J.T. didn't want to believe his cousin could be so deranged, yet Randal was openly admitting his guilt. Worse, he showed no remorse over any of his malicious deeds. "Randal, you're a sick bastard-"

"Oh, and let's not forget Stacey," he interrupted. "I screwed her every way I could, and she still wanted more." He leered at Caitlan. "Maybe I'll screw this bitch and let you know how they compare."

Fury exploded in J.T. Rage shook every vital part of him. He stepped forward, ready to tear his cousin apart limb by limb. He came to an abrupt halt when Caitlan cried out from the pain Randal inflicted on her. A sadistic pleasure brightened Randal's eyes. One more application of pressure and the bones in Caitlan's wrist would shatter.

Adrenaline pumped through J.T.'s body, and he resisted the instinctive urge to charge at Randal, even though watching his cousin torture Caitlan ripped him apart inside. Caitlan clearly experienced human emotions and pain, and he refused to run the risk of Randal seriously injuring her.

God, he felt so helpless. Randal held the advantage, and J.T. was at a loss as to what to do. His men stood to the side, but they, too, knew they couldn't do anything to help without risking Caitlan's safety. If he could get Caitlan out of the way, J.T. knew he could take Randal down.

"What do you want, Randal?" he asked, trying to reason with him when all he wanted to do was kill him for hurting Caitlan.

"I want to bring you down, J.T., as low as I've been. I wonder," Randal said, enjoying being in control, "would you get down on your knees and beg for this slut's life?" A slow smile of satisfaction curled his mouth. "Yeah, I think I'd like that. Beg, J.T., and maybe I'll let her go." Randal twisted her hand back.

Gasping at the burning agony streaking up her arm, Caitlan frantically searched her mind for a way out of this mess. She had to find a way to reach her medallion and summon her Superiors' help. Drawing her foot back, she kicked Randal in the shin. He grunted at the unexpected painful attack, his eyes widening. She started to repeat the procedure. Realizing her intent, he shoved her roughly away.

Staggering to the side, J.T. caught her before she fell and thrust her behind him, out of the way. He moved to tackle Randal but stopped short when his cousin pulled a.38 from his waistband beneath his jacket. Randal backed himself up against the barn, pointing the small handgun at J.T.'s chest, a crazed look in his eyes. He was trapped and knew it. The only way out would be by killing J.T.

"Randal, goddammit, put the gun away!" J.T. ordered gruffly.

Randal's finger curled around the trigger. "Not until I finish what I started down by the creek." Slowly, he guided the barrel of the gun to Caitlan, aiming at her heart. "Or maybe I'll put a bullet through her and make you suffer the way I've suffered."

J.T.'s jaw clenched, anger and apprehension blazing through him at Randal's threat to shoot Caitlan. If he had any hope at all of keeping her with him after this whole ordeal, he couldn't allow Randal to harm her in any way.

"Leave Caitlan out of this," J.T. said tightly, his body tensing to spring at any moment. "Your grudge is with me, not her."

"As always, you're right," Randal said mockingly, training the barrel of the gun back to J.T. "You always were the golden boy around here, weren't you? You could do no wrong. Even my own father would ask me why I couldn't be more like you. Funny thing is, I wanted to be like you. I wanted to be you." He waved the gun in the air, his eyes glittering with madness. "You've always had everything handed to you."

"I've worked for everything I've got." J.T. shifted on his feet, the subtle move inching him closer to Randal and the barrel of his gun. "Your father should have been more careful with his inheritance."

"Half of this ranch should have been mine, J.T.," he roared, his face turning bright red in his fury. "Mine!"

Randal continued to rave at his cousin for all the injustices done to him, his gun never wavering far from his target of J.T.'s chest. A few of the hands moved cautiously in to help, but Randal went wild-eyed and warned them back, threatening J.T.'s life. The men obeyed.

A fierce wind blew, whipping through the trees, scattering the scent of danger and peril. The black clouds in the sky churned, and thunder boomed ominously. Keeping a keen eye on Randal's movements, Caitlan slowly reached up and grasped her medallion, rubbing the warm gold with her thumb for comfort as much as as a summons.

"Help!" Caitlan projected.

"Yes, it's time," Mary answered.

Her worst fear confirmed, that her mission was nearly over, a sob of despair caught in Caitlan's throat. She held back the impulse to beg for more time with her only love. Oh, God, how could she leave Johnny again? How could she go on without him after giving him her heart and soul-everything that she was?

"Get your emotions under control, Caitlan!" Mary ordered. "Now, before it's too late. You must be the one to save J.T."

Mentally shaking herself, Caitlan dropped her hand back to her side and concentrated on the situation, trying to anticipate Randal's next move.

Randal's tirade continued, his rage mounting without any provocation from J.T. "I hate you, J.T.," he seethed, his fingers tightening on the gun. "If I can't have the ranch, neither will you!"

In what seemed like slow motion to Caitlan, she watched in horror as J.T. lunged toward Randal, his intention to dislodge the gun from his cousin's hands. Fear tore through Caitlan and she bolted forward to intercept J.T.

Randal's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected commotion. He jerked out of the way and leveled the barrel on J.T. again, his finger squeezing the trigger. A maniacal expression contorted Randal's face.

"Johnny, no!" Caitlan shoved J.T. aside with the force of her propelled body just as a loud crack exploded in the air. An excruciating, ripping pain pierced her chest like a lance of fire.

The impact of the bullet threw her back, and she stumbled into J.T., knocking them both to the dirt.

J.T. rolled to his knees on the ground and shook his head as all hell broke lose around him. He was vaguely aware that it was Mike who rushed at Randal, unarmed him, then threw him on the ground and pinned him there. The other men swarmed around, assisting Mike in any way they could. One of the men shouted to call the sheriff.

J.T.'s head cleared and his gaze landed on Caitlan's limp form laying feet away from him. He scrambled over to her, a deafening roar filling his ears and a sense of dread seizing his insides. He stared in horror at the blood soaking Caitlan's sweatshirt near the vicinity of her heart. She'd taken a bullet for him!

"Caitlan! Oh, God, Caitlan, no!" He scooped her gently into his arms and cradled her close, desperation ruling him. Touching his fingers to her neck, he felt a faint pulse, reaffirming that she still lived. She can't die, he tried to reassure himself, but the panic within him wouldn't subside.

Gingerly, he touched the bright red spot on her sweatshirt. His fingers came away wet and stained, and he moaned like a wounded animal. "Shit, you're bleeding!" he said in disbelief. "You can't be bleeding… "

Her lashes fluttered open and she attempted a smile. A smile, for chrissakes! Pain bracketed her mouth. Her eyes were glassy but more brilliantly violet than he'd ever seen them before.

"I'm not… invincible, Johnny," she said in a wispy voice. She gasped for breath, then an anguished groan slipped past her lips.

Despair clutched at J.T. "Call Dr. Henson!" he bellowed as Frank came running up to the scene. "And have him get an ambulance here immediately! Caitlan's been shot!"

Frank bolted toward the house, and J.T. glanced back at Caitlan, whose face had gone deathly pale. The pain and tears he'd never shed for Amanda gathered in his throat. "Please don't leave me, Caitlan. Please!" he rasped. "Hold on just a little longer."

"It hurts," she said, her breath catching. "I didn't think it would hurt so much."

"Shh," he soothed, brushing her hair away from her face. A tear seeped from the corner of her eye, and he tenderly wiped it away with his thumb. "Baby, hang in there. You've got to hang on!" I won't let you leave me, not without a fight!

Caitlan lifted her hand to his face and touched her fingers to his lips, wincing at the effort it cost her. "Johnny, I have to leave. My mission is over." She drew a breath that trembled the length of her body. "I was sent to protect you. Johnny… I told you I couldn't stay."

A broken sound of torment passed his lips and he shook his head in denial. "No!" Grabbing her hand, he pressed her fingers to his mouth, absorbing her warmth, her softness, everything about her.

She gave him another shaky smile, enough of an attempt to crease the dimple in her cheek. "I never thought it would hurt so much to leave you again," she whispered. "Let me go, Johnny." Her voice was barely audible. "We'll be together eternally… I promise."

"You can't leave me!" Holding her close, he rocked her in his arms. A sob caught in his throat and tears burned his eyes. He lifted his gaze to heaven, ready to bargain away his soul if he had to. "Please don't take her from me again," he pleaded, his voice rough with emotion. Surely if there was a God in heaven he would spare him this loss. "I can't live without her."

He placed her palm over his beating heart, willing to sacrifice the very life of him for her. In the distance he could hear the scream of an ambulance's siren and knew she'd be leaving him soon. Knew, too, that he was powerless to stop her inevitable departure from earth. Again.