"Out of the Past"
                                                                             by,
                                                                                  Bunny
           

          The boys had been working on the case for a couple of weeks now.They needed
          to get a positive I.D. on this smuggler,and their break was finally coming.A
          hospitalized FED gave a description to the sketch-artist,and it was being
          faxed to them right now.JD was standing at the machine,waiting for the slow
          process to end.But,when he pulled the picture from the machine,his face
          turned positively ashen,and his eyes started to fill.He lay it down
          gingerly,and excused himself.His partners exchanged worried glances,and Buck
          decided to go after him.He found him about a minute later,in the
          washroom,furiously splashing cold water on his distraught young face.

          Buck:(concerned)JD?
          JD:Oh,hey,Buck.
          Buck:You okay,kid?
          JD:I'm f...

          He broke off,choking back a sob,unable to even issue his standard reply.

          Buck:(putting a brotherly hand on his shoulder)JD?You're startin' to scare
          me,kid...Ya recognize that feller or somethin'?
          JD:(voice barely a whisper)It's him,Buck.
          Buck:(bewildered)"Him",who?
          JD:The guy that killed my sister.

          Buck:What?
          JD:I told ya about my sister Loretta,didn't I?
          Buck:Um,not much,kid...You told me she died when you were 7?
          JD:Yeah...She was real pretty,Buck...Hair like warm honey...and her eyes were
          this sparkly kinda blue-green...I,uh...I'm the one who found her,ya know...

          Buck sucked in his breath in shock,but didn't feel this was the time to
          interupt.

          JD:(allowing a few tears to trickle out)She was...she was just...lyin'
          there,Buck...I didn't know what had happened...why she wouldn't wake up...I
          didn't realize then,but,later I found out...she'd been raped...Then he
          strangled her...(voice breaking)God,Buck...her face was so blue...

          Not knowing what else to do,Buck just wrapped his arms around him
          comfortingly,hugging him tight,as if to protect his "little brother" from the
          demons that still haunted him.

          They waited until JD had calmed down a bit,and decided they should go back
          before the others started looking.When they came back,Buck gave them a look
          that clearly stated,"leave it alone",so they wisely didn't ask JD any
          questions.This greatly relieved the young agent,because he didn't feel up to
          re-telling that story again...and certainly not for so much larger an
          audience...

          Chris:We need someone to go undercover to make a deal with this guy.Ez---
          JD:Let me do it.
          Buck:(giving him a hard glare)Are  you nuts?!
          JD:What?I can't go undercover all of a sudden?
          Buck:(strained patientice)You can't go undercover when it's personal,JD.Ya
          know that.
          JD:That's why I have to go Buck.
          Buck:No...what if he recognizes you?
          JD:That ain't likely.
          Buck:No,but it could happen.
          Vin:(curiously)How is it a drug smuggler'd know ya,JD?

          JD and Buck exchanged glances.Sighing heavily,JD steeled himself to tell the
          story the second time,praying it was the last,that this could finally be put
          behind him...

          Fortunately,they didn't really question him too much about it.Chris didn't
          remove him from the case,knowing full well they'd never be able to remove him
          from a case if he'd found the person responisble for the car-bomb that took
          Sarah and Adam...But,he did concede that Buck had a point...it was much too
          personal for him to be the undercover guy.You have to be detatched for
          something like this...Although he wouldn't say this to JD,even though they'd
          never met Loretta,he didn't think any of them would be able to maintain the
          necessary degree of...detachment...Chris decided to call it a day,saying that
          they needed to rest up for tomorrow.JD knew the real reason,but...he wasn't
          about to look a gift-horse in the mouth,so to speak...He couldn't stay there
          any longer.Since his bike was in the shop,he had ridden with Buck in the
          pickup,and didn't have a lot of choice about where they were going.But,he
          still got slightly annoyed when he saw Buck turning off on the
          side-street,instead of the main road that went to their loft.

          JD:Buck,what'cha doin'?I thought we were goin' home?
          Buck:Yeah;I'm gonna stop by the store first,though.We're outta beer.
          JD:Oh,okay...

          They went into the liquor store,and Buck grabbed a couple of 6-packs and
          headed to the counter.He was surprised when JD grabbed himself a large bottle
          of Don Diablo.

          Buck:Kid?

          JD just shrugged & reached for his license,identifying him as 22...

          They never made it to dinner.Or,rather,JD didn't.They got home around
          4:15,and JD just slumped on the couch,taking a big slug from the bottle.

          Buck:Hadn't ya oughta eat somethin' first?
          JD:Ain't hungry,Buck.
           
          Normally,Buck would've aruged with him,but...It didn't take much.Half bottle
          and about 10 minutes later,JD was unconscious.Buck looked at him
          affectionately.He looked so sweet and innocent when he slept...

          Buck:(wryly)Yeah,I know better,huh,kid?

          He hefted him up and carried to his bed,removing his shoes,socks and shirt
          before pulling the dishevelled blankets over him.

          Buck went to make dinner,hoping the kid would be awake by then,but...he was
          still zonked...

          Buck:Ah,well...I'll just leave 'im some in the fridge.

          He was starting to get concerned around 10:00,when JD was still asleep,but
          shrugged it off,thinking maybe the hangover would be less if he slept more...

          JD was walking in an oppressive fog.He didn't know where he was,or what he
          was looking for,but he knew he was looking for something.The inky blackness
          was starting to get to him,and he began to wish Buck were there...

          JD:Buck?Buck,ya here?Where am I?What's goin' on?

          Suddenly,he saw a silhouette,that started to materalize before his eyes...

          JD:Loretta...

          JD rushed to her in shock,sweeping her into his arms and holding on tight.He
          thought at first this might be a dream,but...if it weren't real,why could he
          feel her arms around him?If he were dreaming,could he smell her familliar
          scent...like honeysuckle and lavender...

          JD:But...how...
          Loretta:(taking his arms firmly and looking him in the eyes)JD,you have to
          help me...
          JD:I...I'm sorry I couldn't save ya before---
          Loretta:That doesn't matter now...
          JD:But,I don't understand...

          Suddenly,he came face to face with the man from the sketch.

          JD:(wrathfully)You bas---

          But,he was cut off as a lightening-bolt shot from his hand,sending JD flying
          back several feet.Before he could get his footing,Meesum had grabbed
          her,wrapping a scarf around her kneck.

          Loretta:JD,help me!
          JD:(weakly rising up)Let go of my sister!

          He tried to get to her,but...Meesum just yanked her off into the
          inky-blackness,and disappeared.He rushed around frantically,looking for
          them,any sign at all,but he could only hear that mocking voice...

          Meesum:(laughing cruelly)You couldn't save your big sister then,and you can't
          now...Just like you won't be able to save your "big brother",or the rest of
          your friends...
          JD:(swallows back his rage)You stay away from them!Where's Loretta?What have
          you done with her?
          Meesum:You'll never find her again...she's mine forever!(laughs psychotically)

          JD:(falling to his knees & screaming at the top of his lungs)NO!!!

          Suddenly,the fog was gone.The night was still dark and oppressive,not to
          mention sticky-hot...Running his shaking hands through his hair,he realized
          that he was drenched in sweat.Before he could rise up,though,the lights were
          flicked on,nearly blinding him.

          JD:(trying vainly to shield himself from the brightness)Ahhh!Buck,what---
          Buck:(pale)You okay,kid?
          JD:(squinting at him)What's wrong,Buck?You look scared.
          Buck:(sits down beside him)Well...somebody  woke me up screamin' his head off.
          JD:(looks down,embarrassed)Uh,sorry,Buck...Guess that liquor got to me,that's
          all...
          Buck:(looks at him carefully)Ya sure that's it,kid?
          JD:(jumps up & tries to make his tone light)Yeah,Buck...I'm fine...I,uh..I'm
          gonna go shower...

          With that he raced towards the bathroom,leaving Buck to stare after him in
          concern and bewilderment.

          Around 7:00,Buck hollered to JD to come eat breakfast.

          {Everything was so surreal...her voice,the lighting...so swirly...Why was she
          surrounded by candles?...

          Loretta:Smile,though you're heart is aching.Smile,though it may be
          breaking.Everthing will be alright,if you just smile...}

          Getting no answer,he strode into JD's room,seeing him staring at a portrait
          in an old-fashioned silver-plated frame.

          {Suddenly,a large rope drops from the sky,looping around her neck,dragging
          her upwards...}

          Buck:Who's that?
          JD:(jumps)Huh?Oh...

          JD hands him the frame and,he looked at the family there.A pretty woman,maybe
          30,who looked too much like JD not to be his mama.She had long dark hair,and
          hazel eyes,and a smile that just glowed.On her left was a pretty young thing
          about 16,honey-blonde-tresses,and sparkly aquamarine eyes..."Just like JD
          described her,"Buck thought.On her other side was a boy about 7,who was
          unmistakeably JD..."Little squirt ain't changed much..."he mused...

          JD:(quietly)This was taken about a week before it happened.
          Buck:Um,JD...They catch him?
          JD:Naw...he was arrested,but he jumped bail...I reckon the statute of
          limitations would've run out by now...
          Buck:Yup...But,(puts a brotherly arm around his shoulders)don't you worry
          none,kid... we ain't got no "statute of limitations".
          JD:(leans into his shoulder comfortingly)Thanks,Buck.

          By the time they got to the office,they were already preparing to make the
          first contact.Ezra was being wired up,as was Vin.JD and Buck were going to
          listen from the van,while the rest were to be stationed around,keeping an eye
          out...

          Chris:Alright,let's hit it!
          Part 2