WARNINGS: Sex, bad language, bad behavior, and such.

    "Okay, Devyn, enough of this laying around. How are we going to get out of here?" O'Grady softly asked to the back of Devyn's head.
    Jenowitz left the women on the bathroom floor more than an hour before. O'Grady was facing Devyn's back. Several previous attempts to get the blonde to talk to her had been met by sniffling silence.
    "Usually," Devyn's voice cracked with emotion, "the coroner takes the bodies out in big plastic bags after the neighbors complain about the smell."
    "I don't want to wait that long," O'Grady was grateful for any response even one of a fatalist nature. "Come on, if they were going to just kill us we'd be dead by now."
    "That's because he's not just gonna kill us," Devyn snorted.
    "That maybe his plan but we don't have to let it happen without a fight. Come on, Devyn, I was almost dead once already. I'm not going to wait around for him finish the job," O'Grady grunted in pain as she futilely struggled to sit up.
    Devyn rolled over on her back at the distressed sound. The doctor was bathed in sweat. Even worse, blood was staining her shirt around the site of the stomach wound. Devyn sat up easily with her legs free and just her arms trapped behind her.
    "You're bleeding. Let me get a look at that," the young woman wiggled her chained wrists under her bottom and out from under her legs.
    "Why didn't you do that an hour ago?" O'Grady laid back down to let Devyn examine the wound.
    "Because I thought you were okay. Because I was too scared…, ashamed…, I don't know," Devyn sighed. "It looks like the scar is weeping blood but there's one Hell of a bruise around it."
    "Hematoma," O'Grady groaned. "I don't want to alarm you but there's fresh bleeding under the suture line. It could rupture the repair."
    "What happens then?" Devyn did not like the remote tone in the doctor's voice.
    "I'll bleed out before an ambulance could get here," O'Grady stated flatly but avoided eye contact.
    "Tell me what to do?"
    "Untie me."
    Devyn quietly got up. A bit of rummaging in the medicine cabinet yielded a cuticle scissors. It took her a little more effort to help the doctor sit up. O'Grady was unable to put much effort into it. Once she was sitting up, the bulky layers of duct tape binding O'Grady's hands were revealed.
    "She's a real bitch," Devyn gritted her teeth as she awkwardly forced the tiny blades into the sticky tangle.
    "I thought she was a friend," the psychiatrist stared blankly at her bound feet. "I don't know how she could do something like this to me."
    "Yeah, right, to you," Devyn muttered under her breath; the metal cuffs biting into her wrists with each cut of the scissors. "Perfectly understandable how she could tie me down and watch while that guy…,"
    "Devyn," O'Grady looked over her shoulder as she whispered the name, "how are you feeling?"
    "What? Gonna psychoanalyze me now?" The young woman spat back as she continued to cut into the tape. "That's just great."
    "Dev, the way you're feeling, is it like my office? Is it like the kitchen?"
    O'Grady's bindings began to slacken. A firm tug on her wrists finished the job. The tape give way. As soon as she was free, she reached around and pulled Devyn into a tight hug. Tears broke loose once the blonde was safely in the doctor's embrace.
    "It's scary," Devyn sobbed into O'Grady's shirt sleeve. "I feel this...anger. It's surrounding me, drowning me."
    "Courtesy of our uninvited house guests, I imagine," O'Grady sighed. "Dev, you're feeling the inner turmoil from Waugh and Jenowitz. Try to let their anger pass through you. Last time their anger blocked your gift."
    "Fat lot of good that's done us," Devyn replied.
    "Oh, you never know how things will play out." The doctor grimaced, "And let's face it, Dev, we need any help we can get."
    Devyn nodded her head as O'Grady relaxed her hold. It was then the doctor saw the bruises around Devyn's neck. Lifting the young woman's chin slightly, O'Grady examined the marks left by two meaty hands.
    "How badly did he hurt you?" O'Grady's stomach turned when she recognized the depths of despair in Devyn's swollen, red eyes.
    "Doesn't matter," the woman shrugged. "Wasn't the first time. Probably won't be the last."
    O'Grady could not argue the point. Thirty feet, twelve stairs and one gun remained between them and the front door. If they did not get out soon then Devyn would probably be brutalized at least once more before Jenowitz finally killed her. The doctor tried to shake off the horrible thought as she tore through the tape at her ankles.
    "Okay, help me get on my feet so I can open the door," O'Grady started to pull herself up.
    "He locked it," Devyn reminded the doctor as she dragged her to her knees.
    "Lock doesn't work," O'Grady cradled her belly with one hand while leaning on Devyn with the other to get her wobbly legs under her.
    O'Grady took three shaky steps towards the door. Grabbing the doorknob firmly, she twisted back until the lock popped. A huge smile spread across Devyn's face.
    "Gotta love old houses," O'Grady grinned.
    The pair crept into Devyn's darkened room. Music blaring from downstairs gave O'Grady hope that Waugh and Jenowitz would not hear their escape. Trembling hands wrapped themselves in the doctor's shirttails. O'Grady eased over to Devyn's nightstand and picked up the phone. The three digits punched into the dial pad seemed to echo in the room.
    "911 emergency. This call is being recorded," a gentle male voice greeted. "What is the nature of your emergency?"
    "We need the police," O'Grady whispered.
    "Can you speak up? I can hardly hear you."
    "There're people in the house. His got...," O'Grady heard the pounding footsteps on the stairs as Devyn began to cry against her back, "11 A Roo…,"
    Jenowitz broadsided the pair with a flying leap from the door. The three laid in a jumbled heap as the light flipped on.
    "Hello, are you still there? Can you hear…" the kind voice on the other end of the phone was silenced when Waugh wrenched the phone cord from the wall.
    "You fuckin' bitch!" Jenowitz pulled back to deliver a vicious punch to O'Grady's face. "You didn't think I'd notice the extension light flash on the phone?" Another devastating blow broke the doctor's nose. "You think I'm some punk ass jerk?" A third fist reopened the wound on the side of her face.
    "Hey, Jeno," Waugh sounded nervous even to O'Grady's barely conscious mind, "feel how cold it's getting in here?"
    "You stupid, whore," Jenowitz drop O'Grady to turn his fury on Waugh. "The cops are gonna be here any minute and you're worried about the heat!"
    He slapped Waugh several times as she tried to explain. Devyn used the distraction to look around for anything that might help them get away. A quick glance to O'Grady proved chilling. The doctor was struggling, with little success, to crawl away from Jenowitz. Her face was a bloody mess. Devyn knew they would not be able to run away. She might be able to out run Jenowitz but not the doctor.
    Devyn caught a flash of light above the doctor's head. A can of purple hair spray sat on the edge of the bureau. The young woman sat puzzled for several precious heartbeats. Another softer flash brought the image of an old woman into focus. Devyn recognized O'Grady's grandmother instantly. The barely visible shape nodded to the can and mutely urged Devyn to action.
    Devyn scrambled on her knees to retrieve the can. Sirens wailed in the distance. She knew they were still too far away to help. Her hand settled comfortably on the nozzle. She heard O'Grady's grandmother scream, "Now!"
    Turning and pressing the nozzle down simultaneously, Devyn got Jenowitz at point blank range in the eyes. The man shrieked as he desperately backpedaled but he got tangled in O'Grady's frantically kicking legs. She had seen him coming for Devyn and tried to drive him away. He crashed to the floor under the assault. Devyn sprang forward and land her knee on his chest. She kept spraying the aerosol in his face as he swatted at her.
    "Everybody freeze!" A woman barked from the door, "Police, let's see those hands in the air! You with the can, drop it!"
    "Dev," O'Grady gasped, "it's okay. Drop the can."
    As if on remote control, Devyn immediately obeyed O'Grady. The can dropped from her raised hands to soundly smash into Jenowitz's face. Police swarmed into the room. All four occupants were forced to their knees and handcuffed.
    "You saw her, didn't you?" Waugh snapped out of her stupor and shouted at Devyn from across the room.
    Devyn could see the terror on Waugh's face. Taking in the woman's full appearance, Devyn could not help but smile at the large wet stain on Waugh's pants. Somehow, Waugh saw the ghost as well as Devyn had. The image apparently scared the piss out of the former psychiatrist.
    "Tell me, you saw her too," Waugh pleaded.
    "I don't know what you're talking about," Devyn grinned as Waugh became hysterical.
    "Would you shut this bitch up? My eyes are killing me! Where's the friggin' ambulance?"
    "Shut up, all of you!" The police woman, who enter the room first, ordered. "Okay, this one," she pointed to the doctor, "is Dr. O'Grady, the owner of the house, and victim number one. Take off her handcuffs and help her to the paramedics downstairs."
    "Thank God," Devyn whispered, "be sure to tell them about your stomach."
    "I'll let you do that," the doctor smiled. "Officer…,"
    "Ya, doctor, I know this is insulting but we had to secure the scene before we could worry about individual comfort."
    "No, I was going to ask if Devyn can help me downstairs. She been injured as well. I believe, it is a much more serious wound than mine."
    "Oh, ya, sorry," the police woman blushed slightly. "Guys, that one is Devyn Tannon, home health aide, and victim number two. Get her cuffs off and see both these ladies to the ambulance."
    "What about my fuckin' eyes?" Jenowitz howled.
    "I processing you as fast as I can. Now, shut up! Could somebody get a paramedic up here to flush this guys eyes out before I have to do it!" The police woman shouted.
    O'Grady, ignoring the screaming and cursing around her, let a police man help her stand. The room started to spin violently. She was pretty sure she was going to fall until a trembling hand grabbed her shirttail.
    "Ready?" Devyn asked.
    "Now I am," O'Grady draped an arm over the young woman's shoulders and followed the policeman out of harm's way.

    "So, what were they waiting for?" Betsy gave a crooked smile, "Not that I wanted them to kill you."
    "Very supportive," O'Grady rolled her eyes as she reached for the dip. "The plan, as best as I understand it, was to drain my bank account before killing us. They were going to force me to make a series of withdrawals over several days."
    "Why did they have to wait more than a month?"
    "I had therapists coming over every day. Jenowitz was merely biding his time," O'Grady took a long sip of her root beer.
    Betsy leaned back on the couch to take in the information. The thought of O'Grady and Devyn being threatened in this very house was mind numbing. It was even more inconceivable with the living room filled with friends and family. Professor Vontz had arrange for the homecoming personally. When he called Betsy he said he wanted to welcome 'his girls' home from the hospital.
    "Your grandfather seems to have made a friend," Betsy waved to the old man.
    The Professor was in a deep conversation with Devyn. They stood before the fireplace, drinks in hand, looking for all the world like theorists discussing the nature of time. Devyn reached out, at one point, and placed her hand on his shoulder. The old man gave a smile then a grin then roared with laughter.
    "Bet you five bucks she just convinced him York was the better Darrin," O'Grady beamed. "The Professor has really amazed me. Not only the way he took care of me in the hospital, but this party. Inviting my father, you and your husband, Howard, even Alby and Anton. You know, I've known those two men all my life but I've never seen them in casual clothes before. Socializing with 'the help' was out of the question in my grandfather's house. He has really come a long way with all of this."
    "So have you, Kiddo," Betsy gave the doctor an unexpected punch to the arm.
    "You're not hurting my Kat leen, are you?" Joseph interrupted his conversation with Betsy's husband to tease the women on the couch.
    "Wouldn't dream of it," Betsy promised. "Unless she annoys me."
    "Be careful Doc, my wife has a killer left hook," the big man laughed.
    "I learned the hard way how tough Betsy can be." O'Grady brushed a tear away, "Did I ever thank you for paging me to the ER for that consult way back when?"
    "You sure did, Kiddo," Betsy let her tears flow as she hugged the psychiatrist.
    "No, don't cry, then she'll start to cry," Anton begged with a bright smile. "No child ever cried faster than the doctor."
    "Ain't that the truth," Alby teased, "I keep two extra white hankies in the glove box just for the doctor's use."
    "Guys, are you going to give all my secrets away?" O'Grady taunted the men who helped to raise her.
    "As long as they are only divulging your foibles and not mine, then they may continue to spill the beans," Professor Vontz led Devyn back to the group.
    "Professor, are you trying to convince Devyn to enter medical school," Dr. Howard smirking in his light alcohol haze that got a wicked glare from his wife.
    "No, I bet it was the 'what did Ozzie do' question," Anton chuckled.
    "Neither," Devyn gave a little kiss to the old man's cheek.
    "Dinner is ready to be served. If you would all adjoin to the formal dining room…,"
    "I don't have a formal dining room," O'Grady interrupted.
    "It was the second empty room on the left side of the entry way. As your guests will see in a few minutes, I added some furniture but," the Professor raised his hand to stop O'Grady's growing anxiety, "tomorrow the movers will remove every stick. Unless, of course, you like it." The old man shrugged.
    "Thanks," O'Grady got up and kissed the man's cheek.
    "Devyn wants to talk to you. I'll get everybody to the dining room and you two join us when you are ready," the Professor kissed his granddaughter back.
    The crowd cleared out leaving the women alone. Devyn shuffled her feet a bit. O'Grady knew she was struggling with how to begin. The psychiatrist felt a weight lodge in her belly as she waited.
    "Doc, your grandfather loves you very much."
    "I know," O'Grady's brow furrowed in confusion.
    "He wanted to give you, us a homecoming. He's been worried sick about us. You, if you weren't so close to the situation might even say he wasn't thinking clearly because of the stress."
    O'Grady tried to fathom the point of Devyn's message above the constant ringing of the doorbell.
    "Isn't anybody going to answer that?" the psychiatrist snapped.
    "No, you have to answer it. It's your mother. He begged her to come," Devyn saw the snarl forming on the doctor's face. "Please, he meant well."
    O'Grady stalked off to the front door. The bell was incessant. With each step, the psychiatrist could feel herself regressing into childhood. Her cynicism, fading to disappointment, ebbing over to resignation then cracking under the weight of hope. Opening the door ended the ringing bell and the hope. Elsie stood with the help of a cab driver.
    "Forty bucks," the driver groaned trying to hold the woman up.
    "Told you my dau, daughter lived here," Elsie slurred.
    "Devyn, would you get the cookie jar money," O'Grady asked calmly. She waited until the young woman disappeared into the kitchen, "Listen up there, Mom! You may not come to my home drunk, ever again. If you want to visit me then you must be sober. I don't even want to smell cold medicine on your stinkin' breath."
    Devyn returned with a handful of neatly folded bills. O'Grady nodded her thanks before counting out the money.
    "This is a hundred. Take her back where you found her and keep the rest as a tip."
    "Only twenty bucks?" The growled, "Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass she is?"
    "You bet I do! She's my mother," O'Grady slammed to door shut on her past.