Justin flexed his hands. After cleaning his raw skin, Doc had applied some ointment, lined his palms with non-stick pads before adding several layers of gauze to cushion the area and taping it all in place.

He glanced over at the corner of the cargo bay.

Jacob sat down next to him."She'll be fine. Let Jade help her."

Justin nodded and glanced at his brother before his eyes glued back on the blanket wall. "Did you know there wasn't an alarm system?"

"Officially? I wouldn't have allowed you to come if there hadn’t been documentation of an alarm system." Jacob leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees. "Unofficially? Falsifying the report was foolish and fucking irresponsible on both our parts, but..." he dropped his head between his shoulders and laughed, "…Jason and I would be damned if we would stop you from coming."

"Why? I thought you guys lived and died ‘by the book’." He needed to know.

"Because Tori and I met when I sprung her from a warlord's prison cell. She'd been tortured for months. She was nearly dead, but that woman ended up saving my life, literally and figuratively. Joseph saved Ember from a cartel assassin. I can't go into specifics, but the man walked through the darkness of hell on a daily basis. Ember brought Joseph back to the light for us. Faith was damn near blown up and nearly killed in two separate events, but she rescued Jason from his own demons. Hell, Christian was nearly incinerated. Jared damn near went insane at the hospital after he'd pulled his man from that fire. The common factor in all of those events? We didn't rescue them. The people we love saved us. Danielle is your salvation. Every last one of us can see it as clearly as crayon written on the wall. It would have killed you to stay in that damn theater."

Justin nodded as he remembered the feeling of worthlessness and self-contempt that had washed over him when the plans were laid out for the rescue mission and he was excluded. God, he never wanted to feel so inadequate ever again.

"So, you're a good thief?" Jacob nudged him with his elbow bringing a smile to Justin's face.

"Information extraction specialist, and yes, I'm one of the best." Hell, in his mind he was the best, but why give his brother any fodder?

Jacob cocked his head, and a wicked smile spread across his face. "You can pick locks?"

Justin snorted with disdain at the comment. "Amateur hour."

"Awesome! Tori has this jewelry box of her mother's that has been locked since her mom died. The people we've taken it to say that there would be damage to the box if they tried to open it. It is the only thing of her mom's she has, and damaging it isn't an option. Could you? I mean, it would mean the world to her if you'd try."

Justin nodded. "I can do that."

"You realize you'd actually have to come to our home. You know, see the boys, too. They miss you as much as Tori and I do." Jacob stared at him sending a spear of guilt straight through Justin's heart. He could see the absolute sincerity in Jacob's expression.

"I'll be there. I'll try to do better." He'd try. Maybe with Danielle's help, he could learn to let his family get closer.

"Why do you block us out of your life?" Fuck. Jacob was like a dog with a rare piece of prime steak that he wasn't going to let go.

Justin shrugged and focused on the blanket in the corner of the room. "My therapist said it was to prevent myself from being hurt. I don't know if I buy that. I think at first that may have been the case. Then it became a way to hide who I've become. For so long there was nothing in my life but work. I had absolutely no time for family. Hell, I didn't have time for myself. I worked for Gabriel and for my company. When I'd achieved a bit of success at both my jobs, I moved into extreme sports. I'm an adrenaline junkie. I always have been. After that, I moved through life looking for the next big thrill. Family became a distant third to work and play." Justin leaned forward and examined his shoes. "Being lost doesn't have a common face. It doesn't look the same on one person as it does another. I was lost. Until I took a chance on Danielle."

"She's the one," Jacob stated.

"Yes. She is." Justin threw a glance at the blanket. "She was my coworker and that somehow morphed into being my friend. Hell, she's my only friend."

"Hey!" Jacob objected.

Justin smiled. He and Jacob used to be close. He acknowledged that, but time and maturity had frayed that connection. Justin needed to work on repairing it. He didn't know how, or if he could, but he knew he wanted to try. "You know what I mean." Jacob nodded, and Justin continued, "We fell into an easy routine. She's always been there for me, even though it wasn't her job. We decided to explore the connection, but before we could go on a date, I saw her rappel off Gordon Dam in Tasmania." Justin smiled and closed his eyes recalling the memory of her descent. "I knew at that moment, she was the woman for me."

"Why, because she's insane?"

Jacob sent the barb with a laugh, but Justin shook his head and in complete seriousness responded, "No, because when I hit the bottom of that rappel, she saw my insanity and embraced it. She saw me. The real me. Not the image the family has of me. Not the image I portray in the business world. She witnessed what and who I am, and she accepted it." Justin leaned back and shrugged.

Jacob leaned back with him. "We all need that one person. I'm glad you found her. I'm happy for you."

The blanket pushed back, and Justin hopped to his feet as if he'd been spring loaded. Several rushed steps later and he was kneeling at her side. "Hey, you look great in that black uniform."

Danielle chuckled and picked at the shoulder of the black t-shirt she wore. "Oh, this old thing? I just threw it together."

Jade chuckled as she picked up Danielle's old clothes and the empty water bottles. "I'll go tell Doc there weren't any deep scratches. I'm sure Justin will take care of anything else you need."

Dani reached out and grabbed Jade's hand. "Thank you. For everything."

His sister paused, swallowed hard and nodded. She spun on her heel and exited quickly. "She likes you. She doesn't like many people." Justin pushed her hair behind her ear as he examined her, making sure Jade was right and that there were no deep lacerations that he could see.

"Hey." Danielle put her hand under his chin and drew his eyes up to hers. A soft smile spread a happy glow around her. "I'm sorry you had to use the rifle today."

Justin sat back on his heels, stunned at her perception. "I'd do it again. To save you and them," he motioned back toward the cargo hold of the plane, "I'd do it again."

She reached out and ran a finger over his jaw. "I know you would, and I don't know if I could love you any more than I do right now. But remember, I see you. Using that rifle today cost you. I know the price you paid, even if they don't."

Justin dropped his head and leaned into her, his head rested on her lap. He closed his eyes and felt her fingers run through his hair. The emotions her words unlocked rolled through him. "Thank you."

Deep down, he needed someone to acknowledge the fact he'd broken every moral compass point he'd set for himself. That Danielle was the one to know and recognize it proved again how much this woman meant to him. His heart dropped off a cliff and landed into her hands. She was the key to his happiness. Not the business, not the work for Guardian, and not the extreme thrills, because there was no better thrill than being with her in a single moment in time.