you justice." No--that didn't sound love starved at all.

His smile widened. "Flattery accepted."

This had turned out to be the strangest, most exhilarating conversation of her life. With a man she shouldn't even be talking to. But he didn't set off the warning signs she always relied on, warnings that had been her survival strategy for too many years.

Oh, no--he set off a whole other kind of alarm. One that told her to run in the other direction before she formed any kind of attachment.

She decided to take her own advice. Even if it was too little, too late.

"I have to go."

"Elizabeth." He started to reach for her, lowered his hand. "I want to make certain you're all right."

"I really have to go." She kept her gaze on him as she backed away, expecting him to stop her. Part of her wanted him to; the stupid part that shot heat through her every time he smiled. She ignored herself and spun toward the street as soon as she was out of grabbing range.

A familiar snap halted her.

This time she saw it. A flash of light, just before the black circle shimmered out of nothing and the air began to shift--

She retreated, wanting to put distance between herself and whoever appeared this time.

"Elizabeth!" Kane's desperate shout whirled her around. He sprinted toward her, pointing a sleek silver pistol. "Get down!"

The circle disappeared, right before a second snap and flash bit the air between them, blocking Kane. A figure dressed in black stepped out of the rippling circle and grabbed her arm. Elizabeth froze as she recognized him.

"Hello, darling girl."

He was the man from the steps of the Globe.

Before she could free herself he yanked her forward, turning her at the last second to trap her against his chest.

"Let her go, Guy. She has nothing to do with this."

"Ah, but she has seen me now, hasn't she? A chance meeting is easily forgotten, but to watch me appear out of the portal--that I cannot let pass."

"It is no longer your call to make. I'm here to take you home, to answer for the dead you left in your wake."

Elizabeth stilled, staring at Kane. The mystery man she thought so charming, standing on the steps like a character out of Shakespeare, was a murderer.

"I am sorry for that, Kane. If they hadn't tried to stop me--never mind." The touch of humility that edged his voice disappeared. "I was going to steal up behind you and knock you senseless before sending you off to some primitive past as a diversion. But when I saw you had such lovely company, my plan changed."

"You will not involve her." The threat in Kane's deep voice scorched her. "I will see you dead first."

"Have we come down to this, my friend? Exchanging insults and threats of death?" Guy tightened his grip on Elizabeth's waist and took a step back. She waited for the panic to incapacitate her. Instead, anger welled up, and a need to help the man who had been so kind to her. "I promise you, I will leave her in a safe time, and send you her location." Her heart jumped at his casual mention of time travel. "All I ask in return is your word that you won't follow after me."

Elizabeth studied Kane, watched the struggle on his face. As he opened his mouth, she already knew the answer.

"No." He raised the sleek, silver pistol. At least, it looked like a pistol. The low hum coming from it told her it did much more than fire bullets. "Let her go."

Guy chuckled, like Kane had told him a joke. Elizabeth let out a gasp when the cold, sharp edge of a knife pressed into her jaw.

"At a stalemate now, are we? You always did enjoy a good chess match, Kane. What will your next move be? Will you sacrifice the pawn to take the knight?"

Kane didn't even blink at the veiled threat. "Elizabeth." She met his eyes, saw anguish flash in the grey depths. "I need you to trust."

Before she could do more than blink Kane shifted his pistol and fired.

A laser thin blast burst out and burned across Guy's right arm. He cursed, his right hand falling away from Elizabeth's throat, taking the knife with it.

She stomped on his foot with the heel of her boot and jerked out of his grip, running toward Kane.

"Get down!"

His warning had her hitting the ground--just before Guy's knife sliced through the air. The blade sank to the hilt in Kane's right shoulder. He staggered, dropped to one knee.

"Elizabeth." His raw voice squeezed her heart. "Get--behind me."

She crawled toward him. His weapon never wavered, pointed at Guy's chest. When she got beside him, she saw how badly his right arm shook. The effort to keep his weapon aimed on Guy had sweat sliding down his face.

"Kane--"

"Behind me." She obeyed, crawled around him. Then she looked back at Guy. He clutched his arm, studying her with obvious surprise. She didn't blame him; she'd surprised herself more than once in the last few minutes. "Give yourself up."

"It seems, my friend, that this time I have the slight advantage. I will take it."

"Guy, don't--" Guy touched the device strapped to his right wrist and stepped back into the black hole that appeared behind him. Gold light wrapped around him, and he disappeared. "Damn it."

Kane lowered the pistol, and Elizabeth waited for him to collapse. He swayed, away from her; she lurched forward and caught him before his injured shoulder hit the hard ground. She rested his head on her thigh, gently brushed hair off his forehead, and finally noticed the three long, narrow scars on his right cheek. Old scars.

"Kane?" Blood spread over his olive green coat, the knife hilt trembling with every harsh breath. His face was shock white, the scars on his cheek prominent, even under the dark scruff. He kept his eyes closed tight, against what must have been incredible pain. "Talk to me, please."

"Bloody hell." He muttered it through clenched teeth, and opened his eyes.

"Is he the former friend?"

Kane nodded, then let out a moan. "I need to get back to my--people." He stumbled over the last word, like he meant to say something else.

"What can I do?"

He cursed under his breath, and finally met Elizabeth's gaze. "I don't want to ask you, after placing you in danger."

"I'm not going anywhere, so ask."

"I need your help. I can't travel injured on my--damn--" His shoulder twitched. With a moan she knew he tried to muffle, he clutched his arm, started to pull away from her.

"No, you don't. Stay put, and tell me what I can do to help." Surprise flashed through her. Elizabeth never took charge--it left her too exposed to criticism, ridicule, scorn. But this man protected her, and made her feel--stronger. That she could take on more, be the better person she got a glimpse of these last two weeks. "Tell me, Kane."

"I need you to take me home."

She swallowed, surprised again by how little fear that brought on. No panic, just--anticipation. This man really did give her courage she had never felt before.

"Okay."

It was his turn to look surprised. "Elizabeth--" A sharp cry cut him off.

"No giving me time to change my mind. Now what do I do?"

"You have to--remove the knife. I can't go through the portal with it."

Her heart skipped. "You could bleed out--"

"I will be trapped in between, if you don't. This gives me a chance." He laid blood tacky fingers on her wrist. "I understand if you can't be doing this."

I won't turn chicken now--not when he saved my life.

"I can." She took in a shaky breath, and reached for the knife hilt, halting when she spotted the device on his wrist. The same device that Guy used to escape. "Do you need to--set something? Warn someone you're coming back with company?"

"I can't," he whispered, staring up at her. "They will shut down the portal if they know I'm breaking Rule Number One."

"Okay. Before I pull this out, and ruin any chance of asking questions," she smiled at his choked laugh. "Give me the list of what I need to do."

"The black button, just under the screen." His voice faded more with every word, until Elizabeth was practically on top of him to hear the next instruction. "Push it, right after you--remove the knife. Default, back to lab."

"And that would be where?"

"London." He took in a rasping breath. "My--London." His shoulder convulsed, and he tried to curl around it.

"Enough." Elizabeth grabbed his left shoulder, eased him back to her leg. "Hold still, Kane, please." She twisted the length of her hair and flipped it over her shoulder, to keep it out of her way. God help her, he looked so pale. She took a shaky breath, brushed her fingers over his scarred cheek. "I'm so sorry, but this is really going to hurt."

Before she could talk herself out of it she gripped the hilt, braced her other hand against the ground and yanked at the knife.

Kane let out a raw gasp, clawing her wrist. Elizabeth blinked through the tears burning her eyes and yanked again. She nearly lost her balance when the knife slid out of his shoulder.

Instead of throwing it away in disgust, she held on to it, and used her left hand to press hard on his shoulder. Blood flowed through her fingers, hot and thick--and far too much of it.

Kane stared at her, his face bathed in sweat. It was obvious that he fought to stay conscious, that he would lose the battle soon.

"Okay," she whispered, sliding the knife in her jacket pocket. "Here we go."

After a final look around, she moved her right hand to the device, her finger hovering over the black button. Once she pushed it, she knew her life would never be the same.

"Ready?" Kane nodded, swallowing as he closed his eyes. "Hold on to me."

She felt his left arm slide across her back, his hand gripping her waist. Not tight enough, but she planned to hold on to him the second after she sent them--wherever.

God--if you can hear me, please keep an eye on us.

She looked into Kane's eyes and pushed the button.

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# Two

A black circle appeared right in front of her. Like an enormous open mouth.

Before she had time to regret her decision, gold light whipped out and yanked them off the street and into complete darkness.

Elizabeth tried to scream. Pressure clamped around her lungs, gave only enough for her to take in shallow breaths. She decided to save her screaming for later, when she had plenty of oxygen.

Reality twisted, and lightning quick flashes of cityscapes shot out of the nightmare darkness. They disappeared before she could recognize anything beyond buildings.

The one real thing was Kane, holding on to her. His blood still poured through her fingers, and she knew if they didn't get to where they were going fast, he would die in this darkness, leaving her alone. Her waist length hair flew around them, tossed by invisible winds. Elizabeth didn't dare let go of Kane to rein it in.

His left hand inched up her back, through her wild hair, and she understood what he wanted. Leaning down, she stopped when she felt her ear touch his lips.

"Almost there." She didn't know how she heard him, when his voice came out more breath than sound. "Stay--with me, no matter what. Promise."

She nodded, felt him relax--and his hand fell away.

No--

Elizabeth tightened her grip on him, and pressed her ear against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Relief left her lightheaded when she found it, faint, but steady.

One of the cityscapes shot past, but instead of disappearing, it curved around them, stretching until it became a room, filled with people. The darkness shoved one last time and threw Elizabeth and Kane through the light.

They tumbled across a hard, ice cold floor, landing inches from the edge of a platform. Elizabeth crawled across the floor to Kane, tried to ignore the fact that her stomach felt like it was twisting inside out.

"Kane." She turned him over, her heart pounding at the sight of so much blood. "We made it, Kane, now open your eyes." She pressed her hand on his wound--and he bolted awake.

"Hell--" He grabbed her wrist, and struggled to focus. "Elizabeth?"

"We made it." She checked him for any other wounds he might have gotten from their rough landing, and noticed the uniform he wore under his greatcoat. It was a British Expeditionary Force uniform. What looked like an authentic BEF uniform. Why was he--

"Security!" The husky female voice brought her head up. "Get Security in here, now!" Elizabeth found the woman as she pushed through the crowd standing in front of the--circle. They landed in a perfect, black granite circle. The woman reached the edge of the circle and pointed a familiar silver pistol. At Elizabeth. "Get your hands off my agent, now."

"I would, but he'll bleed to death if I do."

The woman blinked behind her glasses; thick glasses that emphasized beautiful black eyes. "Is it safe yet?"

"Five seconds, Doc."

She let out a sigh. "Please refrain from calling me Doc."

"Right, Doc. As soon as you start calling me Mac instead of Mr. Macaffrey." Humor edged the man's voice, the distinctive Texas accent surprising Elizabeth. "And... now. All clear."

The woman stepped up to the circle and rushed over to them, dropping to her knees beside Kane. "Get the med techs, Mr. Macaffrey. Now. I don't want him moved until they have examined him." Those big, dark eyes moved to Elizabeth. "Tell me what happened."

Elizabeth obeyed, summarizing as fast as she could. The woman touched Kane's wrist when Elizabeth mentioned Guy.

"He is responsible for the injury, then."

"The knife was meant for me," Elizabeth said, her voice not quite steady. "Kane's warning saved my life."

"And you bringing him home may save his." She glanced over her shoulder, then lowered her voice, so only Elizabeth could hear. "He told you of the rule? That no one outside this agency is allowed within these walls?"

"Yes."

Another glance prompted Elizabeth to follow her gaze. She met the intense, ice blue eyes of the man standing at the edge of the platform. He studied her, one eyebrow raised. She lowered her head and made a mental note to stay under his radar.

The woman next to her cleared her throat, like she knew what Elizabeth was thinking. "Do you know where you are?"

Elizabeth studied her, decided to tell the truth. "London. I'm just not sure of the when."

Gasps and mutters rose from the crowd behind them. The woman lifted her head, pushed the black glasses up her nose. "Back to your stations." The whispers followed them as they headed back to the enormous machines and consoles scattered around the equally enormous room. "Forgive my rudeness. I am Dr. Chelssie Kinimoto."

"Elizabeth Barritt." She met Dr. Kinimoto's sharp gaze. "I'm in serious trouble, aren't I?"

"That, Elizabeth, will depend on Agent Kane."

They both leaned over him. Elizabeth applied more pressure to his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye she saw black uniforms, and weapons. Security. More uniforms appeared, a flash of blue as they climbed to the platform.

"You can let him go now, miss." An older man touched her shoulder. "We'll be taking care of him. Thank you for bringing him home."

The warmth in his voice surprised her. When she met the rich, dark brown eyes, she saw compassion, and fear for Kane.

She eased her hand off his shoulder, and Dr. Kinimoto pulled her back, giving the techs room to work over him.

"You will be checked out as well," Dr. Kinimoto said. "Standard procedure."

She left Elizabeth alone and stalked across the huge room.

"Doc can be a cold one." The same Texas-laced voice had her looking up. Its owner flashed her a brilliant smile, and crouched down beside her. "But she has a soft spot for our Kane, no lie."

"You're not a Brit."

He laughed. "What gave me away?" He pulled a handkerchief out of his lab coat pocket. Grateful, she took it and wiped her hands, enough to not leave bloody fingerprints all over everything. She tucked it in her already ruined suede jacket just before his big hands closed around her waist. "Come on--up you get." He pulled her to her feet, and she found herself nose to chest with him. She tilted her chin, met the amused blue eyes. "I'm Matt Macaffrey. You can call me Mac."

"Elizabeth." She shook the big, warm hand. Callouses lined his palms. "Rancher?"

"On the nose. My parents own a horse ranch. I started riding before I could walk." He led her off the platform, smiled at the half dozen Security officers as he walked her right past them.

"How did you end up here?"

"Ah--there's a story that needs to be told over a tall glass of beer. And I'm not the only American here. Let's get you over to Medical, make sure you're as fine as you look."

He winked at her, and she found herself smiling at him. He was outrageous, but under the humor, she sensed an innate kindness. He truly cared about someone other than himself. In her experience, that made him rare, and worth knowing.

Unseen hands startled her as they eased the suede jacket off, and left her vulnerable in the thin, sleeveless shirt.

She kept waiting for panic to rear its ugly head, with all these strangers surrounding her, touching her. Instead, all she felt was worry--for Kane, and how he might be ostracized for bringing her with him.

"Is Kane--in trouble?"

"For dragging you along? I'd say no, seeing as he's Doc's favorite. If that rule-breaking ends up saving his life, it'll turn into a definite no."

"And--me?" Her voice squeaked.

"As the life saver, you'll probably earn a get out of jail free card. Just this once."

His smile eased the pressure in her chest. Which let her stomach come front and center to tell her just how unhappy it was about her recent adventure.

"I think--" She clapped one hand over her mouth as her stomach heaved.

"I've got you." Mac hooked his hands under her elbows and carried her to a tall open trash can--right before she threw up everything but her stomach lining. He gently rubbed her back, holding her hair out of the way with his free hand. "Let it all out, sweetheart. You'll feel better after."

Once Elizabeth was pretty sure she'd given up everything left in her stomach, she wiped her mouth with the second handkerchief Mac offered, and sagged against his arm. He must have kept a supply; if this was the usual reaction to traveling through that--whatever, she understood why. Slowly, like he knew she would start up again if she moved too fast, Mac eased her to the floor. The cool linoleum felt good on her overheated skin.

"Thank you," she whispered. She flinched as the two words flayed her raw throat.

"Not my first rodeo." He crouched in front of her, handed her a bottle of water. "Small sips, until your stomach settles. Once you're ready, I'll get you off the floor, and to a nice, soft bed."

It took a few minutes, but Mac's banter and the water revived her enough to try standing. Mac wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her like she weighed nothing.

"Take some time to get your land legs. Let me know when."

"Okay." Her legs felt like rubber, but she wanted to get to Kane, and felt she had taken more than enough of Mac's time. She was pretty sure he would already be dressed down for walking her past Security. "Ready."

Mac led her toward the door--and jerked to a halt when a figure stepped in front of them. "Out of my way, Harper."

"Once you introduce us, Mr. Macaffrey." His deep voice curled around her like silk. But when she met those ice blue eyes, she saw only calculation, like he was trying to determine how useful she could be to him. "I am Glendon Harper."

She heard Mac curse under his breath. "You left something out, rat bastard."

Harper merely smiled at him. It left Elizabeth even colder. "I am a--prospective consultant to the project."

"Over your dead body."

The smile died, and left behind an angry man.

"Take care, Macaffrey." He lowered his voice so only they could hear. "Certain--acquaintances may not appreciate your humor."

He turned on one heel and stalked out of the room. Dr. Kinimoto ran out after him, gave Mac the evil eye as she passed them.

Mac cursed under his breath. "Meddling, self-serving prick."

"So--not friends, then?"

His laughter echoed in the huge lab. "Oh, I like you, sweetheart. Let's get you to Medical. Show is over, people."

Mac led her out the door and down the corridor, turning right at the next corner. It looked like any office building at home; scuffed linoleum, fluorescent light, drab walls. Reality smacked her when they walked through the door labeled Medical Observation Room.

The first thing she saw was a window that took up half the long wall--and Kane. He was on the other side of that window, stretched out on a metal table, with a tall machine hovering over him.

They moved to the window, and he hit a small switch on the side of the frame. The hum and whir of moving mechanics burst through a speaker above her head.

Elizabeth clutched the window ledge as robotic arms moved above his bare torso, human-like hands running over his skin. She relaxed when she saw the reason on the wall behind the machine; it was mapping him. The outline of Kane's upper body started to fill in, a dull red glow at his right shoulder.

Once it finished, the machine carefully turned Kane on his left side, and she spotted the bandage on his shoulder. The fear she didn't know still gripped her let go. Relief rushed in to replace it.

"Doing okay, sweetheart? I know there's a lot to take in."

"The machine--it healed him?"

Mac smiled. "Not exactly. But there will be a new scar under that bandage, thanks to technology. You'll have to get Doc to explain it--I only know it works, and works fast. Our boy's going to be just fine, after some R&R."

Elizabeth didn't question; she knew she was in the future. Kane's future. How far from her own time was something she'd find out. Even if they didn't want her to know.

The robotic arm helped Kane sit. He was conscious, that low, accented voice still raw as he talked to whoever ran the machine. With obvious effort he swung his legs off the table, sweat sliding down broad, muscular shoulders.

Elizabeth forgot all about admiring those shoulders as his bare back came into view.

Thick, ugly scars crisscrossed each other, marking nearly every inch of skin. She recognized those scars, from photos she had seen of slaves, of men tortured under the whip.

"Oh, God--"

"Come on." Mac grabbed her around the waist and hustled her out of the observation room. "Time for your own check-up."

Elizabeth knew that was a convenient excuse. She had a feeling she was not supposed to see Kane's back.

They made it as far as the hallway when two men and a woman in black Security uniforms blocked their path, hands on their weapons holsters.

The woman moved to Elizabeth. "You will need to come with us, miss."

"What the hell, Colette." Mac stepped in front of her, and got the sleek silver barrel of a pistol shoved in his face for the effort.

Elizabeth pressed her back against the door, recognized the familiar anxiety that came before the panic. She closed her hand around the gold locket, and forced herself to breathe, slowly. It was just a misunderstanding; all she had to do was go with them and straighten it out. If she could wrangle in two dozen bored and antsy fifth graders, she could handle this.

"Okay." She dropped her hand and stepped toward the woman who held the pistol. Colette--remember, she's a person, just doing her job. The thought didn't help. "I'll go with you. Please put that away--there's no need for it. I won't resist, and Mac won't either." She glanced at him, shook her head slightly.

He held up both hands. "What she said."

After endless seconds, the guard lowered her pistol, and Elizabeth nearly sagged in relief when she holstered it. "I will have to restrain you, miss. Procedure," she said, moving to block Mac before he could grab Elizabeth. "Hands behind you, miss."

Elizabeth obeyed, stilled when the woman lifted her hair and draped it over her shoulder, and flinched when cold metal closed over her wrists. Just a misunderstanding. She kept repeating it as Colette led her down the hallway, a firm grip on her arm. The other two stayed behind with Mac, probably to keep him from coming after Elizabeth. It's just a misunderstanding.

She wanted to believe that--had to believe it. Because if it was something serious, she had no one to stand up for her.

~ ~ ~

Dr. Kinimoto waited in in a small, private room, with half a dozen Security guards lined up along the walls. Not a good sign.

Colette had been gentle with Elizabeth, matching her pace as she guided Elizabeth through the facility. She didn't talk, except to give quiet instructions. Because of her care, Elizabeth managed to stomp down the anxiety. Until now.

It came roaring back and lodged her breath in her throat. She stared at the ground, focused on breathing slowly.

"Elizabeth Barritt." Dr. Kinimoto's curt tone snapped her head up. Black eyes narrowed behind the glasses as she scrutinized Elizabeth. "I had the routine background check done on you. Did you not think we would discover what you are?"

"What I--what?"

Dr. Kinimoto tapped the corner of her tablet. The wall in front of them flickered, turning into a giant screen. What looked like a file popped up, with a laundry list of crimes and wanted by notices. "My agent was a convenient escape for you, wasn't he? It looks like there are very few places for you to hide. Worse, you brought the bloody tool of your trade into my home."

One of the guards stepped forward, holding Elizabeth's suede jacket. She swallowed, remembered the knife just before he removed it. Kane's blood stained the blade, and if they hadn't already done a DNA test on it, the results would just pile on her supposed guilt.

"I can explain--"

"I believe the evidence explains everything for you. That is Kane's blood." Elizabeth closed her eyes. "You injured him, and used him to flee your own pursuit. Isn't that the real story?"

"No--I--"

"Another word, murderer, and I'll have you gagged."

Elizabeth recoiled at the fury in Dr. Kinimoto's voice. She stared at the screen, waiting for the words that would condemn her, lock her up where Kane couldn't find her, couldn't help her--

She froze as her gaze found the reason for their insane accusations. There, in the top left corner of the file. It was her name, all right. But they were looking at the wrong Elizabeth.

"Dr. Kinimoto."

The woman turned on her. "What did I just say?" She pointed at Colette, who still held Elizabeth. "Gag her."

Panic threatened to close her throat. "Please--" She jerked away from the hand reaching for her mouth. "That's not my last name."

The doctor blinked at her, obviously expecting any response but that one. "You told me your last name is Barrett."

"It is Barritt--but with an I, not an E."

"I--you are not--" Elizabeth shook her head. "Give me a second."

She tapped furiously on her tablet, and a dizzying number of images flashed across the giant wall screen. They slowed down, until a giant version of Elizabeth's horrifying DMV photo popped up.

"Elizabeth Barritt," Dr. Kinimoto said, reading her tablet. "No wants, no warrants, no record." She looked up at Elizabeth.

"That would be me. Plain, ordinary, boring me."

"Please remove her restraints." Colette had already freed her by the time Dr. Kinimoto finished her request. "Please forgive the misunderstanding--"

"Beth!" Kane burst into the room, wearing an unbuttoned shirt and the blood streaked uniform trousers. In two steps he was across the small room, his hands warm as they engulfed her bare shoulders. "Beth--are you all right?"

Beth. No one had ever called her that. She liked the way it sounded, in his deep, accented voice.

"Yes." She was more than all right. Yet again, this stranger's touch wrapped her in a sense of safety she never remembered having in her life. "It was a misunder--"

"What the bloody hell were you thinking?" Kane put himself between her and Dr. Kinimoto. "She saved my life--"

"We thought she was a murderer."

The answer seemed to inflame his temper. "You treat an innocent woman like a common criminal, when Guy is out there, doing only God knows what to try and rewrite the past."

Elizabeth gasped, stumbled backward until her shoulder smacked into the wall. Kane turned around, his hand out to stop anyone else in the room from approaching her. He did all the approaching, so close she could feel his body heat through her thin cotton shirt. His scent surrounded her, a clean, woodsy smell, like the forest after it rained. It calmed her as much as he did.

"Hi." His low voice warmed her. She tilted her head, met his pain dark grey eyes.

"Hi."

"Feeling all right? Not anxious, or--"

"Panicked?" Her heart tripped when he smiled at her. She didn't think she--no, she had never reacted to a man's smile like that. At twenty seven, her love life had been less than satisfying. "I have it under control. Thank you for coming to my rescue again, Jackson Kane."

The reactions from the rest of the people in the room startled her. Dr. Kinimoto looked shocked, and the guards acted like they'd never heard Kane's first name before.

He leaned in, his breath warm as he whispered against her ear. Heat shot through her. Dangerous heat. "No one here uses my first name."

Elizabeth jerked back, looked up at him. "I'm sorry if I--"

"No harm done, Beth." He stepped away, turning to Dr. Kinimoto. Elizabeth wanted to follow, to stay inside the warmth he radiated. Instead she kept herself against the wall. This was not her time, her world. She would not become attached to a man who technically hadn't been born yet. "I will assume she is free to go. You can make your apologies later, Chelssie. I am tired, and my shoulder is screaming nasty things at me."

He headed for the door, grabbed Elizabeth's right hand as he walked past her. She held on, double stepping to keep up with his much longer stride. "You should be in bed, you know," she said. "It wasn't that long ago that you were bleeding all over a London street."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Is that an invitation?"

"No--I didn't mean--I'm not--" Stumbling over her own words, she tried to free herself. Kane simply tightened his grip and kept walking. "I'm not good at the whole flirting thing, so I wouldn't know if I was actually, um, flirting."

Elizabeth didn't think she could embarrass herself more than she already had. Nothing like proving herself wrong.

When Kane led her around the corner, she was too busy berating herself to notice he stopped--until she ran straight into his chest. His bare chest. Faster than she thought possible she leaped backward. His slow smile told her just how much she amused him.

"You will know you're flirting, Beth." He leaned in, so close she could feel his breath on her lips. The same dangerous heat shot through her. "When a man can't take it any longer and tosses you on the nearest flat surface."

"How--romantic."

His shout of laughter had her smiling, and feeling--smug. She liked it, too much. Found herself already liking him, too much. Impossible--everything about him was impossible, too good to be true, and every other cliche she could come up with.

Kane took her hand and led her to what she recognized now as the medical wing. His steps slowed when they got closer, until he finally stopped, feet from the main door.

"Beth." He studied their joined hands, light winking off his earring. It fascinated her that he wore one, and she wondered about the story behind it. "I wanted to thank you for what you did. Not many people would trust a complete stranger enough to potentially sacrifice their own life."

"You were injured protecting me. I couldn't leave you there."

He finally met her eyes. "Most would have."

"That's a jaded view of the world." One she understood, because she shared it.

"Side effect of growing up without family."

Her heart skipped, and started up again, a painful throbbing against her ribs. Her free hand crept up to rub the gold heart at her throat. "You're an orphan?" No wonder he understood her--he had been through the same hell.

"It is a condition of the job. No one to miss you, in case something fatal happens." He squeezed her hand. "Because of you, I avoided that fate. At least this time."

Elizabeth watched him move in close, and held her breath, afraid he would kiss her. Wanting him to kiss her. He did--on her forehead. Like a father might soothe his child. She let out a sigh, relieved and disappointed.

It was for the best. She would never see him again once they sent her home. Not that she wouldn't think about him, more than was good for her. Or draw his arresting face, over and over.

Exhaustion hollowed out that face now, and he looked more fragile than he did when he was wounded and bleeding.

"You need to finish what you started with that machine," she said. "Mac told you about them hauling me off, didn't he?"

"Your lucky guess is correct. Mac all but yanked me off the table." He smiled down at her. It faded quickly. "I will be off the rotation for now, so I will have time enough to rest while Mac hunts down Guy. I want to see that you are sent home first." He reached for her, and flinched when he raised his right arm. "Damn it."

"Kane." Gently, she lowered his arm, held on to his wrist to keep him from using it again. "You're bleeding." He glanced down, cursed again at the blood staining his shirt. "Come on--you're headed for a soft bed."

"You need to return--"

"I can wait." She focused on his wrist. "I don't have anyone to miss me, either."

Warm fingers cupped her chin, applied pressure until she met his eyes. She wanted to cry at the kindness, the understanding she saw there. "Why didn't you tell me you were an orphan?"

"The pity response. I didn't want you to--" Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly, forcing back the tears that threatened. "I didn't want you to look at me that way."

"Elizabeth." His hand slid up to cradle her cheek. "I will never look at you with anything less than awe. You have no idea, do you, how strong you are under that beautiful façade." She swallowed. "If I may, I would humbly ask another favor of you."

"Okay," she whispered, surprised any sound made it through her tight throat.

"Would you sit with me a while? I will rest easier, knowing you are safe."

"Of course." What he didn't say screamed through her mind. Guy could come back at any time--and he would not be happy to see her. "As long as you actually do the resting part."

Kane kissed her again, this time on her cheek. "Deal." He touched her locket. "Family memento?"

"My mom's." She found herself reaching up for it again, and dropped her hand. "I don't even like gold, or hearts, but I can't seem to put it aside."

"It was a part of her." His fingers brushed her cheek. "Holding on to our past is not always a negative thing."

He led her down the hall, his hand warm on hers. She never wanted to let go.

When they walked into Medical, techs swarmed around Kane, pushing her aside until she stood alone. She found an empty chair and lowered herself to it, every inch aching and exhausted.

"Hey." Mac stood next to her, a sweater in his hand. "You look worn thin, sweetheart. Why don't I find you a bed?"

"Thank you." She took the sweater and slipped it on. The decadently soft cashmere warmed her chilled skin almost immediately. "I promised Kane I'd sit with him, once he finally gave up and actually got into a bed."

"Then I'll find you a soft, squishy chair to curl up in. Up you get." He lifted her to her feet, tucked one hand in the crook of his arm. "Are you hungry? Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

"Maybe some water. Would it be possible to get some paper and a pencil? Scratch paper would be fine," she said. "But if you can't, it's not a--"

"Paper and pencil. I believe I can scrounge some up for you." Mac led her to the door on the other side of the room, and into what looked like a hospital.

"Mac--what are you doing here?" A woman in blue nurse's scrubs stepped out from behind a waist high desk. "Oh--is this her? The one who brought Kane back? He's waiting for you, last room on the left. No," she grabbed Mac's free arm, halting him. "You're not invited."

"But I'm--"

"Whatever you're fetching for her can be left at the desk. I'll make sure she gets it. You know the rules, Mac. Now shoo."

"Fine." He turned to Elizabeth. "You need anything, sweetheart, send me a message through the dragon lady."

"Funny." The nurse waved her hands at him, fighting a smile. "Go--I know you're on shift. Don't get on Dr. K's hit list over something like this. I'll take good care of Kane's woman."

Elizabeth blushed. "I'm not--"

"Right. You can sort it out later. He won't sleep until he sees you." She took Elizabeth by the arm and all but marched her down to the end of the hall. "I'm Carrie, by the way. Thank you for bringing Kane home--he's one of our best."

Before Elizabeth could recover enough to reply, Carrie opened the door and pulled her inside. Kane sat on the edge of the bed, thankfully covered this time in a white version of the scrubs Carrie wore. A bulge on his right shoulder told Elizabeth his wound had been tended. Now all she had to do was talk him into bed.

"Beth--"

Carrie pointed at Kane and talked over his protests. "You, in bed. She'll stay, as long as you have your head on that pillow. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." He winked at Elizabeth before he eased himself down to the bed. A gasp escaped him when his right shoulder touched the bed, and he sounded out of breath as he spoke again. "Satisfactory?"

Carrie crossed her arms. "For now." She pushed off the doorway. "There's a chair in the corner, Elizabeth. I'll find something more comfortable and have it brought in."

"Thank you."

The door closed behind her, and they were alone. No imminent danger, no distractions. Elizabeth covered her nerves by pulling the padded chair over to the side of the bed. She sat, carefully adjusted the sleeves of her borrowed sweater, smoothed her hands over her jeans. Anything to avoid the clear grey eye she knew watched her every move.

"Beth."

"Yes?"

"I'll not bite."

Her head snapped up. "I didn't think--"

"I was hoping you were." He flashed her a smile. "If I weren't so full of medication, I'd have a taste."

Her eyes widened. "You--would?" Part of her really wanted him to try. And that startled her almost as much as the thought of him--tasting her.

"Unfortunately, I have far too much pumping through me to do more than grin and drool."

Laughter burst out of her. Once again, he smoothed over her nerves. "Get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."

His smile looked a little lopsided, his eyes glassy. "Hold my hand, pretty girl?"

Elizabeth couldn't resist him, not like this. She scooted the chair closer, took his right hand, and twined their fingers together. With a contented sigh, Kane closed his eyes. It took less than five minutes for him to fall asleep, the pain on his face finally easing.

"Oh, Kane." She studied his face, memorized it, drew it in her mind. "How am I ever going to forget you?"

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# Three

When Kane opened his eyes, Elizabeth was the first thing he saw.

Curled up in one of the office armchairs, she bent over a small spiral notebook, the pencil flying across its surface. Lamplight gilded the blonde hair that cloaked her shoulders, caressed the curve of her cheek. She sat with her feet tucked under her, and the tight jeans she wore cupped every lean, shapely inch of her legs.

God help him--she was beautiful, courageous, delicate. Completely untouchable.

He shoved down the need to reach out, to feel her soft skin under his fingers again, to draw in the sweet, subtle lavender scenting that skin--

He cut off the thought, and any attached to it. She had to go back to the safety of her own time, forget anything about Guy. About him.

But he remembered the way those graceful fingers cradled his cheek, touched his scars, as if they didn't matter to her.

Most women of his acquaintance liked to pretend his scars didn't exist, or distastefully accepted that they came with the package. Those same women were only after him for the money he inherited from his guardian, along with the title he tried to forget he had. Elizabeth had been a refreshing change, since she knew nothing beyond what she learned from him.

He did not want her knowing the truth, did not want to see the gleam of ambition fill those dark blue eyes. If her life in the system had been anything like his, she would want an easy second half to her life. She would have deserved it, earned it. Though it was an impossible dream, Kane wanted to be the one to give it to her.

But the look every woman had given him once they found out who he was haunted him, until he expected to see it every time, with every woman. He didn't want Elizabeth to be one of those women--

"Hey." Her quiet voice jerked him out of his thoughts. He met her eyes, noticed the smudges under them, how fragile she looked in the oversized chair. "How do you feel?"

"Better." He used his left arm to push himself up, and flinched when his right shoulder twitched. He thought he hid the reaction--until Elizabeth scrambled off the chair and slid one arm around his waist to help him sit. He didn't need the assistance, but any excuse to have her close and he would use it. "Thank you."

"I don't think you should be sitting up at all. You still look--"

"Rakishly handsome?"

Her smile set off warning bells in his mind. "Like you're in pain." She sat back on the edge of the chair. Too far away, and not far enough. "Carrie came by while you were asleep, wanted me to tell you that you're officially off rotation. At least until Guy is located. I'm guessing that means you're on vacation, so you should take advantage... what?"

Kane realized he had been staring. He ran one hand through his hair, and his gaze dropped to the notebook she left on the arm of the chair. "What were you doing?"

"Oh." She stared at the notebook, her fingers toying with the edge of the cover. "Just--scribbling. It helps me think, or keeps me from thinking. Depends on the situation."

Kane used her distraction to keep her talking. He enjoyed her quiet, low pitched voice. For a Yank, she had a pleasant accent. "And in this particular situation?"

A smile tugged at her mouth. "Keep from thinking. You must be thirsty." She turned to the nightstand, and he spotted the tray with a small teapot and two cups. "Carrie left some tea, spiked with mint leaves. She said you're sensitive to the--healing machine, and the mint settles your stomach. It's probably on the cold side, but if you want some I can--"

"Beth," He touched her wrist, and she stilled. "You know you are safe here. Dr. Kinimoto's unfounded threats aside, this is the most secure facility in my time. No one can harm you."

"What about Guy?"

Kane focused on her, to keep the rage from overwhelming him. "Guy would be a fool to return. He has a shoot on sight order on him, and he would know that."

She eased away from him and poured tea. "Is this place military?"

"Not exactly." He took the offered cup and forced himself to take a sip. Herbal tea was not his favorite, and he barely tolerated it hot. Cold, it tasted like medicine. He set the cup on the nightstand and patted the mattress beside him. After staring at the spot long enough that he expected her to refuse, she sat next to him, muscles tense, hands pressed between her knees. "This is a government project, but it's overseen by civilian scientists, like Dr. Kinimoto. Regulations are strict because this facility holds the portal to our past. Very few people outside a few MPs and the Prime Minister even know of its existence."

"How?" Elizabeth faced him, more relaxed now, her eyes bright with questions.

"I can't be answering all of the questions running through your mind, but I can tell you that most of us here believe we are saving the future with this project."

"By observing the past."

He smiled. "Exactly."

"How's that going for you?"

His smile faded. She didn't sound enthusiastic. In fact, she sounded angry. "We have had--complications."

"Like a maniac running free in the past? Those kind of complications?"

"Beth--you don't have the complete picture--"

"You were chasing Guy, wearing a BEF uniform from World War II." He stared at her. "Yes, I saw it, and yes, I recognized it." She stood, hands clenched at her sides. "You were heading into my past, affecting my future. That's all the picture I need to know."

"Beth." Kane pushed himself up, surprised when she retreated from his reaching hand. He couldn't figure out how the conversation had spiraled out of his control. "We never set out to do anything more than observe. To learn from past mistakes, make our future better for it. The people here have been carefully screened and selected for this project."

"That didn't work so well with Guy, did it?" She kept backing away from him, her voice sharper, harder with every word. "So what now, Kane? Pat me on the head, threaten my life if I dare to say anything about this and send me home?"

"Elizabeth." She halted next to the door, lifted her chin, her eyes furious. "I would hardly treat the woman who saved my life so carelessly." Her chin lowered, surprise flaring through the anger. "Regardless of what you think, there are many protocols in place to prevent the dire predictions you're lining up in your mind."

"Such as?"

He bit back a smile. She was a spitfire, this one. "Such as, no agent can return to the same time twice."

"So Guy won't be able to come back to my time and--find me?"

"Not unless he can build his own transport and bypass the portal."

"How did he appear, the night we met?"

Kane sighed. "It was for effect. We can travel short distances using the transport, on the day we arrive. After that first day, all we can do is return here, or move to another time."

"How are you going to send me home?" He heard the fear edging her voice.

"You are not--attached to the portal." He was not going to try to explain that purely alien aspect of the project, especially since he didn't like to think about it himself. "We will be able to send you straight back, almost like a boomerang. So you will land right where you started."

Her hands unclenched. "So, if you can't go back to the same time, you won't be able to take me home."

"And I am sorry for that." He lowered himself to the bed, his shoulder throbbing again. "Please stop hovering near the window. The staff will think you're afraid of me."

She moved to the chair and sat on the arm, as if she wanted to keep distance, and have an easy escape. It shouldn't have bothered him, but it did. More than he expected.

"Is this good enough?"

"Beth--"

"What?" She sounded petulant, and she must have realized it. With a sigh, she slid into the chair, fingers picking at the notebook. "I'm sorry. I have a temper, and feeling out of control tends to spark it."

"Feeling out of control would apply in this situation." He rubbed his forehead, exhaustion weighting him again. "I know you want to return home, but I would like to be able to stand upright long enough to walk you to the lab."

"If that's your way of saying you want me to stay until you're recovered, I will." She leaned back against the chair, the smudges under her eyes darker. "I think I might need some recovery time."

"You did not need to stay with me all night."

"I lost track of time." A smile touched her lips. "Honestly. I tend to do that when I'm draw--scribbling."

Since she obviously wanted to keep what she did to herself, Kane didn't pursue it. Instead he reached for the intercom on the nightstand. "I'm going to have them prepare an empty room for you. Now that Dr. Kinimoto knows you're not a notorious international assassin, you can stay as long as you need to--"

A screeching alarm cut him off.

He was on his feet and grabbing Elizabeth before he thought about it.

They ran down the med wing corridor, both of them barefoot. Kane swung her around the corner, and nearly ran straight into Mac.

"I was just coming to get you." Mac gripped his good shoulder. "We found Guy."

~ ~ ~

The lab was crowded when they arrived. Kane took long enough to duck into the costume room and change into a fresh, blood free BEF uniform. He found his spare greatcoat in his locker, along with the blue wool scarf Mac gave him last Christmas, and headed back into the lab. His shoulder ached as he pulled the coat on and wrapped the scarf around his neck. He decided to ignore it.

Elizabeth stood near the console, hugging her waist. Despite every promise, he would have to leave her here alone. Desert her. His mind shied away from the fact that he was most likely another name on a long list of people who had done the same. But there was nothing for it; he had a narrow window to find Guy, and he had to take it.

Mac diverted his attention, waved him over to enter his ID number on the smaller console. He strode over, more than happy to avoid the crowd that surrounded the main console.

"Guy's headed back to his original coordinates in 1940," Mac said, pointing to his screen. "London, May 14. You have about five minutes until the all clear."

"What does he want with that time?"

"It was the start of the war, you know."

Kane raised an eyebrow, glanced down at the uniform he wore. "I am well aware. But the key players are in Europe. Why would he keep going back to London?"

"Churchill is in London, and he's the new Prime Minister." Elizabeth's soft voice startled him. She stood at the end of the console, gaze on the main screen. "Winston Churchill is one of the big reasons Britain isn't under German rule." Her eyes widened in surprise when she discovered both him and Mac staring at her. That charming blush colored her cheeks. "What? I'm a history buff."

It was Mac's turn to look surprised. "Elizabeth Barritt--you're Elizabeth Barritt."

"Right. We were introduced, if I remember correctly--"

"No." He started furiously tapping on his screen. "You're the Elizabeth Barritt." With a wide smile, he leaned back and pointed at the result.

A biography popped up, with a photo of an older Elizabeth. Kane stared at it, then at the real woman next to him. The Elizabeth in the photo looked plain, tired, resigned, her face so thin all the viewer saw were cheekbones, and the big black glasses that hid her beautiful eyes.

Kane shifted his attention to the list of books under her bio. A long list of books.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, backing away from the console. Kane snapped out one hand and caught her before she could run. "I look so angry. How did I end up that angry? How did I--that can't be me, I don't even write. I'm a guide in a second rate gallery--"

"Elizabeth." Kane pulled her in, wrapped his arm around her waist when he felt her shiver against him. "Read the titles. These are books on art and history. Somehow, you combined the two. And from what your bio says, did quite well with them."

"Please take it down. I don't want to know. I don't want to look at her--"

"Mac." He nodded, deleting the information. Kane slid his hand up her back, all too aware of the curve of her hip, her narrow waist. God help him, she felt so good. He cradled the back of her neck, gently kneaded the tensed muscles. "Look at me, Beth."

When she obeyed, the pain in her eyes drove straight through him. He shoved aside the need to simply hold her until that pain disappeared.

"I don't want to be that person," she whispered. Tears filled her eyes, but didn't fall. He guessed she had learned a long time ago to keep from shedding them. "I came to London so I would move away from becoming her."

"That is just one possible future for you, Beth. Mac shouldn't have shown it to you," he sent a narrow-eyed glare at the Texan, who shrugged his shoulders. "But now you know, and when you return to your own time, you can make decisions based on that knowledge. Decisions that will erase her, recreate her."

He tucked blonde hair behind her ear. It was like silk under his fingers, and he wanted to bury his face in the thick, golden strands, surround himself with her scent, her warmth--

He dropped his hand and stepped back.

"Kane--"

"I have to go." He moved past her, tried to ignore the beautiful, dark blue eyes that followed him. "Mac will see that you get home safely."

"Be careful."

Those quiet words stopped him. He let out his breath, turned around. Elizabeth stood at the end of the console, blonde hair caressing her bare arms, those blue eyes watching him.

With a string of curses running through his head, Kane stopped fighting the attraction.

"Bloody hell--"

In front of God and all his colleagues, he strode over to Elizabeth, hauled her up against his chest, and kissed her.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth knew, when she saw his eyes change, just what he had planned as he stalked back across the lab.

She couldn't move, could hardly breathe.

When he swept her up and his lips possessed hers, she expected a hot, fierce, angry kiss. Instead, his lips gentled, exploring hers. The effect was devastating.

He broke through every barrier she'd spent years building, and she felt her heart open to him, trembling, vulnerable.

Both arms reached up to wrap around his neck, and her fingers slid into his thick, unruly hair. He tasted like mint. She let out a low moan when he eased her mouth open, deepening the kiss. She forgot their audience, forgot her fear of becoming attached to a man who would leave her alone, forgot everything but the feel of his lips, the strength of his arms, the heat of his body.

His hand slipped up her back, tangled in her hair as he angled her head, pulled her in deeper. Heat spiraled through her, and the need to get closer had her arching in to him.

She could feel his rapid heartbeat, hear his ragged breath as he started to lose control. Or was that her breath, so fast and hard it made her lightheaded?

Kane broke off the kiss, staring down at her.

"God help me," he whispered, just before he dove in again.

This time it was fierce and hungry, and she rode the wild emotions, abandoning any attempt to hold back. His demanding mouth, the hands that curved over her hips and pressed her tightly against him refused to let her retreat.

She lost herself in the heat, in the need for another person she had never felt before. A need she protected herself from, in a life that had no guarantees, and more disappointment than she thought she could ever take and stay whole--

This time she broke off the kiss, fighting to catch her breath, terrified that it was too late. Kane rested his forehead against hers, his own breathing just as labored. "I simply meant to say goodbye."

"That was some goodbye," she whispered.

"Too much?" Humor edged his deep voice.

"Unforgettable."

With a quiet sigh, he pressed his lips to her temple. "Ready for this?"

"No."

His laughter soothed her nerves. "I need you to ease your death grip on my neck, love."

The endearment had her tensing again. Oh, yes--it was too late. She liked him before they landed in his time. Now she wanted him. How the hell was she supposed to forget the way his lips felt on hers, the raw, uncontrollable emotion he stirred in her?

She lowered her arms, and Kane eased her to the floor. Heat rushed across her face as everyone in the lab applauded.

To her surprise, Kane bowed, flashing a smile. "Thank you, for your good wishes." He took her hand, nodded to Mac, and led her to the steps next to the platform. Sparks danced around the perimeter of the circle. "Now I will give you a proper goodbye." Her heart jumped as he leaned in, but his lips touched her cheek, warm and brief. "Take care, Elizabeth Barritt. Be proud of who you are, live your life for you."

How could saying goodbye to someone she barely knew hurt so much? Tears stung her eyes at his quiet words. He made it worse by brushing hair off her forehead, his touch gentle, almost more intimate than kissing her.

"Please be careful," she whispered. Her voice threatened to lodge in her throat, along with her tears. She laid her hand on his left wrist. "Guy is going to do whatever he needs to do to stop you."

"The constant twinges in my shoulder will be a good reminder. Not a word, Beth." His fingers cupped her chin. "I will be ready for him. Now, I believe I need to kiss you again. For luck," he said against her lips, just before he claimed them.

This time the kiss was achingly sweet, and far too short. Kane ended it, cradling her cheek, his hand so warm on her skin. Before she could touch him he backed out of reach. "Now, Mac."

Gold light burst up from the circle, a shimmering, transparent wall.

"Is that the portal?" She didn't plan to sound so awed, but it was--awe inspiring; so beautiful it nearly swamped her. Like a breath-robbing piece of art.

"The doorway to endless possibilities." Kane climbed the steps, turned back to her. "I look forward to seeing what you do with your possibilities. I will miss you, Beth."

His coat swirled around him as he swung to face the wall of gold. Elizabeth hugged her waist and drew the image in her mind: of Kane's face edged in gold, the light tracing his aristocratic features, glinting in his clear grey eyes.

He closed those eyes for a second, before he reached out and thrust his hand into the wall. Elizabeth let out a gasp when the light wrapped around him, then winked out of existence, plunging the lab into darkness. Endless seconds later, the lights flickered on, revealing confusion, concern, and outright fear on the faces of the people who should have been used to the portal.

"Elizabeth!" Mac rushed over, gripping her shoulders. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"That wasn't a normal--what do you call it?"

"Departure--and no, it wasn't. Kane's signal went offline right after he entered the portal. He's out there with a nonworking transport, and if I don't find him fast, he may not be coming home. Stay here. Doc!"

She watched him dodge people to get to the other side of the lab, numb at his announcement.

Without a working transport, Kane would be trapped.

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# Four

Kane flew through the air and hit hard ground shoulder first.

Fortunately, it was his left shoulder, but it still hurt like a bitch. Cursing, he pushed himself up, did a quick check of his surroundings. The portal sent him to the back of some building, enclosed by walls on three sides. Fresh razor wire ran just under the roofline, and he heard the sound of cars to the other side of the wall.

He held up his left wrist. The readout told him he was at the right date, but the wrong location. Somehow, he ended up in Dover. On top of that, he had lost the visual of his surroundings. He tapped the blank screen. Nothing--no map, no landmarks--which left him essentially blind.

"Bloody hell..." His voice faded as he spotted the blinking light in the lower corner.

His transport was offline.

"No--" He tapped in the coordinates that would take him home. The screen blinked--then blacked out completely. "Don't panic."

He hit the black default button, their failsafe when everything else went wrong. Sparks leapt out and snapped at him.

"Shit."

Still cursing in every language he knew, he pushed to his feet and unbuckled the leather band. There was a reset on the back. It would--hopefully--reboot his screen. He refused to consider the possibility that he was cut off from home. The problem had to be his personal transport. It was a rough trip, the worst he'd experienced in quite some time. His transport simply received the brunt of it.

He leaned against the building, and promptly fumbled the transport. His heart pounded at the close call. He turned it over, cupped it in his palm, and used his pinky to push the reset button.

There should have been a hum, and the tinkling music that signaled a reboot. The silence was like a death knell.

They had a backup for this contingency--didn't they have a backup? He pushed through the panic threatening to choke him, fought for calm. Yes, they did; an agent came through with a working transport, to the coordinates locked into the console at home.

The coordinates for London, 14 May, 1940.

He was in Dover.

Kane leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

He was utterly screwed.

~ ~ ~

Mac tapped double time on his screen, muttering under his breath. Elizabeth watched him, arms wrapped around her waist, and fought the panic that threatened to break through. She would not let it take over--not this time.

She reached up for her gold locket, and took slow, deep breaths. The panic faded, faster than normal, and her breath evened out.

Mac stopped his furious tapping, stared at the screen for endless seconds--and with a vicious curse, slammed his fist into it.

"Mac--"

"I lost him." He stared at Elizabeth, oblivious to the blood dripping off the torn skin over his knuckles, his face shock pale. "He's gone."

"Dead?" Her question had everyone in the lab freezing mid task. Panic didn't have any room to move in this time--she was too scared for Kane. "Mac--is he dead?"

"He might as well be." Relief nearly buckled her knees. She grabbed the edge of the console at his next words. "Protocol is to send an agent in with a new transport. Problem is, he's not where he's supposed to be. I checked every damn square inch of London for his signal. He's not there."

The lab buzzed with various reactions. Elizabeth ignored them, forced herself to focus. "What if he detoured? Like an unintentional side trip?"

Color started to seep back into Mac's face. "An unintentional..." He swung back to his screen, and cursed at the broken glass. "Follow me."

He ran to the main console and spoke to the tech in front of the central screen. After constantly shaking his head, Mac said something that had the tech's eyes widen. He backed off and Mac jumped in, tapping on the screen. Elizabeth inched forward, as inconspicuous as possible. She finally got close enough to hear Mac, muttering as he kept moving his hands over the screen.

"Unintentional side trip--genius." Elizabeth bit her lip on a smile, just before Mac swung his head around, caught sight of her. "Come here. Make way--get out of her way!" The space on either side of him cleared. "Your brilliant observation made me think of this equally brilliant strategy. Look up at the big screen."

She did. A map replaced the grid, and as she watched, sections of the map start blinking, each one a different color. What he had done jumped out at her. "You're breaking it up."

"Got it in one. Genius." He flashed her a smile, kept tapping. "Watch the North East, top right on the map." It stopped blinking, then went dark. "By plugging Kane's DNA signature in, we can go through each part of the country until we pinpoint him. That is," he glanced at her, the smile gone. "If he landed there on the correct day."

"And if he didn't?"

"I'm gonna cross that bridge if we get to it, sweetheart, not before."

"Okay." She told herself to breathe, slow, deep. It helped to focus on the screen, instead of the fear screaming at her. A small, red dot snagged her attention, at the bottom of the map. "Mac--what is that?"

He looked up--and stared at the map. "I'll be damned." His fingers tapped and slid over the screen. "I'll be double damned. You found him." Before she could escape he picked her up and swung her around. "You found him!"

He kissed her, hard and fast, and set her on her feet. "Will! I need another transport. And line up an agent to go in--"

"I have suspended all portal travel." Dr. Kinimoto appeared on the other side of the console. Glendon Harper stood just behind her, and he looked smug. Elizabeth wanted to punch that smug right off his face.

Mac looked like he wanted to do worse. "You can't--"

"I refuse to put another agent's life in danger. Not until we know Kane is alive."

He clenched his fist. Fresh blood stained his hand. "That rat bastard is pulling the strings, isn't he? And now you're going to leave Kane out there."

Dr. Kinimoto stiffened, an angry blush on her cheeks. "Despite what you think of me, I am in charge, and this is my decision. I am sorry, Mr. Macaffrey. But yes, I am."

She turned away.

"Son of a bitch--" Mac vaulted the console, grabbed Dr. Kinimoto and spun her around. "You're not going to leave him hanging, do you hear me? He's stranded because of your incompetence--"

"Take your hands off me."

"Send someone in after him--"

"This is your last warning. Let go of--"

"Send in another agent, damn it!"

"I will not jeopardize--"

"I'll go." Elizabeth covered her mouth, shocked that she spoke the words out loud. She must have--everyone was staring at her.

"Elizabeth?" Mac approached her, his hands out. She let him take hers, felt them shake in his grip. "Sweetheart, you can't go back there. You're not even part of the project--"

"I know what it means to be left behind." She gripped his hands. "I won't do that to him."

"She is completely unsuitable," Dr. Kinimoto said. Harper stood behind her, watched the scene with those cold, unreadable eyes. Mac pulled Elizabeth in, draped one arm across her shoulders. It felt like comfort and support from a big brother, and Elizabeth found more than comfort in his gesture. She found strength. "A civilian, who would know nothing--"

"You're wrong." Elizabeth lifted her chin, used the maybe two extra inches of height to her advantage. "I know at least as much about the history of Britain as any of your other agents."

"She ain't lying." Mac planted a noisy kiss on her cheek before he jogged around the console, tapping on the screen. "You accused her of being a murderess. Meet the real Elizabeth Barritt."

A second, smaller screen popped up on the wall, with a large version of the bio Mac found earlier. Nerves had Elizabeth hugging her waist. The unflattering photo stared down at her, a future self that was obviously unhappy, and probably alone. Her long list of published books just confirmed it.

Harper turned away from the screen and studied her, his eyes appraising. She felt dirty, violated by just his scrutiny. She knew his type, and planned to stay far, far away as long as she was here.

"So, we have a future expert in our midst." Dr. Kinimoto stepped between them, the tablet that she always seemed to carry tucked in the crook of her arm. "How does that help us now? And why should it sway me?"

"You get your best agent back," Mac said. "If anyone can find him, I'd lay bets on our Elizabeth. They have a connection, one that might just be useful. The portal likes connections. Yeah," he hovered over the console, sliding knobs and twisting dials. "Bring that pretty little hand over here, sweetheart."

"What are you--" Dr. Kinimoto cut herself off when Mac raised one hand and reached for Elizabeth with the other.

"I just need a scan of your handprint, and the portal will recognize you."

Elizabeth flinched as he slapped her hand on an ice cold screen. Light flashed under it, similar to a copy machine scan, just before Dr. Kinimoto yanked her out of Mac's grip.

"Too late," he said. "She's in the system."

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth didn't want to know. Once again, words just popped out of her traitorous mouth.

"Once the portal has your handprint, you can travel through on your own."

"Wait." Kane's voice flared in her mind. Something about not being attached to the portal, allowing her to go back to the same place... "Stop it--don't let it process--"

She pushed past Mac, in reaction mode as she tried to undo what she was afraid had already been done.

"Elizabeth." Mac eased her away from the console, turned her around. "This won't hurt you--"

"I can't go home now!"

He looked startled. "What are you talking about? Of course you can. Kane can send you straight from wherever he ended up."

"But--he told me--"

"Ah--agents can't go back to the same place more than once. They can't, because their DNA is tracked by the portal. It's been physically added, by way of a blood sample. Because I only scanned your handprint, I gave you a simple identity with it--like a temporary pass. The portal's going to know that. You're not trapped, sweetheart, not by a long shot." He tucked hair behind her ear. "If you still want to help Kane, you'll just be taking a little detour."

She looked past him, at the black granite circle. For the first time, she noticed the granite didn't have the sheen of stone. Instead, the black seemed to absorb the light, instead of light bouncing off the surface.

"This isn't just advanced human technology, is it?"

Mac smiled. "We be walking in alien territory." Dr. Kinimoto cleared her throat. "Right. Let's get you geared up, sweetheart."

"You will stick to protocol, Mr. Macaffrey."

"I love when you go all formal on me, Doc." He winked as he led Elizabeth past her, and she swore the woman blushed. She spun around before Elizabeth could be sure.

They headed to a double door on the far side of the lab, one of the doors labeled Costume Room. Mac opened it and waved her in. "Welcome to Wonderland, my dear Alice."

Elizabeth stepped into an enormous room that burst with color. Her mind went on overload as she tried to take in the sheer variety of the clothing. A gorgeous silk ball gown fit for a Georgian era summer night flirted with a heavy brown velvet coat that would have been comfortable in a Victorian parlor. Shoulder pad to strap, clothing was stuffed into open front closets, with no rhyme or reason to their placement.

Her fingers itched to touch, her mind already organizing the space for maximum efficiency. Only someone with no vision could have created such mindless chaos.

"Overwhelming, isn't it?" Mac's voice jerked her out of her thoughts.

"It could be beautiful, if someone took the time to--"

"Oh, no you don't." He grabbed her hand and dragged her down one of the aisles, between the long benches that stood in front of each closet. "Here. Pick something from this rack. It will fit the time period, more or less. I'd recommend an outfit you can run in." She stared up at him. What she volunteered for was starting to sink in. "You'll be just fine, Elizabeth. All you have to do is find Kane. He knows the procedure when his transport goes offline, and he'll stay put. Then he'll send you on home."

"Okay." Her throat wouldn't let any more than that single word through.

"Five minutes, and we'll be ready for you."

She watched him jog back to the doors and close them, leaving her alone. Before she could start to think again, she reached in and dug through the rack. The sizes were easy to find numbers on the top of each hanger, so she narrowed it down to everything with a six on it and yanked them free.

The dresses and skirts went back first, which left a couple of pairs of trousers, a pile of blouses and shirts, and a handful of jackets. Elizabeth chose a long sleeved, blue cotton shirt, loose enough to hide the fact that she wore nothing under her shirt, that she needed nothing more than a thin camisole. Besides, the blue matched one of the colors in the only pair of tweed trousers that were lined. She was not going to wear unlined wool; she already learned her lesson, the itchy, hard way.

Her worn but comfortable boots would have to do; she wasn't about to try and find a pair of shoes that didn't give her flaming blisters, in the little time she had. Not when it took her hours of shopping to find one pair she could live with.

She undressed quickly and slipped into the new clothes, leaving the shirt untucked. The longer brown jacket would keep her looking neat long enough to hand the transport over to Kane, and go home.

That thought froze her. She was about to go back in time, to help a man she barely knew. A man who didn't scare her. Oh, no, he had exactly the opposite effect. She kissed him like he was the last man on earth, in front of witnesses. Worse, she missed him--missed his smile, the glint in his eyes when she made a smart remark, like he considered her funny. Smart. A whole woman, deserving of his care.

If this crazy scheme worked, she would end up leaving him behind. Forever.

Her legs threatened to give out. She dropped to the bench and hugged her waist, afraid she was going to be sick. How could she be so stupid? Why did she let herself fall for a man who didn't even exist in her own time?

"Easy," she whispered. "It was too easy."

From the second he started counting out her panic steps with her, she left herself open to his charm.

"No." She scrubbed at her face, refused to let the tears lodged in her throat have any release. "I'll take his transport to him and go home." She dug a ponytail holder out of her jeans and slipped it on her wrist. With the ease of long practice, she started to braid her hair, muttering under her breath. "Maybe I'll stay in London, take the offer from the gallery I'd been too chicken to accept. I can change my life, be the person he thinks I am..."

"And who does he think you are, Elizabeth?"

Her fingers froze on the braid. That silky voice lodged her breath in her throat. Harper appeared at the end of the bench, and kept moving until he stood in front of her.

"I need--" She cleared her throat. She refused to be cowed by this man. "I have to finish getting ready. Mac will be here--"

"When I am ready to let him in." Long fingers slid under her chin, applied pressure until she met his eyes. "You intrigue me. So fragile, but so strong. I want you to come work for me."

Her eyes widened. He didn't waste any time.

"And where exactly would that work be?"

"With me." He trapped her chin when she tried to pull away. "You will be a challenge to break."

Elizabeth watched him lean in, her heart pounding so hard she felt it in her throat. His breath heated her cheek, then her lips as it became quick and shallow.

She tried to jerk away; his grip turned bruising, right before he crushed his lips to hers.

The shock of his invasion froze her. Then he tried to force his tongue into her mouth. She stomped on his foot.

With a howl he let her go and stumbled backward. His soft leather shoe didn't stand a chance against her boot heel. She jumped to her feet and put the bench between them, the need to scrub out her mouth overwhelming.

The door burst open behind her.

"Elizabeth!"

"I'm okay, Mac."

He skidded to a halt next to her. "The rat bastard didn't--"

"We came to an agreement." She forced herself to meet the cold blue eyes. Rage burned in the pale depths, like fire under ice. If she weren't leaving, she would find another way to escape him. "Please get me out of here."

"With pleasure." He kept himself between her and Harper, backing out until they were through the doorway and in the lab. Once they were out of Harper's sight, Mac caught her hands. "Did he hurt you?"

"No." She let out a shaky laugh. "He offered me a job." Mac cursed. "I assumed it wasn't a conventional job." Or even a job.

"He's a spook."

"A--not CIA, he's British. MI-6?"

"He'll deny it with his dying breath. If he can be killed," Mac muttered. "I'll make sure he stays away until I get you to Kane."

"Thank you." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "For charging in to rescue me."

He flashed a smile. "If I didn't just see Kane kiss you like you were his last breath, I'd think I had a chance. Come on--time's moving on without us."

Elizabeth followed him to the main console as she tightened the loosened braid and tied it off. "Can't you send me to the same time he arrived? Or right after?"

"I can send you to the same place. But the portal has a quirk; once an agent is offline, real time kicks in."

"So, if an hour passes here, I'll arrive there an hour later."

"And hope he waited around. He will--he knows the protocol." Mac tapped on the screen, paused long enough to pull something out of his pocket. She swallowed. It was a transport. "Ready for this?"

"I'm ready." She kept running those two words through her mind--and hoped the repetition would eventually convince her.

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# Five

Kane knew the procedure when he was cut off. Stay put. No exceptions.

The bloodcurdling scream had him bolting around the building.

He skidded to a halt when he saw a young woman on her knees next to the canal. She leaned over so far he expected her to fall in any second. Kane scanned the long alley for unwanted company before he strode over to her. He crouched next to her, ready to grab her arm if she threatened to topple over the edge.

"Can I help?"

"Oh--" Tear bright eyes stared at him. "My dog--"

She pointed. Kane followed the line of her arm, and spotted it--a white, fluffy head, just above the water.

He shouldn't leave--an agent could show up at any second, and he needed to be here.

He cursed under his breath. It hadn't been long enough for them to brief another agent, and he could hardly walk away, now she knew he was here. What if it was Elizabeth in need or danger? He would want someone to step up and help her. He could hardly do less.

"Stay here." He didn't wait for an answer before he stood and took off, jogging along the canal. The head disappeared under the bridge. Kane checked for traffic and crossed the street, finding the canal on the other side. Along with a much wetter white head. "Hell--"

He scanned for a good spot to grab it. The dog was struggling now, its head staying under longer each time. He could not face that woman without a live pet.

There, just ahead. He could get to the bank without too much effort. He halted at the spot and shed his greatcoat, unbuttoning his sleeve so he could reach in unhindered. Once he pushed through the hedge next to the bank, he dropped to one knee and slipped his arm into the icy water just in time to scoop the dog up.

The tiny thing shivered violently. Kane was frankly surprised it had survived as long as it did. He tucked it in the curve of his arm, oddly moved when a soft pink tongue licked his fingers. With his free hand, he pulled his scarf from around his neck and wrapped the little dog in the warm blue wool. He stopped long enough to pick up his greatcoat before he headed back along the canal.

The woman waited for him at the edge of the sidewalk. He crossed the street, and she sprinted to him, arms outstretched.

"You found her! Oh, Jane Eyre, you poor, sweet thing." She took the dog, cradled it in her arms. Kane fought a smile at the name. "I've got you, you're safe now. Thank you," she whispered, gazing up at Kane. Tears stained her face, but she looked happy now instead of terrified. "Thank you."

"Glad to be of service." He slipped on his greatcoat while she was distracted, and hoped she had not noticed the uniform. His non-military hair, and the earring he always forgot to remove would raise questions, never mind the fact that most of the BEF was in Europe at the moment. "Jane is in good hands now."

"Please." She touched his arm. "Allow me to at least offer you a hot bowl of soup. I live just to the other side of the canal." The dog yipped, and she laughed, wiping at her eyes. "I don't normally take her outside off leash, but she got away from me when I opened the door, and tumbled straight in."

Kane had already interacted more than he should have. But he figured saving a bit of a dog would not change the course of human history, as Dr. Kinimoto liked to say.

"Thank you, miss--"

"Helaine." She held out her free hand. "Helaine Knowles. Please--I can't be letting you go with just a thank you. Not after you saved Jane Eyre."

Kane smiled, regretting that he would have to say no. Helaine was a lovely girl, and a dog named Jane Eyre--he found the pair of them intriguing.

"I wish I could. But I have an appointment. One I can't be missing."

If Mac could find him. He held out little hope of that, but he intended to stay put.

Just in case.

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# Six

Mac held out his hand. "I need you to punch in your ID code. I've got it right here." She looked down at his hand, saw the piece of paper between two fingers. "It's easier after the first time."

"Promise?"

"No--I just wanted to take the frightened rabbit look off your face." She let out a shaky laugh. "Now give me your wrist. You'll have to let go of your other hand, sweetheart."

"Right." She pulled them apart, held out her left hand.

"This is the transport for Kane." Mac strapped it on her wrist, forced to use the last hole in the band to keep it from sliding off. "He can use it to send you home. I already have the coordinates in the transport's memory. This baby can do more than you think. It even has a translation chip."

"Translation?"

"Yeah." He tapped his finger on the transport. "The chip emits some kind of field--I don't know how, and I don't want to. But it lets you understand anyone standing within a few feet, and they can understand you. Just in case you end up talking to a Neanderthal, or a Roman."

"Oh, God--" She didn't want to think of the possibility that she may actually end up somewhere else--

"I was kidding. Breathe, Elizabeth. I send agents out there every day. All of them have landed exactly where they were supposed to, and returned in one piece."

"Okay." She took his advice. There was no panic, yet. She was--nervous, seeing Kane again after that mind melting kiss. It would have been easier to keep the memory of him, go home with that. More contact would just give her more time to become attached. "I'm ready for the number."

She tapped it in carefully, watched the screen under her hand flash a countdown.

"That's for you, sweetheart. Let's head over."

Mac led her to the steps next to the platform, one hand under her elbow. Sparks danced around the perimeter, sparks she knew would explode up into a transparent wall. A wall she had to step through, voluntarily.

"Mac--"

"Kane is in Dover. I have the transport set for his entry coordinates." His voice was brisk, but the hand on her elbow was gentle, supportive. "He should be nearby. Tell him I said not to lose this one."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'll do that."

"Take this." He slipped a folding knife in her hand. Her fingers trembled as she slid it in the pocket of her trousers. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it. "When the wall comes up, all you have to do is stick your hand in. The portal will do the rest. Take care of yourself, Elizabeth." He leaned down, kissed her cheek. "I look forward to reading your new bio."

With a wink he let her go and moved back to the console. She knew that was her cue.

She skipped step one, since she was already standing still. No way to get any slower than that. She closed her fingers over the heart locket. "Step two," she whispered.

After taking in a few slow, deep breaths, she climbed the stairs. The gold wall shot up as she reached the platform. A last glance over her shoulder had Mac smiling at her, giving her a double thumbs up. For some crazy reason she couldn't fathom, she trusted him. She studied him for a few seconds, drew his handsome, rawboned face in her mind, with the sun streaked brown hair and laughing blue eyes. Another memory to take with her.

She closed her eyes briefly and faced the wall, her hand inching forward. Her fingers shook so badly she jerked her hand back, afraid she would touch the transparent wall before she was ready.

You can do this. She wiped her palms on her trousers, and kept up the mental pep talk. You went all the way to England, alone, when you've never been out of California. If you can do that, you can do this, for Kane.

Before she could change her mind, she lifted her hand and plunged it into the wall of light.

She expected pain. The warmth that spread up her arm surprised her, and she relaxed--just before it seized her arm in a vise grip and yanked her through the light and into nothing.

~ ~ ~

The portal spit Elizabeth out.

She managed to get her hands up before she slammed into a brick wall, so it scraped her palms instead of her face. She sucked in a sharp breath at the sting--right before she doubled over.

Her stomach tried to twist itself into a knot and eject what little she ate while she sat with Kane. It took every ounce of control she had not to throw up.

Endless minutes passed before the cramping subsided. She took in an unsteady breath, used the wall behind her for support, and studied her surroundings.

Mac told her the portal chose a secluded entry point. It had sent her to what looked like the back entrance of a brick building. She glanced up, and saw a gleaming slinky of razor wire stretched across the underside of the roof. Water swept through a small canal on her right. Her stomach rumbled again at the sight of the rushing water.

She turned away and lifted her wrist to check the transport. The screen flashed at her: Dover, 14 May, 1940.

Then the reality of what she'd done finally hit her.

She was really here. England, at the start of World War II. The shiny new razor wire on what looked like a retail business told her this wasn't the England she walked just a day ago.

Wind bit at her as she moved around the corner, cold and surprising. The small building had protected her from it until now. She tucked strands of hair that pulled loose from her braid behind her ear, and jerked to a halt when she saw Kane.

He stood over a petite brunette, whose curvy figure, wrapped in a fitted red sweater, made Elizabeth look like a boy. The way he smiled at the brunette had her hand itching to hit him, preferably with her fist.

She thought he was different, that when he kissed her like he did before he left, he actually felt something for her. She ignored the voice in her mind that argued his side, that he never expected to see her again--

The voice faded as movement behind Kane froze her. She knew that arrogant profile.

It was Guy.

"Kane--get down!" He spun around, eyes wide as he spotted her. She ran at him, terrified that Guy would get to him before he understood the danger. "Guy!"

He grabbed the brunette and dove for the ground. Elizabeth flattened herself against the wall. The laser blast from Guy's pistol hit the wall inches from her ear.

She dropped to the ground. Kane's furious roar snapped her head up. He crouched over the brunette and fired his pistol at Guy's back. The man had luck on his side--he managed to get past the building and out of sight before the blast from Kane's pistol reached him.

Kane pointed at her with his free hand and snapped out a single word.

"Stay."

He paused long enough to say a few words to the brunette, and took off after Guy.

This was not the reunion she envisioned.

She sat, and leaned against the wall, still nauseated from her trip through the portal. The thought of doing it again so soon made her stomach clench.

Footsteps echoed down the side street, headed for her. She took the coward's way out and kept staring at the ground.

"Elizabeth--" Kane didn't let her hide. He gripped her arms, hauled her to her feet and yanked her forward before she found her balance. She caught the lapels of his greatcoat, met his furious grey eyes. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Not "are you all right" or even a hello. No--he blasted her with his temper, after she came here to help him--

"Elizabeth." He tightened his grip on her, and she saw it, almost hidden behind the temper. Fear, for her. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you this." She let go of his coat, slid her jacket sleeve back to reveal the transport. Her fingers fumbled over the leather strap, but she finally managed to unbuckle the damn thing. She took it off and slapped it against his chest. "You're welcome."

He let go of her to take it. The corner of his mouth twitched. "Dr. Kinimoto allowed you through the portal?"

"She was going to leave you here!" Elizabeth forgot her anger. "Mac used your DNA to find you, and I--" She swallowed, the enormity of what she'd done hitting her again. "I volunteered to come back with a new transport."

"Why?" He spoke quietly, his face unreadable, for the first time since they met.

"Because--" She wanted to be sarcastic, to just toss off a reason. Her mouth betrayed her and told the truth. "I couldn't abandon you."

Kane moved toward her. Startled, she retreated, until the brick building stopped her, trapped her. He kept coming, dropped the transport in one pocket, and reached up to cradle her face. She kept her eyes open as he brushed his lips over hers, the kiss more intimate for its gentleness.

"Thank you." He tucked stray hair behind her ear, so close his breath warmed her cheek. "Now, my darling Elizabeth."

"Yes?"

"Let's get you home. I need to find Guy before he disappears again." His brisk voice broke the spell. Disappointed, she watched him pull out the transport and start playing with it, like a boy with a new video game. "There--he won't be hiding from me again. Mac is one clever tech. He programmed Guy's vitals into the transport, so I won't need the portal to track--"

"Pardon me." The brunette stood near the canal. An adorable, little white dog wiggled in her arms, trying to get to--Kane? "I am assuming you are acquainted?"

"Helaine." Kane slid the transport back into his coat pocket and held out his hand to her. Elizabeth fought to ignore the twinge--the strong, angry twinge--when Helaine took his hand and smiled up at him. Up close, she was beautiful, with that English rose skin Elizabeth had admired on women since she arrived in London. "Meet Elizabeth. She is a--friend, from home. My appointment, though I didn't expect her to be the person meeting me."

One eyebrow lifted as he said it. So much for his undying gratitude.

"It is a pleasure, Elizabeth." Helaine slipped her hand out of Kane's, held it out. "Please ignore the dog slobber, and the bits of rock ground into my palm." She glanced up at Kane. "Was that man another of your friends?"

For being thrown to the ground and shot at, Helaine looked remarkably calm. But then, this was the front lines, even if the war was a new idea to them.

"A former friend--and one I did not expect. Please forgive the manhandling--"

"Stop." She waved her hand, smiling at him. "I will happily assume he was shooting at you, and be glad your other friend arrived in time to warn us."

Elizabeth took her hand and shook it, too polite to ignore her. Helaine seemed genuinely nice, and her dog was completely enamored with Kane.

"Oh--" Helaine grabbed for the dog when it tried to squirm free. "It seems Jane Eyre wants another cuddle."

"Jane Eyre?"

"My fault," Helaine said, handing the little dog over to Kane before it took a flying leap and hit the ground. "I adore Jane Eyre and I was reading it when this little bit found me. Tumbled right at my feet in the park, so dirty I couldn't tell she was white, but with a grin that could melt even Scrooge's heart. She's been mine ever since."

Kane held the dog, laughing when the pink tongue licked his chin, and every other inch of skin it could reach. He looked--happy, carefree. Two emotions she didn't expect from him. He was such an intense man, and being an orphan, she knew that happy tended to be the first thing lost, after family.

After a few more enthusiastic dog kisses, he handed Jane Eyre back. "We should be going. Elizabeth needs to go home." He punctuated the statement with a glance that had her clenching her jaw. "I thank you, again, for your generous offer." With a smile, he bent over her hand, kissed it--then blew away Elizabeth's unexpected burst of jealousy when he leaned in and loudly kissed the dog.

How did he keep throwing her off balance like that? The thought startled her, and worried her. It meant she cared more than she should, and that path led straight to heartache. God knew she'd already had enough of that in her life.

Kane took her arm and practically dragged her out to the sidewalk before she could do more than wave goodbye. "What are you--slow down, unless your plan is for me to hit the sidewalk face first."

She let out a squeak when he shoved her against the front of the building and trapped her there with the weight of his body.

"Have you any idea how badly you scared me?"

"I scared you?" Elizabeth pushed at his chest, to gain some space. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. "Who went racing off after a maniac, while still recovering from the knife wound they received from said maniac?" He just looked at her, those clear grey eyes amused. "What?"

"All that fire, hidden behind such a sweet exterior. You are a constant surprise, Miss Barritt."

His smile ignited her temper.

"Here's another surprise for you, Jackson Kane." She stomped on his foot. Hard.

He let out a yelp and pushed off the wall, shaking out the stomped on foot. Elizabeth wasn't sure who got the worst of it; her boots had nearly indestructible heels, but his boots had to be lined with lead, or steel. She could still feel the aftershock, all the way up to her hip.

To top it off, she felt like a fool for losing her temper.

Kane stopped shaking out his foot to greet an older couple, eyes wide as they halted on the sidewalk, out of arm's reach.

"Good afternoon." He flashed them that heart-stopping smile. "Fine weather for a walk."

"Yes, of course," the man said. He kept one arm protectively around the waist of his wife, glancing at Elizabeth with narrow eyed suspicion as he hustled them both past.

"Fantastic," she said. "Now you have nice old couples thinking I'm crazy."

"Last I checked, you were the one doing the enthusiastic foot stomping." He limped back over to her. Braced for retaliation, he shocked her as he leaned in to brush his lips over hers. "Thank you, for coming after me." She was still buzzing from that gentle, intimate touch when he grabbed her hand and pulled her after him. "Now I'm sending you home."

"Wait--" Elizabeth jerked against his grip, tried to slow him down, but he was an immovable force. "Kane, please."

"I am not stopping until you are safe, home, and out of Guy's reach."

She ran to keep up with his long strides, her heart pounding. That meant she would have to say goodbye. Again.

~ ~ ~

Kane was still reeling at her appearance. She was supposed to be back in her own time, away from the danger Kane had drawn her into. Away from him.

The feel of her warm, small hand in his had him thinking impossible thoughts. How much he wanted to explore more than that soft hand, discover if all her skin was that soft, with the scent of lavender that had haunted him since he first collided with her.

He mentally shook himself. That kind of thinking would lead him down the path he could not travel. A path that had Elizabeth at his side.

No, it would best for both of them--safer for him--if he sent her home now. He simply needed to find a secluded place for her to disappear.

"Kane." Her quiet voice sounded a bit desperate. He glanced over his shoulder--and immediately slowed. She was all but running to keep up with him. "Thank you. Now can you tell me where you're dragging me?"

"There." He spied a narrow side street on the left, and hoped it would lead to the secluded back stoop of the building next to it. Once they were alone, Kane reluctantly freed her hand. "Time to send you home."

"Oh." She looked at him, those dark blue eyes wide, and, damn him, starting to tear. "Right," she whispered.

Her head lowered, but Kane saw the tears slide down her cheeks. They tore at him, left him helpless. He reached out and gathered her in his arms, tortured himself a little more with the feel of her pressed against him.

Elizabeth didn't carry on like other women of his acquaintance. Her tears were quiet, and all the more heartbreaking for it, because he understood the why of it. Since he learned that she was an orphan, like him, so many of her reactions and choices made sense.

Kane gently kissed the top of her head and set her away from him, to keep from desperately hanging on to her. She deserved better; she deserved a life of joy, and safety, and stability. He could provide none of those.

"Ready?" He kept his voice quiet. He still had no idea what triggered her panic, and she needed to be calm for the journey ahead.

"Yes." Trembling fingers brushed at her tears. "Sorry. I didn't plan on using you as a six foot Kleenex."

"It was my pleasure to stand in for a standard size tissue."

She let out a shaky laugh, her tension easing. Just as he intended. "Come, Beth. I need you to be at least arm's reach from the building."

"Okay." She stepped into the center of the small back entry, just big enough for both of them. "Will it be as--nausea inducing as the last two trips?"

Her question caught him completely off guard, and he laughed, delighted by her humor. Who was he kidding? He was delighted by her.

"It does get easier."

"Uh, huh. So I've been told, several times. I'm discovering that's a big, fat lie."

Kane laughed again. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed so much--

Time to get this done. The longer he delayed, the harder it would be to let her go.

"You can endure one more time, Beth. Then you'll be finished with the trauma."

"Will I remember--everything?"

"Yes." I will not be able to forget you, love. Not for a long time, if ever. He forced himself to smile. "Memory loss is not one of the side effects."

"Part of me wishes it was."

"So do I, love."

Her eyes widened, and Kane cursed himself when he realized he'd said it aloud.

"Kane--"

"Beth--I didn't mean--"

"Don't you dare take it back." She moved forward, running by the time she threw herself at him. Kane caught her, held on, closed his eyes when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder. "I'll miss you, Jackson Kane. I don't want to, but there it is."

He smiled at her muffled words, before he cradled the back of her head, buried his face in her hair. It was an indulgence, to feel the silk of it against his skin, to have the soft lavender scent of her surrounding him. "Then I am not sorry for missing you as well." He pulled back, forced himself to put emotional distance between them. That went out the window with his next request, because he needed it, needed her, one last time. "Now give me a proper goodbye, Elizabeth Barritt."

She raised her head, and Kane stopped any possible protest with his lips.

Her mouth opened under his, a soft moan driving heat through him. God save him, she had the most sensual lips. He sensed the inexperience, but her passion more than made up for any lack. That passion all but brought him to his knees.

Elizabeth hiked herself up, wrapped her legs around him, deepening the kiss as she plastered herself to him. He was already painfully hard; the feel of her had him throbbing.

He turned, opened his eyes long enough to find the wall, and trapped her against it. Every inch of her body arched into him, her lips more desperate, her breathing ragged. Kane could barely hear her above his own raw breath.

She slid her hands into his hair, her legs tightening their grip on his waist. His legs nearly gave way when she started to move against him. He matched her rhythm, meeting every thrust, groaning into her mouth, rock hard and wanting to be inside her, to feel that slim body wrapped around him as they joined together--

He broke off the kiss, tried to pry her off him before he took her right here. The need to be inside her had his hands shaking. Damn it, he never lost control like this.

"Beth--" She moved, aiming for his lips. He lifted his head to discourage her, so she pressed her lips to his throat, kissing her way down. He let out a groan, gripped her waist. "For the love of God--"

"You said--" She kissed her way back up his throat. "You wanted a proper goodbye."

He looked down at her, surprised by the mischief in those beautiful eyes. With a smile, she leaned in, and he stilled when she kissed his scarred cheek. She had no idea what it meant to him that she treated those scars as if they were simply part of him.

"Beth," he whispered.

She pulled back, obviously hearing the strain in his voice. "Oh, God." A blush spread over her face. There was no possible way she didn't feel his erection, not the way she was still wrapped around him. "I'm so sorry--I'm not a tease, Kane--I just couldn't--"

"Stop what you started?" Her blush deepened, but he gave her points for keeping eye contact. "My sweet Beth, if you had started it anywhere but in the middle of an assignment, I would have finished it."

"Promise?"

His laughter had her smiling. Carefully, he eased back from the wall and lowered her to the ground. His hands circled her waist until she found her footing. It pleased him more than he could admit that she found it hard to stand.

"As much as I want you to stay," he said, brushing his lips over her cheek, "it is time for you to go."

"How are you going to--not get sucked in with me?"

Kane had been working on that problem, and thought he found a way. The agents had always gone back together, so this was an experiment. Of course, he didn't mention that fact to her.

"I want you to hold on to my right hand, until the portal appears. Do you remember the snapping sound you heard when Guy appeared?" She nodded. "That means the portal is engaged. Once you hear it, let go of me. I will get myself out of range."

"Okay."

Kane took the transport out of his greatcoat. It had already been set for the next journey. He closed his eyes briefly, braced himself, and looked at Elizabeth.

She met his eyes, more lovely every time he looked at her. Her face was flushed, her hair disheveled from him nearly ravaging her. Tears shimmered in her eyes--and he would not give in to them this time. Tears were what nearly had him taking her right there, in a dirty back entry.

"Goodbye, Kane. Thank you for the greatest adventure of my life."

He didn't say anything, simply strapped the transport on his left wrist and moved his thumb over the button that would send her out of his life forever--

"Hello, Kane." He froze at the sound of Guy's voice coming from the transport. A moment later, his face flashed on the screen, replacing the coordinates.

"Impossible--"

"To hack such a simple bit of technology? This was like snapping my fingers." Kane turned around, putting Elizabeth behind him; he didn't want Guy to know she was still in reach. "Now watch carefully, old friend. This is my next move on the board."

Another face appeared on the screen, just long enough for panic to grip his heart. Helaine.

Kane was already talking when Guy showed himself again. "If you harm her, in any way--"

"Stop chasing me, and she will be free to go. I cannot make the same guarantee for her dog, I'm afraid. I may have done more than stun the wretched beast when I threw it at the wall." A sob in the background had him looking away. "It'll be all right, sweet. Kane will do the noble thing." Guy looked back at him. "He always does the noble thing. Now say yes, Kane, and I will give you directions, so you can play hero."

"I will meet you, Guy."

"So you already sent the sweet Elizabeth on her way?"

"I will be alone." Kane felt her move next to him. He clapped his right hand over her mouth and pulled her tight against his side. She fought him, whatever curses she threw at him muffled against his hand.

"A shame. She is fierce, for such a delicate little thing."

"Where are you?"

"Do you know the field behind St. Edmund's?"

Elizabeth made a noise. He glanced down, and she nodded at him.

"Yes," he said.

"There's a lone building, at the far edge. You have one hour, before the knight removes the pawn from the game. Your move, Kane."

Guy cut off the transmission, and Kane let Elizabeth go. After a few seconds, the blank screen lit up, showing the coordinates for their current location. No matter what he punched he could not change them.

"Damn it--don't you move another inch, Elizabeth. You are staying right here, until I send you home."

"You don't know where she is--and he'll hurt her, all because she was in the wrong place. I won't have that on my conscience, not when I can do something about it. Besides, you won't be able to send me home until we stop Guy."

Surprise had him staring at her. "How do you--"

"The second you saw it on the screen.' She crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow. "I can read you like a book."

No one had ever told him that before. He had always been accused of quite the opposite--especially by women, frustrated with his lack of reaction to anything they told him.

The grip eased on his heart. "This is the deal--agree, or you will go nowhere near them. I plan on surprising Guy, taking him down. You do what I say, no matter how much you disagree. If I tell you to run--"

"I run. I get it, Kane. I faced Guy myself, remember? I know what he's capable of." She touched his wrist, her fingers warm, steady. It took all his control not to pull her in, protect her from what might happen. She would hate him for it; he knew that much about her. That streak of courage simply made her more attractive. "We'll find her, Kane, and you will stop Guy from doing--whatever it is he came here to do, without someone else's life hanging over your head."

"All right." Without the distraction of Elizabeth kissing him blind, his shoulder gave him a throbbing reminder of its need for recuperation. "I want to start where we met. Guy hurt--"

He cut himself off. How did he become so attached to that bit of fur? When did he become a sentimental sot? The answer stood next to him, her presence like a balm. One he could not get used to; as soon as he freed Helaine, and strangled Guy within an inch of his life, he would send her back.

"Kane." He blinked, meeting Elizabeth's amused gaze. She had obviously spoken his name more than once. "Are you ready?"

"Of course."

He took her hand and ran down the side street, headed for the canal, and hopefully, for the little dog that meant less to Guy than an insect squashed under his shoe.

Guy would pay for that.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth fought to keep up with Kane, but she didn't say anything to slow him down. Time was not on their side.

As they rounded the corner, into the side street next to the canal, she spotted a white bundle of fur.

"There," she gasped, right before Kane veered over to the edge of the canal.

She pulled out of his grip and dropped to her knees, half-afraid to touch the dog. Red streaked the white fur, just below its throat, and Elizabeth hoped--prayed--that Guy hadn't lied when he said he only threw the dog at the wall. That was bad enough, and she hoped he burned in a special level of Hell for it. Before she could talk herself out of it, she gently turned the dog over.

It let out a weak yip, and opened its eyes.

"Oh, thank heaven."

Kane reached past her and scooped the dog up. A blue scarf was still partly wrapped around it. The scarf Kane had on when he left the lab.

"Hey," he said, cradling the dog in one arm. "How are you doing, Jane Eyre? One adventure not enough for you?" A stronger yip answered him. "Yes, we're going to find your mistress. Are you up for a trip?"

The dog reached up and licked his chin. Elizabeth watched the exchange between man and dog, seeing a side of Kane she didn't think existed. Obviously not as injured as they feared, the little dog stood with its front paws on his chest, and yipped at him impatiently.

"I believe she's ready to do this."

"Okay. Wait," she said, when he started to set the dog on the ground. "We need some kind of leash, or it will get away from us."

"She." Kane corrected her absently, like he did it all the time. "We can use my scarf."

Elizabeth helped him unravel it from the dog, rolling up one end to tie around the collar.

"How did it--she--end up with your scarf?"

"After taking a dip in the canal."

Her fingers froze on the scarf. "You... pulled a dog out of the canal."

"You say that as if I wouldn't even think of doing such a thing. I could hardly let her drown." As if the dog knew what he was saying, it--she, Elizabeth corrected herself again--licked his face, wagging the fluffy tail. "Can you check for injuries?"

"Sure." After tying the scarf around the collar, she ran her hands over the still shivering body, and found a long scrape, behind one ear. "There's a scrape. It isn't bleeding anymore." But against that pristine fur, even a tiny amount of blood looked fatal.

"All right. We'll keep checking it." He took the makeshift leash from Elizabeth and set Jane Eyre on the ground, crouched down beside the trembling dog.

"We need to go straight ahead once we get to the sidewalk," she said. "Then across the high street. If it's the field I'm thinking of, it's on the other side."

Kane nodded, and scratched the fluffy head before he stood. "Let's go find your mistress, shall we?"

With an answering bark, the dog took off, headed for the sidewalk. Kane followed her, looking absurd and far too appealing. Now that her mind wasn't occupied with a crisis, it did a laser focus on her and Kane, kissing. No--in her mind, at least, she would call a horse a horse. She jumped him, like a desperate, horny woman.

Heat spread over her face again at just the memory of it. What did that nun call her in the orphanage? A harlot. "With all that hair," she said, turning her bulbous nose up, like Elizabeth smelled bad, "you will tempt even the most devout man." Then they held her down and cut it all off. Elizabeth remembered crying herself to sleep for months after it happened. That was when she learned not to make a sound when she cried.

No sound meant you weren't teased, or bullied. Or worse.

Part of her wanted to own that passion, and how it made her feel so free, yet so connected to him. But the past she still fought to escape clutched at her, left her mortified. She just wouldn't let it happen again. Problem solved.

All she had to do was not touch him.

She pushed aside the relative impossibility of that happening, and caught up with him, careful to stay out of reach. "Do you know why Guy picked this time period?"

He glanced down at her. "All the researchers are leaning toward Churchill."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "You don't agree."

Kane flashed her that heart stopping smile, damn him. "That obvious, is it?"

"I don't think the detour to Dover was a glitch. We are just days from," she glanced around, to make sure no one was nearby to overhear. "The start of the evacuation from Dunkirk." Kane glanced at her, surprised. "History buff, remember? Possible future author of art history books?"

His laugh warmed her, sent the same hot thrill that shot through her when his lips--

Stop it.

"Beth? You were saying?"

"Right." She stared straight ahead, blushing. Again. In her peripheral vision she saw Kane watch her, amusement on his face. She knew it was about to change. "If something happened to Admiral Ramsay, that would throw the evacuation into chaos--maybe even prevent it from happening. There has been speculation that if Hitler had stopped the BEF from escaping Dunkirk, he could have won the war."

Kane stopped and grabbed her arm. "Are you certain?"

"I've read some books on it." It wasn't easy, but she kept her voice level. "There is still no good reason for Hitler to approve the halt of his troops when they were literally on the edge of victory. The Brits and French were trapped and running, the Belgians had surrendered. It was ideal. But he approved Rundstedt's order to hold, which gave Ramsay the breathing room he needed, breathing room he didn't expect."

Now Kane stared at her. "You do have an encyclopedia of knowledge in that quick mind of yours. How many did he evacuate?"

"The number I found the most was 338,000."

"Thousand?" Kane let out a low whistle. "He must have been an impressive man."

"You may find out personally." When he looked at her, a question in his eyes, she clarified. "If that's the reason Guy is here, you have to stop it. You have to protect Ramsay." She tried to keep her voice calm, but her heart was pounding so hard at just the thought of Ramsay being threatened, she had trouble breathing. "You have to believe me, Kane. Without him, there won't be an evacuation."

"Hey." He reached out, brushed her cheek. "I am here to stop whatever Guy thinks he is going to do. I will see Helaine safe, and then deal with Guy. She's an innocent in all this, and I'll not see her hurt because she met me."

His words had an angry edge, like it had happened before. Elizabeth agreed, even though she itched to sprint straight up the steep hill to Dover Castle and stand between Admiral Ramsay and any possible threat.

Jane Eyre let out an excited yip and took off.

They followed the little dog across the high street, and into a much less populated street. It sniffed madly at the dirt path leading off to the left, out to a field, and strained against the scarf leash. Elizabeth was right. From here, she saw the single building, weathered and abandoned.

"I believe she has found her mistress' scent." Kane moved faster, giving the dog slack, and room to run. He also pulled out his sleek silver pistol, kept it tight against his side.

Elizabeth stayed behind him without being told; standing between Guy and Kane once before ended with Kane injured and her life turned upside down.

Kane forced the little dog to slow. It headed straight for the building. Kane picked up the dog, soothed it with his quiet voice, then handed it to her.

"Hold tight to her," he whispered. "I want you to stay here. If you hear anything that sounds like fighting, run as fast as you can back to the high street and ask for help. They will help you, Beth," he said. Her doubt must have shown. "This is not your time; people take care of each other here." He unbuckled the transport, strapped it to her wrist. "In case something happens to me--"

"It's not--"

He pressed his finger to her lips. "I want you to take it and find a way to go back. Mac will make sure you get home."

"Okay." She tightened her grip on the dog. It wanted to go with Kane. "Please be careful."

He cupped her chin, kissed her before she could evade it, his lips warm, soft, incredible. As short as it was, it left her breathless. "Thank you, love."

She clutched the warm, wriggling body, watched him stalk toward the building, pistol aimed and ready. Her heart jumped when he disappeared around the side.

"He'll be okay," she whispered, tucking the little dog under her chin. Its presence helped calm her. "I have to believe he'll be--"

A gunshot shattered the afternoon silence.

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# Seven

Kane froze, the gunshot echoing around him.

It was from an archaic weapon, not Guy's laser pistol. He pressed his back to the wall, inched along it until he found an open doorway, the door long gone, hinges rusty from exposure. Guy's voice carried out to him.

"Try that again, and I will shoot you instead of the wall."

He strained to hear Helaine's voice, and relaxed when it followed right after.

"Go ahead, you sorry excuse for a human being. You will not leave Dover alive if you harm anyone here. Did you miss the soldiers we passed? All I have to do is scream and you will lose that smug demeanor, in a hurry." She sounded spitting mad, but under it Kane heard the slight tremble.

"Scream all you like. No one will bother us out here. You should have done the screaming when you had a better opportunity."

Their voices gave Kane a good idea of their location. He took a chance, eased his head past the doorjamb and risked a quick look inside.

Helaine was tied to the chair Guy mentioned--the only piece of furniture in the abandoned building. He stood in front of her, his back to Kane, rubbing his shin. Kane's gaze moved down to her feet; Guy had neglected to tie her legs. She must have kicked him when he moved close enough.

Another feisty woman. Kane seemed to be collecting them. First Elizabeth, now this fierce brunette. A dramatic change from the usual female who clung to him.

While Guy was distracted, Kane had the perfect chance to sneak inside and jump him--

Kane swung around when he heard a noise behind him, pistol set to charge.

Elizabeth held up her hand, the dog tucked under her other arm. What the bloody hell was she thinking?

He backed down before his temper took hold. The gunshot. It would have scared her, knowing the only person who could send her home may have been the victim of it. He held one finger up to his lips. She nodded and glided silently to the wall, out of the line of fire. Jane Eyre trembled in her grip, but stayed quiet, her nose sniffing the air, obviously scenting her mistress.

Certain his chance for surprise had passed, he inched back to the edge of the doorway. Guy muttered to himself as he paced. He was frustrated, and Kane knew he was less attentive in that state.

He took a quick glance inside just as Helaine looked up. Her eyes widened, then she lowered her head.

"I don't feel well. I think I may--oh--" She doubled over, as much as she could, being strapped to a chair.

Guy stalked over to her and crouched down to eye level, careful this time to stay out of kicking range. "What is it now?"

"Cramps," she whispered.

Kane shuddered. She brought out the female problems card, guaranteed to make any man flinch and want to leave the room. As quickly as possible. Guy stood so fast he nearly fell backward, and Kane took advantage of the distraction.

He flipped the pistol and ran forward, ready to crack Guy on the back of the head. At the last moment, Guy turned around. Kane crashed into him and they toppled to the ground. The archaic pistol flew out of Guy's hand.

"Son of a bitch--" Guy snapped his fist up, and got in a lucky punch, hitting Kane in the one sensitive spot on his face--squarely on his scarred right cheek.

With a pained roar, Kane pounded his elbow into Guy's stomach and rolled out of range, his face throbbing. Guy got one last whack in. His fist bounced off Kane's injured shoulder.

Pain scorched him. He wanted to curl around it and not move until the agony let him go. Instead he pushed off the ground, caught Guy's ankle and yanked. The angry shout was incredibly satisfying.

Kane groaned, and carefully lowered himself to the ground. A familiar figure darted past him, headed straight for Guy's hunched figure.

"Beth, no--"

She flashed him a smile and set down Jane Eyre.

That slip of a dog growled low in her throat, the rumble more suited to a German Shepherd. She let out one sharp bark and leapt at Guy's head.

"Down, Jane Eyre!" Helaine's voice kept the dog from further attack, but the damage was done. Her small but sharp claws scraped across Guy's cheek when she landed on him. She let out a last growl and jumped to the ground, then trotted over to Helaine, licking every inch of skin she could reach.

Elizabeth crouched beside Kane and picked up the pistol, aiming it at Guy. "Move wrong, and I swear to God I'll shoot you. I don't quite know how to aim this thing, so I may hit something--important." He froze, his fingers inches from his own weapon. "Now stand up, back against the wall, all parts in view and unmoving."

He obeyed, one hand pressed to his gut. Elizabeth followed him with the pistol. Guy was too far away to notice, but Kane saw her fingers shake against the grip.

"That's good. Now spread your arms out, palms facing the wall." Guy gave her a glare that should have dropped her, but he did it.

Impressed, Kane moved to her, eased the pistol out of her grip before she realized what she'd done--then he stalked across the room and shoved the pistol under Guy's chin.

"Why are you here?"

"Kill me, old friend, and you'll never be finding out, will you?"

"I'm going to stop you."

"You could do so right now. Pull the trigger."

Elizabeth's gasp made him glance over his shoulder. She stood beside Helaine, the length of rope in her hand. How did she unknot it so quickly? The answer flashed in her other hand--a small, familiar knife. Mac's favorite pocket knife.

"Get her out of here, Beth." He waited long enough to see Elizabeth lead Helaine out the door, whispering to her. He turned back to Guy, forced a calm he did not feel, and finally noticed what Guy wore. An RAF uniform, with the rank of a flight lieutenant. "What happened to you?"

Pain flashed in his friend's eyes. "I didn't want you to know. I wanted to deal with it alone, keep you out of it--"

"Stop talking in riddles. Tell me why."

"I've been shown the future--a future we created, Kane, with that unholy technology."

"That's impossible." Something close to panic shot through him. "We can only go to the past through the portal."

"That is what we were told. So much more information was kept from us. Dangerous information. I can't let him win--I won't let him win--"

"Who, Guy?" Kane lowered the pistol. "Please, let me help you."

"Too late for me, old friend." He gripped Kane's good shoulder. "I've done something, to the past--something that may not be fixable. Promise me you will try."

"What are you talking about?" Dread fisted his gut. "What have you done?"

"Whatever happens to me, whatever you learn about me, promise me you'll find the truth, Kane." This was the Guy he remembered, the friend he thought he lost. "I was supposed to take your Elizabeth, deliver her to--" He cut himself off. "Just stop me, Kane. Whatever you have to do, stop me."

"Tell me what you've done--"

A high-pitched alarm cut him off, coming from Guy's transport. He shut it off and looked back at Kane. "I realized too late it was exactly what he wanted me to do. What he expected me to do. This is where we say goodbye."

"Guy--"

"Promise me you will stop it--stop me." He glanced over at his transport. "You have to go. I set a timer on yours, one that I can't reverse. I am sorry; I made a bad move, and the knight will have to sacrifice himself. Don't give me any quarter, do you understand? When you go back to find me, I will still be under his thumb."

"What--"

Kane spun at the second beep--this one a loud warning coming from the transport on Elizabeth's wrist. She stood next to the door, staring down at her wrist, her face pale. "Oh, God--"

"Five." Guy started counting down. "Four, three--"

Kane bolted across the room. With a shout he lunged for Elizabeth, his fingers closing over her wrist just as the portal opened behind her. Gold light snapped out, dragged them both in--

And threw them out on a dark, rubble strewn street.

They both stumbled, headed for the wall less than a foot away. Kane caught Elizabeth around the waist, taking the brunt of impact on his right shoulder.

"Bloody hell--"

"Kane--"

"All right."

"Of course you are. Did Guy--"

"Yes." He clenched his jaw, eased his shoulder off the wall. Guy's confession, and his cryptic plea, had Kane doubting everything he knew about TimeSearch.

He lifted his left wrist, the light from the small screen offering a little illumination. It highlighted Elizabeth's dark blue eyes as she looked up at him.

"Where did he send us..." Her voice faded as she stared over his shoulder. "Oh, no--oh, God no--"

"Beth." She had gone white. Her fingers gripped the lapel of his greatcoat. "Talk to me, Beth."

"Barrage balloons," she whispered. Kane glanced up and saw them, black, hulking shadows against a dark sky. "We're in London."

A quick check of his transport confirmed it. "How did you know?"

"The balloons. I recognize them from the hundreds of photos I've collected." She swallowed. "We're in London, probably late 1940."

"10 May, 1941."

"Oh, God." Her fingers shook against his chest. "Guy dropped us in the middle of the Blitz."

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# Eight

Mac tapped furiously on the screen.

"No--no, no, no--" He almost had them both in his grasp, before he lost Kane completely, along with the ghost tag that was Elizabeth. They just zapped out of existence. "Damn this free thinking technology--I'll find them."

It was the middle of the night, and Mac couldn't remember when he'd slept last. He slurped more of his high-octane soda, set the mega size go-cup on the floor, and slid his chair over to a secondary screen. Time to do some free thinking of his own.

But before he buried himself deeper in code, he needed the bathroom.

With a giant yawn, he wandered over to the main doors, and pushed one open. He stopped when he heard voices in the hall.

Colette's low voice had him smiling. It faded as he realized who she was talking to.

"Damn it, Harper--this has gone too far. You said no one would get hurt--"

"These are acceptable losses, Sergeant."

Mac clenched both hands into fists. Harper's slimy voice always ignited violence. The man was a menace. If Doc hadn't sanctioned his smirking presence, Mac would have booted him a long time ago. He was still tempted to--

Colette's voice crashed into his thoughts.

"--think Guy will succeed?"

"We will have the answer to that soon. I must go."

His designer shoes tapped on the floor. Headed straight for Mac.

He ducked back inside the lab and grabbed the door before the latch engaged. Harper's slick backed profile appeared in the round window, halted for heart stopping seconds, before he moved out of sight.

Mac sprinted back to the console, his need for the bathroom gone. He just made it to the chair, hunched over the console, when he heard the door open.

"Hey, Mac." Even though he expected it, the voice still made him jump. He glanced up; Colette stood just inside the doorway, one hand on the grip of her pistol. "A little late for portal jumps, isn't it? I thought we were on lockdown."

"Colette. Hey."

She let out a sigh. "Sergeant, Mac. At least while we're both on duty."

"Got it." He inched the chair over as he talked, until his body blocked the smaller screen. "I'm tracking Kane. I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone out there, not with Guy jumping whenever the hell he feels like it."

He watched her closely for a reaction. Her lips tightened, but that could have been her usual annoyance with him. If she whipped her pistol out and shot him--well, then he'd know for sure she heard him in the hall.

For now, he'd play stupid, good ole boy. At least until he got more evidence. And, oh, he planned on following up, sniffing out Harper's real motives--as soon as he made sure Kane and Elizabeth were safe.

Colette wandered over to the platform. Like most people, she seemed to be drawn to the portal, even when it was dormant. "Have you ever wanted to," she waved at the portal. "You know."

Not even if they shoved a fiery brand up my-- "No. I'm all tech, all the time." He smiled, cursing silently. The longer she stayed in the lab, the tighter his nerves wound as he waited for her to confront him. "If you don't mind, I'm working on some sensitive--calculations."

"You can just tell me to get out, Mac." The smile she gave him lit up her face, and he blinked at how--pretty--she looked. So, no gut shooting tonight. Not when she smiled at him like that. Man, he really needed some sleep. Now he was lusting after the ball busting Security-- "Hello, Earth to Mac."

"Here." He rubbed his face. "I'll be shuffling off myself in a few." Hours. "Go on, so I can finish here without creating an international incident."

"Gotcha." She strode to the door, and paused before she closed it. "Don't lose Kane, Mac. He's one of the good guys."

"Don't plan on it."

Once the door closed behind her, he slumped against the chair, his heart pounding faster than a jackrabbit. "Damn, that was close."

Now that he was in the clear, his bladder couldn't wait any longer. He bolted across the lab, and straight to the men's room around the corner.

Once he relieved himself, he felt his energy surge. He had a mission, and he refused to let Kane and Elizabeth down. "Come on, you free thinking mother." He slid into his chair, hunkered over the small screen. "Let me in."

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# Nine

Elizabeth pressed her hands against the wall.

I will not panic.

She focused on Kane, hunched over the transport, cursing under his breath every time his entry failed.

I refuse to panic.

The attack she expected didn't come, even though they were standing in London, on the worst-hit night of the months long Blitz. She should have been a quivering mess. Instead, she felt incredibly focused.

A siren screamed through the night air. Kane's head snapped up.

"Oh, God," she whispered.

"What the bloody hell is that?" He sounded like he already knew.

"Air raid siren. They're coming." She clutched his sleeve. "We have to find shelter. Now."

"This building should--"

"It won't." She forced a calm into her voice she didn't feel. She had to make Kane understand. "Thousands of people were killed and injured in this air raid. We have to get underground. As far as possible, as fast as possible."

Her urgency sank in. Kane lifted her off her feet and carried her to the head of the street, set her down once they'd passed the worst of the rubble. She scanned their surroundings for a landmark--not easy with the city in blackout.

"Slow down," she whispered. "Think. What was the most prominent..."

She ran for open space as the answer hit her.

"Beth!" Kane caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "What are you--"

"St. Paul's." She tugged free, surprising both of them with her burst of strength. "Look for the dome of St. Paul's."

"There." He pointed behind her. Elizabeth whirled, saw it. The white dome glowed against the dark sky, the darker city.

She recognized the cityscape between, and relief flooded her. "We're close to Holborn, and an underground station."

"Point the way."

She did, running to keep up with him as he took off. "You don't know where the station is?" He shook his head. "Tell me you still have underground stations."

"Sorry to disappoint, but you would hardly recognize my London."

He wrapped his left arm around her waist as they turned on to a main street, and right into a crowd, every one of them headed to the same place. Over the low, tense voices, Elizabeth heard the drone of plane engines.

She had seen too many films from this time period, fascinated and moved by a nation of people who stood up against Hitler's war machine, and in the end, defeated him. An unfortunate side benefit of all that watching--she knew the sounds of an air raid. Now she was living it, surrounded by the live wire fear, and the dread of not knowing if they would survive the night.

Kane pulled her in closer, reminded her she wasn't facing it alone. Not this time. He let go of her, then took her hand and twined their fingers together. "Hold on tight. I don't want to be losing you in this crowd."

They stepped off the sidewalk and crossed the street, headed toward the entry to Holborn station.

One plane appeared over their heads, followed by another, until they filled the sky. The engines deafened her, drowning the screams of the people around them. Kane shouted at her. She nodded, not hearing a word, and ran faster. A young girl skidded to a halt right in front of her. Elizabeth put out her hand, unable to avoid a collision.

She slammed into the girl and they went down. The impact jerked Elizabeth out of Kane's grip.

"My brother!"

Elizabeth only heard the girl because her ear was right next to the girl's mouth. She struggled to sit, and found the reason for the girl's abrupt action. A boy huddled on the street, clutching his leg. Blood soaked his hands.

Elizabeth caught the girl's shoulder, turned her. "Let me look at him!"

She nodded. Tears streaked her face, her bottom lip trembling. Elizabeth leaned over the boy and touched his arm to get his attention.

"Beth!" Kane's bellow startled both kids. "We have to get inside!"

"Not without them!"

Kane lifted the boy and headed across the now empty street. Elizabeth took the girl's hand--and froze at the high pitched whistle.

"Kane!"

He whirled and ran toward a side street. Away from the sound of a falling bomb. Elizabeth dragged the girl with her as she followed him. By the time she caught up with Kane, he had the boy on his feet and flat against the side of a building. He caught her outstretched hand and yanked them both in, using his body as a shield.

"Kane--"

Strong hands shoved her against the wall. Right before an explosion rent the air.

The concussion smacked the building. Brick and mortar shook under her hands. She heard the walls closest to the blast topple, and tightened her hold on the girl next to her.

Absolute silence filled the street, broken only by the bricks tumbling from the devastated building. She let out a shocked cry as the air sucked at them, tore at their clothes, threatened to drag them back to the blast site. Kane braced himself and held on to them.

Finally, it let them go. Elizabeth sagged against the wall, touched the girl's arm. "Are you okay?" Her voice sounded muffled, her ears rang, and she was probably shouting. The girl nodded, tears mixed with the dirt on her face.

Kane lifted the boy into his arms. When he turned around, Elizabeth saw the blood on his right sleeve. He had been closest to the end of the building.

"You're--"

"Later, Beth. I'm fine. Let's get them inside."

His voice was raw, but his arms strong as he carried the boy into the station, not stopping until they reached the platform. The crowded platform.

"There." Elizabeth touched his arm, pointed to a spot near the wall. "Let me clear the way."

A smile tugged at his mouth. "You do that, love."

His endearment lodged her breath in her throat. Why did it affect her so much more now? She pushed the question aside for later and eased her way forward.

"Excuse me--please, excuse me." Her polite murmurs got them nowhere. So she took on the drill sergeant tone of her last foster parent. "Out of the way! I have an injured child--give me some space, please!" The please made her feel better for barking at them.

Her semi-rudeness worked. People cleared a spot directly in front of her. Kane lowered the boy to the cold concrete. "My name is Kane, and the lovely woman with your sister is Beth." It was a guess, but most likely a good one. They both had the same pale blonde hair, the same delicate build. "I need you to let go of the wound, now." His voice was gentle, his hand on the boy's wrist just as gentle. "I can't be helping you until I can examine it, lad."

"Robin." The girl knelt next to him. "Let him take a look. I'm right here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Lindsay?" His tear-choked whisper tore at Elizabeth. "Where are Mum and Dad?"

Lindsay brushed sweat soaked blonde hair off his forehead. "I know they are here, somewhere. We simply got separated in the mad rush. Let him look at you, Robin. Please." Her voice cracked over the last word.

Unable to stand by and do nothing, Elizabeth knelt beside Lindsay and laid one hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, tears blurring her green eyes.

"That's it, Robin, there's a good lad." They both looked back down when Kane spoke. Robin lay on his back, fingers clutching the concrete. "Beth." Kane held out his hand. "I need you."

She took his hand, fought back her own tears. No one had ever said that to her.

"What can I do?"

"Hold his leg still." He lowered his voice so only she could hear his next words. "I'm afraid this is going to hurt him." Elizabeth understood why when she finally got a good look.

A long piece of metal shrapnel stuck out of his left thigh.

It obviously hadn't severed an important artery, or he would have bled out by now, but it had to be excruciating. She nodded, trading places with Kane so she could hold on to Robin's ankle. Kane crouched next to Lindsay, cradled the back of her head.

"Can you move to his right side for me, sweet girl? I need you to hold tight to his shoulders, keep him from moving about."

"Yes," she whispered. Tears spilled down her face. Kane wiped them away, his fingers so gentle on her cheeks. "Thank you for helping." She crawled around Robin's head, knelt next to his shoulders and took his right hand. "I'm right here, Robin. We're going to take care of you."

"Hurts," he whimpered.

"I know, lovey. Kane is going to make it right." She looked up at him, sheer adoration in her eyes. Elizabeth hoped he could live up to it.

"All right." Kane rested his hand on Robin's knee. "Hold tight to his shoulders now, Lindsay. Beth, keep your grip on his ankle. We're going to get this nasty bit of metal out of your leg, Robin. I'm sorry, lad, but it's going to hurt worse before it gets better."

Kane let go, shook out his hands, took in a deep breath. Their drama had an audience now. The people camped around them were silent as they watched every move Kane made. Elizabeth sent up her own prayers.

"Beth, there's a handkerchief in my left coat pocket. Get it out for me." She did, watched Kane wrap it around his palm, then close his fingers over the shrapnel. "Ready now, Robin?" The boy nodded once, closed his eyes. "On the count of three, then. One, two, three--"

He yanked out the shrapnel. Robin screamed, hands scrabbling for his leg. Elizabeth kept his leg pressed tight to the floor. Lindsay held on to his shoulders and whispered to him, her voice soft against his ragged sobs. Kane whipped off the handkerchief and pressed the cleanest part to the wound.

"Good lad. You're a strong, brave one, Robin. That's it, hold still now. We'll get this cleaned and bandaged and you will be as good as new." His low, quiet voice calmed the boy. "You can let go of him now, Lindsay. You were perfect, and I want you to rest a bit while I take care of him."

A hand touched Elizabeth's wrist. "Here." The woman behind her held out a bucket, half full of water. "It is clean, boiled water I brought myself. Go on, use it."

"Thank you." Elizabeth took the bucket, set it next to Kane.

"Martha, where are those bandages?" A buxom woman pushed through the onlookers, handed over what looked like a homemade first aid kit. "Here you go. Take care of that boy, and shout for Bridget if you need anything else."

"Thank you, Bridget." The older woman smiled. Elizabeth lowered the kit to her lap, took out a rolled bandage, and created a pad for Kane to clean the wound. "Here."

He glanced over at her, took the wad of cloth. He looked beyond exhausted.

"The wound will need stitches. Can you thread that needle for me?"

"You know how to do this?"

He flashed her a tired smile. "Holdover from a misspent youth."

Elizabeth pulled off a length of heavy black thread, and lit a match, running the tip of the needle through the flame to sterilize it. After threading the needle, she handed it to Kane, and watched him stitch the wound.

He was efficient, gentle, careful, talking to Robin as he worked. He explained every step to the boy before he did it. When he got a trembling smile out of Robin, warmth flooded Elizabeth--and warning bells started going off in her head.

She ignored them, handed Kane supplies as he needed. Watching him with the boy showed her yet another side of this man she had started to depend on. Dependence she couldn't foster, not when she had to leave him once this was over--

"Lindsay." His voice jerked her out of her runaway thoughts. "Can you come and take over for me, sweetheart? His leg will do for now. I'll check it again in a half hour, to be certain the bleeding has stopped."

She crawled over, took Robin's hand, her blonde hair curtaining them as she whispered to him. Kane sat back on his heels, his left hand braced against the concrete, his fingers shaking.

Elizabeth reached for him--and he grabbed her wrist. Sweat slicked his skin, his face shock white under the dark beard stubble.

"It seems to be my turn for a bit of attention."

"Where?" She had a feeling she already knew. He had not let her see his right side since the bomb blast.

He shifted, and she finally got a good look.

"Oh, Kane." Blood soaked his coat, most of it over his right shoulder and his arm, where she imagined shrapnel from the explosion concentrated. "I don't want to do this--"

"In front of the children?" He flashed a smile. "Help me stand, and we'll take it to a dark corner."

"Promises, promises." She grabbed the makeshift first aid kit and slipped under his left arm, glad the dim light hid her blush. She never flirted or teased a man. It had always been so far outside her comfort zone she didn't bother trying.

It took a good bit of groaning from both sides, and it wasn't easy to do with the first aid kit in one hand, but Elizabeth got him to his feet, and started looking for a place to tend him.

Bridget waved at her. "Bring him this way. Wait--I'll make a path for you."

As good as her word, she did, using courtesy and smiles to get people to shuffle closer together. Elizabeth followed her as voices whispered comments on what Kane had done. He probably didn't even realize how much an effect his act had on these people.

"Sit him right down. I've got you, boy." Bridget helped Elizabeth settle him, and shooed her back. "Give me the kit, now. I'll get him sorted. You rest, my dear girl. Both of you have given enough for one night. It's time some of us gave back, in thanks. Martha, get the girl some soup."

A metal cup was pressed into Elizabeth's hand. The scent of chicken soup made her mouth water; she couldn't remember her last meal. The soup consisted of broth, with no meat, and only a few chunks of vegetables. Elizabeth sipped it, grateful and guilty. She was most likely drinking someone else's dinner.

Kane let out a string of curses, and Elizabeth nearly dropped her cup. She set it down and crawled over to Bridget, who had just taken his coat off.

"Oh, my dear boy. You did take the brunt of it, didn't you?"

Elizabeth peered around the older woman. Kane still wore his uniform, but she could see how much damage the shrapnel from the explosion caused. Gashes riddled the right side of his shirt, most of them bloody.

"Help me get this off him, Elizabeth."

She obeyed, moved around him. He had his right arm braced on his knees, his left hand clenching and unclenching. "Kane." His head snapped up.

"Get her out of here." The anger in his voice smacked her.

"I'm here to--"

"I said, get her out of here, Bridget--I'll not have her see--"

"It's okay." She understood his anger, the reason he had his back facing the wall. "I already--"

"Get her--"

"Jackson." She figured using his first name would get his attention. She figured right. He stared at her, those grey eyes dark with pain. "I've seen the scars." His eyes closed, and she cradled his face. The grief she saw flash in their depths left an ache she didn't want to explore. "There's no need to hide, from me, or anyone here. Look at me."

Endless seconds later, he did, the grief still there. It faded as he studied her. "You don't care."

"Why should I?"

"Beth." He shocked the breath out of her when he kissed her, in front of all these people. "You are one of a kind."

"I hope you mean that in a good way." She knew she sounded, well, breathless. But he took her by surprise, and the feel of his lips had her wanting more. Those warning bells went off again. She ignored them. Again. "Let's get this shirt off, see what the damage is."

He let her and Bridget strip him to the waist. Bridget had a few choice words for the person who gave him the scars, then focused on the really nasty gashes on his shoulder and his upper arm. Elizabeth's respect for his pain tolerance went way up; she would have been curled on the nearest flat surface, whimpering and useless. Instead, he carried a pre-teen boy into the bowels of the station, tended him, comforted him. All without even a hint of the pain he must have been in.

"Martha." Bridget splashed some water in a shallow bowl as she talked. "Please find a clean shirt for me. Large, if you can. Elizabeth, dear," she handed over a wad of clean bandage. "Clean his wounds for me while I prepare some bandages. Now, where is the sticking plaster?"

Elizabeth saw Kane flinch, and figured sticking plaster was as unpleasant as she'd read in books. Determined to keep him distracted, she chattered, her fingers as gentle as possible when she wiped out the wounds. They weren't as bad as she first thought, but she knew they must hurt him.

"Did you know that Christopher Wren helped save Salisbury Cathedral? After the spire was added on, the load was so great, it started to tilt. Wren came to survey, saw the impending disaster, and helped them create supports to distribute the weight of the spire, without adding buttresses to the outside. Even with the supports, it still leans more than the Tower of Pisa--"

"Beth." Kane's voice rumbled next to her ear. She froze, took in a shaky breath, and looked up to find him studying her over his shoulder, amusement in his grey eyes. She'd take that over the heart wrenching grief any day, even if it were directed at her. "There's no need for distraction."

"There will be soon, my dear boy." Bridget shooed Elizabeth over, set down a tray covered with squares of bandages, and an amber bottle with a single word hand written on the label. Iodine. Oh, good lord. "Go take his hands, Elizabeth. I do not want any interference once I begin."

"She has iodine back there, doesn't she." It wasn't a question. Elizabeth took his hands, as ordered, and nodded. "Bloody hell."

"Hush, now." Bridget slapped his left arm. "There are children about. Children who should be sleeping," she said, loud enough for those children to hurry and pretend before their parents checked on them.

Smiling, Elizabeth met his eyes. The look in them spiked her blood pressure. He endured the iodine, sucked in his breath every time it touched open skin, and never took his gaze off her. She wanted to kiss him so badly, heat spiraled through her at the thought of his lips on hers again. On her again.

It was too complicated. He was too complicated. All she wanted to do when this started was help him stop Guy and go home. Then he kissed her, and her world tilted sideways.

What was she supposed to do with that? Go home, pretend she never met him? Pretend she didn't have these enormous feelings for him? God help her, it was already too late.

"Beth." His breath whispered over her cheek, his voice low, warm, too alluring. She looked at him; sometime during her random thoughts her gaze had wandered to the space behind him. If she'd been drooling, it would have completed the picture of a lovesick idiot. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming after me." He brushed her lips. The heat she thought she stomped down burst into life. "For standing up to Guy." The next brush became a soft, all too brief kiss. "For keeping your calm while you did so." The next kiss had her leaning into him, her head spinning. He pulled back, and she looked at him, wanting more, terrified by how much she wanted it. "Hell," he whispered, and captured her lips in a thorough, heart melting kiss.

She let go of his hands and reached forward, gasping against his lips when she met bare chest. What was left of her brain had forgotten he was half naked. Her hands took on a life of their own, fingers spreading over warm skin, touching firm, sculpted muscle. His low moan encouraged her. She slid her hands up to his wide, strong shoulders, found the new scar left by Guy's knife. His arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her in.

A sigh behind her brought Elizabeth to her senses.

She broke off the kiss, her breathing ragged, her heart beating an uneven staccato in her chest. Kane let go of her, ran his hand through his hair. He looked more frustrated than happy.

"I do enjoy watching love expressed so tenderly." Martha's wistful voice had heat spreading over her face.

Bridget gave her back a quick, soothing rub. Like the comfort, the support a mother would give her daughter. Tears stung Elizabeth's eyes.

"Some of your wounds will need more professional attention than I can give, Kane, but they will do for now. Martha, give over the shirt." A blue shirt was shoved into her outstretched hand. "This may be a bit big, but it will keep you warm, and keep dirt off those cuts." She eased Kane's right arm into the sleeve, and slipped the shirt over his shoulders. "I believe you can take care of the rest."

She winked at Elizabeth, crawled over to a blanket spread on the floor. There were two more beside her, empty. Every inch of Elizabeth wanted to do nothing more than curl in a ball on that blanket, and let sleep give her a few hours of oblivion.

Instead, she helped Kane with the heavy shirt, buttoned it for him, and tried not to touch the warm skin under it. He ruined it when he cradled her cheek.

"Thank you. I'll take the transport from you, now. It will not be comfortable when you sleep, sliding all over your arm like it does."

So, he noticed. He seemed to notice everything. It should have embarrassed her; she hated too much attention from other people. But his attention left her feeling cherished. And wanting badly to kiss him again.

She shoved that want to one side, took the transport off and helped him buckle it on his left wrist. "You need sleep more than I do."

"I need to check on Robin."

"Then I'll go with you--"

"Go lie down. I will only be a few minutes." He pulled her to her feet and kissed her forehead before he moved to Bridget. "May I borrow your first aid kit, madam?"

She handed it up to him. "Give that boy a kiss for me. And don't linger. Your lovely lady is not the only one who needs rest."

"Yes, madam." He winked at her and made his way through the maze of bodies stretched out on the floor.

"He's a flirt, your Kane. And a good man."

"Yes, he is." Elizabeth watched him crouch next to Robin, reach out to brush Lindsay's cheek. Even from here, Elizabeth could see that color had returned to Robin's face, and he was snug in a blanket, his head pillowed in his sister's lap. "I can't stay with him," she whispered.

He spent a few minutes with them before he returned to Elizabeth, gave her a gentle kiss, then lowered himself to the closest blanket. He fell asleep almost immediately.

"Elizabeth?" Bridget held out her hand. "Let him take his rest, and come sit with me."

She accepted the invitation, and eased herself to the scratchy wool blanket. Her cup of soup still sat on the floor, but she had lost her appetite, something that happened when she overextended herself. With a sigh, she slipped out of her jacket. She wanted to be comfortable, unconfined when she finally did sleep. Her fingers went to her braid, pulling the tie off before she slowly loosened her hair.

"It's lovely hair you have, Elizabeth. May I brush it for you? I am assuming you don't have a brush handy."

"You have a brush?"

"I have a suitcase packed at all times. I refuse to spend the night in this drafty hole with no creature comforts."

"I--yes, that would be nice."

She never let people get so close, so personal. But this woman she had known less than hour felt more like a friend than the acquaintances in the periphery of her life. And Kane--she shied away from any thought of him. Her heart was still too raw, every emotion on high alert, even with him out of reach.

Bridget sat behind her, gently smoothing her hair. "So thick, but it is soft as spun silk. You never thought of cutting it?"

Elizabeth flinched. "No. I had it cut as a child, not by choice. I guess I never got over that. I've been growing it out ever since."

She closed her eyes as the brush ran down the length of her hair. The bristles gently scraped her scalp at the start of every long stroke. Her muscles gradually relaxed. The tension she didn't know she held on to leached away under the care of this gentle woman.

"Tell me your story, Elizabeth." The quiet voice opened her eyes. "I know you carry a burden. Let me ease some of it for you."

"Why?" She pulled away, turned to face Bridget. "What will you get out of it?"

"The pleasure of your company. A chance to get to know a lovely young woman. Is there another reason?"

The genuine confusion convinced Elizabeth more than any words. She did something she swore never to do; she told another person everything about her parents' death, and her life in the system.

Bridget prodded her whenever she faltered, held her hands, let Elizabeth talk until she was hoarse. She didn't realize she had been crying until she reached up and felt the tears on her cheeks.

"My dear, brave girl." Bridget wiped her cheeks, kissed her forehead. It made Elizabeth want to cry again. "You have such courage, and a big heart, in spite of how you were treated."

"I've been pretty selfish when it comes to sharing anything."

"That takes time, and the right person." She touched the locket. "Is this the one you spoke of?"

"Yes." Elizabeth let out a sigh. "It was all I had of my old life. Sometimes I think wearing it creates a barrier. One I don't want anymore."

"When the time is right, you will know whether to keep it or give it away, with a free heart. Now," she took Elizabeth's hand. "Tell me how you and Kane met."

"I--there are things you won't--"

"Believe? I know you and Kane are different. He may have been wearing a BEF uniform, but with that hair, and especially the pierced ear, I know he is not military." She smiled when Elizabeth stared at her. "I have known some bohemians in my day, and the earring does give him a dangerous look. It always attracted me to them, that willingness to be different. I promise you, dear girl, whatever you tell me will remain between us."

So Elizabeth found herself telling the woman everything--except the reason they came here. She knew they had intruded too much, messed with past events. She just hoped that stopping Guy would set everything back on course.

Bridget held her hands tight, sympathy in her soft brown eyes. "That is quite the story, my dear."

"I know you don't believe me--"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Bridget tightened her grip on Elizabeth's hands. "I have seen atrocities that would make your hair stand on end. The possibility of science advancing so far gives me hope that we won't destroy ourselves before we reach our potential."

"I--wow."

Bridget smiled. "I do enjoy surprising people. I tend to have a reputation for being ordinary."

"Whoever said that has never met you."

"Oh, go on with you." She let go, long enough to take out a handkerchief tucked under the cuff of her sweater and dab at her eyes. "You have been through so much already, and now you end up in the middle of a war you have no part of. A war that will take far more before it's done."

"You speak from experience."

Bridget sighed. "I lost my son to the first war to end war." Elizabeth tightened her grip, unable to say anything. "He died in a muddy trench in France, far away from home, from the family he fought so hard to protect. I still miss him, every day."

"I am so sorry, Bridget."

"Thank you, my dear girl." She let out a sigh, her eyes sad. "War destroys, in ways we never imagined, but it also tears away pretenses, strips people down to their basic goodness. I see it every day, the way strangers care for each other, as your Kane took on that sweet boy."

"I keep expecting Kane to blame me." She lowered her head, spoke out loud what she was afraid to even think. "He was injured because of me. He could have stopped Guy, gone after him--"

"Stop, right now." Bridget freed one hand, cradled her cheek. "If your Kane is half the man I think he is, if he cares as much as I suspect, he will not blame you. You left behind everything to save the life of a stranger. That takes powerful courage, Elizabeth." Bridget glanced over at Kane. "I have a feeling your Kane would willingly give his life to protect what he sees in you."

Elizabeth fought the tears lodged in her throat.

"Thank you. For everything."

Bridget waved off her gratitude. "I was a bit player. Kane is the star in this. He saved that boy's life without thinking twice about it. We will need more like him in the months to come."

"What do you mean?"

Bridget studied her, as if she asked a stupid question. A question she should have known the answer to. "We lost so many good men in France."

Her heart skipped. "Excuse me?"

"Admiral Ramsay was killed, before he could--" She turned, pulled a folded piece of paper out of her suitcase and handed it to Elizabeth. It was the front page of the newspaper, dated 14 May, 1940. The bold headline announced Ramsay's death, that most of the BEF were lost to them. Her fingers shook against the paper as she read the article.

Oh, God--

Bridget's voice dragged her back. "German forces trapped a good portion of the BEF, behind enemy lines. If not for the SIS stepping in, we would have lost all of them. They managed to save a few thousand before the rest were overwhelmed by the Germans. It took months for those who escaped to make it back to England." Bridget reached out, touched the fist Elizabeth didn't realize she had clenched in her lap. "You didn't know this."

She shook her head, her heart pounding, her throat so dry she couldn't swallow. No--no, no no--

Guy succeeded.

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# Ten

Kane slept like the dead, and woke starving.

His body protested every movement as he carefully sat. His right shoulder throbbed by the time he stood. Elizabeth was still asleep, curled in the blanket, so he left her; she needed rest as much as he still did. He could check on Robin and Lindsay and be back before she woke.

"Kane?" Her sleepy voice halted him.

He turned, found her propped up on her blanket, all that blonde hair falling around her like a golden cloak. He wanted nothing more than to bury his hands in that hair, feel her body under his as they--

He choked off the rest of that thought, but it was too late. The image already had him painfully hard. "Go back to sleep, Beth."

"I'm already awake. Where are you going?"

"To check on Robin. Come with me?" He did not mean to say that. It sounded--plaintive, almost like he was begging her to spend time with him.

She pushed herself up, dressed only in the blue shirt and trousers, her feet clad in argyle socks. Kane nearly smiled. Before he could think to avoid it, she slipped her hand in his, and paused long enough to step into a pair of worn black boots.

Together, they searched out the facilities, then headed over to where the kids sat, eating bread with a thin layer of jam on it. Robin looked better; still pale, but he was young. Time and rest would put color back in his cheeks.

"Good morning." Kane crouched in front of him and smiled. Robin gave a shy smile in return. Lindsay almost knocked him over when she threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you." She whispered against his throat, tears in her voice. "I will never forget what you did for my brother. For us."

"It was my pleasure, sweetheart."

She let him go, a blush on her cheeks, and moved to hug Elizabeth. "Thank you. I would not have--Robin and I--"

"I'm glad we were here to help." Elizabeth eased back, and Kane watched in mute surprise as she removed her locket, put it around Lindsay's neck. "I want you to wear this for me, as a remembrance."

"Oh, I cannot--" Lindsay's fingers already closed over the gold heart.

"I insist. The heart is empty, but I know you will fill it with images that make you smile." She leaned in, kissed Lindsay's forehead, then leaned over to kiss Robin as well. He smiled, his eyes dancing. Yes, he would be all right.

Kane took her hand as she stood, kept his voice low. "You gave your mother's locket away."

Elizabeth smiled up at him, and there was an ease to it she didn't have before. "It felt right. I only kept it because it belonged to my mom. Even she never wore it much, so I don't know when the sentimental attachment to it happened. Maybe because it was all I had of my parents." With a sigh, she leaned against his arm. "Bridget told me I would know when to let go of it. She was right. Lindsay will treasure it, as I never did."

A siren broke the early morning silence. The people around them stood and gathered up their belongings, shuffling toward the exit.

"The all clear," Elizabeth said. She let go of Kane and helped Robin stand. Lindsay wrapped one arm around his waist, moving slowly as he hobbled along beside her.

Kane started after them; he had made a promise, to help them find their parents. Elizabeth's quiet voice stopped him.

"People will be out there to help him and Lindsay, Kane. They'll be fine." How did she read his thoughts, know what he meant to do before he told her? She continued before he could start to panic. "The hard part is the wondering. If their home is still standing, if their family and friends made it. I hate this war."

"Beth." Her bitter tone set off a warning. He caught her arm before she could get away from him. "What is it?" Something had changed, between last night and now.

"I'll tell you when I can." Bridget approached them, Elizabeth's jacket in her hand. Blankets were tucked in a deep basket hooked over her arm, a suitcase in her other hand. Elizabeth took the jacket from her and slipped it on. "Thank you, for taking care of us."

"I am afraid your shirt and your coat are beyond repair, lad."

Kane nodded. "I figured as much."

She handed Elizabeth a card with a handwritten address. "If you need a place, and it's still standing, you are more than welcome."

Elizabeth hugged her, with the familiarity of people who had shared secrets. Another thing Kane would have to pull out of her. "Thank you."

Bridget kissed her cheek. "The pleasure was mine, dear girl. Come here, my brave, handsome man."

Laughing, he wrapped his left arm around her waist, gave her a smacking kiss. "Thank you, for all of your care."

She patted his scarred cheek. "Take care of each other. That will be thanks enough for me."

After a last hug for Elizabeth, she joined the last of the stragglers headed for the stairs. Kane waited until their voices faded, and turned to face her.

"Tell me."

"The evacuation didn't happen."

If she had slapped him he wouldn't have been more stunned.

"How--"

"Bridget." She told him what she knew.

He started pacing the now empty platform, to keep from punching the nearest wall. The morning trains hadn't begun yet, so he took advantage of their isolation. He knew his next words would start an argument.

"I'm sending you back to the lab."

"Like hell you are." Elizabeth stalked toward him, and surprised the breath out of him when she slammed her fist into his gut. "I am not weak or pitiful or needy. I can stand on my own, damn it, and do what needs to be done."

"I'll not have you--"

"Tell me where you need to go."

He stared down at her. "What?"

"Tell me where you need to go to stop Guy."

He didn't have the answer she wanted, and she bloody well knew it. "Dover."

"You won't find the Admiral in Dover. Try again."

"Damn it, we don't have the time for--"

"You want to send me away so badly, you have to know." She crossed her arm. "Try again."

Kane bit back the curse on his tongue. "Dover Castle."

"All right. Now tell me how you'll get past the gate, the soldiers, and the locked door between you and Admiral Ramsay."

With a sigh, he admitted defeat. "You're not planning to share this information, are you?"

"I could, but it won't do you much good. Kane," she reached out, stopped before she actually touched him. It hurt more than he expected. "The evacuation was a top secret endeavor. Right up until they started implementing it. The only reason more people learned about it beyond the inner circle was because Ramsay needed boats, and he commandeered the pleasure crafts up and down the coast."

"How do you know so much about this?"

She shrugged and lowered her head. But he saw the blush before her hair curtained her face. "I enjoy learning about history, especially British history. I spent three days exploring Dover. I also bought a pile of books on the evacuation. If you want to stop Guy, you'll have to get past more obstacles than you think."

"So will he."

She let out a sigh, looked at him. "I believe he accomplished that." He ran one hand through his hair, stung by her simple words. They told him that he failed; failed to stop Guy, failed to do the one thing he was good at. "I have a question for you," she said, pulling his attention back. "How, exactly, are you going to get yourself back there to stop him?"

Kane pointed to the transport on his wrist. "As soon as I can get the block off, I--"

"It happened the day we were there." She took a folded piece of newsprint out of her jacket pocket. "Read it."

He did, his gut knotting tighter with every word. "I can't go back."

"No." She studied him, her eyes sober. "But I can."

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# Eleven

Mac snuck into the lab again, long after everyone should have been in bed.

"Took you long enough."

He skidded to a halt halfway to the main console. "Colette?"

A sigh filtered out of the shadows next to the door. "Sergeant." She stepped out--and she wasn't alone. Carrie followed her, still wearing her nurse's scrubs, like she just got off duty.

Mac started toward the console again, forced casual even as adrenaline shot through him. He hadn't been alone in the same room with Colette since the night he heard her talking with Harper. For a heart-stopping second, he thought she'd finally come to threaten him. Or worse.

"Just doing some follow up, ladies. No reason for you to hang around." Dr. K had already busted his ass more than once for being in the lab after hours. He had no excuse, not with everyone on lockdown. But he wasn't giving up--not on Elizabeth, especially not on Kane. There was some big, bad ugly going on, Harper was smack in the middle of it, and he damn well meant to find it. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Stop trying to schmooze us, Macaffrey," Carrie said. She crossed her arms, eyebrows raised. "We know why you're here, and--"

"We want to help." Colette gave Carrie a look that Mac would never want to be on the wrong end of. "Kane's a good man, and I don't want him to--"

"Stop beating around the proverbial bush." Carrie stalked forward and slapped her hand on the console. "We know something's up." She glanced over at the dormant portal, and shuddered. "Guy didn't just turn all Jack the Ripper on a whim. Someone's running him."

"And you want to help." Mac rubbed both hands over his face, already exhausted from his cat and mouse with Colette. "Look, ladies. I appreciate the offer. I'm more than happy to put my own ass in a sling, but I won't be responsible if you get in trouble."

"Bite me, Mac." Colette stomped over to him. "You don't get to play the lone Texas hero this time. Besides, you're on the short end of burnout, and you need help. We're here to provide it."

He dropped into the chair and laid his aching head on the console. God, he was tired. Stupid tired--when it was too easy to slip up and make a fatal mistake. "I want to lie and say you're wrong." It took both hands to prop his chin up so he could look at them. "But I'd be lying. I still don't want you to get yourselves in--"

"Oh, shut up," Colette said. She glanced over at Carrie.

"Massive quantities of caffeine." She jogged across the lab and picked up a case of Mac's favorite soda. "Check."

Mac spotted a bag next to her. A takeout bag, with a picture of a red steer on the side--it couldn't be...

"You got me Lou's Ribs?"

"All the way from the great state of Texas," Colette said. "And don't ask me how. I'd have to kill you."

He twitched at her choice of words--then forgot himself when she opened the bag, and the holy scent of Texas barbeque wafted across the room.

"I may have to marry both of you." He pushed out of the chair, his mouth watering so badly he expected to start drooling all over the floor. Carrie saved him by carrying the bag over. He had his hand in the bag and a rib in his mouth before she finished setting it down. "Oh, sweet mother."

The tangy sauce sent his taste buds to nirvana. He hadn't seen or smelled one of Lou's succulent, melt-in-your-mouth ribs in four years.

"That settles it," he said, talking around the meat. "I'll have to marry you both."

"Pass." They said it at the same time, and burst out laughing. The sound echoed in the empty lab.

Colette sobered up first. "Get to work, Macaffrey." She pulled a can of soda out of the case, tossed it to him. He caught it, surprised to find it ice cold. "We have to clear out before my shift ends. That gives you until five a.m."

"Got it."

He sat, taking the big white bag with him. He planned to eat with one hand, tap with the other. These ribs weren't leaving his grip until he sucked the last one dry.

~ ~ ~

It took until after four, but Mac found it, buried so deep in code he almost bypassed it.

"Son of a bitch." He set the can of soda down, went at the screen with both hands. "Son of a bitch."

"What?" Colette skirted around the console, and leaned over his shoulder. Carrie had sacked out in the R&R room hours ago. She had her next shift at seven. "What did you find?"

Mac couldn't bring himself to believe that Colette was part of this, that her betrayal went so deep. So he took a chance, showed her on the small console screen. He did not want to move it from the file, even to show her on the bigger screen. Any electronic footprint could get them all dead in a hurry.

"Is that..." Her voice faded as the truth hit. "Oh, shit." She stared at Mac, her hands shaking on the console. Relief washed through him at her horrified reaction.

"Couldn't have said it better."

He stared down at the single document, the letterhead of their oversight committee front and center.

In five short sentences, it completely dismantled the current administration of TimeSearch, giving control to the one organization Dr. Kinimoto fought long and hard to keep out of the project.

MI-6.

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# Twelve

Elizabeth braced herself for fury, retaliation, violent denials.

Kane surprised her on all counts. He pulled her into his arms and held on to her.

She clutched the front of his borrowed shirt, horrified by the thought of going after Guy, alone. The bold black headlines from the paper in Kane's hand horrified her more.

"Beth." He whispered against her hair. "I can't let you do this."

"Who else is there?"

He jerked back, hope in his grey eyes. "Another agent." He let her go and activated his transport. "If I can get through to Mac, he can send another agent to stop..." His voice faded, and he dropped his arm.

"What is it?" That hope died so quickly it scared her. "Kane. Talk to me."

"We don't have enough time."

"What do you mean? We can go back, anytime, right before Guy killed him, and stop it from happening--what?" Kane shook his head. "What don't I know?"

"We discovered not long after the project started that once something happened in the past--something caused by one of our agents--the portal starts a real time countdown. We have only twenty-four hours to go back and correct it, before it becomes a permanent part of history."

Her heart tried to lodge itself in her throat. "According to the article, Ramsay was killed hours before he was found, most likely sometime in the late afternoon. Oh, God--"

"You understand now." Kane paced away from her. "Guy killed him before we met. Most likely right before we met."

Elizabeth took the time to calculate in her head, though she already knew the answer.

"That means--"

"We have to get back there today."

~ ~ ~

They decided to take refuge with Bridget while Kane tried to reprogram the transport. Elizabeth didn't hold out much hope. Whatever Guy had done, it seemed to be irreversible. Kane couldn't even get through to the lab. Which meant their chance of getting back in time to save Ramsay was slim.

Her grip on Kane's hand tightened as they walked through the city. Even with the photos she had seen to prepare her, the devastation left her speechless, and heartsick.

Entire streets had been leveled, leaving nothing but the foundation, maybe a wall, and a pile of rubble and broken furniture to mark what had once been a home, a business, a life. Men swarmed over the ruins. Elizabeth pegged them as the Heavy Rescue team, skilled men who worked to safely and quickly rescue those trapped in the bombed buildings. She knew they would find the dead as well as the living; bodies of those who had been caught by surprise, or refused to leave their home.

Kane started the journey by holding her hand. To keep her from being separated, she told herself. By the time they reached Bridget's street he had his left arm around her, Elizabeth firmly tucked against his side. She wasn't the only one affected by the destruction.

They both halted at the corner, and he let her go. Every house on the block had been flattened, except for one at the far end. Please--not Bridget's house.

"What is her address?"

Elizabeth jumped at his voice. He hadn't spoken since they left the street in front of Holborn station. She dug the card out of her pocket. "Number twenty-eight."

Kane took her hand and they walked down the middle of the street, the only safe place to navigate--safe being a relative term. The house on the end looked like it had been dropped in place after the bombing.

It stood on its own plot of land, set back from the street, which probably saved it. That, and what was left of a screen of trees across the front of the property. A gate still attached to the mostly intact stone wall told them the address. Relief washed through her as she read the number--it was twenty-eight.

The only damage she saw as they headed down the gravel path that led to the door were some broken windows, and gouges out of the brick façade. From flying debris, most likely.

Light poured through the windows, and people moved around inside. A lot of people.

"Wait." Kane stopped before they reached the front door. "Are you certain you can trust her?"

It was far too late to be asking herself that question. She wasn't about to tell Kane how much Bridget knew; he had enough on his plate. "Yes."

He nodded, and they climbed the front steps. She had to pound on the door several times before it opened. Bridget stood in the entry, a smile brightening her face.

"Welcome, both of you. Please, come in out of that cold." She closed the door behind them, and pulled Elizabeth, then Kane, into a hug. "It seems all the luck landed on my home. Please excuse the noise, and the chaos. All my neighbors are here, at my invitation... what is it, my dear girl?"

Elizabeth should have guessed the older woman would notice. "We need a quiet place, to--make some plans."

"Of course. Let me think... the attic is still unoccupied." Bridget took her hand, guided them through the groups of people, toward the staircase. "I will bring up some blankets, and what food I can scrounge. I am afraid there will be a scarcity of either."

"Whatever you can spare." Elizabeth hugged her. "Thank you--again."

"There is a bed in the corner of the attic, made up for any who needed temporary shelter. Take advantage of it, and take some rest." She reached up and patted Kane's cheek. "Both of you. And watch your head, lad. The ceiling up there is rather low."

She bustled off, stopping to run her hand over the head of a little girl who sat in another woman's lap. Kane started up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He waited for her at the top. When she joined him she understood why. Bridget had greatly understated; the low ceiling would force him to bend over, quite a bit.

She took his hand. "Come and sit on the bed."

"Fine."

Biting her lip on a smile, she moved forward, the lowest ceiling beams brushing the top of her head. At just over five foot four she knew she was almost a foot shorter than Kane. Sure enough, he was bent almost in half, and not happy about it.

Once he sat on the bed, he had fewer issues. But if he stood too fast, he risked knocking himself out. The peaked center of the room was his only safe spot, so if he wanted to stand, or pace, he'd have to take really short strides.

Elizabeth sat long enough to take off her boots and her socks. Her feet thanked her as she let them breathe. The attic was surprisingly warm, with threadbare rugs of all sizes and colors spread across the wood floor.

She explored, and tried to keep her mind from hashing out their problem, over and over. What she wouldn't give to have her notebook. Being able to sketch would have taken her mind off everything--and she could indulge her fascination with Kane's sculpted face, without embarrassing herself by staring at him.

She glanced over at him, watched as he slipped the holster off his waistband and slid it under the bed. He bent over and unlaced his heavy boots, using his left hand to pull each one off. His careful movements told her his shoulder bothered him. When he pulled off his socks, she looked away. What was it about a barefoot man? With his shoes off, it felt more personal. More intimate.

Once she worked up the nerve to look at him again, he was hunched over the transport, touching buttons, and staring at the screen. The constant, low cursing told her his lack of progress.

"Whatever Guy did to my transport, it now blocks any direct transmission to the lab. I boosted the signal as much as I can, without any equipment. Hopefully, it will be enough for Mac to find on their end."

Elizabeth swallowed. "We could miss the window to save Ramsay."

Kane looked at her. "I wish I could say no. There is nothing more I can do here. It's up to Mac now."

She hugged her waist, feeling more helpless than before.

A young boy appeared in the doorway, juggling a jar of water, a blanket, and a small basket of food. "Mrs. Bridget sent this up."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said. She crossed the room, grateful for the distraction, and took the jar before he dropped it. A vivid flush stained his cheeks as he handed over the basket and blanket. He clattered down the stairs before she could say anything else. The contents of the basket had her stomach rumbling.

Kane watched her as she moved back to the bed, sat down, and lifted the basket so he could see it. "Is that cheese?"

"Yes, it is." It looked incredibly rich and creamy. There were a couple of slices of bread and a handful of crackers to go with it.

She handed him the water. He set it on the floor, and his gaze followed her every move as she split the cheese, spread each half over bread. His scrutiny made her so nervous she nearly dropped the bread knife. She cleared her throat and handed him one of the cheese loaded slices.

His eyes practically rolled back in his head with the first bite. "Oh, good Lord. I could die happy now." He winked at her. "Almost."

Did he just flirt with her? No--she was blowing it out of proportion. She joined him in the food love, her first taste of the creamy, tangy cheese and soft bread like a bit of heaven. It took all her control not to devour it.

To keep from doing so, she picked up the jar of water, forced herself to take small sips between each bite. The first sip became another temptation to guzzle. She didn't realize how thirsty she was until the cool liquid slid down her throat.

Kane held out his hand for the jar, and used the same restraint, taking a few sips before he closed it and set it back on the floor. When he finished his cheese and bread, he grabbed half of the crackers and lay back on the bed. A curse had him shooting right up.

"Are you okay--oh, your shoulder." He moved easier in the warmth of the attic, and she'd forgotten about the cuts marking it. Apparently, so had he. "Let me take a look. We may need to change the bandages."

"Not necessary."

She pressed her lips together, to keep from smiling. She knew exactly what he was thinking--more iodine. "I just want to make sure there isn't any new bleeding."

With a drawn out sigh, he scooted to the edge of the bed, his fingers fumbling over the buttons on his shirt. It should have been perfectly innocent, but Elizabeth felt her heartbeat speed up, all too aware of the well-defined chest under that shirt. Kane flinched as he started to pull the shirt off.

"Wait," she said. She crawled around to his back. "Let me help you."

"Beth--"

"On three. One, two, three." She eased the shirt down his arms before he had time to protest. The patchwork of bandages came into view; with the exception of the one above his shoulder blade, there was no new spotting. "Hold still. I'm going to check the worst of the cuts."

He grumbled under his breath. She took that as a yes, and carefully peeled the white strip at the top of the bandage. His skin flinched as the adhesive that was stuck to it pulled away, reluctantly. The cut underneath looked raw, but there were no signs of infection that she could see.

"You're good." Really, really good. The strong lines of his back made her hands itch. "You definitely don't want to be lying on it anytime soon, or engaging in contact sports, but other than that, it should heal nicely."

"No contact sports?" He sounded amused. "Now that I've been approved, can you please help me with my shirt? I prefer not to be so--exposed."

"Of course." Nitwit, idiot, brainless git--

She called herself every name she could think of. Here she was, wanting to touch every inch of that warm skin, and he wanted to hide from her.

Kane hissed when the heavy fabric brushed his right shoulder.

"I'm sorry--"

"Not your fault, love. Can you..." His voice faded as he waved at the buttons. He was clearly embarrassed to ask.

"Hold still." Careful not to touch him, she pushed each horn buttons through its buttonhole. His breath distracted her, warm on her cheek as he leaned down to watch the progress. His clean, woodsy scent threatened to overwhelm her. "Kane," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Can you not--"

"What, Beth." She lifted her head--and found him inches away, his grey eyes darker, intense. She realized the helpless act had been a ploy. "You smell like spring in my garden. God help me," he whispered. "I can't do this any longer."

She was already moving in when he captured her lips.

They both moaned at the contact. It was different this time; instead of overpowering her, he drew out the kiss. His lips tasted, his tongue teased. Her fingers twisted into the front of his shirt. She needed--oh, God she needed him. Wanted him.

Before she could move Kane caught her around the waist and settled her in his lap. His hard length pressed against her, and she couldn't help herself. She moved closer. The heat, the feel of him left her breathless.

He deepened the kiss, and her body responded. She wanted to be closer, touch all of him, feel that heat inside her. His tongue stroked hers, matched her rhythm as she rocked against him. With a harsh gasp he broke off the kiss.

"Beth--I need you to--"

"Stop?" She sounded as breathless as him.

"God, no." He cradled her cheek, his fingers trembling. "I want you, Elizabeth Barritt. I have never wanted another woman like this, never let them in. I don't quite know how it happened with you." His lips brushed over hers, whisper soft. "But there it is. I don't want to rush. I need to touch you, all of you." She swallowed, her desire building with every word. "Let me just touch you."

Elizabeth nodded--and gasped when he closed his mouth over her breast.

His tongue dampened the cotton of her shirt, drawing small circles around her nipple. Her head fell back as his tongue slid across the tight peak, heat building, hotter, faster. She gripped his ribcage and braced herself so she wouldn't slide off his lap.

He froze. His right hand caught her wrist, and he freed her breast.

"Kane--"

"You can't--" He cut himself off and tugged her hand away from--oh. His back.

"Look at me." Elizabeth used her free hand to cup his chin when he didn't move. "Please."

After letting out a defeated sigh, he did.

"Beth--"

"I don't care about the scars. I don't see them, Kane. I see you." She moved her hand up, until it cradled his right cheek. His scarred cheek. How was she going to make him believe they really didn't matter to her? The solution popped in her head, so obvious--and for her, a potentially disastrous option. "Take your shirt off."

"What?" He clearly expected anything but that.

"Please." She eased her hand out of his loosened grip, started unbuttoning her own shirt. "I show you mine, you show me yours."

He shook his head, but his eyes followed her fingers as she slowly released each button. She swallowed, aware of his gaze, and waited for the inevitable disappointment. Small was a nice compliment for the size of her breasts, and the least flinch-inducing she had received from the two other men she slept with. Both of them unfortunate, and deeply regretted. She badly wanted Kane to be different. For what she sensed between them to be different.

She usually wore a thin silk chemise. It was all she needed. But because she had on a sleeveless shirt when they first met, and didn't want to deal with the possibility of slipping straps, she wore nothing underneath but skin.

She let the shirt slide down her arms.

Kane stared at her. She braced herself.

"Beautiful," he whispered. "God help me, you are so beautiful."

Both hands cupped her breasts. She let out a gasp as he touched the one part of her body that always embarrassed her. He leaned in to kiss first one, then the other, his tongue brushing over each nipple.

She swallowed, managed to get a whisper out of her tight throat. "I figured you would be--disappointed."

He snorted against her breast. She let out a startled laugh; it turned into a low moan as he kissed his way up to her throat, and kept going, ending at her ear. "I am anything but, love. Did I not tell you I was a leg man? You have a spectacular pair." His warm breath left her shivering. She clutched his shirt, so she didn't dig her fingers into his chest. "Your lovely, pert breasts are simply a bonus."

"Pert." A breathless laugh escaped her. "Can I just say--thank you." She pried her hands off his shirt. "Your turn."

"Beth--"

"I have always been embarrassed and ridiculed, Kane. Do you have any idea how scared I was, how scared I am, about all of this? I don't have much in the way of experience. Can you please let go of my breasts? I can't think when you touch me like that."

A smile tugged at his mouth, and he lowered his hands. "Better?"

"Thank you." She squashed the need to cover herself, a habit she picked up the first time she saw other girls in the gym shower. Girls with actual breasts. And damn him, she wanted his hands on her again. Now. "I have felt this connection with you since you jumped out of thin air and changed my life. I know what caused the scars on your back."

"Beth--"

"Let me finish." He flinched, but kept eye contact with her. "To me, they're just part of you. It doesn't matter if you decide to tell me what happened, or keep it to yourself. What does matter is this--I don't see the scars."

He stared at her for endless seconds. Just when she was ready to admit defeat he closed his eyes, eased his shirt off. Elizabeth climbed off his lap and knelt on the bed beside him. After another long hesitation, he swallowed and turned his back to her.

When she pressed a kiss to the first scar he jerked away. "No--"

"Hold still."

"Beth." The anguish in his voice drove through her. She responded by wrapping her arms around his waist, laying her cheek, her breasts, against his back. "God--"

"I want to know all of you. Even if we never see each other again after tonight, I want you." Her heart pounded, and she waited for rejection. He let out a shuddering breath and laid one hand over hers.

"You touch me, Beth, in ways no other woman has. God help me."

She smiled. The wry humor she loved returned in those last words. Taking them as permission, she lifted her head, kissed the next scar. Her breasts brushed against the ridged skin as she slid down his back. Kane lowered his head, and she wasn't sure who was more breathless.

Up close, in the bare lamp hanging over the bed, the scars were uglier than she expected, crisscrossing each other, some so thick and wide she knew the whip had struck him, over and over, in that spot. She prayed that whoever did this to him had been visited by Karma. Repeatedly.

He pulled her hands away when she reached his lower back.

"Kane--" She didn't have time to do more than gasp when he turned around and yanked her into his lap. His lips claimed hers in a kiss that threatened to set her on fire. She held on and tried to keep up.

Their bodies pressed together, skin to skin, heat flaring as she felt his erection push against her. She arched into him, her hand going down to her waistband. She wanted to feel all of him, now. Her fingers fumbled on the button, managed to free it, and jerked down the zipper.

Kane broke off the kiss, batted her hand out of the way and set her on her feet. His fingers slid the trousers and her underwear over her hips, his touch leaving a trail of heat on her bared skin.

He kept going, revealed her legs inch by agonizing inch, until her clothing finally pooled around her feet.

"I was right," he whispered. "Spectacular."

His hands slid back up her legs, his fingers spread to curve around her calves, linger on the sensitive spot behind her knees. By the time he reached her thighs she could barely stand. Kane lifted her and set her in his lap.

The wool serge of his trousers scratched the inside of her legs, and the fabric shifting against her sensitized skin was unbelievably arousing. His stomach quivered against her fingers as she slowly unbuttoned his fly. His erection pressed against her knuckles, straining under the cotton of his underwear. With a low growl he caught her around the waist, set her on the bed and stood. Bent over to keep from hitting his head, he strode to the door. Elizabeth's heart skipped when he engaged the lock.

He turned around, hands on the open front of his trousers. By the time he reached her he was naked. Elizabeth watched him, her heart beating fast, her hands shaking. He moved like a cat, swift and graceful. Those clear grey eyes were dark and intent as they skimmed down her body. Need burned through her at the heat in his gaze.

She let herself look at him, all of him, refusing to be embarrassed. Her eyes widened, and her heart practically jumped into her throat when she saw how big he was. She wasn't sure she could--she was so small, and the other men had been less than average--

"Beth." His voice was raw, his hand trembling when he held it out to her. It made her feel better, knowing she wasn't the only one affected by nerves. "We've reached the point of no return, love."

She swallowed, stared at his hand. God, she wanted him--so much it terrified her. She also knew this would end in heartache, at least for her.

She didn't care.

"No regrets, Kane. Not for me, not ever."

She lay back on the narrow bed, no longer afraid. The yellowed sheets were feather soft and cool on her overheated skin. He slowly unbuckled the transport, took it off his wrist and set it on the trunk at the end of the bed, his gaze never once leaving her.

"How do you feel about foreplay?"

"Isn't that what we've been doing since you kissed me?"

His laughter had her tingling. It cut off with an abrupt curse. He dove for his trousers and searched every pocket.

"No--damn it." He looked at her. "I didn't plan to--hell. I have no protection."

"Kane." She pushed herself up. "You won't need it."

"I'll not be so irresponsible, not when--" He cut himself off, cursing again.

"When we won't see each other again after this. You can say it. I won't fall apart." She studied the bed. "It won't be a problem, because I can't have children."

"Oh, love." He sat on the bed, his hand close to hers, but not touching. "I am sorry."

With a sigh she pulled her hand into her lap, already resigned to his rejection. "It's okay. I've known for a long time. I had a bad infection when I was young. It left me sterile. I completely understand that you don't want to--"

"Did I say that?"

She looked at his hand, then up at him. "You didn't have to."

His hand reached up, cradled her cheek. "Then allow me to make my position clear. I am not the men who rejected you because of what happened when you were a child." He leaned in until his lips brushed her ear. "I am the man who is going to make love with you." She swallowed, and closed her eyes.

"Kane--"

"Do you trust me?"

She opened her eyes, found him waiting for her. She wanted to trust him, believe in him. "I'm not--"

"I am healthy, and my record is clean. You can trust my word, or say no right now. Though I think that may kill me." She let out a breathless laugh, then a soft moan as he kissed the tip of her nose, the curve of her cheek. "Please say yes." He hovered at the corner of her mouth, his breath warm on her skin. "You are a temptation I can't refuse any longer, Beth. I want to feel you," he whispered. "I want to be inside you. Skin on skin."

Desire flared, and a need so powerful she couldn't wait another second. She met his lips, and heat shot through her. He lowered her to the bed, the weight of his body on hers like coming home.

He kissed her with a fevered passion he hadn't shown before now, as if he'd been holding back, afraid to scare her. He shifted, and she gasped when the tip of his erection pressed into her. She opened for him, already wet. Her body arched up, needing to feel more of him, all of him.

"Beth--"

"Please, Jackson--oh, God--" He eased into her. Slow, too slow. She arched higher.

"Bloody hell--" He pushed her back to the bed, slipped out of her. "You are so tight. I don't want to hurt you, Beth."

She reached for him, already missing the feel of him inside her. "If you stop, I'll kill you."

He laughed. It changed to a low moan as she lifted her hips and took him in. He sank in deeper, still too slow, and she grabbed his hips, urging him down.

"You are so tight--" He groaned. "Oh, God, Beth--"

"I won't break, Kane. I want to feel you, all of you." He swallowed. Elizabeth couldn't believe she was ordering a man inside her. Immediately. "Take your time, if you have to. Just not so slow I have heart failure waiting for you to finish."

He smiled. "As you wish, love." He leaned in, whispered against her lips. "I prefer to ease myself into tight spaces."

And that was exactly what he did. Elizabeth's already unsteady breath became sharp gasps as he took the slow route, entering her inch by hot, thick inch. Her body stretched to accommodate him, her fingers clutching the sheet as she fought to keep herself from bucking up. He finally embedded himself completely, and she caught his hips and held him there.

His warm, heavy body pressed her to the bed, and the exquisite sensation of his hard length inside her, filling her like no man ever had, took her breath away.

She lost her breath again when Kane started to move. And damn him, he did it slowly, torturing her. He upped the torture by closing his mouth over her breast, his tongue tracing a lazy circle around her nipple, matching his slow rhythm.

He was driving her crazy. She dug her fingers into his hips, fought to breathe. "Kane--" When his mouth found her other breast, he gently scraped his teeth over her nipple. Heat scorched her, and she arched off the bed. "Oh, God--"

He kissed his way up her breast, followed the line of her exposed throat, his breath hot on her damp skin. He captured her lips, the kiss wilder, more reckless, his tongue sliding against hers.

He freed her mouth, his low groan sending shivers through her, and she rocked against him, the pressure, the heat inside her building.

"Oh, God--Kane--I never--"

"Let go, Beth." He brushed his lips over hers, his breath warm as he whispered. "Just let go for me."

He pulled out of her almost completely. She tried to follow him, not wanting to lose his heat. With a low chuckle, he paused for an endless second before he slid himself in, slowly. Too slowly. She thrust her hips up, moaning as he sank into her.

"Kane--"

"Look at me." She did, and her breath caught as he eased out, then filled her again. "God help me, you are so beautiful."

He kept up the slow rhythm, his gaze on her. Sweat dripped off the ends of his hair. Their bodies slid together, hot and slick. His arms trembled with the effort, and she watched his eyes change as that admirable, infuriating control started to slip.

He increased the tempo, bless him, and she matched his pace. A hot, throbbing ache built inside her, drew in tighter with every thrust. His lips claimed hers, his kiss almost violent as he took her higher. She gripped the sheet, cried out against his lips as she moved faster. He broke off the kiss, his breathing ragged.

"God, Beth--I can't--" He drove himself into her harder, more desperate, until she thought she would burst apart.

They both gasped for breath, her body straining for release. He finally lost control and thrust himself in, deep and hard. His shuddering release triggered her own, and she came apart in his arms.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth fought for breath. It wasn't easy, with Kane sprawled on top of her. She hoped that was the reason she couldn't move her arms.

His gasping breath ruffled her sweat damp hair.

"Kane." Her whisper barely reached her own ears. She tried again. "Kane."

He grunted, pressed his lips to her throat. Heat spread through her. "You taste like flowers," he whispered.

"And you're delirious." She smiled, utterly, completely relaxed. This wasn't normal for her. Normal was frustration, and her wondering what all the fuss was about sex.

She got it now.

Her hand slid over his back. He growled against her throat.

"You walk on dangerous ground, love."

She stilled, afraid she'd overstepped by touching his scars.

"What do you mean?"

"It seems," he lifted his head, slid up her body until his mouth hovered over hers. "That just your touch is enough to arouse."

Her eyes widened when she felt him twitch against her leg. "Kane--"

"Sorry, love. I have no control, with you so warm and soft under me." His fingers traced a path up her thigh. She shivered--and gasped when he slipped his hand under her hip. He moved until she felt his erection press into her, hard again, and throbbing. "God, you feel so good."

She wanted him inside her again. But she let out a harsh breath when she tried to take him in. Her body was sore, and it told her. "Wait."

He froze, cursing under his breath. "I'm such a selfish bastard. Forgive me, Beth, I know you must be tender."

He started to pull out of her, and she grabbed his hips.

"Don't you dare stop."

"I don't want to hurt you, love."

"And I want you, Kane." The words she never said to a man before poured out of her. "I want to feel you inside me, to lose myself with you again. I need you, Kane."

"Beth--"

"Make love with me."

He groaned, and captured her lips in a desperate kiss as he eased himself inside her. Elizabeth moaned, swollen and sore. But her body reacted instinctively, opened for him, and she fought to breathe as he filled her.

Before she could catch her breath he started moving inside her, hot and fast. She forgot any discomfort as she met every thrust.

Her body bowed off the bed when the orgasm hit her, hard and unexpected. He held her in place, drove himself into her. His lips found hers, his kiss as desperate as his need. With a long, low groan he stiffened, and she dug her fingers into his hips as he climaxed. Her body tightened around him, surprised her with a second, uncontrollable orgasm.

They collapsed to the bed, Kane still throbbing inside her.

"Oh," she gasped, her heart threatening to pound right out of her chest. "God."

He let out a laugh. "I'd like to take the credit."

She smiled, too exhausted to do more than breathe.

His ragged breath heated her throat. "Give me one minute."

It took much longer than a minute before he started to ease himself out of her. She flinched at the friction, and he stopped, still inside her. "Beth--"

"It's okay. I'm just more--sensitive than I thought."

"I shouldn't have--bloody hell, what was I thinking, going at you like that--"

"Kane." She touched his cheek. "I practically begged you. And I will gladly trade being a little tender for the way you made me feel. The way you make me feel now."

He looked startled, then smiled at her, right before he pulled himself out of her, so slowly she felt every inch. "Like this?"

She twisted her hands into the sheets, to keep from reaching for him. Heat spiked through her, the power of it as shocking as her need for him. He finally slipped out of her, and sprawled over her and most of the bed.

"You are a tease, Jackson Kane."

His smile had her heart skipping. "Wait until next time. You have not seen me at my best."

"That wasn't... Oh, God--you may kill me off next time." He looked smug. Elizabeth slid her hand down the arm resting on her stomach, twined their fingers together. "Thank you."

He turned his head and winked at her. "It was my pleasure, love."

Laughter burst out of her. She had never been comfortable with a man after the sex was over, much less laugh with him while they were both naked. Or be naked together, or talk about having sex again, like it was the most natural conversation to have.

But what just happened between them wasn't sex--it was something deeper, more powerful, and what she felt for him before was a shadow of how she felt now. She was in for much more than heartache by the time they said goodbye.

Despite that, she wanted him again, so much it surprised her. She planned to talk him into it, as soon as she could move without flinching--

"Kane?" The crackling voice echoed in the attic. A familiar voice. Kane bolted up and lunged for the transport. She sat as Mac's voice filtered through the roar of static, her heart pounding. "Answer me, damn it--can you hear me?"

"Mac." Kane fiddled with the tiny buttons. "Mac--I'm here. Mac--" Static poured out of the speaker. "Hell." He smacked the screen with his palm. "Come on--"

"--hear me, Kane?"

"Mac--I'm here."

"Hot damn! Don't move--wherever you have your transport, keep it there. I'm punching in home coordinates, and our connection is just hanging on--"

"No." Kane's voice was flat, hard. "We have to stay, Mac."

There was a crackling silence, then Mac's angry voice exploded out of the speaker. "What the hell are you saying? We have to get you and Elizabeth back while I can keep the connection open--"

"Guy changed history."

There was a long pause. "Shit."

"Oh, it gets better, Mac. I need you to program a date for me. Guy did something to my transport, and it will not let me enter any coordinates. We have been stuck here."

Mac cursed again. "Hold on."

Elizabeth grabbed the blanket at the end of the bad and draped it over her shoulders, cold without Kane's body next to her. She also felt awkward, for the first time since she took off her shirt.

Mac's voice broke the silence, static distorting it. "How much time do we have?" She could almost picture him, bent over the console, tapping and swiping at the screen.

"A few hours, maybe. Do we have another agent available?"

Another long pause. This time Elizabeth knew the answer. "We're on lockdown."

"Because of Guy."

"Afraid so. I might be able to--"

"Dr. Kinimoto sent them off project, didn't she?"

A sigh filtered through the static. "Every damn one of them. She didn't want another Guy flitting around through time. They're all scheduled for new psych evals. What do you want me to do?"

"Just program the transport for me."

Kane gave him the date, watching her the entire time.

"Uh, Kane." Mac finally caught up. "You can't go back there. It's the same date you--"

"I know, Mac. Beth is going."

"What?" His anger roared through the speaker. He probably would have punched Kane if they'd been on the same room. "What the hell are you thinking? You can't--"

"We don't have a choice." Kane rubbed his forehead, ran one hand through his hair, obviously waiting for Mac to stop shouting. "Mac--Mac, please--"

She held on to the blanket and moved next to him. "Mac--it's Elizabeth."

"Hey, sweetheart. How's Kane treating you?"

She blushed, thinking of what they'd just been doing. "He's keeping me safe. Mac, you have to do it. What Guy did--if we can't reverse it, history will change dramatically."

Static crackled in the silence. "How dramatically?"

"As in, you won't recognize the world when you wake up tomorrow."

"Double shit."

"Exactly."

A shout of laughter had her smiling. "I'll see what I can do on this end. Kane--take off your transport if you're wearing it. There may be some--sparks. Guy really did a number on it." There was a crackling silence, then Mac spoke again, his voice low. "I have to tell you--I'm not surprised. Harper is spreading his slimy presence." A gasp escaped before Elizabeth could stop it. Kane's hand shot out, grabbed her wrist. "I think he's the reason Guy went rogue."

He stilled, his fingers shaking against her wrist. "You are certain of this?"

"About ninety-nine percent. I'm sorry, Kane. But I wanted you to know what you're up against. Stay close--I'm signing off for now."

Kane let her go and set the transport back on the trunk, every movement deliberate.

The low hum of static told Elizabeth the line was still open. She scooted across the bed. He followed her.

"What did Harper do to you." His deadly quiet voice sent a thrill of fear up her spine. Elizabeth had never been afraid of Kane. Pretty much every other emotion, but he never gave her a reason to be afraid.

"It was nothing--"

"You went ghost white, Elizabeth." He cupped her chin. "Please tell me."

She did, shivering. When she got to the kiss, Kane gripped her shoulders.

"Did he harm you?"

"No. No. Mac broke in, right after I stomped on his foot."

He raised his eyebrows. "You stomped on his foot."

"He violated my personal space. I lost my temper." She stared at his chest. "He scared the hell out of me, Kane. I haven't been that scared since I was seventeen. The difference is I didn't freeze this time. His thin designer leather never stood a chance."

She tried for a smile, failed miserably.

"Beth." He swallowed, closed his eyes. "I am sorry."

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare apologize when you weren't even there."

She let go of the blanket and kissed him, both hands cradling his face. He pulled her in, his skin warm, familiar. It comforted her, made her feel safe.

"Kane." Mac's voice crackled out of the transport. Kane reached out, grabbed the transport off the trunk.

"I'm here, Mac."

"Is Elizabeth with you?"

"Yes. Mac. I'm right here. What is it?"

Static hummed, stretched out, and Mac finally answered. "The portal finally reported the--disturbance. It was earlier than you guesstimated."

Kane tightened his arm around her waist. "How much earlier?" A string of curses cut through the static. "Mac."

"You have an hour before what Guy did becomes irreversible."

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# Thirteen

Elizabeth took the news with remarkable calm. Kane wanted to punch something.

She thanked Mac and eased the transport out of Kane's hand. His mind refused to accept that he could not fix this. It was what he did, what Dr. Kinimoto brought him into the project to do. Make certain the past was kept safe.

He had utterly failed. Now an innocent had to risk her life because of his mistake.

"Kane." Elizabeth's quiet voice caressed him. He swallowed and took the coward's path, by keeping his gaze on the far wall. "Stop beating yourself up, and tell me how to use your pistol."

That snapped his head around. She sat next to him, those dark blue eyes steady, her face composed. Damn it, he couldn't let her do this, not alone.

"Beth--"

"No." She closed one hand over his wrist. Her touch sent a flare of heat through him, the same heat he felt every time he looked at her now. She smiled, as if she knew what he was thinking. "This is not your fault. Now, please show me. We're running out of time."

He slipped into his trousers, picked his shirt off the floor and eased it on, his right arm still stiff. He felt less vulnerable with his scars covered. Elizabeth moved off the bed and gathered up her clothes, dressing so fast all he saw was flashes of skin. Need gripped him when she sat beside him. She smelled of soft lavender and sex. Silky blonde hair cloaked her, tangled from their lovemaking. Her lips were soft, swollen, and he ached to take them again. To feel her move against him again.

He let out a sigh, and reached under the bed with his left hand to retrieve the slim holster.

"Take the pistol, Beth." He watched her hesitate. "If you can't be touching the weapon, there is no way in hell you'll be able to use it when you have to." She closed her hands around the holster. "Now pull the pistol out." He waited until she had it in her hand before he reached over, closed her fingers over the grip and pointed the barrel at the floor. "Never aim unless you intend to use it."

"Okay."

"This is a laser pistol. It has a hair trigger, and needs very little charge up time, but you have to push this button," he tapped the tiny button above the trigger, "right before you shoot. Now do it."

"What?" She stared at him, her hand shaking on the pistol.

"Push the button, aim at something, and fire."

"I--" Her gaze skated around the attic. Kane hated himself for what he was about to do, but they had no time.

"Shoot something, Elizabeth. Now."

She jumped as he barked out the last word. Her fingers fumbled on the pistol, but she managed to push the button, and aimed the pistol. A thin stream of cold fire split the air, burned a perfect circle in the corner of the blanket draped over a dress dummy.

"We need to replace that," she whispered. "They don't have anything to spare, not with--"

"I will see that Bridget is compensated."

She stared at the pistol. "Okay."

"Beth." He kept his voice gentle. "I need to know you can protect yourself. Guy will not give any quarter."

With a deep breath, she finally looked up at him. "I figured as much." She picked up the transport, buckled it around her wrist. Even using the last hole in the strap, it still swallowed her wrist. Her tiny, delicate wrist. "Stop that." He blinked at her. "You're looking at me like I'm a fragile, helpless little girl."

"I wasn't--"

"Oh, yes, you were. Let me share a little something with you, then I'll go." She stood, that glorious mass of blonde hair falling to her waist. "I lost my parents when I was ten. I went into the foster system, and I never got out." Kane flinched, more than aware of the real meaning behind her words. "If I have to shoot Guy to save Admiral Ramsay, or anyone important he decides he wants dead, I'll do it, without hesitating."

"Beth, there is no need--"

"Shut up and let me finish." He did, and fought the smile that threatened. She was a constant, delightful surprise, showing sides of herself he never expected. "I started having panic attacks because one of my foster parents beat me, then locked me in a basement closet. The first time I panicked, it completely freaked him out, and he left me alone. So, they became my defense mechanism. Then I lost control over them when the reason to defend myself was removed."

"But you found a way."

A smile touched her lips. "When I had one in front of an influential benefactor, one who really cared about foster kids, and wasn't just donating for the tax write off, she sent me to a friend. A psychologist. I was seventeen. It took three years and a whole lot of screaming to get me through, but she did. She helped me devise a system to defuse the attacks before they happened. She gave me control; something I hadn't had in my life for a long time." She stared down at the pistol. "When I discovered you were an orphan, I understood why you could jump in so fast when I started to panic. You knew--"

"What was happening. Yes, Beth, I did. And I must say, I was, and am, impressed by your system. It seems to work with any number of emotional situations."

"Picked up on that, did you?" With the pistol pointed at the floor, she moved over to her jacket, slipped the pistol in her pocket and pulled it on. "I figured you didn't want me sporting the holster."

Kane stood, taking her hands. She was so small, and stronger than he imagined. It still made him feel like a failure, sending her in his place. He led her to the peak of the roof, so he could stand upright without danger of concussion. "The portal will drop you as close to the event as possible, without you being seen."

"So, inside Dover Castle." She let out a shaky breath. "It better, because there is no way I'm simply walking in through the front gates. I'm going to have a hard enough time convincing anyone to let me near the Admiral."

"I need to talk to Mac one more time before you go." He cradled her wrist, touched the comm button on the transport. "Mac--it's Kane."

Static burst out of the speaker, then settled. "Here, Kane. Is Elizabeth getting ready to go?"

"She is more than ready." His wink startled a smile out of her. "I have one favor to ask."

"Shoot."

"I want you to see if you can bypass the portal's directive and send me back to help her."

"Right. Because that will be easy to do." Even distance and static could not mask his sarcasm.

"If anyone can do it, Mac."

"Yeah, yeah. Stop, Kane--I'll give it my best shot. Hey, Elizabeth."

"Hey, Mac."

"All you have to do is push the little red button, and you'll be off. I tried to make the landing as easy as possible."

She smiled, but her fingers shook as she touched the screen. "Thank you, Mac. For everything."

Kane leaned in. "Mark these coordinates, and do what you can."

"If it means not leaving Elizabeth alone to face that murdering traitor, I'm on it. Signing off."

Elizabeth looked at him, and he finally saw the panic he expected. "Kane--"

"If anyone can find a way to get me there, it is Mac. But don't depend on me showing up. Go in there, warn Ramsay, make him believe. I know you can do it, love."

He caught her around the waist and she met him halfway, her lips warm and soft on his. God help him, she could kiss. He should have known after that first mind numbing kiss that she would be just as uninhibited in her lovemaking.

With regret, and a thought in the back of his mind that it may be their last, he ended the kiss, and pulled away.

"Ready?"

"Absolutely not."

He smiled, and stepped back. Out of reach.

"Push the button, Beth. There is a built in countdown; it will activate as soon as you arrive. I'll come to you if I can."

"I know."

"Do me one favor."

She met his eyes, almost successful at concealing her fear. "If I can."

"Come back to me."

Tears filled her eyes. "Kane--"

"Go now, Beth, before I stop you."

She nodded, the tears sliding down her cheeks. Kane backed out of range, hunched over to avoid the sloping roof. She kept her gaze on him, glanced down only long enough to find the red button.

"Wait." She took a step forward, stopped herself. "In case I don't get another chance, I want you to know--I'm falling for you, Jackson Kane. Falling hard."

Before he could get past the shock, she pushed the button. The portal opened behind her, yanked her in, and folded in on itself, until there was nothing.

Kane made his way to the bed and sat. He finally allowed himself to feel every ache--including the new one Beth just gave him. How was he supposed to deal with that, when he just sent the woman he was half in love with into a situation that could very likely get her killed?

He hated himself all over again at just the thought. She was out of his reach now, on her own.

He closed his eyes and prayed that Mac would come through for him. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself.

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# Fourteen

Elizabeth stumbled when the portal let her go. She fell to her knees and landed on rock strewn dirt. Her knee managed to find one of those rocks.

"Ouch--" She bit back a curse, crawled over to the nearest wall, and leaned against it. Contrary to what she'd been told, this did not get easier. She still wanted to curl in a ball, throw up, and wish she was unconscious. Instead she leaned her head against the cold stone, moved her arm up until she could see the transport. She didn't trust the result if she lowered her head.

A clock was at the top of the small screen, counting backward. She had fifty minutes.

With a groan, she levered herself up, held on to the rough stone and mortar wall until her head stopped spinning. Once she could see clearly enough to recognize objects, she checked her surroundings.

She stood in between two stone buildings. The one she held on to looked like a small house, the square of ground in front of it probably once a front yard. She faced the other building--and realized where she had landed. Right behind the 19th century gunpowder magazine, the long brick building set into a hill. She was just on the other side of the access road that led to the tunnel entrance.

Once she moved over a little, she was able to see the front, and confirm her location. The long, narrow building stretched all the way to a grass covered hill, and the steps that led up to the road. Another hill ran alongside it, screening her from anyone above, unless they walked right to the edge of the hill and looked down.

Since she heard nothing but wind blowing through unseen trees, she figured she was safe for the moment.

She used the building to support her as she made her way down the narrow, muddy path between building and hill, toward the stairs that would lead her up to the road.

When she reached the corner of the magazine, she was able to see the top of the hill. Everything looked quiet. She stepped back, glanced down at the map on her transport. Mac had sent an overview of the grounds of Dover Castle, with the underground tunnels marked in red. Elizabeth remembered the layout from her visits here. The tunnels had especially fascinated her, and she took the tour as many times as the staff would let her.

She was thankful now for her obsession. If she knew then it would have meant life or death, she might have--

Stop.

"I will not panic," she whispered. She shook out her hands, took in a not so steady breath, and moved to the staircase.

Concrete steps climbed up the hill, steep, narrow, and without the sturdy railing from her time. Elizabeth decided to move slowly, both to keep her stomach from rebelling, and to spot anyone before they spotted her. She started up, and the wind hit her halfway to the top. Literally.

She had forgotten how strong it could be, with the tunnels located at the edge of the cliff, right next to the harbour. One hand clutched the lapels of her jacket, the other out and ready to grab ground if she lost her balance. The pistol swung against her right hip, a constant reminder of what she might have to do to stop Guy.

Whatever it takes--I can't let him succeed.

The "whatever it took" part kept trying to lodge her heart in her throat. Along with the fact she only had one chance to stop him. She knew there would be no do over option.

God, I wish Kane was here.

She shoved that thought right out--it was instantly distracting, when she needed to focus.

Three steps from the top she halted, scanned the immediate surroundings. The entrance to the tunnels was in the same place, set into a small hill, and a soldier walked nearby. She crouched down, lifted herself just enough to watch him. After less than a minute she knew. She closed her eyes briefly, and eased back down the steps until she felt safe.

He guarded the only way in.

Elizabeth knew, from her research after visiting the castle, that she needed a special pass to be anywhere on the castle grounds. A bright red pass she wouldn't be able to duplicate. There had to be another way...

A crazy idea flashed into her mind. Crazy enough that it might work.

She climbed down the stairs, headed back along the building, and scrabbled up the hill facing it. For the plan to even have a chance of working, she had to look like she came from the main gate. Being disheveled and sweaty would actually work to her advantage.

Once she got to the top, she hugged the side of the building, and let the giant tree at the front of it shadow her from anyone who may walk down the access road. She made her way around the thick trunk, tried to blend into the side of the building, and took a few seconds to compose herself, get the names straight, and right on the tip of her tongue. She had one shot at this.

A quick glance at the transport accelerated her already pounding heart. Forty minutes. She slipped the pistol out of her jacket and tucked it in her waistband, in the small of her back. The cold metal against her skin made her twitch, but if she left it in her pocket she risked the very real possibility of a search.

She shoved the transport up her forearm, out of sight, took in a deep breath, and stepped out on to the road, running by the time she came in sight of the soldier.

"Whoa," he said. He caught her when she practically slammed into him. "I've got you now. How did you get here?"

"The gate." She gasped the words out and clutched his arm. The accent she picked up from her colleagues at the art gallery wrapped around her words. "My brother-- Please, I need to see James--James Stopford--"

"Hold on. The Lieutenant is your brother?" Uh, oh. He didn't sound convinced. Maybe he knew Stopford outside his duties, knew his family and that he didn't have a sister-- "He failed to mention his sister was a beauty. Ewan Gryffyth." He sandwiched her hand. "It is my sincere pleasure."

"Thank you." Her voice was breathless, mainly from abject fear. She pushed at the hair the wind tossed around her face. "Please. There's been an accident. I need to--"

"Come with me."

She didn't know what triggered his immediate acceptance of her, but she took it. He unlocked the door, pulled her inside the tunnel, down the long, steep entry ramp--and pinned her to the wall at the bottom.

"Now, beautiful. Why don't you tell me who you really are?"

~ ~ ~

A knock on the door had Kane on his feet before he remembered the low ceiling.

"Damn it." He rubbed the top of his head as he moved to the door and unlocked it, pulling it open. Bridget stood on the other side. Guilt flared through him at the probable reason for her appearance. "Did we displace anyone? I know I've overstayed my welcome--"

"Shush, my dear boy. I simply came up to check on you and--where is Elizabeth?"

He already had a lie for this question. "She went to check on some friends."

"Of course. Sit down, Jackson." He flinched at the use of his first name, not all that surprised she knew it, and obeyed. Bridget joined him, set the basket she held on the floor, folded her hands in her lap, and gazed at him. "Now, my dear boy, why don't you tell me where Elizabeth really is?"

"I don't--"

She raised one eyebrow. "I am not a fool, and your darling girl trusted me enough to tell me everything."

He swallowed. "Everything. Including--"

"That you are not from around here? Yes." She patted his hand. "I am old enough, and have seen enough, that very little surprises me. Aside from the fact that you both looked shell shocked, I knew you had not been in London--my London--long enough to adjust to the raids. Which meant you were from out of town. Until Elizabeth told me, I did not realize just how far."

Kane rubbed his forehead. "She is--gone." He closed his eyes, startled when Bridget gripped his hand.

"She's walked into danger, then?"

"To protect someone important, and to prevent a former friend from changing events."

"Oh, my dear Jackson. You would have made a fantastic politician. Such eloquent evasion. I will wait with you."

"Bridget--there's no need--"

"Nonsense. Anything unexpected that happens in this attic will stay in this attic." She leaned over and picked up the basket. "I sent up scant supplies earlier, so I know you must be hungry." His growling stomach answered for him. "Good. It's rather basic, I'm afraid. My displaced neighbors and I pooled our resources, and with recent losses," she cleared her throat, her gaze on the basket. "There is more of a surplus than normal."

Kane laid his hand over hers. "I am sorry."

"I know you are, dear boy, and that you are sincere with it. Share a meal with me, and we will wait for your Elizabeth together."

Well aware that no argument would sway her, Kane nodded, and helped her lay out bread, cheese, a tiny bottle of jam, two jars of water.

"It looks delicious, Bridget."

"No meat, I'm afraid. It has gone to the men who are fighting fires in the city."

"You have been more than generous, with a stranger who doesn't deserve it."

"I will be the judge of that, Jackson." She laid a thick slab of cheese on a thicker slice of bread and handed it to him. "Now eat."

"Yes, madam." He took a bite, his stomach growling again. "It says thank you as well."

Her laughter filled the attic, eased the grief in her dark eyes. "I understand why she loves you."

"What--she--what?" He nearly dropped the bread.

"She may have come to the knowledge only recently... and she said as much to you, before she left."

"That obvious?"

"You miss her, worry for her. It's in your eyes, dear boy, what you hold in your heart."

"She had to go alone." He swallowed, staring at his hands. "And tis my fault."

"Hush, now." Bridget rubbed his arm, her touch warm, soothing. He had never known the touch of a mother; his guardian had taken him on when he was fourteen, and had been a gruff, kindly man who avoided any displays of affection. Kane saw why Elizabeth confided in Bridget. She inspired trust, and an immediate emotional connection. "Tell me of her, Jackson. Of how you met, and when you lost your heart to her."

With a sigh, he met her eyes. "If I didn't know better, I might think you were a mind reader."

"Simply observant, dear boy. Eat, then we will talk."

He did, savoring the rich, tangy flavor of the cheese, the cool, clean taste of the water. Talk would help make the wait bearable.

But it wouldn't ease the weight on his heart, and the fear that he had sent Elizabeth to die. In his place.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth stared up at Gryffyth.

"I--"

"No lies this time. I don't know how you managed to get yourself this far, but I will have answers. Now."

His fingers closed around her throat. He didn't apply pressure, but it wasn't necessary; the implied threat was terrifying enough. Elizabeth clutched the wall to keep from clawing at him.

"I'm here to warn the Admiral--"

His grip tightened. "Warn him, or harm him?"

"Please--there isn't much time. A man is on his way here to kill Admiral Ramsay. He'll succeed if you don't--"

With a startled squeak her voice cut off as his fingers tightened. "I can end the threat now."

Elizabeth forced herself to meet his eyes. Dark, chocolate brown eyes. Eyes that looked like they had already seen too much. Every instinct told her to fight. She ignored them, and kept looking at him.

"You are a cool one, beautiful." He let her go. She sucked in a harsh breath, coughing when it hit her throat. His left hand captured her arm, and his fingers dug in as he yanked her forward. "Now, tell me why I should believe you, when you are carrying a weapon?"

He reached around, slid his hand under her shirt, and pulled the pistol out of her waistband.

"Please." She dropped the accent, unable to sustain it over a long conversation. "I'll go unarmed." Gryffyth jerked at her new voice. She kept talking before he did anything to stop her. "You can even handcuff me. Just please give me the chance to warn him." She would happily beg, if it got her through the tunnels and into Ramsay's presence.

"You're a Yank." His brown eyes studied her. "There is no reason for you to be here."

"I'm not the original messenger. He couldn't make it."

"If you are here to warn," Gryffyth held up the pistol, "then why are you armed?"

She swallowed. "It's to stop the man bent on killing Ramsay." She could feel the minutes slip away from her while he decided, precious minutes. Guy was here, close by. He may already be inside, headed straight to Ramsay while she stood here-- "Please. You took my weapon. All I want to do is talk to the Admiral."

"I believe he's smart enough to detect a threat before it--"

"And if the threat is dressed as a soldier? With a legitimate pass and a compelling reason to see him?" Gryffyth paled. "What?"

"An RAF flight lieutenant showed up at Constable's Gateway, claiming he had an urgent message for the Admiral. He had a pass, a legitimate pass."

Oh, God-- "When?"

"I just sent him down, before you arrived."

Elizabeth shoved past him. Gryffyth caught her before she got three steps. "No--we have to stop--"

"I'm going with you." He handed her the pistol, grabbed her free hand. She held on to him as he took off, running to keep up with his long stride. She prayed for him to go faster.

They headed down the long tunnel, and finally reached the wide hall leading to Ramsay's office. Only now it was broken up, offices lining the hall on her right. A wall halfway down the hall completely blocked her view.

Gryffyth kept a tight grip on her hand as he ran down the now narrow hall. The fact that they hadn't run into Guy yet terrified her.

They reached the wall, and Elizabeth realized it was the side of an office. Halfway down, the builders switched sides--now the offices lined the left side. Gryffyth pulled her into a narrow pass through and over to the other side of the hall, finally giving her line of sight to their destination. Voice filtered out of the offices as they ran past. Maybe the Admiral was in one of them, hunched over a table or a desk, safe from Guy--

That hope died when she saw a slight figure in uniform walk past the open doorway of his office. She recognized Ramsay from the photos she'd seen. They were almost there--she would save him this time, stop Guy before he even got in shooting distance.

Her heart skipped when she saw Guy step out of a connecting hall, practically in front of them, and slip into the office. The door closed behind him.

"No--" Gryffyth let her go and bolted forward. By the time she caught up with him, he had already checked the knob. "Stand back."

He slammed his foot into the door. It flew open. Elizabeth sprinted inside and rammed into Guy's back.

A thin laser blast hit the window frame next to Ramsay's shoulder. The wood sizzled, the only other sound the short, low whine as Guy's pistol recharged. No one would have heard a thing with the door closed. Ramsay would have died alone.

"What the hell--" Guy jerked around. Elizabeth pointed her pistol at him, moving until she stood between him and Ramsay. Guy had trapped him against the wide window at the end of his office, between the wall and a waist high cabinet.

She glanced over her shoulder, just long enough to see that Ramsay was upright, and looked like he was in one piece. "Are you okay, Admiral?"

"A moment ago, I would have said no. But you and Sergeant Gryffyth arrived in the nick of time."

"How fortunate for you, Admiral," Guy said. He sounded furious, even though a smile tugged at his mouth. "Are you going to shoot me, sweet, innocent Elizabeth?"

"Only if you try to harm the Admiral." She expected to panic, or at the very least, feel disgusted at the need to hold a weapon. Instead, she felt strong, in control. That terrified her more than an impending panic attack. "Leave now, Guy, never come back, and no one will stop you." She caught Gryffyth's eye. He nodded, once, clearly not happy at her proposal.

"You know I won't be able to come back, don't you, Elizabeth? The vulgar Texan must have told you of the portal's particular quirk. A shame, that. I could have done so much more for them, if I had been able to return after I changed events."

God--he was crazy. "Which is why that quirk exists."

Guy smiled. "You are delightful. I can see why Kane is enamored. But you are also in my way."

He aimed the pistol behind her and she did the one thing she never thought she'd be able to do. She shot him.

He stumbled back a step and stared at her for an endless second. Then he snarled and aimed his pistol. At her.

She stilled, keeping herself between him and Ramsay. She couldn't let the shot get past her--

Gryffyth slammed into Guy's back as the pistol fired. Elizabeth screamed when a line of fire burned across her right shoulder.

Warm hands caught her as she stumbled. She looked up in time to see Guy shove Gryffyth out of the way and dart past him, out of the office.

"No--"

"Slowly, now." Ramsay steadied her. "You need to sit."

"Thank you, but I have to go." She pulled herself out of his grip and ran after Guy. Every step jarred the burning in her shoulder.

"Wait!" Gryffyth stopped her just outside the office. "You're hurt--"

"I can't let him leave. Did I wound him?"

He blinked at her. "Yes. Left side."

"Stay here, keep Ramsay safe."

"How did you know he planned to harm the Admiral?"

"He told me. How do I get out of here?"

"Put your pistol away. We won't get two steps if the others see it."

Elizabeth tucked it in her jacket pocket. Her actions had gained her an ally; hopefully, that alliance wouldn't hurt Gryffyth.

He took her up himself, stopped long enough to grab one of the officers who stood in the hall and whisper to him. Elizabeth caught the officer's name, and stared at him before Gryffyth pulled her out of sight. He was James Stopford.

They ran back the way they came. Gryffyth slowed, and she understood why when she saw the slumped figure at the corner of the tunnel that led up to the exit.

Gryffyth let go of her hand and crouched next to him. He looked at her when she joined him. "One of mine." The anger in his eyes stunned her. "He is still alive."

"Get him help and stay here, in case Guy comes back." Elizabeth recognized this part of the tunnel from the tour, and knew her way from here. She stood, reached out to touch his cheek. He was so young, too young for what was coming. "Keep yourself safe, Gryffyth."

She moved before he could stop her, and ran up the long tunnel to the double doors. She glanced down at the concrete floor, saw a trail of blood. It had to be Guy's, and if he was injured, he wouldn't be able to step into the portal--not alone. Or was he crazy enough to go anyway?

She kept running, ignored the blood that slid down her arm, the hot ache that jolted her with every step. If Guy left, he couldn't come back. But it meant he would be out there, somewhere in the past, ready to wreak havoc again. They had to stop him here.

She had to stop him here. Without Kane.

She pushed open the door, and the wind slapped her as soon as she stepped outside. Her lungs fought for air after her mad sprint up the steep tunnel. She forced herself to slow, to check for more blood.

There were drops on the concrete, just outside the door, more on the path leading away from the cliff, toward the main part of the castle grounds. She followed them until she stood on the edge of another steep path, heading to Admiralty Outlook, and open ground. He could escape before she reached him--

A burst of adrenaline pushed her forward. She cradled her throbbing arm and ran up the hill.

~ ~ ~

Bridget kept Kane occupied, and he found himself enjoying her company, her wicked sense of humor, her view of the world.

He tried not to fidget, or stand up to pace. The tender spot on the back of his head was a throbbing reminder of the low ceiling.

When the electric hum of the portal brushed over his skin, he rose, kept himself hunched, and stood in front of Bridget.

"Is this what you've been expecting?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Was I so obvious?"

She smiled at him and folded her hands in her lap. Kane marveled at her calm, but after what she had endured, this was most likely just another challenge to overcome.

A black square shimmered in the middle of the attic. It was supposed to be round. Everything associated with the portal had always been--

Lighting burst across the center of the opening. Kane grabbed Bridget, hauled her up.

"Under the bed! Something is wrong--"

Before he could finish his warning a transport flew out of the portal, followed by a smoking rectangle. They bounced once, landed at his feet. The black square shuddered, and crumpled, like a giant hand was crushing it, until it winked out of existence.

As soon as the portal entrance disappeared, the transport screen shimmered, highlighting a long, narrow crack across the front. Paper crunched under his fingers when he picked it up. A note had been skewered to the prong of the buckle.

Kane sat, and unfolded it. Mac's illegible scrawl filled the page.

I corrupted your DNA. Don't ask me how--ever. It's only good for one trip, and only with this transport. It'll probably kill you, but I know that won't stop you from trying. A friendly warning: I put in both Elizabeth's and Guy's transport codes, to give you a better chance of actually getting there. I can't guarantee which one it will latch on to. Or if it will at all.

Take care of Elizabeth. You're good for each other, so don't screw it up. Hope to see you again, my friend.

Mac

P.S.--the attached notebook is Elizabeth's--if it makes the trip through, give it to her for me. And take a look inside before you do.

And in small, almost illegible script, Mac added a message to the very bottom of the paper.

SIS has control.

"What the--" He felt the blood drain out of his face as he understood the cryptic message.

SIS. MI-6.

Kane closed his eyes. Guy never stood a chance. Staring at the message, he wondered what the bastard Harper had on his friend. Enough to force him to kill, to betray.

Because he knew, like Mac knew, that Harper was neck deep.

There was nothing he could do about it now. But later, when he was home--he would do one bloody hell of a lot about it.

He shoved his temper away, and picked up the scorched notebook. The sturdy piece of electrical wire that had attached it to the transport was burned down to nothing, the bare wire so brittle it snapped off the notebook when he touched it.

"Did you get everything you were waiting for, Jackson?"

He glanced over at Bridget. "And a bit more." The screen flared into life, a countdown flashing across it. Hell.

He had two minutes.

"Time for you to go, my dear boy." Bridget stood, leaned down for a kiss. "Say hello to Elizabeth for me. Take care of each other, now. You are stronger together."

She backed away, watching him as he stood, and strapped the transport to his wrist. The backplate hummed against his skin, hot enough to make him flinch. This was not going to be a pleasant journey. He picked up the notebook, remembered Mac's postscript as he moved to the center of the attic. Finally able to stand upright, he opened a random page--and nearly dropped it when he saw his face.

Sketched in pencil, with so much detail it looked like a photo, he recognized the moment she captured; when he stood with Mac, watching the timeline screen in the lab. Elizabeth had left the background soft, just a suggestion of his surroundings, which made him the focal point.

"So this was her scribbling." She had some confessing to do. He tucked the notebook in his back pocket, and gave Bridget a jaunty salute. "Thank you for the hospitality, madam."

Her smile was shaky. She obviously had the same thought that he did--pushing the button might be the last action he ever took.

"Bloody hell." He swallowed, braced himself for pain, and pushed the button.

~ ~ ~

Kane flew out at the other end, doubled over--and slammed into a body.

They tumbled over damp grass. The deep grunt told him he had found Guy.

Because he could hardly breathe for the pain, Guy recovered first, and punched Kane's half-healed shoulder. He clutched the ground as pain roared through him. Guy's voice filtered through, low and angry.

"I will have to find the time to ask that Texan how he managed to send you back to the same place twice." Guy never called Mac by name; he considered him an uneducated lout. It used to be the only thing they fought over--Guy's snobbery. A harsh cry escaped Kane when Guy turned him over. "Did you come to save the mighty Admiral Ramsay, or your precious Elizabeth? Either way, you're too late, old friend." Leaning in, he whispered against Kane's ear. "I killed them both."

"Liar." He had to be lying. Kane would not accept the alternative--he refused to accept that Elizabeth was gone, before he--

"She did manage to take a nip out of me, before I shot her." Guy leaned back. Blood spread over the left side of his shirt. A great deal of blood. It had to be sapping his energy, especially since he had done nothing, that Kane could see, to bind the wound. "I need you to forfeit the game, old friend. So I am going to cripple your side of the board."

Before Kane could move, Guy yanked a knife off his belt and plunged it into Kane's right shoulder.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth heard the hoarse scream, just above the whoosh of the wind battering her.

No one else. She forced herself to move faster, caught her hair in her left hand as the wind grabbed at it. Please don't let him hurt anyone else.

The field at the top of the hill came into view--and she jerked to a halt.

Guy had his knee braced on a writhing figure, an already bloody knife in his hand, raised to stab again. She didn't think--she just moved.

Her left shoulder rammed into Guy's back. They flew over his victim, hitting the grass so hard her bones protested. She struggled to her feet, just before Guy let out a furious roar and threw himself at her. She danced backward, and tripped over his victim's legs, landing on her back with a painful jolt.

She pushed herself up, her shoulder throbbing, and froze when she saw the victim's hand, fingers curled around a tuft of grass. A strong, familiar hand.

"Kane?" Her gaze shot up, found the aristocratic profile. "Oh, God--Kane--" Movement jerked her attention away from him. She yanked the pistol out of her pocket and hit the charge button, firing blindly. The furious curse told her she hit something.

Torn between protecting Kane and stopping Guy, she took Kane first, and checked for a pulse as she swept her gaze around them. It beat under her shaking fingers, slow but steady. Relief flooded her, and disappeared just as fast when she couldn't find Guy. She shoved wind tangled hair out of her face--and froze when a pistol pressed between her shoulder blades.

"Up." She obeyed, her own weapon tucked against her side as she stood. The ploy didn't work. "Drop it, or I'll kill him right here." She let the pistol fall to the grass. "Now turn around, hands out where I can see them." She did, moving away from Kane. "That is far enough. I knew you were a smart one, darling girl. You did go after the wealthiest man in the vicinity, after all."

"What?" She stared at him. "What are you--"

His raw laugh cut her off. "Kane didn't tell you, did he?" He winced, his free hand pressed against his left side. Hair blew around his face as a strong gust of wind battered them. He stumbled, and jerked the pistol up before she could take advantage. "Typical Kane. Always terrified the women are after his title. Your beloved protector is a count. He inherited the title, the lands, and the millions from his guardian, who adopted him on the sly."

"Kane is..."

"Looks like your innocent misfit plan worked. The sot is in love with you."

"I--what?" She was still so shocked by the news she couldn't gather her thoughts.

"You may have fooled him," Guy stalked forward and grabbed her right arm. She bit back a scream. "But I know your type. He's best off without you. So I am going to give you a choice, my darling girl. You can come with me, or you can watch Kane die before you join him."

Elizabeth swallowed. He meant every word.

"I'll go with you," she whispered. "But--can I say goodbye? He's unconscious, but I will feel like I--severed the bond between us if I do."

"Touch the pistol and I'll kill him."

It took all the control she had not to flinch. "I understand."

Guy let her go, and she knelt on the grass, taking Kane's outstretched hand. Her lips pressed to his warm skin, as her mind searched for something, anything she could do to stall--

His fingers tightened around hers. She snapped her head up and searched his face; his eyes looked closed, but she saw the glint, telling her he had them slit open, enough to see her. His hand lowered hers until she touched her left hip. To Guy, it would look like she lowered it on her own. She hyped the performance and hunched over his hand with a low sob, her hair blowing around them.

Her fingers brushed a hard, narrow bulge in her pocket.

Mac's knife. She had completely forgotten about it.

She squeezed Kane's hand, to let him know she understood, and eased it back to the ground, hugging her waist to cover her hand as it slipped into her pocket.

Obviously tired of the performance, Guy hauled her up and led her away from Kane, toward the edge of the cliff.

"Touching, Elizabeth. Shame he wasn't awake to witness it."

She faked a stumbled and dropped to one knee, flipping the blade open. She froze when Guy's pistol slipped under her chin.

"Guy--"

"Whatever you are scheming, let it go. You can't stop what is meant to happen. And it will happen, as soon as I finish dealing with you. Now stand up." The pistol followed her as she obeyed, meeting his eyes. He studied her, let out a short laugh. "I told him, didn't I? Felt remorse after the fact, and blathered to my oldest friend. For the life of me, I could not figure out how you knew, exactly, when to show up."

"The portal."

"Oops. They forgot about that, did they?"

"Who, Guy? Is Harper forcing you--"

The pistol dug into her throat.

"Shut up."

His vicious anger shook her, and Elizabeth knew her time had about run out. Bracing herself, she used every ounce of strength she had left and shoved the short blade into his wounded side.

He stumbled back, clutching the hilt.

"You bitch--" He raised his pistol and fired.

Elizabeth twisted away from the laser blast. She screamed when it burned into her right thigh. Her leg gave out and she hit the ground. She pushed herself up and kept sliding away from Guy, knowing she couldn't escape--and caught sight of her pistol, just out of reach.

"Elizabeth." She lifted her head. Guy stood less than a foot away. Blood soaked his trouser leg now, his left hand clutching her knife. His other held the pistol, aimed at her chest. "Move again, and you will die by inches."

She believed every word. That pistol was her only chance.

She did a quick calculation and let herself fall, her left arm stretched out. Another laser blast burned across her forearm.

She threw herself at the pistol and closed her right hand over it. In a move that sent pain through every muscle she swung her arm up and fired.

The pistol jerked at her wrist, like each blast weakened whatever stabilized it. She tightened her grip, her fingers shaking. Guy stared at her, then down at his chest. With a ragged cry he raised his pistol. Elizabeth shot him again, the jolt numbing her wrist.

Guy stumbled backward, and screamed as he fell off the edge of the cliff.

"God..." She let the pistol go. Pain seared her leg as she dragged herself to the edge. She held on with both hands before she peered over the side.

Guy lay on the rocky beach below. From here she could see blood swirling in the water that flowed around him. With a silent prayer, she eased back, and pushed up to her hands and knees. Crawling across the grass toward Kane left her breathless, and gasping with every movement. When she finally reached him, she eased down on her left side, and touched his cheek. He opened his eyes.

"Beth," he whispered.

"How?"

"Mac--" Harsh coughs cut him off. Elizabeth searched for the wound, and found fresh blood on his right shoulder. Damn Guy to Hell.

"Hey," she pulled her jacket off, hissing when it brushed the raw burns, and pressed it against his shoulder. He recoiled, and she followed him, keeping pressure on the wound. "I need you to hold still for me. Breathe, Kane. Slow and easy."

"Skipping to--step three?"

"Yes." She forced a smile. "Just keep breathing for me."

"Bridget--says hello."

"She watched you leave?"

"Without batting an eye. Bloody hell, that hurts." He closed his eyes.

"Kane!" She pushed down on the makeshift bandage. It terrified her that he didn't try to fight her this time. "Stay with me, Kane."

He swallowed. "Here."

"I'm going for help. I need you to keep pressure on the wound." She moved his left hand up, slid it under hers. "Push. Now."

The muscles in his arm corded with the effort. "Go," he whispered. "I'll wait here."

She let out a breathless laugh. "You do that. Kane." He opened his eyes. "Thank you, for coming after me."

"Couldn't--stop myself." His eyes slid closed.

"Kane--"

"Love you, Beth."

His left hand slid off his shoulder.

"No--Kane--" She pushed down on his wound. "Don't you dare, do you hear me? Stay with me, Kane--please stay with me."

She laid her head on his chest, every inch straining to find a heartbeat. Finally, she heard it, past her panicked breathing. Too slow, too faint.

"Kane! Don't you die on me--don't you dare--"

"Elizabeth!" Gryffyth charged over the top of the hill, running full tilt. He skidded to a halt, his face white.

"Gryffyth--"

"Sweet God above." He dropped to his knees beside her, did a cursory exam of them both. "I've help coming. As soon as I heard you scream I sent for them and headed this way."

"You followed me."

"Absolutely. Sorry, beautiful--I didn't trust you, not yet. Hold still for me." He pulled a scarf from around his neck and eased her leg up. Elizabeth almost passed out. He caught her, leaned her against him before he tied off the scarf. "How are you still conscious?"

"Necessity."

A smile flashed across his face, renewed some of the color. "Let me see that arm."

"It's fine--ouch--ow, ow--"

She tried not to whimper when he wrapped a second scarf, this one silk, around her forearm. He moved her hair aside and carefully opened her shirt to get a better look at her shoulder. It burned like crazy. "The lookout saw a body fall from the cliff. I thought it was you, until I got a better look at the body." He glanced down at Kane. "Where did he come from?"

"He's with me."

Gryffyth nodded, and to her relief, didn't ask any more questions. He moved to Kane's other side and did a more thorough examination, with the efficiency of long practice. This young soldier continued to surprise her.

The pounding of feet brought her head up. Half a dozen soldiers ran toward them, two of them carrying a stretcher.

"Let's get you back down the hill." Elizabeth let out a hoarse gasp when Gryffyth picked her up.

"Please--I want to stay with him."

"I'll make certain you do, beautiful, once we get you to hospital. But you're looking after you first. We've talented doctors to take care of him. Am I clear?"

She nodded, relaxed in his arms as he waited for Kane to be transferred to the stretcher. It was over. Whatever happened next, Ramsay was safe, and Guy had been stopped.

She planned to have a long sit-down with Kane about what he said to her, about what Guy told her, before he--

Her mind flinched away from what she'd done. That was another thing she would have to deal with, when she summoned the courage. For now, she was thankful that they had survived, that Kane was here.

She could face down the rest later.

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# Fifteen

Kane spent three hours in the operating room of the local hospital.

Elizabeth spent almost as long with a Dr. Thomas Butler, who didn't say a word as he cleaned and bandaged her shoulder and her forearm. When he started to work on her right thigh, he finally spoke.

"What kind of weapon caused this damage?"

"I don't--I'm not sure I can explain it." Or that I should even tell you.

"Military secret, then."

She let out a quiet sigh. "Something like that."

Clear, intense green eyes studied her for a moment. "I would call you on it, Miss Barritt, were I not a gentleman."

"You wouldn't believe me."

"I would prefer to think I have a more open mind than you credit me with, but if you believe you can't discuss it, I will not mention it again."

"Oh, you are good."

He didn't smile as he gently smeared something cool and absolutely soothing over the burn on her thigh, but amusement filled his eyes. "I like to think so."

This time she blushed. The man was flirting with her, and she didn't quite know how to take it. Men didn't flirt, not before Kane.

She forgot all of it when he started to stitch her leg.

"God--"

"I am sorry, Miss Barritt, but it must be done. I can't be leaving such a gaping hole to the open air. Please hold still for me, or I will have to call someone in to hold you down."

"Okay." She gripped the edges of the bed, and got her first good look at her leg.

Dr. Butler was right; Guy's pistol did leave a gaping hole. Fortunately, it was fairly small, and only took a few stitches to close.

"Good girl, nearly done now." He bandaged her leg, then carefully pulled the edges of her ruined trouser leg together. "I'm afraid you will have to find more suitable clothing until that leg heals. Take a drink of water." He helped her hold the glass. She felt like an invalid; with wounds on both arms, she couldn't manage the glass herself. "Let's settle you to the bed, now." He eased her back, until her head sank into the feather pillow.

"Can you tell me how my friend is doing?"

"Still in surgery would be my guess. It will be all right," he said, his hand warm on her wrist. "Dr. Norton is one of the best. I will have a nurse come round to let you know when you can see him."

"Thank you--and thank you for taking care of me."

"My pleasure, Miss Barritt. Get some rest, now."

He left her, and closed the door behind him. Elizabeth forced herself to relax. There was nothing else to do, not until she could see Kane again, talk to him. She had hidden the transport inside her boot when Gryffyth left her in the room. It was safe for now.

The one Kane used to get to her had fallen apart around his wrist, so she left it in the grass, hoping the fierce wind would scatter the pieces. Once she was able to, she'd find a way to go back, to check for any that were left and gather them up herself.

Her eyes closed without her permission. She started to turn on her right side, her normal position for sleeping--and let out a gasp when her shoulder met the mattress. With a sigh, she shifted to her back, and resigned herself to not getting much sleep. She drifted off before she finished the thought.

~ ~ ~

The pain woke Kane, grinding into his shoulder. Nothing else existed save that.

He took in slow, shallow breaths, and waited for it to ease enough for him to think. Endless minutes later, he felt the warm, soft hand that held his.

Elizabeth.

He gathered the strength to say her name--and memory slammed into him. She knew.

Guy had told her Kane's secret, the one thing he didn't want her to know before he--before they--

"Kane? I know you're awake. Are you in pain?" Her low voice brushed over him. He did not want to see the change in her eyes, now that she knew the truth. Dread threatened to choke him as he realized this unexpected, powerful connection they had was about to fall victim to his title.

"Kane--look at me, please."

It was the pain in her quiet plea that did it. He took in as deep a breath as he dared, and opened his eyes, braced for the cunning and avarice every woman had given him since his guardian left him the title.

Elizabeth met his blurred gaze--and it was just Elizabeth, concern and exhaustion on her face as she studied him.

"Beth--hell--"

"Hush. Take your time." Her grip on his hand tightened.

"All right." He flinched at his rasping whisper, then flinched again when the flinch hurt. It seemed that every muscle was directly connected to his shoulder, and hurt less or more according to proximity. "How long?"

"It's been nearly a week."

"What--" He started to sit; it took only a gentle push for Elizabeth to have him flat on his back again.

"Guy is dead."

Kane looked up at her. She sounded--despondent. A tight smile covered it, but he knew she had to be suffering for what she had done. There were more than a few deaths on his own soul. He would make damn sure she didn't allow this one to burden her more than it needed to--not over Guy. He had created his own fate, and she didn't deserve to suffer such grief for that.

He cleared his throat, tried out his voice. "How are you?"

"A little banged up." She closed her eyes, and tears slipped down her cheeks. With a choked sob she leaned in and pressed her face into his good shoulder. "Oh, Jackson--I thought I'd lost you."

"Hey." He freed his hand and slipped his arm around her waist. God help him, she felt so good, so right. "I'm here, love."

"And you're going to explain exactly how you got here, but not now." She lifted her head. "So--you're a count."

Every inch stiffened. Here it was, hidden under her concern. "Yes."

"Stop clenching your jaw. I don't care."

He stared up at her. "But--"

"I'm a Yank, your grace." She winked at him. "We don't have fancy titles, so it really doesn't matter to me that you can walk into a room and have men bow to you, or that you have bucket loads of money. Unless--do you have a castle?"

With a sigh, he closed his eyes. "I have a castle."

Her lips brushed his cheek, her breath warm as she whispered. "That is so incredibly cool." Laughter burst out of him--immediately followed by a groan. "Oh, Kane--I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, love. Right now, breathing hurts." He opened his eyes, studied her face. She was a miracle to him--a woman who saw him, and not the title, not the wealth, not the prestige that would be hers if she could snare him into marriage. Just him. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Come up here and kiss me."

Smiling, she eased herself to the bed, winced when her right leg moved. "I'm okay." She stopped his protest before he could make it. "I have a few battle wounds of my own, but they're healing. Now, where would you like that kiss, your grace?"

He quite liked the sound of his title, when she said it in that low voice. As long as she didn't curtsy and lick her lips, like he was dinner.

"My lips seem to have survived intact."

A smile curved hers. "Let's find out." She teased him with a sweet, soft, brief kiss. "How was that?"

"Painfully short."

"Hm. Maybe if I did this, it wouldn't hurt." The second kiss was slow, deeper, her tongue tracing the line of his mouth. She broke it off before he could take her in. "Better?"

"I believe," he took in another breath, focused on keeping his voice steady. "I may need a bit more--therapy."

"What the patient wants, the patient gets."

This time she dove in, her tongue sliding over his, slow and seductive, until he couldn't think straight. He pulled her down, and her breasts pressed into his bare chest. His fingers spread across her back; he needed her closer, needed to feel her, all of her. He raised his right arm to keep her here--and stilled when his arm didn't move.

Elizabeth broke off the kiss, searched his face. When she spoke, her voice was soft, and achingly gentle.

"You have nerve damage, Kane. Dr. Norton doesn't know how much, and he won't until the swelling's gone down. There are things we can do--massage, physical therapy. I won't give up on you, and I won't let you give up on yourself."

"Will I--" He swallowed, then faced the truth as he looked into her eyes. "Will the wound cripple me?"

"Not if I can help it." She sounded so fierce he couldn't help but laugh. It strangled to a moan when the movement jarred his shoulder. "Kane--"

"All right--I think. No," he tightened his arm when she started to pull away. "Stay."

She obliged, stretching out on her left side. Kane understood why when he saw the bulge of a bandage on her right thigh, under the nightgown. Her head settled on his shoulder, and he started to move his right hand to run it through her silky hair. The angry flare in his shoulder reminded him that he couldn't use his arm.

Not now. Maybe not ever, despite Elizabeth's militant optimism.

As she fell asleep beside him, he made some decisions, each more painful than the last.

~ ~ ~

Once Kane could be moved, Admiral Ramsay extended Elizabeth an invitation to stay at Dover Castle. As thanks, his note said, for risking her life to protect him.

They settled in the small officer's house on the castle grounds, near the keep. They also slept in separate bedrooms while Kane slowly regained his strength. It was his idea--and he had been methodically putting distance between them ever since.

When she tried to talk to him, he walked away, or stared over her shoulder until she finished, then walked away. And if he called her Elizabeth in that infuriating tone one more time she swore she would punch him.

To add to her misery, the transport that brought her here unlocked after Guy's was destroyed in the fall. Kane could send her home at any time. She dreaded the possibility of it.

After two weeks of enduring his behavior, it was easier to leave than have another one-sided argument. So she did, wandering the castle grounds with the cane Dr. Butler gave her. She became a regular fixture, and the word must have spread about her, because the soldiers treated her with something resembling awe. All of them except Gryffyth.

Thankfully, he teased her, talked to her, and walked with her nearly every day, when he had time. She watched their side of the Dunkirk evacuation from the cliff top, the words and accounts she'd read in so many books coming to life before her eyes.

Gryffyth joined her, the final day of the evacuation, as ships of all sizes limped in the harbour.

"It has been a miracle," he said, his voice quiet. "Hundreds of thousands of men. We only expected to save a few thousand, but--"

"Luck was on your side."

He glanced down at her. "You knew, didn't you? This was why you risked so much to save the Admiral. To save them."

"I can't take the credit for--"

"Elizabeth." He laid his hand on her left shoulder. "Thank you."

"Gryffyth--" He pulled her into a hug, careful of her injuries. "I couldn't have done anything else."

"Someone else would have walked away."

"Not with so much at stake--"

"I may be young, but I do know this: people can be horribly selfish. Especially when it is their own life on the line. You deserve every accolade, beautiful."

She closed her eyes, and held on, tears threatening. Again. These last few days, she had felt helpless as she watched Kane struggle with his new reality, as he rudely refused every attempt to assist him. She kept expecting him to finish it, to put her aside, like everyone in her life. He had the means to send her home now, and why should he be any different? He saw what she was--

She turned away from that, from the thought of how it felt to pull the trigger, to kill without any remorse--

"Elizabeth." Gryffyth's quiet voice yanked her back.

"Sorry." She smiled up at him, aware that she didn't fool him for a second. "Thank you."

"Any time."

He let her go, helped her down the steep path. Her leg still wasn't up to taking it alone, even with the support of the cane. They parted at the entry to the tunnels, and Gryffyth promised to bring by a pot of soup from the mess once he was off duty.

Elizabeth made her way back to the small cottage, the come and go wind tugging at her calf length dress. She let herself in, and turned to find Kane in the doorway of his room. The look on his face had her heart racing. The moment she dreaded, waited for, had finally come.

"It is time we talked." He sounded so stiff, so formal, like they were barely acquaintances.

Well, he was about to get a wake-up call. Elizabeth had done some thinking of her own during the long hours alone, and made some decisions. Painful decisions.

His right arm was cradled in a sling she had made from a silk scarf. It breathed better than the heavy thing the hospital gave him. She noticed he'd dressed himself, wearing one of the oversized shirts he could pull over his head.

Once word got out about them, people had been so generous, with their offers of clothing, and other small necessities they could hardly afford for themselves. The outpouring of care left Elizabeth in tears more times than she could count.

Kane brought her back to the present when he moved into the small living area and lowered himself to the arm chair. She set the cane in an umbrella stand next to the door, limped over to the sofa, and eased herself down. When she looked up, Kane had his gaze on her, pain in the grey eyes.

"I am sending you home."

"No."

Shock widened his eyes. "Beth--I've thought long and hard about this. With my--current condition, I am better off staying in one place. I can be useful here, live a quiet life, and do my best not to--"

"I call bullshit." While he sputtered, she pushed off the sofa and limped over to him, so angry her hands shook when she braced them on the arms of the chair and got in his face. "You're giving up, and using me as an excuse."

"I am not--"

"You can give up, Jackson Kane, but don't you dare step on that self-sacrificing pedestal and convince yourself that you're doing it for me. I won't stand for it--do you hear me? You deserve better--damn it--"

She pushed off the chair and spun away from him as tears burned her eyes, threatened to spring free and turn her into a sobbing mess. The wall stopped her retreat, and she braced her hands against the cool plaster, fought to control the emotions that demanded release.

"I'm sorry, love." His warm breath brushed her ear, and the simple words unleashed tears she'd been holding in since she killed Guy. "Let it go, Beth. I am sorry I left you alone to deal with it. Just let it all go."

With a choked sob, she pressed her face into her hands and started to cry. She had no strength left to fight Kane as he turned her around and pulled her in. Both hands clutched his shirt, soaking it as she cried herself into exhaustion. When she finally ran out of tears, she leaned back, and fumbled in her sweater pocket for a handkerchief she had gotten in the habit of keeping there. Just in case. She blew her nose, used a clean corner to wipe her face.

"Sorry." She cleared her throat, and with a sigh, eased away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"To clean myself up. I probably look like a drowned rat, and I soaked your shirt. You need to change--"

"I need you, Beth."

She froze. His hand cupped her chin, applied pressure until she met his eyes.

"I figured it was the opposite, with the way you've been treating me."

He swallowed, let go of her. "I needed time to--"

"What? Decide if you wanted to get involved with a broken woman? A woman who could kill without even blinking--"

"Stop." He caught her wrist, furious. "You will not talk about yourself like that again, am I understood?"

"I figured--" Shock had her stumbling over her words. "I thought you felt the same, and were going to let me down easy once you healed enough to leave."

He slid his hand up her arm, and kept going until he cradled her cheek. "We are too much alike, my sweet Beth. I wanted to do the leaving, before you quit me."

"Why would I--" He stepped back, touched the sling. "You thought I'd leave because you're injured?"

"There is every reason to believe I will be--crippled." He spit out the last word. "I will not tie anyone to--"

"Well, isn't that extra self-sacrificing of you. Asking me would have been too easy?"

"I--it was cowardly of me, but I did not want to hear your rejection outright."

She pushed off the wall and moved to him. He retreated; she paced him, until he trapped himself against the opposite wall. Right where she wanted him.

"Do you remember what you said to me? The day I--when you were out on the cliff."

"I remember."

"I took those words as a commitment."

His eyes widened. "That was before--"

"I love you, Kane."

He stared at the floor. Silence stretched between them, until Elizabeth wanted to scream to break it. She forced herself to wait, to let him speak first.

"Beth--"

"If you're going to say thanks, but no thanks, save it. Your complete lack of a response tells me exactly what I need to know." And, oh, it hurt, like a knife slowly twisting in her heart. But she was better off learning the truth now, rather than after she was in too deep.

Who was she kidding? She had passed that point a long time ago.

Her throat too tight to say anything else, she turned around and limped to her room. To pack, and figure out where she could go from here--

"I've never spoken those words to a woman." Kane's low voice halted her. "I didn't trust the words, or the women. Until now. Until you."

"Kane--"

"Turn around, Beth." She did, her heart pounding so hard she pressed her hand against her chest. He looked so serious, so alone, standing in the middle of the small living room. "If you'll have me, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you."

She launched herself at him. He caught her around the waist, his left arm strong as he held her, his lips gentle as he kissed her, with a warmth and tenderness he'd never shown. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the familiar heat.

He broke off the kiss, met her eyes. "Is this a yes, my stubborn, beautiful love?"

"One question--does the castle come with that?"

His shout of laughter had her smiling, and happier than she could ever remember. "Stop torturing me, Beth."

"You earned your share over the last month. Yes." She brushed her lips over his. "A resounding, absolute yes."

"Thank God."

"What about the whole 'I can live a quiet life here' speech?"

A self-conscious smile crossed his face. "I thought if I said it aloud, I could convince myself it was what I wanted."

"And?" She raised her eyebrows.

"It didn't work."

"Next time you want to push me out in the cold, don't."

"Yes, my lady."

He kissed her again, and she gasped when he moved, taking her with him. Her knees hit the soft, worn cushion of the sofa as he sat, sliding her forward until she straddled him. He pulled her in tight, and she felt every inch of him, even through the layers of fabric.

"Kane--" It has been so long, and she wanted him. Her body ached with the need. But he was still healing, and she didn't want to set him back, just to relieve an itch. "Oh, God, I want you--but I don't want to hurt you."

"Not touching you hurt me, Beth, more than I ever expected."

"I wish I was sorry for that." Leaning in, she whispered against his ear. "But I'm not."

With a growl, he turned his head, capturing her lips in a kiss that left her gasping for breath.

"I deserve nothing less." He sounded a little out of breath himself. "But I would like to make up for it. Starting now."

Elizabeth pulled back. "I did mean it. I don't want to hurt you."

"I am willing to risk it. Can you--help me with my arm."

He refused to look at her while she untied the sling, eased his right arm down to his side. His fingers flexed against the sofa, but he couldn't close them in a fist. She touched his hand.

"Let it rest. You're already stronger than you were a month ago."

"I'll not be able to protect you--"

"You have another arm, Kane. Learn to use it." He stared at her. "What?"

"You do know how to cut straight to the heart of the matter."

When she would have blushed before she met him, now she smiled. "I've always been practical."

His laughter warmed her. "Oh, my sweet Beth. How did I ever think I could leave you?" He slid his left hand up her back. "I only have the one hand available. I may need your help."

"Just let me know how I can be of service, good sir."

"Oh, the replies I could make to that comment." She did blush this time. A smile tugged at his mouth. "We will move slowly, just in case."

She sighed. "So you'll just make me suffer instead."

"I like to think of it as foreplay."

He muffled her laugh with his mouth, teased her with his lips, his tongue, moving in the slow rhythm he promised. The tenderness he only hinted at before overwhelmed her now as he took her under, gently, the heat between them warm instead of scorching.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath, leaned her forehead against his. "I want you, Jackson."

"You have me, Elizabeth. Now and always."

He caught her lips again, and with a low moan she wrapped herself around him, relearning the lines of his body, the lean, hard muscle that flexed under her hands. She slid those hands over his stomach, up his chest, her breathing as shallow and ragged as his.

"I need," he whispered against her lips.

"Tell me, Kane."

"I need you to," he interrupted himself, kissing her long and slow, the warmth spiraling to heat. "Help me unbutton these bloody trousers." Laughter burst out of her. "What I wouldn't give for a zipper. Every single pair loaned to me has this damn button fly."

"It will be my pleasure."

They both watched her release each button, Kane's stomach muscles quivering against her knuckles. She freed him, pausing long enough to hike her dress up and shift the wet cotton of her panties to one side before she slid forward to ease him inside her.

This time she wanted slow, wanted to spin out the way he made her feel--needed, loved, protected. After all they'd been through, they finally belonged to each other.

"Beth." Kane cradled her cheek, his fingers shaking. She loved him for that control, for knowing that she needed gentle right now. "I love you."

"I love you back, Jackson Kane."

She kissed him, and started moving, setting the pace. Heat shimmered between them. His hand clutched the back of her dress, and he gasped as he broke off the kiss, pressed his face against her throat. She felt him shudder, his breath hot on her skin.

"Beth--God--"

"I'm here," she whispered. His arm captured her waist, and she started to move faster, her need coiling tighter and tighter.

She let out a raw cry and arched into him as she started to lose control. Kane groaned, and drove himself up, the feel of him so deep inside her pushing her higher. She held on to him, her anchor, her knight, her love.

He kissed her, hard, fast, desperate, and his final thrust sent her over the edge.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth dragged her head to one side, so she could suck air instead of Kane's damp cotton shirt. He fought for breath, and she smiled, well aware she was the cause. It made her feel powerful. She planned to gloat out loud--as soon as she could feel her body again.

"Beth?"

"Here."

"Thank--God." His hand inched up, under her loose dress, his fingers sliding over her sweat slick skin. "Thought I might have--done you in."

"Close." She found the strength to lift her head, and met Kane's dark, exhausted eyes. Her heart jumped. "Are you--"

"Fine, love." He brushed her lips, leaned his head back against the sofa, and let out a sigh. She used his chest to push herself up, and he groaned.

"Kane--" He twitched inside her. "Oh... oh." Her eyes widened. He was already getting hard again, filling her. "How--"

"No woman has ever flipped my switch as easily as you do. Let me--"

"No." She clamped herself around him. "Stay."

"Beth." He spread his hand over her back. "I haven't the strength for another--"

"I know. I just want--I want to feel you inside me, just a little longer."

"Oh, love." Kane kissed her, his hand rubbing her back, soothing and so tender tears stung her eyes. His hand slid down, over her right hip, stopped at the raw scar on her thigh. "I am so sorry you suffered because of me."

"This had nothing to do with you." She leaned her forehead against his. "If it was the price I needed to pay to save Ramsay, to save you, I'd pay it again, without hesitating."

"I love you, Elizabeth Barritt." She let out a shaky breath, cradled his face. "It would be my honor if you joined me while I find a way to get us home."

"I will, on one condition."

He leaned back, obviously startled. "What would that be?"

A smile curved her lips. "Once we get back, I want to see your castle."

His laughter rumbled through her chest, and he moved inside her. She let out a choked gasp.

"I was wrong. I believe I may have the strength to try this again."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Would you like that fast, or slow?"

His lips captured hers in a kiss as he showed her.

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# Sixteen

Mac showed Dr. Kinimoto the memo he found.

After reading it, she tore it into tiny pieces and burned them in a small bowl on her desk.

"Who else saw this?"

"Me. Just me, Doc." He refused to drag Carrie into this mess; he was still unsure of Colette, so he kept her at a distance. "You're not surprised."

"Glendon Harper came to me months ago, wanting full access to the portal. I told him no. He got pissed. A word of advice," she pulled off her glasses, rubbed her eyes. "Never piss off MI-6. The fact that he didn't do anything about it worried me, made me wonder if he was acting without consent. It seems I was right."

"What are we going to do?"

She moved around her desk and sat in the chair. "Nothing."

"Nothing? What the hell, Doc--you can't just--"

Her raised hand cut him off. He thought she was dismissing him--until he saw her finger pointing, just for a second, at the desk lamp.

"Nothing, Mr. Macaffrey. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." He watched her scribble on a pad of paper. She held it up. Meet--utility closet in the lab. No bugs. How she knew there were bugs at all was number one on the list of questions. "Am I dismissed, Doctor?"

"Please."

He stomped out, slamming the door for effect--then sprinted to his quarters. He planned to record everything she said, so he could use it to hang Harper with his lying, forked tongue.

He dashed around the corner leading to his quarters--and skidded to a halt.

Colette stood in the hallway, her pistol out, aimed at him.

"Damn it--don't do it, Colette."

"I am so sorry, Mac. I really am."

He lunged sideways as she fired. The blast caught him in the right side, and he went down, fighting to breathe.

"Hold still."

He turned his head, found her standing over him. "Colette--"

She pushed the charge up button. "I promise, it will be painless. Just hold still."

Tears filled her eyes as she aimed the pistol.

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# Seventeen

It took another month of healing and physical therapy before Kane was ready to leave. His right arm still hurt him, as much as he denied it, and Elizabeth saw how quickly he tired if he used it. She would make sure he kept up his physical therapy, whenever they were able. With any luck, they would tumble out of the portal and back in his time.

Elizabeth arranged a party their last night, to thank everyone who offered so generously when they could hardly afford to cover their own needs.

The party spilled out of the small cottage and to the wide courtyard, a double celebration. The Battle of Britain, fought practically over their heads, was headed for a decisive victory against Germany. A victory she already knew would happen.

The late summer evening was mild, the wind soft, and Elizabeth knew she would miss every single person here. Gryffyth joined her as she stood at the edge of the courtyard.

"You should be enjoying your own party."

"I am. I'm just going to miss all of you."

He leaned down, kissed her temple. "That is mutual, beautiful." Then he surprised her by closing both hands over her shoulders. "Tell me this--will you be safe?"

"Yes. As safe as anyone can be. Thank you, for worrying about me." A flush stained his cheeks, reminded her how young he was, for all his bravado.

"If you need anything, you know where to find me."

With a final squeeze of her shoulders, he left to join the other revelers. Elizabeth watched him laugh and flirt with one of the local girls, and her heart broke all over again, for everything she'd miss.

By the time the last people left, she was exhausted from keeping up a happy façade.

Kane wrapped his left arm around her waist, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Tell me what is hurting you, Beth."

"How do you do this? Get caught up with them, knowing you'll never see them again? Never know how their lives turned out?"

"Before now, I never spent enough time in one place to talk to anyone, much less form attachments." He let out a sigh. "My job was to keep our agents from affecting the past. Now I am doing that, and worse."

"What we did was put history back on track." She brushed his cheek. "I am sorry about Guy."

He looked surprised. "I know it was self-defense, Beth. I have never blamed you, not for the choice he forced you to make. What I would like to know is how Harper persuaded him."

"He strikes me as oily enough to resort to blackmail."

Kane laughed. "You pegged him from the off." His humor faded as he studied her. "And he is the reason I need to find a way home. Before I find yours, I'm afraid."

Her heart skipped. "I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."

"Beth--"

"Argument over. You're stuck with me, so get used to it."

She let out a gasp as he hauled her against his chest and kissed her until she couldn't think.

When he finally freed her, she held on to him to keep from falling over.

"Wow," she whispered.

"I promise you, Beth, I will find a way to get us back to my time."

"I--"

He kissed her silent. This time they had to pause to catch their breath.

"You touch me, love. No other woman has ever found their way to my heart." He tilted her chin until their eyes met. "I want you to be quite sure before you make a commitment. I am not an easy man."

"Two months in the same house with you told me that."

His smile warmed her all the way to her toes. "I do like you, Elizabeth Barritt. Another first for me."

"I like being your first." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "And I like you, Jackson Kane."

His arm tightened, kept her there. "Kiss me again."

"Okay." She did, startled by the intensity in his eyes. "What?"

"You really don't see them, do you?" There was wonder, and more than a little surprise in his quiet voice.

"See what?"

"Exactly."

He kissed her, his lips gentle as he drew out the kiss, her head spinning from the power of it. She slid her hands up, cradled his face, and understood what he meant when her fingers brushed the scars on his right cheek. Then he deepened the kiss and it was all she could do to breathe.

The wind picked up, and she gasped against his lips as it sliced through her thin sweater. Kane eased back, and smiled at what she knew was a look of stupid bliss on her face.

She laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was the last thing she heard every night, as she drifted off. She wanted to do that every night for the rest of their lives. However long that turned out to be.

"Beth." She closed her eyes, loving the sound of his deep voice. "I am afraid this next journey may be--"

"Fatal?" She lifted her head, met his surprised gaze. "I know we're taking a chance."

"Why did you wait to say anything?"

"I didn't want you to worry about me."

"I will, so get used to it." He brushed her lips one last time. "Let's get inside. We'll need to dress warm."

They crossed the yard and entered the cottage, turning off lights, like they normally did, leaving a small lamp on in the larger bedroom. Elizabeth had packed earlier, filling two backpacks with what she and Kane thought they would need.

Once she changed into the loose black trousers and light, but warm wool sweater, she helped Kane with his heavy sweater. He still had trouble lifting his right arm. She gathered up the backpacks while he strapped the transport to his wrist. A flash of blue caught her eye, and she unzipped the outer pocket of her backpack. Her heart skipped when she saw the notebook she left behind in his time. The edges were scorched, but other than that, it was intact.

"Kane?" She held it up, watched as he turned around, and froze, guilt written all over his face. "You looked, didn't you?"

"Mac sent it with my transport. He thought you might want it back. Yes, Beth, I saw just how incredibly talented you are."

Heat spread across her face. "I'm not--I just sketch, to capture what I see in the world."

"I seemed to be one of those things you saw."

She stared down at the notebook. "You have a striking face. I couldn't--help myself. My mind refused to let me sketch anything else. I thought I'd get you out of my system by putting you on paper."

"Did it work?" Damn him, he sounded amused.

"No--and you know it."

She felt him move next to her, his body heat, the clean woodsy scent of him, like a drug.

"I am thrilled it did not." One finger tipped her chin up, and his lips caught hers before she could take in a breath. "Life before you was much less interesting." He let her go, checked the knife on his belt, a gift from Gryffyth, and picked up the backpack. "Ready?"

Elizabeth nodded and tucked the notebook in the main part of her backpack, where it would be safe, before she swung the strap over her left shoulder. Her right was still tender, the burns from Guy's pistol flaring at odd times. She didn't need one of them to be now.

Kane turned off the lamp, waited for them to adjust to the dark, and led her out the back door. They decided to leave in the back garden, with the high outer wall of the castle there to block any prying eyes.

He stopped in the cleared center of the garden, touched the small screen. It glowed, picking out his aristocratic profile. The profile that took her breath away the first time she saw it.

"Kane?"

"What is it, love?" He lifted his head, his eyes glinting in the dark. "No last minute change of heart, I hope?"

"No--just a question. Okay, two questions. How did you know that I would be able to change what Guy did? That there was only so much time before it became irreversible?"

"We did a--test."

"What?" Shock had her stepping away from him. "You changed history?"

"The portal is a technology we don't always understand--a technology so far beyond us, everything we do is barely one step above an experiment. It is the reason there are so many protocols in place. Beth," he ran one hand through his hair. "The test was necessary, for the exact scenario we just lived through. The historians chose a small thing, that would not affect the future in a dramatic way if it didn't happen."

"What was it?"

"A Victorian artist who did not become famous. Have you heard of John William Waterhouse?"

Her mind drew a blank, and she knew her artists. "No." She moved in, and took his arm, leaving his hand free. "And if I ever run across this Waterhouse, I'm going to change history back."

He kissed her temple. "There's my spitfire." His fingers punched in the date, and Elizabeth watched it appear on the screen. His time, the day they left. "This is the goal, but there are no guarantees. Are you certain you still want to do this?"

"Absolutely."

He smiled down at her. "A kiss for luck?"

She didn't have time to say yes or no before his lips covered hers. He spun the kiss out, pulling her close, his heart pounding under her hands. By the time he let her go, she couldn't see straight.

"Hold tight, love. This is going to be a bumpy ride." Elizabeth wrapped both hands around his arm, took a deep breath. "Ready?"

She nodded, and he pushed the button.

~***~

Thank you for joining Elizabeth and Kane on their first adventure!

Want to be the first to know when the next book is released? Then join my list here: <http://catedeanwrites.com/join-my-list>.

Reviews mean so much - and help other readers find books. If you enjoyed Final Hours, please take a minute and leave a review, even if it's a short one.

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Find all my books here: <http://catedeanwrites.com/my-catalog>

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And now - a teaser, just for you. Turn the page for a sneak peek of First Breath.

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# Excerpt from First Breath

The portal threw Kane and Elizabeth into the cold night air--and straight at a wall.

This time he couldn't put himself between her and danger. They both slammed into the wall, and tumbled to damp grass.

"Beth--" Kane rolled over, flinching at the movement. Elizabeth was on his right, visible against the lighter stone, and hunched over like she was in pain. "Talk to me, Beth."

"Ouch," she whispered. One hand pressed against her left temple. "It doesn't get any easier."

His shoulder agreed; it ached like the devil. Hell, his entire right side was stiff, and useless. That hardly surprised him. What did surprise was the absence of nausea he usually experienced when he traveled with an injury.

He pushed up to his knees. "Give me your hand, love."

She started to straighten, and halted with low moan. "I think my head hit harder than I first thought."

Kane shot to his feet, ignoring his own pain. He knelt beside her, used his stronger left arm to help her sit. When she lifted her head, her waist length blonde hair slid away from her face--and revealed blood. Too much blood.

"Stay still, now." He settled her against his chest, carefully tilted her chin, and used the moonlight to illuminate her face. Blood streaked her left cheek, from a gash just below her hairline. "Hell." His right hand fumbled for the handkerchief in his pocket. Even now, after more than two months of physiotherapy, he had little strength, and less control. Finally, he grasped it, transferred it to his left hand. "You've got a right nasty gash, love. I am sorry--this is going to sting."

He touched the wound and she recoiled. "God--"

"I'm sorry. Please--I need you to keep still."

"Okay." She closed her eyes when he dabbed at the blood. "God, that hurts--ow--" Her voice spiraled up as she jerked away. "No more--it feels like you're drilling into my head." She touched her forehead. "Damn."

"We need to get you out of this cold." Kane looked around. Aside from the wall stretching above them, the moonlight revealed nothing but hills, field and trees. "Arm around my shoulders, now."

"No--your shoulder--"

"Is strong enough." The lie came out smoothly. Maybe because he had been telling it to himself since he was injured.

"I can walk. Just help me stand." She laid her hand on his right arm, and froze. "Oh." Her fingers dug in as she stared out at the landscape.

Kane ignored the twinge. "You know where we are."

She swallowed, turned her head. "I've never been here, but I've seen hundreds of photos. That hill, the curve of the wall, they are distinctive. I want to be wrong," she whispered. "But I think we're on Hadrian's Wall." Her fingers brushed the pale stone. "The wrong side of Hadrian's Wall."

~***~

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# Final Hours

Love in Time Book One

Cate Dean

Copyright, 2014

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are either pure invention or used fictitiously, and all incidents come from the author's imagination alone.

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Cover design by Jes Richardson.

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# Author's Note

Like all my books, this one is a collaboration with people who make me look better, and I just love hanging out with them. This is my chance to thank them for all their hard work. To my critique partner and first reader, Theresa - thank you for scraping all the bad out of my draft. To my beta readers Ann and Colette - thank you for your enthusiasm, and your quick turnaround. Your reaction made me want to write a better story. To Janet, at Dragonfly Editing - thank you for polishing my story, until it shines. And thank you, Jes, for the most beautiful cover ever. I am proud to have it speak for my book.

And a final thank you to my contest winners, Carrie, Chelssie, and Colette - thank you for letting me invade your lives a bit, so I could bring your characters to life.

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# About the Author

Hi there - thanks for checking in. My name is Cate Dean, and I write romantic suspense and paranormal, with some action packed YA paranormal and fantasy thrown in.

I am a huge history buff, and with my English/Irish heritage, I have always gravitated to English history. That love has taken me across the pond on a regular basis for the last 15 years. Now I get to combine the thrill of being in a country I love with my research addiction. :)

The Love in Time series is the culmination of those trips - and my love for romantic suspense. I hope you enjoy following Elizabeth and Kane on their adventures - I have a blast writing their story, and watching them grow and change.

I hope you enjoy following them through time.

# Don't miss out!

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Connecting independent readers to independent writers.
Did you love _Final Hours_? Then you should read _First Breath_ by Cate Dean!

***The second installment of the exciting time travel romance series***

 **Trapped in the ancient past, Kane and Elizabeth must find a killer - before one of them becomes a victim.**

Jackson Kane and Elizabeth Barrritt head for home - and land at the edge of Roman Britain, on Hadrian's Wall. The wrong side of Hadrian's Wall.

After Kane is accused of murder just minutes into their painful arrival, Elizabeth does everything she can to free him. When the body count rises, the investigation takes a dark turn, and she becomes desperate to prove him innocent.

She has to find the real killer - or risk losing Kane forever.

 *****For readers 18 and older.*****

 ***Includes a preview of _Second Chances_ , Book Three of the Love in Time series.

Love in Time:  
Book One - _Final Hours_  
Book Two - _First Breath_  
Book 2.5 - _Loving Kane_  
Book Three - _Second Chances_  
Book 3.5 - _Three For Christmas_**

Read more at Cate Dean's site.
