Author: ellmarr - Erica L. Marr

E-mail Address: ellmarr@hotmail.com

Title: A Dragon's Scale - In the Heat of A Dragon

Copyrighted: May 2001

Category: Crossover

Rating R - Hefty amount of foul language. Plus there are also descriptions of violence. Remember this is JD we're talking about if she isn't cussing in one language she is cussing in several hundred different dead ones that no one has ever heard and her past is quite violent.

Spoilers: A few, but who cares? This story reveals how JD and Katie met in the last couple of years and is told in parts by others.

Keywords: Diagnosis Murder/Highlander/Touched by an Angel/In the Heat of the Night crossover with a few guest stars.

Highlander: All rights and properties owned by Rysher Entertainment. Season 5 until Season finale. Richie Ryan lives and Season 6 does not take place.

Diagnosis Murder: All rights reserved by Viacom Productions a Paramount Company, who is currently on my Black Ball list for Canceling Diagnosis Murder.

Buffy: Season 2 until Phases.

In the Heat of the Night characters belong to their creators.
U.S. Archer Belongs to D.C. Comics
The J.D. Heart, Katie, Lady Grey (R.W. Blackwell), The Shadow King, and Mr. Wiggles belong to me.

General Disclaimer: Any characters whose names and descriptions are used are the property of their original owners, and no copyright infringement is intended or meant.

No money can be made from this story. It can be distributed freely so long as it is kept in its entirety, with all notices and copyright information intact.

Summary: This story reveals a few details about JD's live in the past 15 years.

Thank you:
Steve Pantovich (The Grand Poobah of the Wandererverse) for allowing JD into the Wandererverse.
Timothy Daniel Knight for putting JD into his story. Which pressured me into writing more of JD’s Past.
To Drake for his patience while I bugged him on several of the Chapters.
Dustin Linder for helping edit it for me.
To the readers for your help in proofing, editing and the encouragement.

A Dragon's Scale - In the Heat of a Dragon

Chapter 1:
(Driving Lessons)

The Parking Garage of Community General
Los Angeles, Ca. (Wandererverse)
1 October 1999 21:20 PST

A Ford Taurus comes to a screeching halt inside the parking garage of the Community General Hospital. JD barely puts the vehicle in park before she tries to jump out and gets strangled for a few moments by the seat belt. Her new partner, Detective Steve Sloan, pries his long strong fingers, one by one, from the dashboard and reminds himself to never ever let his new partner drive again.

"JD, slow down," Steve yells as his long muscular legs easily caches up with JD's shorter faster ones.

"Can’t. Katie," she yells back.

"You don't even know where she is," he says as she impatiently hits the elevator button.

"Fine! You lead the way," she snaps, knowing full well that his father is the Chief of Medicine at Community General.

"Now you're being more reasonable," he says with a sigh as he ran his hand through is short black hair.

"Nah, it ain’t got nothing to do with being reasonable. I just like watching your ass." She replies with a smile and a twinkle in her hazel eyes.

At her comment, Steve’s high cheekbones turn a slight shade of pink, and then he firmly places his behind against the wall of the elevator.

JD just laughs. "Take it easy, Sloan. I’m trying to calm down a bit. So don't take it personal," JD snickers as she stands in front of the doors to the elevator.

"I know, I’m just trying to help," he lies through his teeth.

"I would like to know what the hell happened. She’s supposed to be safe here. She was just getting over those damn nightmares," JD hisses, just as they leave the elevator and bump into an African American female doctor.

"What nightmares?" the woman asks.

"Listen lady, I don't know you so I don't mean to be rude but it’s none of your damn business," JD shoots at her looking for any sign that would tell her where her daughter is.

"Sorry Amanda, but this is my new partner, JD Heart. JD, this is Doctor Amanda Livingston." The two women nod to one another. "We got a call from dad that Riggs and Murtaugh had brought Katie, JD's daughter, here and that she was needing immediate care and he needed JD’s authorization to treat her."

"You mean the M.E.?" JD asks, assuming the worst as it dawned on her that this was the Medical Examiner that Steve had told her was the best her in field and had helped solved many of the cases Steve and his Father worked on.

"Mark asked me to meet you here," Amanda replies as she quite visibly appraises the young woman who stands before her.

"Fine, where’s Katie," JD snaps at the 5’8" woman.

"They had to rush her right into OR a little less than a hour ago, so I don't know all of the details. It is my understanding that she had undergone a severe trauma, Mark is working on her but that's all I know," Amanda explains.

"I am going to kill the bastard that hurt her," JD hisses at Amanda and start to walk past her.

"Now where the hell is she?"

"You can't go in there," Amanda tells her as she tries to keep JD from going towards the OR.

"Why?!" JD questions with a cold stare that sends a bleak chill through Amanda and makes her release JD.

"She’s probably afraid you might break some of his bones," a male voice answers from behind her before Amanda can reply.

"I would never hurt the man who’s helping my daughter. You on the other hand are fair game," JD answers as she turns to face a tall lean man with shoulder-length black hair who was known to her as Detective Riggs and his partner an African American Detective in his mid fifties named Murtaugh standing next to them.

"Sloan, tell your partner to take it easy. We're just the ones who found Katie," Detective Murtaugh says.

"Okay what the hell happened and why the fuck were you at my place?" JD demands at the two taller men.

"Listen, JD, we thought that it was your night off so went over to see if you needed any help settling into your apartment," Riggs lies.

"Yeah, right, Riggs!" she snaps. "You went over to challenge me to a rematch."

"Well, anyway," He stammers. "When we got there, the door was smashed in and the place was a mess."

"Go on," JD says, her voice not warming a bit.

"We entered, and found Katie in the living room. She was out cold with an iguana guarding her," Murtaugh continues.

"Yeah that damn thing wouldn't let us near her at first. It even bit me," Riggs says, showing his left hand covered in bandages.

"Sloan, remind me to get it a big treat," JD remarks with a smile but then becomes deadly serious again. "What about the intruder?"

"There were two, one was in the kitchen and the other in the bathroom. They both looked like they had been mauled by some kind of animal. Also both of them were covered in a really disgusting smelly slime," Murtaugh answers.

"Well, it's a good thing you guys didn't touch that slime," Doctor Jessie Travis tells them as he comes up to them.

"Why?" Murtaugh asks.

"Because it is full of a variety of bacteria strains. If you hadn't gotten those two here when you did, I don't think they would have made it. As it was, it’s pretty much touch and go," Jessie informs them. "Plus, I have them on every antibiotic I got."

"Was Katie exposed to that stuff?" JD asks, dreading the answer.

"No. Only those guys were exposed to it," Jessie answers.

"Yeah, well you'll need a new place if that stuff is as dangerous as he says," Murtaugh comments.

"What?!" JD bellows.

"Kiss your deposit good bye, sweetheart. Your place is covered with that stuff, that is except for where Katie was," Riggs confirms with a smooch to the air.

"One warning Riggs, there are only few people who may call me sweetheart more than once and live to tell about it. Especially just after my daughter was attacked. You aren’t one of them, so you better not call me that again. And then I won’t hold back like I did in our first match," JD blows up at Riggs, who shrinks back under her glare. Then she turns to Murtaugh and asks, "What does it look like?"

"It's really weird, like whatever produces that stuff chased them all around your apartment. Even putting holes in some of the doors. But it didn't seem to know that Katie and her pet were there," Murtaugh replies, trying to not provoke her.

"Why do you say that?" Steve asks as his 6’4" fame came to stand at JD’s side.

"Slime trail and the fact that the stuff was nowhere near Katie and her pet," Riggs answers, still avoiding JD’s gaze.

"So, do we know who these guys are?" JD asks, silently hoping that there are some more people involved, people she could visit.

"We thought that they were friends of yours," Riggs replies.

"I don't know who it could be."

"They weren't carrying ID so we're running their fingerprints," Murtaugh answers.

"One of the guys is more than likely to be Kenneth Jackson. He escaped from prison last week," a solemn voice from behind JD informs them.

They turn to see three men one African American and two whites coming up to the group. Their police shields clipped to their hips sparks some interest for it revealed that these new persons where from a place called Sparta. Their body stance replied that none of which were looking very happy at having to see JD.

"You son of a bitch, Forbs!!! Why didn't you tell me that bastard was loose?!?!" JD demands as she gets into the 6"4’ African American face by grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to her 5"3’ height and lets her quickening play across her face.

"Careful, JD. You're letting your Sirreen show," Hampton Forbs quietly warns her, then continues in a louder voice. "Bubba, Parker and I wanted to catch him before you got to him and took him out."

In that moment, a very tired Mark Sloan comes to speak with them drawing everyone’s attention.

"She's going to be all right. I took a bullet out and set her arm," Mark says.

"You didn't say anything about her being shot!" she screeches and glares at Amanda.

"She didn’t know," Mark replies but before he can say anything else a woman’s scream of terror got everyone’s attention.

"AAAAHHHH!!! A MONSTER!!!" a nurse screams as she runs down the hall towards the group.

"Where?" Mark asks the nurse as she runs into his arms.

"Lying on top of that poor girl," she cries out as she points toward the room she had just come from.

"That’s Katie's room!" Mark snaps.

At that, all the cops draw their guns and make their way toward the room with JD in front. The taller muscular Bubba kicks the door open and JD makes her way inside. The sight that greets her just makes her laugh and stuns the rest of the people.

"I’m out of here," Riggs growls, but his face shows that he wants to shoot the thing lying next to Katie on the bed.

"How the hell did that thing get in here?" Murtaugh asks. Then just before he leaves he adds. "I am getting too old for this shit!"

"You mind telling us what that thing is doing here?" Steve demands of his partner.

"From the looks of it, and the way he is lying next to Katie, I'd say he feels the need to protect her," JD answers with a shrug and holsters her gun.

"What is that thing?" Forbs asks.

"That is Katie's pet iguana," JD answers with a half smile, noting the way the lizard lay next to Katie with its head lying over Katie's good arm as it watches them.

"A hospital is no place for pets." Mark decides as he moves toward it, the lizard promptly hisses at him for his trouble.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Doc, you may have fixed Katie up but it feels the need to protect her. Not even I am dumb enough to try and move it because it only listens to Katie."

"Well I don't see any harm in its staying here until tomorrow." Mark amends as he pulls his hand back before he gets bitten. "Listen JD, why don't you stay here for a little while." Mark suggests.

JD just nods helplessly and puts a chair next to the bed. Suspiciously watched by the Iguana, she takes Katie’s hand into her own and carefully strokes her face. Steve steps behind his staggered partner and slightly squeezes her shoulder. JD stiffens at the unexpected touch, but gladly accepts the support and leans back into it.

Mark and Amanda observe the two for a moment, before Mark clears his throat. "I think we should give JD some time alone with Katie. If anything should happen, press the button or simply get on the floor and shout for me, JD. I’m sure I’d even hear that at home," he tries to lift her spirit.

JD glances at him and nods, a smile playing across her lips for a short moment. As she turns back to Katie, her partner and the two doctors leave the room.

*****

"So Dad," Steve asks his father who just shut the door to Katie’s room. "How is she...really?"

"I’m just a little concerned that she hasn't regained consciousness since the attack." Mark says.

"Know of a place to get a cup of coffee?" Chief Forbs asks Steve Sloan, having waited with his partners outside the room.

"Yeah, It's not the greatest, but follow me, because I think we're going to have a long night." Steve answers.

"Would you gentlemen excuse me? I need to call my sitter to let her know that I am going to be late," Amanda says as they walk past the nurse’s station and picks up a phone to make the call.

When the men are out of sight, Steve’s ex-partner African American by the name of Cheryl Banks, walks up to Amanda, with open disgust on her face.

"Let me guess, little Miss white princess broke a nail," Cheryl sneers as Amanda gets off the phone.

"Actually they’re here because her daughter was shot," Amanda replies coldly.

"Oh, you mean her adopted daughter," Cheryl comments belligerently.

"What is your point? Does it make the situation less grave? You should have seen her she nearly broke down. Without Steve, she might have. I don’t know what your problem with JD is, other than she is now Steve’s partner. Which is no reason, as you and him are no longer seeing each other, anyway, after you broke up with him. But it seems that he cares for JD, a lot. He deserves some happiness. So stop mouthing off and demonizing her." Amanda demands.

"Listen Amanda this has nothing to do with what Steve and I had but I just don’t trust her. You see I checked out her personal record and believe me there is no way she could have done half the stuff it says. The only way to get such a record is to sleep with a bunch of people. Especially at her young age," Cheryl answers as she slaps a copy of JD’s personal file in front of Amanda. "See for yourself."

Amanda picks up the file and begins to read the large file in her hands.

"Interesting. It certainly explains some things about her. Her parents died in a car crash, while she was nine. So she knows what it is like to be alone. She might even be one of the few cops, who manage to do a good job without neglecting their family. And her inherited money will help, too.

"And her education is certainly quite good. I mean, Joan of Arc Boarding School in the Swiss Alps. There is not much above that. You should know how crappie the US primary education system is. After finishing school, she returned home and joined the Memphis Police Academy, when she turned eighteen. There she showed her ingenuity and potential in privately investigating the disappearance of her roommate, which ended in the exposure of a death squad recruiting center working within the Academy, which lead to the exposure of the whole network. Certainly nothing that could be achieved in bed. Then she graduated with honors and joined the MPD. Certainly nothing unusual there, either.  After joining, she almost immediately showed that the takedown of the death squad was no stroke of luck, by saving the eight year old son of a multi-billionaire, that had been kidnapped by a mass murderer. How likely is it to achieve that in bed?  She took and passed the Detectives Test not even a year later, which, seeing her education, dedication, and high profile cases, does not surprise me. Honestly, I’m more surprised, that she was only the youngest female Homicide Detective of the MPD, but it shows, that such fast advances are not unheard of. And the twenty commendations she got from the Police Commissioner, the FBI, and the NSA? I’m sure she sneaked into the NSA Headquarters at Fort Meade and seduced whoever was in charge there.  And given this background, it’s almost ridiculous that only the Sparta PD offered her to become Chief of Detectives in 1995, but she also accepted that. That she adopted Katie at that point in her career is certainly unusual, but given her own childhood to be expected. I fail to see what this file should prove," Amanda counters.

"Now she’s here. And there is now way she could get over 20 commendations in less than 4 years without sleeping with someone. Or more likely a few dozen," Cheryl retorts.

"No, this just shows that JD is one damn good cop. The simple fact that she’d have to find a hundred or more corrupt officials is unlikely enough. Add to that all the reporters she’d have to seduce to get these cases fake press coverage, and you little theory falls apart. So go take your jealous act, whether it’s because she’ll get Steve, which I don’t doubt seeing what I saw in Katie’s room, or because she’s a better cop than you are, somewhere else," Amanda states as she turns towards the doctor’s lounge, taking the folder with her.

*****

Chapter 2
(Shop talk and the hairs on the back of JD's neck are dancing the Polka.)

Doctor's Lounge
Community General
Los Angeles, CA
1 October 1998 - 21:35 PST

The doctor's lounge becomes crowded as the three LA detectives, several Sparta Police Officers, and two doctors gather there. They drag two tables together to discuss things over coffee.

"So which one of you," Parker asks, indicating the detectives, "Do we need to feel pity for?"

"For what?" Steve, Riggs, and Murtaugh say simultaneously.

"Which one of you is the poor sap who is JD's new partner?" Forbs clarifies.

"Oh, that would be Sloan here," Riggs says, pointing at Steve.

When Riggs identifies him, Steve notices that the largest of the three new officers stares at him, stone faced. Shaking it off, Steve drawles, "She's not so bad."

"Excuse me...are we talking about the same JD Heart?" Parker asks.

"Hey! She's not a problem!"

"I take it you haven't been called in to the Captain's office about her yet?" Forbs asks with a grin.

"Not as much as Riggs and Murtaugh here," Steve says as he points to the officers on each side of him.

Parker snorts. "She'll probably top them within a month."

Bubba chuckles and nods. "Knowing JD, it'll be less than that."

Steve grits his teeth. He is a bit upset with these out-of-towners running down his partner. "Hey, back off," he said, his voice tinged with a slight growl. "She's a little brash, but she's a great cop."

"No one said any different," Forbs notes. "She just tends to get into trouble a lot. In fact Parker and I found her in the Captain's office ..."

*****

10th Floor of Memphis Police Department
Memphis, Tennessee
17 May 1995 - 10:00 PST – 13:00 Local

Chief Forbs and Parker Williams leave the elevator as soon as the doors open. Forbs knows that time was of essence. If they are around too long, they will be involved in something. JD, his old partner has a tendency to get involved in strange cases and pull others along with her. That is how he met her in the first place. He was part of a task force sent by the FBI to help with the investigation of several bizarre murders that had plagued Memphis for a while. And after that they basically became partners. As they entered the Homicide Department of the Memphis PD, the desk Sergeant, Phil Johnson, greets them.

"Well, well, if it isn't Agent Forbs," Desk Sergeant Phil Johnson says, as Chief Forbs and Parker Williams approach his position.

"Hey, Phil," Forbs says with a thin smile. "What are you still doing here, you old fossil. The last

time I saw you, I thought you told me you were going to retire?" Hampton cheers back.

"Are you kidding?" he asks, then laughs. "And miss all the fun of watching your old partner get into new unexplored troubles?"

Forbs answers with a knowing smile, then says, "Speaking of JD...where is she?"

"You of all people should know where she is," the desk Sergeant answers. "Just follow the yelling."

As if on cue, Captain Robert's voice can be heard throughout the entire floor. The reactions among the people in the office vary. The senior officers don't even bother to spare a glance, while others placed wagers on the outcome. But the reaction of the newer personnel in the office is to jump and stare at the source of the yelling for just a few moments and then to continue what they were doing but with an occasional glance back to the Captain’s office.

"Again?" Hampton Forbs says as he shakes his head with a slight smile on his face as he recalls the countless times he was in there with her and still managed to come out of it without a bad mark on his record and in most cases even got commendations.

"Actually it's down to only twice a week now that you’re no longer here," a Detective from behind Parker and Chief Forbs announces.

"Sam Carter. How are you?" Hampton quickly says changing the subject because he sees the look on Parker's face.

"I am thanking the Lord above that, when JD pulled this shit, I wasn't her partner at the time," he states firmly.

"Why it can not be any worse than the stuff she's done before and came out of without any problems," Hampton states with utmost confidence in her.

"Not this time. JD was given all the easy homicides to keep her out of trouble. Well her last one was a homicide of a 14-year's old hooker. I mean it was pretty cut and dry. The girl OD’ed on some bad stuff. Well it seems that JD believes that Senator Kelly was involved and she questioned him."

"I don't see how questioning him would get this JD into trouble," Parker replies

"Oh no," Hampton says with a groan. "How bad was it?"

"Oh, just a cracked sternum, six broken ribs, two broken legs, seven broken fingers and he is now more than likely having problems going pee, but other than that I think I let him off quietly lightly compared to what he is getting from Maylynn's father's friends," comes a response from behind Hampton.

He turns around to see a smiling JD Heart in her trademark black trench coat with her long sandy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. She walks past him and confronts Sam Carter by saying, "Where's my fifty bucks?"

"What...? How...? It's impossible...?" Carter sputters.

"That was just what I was wondering," a grinning Hampton asks.

"What he owes you some money too?" JD innocently replies.

"No. But how did you get out of discipline this time?" Hampton questions.

"Oh, that. You see Maylynn was no hooker. She and her sister Kapo were on their way to a mall when someone kidnapped them. It just so happens that the girl's father is none other than the Japanese Ambassador who is with his daughter Kapo while some Fed's are talking with Captain Roberts and Senator Kelly right now," she answers as all of the men look back to the Captain's office to see seven men in black suits. All of the officers quake with fear as they watch the Head of the National Security Agency speak with the Captain who is visibility squirming. Meanwhile his men proceed to handcuff the wheelchair-ridden Senator. "I left as soon as I saw Hampton. So I hear you're the Chief of some small backwater town," JD states as she slaps Hampton on his back to get his attention.

"Yeah... I mean yes. I am the Chief of Police for Sparta. I also see that you are up to your usual self," he answers as he watches her collect her money from Carter.

"Now, why would you say something like that?" she shrugs.

"So what the hell is the NSA doing here? Shouldn’t the FBI be handling this case?" Sam questions as he hands over his money.

"It seems that the President wants this handled quickly and quietly to save relations with the Japanese and the man in there has that rep," JD affirms as she sees the Japanese Ambassador and his daughter. JD politely responds to the Ambassador, while the others stand dumbfounded because they could not understand a single word that the two speak.

"It was all part of the job, sir," she speaks in English as a signal for the Ambassador to speak in English. He takes the hint and does.

"I can never thank you enough for what you did for my daughter."

"I just wish I could have saved both girls," JD heartfully says as she bends down to Kapo and smiles lightly.

"Can you save the others?" Kapo timidly asks.

"Others?" JD asks as she realizes that there must have been other girls that were being held somewhere else. She keeps smiling at the young girl as the anger inside of her rises.

"Yes. There were several other girls and even some boys that were being held like Maylynn and I were being held," she timidly answers.

"Sweetie, do you remember where you were before I found you at the Senator’s house?" JD gently asks.

"No. We were kept in a very cold room with a large mirror on one wall until the guards came in and took us out to the Senator's limo," she cries.

"That's ok sweetie. I think I know who WILL know," JD says as she rises up and heads for the Captain's office with Hampton and Parker close behind, Hampton to help keep the Senator alive, Parker just because his Chief goes, but each secretly wanting to kill him.

"Fifty says JD gets him to talk in less then ten minutes?" Sam Carter bets the Sergeant.

"I say less than 5," is the sergeant’s response as he placed fifty on the desk.

"I bet it takes less than two," a little braver Kapo says.

"Listen no offense, but kids don't make bets here," Sam says as he wonders what she knows that he doesn't.

"I will bet for my daughter then," the Ambassador says as he pulls out a fifty.

"Alright but first I want to know why she thinks that it will take less than two minutes?" Sam questions.

"Simple. When she rescued me from Kelly, she took out over half his body guards in less than fifteen minutes, while she was beating him up, and saving me," Kapo proudly replies.

Phil is the first to response by placing his money in her hands and then Sam followed suit by saying, "How does she do it?" as he places the money into the girl’s hands, while her father watches in awe, at how easily the men hand over their money.

"Sam you better quit gambling against JD before she puts you in the poor house," the sergeant laughs.

Sam just gives Phil a threatening look that just made Phil laugh harder.

*****

JD opens the Captain's door with more force than necessary. Every eye in the room is on her as she calmly walks over to the wheelchair-ridden Senator and picks him up and throws him against the outside window with so much force it starts to crack. Some of the NSA agents start to respond, but Hampton accidentally gets in their way. Parker follows his lead and does the same with the others. This becomes unnecessary with JD's next words.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?" JD demands, as she slams him against the window another time, causing it to crack further.

"JD, calm yourself," Captain Roberts shouts.

JD’s only response is a cold look that could freeze hell several times over. Accepting that he can’t stop her, he sits back down in his chair, and doesn't say another word. Then she sends a questioning glare to the rest of the men present. Two of the NSA agents begin to close the Captain's shades, while two others put the door back into its hinges, and move in front of it to prevent anyone from entering. They remaining stand quietly, waiting for the answers to her questions. The one in charge gives her a look that said she may proceed without interruption.

"I don't know what you mean..." Senator Kelly lies through his teeth. In return, JD's grip on his throat tightens.

"Don't lie to me you piece of shit. WHERE ARE THE OTHER CHILDREN?!" she demands once more.

"You don't understand. If I tell you I am a dead man," Senator Kelly wheezes out.

"If you don't tell me I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER IN MORE WAYS THAN CAN BE CONCEIVED BY MORTAL MEN!" she promises as she gets right up into his face, and lets her quickening play across her eyes to emphasize her point.

"They are at the old Ace Meat Packing Plant in the Warehouse district," he gulps out, as he waters his pants.

"Address and the security they have there," the Agent in charge of the NSA group asks in a low, demanding voice that gives no to room for argument.

"176 Pike Street. There are a few guards, but it the dogs that are the worst. Nobody gets past them."

"Oh, really. How many dogs?" JD demands.

"At least 20, if not more," Kelly squeals.

JD then drops Kelly back into his chair with a loud thud, as the head of the NSA team introduces himself.

"I am Jack Castle. You must be the JD Heart?" he says as he extends his hand. He knew he liked the woman from what he had heard about what she had done but he is even more impressed with her now. "From what I have heard of you, you will go after the children. My men and I would like to assist you."

"Yes sir, I am, and you are more than welcome to come along; that is if my Captain approves," she answers as she shakes his hand.

"I see no problem with them assisting in the arrest. But we need to do this fast. They will more than likely move the kids after they realize that Kelly has talked." Captain Roberts states, "We'll need to find someone who knows that area."

"That would be Hampton here. What do you say old friend?" JD says as she smiles at her old partner.

"I say that you better have room for at least myself and Parker here," he replies.

"Good. Jack how good are your acting skills?" she asks

"Good enough to fool anyone into believing I am some rich dude looking to score some young thing for my private use," he replies as he watches a plan forming in JD’s eyes, and it spells trouble for the bad guys.

"Alight. Kelly here, will give us full details as to where the kids are being kept, the rest of the security, and anything else we need, won’t you," JD sneers at Kelly. "Captain we'll need the blueprints of the place where they’ve got the kids. Plus have 4 SWAT teams surround the area while Jack is inside. Hampton, Parker, and myself go in first by the back of the building. This will keep the dogs distracted while the SWAT teams move in. Once inside, we will find the kids and protect them, so they can't be used as hostages. Only then will the SWAT teams move in."

"Are you nuts? Those dogs will tear you apart," Kelly spats, as he recalls how the last guy who tried to cheat them was fed to the dogs.

"I think I can handle a couple of little puppies," JD replies with a shrug.

"The blueprints are being sent here as we speak," Captain Roberts replies as he gets off the phone.

"Fine. We move out in two hours people," JD barks.

*****

Ace Meatpacking Plant Back lot
Near the Warehouse district
Memphis, TN
17 May 1996 12:00 PST – 15:00 Local

JD, Hampton Forbs, and Parker Williams arrive to find no one guarding the back gate. Parker cuts the chain to the fence, while Hampton, in his new bulletproof vest supplied by the Memphis Police, is watching their backs. Meanwhile, JD is scanning the back lot for any sign of the dogs. All three silently move into the lot, carefully checking the empty crates for the dogs. Deeper and deeper the three go into the maze of empty broken crates, without any trace of the dogs that is until…

"I don't see any sign of the dogs," Forbs whispers.

"Uh, sir, you may not, but I think I have," Parker says, as he pulls his foot out of a very large pile of soft smelly brown stuff, and proceeds to try and clean it off his shoe by scrapping it on a piece of wood from one of the crates.

Both JD and Forbs can’t help but smile at what Parker has stepped in. At that point, they all heard a low, menacing growling coming from behind Parker. Parker slowly looks over his shoulder to see one of the biggest, meanest-looking dogs he has ever seen. It is baring teeth uncomfortably close to his backside, which was not cover by the bulletproof vest.

"Does he do this all the time?" JD asks Forbs with a smile.

"Always," Forbs answered as he watches her slowly walk over to the huge Rottweiler at Parker's backside. But then he notices that Parker isn't the only one with a 200-pound Rottweiler growling at his backside. Indeed, they are surrounded by at least 20 of them.

"And you called these things puppies. I would have called them the hounds from hell," Parker remarks, as JD approaches the dog without the slightest trace of fear.

JD doesn't even spare him a glance as she lowers herself to one knee in front of the dog, meeting it eye to eye. While she is locked in a staring contest with dog, the other dogs slowly make their way closer and closer to their prey, JD. Much to Forbs relief, even the one that had been at his backside slowly makes its way towards JD, whose bracelet is producing a tone that can only be heard by the dogs.

Once all of the dogs surround JD, the dog that she has been having the staring contest with ends it with a slobbering lick to her face. The rest of the dogs take his lead and attack JD with slobbering licks of their own.

"How?" Parker asks, dumbfounded as he pointed a finger at the sight before them.

"She's always had a way with animals," Forbs responds with a smile.

"Ok let the SWAT teams know that the dogs are no longer a problem," JD quietly says as she pries herself loose from the assault of wet slobbery licks.

"Are sure they won’t bother them?" Parker asks

"Yup," is her only response, as she looks at the multitude of giant puppies vigorously waging what they have for tails.

"How can you be sure?" Parker asks.

"Because they're coming with us," she answers, as she follows the lead dog toward the building.

"Oh," comes the response from both men as they follow her lead.

*****

Inside the Ace Meatpacking Plant
Near the Warehouse district
Memphis, TN
17 May 1996 – 12:28 PST – 15:28 Local

"Kelly called," a tall, lanky thug, by the name of Rickie, tells his Boss Antonio, who is feeling up a young female, who is bound to his desk.

"What, did Kelly kill that other girl?" he demands, as he turns toward his man.

"No, Sir, he said he has a friend who would like to be fixed up with something special," Rickie replies.

"Did he tell you anything about his friend?" Antonio asks in anguish, as he leaves his little unwilling playmate.

"Yes, Sir. Kelly said he is a really big wig back in D.C., and that he has a lot of pull with the White House."

"Oh, really? And who is this guy?" he asks, thinking this might help him with his long-range plans of getting into politics.

"Kelly said that you wouldn't believe him until you met the guy. And the guy is only going to be in town for a couple of hours."

"Kelly has never steered us wrong. I hope you invited him over."

"He'll be here in 20 minutes."

"Great. Throw this trash back with the rest," Antonio says, as he looks over to the naked girl on his desk. "I want this place presentable. And bring out something really young and fresh for him."

"Yes, Sir."

"Oh, just in case Kelly was lying about this guy, and it’s a trap, have a couple of the boys watch over the merchandise," Antonio says as he walks by Rickie.

*****

Unknown to Antonio and Rickie; JD, Forbs, Parker, and the pack of dogs are already entering the back of the building, where the children are being held, next to the dogs’ kennels. The dogs go into their kennels from the outside to see if there are any guards. JD, Forbs, and Parker enter after them. To no ones surprise, there are no guards present. While Parker cuts the chains on the kennels to let the dogs into the main building, JD creeps down to the only door into the kennels. She hears someone coming so she places her gun back into it's holster and pulls out twin Katanas from under her black trench coat, then goes back against the wall closest to the door.

{Author’s note: This next part is dedicated to Tim (you know who) for keeping me in suspense about the outcome of Wish.}

When Tim Dew, a well-built man, walks into the kennel to get his boss’s favorite dogs for the upcoming meeting, he finds two intruders letting the dogs out. He starts to pull his gun, but is stopped by a female voice from behind.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she says as she placed a sword against his throat and another against the sensitive area between his legs. "Now we can do this easy way, or you can loose your equipment. Your choice?"

"Any way you like it, lady," he gulps at the sexy female voice.

"That's the way I like my play toys, always willing to please," she smiles, and wiggles her eyebrows toward Forbs and Parker.

"What's with the swords?" Parker quietly asks Chief Forbs, as he cringes at the sight of a sword between the man's legs.

"Much quieter than guns," Forbs says with a sigh as he shakes his head at the scene before him.

"Oh."

"Now you’re going step into that kennel right over there," she sweetly whispers into her prisoner's ear, as she removes her sword from his groin.

Tim can do nothing but what he is told. When he is in the kennel, JD proceeds to knock him out with the handle of the sword that had been against his groin. Then she takes his gun and closes the kennel. But just before she turns to leave, she throws the unconscious man a kiss.

"Just like old times," JD says, as she walks up to Hampton, who watched the whole scene.

"I just hope nobody looses a head this time around," he tells her, remembering how he found out she is an immortal.

"Hey. We've only just begun," she teasingly replies, as she walks by him.

"And I was going to offer you a job. What was I thinking?" Forbs groans.

"What kind of job?" she quietly asks, as they make their way to the meat locker that holds the children.

"Oh, just Chief of Detectives in Sparta," he replies.

"Sounds tempting."

When they reach the meat locker, they find the pack holding two men to the ground. They open the locker to find almost thirty terrified, naked children, huddled together in the far west corner. As if on command, all but two dogs stay to hold the down goons.  The others go over to the children begin to lick and cuddle up to them to warm them up. The children seem to understand that the dogs are there to help them.

"I swear; I am going get this sick son of a bitch," JD hisses, as she sees that many of the children are suffering from frostbite.

"Just leave some for me," Forbs spats.

"Uh, guys, I think you should see this," Parker says, after he opened the adjoining door.

Both Forbs and JD walk over to Parker. JD is the first to respond, by cussing up a storm in several different languages that had last been used for conversations several thousands of years ago. Forbs stomach threatens to come up, while Parker’s lunch does, at the sight of several misshapen and battered children’s corpses hanging from meat hooks. Even the pack is affected by it, and several whimper in pain at the smell emitting from the room.

"He's a dead man," JD states, as she closes the door, and heads for the main part of the building where the meeting is taking place.

"Wait JD. What about the kids?" Forbs questions.

"The pack and Parker can stay and watch them," she calls back through the door.

*****

At that point, Jack Castle enters the building in a limousine. Both Antonio and Rickie, along with ten of their goons, are there to greet him. Sam Carter, pretending to be the driver, gets out and is searched. Then he opens the door for Jack.

"What’s the meaning of this?” Jack demands, as he is searched.

"Can't be too careful. Considering my man says that Kelly has had a problem with a Detective JD Heart," Antonio responds.

"She is no longer a problem for the Senator," Jack replies.

"I find that hard to believe considering she is the most dangerous cop I’ve ever heard of," Antonio says.

"I arranged for her to be fired," Jack lies with ease.

"How can you do that?" Rickie asks suspiciously.

"When a certain Captain Roberts gets a phone call from the head of the NSA he was more than willing to comply with my request," Jack answers.

"You're the Jack Castle?" Antonio replies in awe.

"None other. Now let's get down to business. Where are the special items I requested?" he replies.

"Right this way gentleman," Antonio says, and turns around to face a very pissed off female with a sword in each hand.

"Oh, shit," is the response from every man in the room, as JD shoves the sword in her left hand through Antonio's manhood. He doubles over in pain as everyone in the room can clearly see the point of her sword coming out his ass. She then removes it and is about to slice the bastard in half when Hampton interferes, and the SWAT teams come in to surround all the goons.

No one but JD resist.

"You can't," Forbs insists and blocks her way.

"Why?" she hisses, trying to push past him.

"Because you'll be no better then him if you do it, and I know you don't want to go back to that," Forbs says as he looks into her eyes where lighting sparks play across, then steps aside to let her make the final decision.

She looks at the pile of shit that lay in front of her, and remembers the lifeless faces of the dead children hanging in the meat locker. She has done worse, but she had been under the influence of a dark quickening. This man hadn’t. He committed this cruelty without any valid excuse. As she tries to decide what to do with the animal at her feet, her gaze falls upon a familiar face. The angelic man with short blond hair calmly walks towards her and stops directly in front of her.

"Well, yes or no. I don't have all day!" JD snaps, appearing to be yelling at thin air.

The angelic man named Andrew shakes his head no, then he looks at Chief Forbs and smiles. JD follows his gaze and realizes what Andrew is saying. Then he is gone.

"Fine," JD says reluctantly. Then she looks down at the pile of shit in front of her, she firmly stats, "You have the right to remain silent. If you give it up, I will kick your teeth in and gag you." As she puts away the swords, she turns to Forbs, and says, "I'll be in Sparta at the beginning of next month for that job." Then she walks away, without another word.

"Does she always carry swords? And whom was she talking to?" Jack asks Forbs.

"Yeah, she says swords are quieter than guns. And I have no idea who she talked to," he replies. "Better get some ambulances and the coroner here right away."

"Oh, god. How bad?" Jack asks.

"From how JD acted, it must be pretty bad," Sam says, as they watch JD walk past Captain Roberts and throw him her badge, just after she put her swords away.

"Was it me, or did JD just quit."

"I'd say so," both Forbs and Jack reply.

*****

Chapter 3
(Dishing the dirt and now the hairs on the back of JD's neck are putting the Stomp dancers to shame.)

Doctor's Lounge, Community General
Los Angeles, Ca
October 1, 1998 - 11:50 Local

"Damn that's got to hurt!" Riggs laughs, referring to what JD had done to Antonio. But Steve just shakes his head at the thought, while Mark can't help but make a very strange face at it.

"Wait a minute, how could this Carter be her partner if you were her partner?" Doctor Jessie Travis asks, while he squirms in his chair at Riggs' earlier comment.

"Actually I was an FBI agent, and she was the local police officer I always got assigned to, whether I liked it or not." Hampton replies with humor in his voice.

"So what happened to the kids and the dogs?" Amanda asks.

"Funny you should ask. You see, each dog chose a kid and went home with them." Parker answers with a smile.

"I am surprised that neither the police, the kids, nor their parents objected. I'd expect the police to at least try to put them away." Amanda remarks.

"Well, at first there were some that objected, but the dogs made it quite clear where they belonged." Hampton replies.

"And so did the kids, ma'am." Parker laughs.

"This is Doctor Amanda Livingston." Mark introduces Amanda and is about to introduce the men, but realizes he doesn't know their names.

Seeing the confusion on the doctor's face, Chief Forbs introduces himself. "I am Chief Hampton Forbs of the Sparta, Mississippi Police Department."

"Parker Williams." Parker says.

"Captain Bubba Skinner." Bubba says with a tip of his Stetson to Amanda.

"Bubba?!" Riggs laughs. Which prompts a cold stare from Bubba that would have made JD proud. "Geez, did you take cold stare lessons from JD?" Riggs asks.

"As a matter of fact, he did." Parker smiles as he begins to relate when Bubba and JD first met, much to Bubba's discomfort.

"Parker!" Bubba hisses in warning, too late to have any effect.

While Parker goes over the mild version of how JD and Bubba met with the people in the room, Hampton Forbs quietly remembers the things that Parker and the rest didn't know about that day.

*****

Sparta, Mississippi
In Front of the Sparta Police Department
May 26, 1996 - 9:30 Local

Captain Bubba Skinner watches as a black Ninja motorcycle pulls up and parks in the police vehicles parking space right in front of him. He is about to say something when the driver pulls off her helmet and flips her long, sandy blonde hair out of her face. Bubba can't help but stare at the beautiful woman in a full, skintight black leather outfit. As she walks up to him he finally finds his voice. Meanwhile Chief Forbs and Parker Williams walk out of the Police station and quietly observe the scene that is unfolding before them.

"Ma'am, I am sorry, but you can't park there." Bubba manages to get out.

"Why?" JD asks in her best airhead blonde voice.

"Because this spot is for Police vehicles." Bubba replies, as he stares into her beautiful hazel eyes.

"So what's the problem? This is a vehicle, you're a police officer, or so I presume because of the badge." JD says as she flicks his badge. She then very visibly appraises Bubba's muscular body and comments with a brilliant smile, "And especially with that big gun, you must be a police officer."

At her last comment Bubba turns bright red and begins to pull at his suddenly tight collar. "Huh, huh. Ma'am the sign reads for Police vehicles only. So you will have to move your bike." He tells her, an uncomfortable feeling rising in his lower abdomen.

"And where am I supposed to move it? Oh, I know. Where's your place?" she asks as she bats her eyes at him.

"Huh, huh. Excuse me ma'am," Bubba sputters as the feeling in his lower region becomes all too visible.

"It's quite simple, tall dark and huh huh. You tell me where you live, and I'll park my bike and myself there," she whispers into his ear as she gets up close and personal with him. All the while enjoying her little game of teasing the big good-looking cop and leave him hanging. A game she and Sonja played in various ways over the centuries. But for some reason, this time it is just a little different. She is slightly affected by it, in a way she had never been before. She mentally kicks that feeling off when she sees Hampton and Parker trying not to laugh at what she was doing.

"You're a week early," Hampton says to let poor Bubba out of whatever JD had in mind to torment him.

"Hampton what's up?" JD asks as she reluctantly moves away from Bubba to greet them. "Well, I figured that I would come early to find a place to live. Your officer here has just volunteered to show me the town," JD winks at Forbs and Parker.

"JD, it's good to see you again," Parker tells her, walking over to JD and giving her a big hug.

"Good to see you too, Parker. Hope you haven't stepped in anything lately." JD comments with a twinkle in her eyes, as she returns the hug.

"You're JD Heart?" Bubba says overcoming his surprise, "The new Chief of Detectives? The woman that Parker can't stop talking about?"

"Yeah. At least that's what it says on my driver's license, and I do believe that was the position I was offered. So I assume I am that person. But now onto important things, what exactly has Parker been saying about me?" she asks as she gives Parker an icy stare that makes him squirm. She then starts to smile sweetly, and that really unnerves him.

"Well, it's actually quite good you showed up early," Chief Forbs interrupts the scene with a little mischievous grin on his face.

"Don't tell me that I am not even in town for five minutes and you have a homicide for me already?" she groans back at him.

"How did you know?" came from both Parker and Forbs.

JD just moans while Bubba snickers at her expense. At that she gives him a dirty look and orders, "Fine, tall dark and huh, huh will take me there."

"I was just going to suggest that," Chief Forbs replies with a lopsided grin at seeing how uncomfortable it made his friend Bubba feel.

"So where to? And who's the victim?" JD asks, all business.

"According to Sgt. Luanne Corbin, it is one Jason Knox. He was one of the partners in the new computer Factory."

"New computer Factory? Should that tell me something?" JD inquires.

"Nothing special, just your average hardware store. No idea if they actually produce something. No special political directives apply."

"Anything else before we go?" JD asks, all the while ignoring the two little voices in her head that are getting so much enjoyment out of the scene.

"No, but Luanne may have more by the time you get there," Forbs replies.

"So where's your car, huh huh?" JD asks Bubba.

"It's Captain Bubba Skinner." Bubba replies, as he makes his way to his cruiser.

"Touchy." JD comments to Forbs with a smile.

"Oh, by the way JD, did you get a chance to read over the contract I sent you?" Forbs asked.

"Yes, and I was surprised that you were able to work out such a good deal for me," she answers as she hands him a signed contract.

"Don't blame me. Thank our good friend Jack Castle at the NSA, who just happened to call during the meeting with the City Council on hiring you." Forbs tells her innocently.

"Damn did I teach you well or what?" JD comments knowing full well that Forbs and Jack had set up the City Counsel. Then she starts for her bike to retrieve a couple of items.

"JD I hope you’re not going to take what I think you’re going to take? Hampton asks.

"Don't worry I am leaving the pains in the ass here. I'll just take standard stuff this time." JD smiles at the smart ass comment made by one of the pains in the ass that were hidden on her bike, about how was she going to get to the crime scene if she didn't take the pain in the asses in the car. After grabbing the gun and a knife hidden under the seat she locks down her bike, then turns and goes towards the cruiser. Bubba is already inside while Parker holds open the front seat passenger side door for her, and then gets into the back.

"Parker what do you think you're doing," Bubba demands of him.