Masha studied the young woman gazing into the cabinet. She had come to care deeply for Shelby during the two weeks they had shared the apartment. The American was a stranger, yet she had opened her home to her and shown her nothing but kindness.

She knew Shelby had a deep bond with her daughter and had extended that friendship to include her. She'd had two weeks to do little but wonder at the generosity shown her, even as she worried what the future held for both herself and her daughter.

Would she ever see Natasha again or would she be sent back to Russia? If she did return to her homeland, would she be branded a traitor? Would she ever have the chance to establish a relationship with her only child? What kind of person had her daughter become? Would she want her mother back in her life? Shelby seemed to think she would, but Masha needed to talk to Natasha and draw her own conclusions.

The questions were endless, and only time would provide the answers to them. As she gazed at Shelby, Masha knew her priority right now rested with trying to raise the younger woman's spirits.

She walked up behind Shelby, laid her hand on the blonde's shoulder and spoke with conviction. "No be sad. Natasha good job."

Pulled from her reverie, Shelby nodded, then turned and hugged Masha appreciating her unfailing support.

"I know. I'm just worried."

Now, she walked over to the couch with Masha and sat down. It was time for the news and she watched it religiously each day, vacillating between the hope of hearing something that might signal Kris' release and the fear of what she might actually see. She reached over and gently squeezed the Russian's hand. "Maybe today."

When the news ended without any mention of Kris or the Russian embassy, Masha lifted Stormy from her lap and turned to face Shelby. Even though she didn't understand all the words, she could see the resignation in the younger woman's face. "We go see Lisa?"

The analyst smiled and nodded. "Yes." She picked up the phone and punched in the numbers, waiting for Lisa to answer.

"Hi, Mom. Mind if Masha and I stop over a little later?"

Lisa laughed. "Of course not."

"Okay, we'll see you in a bit. Bye."

Shelby picked up the newspaper from its resting place on the coffee table and beckoned for Masha to move closer. In a combination of recently learned Russian words, English, and gestures, she painstakingly explained her plan to try and get Kris released.

Listening carefully, Masha nodded her understanding. When Shelby finished speaking, she said, "You make enemies."

Sighing, Shelby replied, "Yes, but..."

Masha gently interrupted. "I love Natasha."

Shelby smiled. "I know you do. She loves you, too."

Masha gestured at Shelby. "You love her."

Momentarily caught off guard, Shelby agreed, "Yes, I do."

The Russian looked around the apartment. "She stay here with you?"

"Yes. She," Shelby searched for a simple word to explain that Kris had been protecting her, "guarded me."

"She sleep in your bed?"

Shelby was unable to stop a blush from creeping over her face, as the kind, wise eyes gazed at her.

Masha smiled and displayed her new knowledge of casual English. "Okay."

"Okay?" Shelby wasn't quite sure how to take that.

Reaching for Shelby's hand, Masha nodded. "Okay."

She squeezed the older woman's hand, sharing their common love of the absent woman.

A short time later, they departed for Lisa's house.



*  *  *

Lisa opened the door, expecting to see Shelby. Her daughter and Kris' mother had visited several times during the past few weeks, but the profound sadness she could see on her daughter's face broke her heart.

She'd asked about the case, but Shelby had told her it was over and that she couldn't discuss it. The biggest surprise had been when she learned that Masha was staying with her daughter, but when she'd asked after Kris, Shelby would only say she was away.

The only time Lisa had heard any enthusiasm in her daughter's voice was when she'd told Shelby that she was going to start attending a support group for battered wives.

Lisa was jerked to the present by the unexpected figure in her doorway.

Smiling, Jonathan said, "Hey, babe. I've missed you."

"Jonathan, I told you I needed some time and would call you. So why are you here?"

His smiled faded. "You talked to Shelby, didn't you?"

Lisa crossed her arms, blocking the entrance. "Do you mean about how you grabbed her arm where she'd been shot, and threatened her again? Is that what you're talking about?"

Sorrowfully, he said, "Yes, I did do that, but please let me explain."

After meeting with Kim, and following up with phone conversations, Lisa was beginning to understand that she had been at fault too, for not leaving Jonathan and for allowing the abuse to continue against both herself and her children. She would never doubt anything Shelby told her again, but she decided to let her former husband dig himself into a deeper hole. She had heard a full accounting from her daughter and wanted to see how closely the man would stick to the truth.

When Lisa remained silent, Jonathan pleaded, "Please babe?"

"Okay, explain."

He leaned against the doorframe, hoping Lisa would invite him in. "I was minding my own business when there was a knock on the door. It was the cops. I knew I hadn't done anything, but they asked me all sorts of questions about where I was the night before. And then it hit me. Shelby must have turned me into the cops for shooting her." He looked up at Lisa sadly. "I would never do anything like that. Can you imagine how I felt?"

Lisa stood there impassively. "So, what happened when Shelby got there?"

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Um...well, I was so hurt at being falsely accused, I drank a six pack and laid down to take a nap. Couple of hours later, I got woken up again. It was Shelby and that tall bit...woman. So, I let them in, and the tall one went back outside so we could talk."

Lisa waited patiently. So far, what Jonathan had related was accurate. She was curious as to how he was going to try and explain his hostile actions. "And?"

"Well, you gotta understand, I was a bit woozy from the beer, and she ordered me to stay away from you, and threatened to tell you I shot her..."

Lisa summoned every ounce of courage she possessed to confront her former husband for the very first time. "Stop right there. You are a liar. Shelby was right. You haven't changed at all. You've just become a better actor."

Jonathan dropped his eyes to the floor. "I knew you wouldn't believe me." He looked back up at Lisa beseechingly. "I swear I'm telling you the truth. If it had happened just like Shelby said, why would I be here?"

Looking at her former husband, Lisa fought the urge to believe him. "You tell me."

"Babe, you know how stressed out Shelby's been. I would be, too, if someone was shooting at me. I think she threatened to put the blame on me because she is so confused right now."

Lisa hated to admit it, but Jonathan was right about the pressure her daughter had been under. She met his eyes resolutely. "She wouldn't lie no matter how bad things were. You know that."

His frustration building, Jonathan pleaded, "Please believe me. I just got angry when she threatened me. I never meant her any harm."

"How come when Kris came in the trailer, you got into it with her."

"That fucking bitch got right in my face and wouldn't move. She just got lucky."

Lisa retorted, "Well, that fucking bitch was protecting Shelby from you."

Jonathan could see his plans to move back in crumbling to dust in front of him. Losing his calm demeanor, he glared at Lisa, and snapped, "So you still think I'm lying."

Trying to calm Jonathan down in order to avoid a physical confrontation, Lisa suggested, "Maybe you misunderstood what she said."

Jonathan's face reddened. "Oh, so now I'm not only a liar but I'm stupid, too." He pushed Lisa into the house, following her menacingly. "Just who in the hell do you think you are?" He shoved her again. "All of a sudden my word isn't good enough for you." Spittle flew from his mouth into Lisa face. "You stupid, bitch!"

Backing away from Jonathan, Lisa shouted, "Get out of here, now, or I'm calling the cops."

When he heard his mother yell, Jason jumped up from in front of the TV and ran towards the kitchen, Justin following closely on his heels. The teenager had just cleared the doorway, when he saw his father brutally slap his mother, blood from a split lip coloring her chin.

He stepped in front of his mother and grabbed his father's arm, which was raised again. "Leave her alone, Dad."

Jonathan jerked his arm free of his son's grasp and glared at Jason. "Get out of here. NOW!" He captured Justin with his gaze, and added, "Both of you."

Jason shook his head and stood his ground, staring at a bulging vein in his father's forehead as the man's face reddened in anger. He felt his stomach tighten in fear and hoped the older man couldn't see how scared he was. He ignored his mother trying to pull him back away from the angry man.

"Dad, please leave."

Jonathan's open palm slammed against Jason's cheek. "You disrespectful brat. I told you to get out of here."

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jason repeated, "Dad, just go. Please." He threw up an arm to block his father's next blow, further angering the bigger man.

When her attempts to get her son out of Jonathon's path were unsuccessful, Lisa moved to stand beside him, ignoring the boy when he said, "Mom, get out of here." There was no way she was leaving Jason alone at Jonathon's mercy.