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Daren nodded, "i'll start looking for places right away, we'll be moved before the end of the week." he pulled out his cell phone and called Iroh. thankfully the man was still at the station, he'd been too worn out to drive home so he'd been sleeping on the couch in his office. he was going to send a couple of officers over to check things out. "hopefully we'll catch the guy so we don't have to worry about moving." he took a small bite, but really wasn't hungry. it was then that he noticed his office door was open. "s**t-" he stood up and hurried in, but there wasn't anything missing. he did, however, find another note, it had been left on Nevina's photo.


he closed his eyes and carefully walked out, not touching anything. "b*****d got into their too. damn!" he sat down hard at the table and rubbed his eyes, "sick son of a b***h, he's definitely coming after me."

Daren smiled darkly, "i can think of more than a few names, but they are all in prison...except." he sat back, his eyes wide, "the man that was the leader of the child slavery ring. he got away-" he frowned and crossed his arms, trying to think, "there is no way he could have come here. he fled the country, i would have caught him otherwise..." he sighed, his hand running through his hair, "and he's one the most wanted list, he shouldn't have been able to slip back in. it's too soon..." he looked around the room, still thinking, when his eyes stopped. "the picture-" he stood and walked to where the picture of his mother had stood since he received the present. the picture was gone from the frame. in it's place, another note.



"no." Daren's legs gave out and he sat down, hard. "no. he-how?" the picture of his mother had been torn and thrown to the ground, only shreds left, "it's not possible."

Daren dropped his head to his hands, "the picture doesn't matter. he gave it to me for this reason. oh gods-" he groaned and pulled his knees up to his chest, curling up as must as he could as he hide his face against his thighs, "i can't-he'll kill everyone! he'll...he'll..." Daren started to hyperventilate, he just couldn't breathe! a knock on the door broke him out of it and Daren lifted his head, "that will be the officers. Tim, will you answer? i can't-my legs aren't working right now."

Iroh was waiting with two of their forensics team, he had been examining the key hole when Tim opened the door. "hey. sorry about all this, we'll take care of things immediately." he stepped in and his officers went straight to work. "We'll find out who did this, i promise."

"No need," Daren said softly from the living room.

Iroh saw the crumpled man and hurried to his side, "Daren? what do you mean?"

Daren looked up, "it's my father. he's the one doing this."

Iroh's back straightened and he was silent for a long moment before letting out a soft sigh, "he found you quicker than i thought-"

Daren's head snapped up, "what do you mean?" his eyes narrowed, his voice was icy cold. "tell me what you mean."

Iroh rubbed the back of his head, "he escaped from prison not too long ago. i was trying to keep it from you. we traced him back to your home town, but lost him after that. I-" he looked away, "i didn't want to tell you because i knew how much it would effect you."

Daren shot to his feet, "are you ******** kidding me? he screamed, causing the officers to stop and stare, Daren never raised his voice. "You put us both in danger because you 'knew how much it would affect me' to know he was loose? that man is a manic! he broke into my house, Iroh! We're just lucky he likes mind games or Tim would be dead! All because you didn't want to tell me!"

Iroh snarled, "we had officers watching the place, i took every precaution to keep you safe."

"Except tell me the truth!" that cut Iroh down, Daren could see it in the man's eyes, "fat lot of good your precautions did." he added, rubbing salt into the wound.

Iroh turned to Tim, "i am so sorry. i thought you were safe-i would have never knowingly put you in danger."

Iroh talking to him reminded Daren that Tim was there. biggrin amn it-" he growled, turning away, knowing he'd scared Tim. "We need to move, Iroh. if he got in once, he can get in again."

Iroh nodded, "agreed, you can come and stay with me or we can get you a hotel room for a while, until we find him. we'll make this right, Daren, I'll make this right."

Daren moved past him, "you had better," he warned softly as he walked into the kitchen. "Tim, i'm sorry. i didn't mean to frighten you. Iroh says we should stay with him or at a hotel for the next little while, at least until we catch him. which would you rather? or you could stay with Madison? i'm sure he wouldn't mind and you should be safe since Father's going after me."

Daren sighed, "yes and you need to be in an eviornment where you aren't afraid 24/7. even now, you're terrified of me, i can see it in your eyes. Having to deal with me added onto the threat of my Father, that's just too much for you. we'll get you a seperate room at a different hotel, if you don't think it would work with Madison, but i still think he would be your best bet in this. he would be able to help you stay calm, at least, instead of scaring you all the time."

Daren nodded. it made sense, as much as he hated to admit it. "fine, we'll figure it out, ok?" he smiled and carefully put his hand on Tim's shoulder, giving it a tiny squeeze before moving to the kitchen doorway to watch as the police worked through the house, taking what evidence they could find. "you don't need to worry too much about me, Tim." he finally said softly, his eyes distant, "i'm not the scared little boy i used to be." his back was tight as he spoke, the muscles standing out against the shirt he'd put on after showering at work. "he can't hurt me anymore," but he was more telling himself than telling Tim. "i won't let him hurt you either."