Misty settled in easily enough. The regular meals over the last two weeks had helped put some meat back on her bones and she was finally able to produce more than enough milk for Autumn. She loved working at the diner with Jenny and Bart, who treated her like a daughter. Her bruises had faded to a sickly green and yellow and were far less tender. She was just happy to finally be able open her eyes all of the way.

#

Misty practically floated from table to busy table. She loved working with people and striking up friendships with these small town people. She loved being able to work and still care for her daughter. She felt at ease with nearly everyone in this town. Colten was a wonderful friend, he called her every other night to see if she needed anything. And his father Tom was an absolute sweetheart.

She heard the bell chime over the door. She glanced over her shoulder- seeing Colten as he sauntered over to a booth. After she delivered some food orders, she walked over to Colten's table without looking up from her note pad.

She jumped when she looked up and saw a dark brooding man sitting across from Colten. He was absolutely huge! She guessed he could be a handsome man with his nearly black messy hair and eyes to match. His skin was tanned from long hours outside. He had sharp facial features, a nose that was slightly crooked and stubble shadowed his hard jaw. But the scowl on his face made her want to run the other direction just as fast as she could. Misty took a tentative step back. "What can I get for you?" Her voice shook with the fear she tried to tamp down.

"Misty, this is my deputy Jackson Silverman. He's a big time rancher in these parts-" Autumn started bawling in the back corner.

"I'm sorry Colten, just one moment please." Misty tucked her notepad into her apron pocket before rushing to the small whicker bassinet.

Jack leaned forward. "Is this the woman you've been bellyachin' about? She's hardly worth the trouble! And you were exaggerating about her weight, she looks fine." He whispered loudly.

Misty returned holding a squirming bundle and a bottle. "Colten, can you please give Autumn her bottle? I'm sorry, but it's getting busy and poor Jenny can't do all of this."

"It's alright Misty. I just happen to love this screaming little bundle."

"Thank you so much." Misty handed him the baby before dashing to get the food from the counter. Colten held the baby awkwardly as he tried to shift her around the way he had seen other people hold small infants.

Jackson watched as Colten hopelessly fought to get Autumn calm enough to take the bottle. Jack rolled his eyes and snatched the red faced babe from his friend's arms. "For pete's sake have you ever held a baby before?"

Jackson gently rocked the little bundle against his chest. She calmed down instantly and stared up at him with big- watery green eyes. Jackson felt his heart of stone chip just a little. He gave her the bottle, smiling a little as her chubby little cheeks worked up and down. He glanced up and saw a stunned Colten and Misty. "What?" He growled.

Misty shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Nothing. What can I get you boys?"

"The special." Misty scribbled it down on her small notepad.

"And what to drink?"

"Water."

She turned to Colten. "I'll do the same, Misty."

"I'll be right back." She looked toward Jackson. "Thank you Mr. Silverman." She turned before Jack could say or do anything.

When Misty had looked over and saw that grouchy giant holding her precious little girl, she had rushed over- ready to take her away. But all thoughts stopped when that brief, little smile had transformed his face. She got a strange tingling down in her belly as she watched an obviously rough man be so gentle with her baby.

Jenny pulled her into the kitchen. "Young Silverman is a nice boy, you needn't be so frightened of him."

"I have a bad track record with men." Jenny smiled softly as she finished placing fresh sliced tomatoes on the burgers.

"The rush is pretty much done with, here's those boys' food and a plate for yourself. Why don't you go sit with them for a while?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Misty took the food out to them.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Colten excitedly moved over to give her room to sit. She tried not to sigh as she sat down, her feet were killing her. Jackson didn't seem to be in any hurry to give up the sleeping baby girl in his arms. Misty didn't attempt to make conversation, she could hardly eat with that giant of a man staring her down.

Jenny popped over. "Hey y'all, smile for the camera!" She snapped the photo. "Looks like a keeper." She smiled as she looked at the pictures covering the walls. "Now where to stick it?"

Colten chuckled as Jenny left in search of a place to put the picture from the old Polaroid camera. When Jackson spoke up, obviously perturbed, Misty nearly bolted for the door. "Woman, didn't God give you any sort of backbone?! Or some kind of fire?!"

"Jack, knock it off! You're scaring her." Colten kicked him under the table.

"At least I'm not tip toeing around her! She needs some sense shaken into her." Misty, like a flash, hopped from the booth and snatched up Autumn. She cradled the baby to her chest and disappeared through the diner's door.

"Dammit Jack! Stay here." Colten followed Misty, tracking her easily in the light dusting of snow. "Honey, come in outta the cold."

"He's going to hurt me!"

"Jack won't lay a hand on you. He's just a little rough around the edges. He'll warm up to you eventually."

"He's gonna find me!" Panic had set in. Colten crouched in front of her; frowning in confusion.

"You can trust Jack, he wouldn't be my deputy if he wasn't trustworthy."

Her teeth started chattering. "Josh, he's coming! He's going to find me!"

"Not if I can help it."

#

Jack and Colten ate at the café almost every day that week and the week following. Jackson silently volunteered to hold sweet Autumn while he was there and reluctantly handed her back when it was time for him to leave.

Jenny could see that he had taken a slight interest in the new waitress and her babe.

#

Jenny paced the length of the café. "Bart, have you seen Misty?"

"Ni, she has not come yet." His Norwegian accent more pronounced with his worry. Misty was never this late.

Jenny called Colten's office, "Hello, this is Jenny. Is Colten in?"

"No, Jenny, he isn't. You can call Jackson though." Marci, Colten's secretary and dispatcher, suggested the young deputy who was very capable of handling the situation.

"Thank you Marci." Jenny hung up and called Jackson's cell.

"Hey honey, Jack, I think Misty may be in some sort of trouble. She's never this late to work and she should've been here an hour ago."

"Where does she live? I'll go check it out." He could hear the urgency in Jenny's voice.

#

Jack pulled out his buzzing cell phone. "Hello?" Jenny's hysterical voice came from the other end. "What do you mean she might be in trouble?" He could feel his heart stop in his chest. "I'll go check on her." He canceled the call, stuffed the device in his pocket, dropped everything and ran to his truck. He flipped on the lights and sirens before racing towards town and Jenny's rental.

#

Misty heard the handle on the locked door jiggle. Everyone knew to knock four times! She heard the door crash open as she quickly put Autumn under the bed and put clothes around her. It was only moments later that a hand gripped her hair and yanked her to her feet. A scream was trapped in her throat as she struggled to get free. His fists rained down on her, knocking her onto the bed. Her clothes were torn from her body.

She screamed when he invaded her body, a large hunting knife trailed down her arms and stomach, never cutting, but she didn't dare move. She bit his hand when he covered her mouth. He sliced her thigh open, digging his fingers into the bloody gash. The torture didn't end there, and she couldn't do anything, but close her eyes as she silently wept.

#

Jackson pulled his 2010, police-worthy pickup into Misty's yard. It was eerily quiet outside of the house except for the faint sound of a baby's cry. He ran into the house armed and ready. His step faltered when the sunlight lit up the once pale yellow living room wall. In bold red lettering it read, "you can run, but you can never hide"

The metallic smell of blood was nearly over powering. A chill ran down his spine. That red on the wall had to be blood. Misty's blood if he had to guess. Jack went into the bedroom where the cry was coming from. After searching all around the room, he found little Autumn tucked under the bed and surrounded by blankets and clothes. "Hey baby girl." He held the baby close. "Let's get you changed and fed." Jackson found the car seat, diaper bag and a couple of bottles of milk in the fridge.

After securing a sleeping Autumn in the truck, Jackson set out on foot with his gun and camera to find Misty. Jackson followed a blood trail into the alleyway. "Misty? Miss Rundell can you hear me? Misty?" Jackson heard a feminine whimper from near a dumpster. Jackson checked around the dumpster and found nothing. The sound came again, and he checked inside. "Damn." Blood was everywhere and Misty's pale skin was painted red. Jackson flipped on the safety and tucked his gun into the waistband of his wranglers. He snapped a handful of pictures of her and the dumpster. He leaned in trying to get his arms around her small frame. "Come on Misty." She whimpered as he pulled her over the edge of the dirty dumpster. He caught her and pulled her into his chest. Jackson knelt on the ground and shrugged out of his flannel shirt and coat, thankful that he was wearing a t-shirt underneath. He slipped both items over her bare shoulders and smoothed it around her equally bare bottom. He carried the poor little woman back to his truck. He placed her gently on the front seat. He hopped in and drove back to his house; calling Jenny on the way. Her limp body slumped against him.

"Jenny, the bastard found her. Call Colten's personal cell and tell him to go to Misty's and take as many pictures and samples as possible."

"What happened?"

"She's beat to hell and bleeding." Jack hung up his phone and gently smoothed her blood matted hair from her battered face. "I'll take care of you."

Jackson pulled into the yard and hopped out as he waved over his foreman. "Johnny, grab the baby and open the door."

"Boss, what the hell happen-" Jackson yanked his long time friend to him by the collar.

"Don't breathe a word of this to anybody for any reason. This woman needs our protection and by God we're going to give it to her!" Jack said through clenched teeth, just barely containing his anger.

"Okay Boss." Johnny grabbed the carrier while Jackson carefully scooped up an unconscious Misty. Jack carried her to his upstairs bedroom. He laid her down on the bed before going around, gathering the supplies he needed. He started up a bath of lukewarm water and poured in some antiseptics and disinfectants. He knew the water would burn like hell, but he had to clean her up so infection wouldn't set in.

He went back to Misty and removed her clothing. He tried to distance himself from her as he took pictures, and completed the rape kit. He couldn't keep thinking of when he'd first seen her, she was still covered in sickly green bruises, but she was still beautiful. It burned his gut to think that some bastard got his hands on her, hurt her and fathered the precious baby sleeping in the carrier downstairs.

Jackson gently cleansed her body; being careful of her wounds. He lifted her out of the tub and wrapped her up in a clean fluffy towel before carrying her back to the bed. He spent the next several hours doctoring the deep gashes and icing the dark bruises. He held his cell phone in the crook of his neck as he talked to Dr. Luke Silverman. "What do I do? How do I close up these cuts?"

"Superglue if you have it. If not, you may need to put in stitches. How deep?"

"At least an inch."

"Do you remember how I did those stitches on Bart's hand? That'll have to do. Anything that's more than a scratch, but less than a 'stab' wound- you can use super glue."

"Thanks Luke." He hung up the phone and went in search of the superglue he kept in the junk drawer in the kitchen.

He swallowed hard when he packaged the camera, rape kit and report.

Jackson sat next to Misty with Autumn in his arms. He wanted to make sure the baby in his arms had a mama to help lace up her prom dress when the time came. He watched over the young waitress. What kind of man could do this to a young mother? He wondered if Misty would still be the soft, sweet woman she had been before. He could picture her happy smile as she stopped to kiss Autumn's soft forehead as she passed by her. The woman was amazing for the fact that she could go through such pain, but still love the child that was created by a monster. His mother had been like that.

Jenny and Colten came by after dark. Jackson worked on flipping Misty onto her stomach, he rubbed her legs, arms and back to prevent cramping. She had a raging fever and there was no hope of it leaving anytime soon. Colten carried in a plate of food for Jack. "Jenny says you need to eat something."

Jackson quickly covered her with a warm blanket. "In a bit. Would you run to the barn for the antibiotics and a syringe?"

"Eat this while I'm gone."

"Okay. Thanks Colten."

"Oh and Jenny plans on staying tonight to help." Jack just nodded.

Jack had witnessed every nightmare, every tear and every terror induced scream Misty had every night and every day for the next three days. He would calm her down like he would a spooked animal. Every tear that slid from her tightly closed eyes- sliced into his heart. He held her close when she had nightmares and about jumped out of his skin anytime she screamed.

Everyday was spent trying to get fluids into her, pumping her so her milk supply didn't stop, and bathing her almost constantly. Jack's aunt, Annabella had come out to help with the baby and take care of Misty whenever Jack wasn't able to.

Now Jack lay on his pallet on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Misty moving around. She had been fighting a raging fever for going on four days. She was riddled with infection and her health was slipping. He sighed as he moved to kneel next to the bed; he dipped a cloth in alcohol water and ran it across her skin to cool her off. She settled down and her green eyes popped open as far as the swelling would allow. Her eyes were glazed over, but he could see the fear shining in their depths. "Shh- Go to sleep Miss. Rundell." Her eyes slipped closed. Jackson studied her closely and wondered what happened that made the man come after her. What did she do to set him off?

Jack sat in an old rocking chair next to the bed that afternoon. Misty's fever had broken and she seemed to be coming back to the land of the living. Jack had never been so happy to see a woman cry. "Hey." Jackson moved from the chair to kneel by the bed. He smoothed her hair back from her face. "Don't cry Misty. You're safe now."

Misty flinched when he touched her. Jackson frowned slightly. "Let's get you cleaned up and fed." She winced when Jackson helped her sit up. She clutched the sheet to her chest. Jackson held up one of his old large t-shirts that would be loose and still cover her up. He helped her into the soft, well worn cotton garment. "Stay." Jackson went to the door and hollered for some woman named Annabella.

An older woman came into the room holding Autumn. "Misty, this is my aunt. She'll help you wash up. I have work to catch up on." Jack's gruff tone reminded her that he was still the grouchy man from the diner. Misty stood on wobbly legs before falling back into the bed. Jackson had already stomped down the stairs.

"Oh that grouchy young man. Here, honey, let me help you." She laid Autumn in a nearby crib.

"Annabella-"

"Just call me Anna or mom."

"Anna, I don't think I can walk. It hurts." Misty blushed bright red.

"Oh dear." Annabella went over to the window, shoved it open and poked her head out. "Jackson James Silverman! Get up here this instant!"

Jackson's footfalls thundered up the stairs. "What?" He growled.

"She can't walk because it hurts and her legs won't hold her up."

Jackson grumbled and roughly picked Misty up off of the bed. She gasped in pain as she gripped his shirt for dear life.

"Jackson, you're going to hurt the poor girl." His touch changed instantly, but Misty still couldn't relax. He set her down on the toilet and turned his back to her. She flamed red with embarrassment.

"I might as well stay and help her Anna."

"Alright dear." Annabella left barely containing her smile. The little boy she helped raise was halfway in love with that girl. He might not know it yet, but she had seen his worried frowns and she had witnessed him pacing the room with looks of rage, fear, and pain etched into his young, handsome face.

Jack helped Misty into the shower. She gripped his forearm and shoulder to keep from falling. Jackson scrubbed her down. He tried to be as gentlemanly as possible, but he had to get her cleaned up. "Kneel."

"What?!" She squeaked. Fear laced her voice.

"Kneel down so I can wash your hair without you falling." He said gruffly. Misty swallowed hard and moved to her knees, she stared straight at his belt buckle. She felt bile rise up in her throat. "Take a deep breath there darlin'. You're turning green." Jackson could almost feel her start to hyperventilate, he tipped her chin up so she'd look at his face. "Relax woman. I have no interest in what you're worrying about." He wiped the water from her cheeks, whether it was tears or the shower he didn't know. "Misty, just put your head down and look at my knees." Jackson gently massaged the shampoo through her hair. Misty gripped his denim clad legs. He rinsed her hair and then spread the conditioner through her long locks of auburn hair. After rinsing her off, Jackson grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her before scooping her up.

Misty was exhausted, but still tried to hide her yawn. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost five days." Jackson placed her on the bed and helped her into the t-shirt.

"Five days?!"

"Almost. Another six hours and it would be."

"Mr. Silverman? Is Autumn okay?"

"She's healthy and happy."

Misty sighed with relief. "Good-" As if a new thought struck her. "I need to leave." Panic colored her voice.

"Woman, you can't even walk. And even if you could, I'm not letting you go."

"You can't-"

"I can and I will keep you here. And that's final." Jack walked out of the room and in turn, Annabella came back in with Autumn.

"Oh- I can't breastfeed her. I've been sick."

"I made Jackson buy a breast pump so we could keep your supply going. Poor Jackson didn't know what to do." Annabella handed Autumn over to her mother. "Jackson is a nice man, he can be tough at times, but he's fair." Annabella patted Misty's knee. "Now that you're awake, I'm going to head home."

"Thank you for taking care of Autumn."