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"He's confused as to whether or not you sent him to Waverly."

"I don't know why he would think I was involved. I don't understand why he wouldn't trust me." She let out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around her body and shivered.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Not really."

She looked so alone, so fragile, that he couldn't stop himself from walking across the room and putting his arms around her. She immediately stiffened.

"Relax. I'm just going to warm you up." He pulled her against his body and wrapped his arms around her.

She felt damn good in his arms, and he had to remind himself that this embrace was meant to comfort and not to start something. It took a moment for her to relax against him, to slip her arms around his waist, to rest her head on his chest. And that movement sent not just desire through him but also a feeling of protectiveness.

No matter what happened between them, he wanted to take care of her now. He wanted to fix all of it, but he couldn't fix any of it, so he just held on.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured. "I'll do everything I can to help Jack and to keep you both safe."

She raised her head and looked at him through her beautiful blue eyes. "I want you to be safe, too, Tyler."

"You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Most days, I can too," she murmured, forcing herself out of his embrace. "I'm okay now. And I think I'm hungry. Shall we have pizza?"

What he really wanted to do was take her back in his arms, but the only appropriate answer was, "Yes, let's have pizza."

After a couple of slices of pizza, Rachel's energy began to return, and she felt a little embarrassed by her momentary weakness, making Tyler feel like he had to give her a hug. She didn't like to be seen as needy, a trait she'd developed a very long time ago, because neither of her parents had ever been comfortable with her tears or her needs. She'd learned to take care of herself, and as she'd told him earlier, she was usually pretty good at it. But it had been a hell of a day, and maybe she just needed to give herself some grace.

When they finished eating, she went to check on Jack. His oxygen and blood pressure were stable, so she curled up on the sofa across from him. A few minutes later, Tyler came in and sat down next to her.

"He's not snoring the way he used to," Tyler commented, keeping his voice low. "No one ever chose to share a room with Jack, if they could help it. But sometimes we couldn't help it."

"He called you Iowa earlier."

"Yeah, that actually made me feel better. It showed he had some clarity in his mind. Why do you think he's so exhausted now?"

"I'm sure there was some type of sedative administered. It would be nice to know when it was given, if it was right before he escaped, or if he woke up after a few hours and then ran off. I guess we just have to wait."

"I've never been good at waiting," he said with a sigh. "I like taking action. Everything else seems like a waste of time."

"Sometimes, you have to wait so the action you take can have the best result. We are very different personalities. I'm too patient, and you're too impatient."

"Well, we're each too much of something. We have that in common," he said lightly. "There are other things we do well together, too."

She felt her cheeks warm at the gleam in his eyes. She wished she could say there was nothing else they did well together, but every kiss she'd had with him had been unforgettable. But she wasn't going to tell him that. He had more than enough confidence as it was. "Your fellow agents are nice. They seem smart and capable, very willing to help."

"They're all those things," he agreed. "We haven't known each other that long, but we've already been through some hair-raising moments together, and I've come to trust them."

"Did anyone on the team know each other before they joined?"

"Jason worked with a couple of us and hired the others on high recommendations. But nobody worked together before now. Kara was in the NYPD for a long time. She's a local girl. Knows the city extremely well. Zane came from Wall Street. He's the best at following a money trail."

"Sounds like everyone has a unique skillset. What's yours?"

"My military background. Some other things," he said with a shrug.

"Like field surgery?" she queried, remembering his earlier statement to Kara.

"I had to pull out a bullet a couple of times and stitch up some wounds, but it was pretty rough, and I would prefer to never do any of that again. Medicine can be really…bloody."