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"I know that look," he said warningly, "and you can just forget it"

…should she knock hiht be the only way to protect hi up "Touch hed "Never mind" Once he woke up, he would never re idiot would probably take to the streets, looking for her He’d never find her unless she wanted to be found, but he’d get hied and knifed and any other manner of assault on his person while he blundered about, looking for her…

Kara, checking the next hallway, suddenly realized what she had been thinking Not that Jared would leaveexcitement, but that he would look for me! Is that a true perception of his character--of his love? Or ay froood in bed…

Further pondering was interrupted by the click-click of high heels on tile Behind her, Jared halted obediently, hefting the pail in readiness She shook her head at him She knew that walk And it answered the question…

"Hey!"

…what had happened to Krystal during the fight?

"What’re you guys doing here?" Krystal, who had rounded the corner, was now staring at the two of them Her face was bloodless, scared and she had obviously been crying, but Kara couldn’t su frolanced at her and raised an eyebrow at the tone he had never heard fros didn’t work out exactly as you planned"

"I didn’t--I--he made me!"

"Does he ht!" Jared said cheerfully

"I wondered what happened to you," Kara continued "You ran, didn’t you? Ran as soon as it looked like things weren’t going Carlotti’s way Not only did you align yourself with unregenerate scu to find hi not unlike a Great White shark Crocodile tears shone like cubic zirconius for a yell that would, no doubt, bring the bad guys crashing down on therabbed her around the shoulders with one hand and clapped the other over her mouth

"I wouldn’t," Kara warned, before…

"Ouch, daot a bite like a hyena Nohat?" he complained, just before his breath whooshed out as Krystal siht her spike heel down on his instep

"Well, hit her back," Kara said i hadn’t been overheard She was annoyed at Jared’s interference; this was taking too long andher with us and we can’t leave her here"

"I can’t!"

"What, can’t? You’re a doctor, you probably know all sorts of dirty tricks"

"But…" Jared trailed off as he tried to hold the wildly flailing Krystal, whose wrathfullouder, like the huirl!"

"Oh for God’s sake," Kara said, honestly irritated, but she had to fight a smile He really was adorable

And Krystal, she was sure, was never a girl The woed a wildly flailing elbow and tightened his grip enough toto let you go, but you have to pro and nodded, her eyes slits of rage; Jared let go of her Krystal’s hand shot toward her purse, but before she could finish working the clasp, Kara pivoted on her right leg, swung around and clipped Krystal on the chin with her left foot Hard

Krystal dropped like a bag of dirt Her purse hit the floor, the clasp popped open and a butterfly knife slid out, all steel and lethal edges

Jared looked at the unconscious woed and she could swear he was seemed embarrassed "Sorry I just couldn’t do it"

"I know ‘But…but…she’s a girl!’" Kara shook her head and tried not to laugh "Leave her here She can’t screw us over if she’s down for the count"

"Look at this," he co out his hand Krystal had broken the skin with her bite "It’ll have to be disinfected"

"And you ht want to just cut the whole thing off, play it safe"

"Har, har," he said sourly "You realize, e’reyour idea of a social life"

She said nothing Married? Impossible

"Niiiiiice spin kick, by the way," he continued, unaware--or pretending to be--of her sudden disco until it was done"

"Thanks That’s the idea"