Chapter Seven

The men moved through the dense forest, their steps muffled by layers of fallen leaves and twigs. Creed quickly looked to his left when he heard a twig snap, but lowered his weapon when he saw Alex. Creed gave the signal to move closer, then he motioned for Eli to call out to the rustlers.

Creed watched as he stepped out from behind the tree, his weapon ready. The rustlers spun around to face him, their hands instinctively reaching for their guns.

"Livestock agents, drop your weapons and put your hands up!" Eli yelled.

But Creed knew those men wouldn't surrender without a fight. Mac, Alex, and Creed emerged from the trees; guns trained on the rustlers.

"You heard him! Drop your weapons and put your hands up!" Creed shouted. "Hell," he muttered, as sudden gunfire erupted from all directions. Creed saw Mac fall as a bullet struck him in the chest and he knew the rustlers were armed with armor piercing bullets. He spun around when he heard Alex swear and put his hand on his jaw, then a bullet hit him, and he fell. Turning back, he saw Eli running toward Mac, but a bullet struck him, and he hit the ground.

Creed watched as each of his fellow agents crumpled to the ground, their bodies falling limp. He quickly made a call for backup. Spinning around, he unleashed a barrage of bullets and made a desperate dash toward the cover of the dense foliage. His sprint was abruptly halted as a burning pain tore through his upper back, causing him to collapse onto the ground.

Gasping for air, Creed found himself forcibly turned over by a group of menacing figures looming over him.

"Looks like we've caught ourselves a live one," one of them sneered.

"Just leave him, he's done for," another grunted.

"I called for backup," Creed gasped out.

"He's bluffing. Let's move."

"We can't take that chance, Bill."

"Damn, don't use any names."

"Don't worry about that. After we finish with this one, we'll make sure they're all dead."

With a vicious kick to the head, followed by a brutal flurry of punches to his face that shattered his nose, Creed defiantly spat out blood. His assailants showed no mercy as they beat him mercilessly until one produced a gleaming knife, its blade glinting ominously in the moonlight.

"Get him to his feet. You're going down with your friends, pretty boy," the man taunted.

"Fuck you," Creed retorted as he tasted the metallic tang of blood.

As the blade traced a path from his cheek, splitting his skin open, Creed clenched his teeth against the intense pain. The warm trickle of blood down his face served as a grim reminder of his perilous situation. Yet, he refused to give them the satisfaction of hearing his anguish.

The distant wail of sirens pierced the chaotic scene, causing the assailants to abandon their prey. However, one lingered behind, taking aim at Creed with deadly intent. A gunshot echoed through the air, making Creed grunt as he lay sprawled on the ground, his life ebbing away with each passing moment. In that harrowing instant, he braced for what seemed an inevitable end to his struggle.

But just then, a sudden commotion erupted from the nearby foliage, drawing the attention of both Creed and his assailant. The sound of hurried footsteps approached rapidly, and before anyone could react, figures emerged from the shadows; saviors or perhaps more foes in disguise.

With renewed hope coursing through his battered body, Creed mustered whatever strength remained within him and prepared for yet another twist in this lethal dance of life and death.

As he struggled to breathe, he knew he was bleeding out. Every inch of his body screaming out in pain as he lost consciousness…

Creed's eyes snapped open, his body jolting upright in bed. His heart beat wildly in his chest, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to him like a heavy fog. He gasped for air, struggling to shake off the dark images that had consumed him. Quivering with fear, he swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and sat there, trying to steady himself. Abbie stirred beside him, her arms immediately wrapping around his waist in a comforting embrace.

"What is it?" she murmured softly, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"I remember," Creed croaked out, then cleared his throat.

"The events of that night?"

"The images... I can see them all falling as they were shot. I remember thinking they were all dead. I tried to fight back but they got me too." He shook his head, trying to dispel the haunting memories. "It's all flooding back."

"Creed, baby, try to relax. Let me get you some water."

Abbie left the room and returned within moments and handed him a bottle of water. He took it but didn't open it as he stared at the floor. The memories continued to plague him, rendering him powerless against their relentless assault.

"Drink it," Abbie whispered.

He twisted off the cap and took a long swig before setting the bottle down on the nightstand. He clasped his hands together tightly to stop their shaking as the memories rushed at him like an unstoppable train. Abbie placed her hands over his and he was grateful for her unwavering support.

"I can see those men," he said hoarsely. "I can make out their faces. One even mentioned another's name... Bill." He shook his head in disbelief. "They were merciless."

"I'm so sorry," Abbie said, placing her head on his shoulder.

"Be careful what you wish for, right?"

"Maybe you can help solve the case. That would bring closure for you all," she suggested, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, I hope so. I'll talk to Dave on Monday. Maybe then these damn nightmares will finally stop."

"I hope so. Come on, let's get back in bed and try to get some sleep."

Creed nodded and stood up, sliding back under the blankets. Abbie lay down beside him and draped her arm across his waist. She didn't need to say anything; her mere presence was enough to provide him with comfort and solace.

****

Abbie heard the slow, steady rhythm of Creed's breaths as he drifted off to sleep. She hoped that with his memories returned, he could finally find some peace. It must have been incredibly difficult for him to face the horrors of that night, but perhaps now he could help in finding the men responsible.

She shuddered at the thought of what those men were capable of. If they had no hesitation in shooting four innocent men, then they surely had no qualms about causing harm to anyone else. Abbie couldn't even begin to imagine their twisted minds, but she knew one thing for certain, the department was determined to bring them to justice. These thieves had already taken one life and attempted to take three more. They needed to be stopped before anyone else fell victim to their violence.

As she lay beside Creed, listening to his peaceful slumber, she closed her eyes and wished for him to have a restful night. But when she awoke sometime later, Creed was no longer by her side. Sitting up and reaching for him, she found herself alone in bed. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was nearly two in the morning. Quickly throwing on one of his T-shirts, she went downstairs in search of him.

The soft glow of the fire illuminated the living room as Abbie entered. Creed sat in the recliner; his gaze fixed on the dancing flames. She spoke softly so as not to startle him.

"Hey," she said.

He turned to look at her with tired eyes. "Hey. Did I wake you?"

"No, I reached for you, and you were gone. Are you okay?" She placed a hand on his bare shoulder.

Creed reached up and took her hand in his, pulling her onto his lap.

"It's all just hitting me again," he muttered shaking his head. "I managed to sleep for about an hour, but every time I close my eyes, I see it all over again. I see Mac—" he paused; his voice thick with emotion. "I see him die."

"I wish I knew how to help. I know it has to be so hard on you to remember."

"You are helping by just being here." He placed his chin on the top of her head.

"You should come back to bed, Creed."

"I can't sleep."

"Who said anything about sleeping?" She smiled.

Creed lifted his head, stared into her eyes, then captured her lips in a slow, exploring kiss. The heat between them quickly intensified.

"What did you have in mind?"

Abbie got up from his lap, lifted the T-shirt up and over her head, then dropped it to the floor and stood naked in front of him, unabashed by her vulnerability. Her nipples were already hard with anticipation.

"Damn. We need a condom, sweetheart. My wallet is in the kitchen."

She glanced down at his sweatpants and could see his hard cock straining against the fabric. She raised her eyebrow playfully.

"Hold that thought," she said as she quickly made her way to the kitchen, picked up his wallet from the counter, then returned to the living room.

She came to a stop when she saw him sitting there with nothing on and his hard cock standing proudly at attention. She bit her lip. She wanted him so much she ached.

Walking toward him, she stopped in front of him, leaned forward, and kissed his lips passionately. They both groaned when his hand moved between her legs, and he deliberately spread her wetness with his fingers. Her legs started trembling when he circled her clitoris with just enough pressure to make her gasp for breath.

"Come ride me," he whispered huskily.

Abbie opened the condom packet, removed the condom and skillfully rolled it down over his throbbing shaft. She slowly straddled his lap, reached between them and wrapped her fingers around him, causing him to moan and throw his head back against the chair.

"How can something so hard, feel so soft?" she murmured seductively.

"Abbie…"

"What is it?" she teased.

He cupped her face in his hands, pulled her to him, and took her lips in a deep, possessive kiss. When he raised his lips, he stared into her eyes with intensity.

"Fuck me," he said, his voice barely more than a growl.

Abbie lifted then slowly impaled herself on him, feeling every inch of him filling her. His hands gripped her waist as she settled onto him. Then she started moving up and down along his hard length, the friction between their bodies driving them both crazy. She moaned when his lips found one of her nipples and he sucked hard on it while his thumb flicked over the other one until they stiffened even more.

She placed her hands on his shoulders for support as she moved harder against him. Creed leaned forward and she inclined back over his legs as he alternated between sucking and nipping at her nipples, increasing the sensations coursing through her body.

She clutched her fingers in his thick hair, pulling him closer. When his other hand moved down her waist, she held her breath, then blew it out when he rubbed circles on her clitoris with just the right pressure to send sparks throughout her body. It was too much for her to bear. She cried out then ground against him, wanting more, craving that release. Then he groaned low in his chest as he came. She could feel him throbbing inside of her and it pushed her over the edge once more. She screamed his name at the height of their mutual orgasm.

He sat back and pulled her up. She placed her face in the crook of his neck and tried to catch her breath. He breathed just as hard.

"God, that was amazing," she said between breaths.

"Yes." He sucked in deep breaths.

"Well, maybe now you can sleep."

Creed grinned. "I might need this every night so I can sleep."

Abbie laughed. "Okay."

He chuckled, then in one fluid motion, he stood with her in his arms, and carried her upstairs. He placed her in the bed, then entered the bathroom. Abbie could barely keep her eyes open, but she wanted to wait for him.

The warm rays of the morning sun spread across her face, rousing her from her slumber. She stretched and noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. Quickly checking the clock, she gasped when she saw that it was already ten in the morning.

Jumping out of bed, she hurried into the bathroom for a quick shower before getting dressed and heading downstairs. The smell of sizzling bacon filled the air.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw Creed standing at the stove, wearing only jeans, with Ranger sitting obediently at his feet, watching his every move. Abbie looked at the two bullet sized scars on his back. One below his left shoulder and the other halfway down his back toward the side. She couldn't imagine the pain he went through that night.

"Good morning," she greeted him with a smile as he turned to face her. He set down the fork and walked over to her, leaning down to kiss her lips.

"Morning."

"Did you get any sleep?"

"I did. I just got up an hour ago. I think your... method of wearing me out worked." He grinned as she blushed.

She reached up to touch his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine for now. I'll let you know after tonight."

"I hope you are. I know it must be difficult for you, with everything coming back so quickly."

"It was. It started the same way as the dream I've been having. Alex was on my left and he stepped on a twig, which is why I turned that way. From there, it all went downhill very quickly. I can't wait to get to the office and go through photos to see if I recognize anyone. Maybe then we can finally catch them."

"They deserve to go to prison."

"They will. For first-degree murder since it was clearly planned. And there will also be three counts of attempted murder." Creed's jaw tensed at the thought. "I want those bastards. We all do."

"I hope you catch them."

"I do too. Have a seat and I'll make breakfast for you. How do you like your eggs?"

"Over easy, please."

"Yes, ma'am. Take a seat."

"I'll just grab some coffee first." She smiled as she popped a k-cup in the machine and pressed brew, waiting for her cup to fill before settling at the table. "Do you need any help?"

"No, you just sit there looking beautiful and I'll have it ready in a few minutes."

Abbie sipped her coffee as she watched him work. She really hoped that him getting his memory back would bring closure to all the agents involved.

****

The sun shone down on a cold Monday morning when Creed entered the department, his determination evident in every step he took. He headed straight to Dave's office, his knuckles tapping eagerly on the glass door. Dave looked up from his desk and waved him in, tossing his glasses down onto the wooden surface with a careless gesture.

"What's up?" Dave asked as Creed sat in the chair facing his desk, his steely gaze never faltering.

"I remember everything," Creed said, his voice thick with emotion.

Dave leaned forward, his expression one of intense interest. "Everything?"

"Yes. From arriving at the scene to seeing the men shot and me being brutally beaten," he growled out.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Creed, but maybe now, we'll finally get somewhere."

"I want them, Dave. More than any other thief I've been after. I want those bastards for what they did to Mac and the rest of us."

"We all do. Is there anything you can tell me?" Dave asked.

"I'd know them if I saw them again. One of them called the other by the name of Bill."

"That's a start. Let's dive into some older files and see if you recognize any of them, and let's keep this between us, along with Alex and Eli. No one else needs to know yet."

Creed stood up, nodded, then walked out of the office and headed to his desk. He pulled out his chair and sat down, fingers hovering over the keyboard as he prepared himself mentally for what he was about to do. He stared at the computer screen for a moment before taking a deep breath and opening up older files filled with photos of rustlers from past cases.

"You okay, Creed?" Alex asked him as he approached.

Creed glanced up at him. "My memory came back. I'm looking to see if I recognize any of them."

"Did you see their faces?" Alex pressed, his own anger at the situation palpable.

"Two of them and one was called Bill, so I'm scouring these files to see if anything clicks for me."

"Damn, I hope so. It would be great to finally bring them in and make them pay."

Creed looked up at him, clenching his jaw as he thought of the men responsible for the pain and suffering of his team. "I'm not going to stop looking until I find them."

"I can only imagine how difficult these memories are for you. It had to be so hard on you when they came back," Alex said sympathetically.

Creed blew out a breath and shook his head, his mind flashing back to the moment when he saw his teammates fall.

"I saw each of you fall. I thought you were all dead."

"I know I thought I was for sure."

"When I saw Mac fall, I knew they were using armor piercing bullets, and I saw that son of a bitch who shot him." Creed shook his head. "I knew he was gone before he hit the ground, then I saw you holding your jaw where you were grazed, then you fell too. Eli was running toward Mac when he was shot. I ran for cover while shooting, but they got me. Once I was down, they beat me." Creed clenched his jaw. "They stood me up, and one sadistic bastard cut me with his knife. I was able to call for backup before that, but those pricks didn't care. Not until they heard the sirens. They all ran except the one who had cut me. He stood over me and shot me in the back, then he ran. But before that, they said they were going to make sure we were all dead. I want them so bad I can taste it."

"I hope this leads somewhere. It's been three years and I wonder how many people they've hurt since." Alex sighed. "Hell, I still have nightmares but Dylan helps me with those."

"I'm sure that night will haunt all of us. I kept wanting my memory to return so I could have closure, but now that it has…" He sighed. "The nightmares are worse."

"Well, maybe once we catch them, the nightmares will end for all of us."

"I hope so." Creed looked at him. "I'm glad you and Eli survived. I hate it that Mac didn't. It's like living his death all over again, and this time I see how he died."

"I'm sorry, man. If you need any help, let me know."

"Keep this to yourself Alex. If there is a leak in the department, we don't want them to know about my memory."

"Not a problem. I want whoever is the leak as bad as I want the men responsible. I'm headed out to a farm in Hartland. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, Alex."

Two hours later, Creed stretched his arms above his head. He'd been staring at the screen for a long time and found nothing, but he wasn't giving up.

He pushed the chair back and decided to head out to see his parents for lunch, and let them know his memory was back. He was sure they'd be happy, but also concerned.

****

Abbie sank into the chair behind the counter in the bustling emergency department, letting out a long sigh. The chaos of the day had left her drained and weary. She could feel the tension in her shoulders from constantly running between patients, trying to keep up with the never-ending stream of accidents caused by reckless drivers in the snowy conditions.

"Take a break, Abbie," a fellow nurse, Audrey, said as she passed by. "You've been going non-stop all day."

"I know," Abbie replied with a tired smile. "It's been crazy."

"I can't believe how many people think they can drive in this weather," Audrey shook her head. "Even the weather stations are telling people to stay home."

Abbie couldn't help but grin at the absurdity of it all. "But you know everyone thinks they're invincible on the roads."

"That's why we're slammed," Audrey chuckled as she disappeared into a patient's room.

As Abbie finally got a moment to check her phone, she saw a text from Creed, asking if she made it to work safely. She quickly responded that she did, and hoped he was having a good day. It took him a minute to reply, saying that he was trying.

Her heart ached for him. She knew how difficult it must be for him to suddenly remember everything from that fateful night after years of having no memory. It was a constant battle for him.

"Good morning, Abbie," Dr. Robertson greeted her as he walked by, his white coat swishing behind him.

"Good morning, Dr. Robertson," Abbie replied with a smile.

He returned the smile before disappearing into another patient's room. Abbie turned her attention to the board across from the front desk, listing all the patients' names and their reasons for being there. Every single room was occupied, and there were still people in the waiting room.

At least it would make the day go by faster. All she wanted was to get home, unwind, and forget about the hectic day. With another deep breath, she stood up and walked toward the board to see who was next on the list. After jotting down some notes, she headed into the next patient's room to continue her work.

After a quick lunch break at the desk, Abbie was going through files when a call came in that three ambulances were on their way with two patients in critical condition. She quickly stood up and made her way to the doors, where other nurses had also gathered to wait for their arrival. She caught Audrey's eye and they both shared a knowing look.

"Here we go," Abbie muttered under her breath as the sound of sirens grew louder.

When the long day finally came to an end, Abbie was more than ready to head home. It had been exhausting and chaotic, but thankfully no one had suffered life-threatening injuries. Even those in critical condition were expected to pull through.

Stepping outside into the chilly evening air, Abbie swore softly when she saw how heavily the snow was falling. She was grateful there wasn't any ice, but driving in these conditions still made her anxious. The snow was deep and showed no signs of letting up. She just wanted to get home safely and relax after such a hectic day.

She prayed that Creed was home. It was unfortunate that she couldn't physically see him, but the snow had made the roads nearly impassable. Once she arrived back at her own house, she would be sure to check on him.

Abbie held onto the hope that by the weekend, the weather would clear up and she could finally see him. He consumed her thoughts, and she knew she wanted him in her life. However, there were important conversations they needed to have first. Abbie wanted children, but he expressed uncertainty about wanting them, likely due to the traumatic loss of his wife and daughter during childbirth. She understood his fears, but was willing to take the risk. Ultimately, it was his decision. She wondered what she would do if he said no to having kids. Could she still be with him? After a moment of reflection, she sighed. She honestly didn't know. She had always wanted to have kids. She just didn't know what to do if it came to that.