-Is this hour to get to work, Miss Carter? -That was the affectionate way the Major received his daughter at the police station in the morning, sour as usual.

Lia had stopped at the water fountain outside the living room in the hallway to get some water, her eyes wide with alarm at the loud cry of Jesse's father. He liked her very much, did not want anyone to hurt her. He had always used an exaggerated tone to talk to the girl, as if he was always angry with her. Carter opened his mouth to respond, but was prevented by him, who never gave the opportunity to anyone to explain anything, because his opinion on the facts was always correct.

-We double working here to find Judge Thompson's daughter missing here in Los Angeles ... The president himself called me to deliver this case, especially in my hands. - He hit the collar of the uniform, getting more posture, getting grateful, that was the truth. -While all of our staff is working on the streets, the irresponsible one comes in at this time, she must have spent the night on the spree, now that she lives alone, she must live a orgy-ridden life, - he added with a look of disgust, the scene in the head.

-I'm not lost any more, what time does my father come for me?

Mr. Carter almost fell back when he saw the girl enter, could not believe what he saw. He wondered how the famous judge would be grateful that he had found his daughter. The largest room on the floor was small for such lust. As he was the bigwig, he had special perks, such as a huge glass table with a picture frame with his wife and daughter Mainara, and a black leather swivl chair on the wall some classic paintings, a mini bar in the corner containing mineral water and natural juice made by the wife. The floor was very clean and there was no trace of dust on the furniture. Jesse, when he came in there, would have stopped with a robot, made sure he could not touch anything and break, since he knew that afterwards he would have to listen to her father repeating in his ear how unhelpful he was and that he preferred to have only Mai as daughter, and as it was a shame for the FBI department and such...

-How did you get here, princess? - Your family is crazy behind you, Lia, my men are all on the streets looking for you. Jesse was amazed at how his tone had changed from one moment to the next, she was totally lovable and with a big smile on her face, a very difficult thing to see.

- She was lost. - The researcher began to explain but was cut before finishing the sentence.

-I did not ask you, Jesse, now get out and let me get the girl's statement, - he said roughly pushing her out, but the path was blocked by a mountain of muscles standing in the doorway, dressed in an expensive suit gray hair, back-combed hair and an imposing posture. The Major had to raise his head to look at Judge Thompson, who was staring at his daughter, eyes wide with a worried expression on his face.

- Daughter! - Said the Judge, hurrying past them and reaching for her with open arms, holding her in a protective embrace.

Now, Jesse's eyes were wet with the sight of that loving, literally paternal scene between them. She had never remembered having won a hug from her father, because she never existed. He immediately let go of her arm and went to flatter Thompson, for he wished to have the honor of speaking to a true legend in the legal world.

-Sorry, Dad, I did not want to make you cry. - She wiped his cheek.

-Lia, where have you been? - my dad almost got mad when he picked you up at school and the principal said he had not been to class yesterday; my mother has been weeping at home since she disappeared and poor Liam crying along with her. And I thought I had lost my little doll, I almost died of fear. - A blond boy arrived in social yet playful clothes, pants of black fabric and light blue shirt with the sleeves folded up to the elbows. He was the eldest son of Judge Maxmilian Thompson, he was not crying as a father, but he was almost there.

- Sorry Max, I just wanted to see Bobbi.

Maxmilian reddened the whole face of anger just by hearing the name of the former best friend, would never forgive him for taking advantage of his little sister.

-If it depends on me, you'll never see this angel-pope again, you've never been my friend, - Lia's brother grunted.

-You two come! Let's have this conversation at home together with your mother, -Thompson ordered his voice thick and stern.

Seeing what was left Carter decided to leave the room, probably no one would notice her presence.

-Dad, I want you to meet a very important person! - Said Lia, and again Major Carter filled his chest with a sublime, superior posture.

-That nice cop found me and took me to her house to spend the night safely, offered her bed to me, sleeping practically on the floor. -she divided the little food she had with me and brought me here safe and sound.

Lia walked over to Jesse pulling her hand closer to them, who blushed in embarrassment at the sight of so many eyes on her. It was customary to be the focus of attention only in negative situations she lowered her gaze to her feet a pair of old black sneakers with a hole in the tip of his big toe. She wore jeans, a white T-shirt with three-quarters sleeves, and a bulletproof vest with an FBI badge on his back. Hair tied up in a false knot, with curls about to drop at any moment.

-Thank you for taking care of my most precious possession I will have eternal debt with you. - When you need my help no matter what it is, just call me and I'll come right away. Do not hesitate to ask, daughter! John was holding her hand in excitement he could not imagine what might have happened to his daughter if she had spent the night in a busy city like this.

-No need to thank you, sir, I did what anyone else would.

Carter's modesty surprised him another in her place would take advantage of the situation by begging him for some favor of being promoted to a more important post.

-Only those who have a kind heart like yours would do, I'd be very proud of my daughter if she became like you when grows your age. I bet you are a great cop, your perseverance is visible in your eyes, -he said honestly, with a huge smile on his face. Jesse found that the judge was as handsome as on television.

-Thank you, sir, but I'm no good at anything. Even less in my work, I try to always do my best, but I always ruin everything. - Her gaze was sad, even more so with the way her father had looked at her severely.

-It's better for a policewoman who is not good at anything but hard at everything she does, than one who would hit the target a thousand yards away and have no love for his profession and work only for salary or show off to others. Your father must be very proud of you, if I were him I would. John Thompson was good at words, knew how to hit targets with precision. - She only smiled at him, not with the sincerity she wanted.

She was invited to lunch with them, and she gladly accepted. They talked as if they had known her for years. She was just the same, lovely.

Jesse was left at work by three o'clock. At the moment of saying goodbye, Lia left a letter with her to hand over to Bobbi, explaining that she tried to call him to say he was okay, except that all the calls fell into the mailbox. He had hardly stepped into the apartment and the telephone began to ring. She was all happy that there appeared a homicide occurrence for her and the new partner the "Mentalist" of the department, Hugo Rodrigues. He could read people's thoughts through their facial expressions, it seemed even paranormal. After a tiring day of work, but productive, she left the police station happy to have done a good job, without breaking anything or shooting anyone she should not. Before hitting the card, she tried to call from the desk of the reception desk to her friend Nayla. She was worried about the disappearance. She did not answer, letting herself call until she fell. He was still in shock at the meeting with Stephen, he had been crying all night. He put the phone on the frustrated hook, hit what he had to do, and left. Already in the street, arriving at the nearest bus stop, he saw a young man approaching her.

-Sorry to bother you, Jesse, but I needed to hear from Lia. - My brothers punished me indefinitely, I can´t leave home alone or use my cell phone for a week, Blade hid it, -he explained with rosy cheeks of shame, but he would not lie to her.

-If you're not allowed out on your own, what are you doing here? - Did any of your brothers bring you? -Her heart leaped to her chest just to think it was Blade.

-No. - he looked away, disobeying an order from the brothers once more. - I ran away. He completed as if he had committed a terrible crime, you could see the guilt in his blue eyes shining under the degree lenses.

-You know your brothers are going to be mad at you for that do not you? - They will make a storm in a glass of water. She rolled his eyes.

-I know, but I'll do anything for Lia. Jesse's will was to squeeze his cheeks so cute and loving.

-She asked me to deliver you something.

As soon as she reached into her pocket for the letter, a motorcycle singing tires stopped in front of them. He was a man with a cap covered with a cap, pulled a gun from his waist, and pointed it at Bobbi. At that moment she realized that the reason they forbade him from leaving home was not Lia. Jesse was desperate to see a red dot right above the young man's heart, it was a laser. She did not think twice about getting in front of him when the mourner fired two shots and fled, disappearing just as he came, out of nowhere.

- Jesse you're bleeding ... Do not sleep ... Stay with me...

It was the only thing Carter heard before falling into a deep darkness, feeling a sharp pain on the left side of the shoulder. Desperate! That was the right word for the four brothers who practically flew into the hospital, over anything that passed in front of them. Bobbi had given for one of the nurses Julius's phone number so that the receptionist would call him and tell him what had happened. He did not even let the girl finish explaining after she heard the words Bobbi and shot in the same sentence. The young man did not want to let go of Jesse's hand, he held her from the moment they entered the ambulance, which, luckily, was returning from attending a false call for help, trotting a thirteen-year-old boy. The young man just could not tell the family of the policeman, he had no contact with them. Thanks to the guilty guardian angels the shot hit the shoulder, it would be good soon.

-Take me to my brother! - Blade ordered the receptionist sitting behind a white counter where she attended the people.

His voice was hoarser than usual, evidence of a future cold. His tone to her was like his boss and paid him a fortune as a salary to mentally discover his brother's name, since he did not speak.

-The visiting hours are ended, come back tomorrow, - she said in a thin voice.

Blade even reached for her neck to pull her out of the way she wanted to know, when the poor dark-haired woman turned to stare at him and almost fainted with what she had seen. His eyes were wide with anger, in a tone of fire at the height of the flames. He growled softly like a rabid wolf, his fists clenched so tightly that blood had drained from his cavities.

-Please, girl, I'm sorry my friend. -He's nervous because our youngest brother got shot and we want to know how he is. Julius took the word his sympathy moved the woman, even more so by the tearful tone with which he left.

 - What is the name of your brother, dear? -Asked the receptionist with a concern she did not usually have with other patients, let alone one she did not even know who it was.

She was a mature woman, wearing a slightly overdone makeup for her age. She looked like a teenager in high school, her hair caught in a ponytail stuck up and almost a pound of pink eye shadow.

-Robert Perez Salvatore Xing Maldonado, - Li replied in a fraction of a second, his face serious and his eyes red from crying on the way to the hospital.

-Speak soon, you witch, I'm not obliged to spend the rest of the day looking at your hideous make-up. -Stephen would not fail to comment on her cheerful makeup, she did not cry at any moment, but she gnawed at the black enamel of ten fingers of pale hands like snow.

- What's wrong with my make-up? - she turned her chair a little to face the Englishman. She was offended, had not spent all afternoon getting dressed to hear that sort of thing.

-What's not wrong with you, my dear? - Blade looked at the disgusted woman, for him worse than a woman without makeup was one who did not know how to make-up.

-Leave the poor girl alone! - Bobbi emerged from one of the corridors walking quietly.

The reception was large with four rows of waiting chairs. A corner table with various magazines on, a TV hung on the wall and a white floor so clean it came to shine.

- Mascot! - Blade said thickly, relieved to see him well.

-Are you all right, son? Is it hurting a lot? Who did this to you? Have you eaten anything today? We brought clothes to take a shower and get scented. -The four brothers were talking at the same time as they made a thorough search for the boy's body for injuries.

One would lift his blouse from another, and then examine his bare back, and so went over the rest of Bobbi's body until they were sure that he was really well.

-I'm fine, brothers, you do not have to worry that much, - Bobbi exclaimed, a tender smile on his face.

-What an odd family, - said a couple sitting in the second row on the left, looking at them strangely.

People are so accustomed to worrying only so much with them, that when they see a scene like that, they wonder.

-It is not strange, it is united! - The receptionist wiped away a tear, came from a broken family, her father assaulted his mother in front of her.

-But they called us saying you had been shot, Mascot, - Blade said, his face confused.

- Out of nowhere a hooded man appeared on a motorcycle and pointed the gun at me, but Jesse stepped forward so the shot would not hit me. She was shot in my place if she died I would never forgive me. - Started to cry.

- Calm down, son, she'll be fine! - Julius enveloped him in a hug, and he cried with his face hidden in his chest as when he was a child.

-Do not cry, little brother, I brought you a present.

Estevão drew from his long black coat's pocket a lollipop of about a pound in a round shape of several colors, attached to a wooden skewer. He handed it to her and stroked Bobbi's hair still hidden inside Julius's arms.

- And I brought candy bullets. - Li smiled, hoping to cheer him up a bit.

-Stop fucking the boy, I do not want you to be diabetic. - The Mexican was angry. As he fed Bobbi vegetables, the others filled him with candy.

-Where's Maldonado? - Bobbi asked in a tearful voice, he was sobbing.

-You do not have to be too smart to know, son. Let's go home and leave the two alone. Blade will not leave here until she's sure she's okay, -Julius said, his face lit up, he had already realized something Maldonado himself had no idea what was happening to him.

The door to Jesse's bedroom was ajar, Blade could not explain how he got there so fast and how sure she was in that room, and that along the corridor should be twenty or more. He walked in slowly, he was afraid of what he was about to see. His heart throbbed fast and his breath was heavy and gasping, Carter was asleep on a bed with the soft mattress, covered by a white sheet, a large bandage on his shoulder, and his left arm pinned. Her hair was loose in a mess of rebellious curls scattered all over her pillow, some more daring on the face that could be even more delicate at that moment. Her eyes were closed with large, unopened eyelashes that seemed to be much larger than they appeared thick lips curved into a perfect heart shape breath as light as a feather. She looks like an angel even when she is sleeping, naive and delicate.

Maldonado carefully approached the chair next to her bed, but not enough for him. He wanted to be able to watch her as close as possible, not to take her eyes off her. Anyone who tried killing Bobbi to hurt him might want to go back to finish the job, especially now that he knows that only someone very close to them would come in front of a bullet to save one of them. Now she was targeted as well. He wanted her far from unfortunately anyone who was want to kill him to earn the reward would try to use Carter to get to him, alive or dead.

- Blade! - Jesse called softly for him as if she knew he was there.

She rested a little on the bed turning to the side, leaning with her good shoulder, now facing him. If he was not asleep, he would have a beautiful vision of the man who had no more room in him for worrying about her.

-I'm here, little one. - His voice was soft, almost never used that tone to anyone. -For you, for you, - he finished in a whisper.

-I'm scared, do not leave me, - she said in a hushed voice and heavy countenance, perhaps she was having a nightmare.

-I'm not going anywhere without you.

He could not resist, and he took her hand. This time she did not feel reluctant to touch her, instead, she felt something that warmed her heart. Not as if it had been heated by a blanket, but by a volcano erupting.

How can I hate someone who has saved my life and the most important person in the world for me? It's funny to know that my guardian angel is just over five feet tall.

He held her hand for more than two hours, which compared to his seemed like an adult holding a child's. It was delicate, thin and warm. Jesse shifted slightly causing some stubborn curls to cover her face. With his free hand, he removed them carefully, one by one. Again she could not resist and touched the apple of her face fondly which made her smile shyly at the warmth of Blade's touch.

-Mom came over as soon as she heard about the daughter.

Maldonado removed his hand from her face as he heard her desperate mother's voice to see how she was but did not turn to look at her. By chance, a friend of the Carter family, who was visiting her nephew who was hospitalized at the same hospital, saw the paramedics arrive in a hurry with the investigator bleeding a lot on a stretcher, asked one of them what happened and he explained that it was only one shot and that she would be fine soon. Then the friend came in contact to warn her of what happened and to know, the mother flew to the hospital.

As soon as she arrived, she saw that she was safe and that while she slept holding the hand of a man who seemed to care very much about her.

Maria approached without taking her eyes from their hands with their fingers intertwined. She tried to draw in her mind some memory of having seen him before with his daughter only to find none. She watched from the corner of her eyes as he had arranged his considerable height casually in that small chair, which certainly had not been made for someone with his physical stature, his muscles almost exploding under a black leather-styled jacket, but at the same time elegant. The confident and superior posture she did not know him, but she liked him the way he looked at Jesse. Sometimes when the world desires to be desired, a small gesture says it all, even a simple thing like holding someone's hand. She also noted the stark difference between the two, as if one completed the other. Without saying she positioned hermself next to the bed, made a slight affection on the face of the firstborn.

-She looks like an angel sleeping, - Maria said with a wet glint in her eyes.

-Yes, - said Blade. He was not a man of many words, especially when it came to someone he did not know.

- Good night son! I'm Maria José Cart ... -As soon as her mother was about to speak the last name, Jesse woke up in shock and avoided a catastrophe.

- Mom? Oh ... Aiiii ... -she tried to get up, but her injured shoulder complained about the sudden movement.

-You can´t keep moving, my love, it will take a little while to heal completely, baby.

Blade looked at the kind woman in front of her, her sweet voice making her remember her mother.

-Who warned you about what happend ? -  was half dizzy, sleepy.

-That does not matter, honey, I came as fast as I could to find you were alone, I was glad to get here and see your friend here taking care of you.

It was then that Jesse realized there was someone else in the room and that someone was holding his hand, fondly. And at that moment she felt special, important to him, even if it was only a little out of gratitude.

-Thank you for being here taking care of me, you did not have to do that.

She looked up at him and took a deep breath, surprised that his hand was still holding hers, Blade's large blue eyes staring at her with an inebriated expression of admiration.

-I thank you for what you have done for Bobbi, and I will always be grateful to have saved my brother's life. -This shot was for him, if you had not gotten ahead him, we could be veiling his body.

He let go of her hand, Jesse nearly screamed for missing that contact.

- I just did my job! -she looked away, the intense way he looked at her made her nervous.

-No! You did mine, taking care of him is my responsibility, not yours, -he growled higher than he wanted.

-Will not you introduce me to your friend, daughter? - Maria Joaquim decided to change the subject, noticed that the weather was getting hot.

- Mom, this is Bla...

- No one in particular. - He cut it. -If you'll excuse me, I need to see how Bobbi is after what happened it was a pleasure to meet you, Maria Joaquim. Thanks again researcher, you are braver than you think.

Jesse was embarrassed, but only a little. Saying this he left, giving them a beautiful view of their beautiful backs.

- Daughter, do you believe that your father suffered an attempted robbery this afternoon, shortly after he arrived from work, came earlier today, showered and as soon as he went to the golf club with his friends? - A hooded man removed his belt from his trousers and struck him several times. The funniest thing is in the same places where he hit you that time, Jesse. And the criminal did not even take the money. Fill thinks he must be a member of some gang getting revenge for having arrested their boss. The wounds are raw, can´t even walk. His sister had to stay home to take care of him. Whoever got caught with it sincerely? I found it well done for him to learn, lost were the ones that did not. Maria laughed heartily as she tried to hook up her daughter's hair with blue elastic that she found in the bottom of her purse.

-I can´t believe he did it! - Jesse thought loudly, literally astonished! Not wanting to believe it had been Blade who had done that to her father, but deep down she knew she was.

Mary spent the night with her daughter, taking care of her with the greatest love in the world as she always did. As soon as Jesse woke up, she felt no more pain, she took a shower of her own, needing her mother's help just to wear the hospital clothes, a beige dress opens behind her. Her mother had brought some of her clothes that she still had at home, but she could only wear them when she left the hospital.

After a lot of insistence from the investigator, Maria Joaquim went home to take a shower and eat something, take a look at the major and then return with Mainara who was crazy to see how her sister was in person.

In this interval, she had four very entertaining visits that made her laugh a lot, Julius, Estevão, Li, and Bobbi. They carried flowers, colored gas balloons and a box of French chocolates. She loved every minute, just missed Blade. She wanted him to come, to hold her hand again, but she believed it would never happen. As they left, to their surprise, the doctor passed by and said that he was already discharged and could go home. With great difficulty she managed to dress in her mother's clothes, she asked the receptionist - who opted for a less aggressive makeup this morning, sometimes a reality tea is a holy remedy - to tell her mother that she had gone home. As soon as Carter arrived in the street where she lived, she noticed a certain difference in her building, only the floor of her apartment had been renovated, was painted a dark brown, in a very beautiful tone. Where once there was only one window, now there were a lot of windows with grilles from top to bottom with shutters hanging from the inside.

-At least the outside is not so bad anymore. - She smiled in satisfaction. When she felt herself being watched, she decided to squeeze the steps and enter the building. As he passed the corridor, he noticed that the walls were painted white and a plaque of "Rent up" stood out on the door of the neighbor. She felt relieved, afraid of it. The surprise was when she arrived at her door that now was of pure steel. Shee looked under the rug and the key of the same material was there with a note that read:

Do not store your keys here anymore, it can be dangerous.

- My God!!! -Jesse screamed.

The apartment had also been renovated or rather it seemed to have been rebuilt. The walls were very well painted in pale blue, all furnished with the best on the market. Walls were built to divide the rooms and now she had a room with a suite and that suite! Entitled to a large shower and a bathtub with her toiletries housed in the same place that was in the old cabinet over the old sink a huge double bed with a thick mattress, who bought thought of his well-being also when he chose it... In the living room, two purple-black sofas of different sizes, an ivory rug in front of them and an eighty-inch plasma television on the wall. The best part was when he entered the kitchen, it was all stainless, everyone's dream. Small and comfortable like everything in the apartment. The cupboard was white and filled the entire length of the wall, a large sink with a microwave over it, a large refrigerator packed with food that could feed ten people for a week, the cupboards were also packed with groceries. A four-burner stove, instead of a table, a dark granite counter with two high stools, one on each side of it. Translating, it was all good and best.

Without understanding all that, she went to the owner of the building on the top floor, who told her that her apartment had been sold and that she was not authorized to tell whom. He had everything reformed in one day and furnished everything. He asked to tell the resident not to worry, because nothing would be included in the rent, and that he could live there without paying anything on the condition of just taking good care of the apartment. But Jesse made it clear he would never accept that! Who was? She wanted to get in touch with the new owner and ask for an account number to which she could deposit the money, she was too honest to live at the expense of others. For her, to be poor was not a defect, but to take advantage of the goodness of others, yes. Then he came home amazed, did not know what to think, had only one suspect, but soon dismissed the possibility. Blade would never do that for her, it was too absurd a great goodness to come from someone cold like him. She preferred to believe that there were still other good people in the world and that she would find out who did it for her and thank her in person. Taking a more detailed tour of the new house, which looked like a doll, sporting even an electric heater, the cold nights were over, she realized that all his personal belongings were intact, but only one thing was missing.

Where is the music box go? Now I can no longer deliver it to the real owner, Jesse thought sadly, not knowing that it had been in his hands for a long time.